Abstract: A knife assembly includes a knife blade of which a front edge is a cutting edge, a holder for supporting the knife blade, a clamp for clamping the knife blade onto the holder, and a fastening mechanism for securing and clamping the knife blade between the clamp and the holder with the cutting edge protruding at a front side of the assembly. The holder has a frontal portion which is the foremost portion of the assembly at a bottom side of the knife blade and of which a foremost contact point is, in clamped state, in contact with a bottom side of the knife blade at a first distance from the cutting edge. The clamp includes front portions which protrude forward and into valleys of the knife blade and which have leading edges that protrude beyond said foremost contact point and create a crumple zone in front of the holder.

Abstract: A knife assembly includes a knife blade of which a front edge is a cutting edge, a holder configured for supporting the knife blade, a clamp arranged for clamping the knife blade onto the holder, and a fastening mechanism cooperating with the clamp and the holder for securing and clamping We knife blade between the clamp and the holder with the cutting edge protruding at a front side of the knife assembly. The holder has a frontal part which is, in clamped state, in contact with a bottom side of the knife blade at a first distance from the cutting edge. The clamp has a leading edge which, in clamped state, clamps onto a top side of the knife blade and is located a second distance from the cutting edge, the second distance being smaller than the first distance.

Abstract: A cutting head for a centrifugal cutting apparatus includes a rim structure; and a plurality of cutting stations mounted onto the rim structure, each of said cutting stations comprising a cutting element for cutting food products at a leading end of the cutting station and an inner wall extending from the leading end to a trailing end and forming a product sliding surface, along which the food product slides between successive cuts. The cutting stations are assembled adjacent one another onto the rim structure in such a way that a gap is present between each pair of adjacent cutting stations through which a product slice exits the cutting head upon being cut. The cutting head also includes a gap setting mechanism for setting the radial size of the gap by adjusting the radial offset of the trailing end of the respective cutting station with respect to the rim structure.

Abstract: A cutting head for a centrifugal cutting apparatus includes a rim structure; and a plurality of cutting stations which are mounted onto the rim structure, each of said cutting stations comprising a cutting element for cutting food products at a leading end of the cutting station and a product sliding surface between the leading end and a trailing end of the cutting station. The cutting stations are assembled adjacent one another onto the rim structure in such a way that a gap is present between each pair of adjacent cutting stations through which a product slice exits the cutting head upon being cut by one of the cutting elements. The product sliding surface has a first wall curvature on a front part and deviates from the first wall curvature on a rear part.

Abstract: A cutting head for a centrifugal cutting apparatus includes a rim structure; and a plurality of cutting stations which are mounted onto the rim structure, each of said cutting stations comprising a cutting element for cutting food products at a leading end of the cutting station and a product sliding surface between the leading end and a trailing end of the cutting station. The cutting stations are assembled adjacent one another onto the rim structure in such a way that a gap is present between each pair of adjacent cutting stations through which a product slice exits the cutting head upon being cut by one of the cutting elements. The product sliding surface has a first wall curvature on a front part and deviates from the first wall curvature on a rear part.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a rake-off angle in a centrifugal cutting head includes mounting a plurality of cutting stations on a rim structure with a gap between adjacent cutting stations, each cutting station holding a cutting element at a leading end of the cutting station and comprising an inner surface extending from the leading end to a trailing end forming a product sliding surface along which food product slides between successive cuts; and adjusting the rake-off angle by adjusting a rear part of the product sliding surface at a trailing end of at least one cutting station without changing the leading end.

Abstract: Impeller for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, provided for being coaxially mounted within an annular-shaped cutting head and to be rotated inside the cutting head about a rotational axis in a rotational direction, the impeller comprising: a base plate, an annular cover plate and a plurality of circumferentially spaced paddles mounted between the base and cover plates. The paddles are oriented such that they have a first impelling surface directed towards the rotational direction and the circumference of the impeller, so as to drive the product that is admitted into the impeller forwards and outwards towards cutting elements mounted on the cutting head. The paddles have peripheral parts located at or near the circumference of the impeller. The peripheral parts of the paddle elements are provided with replaceable, removably mounted wear parts which form a second impelling surface on the respective paddle.

Abstract: Cutting head assembly for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, comprising a plurality of drum stations, at least one of which is a cutting station, provided for together forming a drum, and fixing parts provided for assembling and holding the drum stations together. The drum stations have overlapping parts with each time at least one receiving part for receiving one of the fixing parts, such that in assembled condition the adjacent drum stations are each time fixed to each other by means of at least one of the fixing parts at the overlapping parts of the adjacent drum stations.

Abstract: Impeller for a centrifugal food cutting apparatus, comprising a base plate and at least one set of paddle parts mounted on the base plate and provided for imparting centrifugal force to food products to be cut. Each set comprises inner and outer paddle parts defining at least a first stage and a second, cutting stage, the inner and outer paddle parts being offset from each other in radial and angular direction of the impeller, such that a safe compartment is defined for food product which is in the second stage.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a rake-off angle in a centrifugal cutting head includes mounting a plurality of cutting stations on a rim structure with a gap between adjacent cutting stations, each cutting station holding a cutting element at a leading end of the cutting station and comprising an inner surface extending from the leading end to a trailing end forming a product sliding surface along which food product slides between successive cuts; and adjusting the rake-off angle by adjusting a rear part of the product sliding surface at a trailing end of at least one cutting station without changing the leading end.

Abstract: A knife assembly comprising a knife blade of which a front edge is a cutting edge, a holder configured for supporting the knife blade, a clamp arranged for clamping the knife blade onto the holder, and a fastening mechanism cooperating with the clamp and the holder for securing and clamping the knife blade between the clamp and the holder with the cutting edge protruding at a front side of the knife assembly. The holder has a frontal part which is, in clamped state, in contact with a bottom side of the knife blade at a first distance from the cutting edge. The clamp has a leading edge which, in clamped state, clamps onto a top side of the knife blade and is located a second distance from the cutting edge, the second distance being smaller than the first distance. A cutting apparatus comprising at least one such knife assembly.

Abstract: A knife assembly including a flat knife blade, a holder, a clamp arranged for clamping the knife blade onto the holder, and a fastening mechanism for securing the knife blade between the clamp and the holder. The clamp has clamping parts along a clamping line rearward from the front edge. The clamp includes clamping geometrical elements, corresponding to complementary contact geometrical elements of the knife blade, positioned at least in part at a different distance from said front edge than the clamping line. The clamp engages the knife blade along the clamping line and at the corresponding contact geometrical elements.

Abstract: Cutting head for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, comprising cutting stations, each of which has a cutting element at a leading end and an inner wall extending from the leading end to a trailing end and forming a product sliding surface. The cutting stations are assembled adjacent one another with a gap between each pair of adjacent cutting stations, a rake-off angle ?R being defined as the angle that a product slice deviates upon being cut by one of the cutting elements and exiting the cutting head through the respective gap, said angle being measured relative to a tangent line to the product sliding surface at the trailing end of the respective preceding cutting element. A rear part of the product sliding surface at the trailing end is adapted such that the rake-off angle ?R is below 17°.

Abstract: Cutting head assembly for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, comprising a plurality of drum stations, at least one of which is a cutting station, provided for together forming a drum, and fixing parts provided for assembling and holding the drum stations together. The drum stations have overlapping parts with each time at least one receiving part for receiving one of the fixing parts, such that in assembled condition the adjacent drum stations are each time fixed to each other by means of at least one of the fixing parts at the overlapping parts of the adjacent drum stations.

Abstract: A method for producing a knife assembly for a food cutting apparatus includes providing a clamp, by use of a grinding process, with an inwardly corrugated shape which is complementary to that of a knife blade of the assembly, and which forms a clamping surface which, when the knife assembly is in a clamped state, tightly fits over the knife blade, the fit being such that particles of food product being cut by means of the knife assembly are prevented from entering in between the clamp and the knife blade.

Abstract: Cutting head assembly for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, comprising a plurality of drum stations, at least one of which is a cutting station, provided for together forming a drum, and fixing parts provided for assembling and holding the drum stations together. The drum stations have overlapping parts with each time at least one receiving part for receiving one of the fixing parts, such that in assembled condition the adjacent drum stations are each time fixed to each other by means of at least one of the fixing parts at the overlapping parts of the adjacent drum stations.

Abstract: A knife assembly including a corrugated knife blade, a holder, a clamp arranged for clamping the knife blade onto the holder, and a fastening mechanism for securing the knife blade between the clamp and the holder. The clamp has clamping parts along a clamping line rearward from the front edge. The clamp includes clamping geometrical elements, corresponding to complementary contact geometrical elements of the knife blade, positioned at least in part at a different distance from said front edge than the clamping line. The clamp engages the knife blade along the clamping line and at the corresponding contact geometrical elements.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting products, comprising: a base; a cutting head with at least one cutting element along the circumference of the cutting head for cutting products fed into the cutting head, the cutting head being rotatably fitted to the base; an impeller adapted for rotating concentrically within the cutting head to urge products fed into the cutting head towards the circumference of the cutting head by means of centrifugal force; a first drive mechanism for driving the rotation of the impeller at a first rotational speed setting the centrifugal force; and a second drive mechanism for driving the rotation of the cutting head at a second rotational speed, determined such with respect to the first rotational speed that the product is cut by the at least one cutting element at a predetermined cutting velocity.

Abstract: Impeller for a centrifugal cutting apparatus, provided for being coaxially mounted within an annular-shaped cutting head and to be rotated inside the cutting head about a rotational axis in a rotational direction, the impeller comprising: a base plate, an annular cover plate and a plurality of circumferentially spaced paddles mounted between the base and cover plates. The paddles are oriented such that they have a first impelling surface directed towards the rotational direction and the circumference of the impeller, so as to drive the product that is admitted into the impeller forwards and outwards towards cutting elements mounted on the cutting head. The paddles have peripheral parts located at or near the circumference of the impeller. The peripheral parts of the paddle elements are provided with replaceable, removably mounted wear parts which form a second impelling surface on the respective paddle.