Abstract: A method is provided of pressing an irregularly shaped, elongated loaf of an elastic material into a strand with a cross-section which is constant along its longitudinal extension. The method includes disposing the loaf in a form tube of the slicing machine, and determining basic data of the loaf before pressing, the basic data comprising at least physical basic data of the loaf before pressing. The method further includes determining a target length change of the loaf between an unpressed state and a pressed state, determining a target cross-sectional change of the loaf between the unpressed state and the pressed state, and pressing the loaf in the form tube in at least one cross direction to the longitudinal extension by a cross press stamp and in a longitudinal pressing direction of the form tube by a longitudinal press stamp, according to the target length change and the target cross-sectional change.

Abstract: In order to avoid underweight of slices when slicing a loaf into slices, thickness adjustments specified for slicing are adjusted depending on different pre-known parameters, from loaf to loaf and/or from slice to slice within one and the same loaf, preferably also across the boundary between two loaves optimized as early as possible so that existing weight conditions with regard to actual weight of the slices are maintained, in particular no more underweight slices are produced and/or the minimum average weight of the slices required for the entire batch is maintained.

Abstract: In order to be able to slice product pieces, whose cross-section varies along their length, into weight-accurate slices, after pressing to a uniform product caliber it is possible to measure these realistically in terms of cross-sectional area and length and not in a pumped up state of the machine. On the one hand, this is promoted by the fact that even before pressing, a cross-press stamp is set to a forming tube cross-section oriented to the unpressed product piece. On the other hand, this is promoted by the fact that after pressing, by lowering pressing force to a substantially lower holding force, it is possible to deform back the deformed, pumped up machine parts before measuring the product caliber.

Abstract: A rotatable blade with a front side and a back side, for use in a slicing machine, includes a curved peripheral edge formed as a cutting edge defining a blade plane. On the back side of the blade, the cutting edge is adjoined by a first surface which is inclined obliquely to the blade plane, extends radially inwards and is at an acute cutting angle to the blade plane. A second surface of the blade follows the first surface radially inwards on the back side of the blade, and the blade has a same thickness over an entire radial extension of the second surface.

Abstract: A transfer system in the form of a robot line used in one embodiment to transfer products, such as slices of meat or other fresh food, while complying with the hygienic requirements. The robot line may transfer the products, simply and with little constructive and financial effort. The robots used for this purpose may be very simply constructed with only one swivel arm and the robot base may be guided below the working plane, and only the swivel arm and the gripper may be disposed above the working plane.

Abstract: A cutting machine for slicing a loaf into slices includes a forming tube channel extending in an axial direction, with an open longitudinal side and a channel cavity. A plurality of cross press stamps of different widths can each be inserted into the open longitudinal side of the forming tube channel for forming a forming tube having a rear end and a cutting end. The cutting machine further includes a cutting device with a blade arranged in front of the cutting end of the forming tube, and the blade is displaceable in a transverse direction relative to the forming tube. A width of the channel cavity of the forming tube channel is variable, and a cross press drive is provided for displacing a cross press stamp of the plurality of cross press stamps into the open longitudinal side of the forming tube channel in a first transverse direction.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device and a method for guiding a blade at a cutting end face of a guide tube by means of magnetic force in order to bring a cutting spacing between the blade and the cutting end face as close as possible. The magnetic force may be applied to the blade only towards the end of a cutting process of a slice, i.e. near a blade outlet side of a guide tube cross-section of the guide tube.

Abstract: In order to be able to slice product pieces, whose cross-section varies along their length, into weight-accurate slices, after pressing to a uniform product caliber it is possible to measure these realistically in terms of cross-sectional area and length and not in a pumped up state of the machine. On the one hand, this is promoted by the fact that even before pressing, a cross-press stamp is set to a forming tube cross-section oriented to the unpressed product piece. On the other hand, this is promoted by the fact that after pressing, by lowering pressing force to a substantially lower holding force, it is possible to deform back the deformed, pumped up machine parts before measuring the product caliber.

Abstract: A method for slicing meat loafs that have a cross section that varies across their longitudinal extension into accurately weighted slices, that includes the steps of bringing the loaf into a defined shape with a uniform cross section across its length inside a forming tube by pressing the loaf before it is sliced. The pressing is performed in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction relative to the loaf in a predefined order and in particular in multiple pressing steps. The pressing may also comprise pressure relieving strokes for the purpose of reducing the force exertion for pressing, and for keeping the tissue structure of the loaf intact.

Abstract: In order to avoid underweight of slices when slicing a loaf into slices, thickness adjustments specified for slicing are adjusted depending on different pre-known parameters, from loaf to loaf and/or from slice to slice within one and the same loaf, preferably also across the boundary between two loaves optimized as early as possible so that existing weight conditions with regard to actual weight of the slices are maintained, in particular no more underweight slices are produced and/or the minimum average weight of the slices required for the entire batch is maintained.

Abstract: In order to maintain required average weight of an entire batch when slicing a loaf into slices and yet avoid underweighting individual slices, different reference weights are selected for critical areas depending on basic shape of the loaf, usually the two ends, than for the remaining area.

Abstract: In order on the one hand to avoid that regrinding of a blade of a slicing machine changes behavior of the blade during operation and on the other hand to achieve a very smooth penetration and good slice ejection, the radially outermost area of the blade may be produced as a regrinding area with a very small thickness, which is constant in any case in the radial direction.

Abstract: The rotating shaped blade for cutting slides from a product strand is only configured over a portion of its outer edge as a circular segment that extends about the rotation axis and which represents the cutting edge so that on the one hand side the cutting edge has a constant width radial distance from a circular segment shaped functional edge of the stop plate over an entire extension of the circular segment, and on the other hand side immediately after releasing the strand cross section by the blade a forward movement of the product strand can be performed up to the stop plate until the radial front edge of the blade has reached the strand cross section again.

Abstract: In order to damage structure of a loaf as little as possible when pressing it, a change in length of the loaf that occurs during pressing should be limited to a specified target change in length. For this purpose, a crossposition of a crosspress stamp to be set for pressing may automatically be determined and set from basic data of the loaf determined before pressing, in particular its length and volume or weight.

Abstract: In order to be able to insert loafs, which are pre-frozen for slicing into slices, at least lightly frozen, into a form cavity of a form tube without any problems or to manage with smaller form tube cross-sections, it is proposed, according to the disclosure, to carry out the first part of the forming of the loaf already before freezing, i.e., when inserting it into a preform. The loaf is frozen in this state, compressed in the preform, together with the preform in a freezer, then removed and fed to the final pressing in the form tube to the final pressed state.

Abstract: A cutting machine comprising one or more form tubes that are divided in two in the longitudinal direction into a front form tube section and a rear form tube section—at least across a portion of its circumference, so that the two form sections can be moved from a pressing position in which they are aligned with each other into a loading position in which they are not aligned with each other, and in the loading position the rear form tube section can be loaded with a new meat strand while the rest of the previous meat strand is still being cut into slices and moved in the front form tube section. The blade may be disposed to simultaneously cut slices from a plurality of form tubes and may be disposed for motion in the longitudinal direction as well as a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A cutting machine for cutting up pre-compressed meat strands into slices and a method for slicing pre-compressed meat strands, wherein the blade is moved forward in the feed direction to a limited extent after the blade has completely cut off a slice, and is either subsequently or simultaneously moved backward in the transversal direction. In this way, the forward movement of the meat strand to cut off the next slice can be started earlier.

Abstract: A dividing device is used for dividing a piece of meat with bone contained therein, in particular for cutting off a slice, which device has, in particular on a supporting body, both a moving blade and a moving saw, in order to have to saw through only the rigid part of the piece of meat with the saw and, usually overlapping in time or afterwards, to cut the elastic part with the blade, but if possible in the same cutting-gap of the saw.

Abstract: A cutting unit to facilitate ejecting a slice that is cut off from a product strand a radial distance between a blade edge of the rotating blade. The functional edge of the stop plate may be adjusted during the cutting movement. In one embodiment, the functional edge of the stop plate may be adjusted at an end of the cutting movement.

Abstract: A cutting machine for cutting up meat strands whose cross section varies over a longitudinal extension into weight precise slices as fast as possible, and a method for slicing such meat strands. Two or more strands may be received adjacent to each other in a respective form tube and pushed against a separately adjustable stop plate, which is assigned to each form tube, independently from each other by a controlled longitudinal press plunger. The strands may be compressed in the longitudinal direction and a cross section of the form tubes may be reduced in a first transversal direction jointly and in a second transversal direction independently from each other. Thus, the respective meat strand may be transversally compressed to a constant cross section for slicing.