Abstract: A powered rotary knife includes a handle, a blade housing, an annular blade, and a blade bushing for rotatably mounting the blade within the housing. The blade housing includes an inner groove that is operable to receive the blade bushing therein. The blade housing and blade bushing are split in order to expand and receive the blade. The blade includes an outer groove that is also operable to receive the blade bushing. Thus, the blade bushing is spaced between the blade housing and blade and rotatably secures the blade within the blade housing.

Abstract: A vacuum packaging machine (10) is provided having a base (12) and a pivotally mounted lid (14) which cooperatively define a package air evacuation chamber (76) adapted to receive the open end (98) of a filled flexible package (100), thereby allowing evacuation of air from the package (100) and heat sealing of end (98). The machine (10) is characterized by an essentially flat and interrupted, easily cleanable base upper wall (28) which eliminates concavities in the like which can lead to unsanitary collection of fluids or solids. The machine (10) also has a vacuum source (16) and a vacuum conduit assembly (18) the latter having conduits within base (12) and lid (14).

Abstract: A dressing device (10,90) for sharpening or conditioning of a blade (18) or the like includes one or more disk pairs (36-40,108), each having a pair of disks (52,54,110,112) respectively presenting a series of circumferentially spaced, projecting teeth (64) with openings (66) therebetween. The disks (52,54,110,112) are oriented in face-to-face relationship with the teeth (64) thereof in meshed, intercalated relationship to thereby create circumferential dressing openings (76,122). The dressing surfaces (74) of the teeth (64) are of arcuate, concave configuration so as to create a desirable gothic-arch edge on a blade (18) or the like.

Abstract: A tripe washing and refining apparatus (10) including a base (20), a vessel (14), and a motor (16) is disclosed. The vessel (14) includes a selectively reversible rotatable disc (30) and two baffles (32,34) extending from an annular side wall (24) above the disc (30). Disc projections (40,42,44) extend from an upper surface (38) of the disc (30) and present opposed washing (48) and refining (50) surfaces, wherein the washing surface (48) is substantially smooth and the refining surface (50) is gritted. The baffles (32,34) likewise present opposed washing (60) and refining (62) surfaces. When the rotating disc (30) is rotated in a first direction, the washing surfaces of the disc projections (40,42,44) and the baffles (32,34) engage the tripe to agitate and wash it. When the rotating disc (30) is rotated in a second direction, the refining surfaces of the disc projections (40,42,44) and the baffles (32,34) engage the tripe to remove fat or other components from its exterior.