Abstract: In order to be able to safely remove the heavy and very sharp blade from the machine, which is overhanging when mounted, in contrast to known solutions, the entire cutting unit is not swung out of the machine so far that the blade is easily accessible, but instead the cutting unit together with the blade support and blade drive remain unchanged in position in the machine, and only the blade carrier of a mounting device is brought into contact with the blade. Then the blade can first be fixed to the protective blade carrier before the connection of the blade to the blade support is released, and then the blade carrier loaded with the blade can be removed from the machine in a simple manner, for example pulled out sideways.