Abstract: A food product breading machine is disclosed that comprises a breading unit and a battering unit. The breading unit includes a breading material reservoir, a conveyor for moving food products and breading material along a travel path to a breading application station, and a breading material flow controlling system for creating a standing wave of breading material at the breading application station. The breading material flow controlling system comprises food product engaging elements movable toward and away from the conveyor to enable food products to pass through the standing wave and the application station while continuing to restrict the flow of breading material from the station. An adjustable plow projects into the breading approaching the application station to facilitate breading lateral sides of food products approaching the station.

Abstract: A rotary knife blade comprising an annular body rotatable about a central axis, gear teeth projecting away from the body to form a ring gear, and an annular blade section projecting away from the body. The blade section comprises a first frustoconical, radially inner surface, a second frustoconical, radially outer surface, a third annular surface extending between the first and second surfaces remote from the body and an array of shallow flutes formed in the blade section. The flutes are disposed circumferentially about the blade section, extending from the projecting blade section end toward the body and opening in the first and third surfaces. The junctures of the third surface with the first surface and the flutes define a cutting edge.