Abstract: A machine for cutting slabs of fresh or frozen tempered meat into diced sections and defined by a conveyor assembly comprised of a feed belt and an associated spring-biased feed roll, a strip cutting assembly comprised of a first knife roll of circular knives and an associated feed drum, and a crosscut assembly comprised of a second knife roll of elongate knives and an associated stripper plate provided with a corresponding shear edge, with edge portions of the circular knives being intermested within slots formed in the stripper plate and peripheral grooves formed in both the feed roll and feed drum. The feed drum is configured to retard the movement of fresh meat slabs being conveyed through the strip cutting assembly during which the circular knives are rotated at a peripheral speed that is at least twice the peripheral speed of the feed drum.

Abstract: A scalloped cutting edge is formed on a knife blank by disposing the blank between corresponding faces of a punch and die assembly, whereby a resilient face of the punch compresses the blank into a plurality of scallop-shaped depressions formed in the face of the die, thereby imparting a corresponding scalloped configuration to the edge portion of the blank is then sharpened by partially removing the convex side of the scallops by beveling the blank edge portion.

Abstract: An elongate product is divided into a plurality of longitudinal strips by frictionally engaging the product between a pair of spaced flexible conveyors defining a longitudinal feed path therebetween and feeding the product at a desired orientation into a stationary knife assembly which cuts the product into strips that are discharged through a spiral-shaped chute and collected in a receptable. The spacing between the conveyors may be varied by adjustment assemblies spaced longitudinally along the feed path.

Abstract: A scalloped cutting edge is formed on a knife blank by disposing the blank between corresponding faces of a punch and die assembly, wherein a resilient face of the punch compresses the blank into a plurality of scallop-shaped depressions formed in the face of the die, thereby imparting a corresponding scalloped configuration to the edge portion of the blank.

Abstract: A scalloped cutting edge is formed on a knife blank by disposing the blank between corresponding faces of a punch and die assembly, whereby a resilient face of the punch comprises the blank into a plurality of scallop-shaped depressions formed in the face of the die, thereby imparting a corresponding scalloped configuration to the edge portion of the blank.

Abstract: A knife assembly for a water gun wherein each slot in the blade portion of each knife element for engagement within a corresponding slot in the base portion of an adjacent knife is configured to diverge outwardly towards the cutting edge so that bending of the cutting edge corner portions of the slot due to twisting of the adjacent knife during the cutting operation is prevented.

Abstract: An improvement in the structure of a circular knife including a novel method of making its peripheral cutting edges by reducing the number of operations required to produce the knife. Previously, as presently known, the peripheral cutting edges of circular knives involves the expense of individually cutting material out of a peripheral area as compared to the unique method of the subject disclosure which simultaneously shears and forms offset portions and radial portions, and wherein the outer knife ends of these portions are simutlaneously sharpened by a common bevel which causes the edges of the sharpened ends of the offset portions to be inset with reference to the sharpened ends of the radial portions. These two significant factors in the manfacture of circular knives constitute a meritorious advance in the art.

Abstract: The subject invention involves equipment for precision size reduction of a product, such as cutting string beans lengthwise into strips. More particularly, the invention is directed to improvement in the structure of a circular knife including a novel method of making its peripheral cutting edges by reducing the number of operations required to produce the knife. Previously, as presently known, the peripheral cutting edges of circular knives involves the expense of individually cutting material out of a peripheral area as compared to the unique method of the subject invention which simultaneously shears and forms offset portions and radial portions, and wherein the outer knife ends of these portions are simultaneously sharpened by a common bevel which causes the edges of the sharpened ends of the offset portions to be inset with reference to the sharpened ends of the radial portions. These two significant factors in the manufacture of circular knives constitute a meritorious advance in the art.

Abstract: An impeller for use in a comminuting apparatus and defined by a base on which an even number of upwardly extending blades are supported, half of the blades sloping forwardly and half of the blades sloping rearwardly with respect to the axis of rotation, wherein the top and bottom ends of the blades are configured to collectively define an undulating path along which the product is caused to flow during rotation of the impeller.

Abstract: A method of comminuting a product within a tubular cylinder provided with a plurality of transverse passages and a plurality of corresponding cutting edges, wherein an impeller supported for rotation within the cylinder includes a plurality of even number blades, half of which slope forwardly and the remaining half of which slope rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation to define an undulating path along which the product is caused to flow against the cutting edges for discharge through the transverse passages.

Abstract: The invention involves equipment comprising what may be referred to as a cutting head cylinder or unit provided with discharge passages and adjacent cutting edges and an improved impeller rotatable in the unit for directing a product or material introduced into the head tangentially against the cutting edges for comminuting or reducing the size of the product for flow outwardly through the passages. More particularly, the impeller structure embodies improved principles of design and construction and method of its operation whereby the product is presented substantially uniformly or evenly to the cutting edges and over the inside surface throughout the length of the cutting head or cylinder in order to substantially alleviate any concentration of the product in any localized areas within the confines of the head.

Abstract: The subject invention involves the design and construction of a tubular cylinder for use with other components and in which the wall of the cylinder is of a composite character made into a unitary structure and provided with a multitude of substantially radial holes in its periphery and a predetermined amount of a cylindrical surface of the wall is preferably cut away to fully open the holes whereby to provide passages through which a material to be processed and under pressure in the cylinder can be forced or extruded outwardly through the passages and thereby condition the material for its intended use.

Abstract: A tubular cylinder for use with other components and in which the wall of the cylinder is of a composite character made into a unitary structure and provided with a multitude of substantially radial holes in its periphery and a predetermined amount of a cylindrical surface of the wall is preferably cut away to fully open the holes whereby to provide passages through which a material to be processed and under pressure in the cylinder can be forced or extruded outwardly through the passages and thereby condition the material for its intended use.