Abstract: This invention includes a system for cutting food products, such as potatoes, into proportional length pieces. In a one embodiment, the system includes a cutting assembly, sensors upstream of the cutting assembly and a programmable logic controller. The cutting assembly preferably includes a housing defining a passageway, at least two separately actuatable stops extendable into the passageway to provide an abutment to hold the food product in place, and at least two separately actuatable blades for slicing the food product into pieces. The controller cooperates with the sensors to determine the length of each food product and, based on a length determinative algorithm, selectively actuate one of the stops and at least one of the blades to determine how many times the food product will be sliced and location of the cut(s) relative to the leading end of the food product.

Abstract: A light weight saber saw with reduced numbers of mechanical components and capable of preventing liquid and dust from entering interior of a housing. A plunger reciprocates only in its axial direction in conformity with a longitudinal direction of the housing. A blade holding portion is pivotally movably connected to a front end of the plunger. The blade holding portion includes a plunger chip through which a rear end of a blade is insertable, and a blade holder covering the plunger chip. The blade holder has a track side corresponding to tooth side of the blade, and a track having an inclined track surface is provided at the track side. The housing rotatably supports a roller in rolling contact with the track surface. When the blade is retractingly moved into the housing, the blade holding portion and the blade are pivotally moved totether toward a workpiece by the contact between the roller and the track surface.

Abstract: A machine for slicing a bakery product, including a supported table surface having an aperture for the passage therethrough of sliced products; a pair of spaced-apart riser blocks projecting above said table surface; at least one power-driven cutting device disposed adjacent to said riser blocks, the cutting device having a horizontal blade extending above said table surface at a distance substantially corresponding to the slice thickness required, and a power-driven turntable, revolvable on a vertical axis and spaced above said cutting device, the turntable rigidly supporting at least one open-ended feed hopper adapted to contain a stack of bakery product items, the lowest item in said stack resting on the table surface and being pushed by the hopper into contact with said cutting device to produce a slice.

Abstract: A manually actuatable produce cutter is provided including a horizontal produce receiving trough and a disc cutter assembly journalled for rotation about a horizontal axis paralleling the trough and with one sector area of the disc cutter registered with and extending across one end of the trough. The trough includes a follower plate guidingly supported therefrom for movement longitudinally of the trough toward and away from the disc cutter and the latter includes a central support shaft extending outwardly therefrom journalled from the trough and projecting toward the second end thereof. The disc cutter and shaft are axially disengageable from the trough in a direction extending outward of the first end thereof and the latch structure is provided for latching the disc cutter and shaft against axial disengagement from the trough, the latch structure, when in the release position, including portions thereof preventing movement of the following plate beyond a predetermined position toward the disc cutter.

Abstract: A machine for slicing a piece of a foodstuff has a base having front and rear ends and provided with at least one guide extending longitudinally therebetween, a carriage longitudinally displaceable along the guide on the base and formed with a seat adapted to receive the foodstuff piece and with a plurality of longitudinally extending and upwardly open slots at the seat, and a blade frame pivotal about a horizontal transverse axis at the rear end of the base and provided with a plurality of blades extending radially of the axis. This frame is pivotal between an upper position with the blades extending upward clear of the carriage from the axis and a lower position with the blades extending horizontally longitudinally and received in the slots. A link is connected between the carriage and the blade frame for displacing the carriage longitudinally from the rear base end to the front base end on displacement of the blade frame from the upper to the lower position and vice versa.

Abstract: An improved wood processing apparatus which prevents clogging or fouling of the apparatus by providing a clear opening in the base of the apparatus for the passage of the pieces once cut, this area directing the pieces by gravity away from the drive mechanism. Additionally, the fully enclosed nature of the cutting hole eliminates the possibility of logs of too large a section being inserted into the cutting drum thereby stalling or fouling the cutting drum action.