Abstract: Apparatus for continuously shaping a compressible or cellular polymer material, such as polyurethane foam, by cutting portions of the material from a surface of one or more slabs of material (180) includes two compression rollers (146, 146a), two moving patterned platforms (132, 132a) interposed between the compression rollers, and one or more cutting blades (76) for transversely cutting the slab or slabs just as the cellular material emerges from between the compression rollers. At least one of the moving patterned platforms, preferably an endless belt, defines a recess or pattern of recesses. When a single slab or multiple slabs of material are fed and compressed between the compression rollers, a portion of the material from one side of the slab or slabs fills the recess or recesses in one of the moving patterned belts. The blade then transversely cuts the cellular material.

Abstract: A press for processing and recovering preselected solid urban waste and the like comprises a hopper which is operatively coupled to a pressing device for reducing the volume of the waste which, in a pressed condition, is conveyed by the pressing device to a cutting device designed for forming the waste into preset cross-section rods.

Abstract: A compressed hay bale cutting and stacking system includes a compressed bale cutter and a stacker arranged to stack half-cut or quarter-cut bales in multi-tier stacks while maintaining slices of the bales in substantial alignment. The bale cutter is oriented to discharge the half-cut or quarter-cut bales as a unit at a predetermined elevation. The stacker has a table assembly and a pushoff assembly positioned to receive each bale as a unit from the bale cutter and automatically form a stack of at least 2 bale by 2 bale tiers. The table assembly has an elongate first platform movable vertically on the stacker frame between a raised position aligned with the bale cutter discharge to form a first row of bales and a lowered position for receiving a second row of bales, to accumulate a tier of stacked bales while maintaining the bales substantially aligned along their vertical sides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting a vegetable, such as a potato, into pieces suitable for the preparation of cottage-fried, french-fried, and shoestring potatoes, has a plurality of vertically arranged propelling units, each of which has a plurality of wheels having their peripheries adjacent but spaced from one another so as to define a path along which such vegetable may travel through successive propelling units and be accelerated to a speed at which it will pass through a cutter having blades which cut the vegetable into pieces.

Abstract: A multiblade cutting assembly including a plurality of blades and a blade support which is loaded as a simple beam. A plurality of parallel cutting blades are mounted by a first end on a frame and by a second end on a tension member. A pair of biasing members bear against the frame and simultaneously apply a tension force to the blades. Multiple cutting assemblies as described can be stacked with the blades of the respective cutting assemblies in close proximity for improved cutting.

Abstract: A compressed hay bale cutting and stacking system includes a compressed bale cutter and a stacker arranged to stack half-cut or quarter-cut bales in multi-tier stacks while maintaining slices of the bales in substantial alignment. The bale cutter is oriented to discharge the half-cut or quarter-cut bales as a unit at a predetermined elevation. The stacker has a table assembly and a pushoff assembly positioned to receive each bale as a unit from the bale cutter and automatically form a stack of at least 2 bale by 2 bale tiers. The table assembly has an elongate first platform movable vertically on the stacker frame between a raised position aligned with the bale cutter discharge to form a first row of bales and a lowered position for receiving a second row of bales, to accumulate a tier of stacked bales while maintaining the bales substantially aligned along their vertical sides.

Abstract: A remotely controlled apparatus for reducing the size of energetic materials is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a remotely controlled cutter, retainer and a device for positioning the energetic material to be reduced. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the size of energetic materials by positioning a block of energetic material between the cutter and the retainer and causing the cutter to cut through the block of energetic material.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance for cutting material, preferably fruit or vegetables, into strips is disclosed. The kitchen appliance includes a base plate with sliding faces provided on its upper side and at least one row of blades is arranged between said sliding faces and extends essentially transversely to the cutting direction of the appliance. The blades thereof have upper cross webs that form cutting edges which project beyond the sliding faces in height and are fashioned open toward the underside of the base plate. The upper cross webs also include an essentially centrally arranged depressions extending in a direction toward the underside of the base plate. An approach channel is provided on the upper cross web of each of the blades, in front of the depression, for cutting guide channels into the material to be cut. In one embodiment, the channel cutter includes at least one v-shaped approach channel pointing in the direction of the underside of the base plate.

Abstract: An improved cutting head for slicing a food product is disclosed wherein the cutting head includes a lower mounting ring attached to the bottom of the cutter support segments to position the cutter support segments and which lower mounting ring rests on and is supported by the cutting head support ring. The cutting head also includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust the width of the slicing opening, the mechanism having an adjustment member which is configured to engage a pin attached to a cutter support segment and to contact an adjusting surface on the upper mounting ring so as to space the pin a predetermined distance from the adjusting surface. The cutting head also includes a system for removably attaching the cutting blade to the cutter support segment such that the blade may be readily removed and replaced without completely removing the clamping member from the cutter support segment.

Abstract: The fabric run (4) has a hollow marker profile (12) arranged along a cutting line (10). A cutting device (16) is equipped with a sensing tongue (14) which engages in the hollow marker profile (12), and which guides a cutting tool (18) along the marker profile (12) and hence along the cutting line (10). Exact, dimensionally accurate cutting of a fabric run is thereby possible.

Abstract: In order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of forming a groove in a board, an apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes a station for feeding the board from a supply of boards, a table for supporting the board upon receipt from the feeding station, a cutter for forming the groove while the board is supported by the table, and a station for removing the board after the groove has been formed. It is among the unique aspects of the disclosure that the table is moved relative to the cutter such that a grooved board can be removed from the table with the material defining the groove having been separated therefrom just after another board on the table has been grooved. The method includes the steps of feeding the board from a supply of boards at a feeding station, supporting the board after the board has been fed from the feeding station, forming the groove in the board while the board is being supported, and removing the board after forming the groove at a removing station.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating tape at a cut edge is described in which a bend is formed in the tape and in which a wall portion acts against the cut edge of the tape so that as the tape is drawn to straighten it, there is resilience in an upper layer of the tape which overcomes the adhesive strength between upper and lower layers and causes them to separate at the cut edge of the tape.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a replaceable blade cartridge and a compatible assembly for holding the cartridge wherein an old blade cartridge is slidably removed from the holding assembly and a new blade is slidably inserted into the holding assembly. Specifically, a replaceable blade cartridge for use in a compatible cutting head assembly of a centrifugal type slicer is disclosed.

Abstract: A tape cutting apparatus is described for cutting off a portion of tape (4) comprising first and second layers (4a,4c) secured one to another by an adhesive layer (4b). The apparatus comprises an anvil (40) and a cutter support member (31) carrying a blade (30), the cutter support member and the anvil being mounted for relative movement to bring the blade into contact with a facing surface of the anvil. The facing surface has a stepped portion (40) over which the tape is bent during cutting such that when the tape is released the first and second layers tend to separate from one another at the cut edge.

Abstract: A combination can crusher, juicer and slicer having a main housing with a vertically adjustable cutting blade holder or can holder and a ratcheted lever adapted to raise and lower a pressure plate into contact with either a can disposed in the holder or a cutting blade retained in the holder. Moving the pressure plate, which will vary depending on the operation desired, downwardly against a can disposed in the holder crushes the same. Moving the pressure plate downwardly against a mating cutting blade cuts a fruit or vegetable therebetween. Moving the pressure plate downwardly against a mating juicer assembly juices a vegetable or fruit disposed therebetween and juices the same.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging fibrous material in uniform, high density, self supporting, packages. Fibrous materials, such as alfalfa hay, grasses, etc. in the form of bales or loose material, are received. The material is moved through a cutting device, if needed, to form uniform sized portions, the material is formed into a level stream on a conveyor, measured into selected quantities and compressed to form very dense, self supporting packages. Preferably, the packages are inserted into plastic film enclosures for handling and shipping. This material is much more convenient and economical to ship and store than the much larger equivalent weight of loose, uncompacted material. Preferred mechanisms for stripping bands from bales, cutting and milling the received material to a desired size distribution and for weighing and compressing the material are also disclosed.

Abstract: A machine has a frame supporting a movable ram for forcing baled material, such as baled hay, into fixed cutting blades to cut the material into sections. A hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly connected to the ram and frame sequentially moves the ram toward and way from the blades to cut material in a chamber between the ram and cutting blades and allow material to be placed into the chambers. A platform mounted on the frame is used to present the baled material to the chamber. A pair of plates pivotally mounted on the frame are moved by the ram to separate the baled material into upper and lower portions that sequentially cut into sections by movement of the ram toward the blades.

Abstract: A cutter blade assembly for cutting a product, such as a carrot, into a plurality of finished end products, such as carrot sticks, comprises a blade holder and a first and second blade group disposed within the blade holder. The blade holder has a longitudinal passage formed therein. The first blade group comprises a plurality of first blades radially disposed about the longitudinal passage for cutting a first group of finished end products from the product as the product is advanced through the longitudinal passage. The second blade group comprises a plurality of second blades radially disposed about the longitudinal passage and angularly displaced with respect to the first blades. The second blades cut a second group of finished end products from the product as the product is further advanced through the longitudinal passage. Since both the first and second blades produce finished end products, the utilization of the product is maximized, and the amount of waste generated from the product is minimized.

Abstract: Method and portable apparatus for separately cutting respective layers of sheet of double-layered sheets which includes a portable apparatus with a pair of adjustable upper and lower parallel cutting assemblies each having angularly oriented cutting blades for separately cutting each sheet in parallel as they are pulled through the upper and lower cutting assemblies.

Abstract: An apparatus for dismantling filter inserts, especially disposable oil filters which comprise a filter paper element and an internal metal supporting tube, as well as metal end plates. The apparatus has two support rails 15 and 16 with upper edges formed as cutting edges. The support rails are mounted in a frame 11 for displacement transversely toward or away from each other to vary the spacing between them. Vertically above and perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the two support rails is a platen 26 driven by a compressed-air cylinder 24 or the like to move along the perpendicular such that the platen will compress a filter insert 19 placed upon the two support rails and sever the end plates 21 and 22 from the filter paper element 20.

Abstract: An apparatus for skinning fish fillets having the roller-presser shoe-structure comprises an oscillating knife (17) is particularly appropriate for skinning fillets of flatfish, i.e. fillets of fish which show a rather intimate and close connection between the skin and the muscle meat at least partially caused by fine tendons. In order to improve the insufficient yield in fillet meat caused by the structure of such machines, and in order to obtain a remaining of the so-called silver mirror on the fillet meat, the presser shoe (6) carrying and guiding the oscillating knife (17) is arranged to pivot about the axis (9) of the roller (3) against spring force, and the pivoting movement is used for retracting the oscillating knife (17), so that the cutting edge (19) thereof comes to lie behind a stationary cutting edge (13) formed on the presser shoe (6) at the entrance side thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a food product, such as a potato, into bar-shaped chips or pieces including an external portion provided with a number of transverse cutting blades and an internal portion provided with a support surface containing a number of rows of expellers. The food product is placed upon the expellers and the external portion is thrust downward over the internal portion to cut the food product.

Abstract: A vegetable cutter which includes a base with a through hole and a knife unit spanning the through hole which confronts a downwardly facing ram moveable between a food charging position and a food slicing position by manipulating a lever-type handle pivotally to apply pressure to the ram head and with guide means included to constrain the ram head to vertical movement of translation only.

Abstract: A dicing device for potatoes and the like adapted to be rested upon the top edge of a pail and having cutting wire portions through which a soft boiled potato is first sliced into horizontally sliced layers while passing onto a grated area and thereafter pushing the sliced layers through grated meshed cutting wires of a horizontal portion to form diced cubes of the potato as they are delivered to the underlying pail. The device generally comprises a horizontal frame portion having mesh cutting wire lengths and a raised portion extending upwardly from the forward end of the horizontal portion with layer cutting wire lengths and through which the full potato is passed to deposit the sliced layers upon the horizontal mesh grating portion. All cutting wires are a solitary wire threaded between opposite sides and ends of the frame portions and wound upon a tightening screw.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic knife assembly is provided for cutting potatoes and the like, wherein the knife assembly includes a cross-cut knife used to facilitate removal of a stuck potato. The knife assembly comprises a grid of knife blades encased within a knife housing adapted for removable in-line mounting along a flow conduit. Potatoes are propelled through the flow conduit by an hydraulic flow stream for cutting engagement with the knife blades as the potatoes pass through the knife housing. In the event that a potato becomes stuck at an upstream side of the knife housing, the cross-cut knife is receivable through an open slot formed between the knife housing and the adjacent end of the flow conduit to sever the stuck potato and thereby permit substantially unobstructed disassembly of the knife housing from the flow conduit. The thus disassembled knife housing and flow conduit can then be cleared preparatory to re-assembly and resumed normal cutting operations.

Abstract: A plurality of slitting devices for rolls of sheeting can be clipped onto a dispensing carton so that the sheeting is readily slit to width as it is drawn from the carton. The devices are folded from single flat steel units so as to guard the edges of blades securely when not in use.

Abstract: A cutter blade assembly 100 for producing elongated string cuts of food product using a hydraulic cutting apparatus where the elongated string cuts produced are free from feather cuts and compression cell damage, and further have small cross-sectional areas. The cutter blade assembly 100 is constructed from a front inlet adapter plate 101 having an inner longitudinal passageway therethrough shaped to form a conical converger 102. Pyramidal knife supports 103, 104, 105 and 106, are attached in opposing pairs around conical converger 102 to the back of front inlet adapter plate 101 to form a pyramidal frame. A plurality of strip knives are attached in a staggered perpendicular interlocking arrangement to form a sequential cutting grid.

Abstract: A slicer blade for cylindrical potato strips includes a plate member having a plurality of closely spaced cylindrical holes formed therein. The edge of each hole is beveled, as by a countersinking-type bit, preferably with the beveling tool being inserted into each hole the same distance, so that the surface of the bevel at least reaches the center point of the triangular space between each cluster of three holes. The previously flat triangular space thus is transformed into a three-sided sharp pointed peak. Additionally, the beveling creates an edge between the holes which also becomes sharpened to the same slope or angle as the peak. The edge between each pair of adjcent holes is formed into a concave shape which curves upward to the sharp-pointed peak. The combination of closely positioned holes and the beveling of each hole produces a sharp cutting edge about the perimeter of each hole without leaving any surface of the slicer blade which is transverse to the flow of the potato.

Abstract: A device for slitting and curling ornamental packaging ribbons is formed with a cutting punch which is elastically and movably connected with a counterplate. On the side of the cutting punch facing the counterplate, the cutting punch has a plurality of cutting elements embodied in the form of plastic blades extending in the direction of the relative motion between the device and the ornamental packaging ribbon. The counterplate is formed as a matrix with holes corresponding with the plastic blades into which the latter are inserted.

Abstract: A fiber-free cutting device for use in hydraulic conveyance vegetable cutting machines is disclosed. The cutting device utilizes cantilevered knife baldes which are attached at one end to a base support around a central open area such that the knife blades project at an angle away from the base support into an area downstream from the central open area. The cantilevered blades have a free end which overlaps the free end of an opposed knife blade such that fibers which may usually obstruct a blade are free to move along the blade to be discharged at the free end of the blade. Opposed blades are aligned so that a vegetable entering the fiber-free cutting device sees an apparent continuous cutting edge.

Abstract: A bench mounted and manually operated strap edger assembly structured to shape, parallel and reduce strap edges to a desired uniform width or thickness depending, at least to some extent upon the application for with the strap edger is intended. Each of two knife holders are adjustably mounted on a support base such that the cutting edge of one knife secured to a respective holder may be independently and fixedly adjusted relative to the longitudinal edge of the strap being shaped. The second knife and attached knife holder are movable between a fully opened and a plurality of cutting positions so that; the leading end of the strap is easily and operatively positionable relative to the cutting blade with the second knife holder in the fully opened position; facilitating a strong hand hold thereon enabling the user of the such assembly to pull the strap through the edger assembly once moving the second knife into one of the cutting positions to accomplish the intended operation.

Abstract: A lettuce and vegetable cutting device structured to section a head of lettuce or the like into a plurality of lengths or sections each having a different cross section for variety in appearance and edibility. The device includes a tubular cylindrical upright frame, a cutting grid, and a ram or pusher. The frame is structured to retain, or have connected at a mid point within the upright length of the frame, the cutting grid in a horizontal orientation. The cutting grid includes a plurality of connected, edgewise upright cutting blades each having upwardly facing cutting edges which define a plurality of non-uniform apertures. The ram is utilized to exert downward pressure on the head of lettuce atop the cutting grid and within the frame thus forcing the lettuce head downwardly through the cutting grid. The frame extends upwardly above the cutting grid to laterally constrain the lettuce head. Structure is also provided for properly orienting and guiding the ram in its downward travel within the frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for slitting a web (50) into narrower webs or strips comprises a plurality of cutters (45, 46), which are movable into engagement with the web to be slit and are carried by cutter holders (4), which are adjustable transversely to the web by positioning means (7). The cutter holders (4) are freely slidably mounted on a common track (2, 3) and are adapted to be fixed in position on said track by clamping or detent means (21, 22), which are adapted to be released by a control device (62). A feeder (7) is provided, which is parallel to the track (2, 3). The cutter holders (4) are adapted to be clamped or to be resiliently locked to said feeder under the control of a control device (62) so as to permit the cutter holders (4) to be displaced by the feeder to their desired positions.

Abstract: A compact, portable cutter device adapted to slit rolls of roofing felt into two or more webs of selective widths for application to a commercial roof. A rigid, box-like external housing is adapted to be supported upon a roof surface near the area where the felt is to be laid. An elongated axle transverses the housing to rotatably secure the roll of roofing felt for cutting. A trough-like cradle is defined within the housing beneath the axle to contain the felt roll. The width of the cradle may be varied by manipulation of suitable end tabs to properly center felt rolls of differing widths. The cradle includes a corrosion-resistant surface to facilitate smooth feeding of the felt fabric from the roll. A rigid, slotted cutter plate defines an interface zone where the cutting assembly is brought into contact with the felt fabric. The cutting assembly includes a plurality of adjustably spaced knives semi-permanently, coaxially mounted upon an elongated, rigid header associated with a foot-powered bell crank.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel apparatus for punching or drilling of a plurality of elongate, slanting bores or holes in a substantially solid slab made of a relatively rigid, penetrable material such as plastic. The apparatus comprises a punching or drilling chamber having a substantially planar top wall. A series of spikes angle downwardly and at an angle from the top wall. A feed end allows slabs of material to be fed into the punching chamber onto a planar support bed, where the slab is secured from further movement relative to the support bed. The support bed is movable in reciprocating motion upward and downward in the punching chamber in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axes of the spikes which extend downwardly from the top wall of the chamber. During the upward motion, the slab of material is forced into the spikes which pierce the slab and forms the elongated bores or holes therein. In the downward cycle, the spikes are withdrawn from the slab of material.

Abstract: In a hydraulic food cutting apparatus having mixing tank 13, food pump 14, converging tube segment 11 for accelerating and aligning food product to be cut, deceleration loop 18 and separating means 20 a method and means for reducing turbulent flow of cut food product 19 and carrier fluid which is either a converging cutter blade assembly 10, having the same angle of convergence and serving as an extension of converging tube segment 11, or in the event a standard in line cutter blade assembly 21 is used, then a second converging tube segment 22 attached to the discharge of the in line cutter blade assembly 21 for reaccelerating the carrier fluid and cut food product 19 as it exits the cutter blade assembly 21, in order to induce improved laminar flow of the carrier fluid and to reduce tumbling of the cut food product 19.

Abstract: There is provided a miniaturized document shredding device having engaging dual frictional conveyor rollers rotatably mounted within an enclosure. Fixed cutting blades are spaced across the width of the rollers and protrude through slits within the rollers to present cutting edges at the point of engagement of the rollers. In one embodiment these blades are mounted to the enclosure and protrude through the rollers, and in a second embodiment are mounted to the roller shafts between roller segments. With this arrangement, documents dropped through the top opening in the enclosure are picked up by the frictional rollers and conveyed by the rollers past the cutting blades to produce a shredded product.

Abstract: A food slicer mountable within a kitchen work unit support frame and comprising a slicer body with a removable infeed ramp. The slicer body includes aligned upper and lower platforms defining a slot therebetween. The adjacent edge of the upper platform forms the slicing blade. The ramp is positioned in overlying relation to the lower platform and includes opposed end edges of different height which, upon selective alignment below the blade edge of the upper platform, vary the effective height of the slot and the thickness of the slice.

Abstract: A cutter for food materials, has a holder including a corrugated distal end and an intermediate stepped portion forming a rearwardly extending groove. A corrugated cutter is disposed on the holder and includes a corrugated cutting edge extending forwardly of the distal end of the holder and a rearward end engaged in the groove. A vertical cutter located on the corrugated cutter and includes a plurality of vertically extending blades provided therein and spaced away from one another by a constant distance and a rearward end engaged in the groove. A clamp member is fixedly attached to the holder and pressed into engagement with the corrugated and vertical cutter, the distal end edge of the clamp member having a corrugation corresponding to that of the corrugated cutter and having slots each of which receives one of the vertically extending blades of the vertical cutter and has a length larger than the width of the blade.

Abstract: A meat cutting device for cutting long rolls of meat into shorter chunks includes means for conveying long rolls one after another against a plurality of blades, each having converging sharpened edges forming a sharp point. The blades are positioned parallel to one another across and above the path of travel of the rolls and are located so that as a roll is conveyed into the blades, the blade points will pierce through the skin of the roll before the sharpened edges begin to slice through the roll. Preferably the conveyor means includes a table on which support cradles are moved and the blades are positioned above the table with the blade points located above the table so that central axis of the roll is located under the points as the roll is moved through the blades.

Abstract: A sliced food article such as an onion, is quickly diced into a number of rectangular shaped pieces by forcing it through an upper and lower rack of parallel spaced blades such that the upper racks is at right angles to the lower rack forming a rectangular grid. The article, such as an onion, is forced through the rectangular spaces between the two racks of blades by a rectangular array of circular fingers depending from a plunger. The plunger slides along a pair of vertical guides towards and away from the blade. When the plunger is fully engaged with the blades, the free end of the fingers extend completely through the lower rack of blades. The base has four legs to give the device a steady foundation.

Abstract: A rounded food article, such as an onion, is quickly sliced into a number of slices by a manual device with a plurality of racks of parallel spaced tensioned blades mounted to the base at an acute angle. A transversing carrier assembly slides along guide rods in the base and is actuated by a pusher handle pivotally mounted to the base and pusher bar pivotally mounted to the pusher handle and the carrier assembly. The carrier assembly has a carrier plate and carrier fingers which are a parallel array of planor segments mounted above and parallel with the carrier plate and intermesh with the plurality of racks of blades. The food article is placed on the carrier plate and forced through the racks of blades by the carrier fingers, thereby slicing the onion into a number of slices. A guard mounted on the base shields the sharp edges of the blades.

Abstract: An inclined chute is provided for receiving side-by-side transversely extending elongated beans thereon for gravity lateral feeding of the beans downwardly along the chute. A rotary shaft is disposed outward of and below the lower end of the chute and a plurality of axially spaced wheels are mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith. The wheels include axially registered radially outwardly projecting arms whose outer ends are hooked in the direction of rotation of the shaft and stationary knife structure is disposed between adjacent wheels on the sides thereof remote from the chute. The registered arms of the wheels are operative to engage, support and convey beans from the lower end of the chute past the knife structure for cutting of the beans into a plurality of short bean member sections. Additional bean tipping blades are provided adjacent the axial ends of the shaft for tipping the beans and a cutting blade-equipped divider plate may be mounted between adjacent wheels for tipping shorter beans.

Abstract: A kitchen utensil for cutting foodstuffs such as vegetables or fruit into strips and particularly to a blade member therefor, the blade member comprising a strip of material such as metal which is integral with a plurality of spaced substantially vertical cutting blades which project from the plane of the strip, the strip being embedded in a guide plate, over which the foodstuff is moved during cutting, so that the blade member is securely held, the vertical blades projecting above the guide plate. The strip has cuts in one longitudinal edge and the metal between the cuts is bent up to form the vertical blades.

Abstract: A rounded food article, such as a tomato is quickly sliced into a number of slices by a manual device with a rack of parallel spaced tensioned blades mounted to the base at an acute angle. A transversing carrier assembly slides along guide rods in the base. The carrier assembly has a carrier plate and carrier fingers which are a parallel array of planor segments mounted above and parallel with the carrier plate and intermesh with the blade rack. The food article is placed on the carrier plate and carried through the blade rack by the movement of the carrier plate and fingers, thereby slicing the tomato into a number of slices. A guard mounted on the base shields the sharp edge of the blades. With the carrier in the open position the rack of blades in combination with the carrier fingers and guard creates a vertical cavity in which the food article to be sliced is inserted.

Abstract: An apparatus for longitudinally slitting moving webs of material. The apparatus provides for adjustment of cutting blade engagement with a moving web during slitting. The apparatus also provides for a consistent blade cutting angle as well as for increased use of a blade cutting edge. Further, the apparatus markedly reduces operator exposure to blade cutting edges.

Abstract: A set of blades is held in the blade-supporting section of a base frame connected to a mounting section, which attaches it to a table surface with the blades overhanging the surface. A pusher head having a number of fingers is pivotally connected to the mid-portion of a handle which is rotatably mounted on the frame. A tilting linkage is rotatably connected to the pusher and to the frame for disposing the pusher more directly through the blades at the end of its stroke than if the pusher were rigidly attached to the handle. The chopped pieces pass directly to the container in a free space below the blade section of the frame. Pairs of struts and tilting linkages balance and stabilize the operating action.

Abstract: A guarded tomato slicer has a sharp rack of blades mounted substantially diagonally across a table with a loading area disposed between a retracted pusher and the sharp edges of the blades. A swinging vertical gate is mounted in front of the loading area on a vertical pivot adjacent the rack of blades. The gate is resiliently poised in front of the loading area. The gate and pusher are short enough to clear each other when a tomato is pushed into the loading area against and through the swinging gate, which covers the sharp edges of the rack of blades to guard them. The swinging gate has an apertured roof to shield the top of the loading area. As deflectable outer segment of the roof has a projection which provides an outward limit of travel for the swinging gate and is deflectable to permit removal of the swinging gate. The pusher is mounted on a pair of horizontal slide rods connected to the top of the rack having lower extensions which extend downwardly together to provide a support foot.

Abstract: The combination in a food slicer of the type embodying a cutter unit, comprising a plurality of spaced cutter blades, and a pusher unit having a plurality of pusher blades that may be manually moved into and out of intermeshed relation to the cutter blades for pressing tomatoes, or the like, through the cutter unit, of a safety guard having a portion movable upwardly and downwardly between a position wherein it is disposed in overlying relation to the cutter blades, between the cutter unit and the pusher unit, and a position wherein it is disposed above the pusher unit, the safety guard having a projecting portion for preventing the pusher blades being damaged by engagement with the safety guard.

Abstract: Improvements in apparatus and methods for cutting potatoes into strips, wherein the potatoes are carried hydraulically .[.in single file.]. against and through an arrangement of knife blades, rapidly and with great force. The improvements reside in the manner in which the potatoes are preconiditioned for cutting, the mechanism .[.by.]. which .Iadd.causes .Iaddend.the potatoes .[.are aligned in.]. to .Iadd.move toward the axis of .Iaddend.the hydraulic stream as they approach the knives, and the knife device by which the potatoes are effectively cut into strips.