US2047399A - Slicing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1936. c. T. WALTER SLICING MACHINE 5 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1931 7 wow? lNt lfg R 8Y6? FIG- I ATTORNEY July 14, 1936.

C. T. WALTER SLICING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill I [a I 60 I ll 69 e2 90 F 1 7 f u 1 #71} F N --t e1 I I I l I as 79 67 55 9O ea Q 55 a4 o 57 as 6 I 64 FIG --2 mvi awvm,

INVENTOR BY Wiirzess Q Qt) 2 ATTORNEY SLICING MACHINE Filed June 11. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 14, 1936. c WALTER 2,047,399

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1931 5 sheets-sheet 4 Fl G 6 M 7 WJQV INVENTOR.

BY \N flzzrzesa- ATTORNEY July 14, 1936.

C. T. WALTER SLICING MACHINE Filed June 11, 195i 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Qneb A|2345e7s9|ou|2|s|4 REVOLUTIONS or KNlFE FIG-7 FIG-6 INVENTOR %WW.

WITNESS- ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1936 smcmc momma Charles Taylor Walter, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Industrial Patents Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation ware of Dela- Application June 11, 1931, Serial No. 543,499 15 Claims. (01.146-94) This invention relates to a new and improved slicing machine and has particular usefulness when embodied in that type of machine employed for slicing foodstuifs such as bacon or similar products.

In practice, it is desirable in many instances,

1 to slice articles of food, such as bacon and the groups falling in succession, separated or segregated from each other. have the slices in each group bear a definite and uniform. offset relationshipwo each other.

The machines used heretofore are constructed to provide synchronization between feeding action of the product sliced and the rotation of the cutting blade which results in each succeeding slice falling in immediate contact with the other slices and the necessity for special handling of the slices in segregating and appropriatihg a group of slices desired as a single portion.

Furthermore, as in the'case of slicing for packaging purposes, manual operations are required in order to provide the desirable offset relationship between adjacent slices of a single group.

Obviously this special handling may be accomplished in various ways but in practice, it has been customary to provide an operator at the discharge end of the machine, who collects approximately the number of slices constituting a single group or portion, in a receiving pan after which the pan is quickly removed and the operation repeated.

In packaging operations, it is necessary to manually arrange each slice in a group with respect to the other slices which requires much time and skill and consequent expense, and in cases where it is desirable to avoid touching the food articleswith the human hands, this tedious and slow operation is performed by means of implements, such as forceps, spatula and the like, held by the operators which is even more diflicult and expensive.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a slicing machine which is entirely automatic in character which will provide by rapid operation, a succession of any desired number of slices automatically positioned in predetermined offset relationship with respect It is also desirable to The accomplishment of this object results in the provision of a plurality of groups of slices with spacing between each group, whereby each group is segregated and presented in a manner for subsequent packaging or handling purpose. 5

The machine of thisinvention comprises as three essential elements, a cutting blade, article holder andfeeder and a receiving conveyor, all of which are adapted for synchronized operation to produce the desired slicing and oflsetting 1 above mentioned. In addition to the above elements, this invention includes mechanism driven in synchronism with the above named elements which is operative upon any one or more of said three co-acting elements to alter the usual 15 synchronized operation therebetween, and 0 establish for a limited period a diiferent timing relationship for producing the spacing between the groups of slices. This last-named mechanism is a control mechanism and will be referred to assuch, in this specification.

It is contemplated that the control mechanism shall be capable of adjustment so as to provide any desired offset relationship between the slices'of a single group and any desired spacmg between groups of any desired number of slices, according to the particular type of operation practiced.

In operation, the cutting blade acts intermittently upon the article being sliced so that by altering the relationship between the rate of feed of the latter and the period of the knife,

the thickness of the slices may'be varied.

By means of the timing device of this invention, the grouping of slices may be provided by any one of several methods. Forthe purpose of explanation, the article holding element and the cutting blade may be considered as a slicing unit and the conveyor as a conveying unit and it will be appreciated that any alteration between the timed relation of these two units will vary the offsetting and spacing between the slices and groups of slices received on the conveyor. Consequently, the desired grouping may be provided by either altering the relationship of the slicing unit to the conveying unit insofar as their cooperative positions are concerned or while maintaining their positions, interrupting the action of the slicing unit while permitting the normal advancement of the conveyor.

In the first alternative, thecutting unit may be bodily displaced with respect to the conveyor so as to produce a new relationship, productive of the desired grouping action, or the advancing movement of the conveyor may be varied 55 groups of slices may be obtained by periodically interrupting the delivery of slices from the slicing unit which may include stopping the feeding action of the material to be sliced with respect to the support of the slicing unit and, in addition, producing relative movement between the rotating knife and the material to be sliced to prevent chipping of small pieces.

Consequently, the present invention in its broadest aspect, relates to a machine entirely automatic in character which comprises as essential elements, the cutting blade, the article holder and the conveyor, together with means for normally driving these co-acting elements in a predetermined synchronized relationship and in addition, a controlling mechanism which operates to alter said predetermined synchronized relationship in a desired manner to produce a space between groups of any desired number of slices with the slices of each group in a predetermined offset relationship.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the slicing unit is mounted in fixed position with respect to the conveyor and the holder for the material to be sliced is caused to have a variable travel with respect to the support for the slicing unit by partaking of the combined motions imparted by a rotatable screw shaft and cam means which may move the screw shaft axially. Thus, during the normal operation,

the holder is moved forward towards the knife by the rotation of the screw shaft and at the same time the screw shaft is axially displaced towards the knife by the action of a. rotatable cam. After a predetermined number of slices have been delivered, the rotatable cam acts to move the screw shaft away from the knife at a rate equal in amount to the movement ofthe holder forward toward the knife with respect'to the screw shaft. Therefore, the material may remain in substantial stationary position with respect to the support. As an additional feature, this embodiment includes additional cam contours which tend to move the material away from the knife when the slicing action is to be interruted so as to prevent chipping of small pieces by the continued rotation of the knife.

In the drawings which accompany this specification and made a part hereof, similar characters of reference in the several figures indicate identical parts.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of one embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail in. section of the driving end of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the bed of the machine depicted in Figure 1 showing a conventional product clamp;

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the driving mechanism of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic end view of the knife end of the machine;

Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 5 shown in relation to the conveyor;

Figure '7 is a chart showing the displacement of the product through the machine, and

Figure 8 is a development of the profile of cam ll hereinafter more particularly described. Referring now more particularly to Figure 1: An appropriate angle iron foundation.frame l is provided to rigidly hold the machine in the position shown. The machine parts are mounted on a frame consisting of a bed plate 2 integral with knife end bearing truss 3 and driving end bearing truss 4. Knife 5 is rigidly mounted on shaft 6 at I being held in position by appropriate means such as hub plate 8 secured to the knife 5 by nuts 9, I0, II, and [2. The shoulder i3 is integral with hub plate 8 and the hub is secured to the shaft 6 by nut l4. Shaft 6 is journaled in bearing l5 integral with truss 3 and passes through truss 4 at bearing l6. Shaft 6 is mounted in ball bearings I1 and 52 in such a manner as to transmit end thrusts of shaft 6 to bearings I1 and 52.

Bar 18 is rigidly mounted to angle irons l9 and 26 by nuts 2| and 22. Angle irons l9 and 20 are rigidly afiixed to foundation frame I by bolts 23 and 24 secured by nuts 25 and 26, shims 21 and 28 being provided to position bar I8. 29, here represented as a slab of bacon, is held against bed plate 2 by jaw 30 of clamp 3|, as shown in detail in Figure 3. Clamp 3| is pivotally mounted on shaft 32 at 33. Shaft 33 is rigidly mounted to carriage frame 34 at 35. Carriage frame 34 is rigidly mounted on slidable bearings 36 and 31, which bearings 36 and 31 slide freely on bar l8.

Housing 38 is rigidly affixed to carriage frame 34 and carries half-nut 39 which rides on feed' screw 46. Handle 4| permits manual control of half nut 39. Line 42 is attached to housing 38 at 43 and passes over an appropriate system of pulleys, one of which is shown as 44. Pulley 45 is affixed to counterweight 46. The end of line 42, after passing around pulley 45, is attached to foundation frame I at .41. Release of half-nut 39 by operation of handle 4| brings the entire product carriage mechanism to the driving end of the machine by reason of the pull of counterweight 46 on line 42. Feed screw 40 is slidably and rotatably mounted in bearing 46 and rotatably mounted in sleeve 49 which sleeve 49 is slidably and rotatably mounted in bearing 59. Sleeve 49 passes through open truss 4 at 95. Worm gear housing 5! conceals in Figure 1 the mechanism shown in section in Figure 4.

Referring now particularly to Figure 4. Shaft 6, as heretofore noted, passes through open truss 4 at l6 and is mounted as before described in roller bearings I1 and 52. Worm gear 53 is rigidly mounted on shaft 6 between bearings I1 and \52. Shaft 6 passes through housing cover 54 at 55, at which point oil retaining means 56 is provided. Spur gear 51 is rigidly mounted to shaft 6 beyond housing cover 54. Chain sprocket 56 is rigidly mounted at the end of shaft 6. Worm gear 53 meshes with worm 59 through which power is transmitted from motor 60 to shaft 6. Spur gear 61 meshes with spur gear 6| which is mounted on shaft 62, the end of which is shown in Figure 2. Shaft 62 is mounted on movable member 63 which is secured to plate 64 by stud bolts 65 and 66, passing through slots 61 and 66 respectively, in order to permit adjustment of Product meshing. Spur gear 69 is rigidly affixed to spur gear BI and like 6! rotates on shaft 62. Gear 69 meshes with gear III which is rigidly attached to sleeve 49 causing sleeve 49 to rotate.

Face cam II is rigidly afllxedto sleeve 49 and rotates therewith. Roller 12 is mounted on pin 13 which is affixed to bracket 14. Bracket 14 is affixed to plate 64 by appropriate means, such as with sleeve 49. Chain gear 90 is rigidly mounted A on the end of feed screw 40 and is driven by chain 9| from chain sprocket 58.

Power is applied to the driving mechanism through worm 59. Shaft 6, receiving power through gear 53, operates knife 5 which slices product 29 presented to the blade of knife 5 by clamp 3 I, advanced by the travel of half-nut 39 by feed screw 40 in a manner which hereinafter will be more particularly described.

Each revolution of knife 5 severs a slice from the product in the path of the cutting edge. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the entire machine 'is placed in such a position that the plane of the knife is at an acute angle to the plane of a conveyor 92, which is here shown as horizontal although a slight deviation of the plane of the conveyor from the horizontal will not affect the operation. This acute angle in combination with the closeness of the knife edge in the cutting position to the conveyor 92, a distance in practice of approximately one inch or less in the case of product such as bacon in which the slices are approximately one-eighth inch in thickness, minimizes the distance through which the slice must travel after severance before coming to rest on the conveyor, and this facilitates accurate positioning, including spacing and alignment of slices on the conveyor. It is clear from this that since the slice, when severed, approximates a parallel position to its position when at rest on the conveyor, its transposition to its resting place on the conveyor is accomplished by a motion of translation without substantial rotation. Attention is called to Figure 6 in which it will be seen that slice 93 being severed from product 29, is substantially parallel to slice 94 at rest on the conveyor. The angle under consideration is of further importance in that it renders the velocity of discharge of the severed slice at substantially right angles,

- that is, normal, to the resting place of the slice tion of the knife bladeagainst the slice being severed. This friction tends to give to the slice a velocity which may be resolved into two components, one radial and the other tangential with respect to the knife. This resultant velocity is in general a variable with respect to magnitude and direction, dependent upon such factors as sharpness of the knife, texture of the product ,cupied space on the conveyor.

The acute being sliced, and temperature of the product. In

order to deposit the slices-upon a moving con-1 veyor, such as is described and claimed inmy copending application for patent, entitled "Meat packing methods and means", filed January 5, 1931, Serial No. 506,652, which became Patent No. 1,886,926 on November 8, 1932, and for convenient practice of themethod described and claimed in one of my other co-pending applications for patent, namely, the one entitled Meat "packing -method",'filed January 5, 1931, Serial No. 506,653,

it is important that this velocity be controlled. This I do as shown especially in Figures 1, 5, and 6 by frames and 96. Frame 95 inhibits any radial component of the velocity imparted by fric-- tion, and frame 96 inhibits any tangential component thereof. Therefore, all slices dropped onto the conveyor from fixedcoordinate points with reference to the machine, bring about, in practice, substantially perfect spacing and alignment of the slices on the conveyor. In practice, any moving conveyor may be adjusted to operate satisfactorily in combination with this machine. A conveyor is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, as an endless beltoperatingover pulleys as 91.

The operation of the machine will be better understood after consideration of Figure 7, which is a chart showing the displacement of the product through the machine as brought about by the continuous and uniform rotation of the feed screw and the displacement of the product as brought about by the continuous and uniform rotation of the helical cam. In this chart, revolutions of the knife are noted on axis A-H and displacements in tenths of inches are noted on axis A-Q. Line ABCDE represents the desired motion of the product through the machine with reference to any fixed point on the machine. It will be noted that portion A-B of line ABCDE is a. straight line. Portion A-B shows that for each revolution of the knife a. slice one-tenth of an inch in thickness is produced for each of nine complete revolutionsof the knife. After nine slices have been consecutively produced, it is desired to interrupt the slicing in order to permit spacing between groups of slices on the uniformly moving conveyor. It is also desired to withdraw the unsliced portion of the product. from proximity to the cutting edge of the knife to minimize the danger of shaving off small portions from the'end of the slab of product, to which reference is hereinafter more particularly made. This motion is represented by line BC on the chart, which displacement is brought about in one-half of one revolution of the knife. After the product is drawn away from the knife, it is desired to maintain the withdrawn position for a period of time, as indicated by line CD. Dur

. ing the interim, the conveyor is moving the nine slices away from the knife and leaving an unoc- It is now desired to commence slicing again. This is done by I quickly returning the product to the slicing position. This return is represented on the chart by line D--E. Point E coincides with point A of the next cycle. The above described movement of the product through the machine is the resultant of the uniform rotative motion of the feed screw represented by line ADE and the superimposed axial displacement caused by the cam, which superimposed axial displacement is represented by line AFMGH.

It is apparent that the displacement of the product from fixed point A at any revolution of the knife (K-i-L) is equal to the displacement caused by the feed screw from point A at the same revolution (L) plus a displacement caused by motion of the cam from the same fixed point A to the same revolution (K). This is clearly indicated on the chart by line R-S as revolution 5.

Referring now again to Figure 1: As has been noted, the knife 5 revolves continuously at a uniform rate of speed, ignoring for our present purposes any frictional retardation of the blade dur ing actual contact with the product being sliced. The feed screw 40 runs at a constant rate of speed as has already been noted and, consequently, with reference to feed screw 40, the half-nut 39 is at all times moving forward, although, as will be noted, during one portion of the cycle the half-nut 39 is substantially motionless with reference to the knife. The action of the cam surface 11 in cooperation with roller 1! draws the feed screw away from the knife through bearings 48 and 50 in practice approximately one-sixteenth inch, necessarily withdrawingv the product one-sixteenth inch from the knife. This movement is accomplished during approximately onehalf revolution of the knife by segment 98 of the cam, as shown in detail in Figure 8, which is a development of the cam profile. After roller I! has passed over segment 98, which movement is represented in Figure 7 by line FM, the segment 99 of the cam passes over roller 12. The pitch of segment 99 is equal and opposite to the pitch of the feed screw threads which results in holding the product one-sixteenth inch distance from the knife and motionless with respect to the knife by moving forward with reference to the feed screw until segment 99 has passed over roller 12. This movement of the cam is represented in Figure '7 by line M-G. Segment I00 is next presented to roller 12 causing the axial advance of the feed screw, sufficient when the advance of the half-nut 39 on the feed screw is taken into consideration to advance the product sufficiently to give slices of desired thickness. The movement of segment I 00 over roller 12 is represented in Figure 7 by lines G-H plus AF, the line (3-H representing the movement of the cam necessary to retrace the one-sixteenth inch lost at FM and bring the product into the slicing position. The line A--F in Figure 7 represents that part of the movement of segment I00 necessary to produce nine slices. This completes the cycle of the movement of the cam.

In the immediately foregoing description of the operation of the cam with reference to the product, it is, of course, clear that the movement of the half-nut 39 is theoretically the same as the movement of the product. However, in practice it is found that due to such factors as the natural elasticity of the product the end line or line of severance of the product does not remain constant. The natural bulging of the end surface of the product and deflections set up by the cutting stresses produce shavings, and the purpose of withdrawing the product from the knife is to minimize this tendency to produce shavings.

From the drawings and also from the description hereof it will be noted that the motor and the worm may be considered as a common operating or common driving means for the different parts of the shearing apparatus as a whole. This common operating means through suitable mechanism serves to continuously drive the iongitudinally extending knife carrying shaft 6 and thereby continuously rotates the knife 5 in a cutting plane that extends transversely of or at right angles to the axis of the longitudinally extending cutter shaft 6. The mechanism whereby shaft 6 is driven from the common operating means comprehends the worm gear- 53.

Longitudinally extending rotatable screw shaft 4|] is in threaded engagement with a slidable member which is relied upon to engage a strip of material such as bacon while being sliced and in a manner whereby said slidable member can in conjunction with the functioning operation of the knife, control the manner in which the strip of bacon is to be sliced. The longitudinally extending feed screw is driven so as to be continuously rotated from the common operating means through the medium of reducing gearing that includes such gears as 58 and and chain It will be noted that means for effecting relative bodily longitudinal movement as between the feed screw on the one hand and the cutter carrying shaft on the other is accomplished through the medium of mechanism operated from the common drivingmeans which mechanism comprehends the reducing gearing provided by gears 51, SI, 69, and 10, the latter of which is directly associated with the cam 1| so as to revalve the cam whereby by such revolving of the cam the desired control and longitudinal bodily movement of the screw shaft is effected.

In other words, the construction of the shearing apparatus provides a common operating mechanism for the several parts which common operating mechanism controls in associated relationship, the functioning effects of several different mechanisms whereby the desired relative movements as between the cutting instrumentalities on the one hand and the essential features of the mechanism for feeding material thereto on the other can be and is automatically accomplished as the shearing apparatus functions. Moreover, the apparatus is shown having in association therewith a uniformly movable conveying element in the form of an upper strand of an endless conveyor which is associated with the slicing machine whereby slices of material can be delivered in spaced group arrangement with the slices in each group in overlapping relationship in respect to each other.

It is to be understood that my invention is not restricted to the specific construction shown which is merely illustrative of the principles of my invention and many modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a meat slicing machine, a frame, a rotatable shaft mounted in the frame, a cutting element carried by said rotatable shaft, means for rotating the shaft, a'feed screw shaft mounted in the frame for rotatable and axial movement, operative connections between the cutting element shaft and the feed screw shaft to rotate the latter, a meat slab holder slidably mounted in the frame and having threaded connection with the feed screw shaft for movement toward the cutting plane of the cutting element to present a slab of meat in the path of rotation of the cutting element to cut a predetermined number of slices from the meat slab, and a cam device operatively connected with the feed screw shaft and operable upon completion of the slicing of the predetermined number of slices to move the feed screw shaft axially to move the meat holder to withdraw the meat from s quently operating to return the screw feed shaft and the holder and the meat slab to normal operating position.

2. In a slicing machine, abase, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including'a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, and cam means operably connected between the drive means of said cutter and said screw shaft for periodically moving the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter.

3. In a slicing machine, a base, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, and a cani means' operably connected with the drive means of said cutter, rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said cam means being operable to' periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter.

4. In a slicing machine, a base, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said cutter and said feeding means, said feedingmeans including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter and a sleeve cam operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter.

5. In a slicing machine, a base, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movablerelative to the cuttingsaid feeding means including a nut and screw' shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a sleeve cam rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, drive means operableto drive said sleeve cam at a slower rate of speed in relation to said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter, and a yieldable abutment against said cam means to urge said feeding means toward the cutting plane.

"7. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operatingsaid conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including anut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, and cam means operably connected between the drive means of said cutter and said screw shaft for periodically moving the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cut ting operation of said'cutter and to provide spaces between conveyor.

8. In a slicing machine, a basepa uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, and a cam means operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said cam means being operable to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor.

9. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter, and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter and a sleeve cam operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor.

10. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a cam means operably connected with said screw shaft and drive means operable to drive said cam means at'a slower rate of speed in relation to said screw shaft, said cam means being operable to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor.

11. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feedingmaterial to the cutter and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a cam rotatably mounted on said screw shaft and drive means operable to drive said cam means at a slower rate of speed in relation to said screw shaft, said cam means being operable to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor.

groups of cut slicesfalling on said for feeding material to the cutter, and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a sleeve cam rotatably mounted on said screw shaft and drive means operable to drive said sleeve cam at a slower rate of speed in relation to said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor. V

13. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter, and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a sleeve cam operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on'said conveyor, and a yieldable abutment against said cam to urge said feeding means toward the cutting plane of said cutter.

14. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter, and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means including a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a sleeve cam operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and 10 to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor, and a spring actuated, yieldable, non-friction abutment against said cam to urge said feeding means toward the cutv ting plane of said cutter. 15. In a slicing machine, a base, a uniformly moving slice receiving conveyor, a cutter, means for feeding material to the cutter, and drive means for operating said conveyor, said cutter and said feeding means, said feeding means in-v cluding a nut and screw shaft axially movable relative to the cutting plane of said cutter, a sleeve cam operably connected with the drive means of said cutter rotatably mounted on said screw shaft, said sleeve cam being fixed against axial movement on said screw shaft to periodically move the feeding means from and toward the cutting plane to periodically interrupt the cutting operation of said cutter and to provide spaces between groups of cut slices falling on said conveyor, and a yieldable abutment including a spring actuated pivoted lever provided with a non-friction roller in engagement with said sleeve cam to urge said feeding means toward the cutting plane. 3

CHARLES TAYLOR WALTER.

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