Patent ID: 11890768
Assignee: THURNE-MIDDLEBY LTD
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 13:
14. A method of cutting portions from a food product in a food processing machine in which food products travel along a food product flow path towards a cutter, the method comprising the steps of:
placing an end gripper in a stowed position below a food product flow path with a top surface of the end-gripper generally co-planar with upper surfaces of adjacent product feeders in the food product flow path, wherein a food product that travels along the food product flow path moves above the top surface of the end gripper when the end gripper is in the stowed position;
raising the end gripper from the stowed position to a raised position in the food product flow path after a food product has passed over the end gripper; and then bringing the end gripper into engagement with the trailing end of the food product.