Patent ID: 7073421
Filing Date: 2006-07-11
Classification: B24B,B26D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A bulk food product slicing machine comprising: a rotatable blade having a sharp edge; a drive mechanism for rotating said blade; and a blade sharpener assembly mounted adjacent to said blade and having a sharpening stone, a deburring stone, a retractable shield and a sharpening actuator, wherein the sharpening stone, the retractable shield and the sharpening actuator are each biased into normal positions such that the retractable shield is normally positioned so as to substantially shield the sharpening stone from slicing debris during food product slicing operations, wherein the sharpening stone, the retractable shield and the sharpening actuator are arranged such that movement of the sharpening actuator to initiate sharpening causes both (i) the retractable shield to move out of its normal position into a retracted position and (ii) the sharpening stone to move out of its normal position into sharpening contact with the blade, including moving linearly downwardly toward the blade.