Patent ID: 7603936
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: B26D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A high speed food loaf slicing machine, comprising: a slicing station including a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the knife blade along a predetermined cutting path, and a loaf support for supporting a first food loaf and a second food loaf for movement along parallel first and second loaf paths, respectively, into the slicing station for repetitive slicing of both loaves by the knife blade; a loaf feed drive for advancing an unsliced portion of the first food loaf and an unsliced portion of the second food loaf along the loaf path and into the cutting path, the loaf feed drive comprising a circulating upper conveying surface and an underlying circulating lower conveying surface, said upper and lower conveying surfaces circulating in opposite directions, the upper conveying surface for engaging an upper surface of the unsliced portion of the first food loaf and the unsliced portion of the second food loaf, and the lower conveying surface for engaging a lower surface of the unsliced portion of the first food loaf and the unsliced portion of the second food loaf; and a clamp device arranged to grip both the first and second loaves on the first and second loaf paths, said clamp device arranged to translate on the first and second loaf paths to move from a home position for receiving said first and second loaves to a feed position closer to the cutting path wherein ends of said first and second loaves are engaged by the loaf feed drive, and said clamp device independent of said loaf feed drive; and a control that is programmed to disengage the clamp device from the first and second loaves after the first and second loaves are engaged between the circulating upper and lower conveying surfaces of the loaf feed drive but before slicing of the first and second loaves in the cutting path is complete; wherein said clamp device comprises a carriage that is arranged to translate along the first and second loaf paths on at least one elongated guide member, at least one pneumatic cylinder having a press member and mounted to said carriage, and a stop member mounted to said carriage, at least one of said first and second loaves located between said stop member and said press member, said pneumatic cylinder actuatable to clamp at least one of said first and second loaves between said stop member and said press member.