Patent ID: 6041577
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: B65B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for slicing an elongated food article into a plurality of longitudinal slabs and inserting slabs from the food article into a container, comprising:(a) an indexing feeder comprising an indexing chain, a plurality of feed troughs, each independently affixed to a link of the indexing chain at a distance of one flight from neighboring troughs, and an indexing drive for advancing the indexing chain;(b) a first slicing station disposed along the indexing feeder, comprising an indexing turret with a plurality of self-centering chucks disposed around the periphery of the turret, means for rotating the turret such that each chuck is carried from a filling position to a slicing position, means for inserting a food article from a trough into each chuck as the trough is brought into alignment with the chuck at the filling position, a slicing head having a lateral outer edge and a center, a slicing ram for thrusting the food article through the slicing head as the chuck is brought into alignment with the slicing head at the slicing position, a splitter wedge extending from the slicing head, the splitter wedge being V-shaped at the end distal to the slicing head and tapering to a knife edge proximal to the slicing head at the center line of the slicing head, whereby emerging slabs are separated into two equal portions in spaced relationship to one another; and(c) a container conveyor system including a conveyor belt, means for feeding containers onto the conveyor belt, means for guiding the containers to a filling angle as the containers are conducted to the slicing station, and means at the slicing station for elevating the containers from the conveyor belt to the slicing head for filling each of said containers with said slabs and returning the containers to the conveyor belt after filling.