Patent ID: 8109186

Claim:
Gripper apparatus comprising a gripper body and hooks for gripping one end of a food product located ahead of the gripper apparatus in a food slicing machine which slices the other end of the food product, the apparatus comprising: a first set of hooks movable relative to the gripper body between a retracted inoperative position and an extended product-gripping position; and a second set of hooks movable relative to the gripper body between a retracted inoperative position and an extended product-gripping position, wherein the second set of hooks when in their extended position projects ahead of and away from the gripper body to a distance greater than the first set of hooks when in their extended position to penetrate into the product to a greater depth measured ahead of and away from the gripper body, the first and second sets of hooks being independently movable relative to the gripper body between their retracted and extended positions, enabling both sets of hooks to occupy their respective extended positions during an initial stage of slicing and the second set of hooks to be withdrawn to their retracted position during a final stage of slicing so that more of the remaining end of the product can be sliced, the first and second sets being curved and occupy parallel planes when in their extended position, the planes occupied by the first set of hooks being orthogonal to the planes occupied by the second set of hooks, and the hooks of the second set being movable outwardly towards opposite sides of the apparatus as they move into their extended product-gripping positions.