Patent ID: 8276491

Claim:
A food article slicing machine, comprising: a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting path; a food article feed apparatus supporting two or more food articles for movement along corresponding food article paths intersecting the cutting path; a food article loading apparatus having, a lift tray pivotally mounted at a lower end with respect to the food article feed apparatus and having a support surface for receiving food articles to be loaded out of the lift tray and onto the food article feed apparatus; at least one divider mounted for movement with the lift tray and configured to separate said loaded food articles on said lift tray; and, a lifting actuator operatively connected to the lift tray and configured to pivot said lift tray between a lowered position for food articles to be loaded onto said lift tray and a raised position for food articles to be transferred to said food article feed apparatus.