Patent ID: 7270039

Claim:
In a slicing machine that includes a loaf-loading support wherein during a loading operation a loaf is placed in the loaf-loading support, a gripper that moves from a home position clear of a loaf on the loaf-loading support to an engagement position wherein the gripper engages a trailing end of the loaf, wherein during a slicing operation, the gripper moves with the loaf along a longitudinal path into a slicing plane of a moving slicing blade until the loaf is effectively entirely sliced by the blade, wherein the gripper is then retracted in a reverse direction to the home position, the improvement comprising: a loaf-staging support extended along, parallel with, and in vertical alignment with, the loaf-loading support; a lowering mechanism configured to deliver a loaf in a vertical direction from the loaf-staging support to the loaf-loading support; a loaf-ready support laterally adjacent to the loaf-staging support; and a sweep mechanism configured to laterally move a loaf from the loaf-ready support into the loaf-staging support; and wherein said lowering mechanism is arranged to deliver the loaf in said vertical direction that is at an angle to the longitudinal path.