Patent ID: 8104391

Claim:
A slicing apparatus comprising: a slicing wheel assembly comprising a hub about which the slicing wheel assembly rotates, a rim circumscribing the hub so as to define an annular space therebetween, and arcuate blades extending between and removably attached to the hub and rim, the hub, the rim, and the blades lying in a cutting plane of the slicing wheel assembly, each of the blades having an arcuate cutting edge on a convex portion thereof, each blade having a radially innermost extent and a radially outermost extent that do not lie on the same radial of the slicing wheel assembly; and means for stabilizing a food product when fed through the slicing wheel assembly in a direction transverse to the cutting plane and between the hub and the rim, the stabilizing means comprising at least one shear edge and gates that extend from the at least one shear edge to define stabilizing surfaces and form at least one passage with the at least one shear edge so that, during slicing of the food product by one of the blades, the cutting edge of the one blade is presented to the food product to cause a slicing action that occurs against the at least one shear edge, the food product is stabilized within the at least one passages by the stabilizing surfaces and contact between the food product and the cutting edge of the one blade does not remain at the same location of the one blade throughout the slicing action, but instead shifts toward the outermost extent of the one blade.