Patent ID: 7849771

Claim:
A cutting system for slicing food products into pieces comprising: an endless conveying device having a product support surface and at least one side rail; the support surface being tilted at an angle relative to a horizontal plane to urge each food product supported thereon to one side of the support surface and against the side rail as they are conveyed downstream; a cutting device having at least one cutting blade for cutting the food product into a plurality of pieces, the cutting device defining a passageway and a cutting zone in the passageway, the cutting blade being movable from a retracted position adjacent the passageway to an extended position in the cutting zone of the passageway; and a guide to receive the food products from the endless conveying device and deliver them one at a time through the passageway to the cutting zone, the guide and passageway being oriented at a downward angle relative to a horizontal plane in a direction of the cutting zone to permit the food products to move downward to the cutting zone under the influence of gravity.