US2005109A - Slicing machine - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1935. c. s. REED ET AL SL IGING MACHINE Filed NOV. 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l June18,'1935. c. s. REED El AL 2,005,109

SLICING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 18, 1935. c, s; REED ET AL 2,005,109

SLICING MACHINE] 4 Filed Nov. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet s e/ 56 56 I J 63 A 9 93 92. 93 536 F 7 23 I6 94 a;

Mus/wees 5 CI 5. E550 w A. PuB/N Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES SLICING MACHINE Carl S. Reed and Adolph Rubin, St; Louis, Mo., assignors to Hussmann-Ligonier Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application November 26, 1930, Serial No. 498,286

20 Claims.

This invention relates generally to slicing machines adapted for use in slicing foodstuffs, such as meats, sausage, bread, cheese, etc., and the predominant object of the invention is to produce an improved slicing machine of the type disclosed in an application filed by the said Adolph Rubin on April 7, 1930, and which bears Serial Number 442,097 now matured into av Patent Number 1,925,848.

An important feature of the slicing machine disclosed herein, and of the slicing machine disclosed in the said Adolph Rubins earlier application referred to above, is that the cutting elements thereof are of the reciprocatory type instead of rotary, as is the case with most slicing machines in use at the present time. The cutting element of the machine disclosed in the earlier application is arranged so that it reciprocates perpendicularly with respect to a horizontal base, and while a reciprocating cutting element so arranged 11110".

tioned with very great efficiency in slicing most of the foodstuffs with which it is used, it was found that in the case of somevery soft foodstuffs, such as fresh bread or soft meats, some trouble was experienced in obtaining a clean out, due to the tendency of the soft materials to move upwardly and downwardly with the reciprocating cutting element.

In view of this situation we have devised the slicing machine disclosed in the present application, which is provided with a reciprocatory cutting element arranged at an acute angle with respect to the path of travel of the material being sliced instead of perpendicularly with respect to said path of travel, as in the case of the machine disclosed in the earlier application of the said Adolph Rubin, above referred to. This acute angular arrangement of the cutting element of the improved machine disclosed herein results in the foodstuffs being sliced being forced downwardly by the reciprocating cutting element against the element by which they are supported. In other words, the article being sliced, as it passes into contact with the cutting element, moves through a wedge-shaped cutting zone, the

top inclined edge of which is thecutting element,

and as the article being sliced is forced against the inclined cutting element to perform the slicing operation, said article will be forced or cammed downwardly by said inclined cutting element.

It is plain, therefore, that because of the inclined arrangement of the cutting element of my improved slicing machine there will be no tendency for soft-material being. sliced to move upwardly and downwardly with the reciprocating cutting element, but instead such soft material will be held firmly against the element by which it is supported, whereby the maximum slicing efficiency is obtained.

Another very important feature of the slicing machine disclosed herein resides in the fact that the reciprocatory cutting element thereof is tilted in a transverse direction with respect to the path of travel of the foodstuffs being sliced. In other words, only the cutting edge of the cutting element is in the path of travel of the material being sliced, the transversely tilted condition of the cutting element removing the remaindcrof said cutting element out'of the path of travel of said material being sliced.

Still another exceedingly important feature of this invention is found in the fact that the means which imparts reciprocatory movement to the cutting element of the machine includes a movement stabilizing means which makes the movement of the cutting element substantially uniform at all times. In theabsence of the movement stabilizing means referred to', it was found that when the cutting element was subjected to the strains incident to the slicing operations the smoothness of the reciprocatory movement of said cutting element. was affected. However, when the movement stabilizing means is employed as a part of the mechanism which imparts movement to the cutting element, a .uniformity of movement of said cutting element is obtained which is conducive to the maximum slicing efficiency.

Finally, an important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the improved slicing machine includes a gauge plate which is tilted transversely at a slight angle with respect to the path of travel of the foodstuffs being sliced, and a pusher plate forming a part of a follower is provided forforcing the foodstuffs being sliced into contact with said gauge plate, which is extended parallel with respect to the gauge plate. This. is an important improvement, inasmuch as the entire article being sliced is held in firm contact with the gauge plate, whereby slices of uniform thickness throughout are produced.

Fig.1 is a plan view of the improved slicing machine. f

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the slicing machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. I

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail illustrati'ng the mechanism for imparting reciprocatory movement to the cutting element of the improved slicing machine. 1

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66 0 Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged cross-section on line 'I'I of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved slicing machine generally, said machine including a suitable base I which preferably, though notnecessarily, is of the inverted hollow construction shown in Fig. 3. At the forwardside of the base I same is provided with inturned extensions 2 to which suitable feet 3 are fixed, and at the rear side of said base a pair of outwardly extended brackets '4 are secured which support a pan P. Each of the brackets 4 is provided with an upwardly extended portion 5 which contacts with a portion of the rear face of the base I, said upwardly extended bracket portion being provided with centering pins 6 which are inserted into apertures in the rear wall of the base for the purpose of locating the bracket portions with respect to the base. I designates screw-threaded devices, one of which is associated with the upwardly extended portion of each bracket, the screw-threaded shank portion I thereof being extended through an opening in the upwardly extended bracket portion and being screwed into a screwthre'ad'ed aperture in the rear wall of the base,

Each bracket 4 is provided with a circular portion 8 which provides a foot 9 adapted to aid in supporting the machine.

, The base I of the machine A includes a rearwardly extended extension I3 which provides a flat shoulder I I at its top, and secured to this extension at the shoulder referred to is an upstanding plate I2. The plate I2 is provided with a laterally turned flange I3 at its lower end through which fastening devices I4 are passed, these fastening devices serving to secure the plate I2 inplace. The plate I2 at its outer end is substantially flush with the corresponding end of the base I of the machine A, and at its inner end said plate is provided with a portion I5 shaped to provide a guide for the cutting element I6 of the machine. While the guide I5 referred to is extended upwardly with respect to the horizontal plane of the base I, said guide is'not perpendicular with respect thereto, but instead the guide is extended upwardly at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane of the base. The inclina- 60" with respect to the horizontalplane of the base I' of the machine serves my purpose very well.

The guide I5 comprises a main supporting portion I5 which is provided with a depression or recess I? extended from top to bottom of said main suporting portion. The inner wall ll of the recess I! is inclined from front to back of the guide, as shown clearly in Fig. 6, with respect to the forward face I8 of the guide, and the rear wall of said recess is arranged at a substan tial right angle with respect to said inner wall. The recess I1 is open at the top and bottom of the guide I5, and an opening I9 which coincides with the lower-end of the guide is formed in the top wall of the base I (Fig. 3). The base I includes a portion 20 which extends upwardly from the top wall of said base to the elevation of the shoulder II already referred to herein, said extension being extended from end to end of the base and being cut out at the location of the lower end of the guide, as indicated at 20' in Fig. 3.

Seated in the rear portion of the recess I1 is a backing strip 2I which is substantially thin when compared with the depth of the recess. The backing strip 2| is held in place by fastening devices 22 which pass through apertures formed in said backing strip and are screwed into screwthreaded openings in the main body portion of the guide I5. Thesefastening devices 22 also serve to secure in place a guiding strip 23 which extends longitudinally of the guide I5 from top to bottom. The guiding strip 23 is of greater width than the backing strip 2|, and therefore a guideway 24 is provided between a portion of .the inner face of the guiding strip and the oppositely disposed portion of the bottom wall ll of the recess ll, the forward edge of the backing strip 2| constituting the bottom or-inner wall of this guideway. The cutting element already designated herein by the reference character I6 is arranged in .the guideway 24, this cutting element being in the form of a fiat, elongated blade, and, as will hereinafterappear, is arranged for reciprocatory movement within said guideway 24.

Supported beneath the top wall of the base I of the machine A is a suitable motor M arranged with its armature shaft horizontal, said armature shaft having fixed thereto a pulley 25. Supported by a suitable bracket structure 26 fixed to the top wall of the base I and suspended therefrom (Fig. 3) is a horizontally disposed shaft 2I, said shaft 2! being provided with suitable ball bearings 28. The shaft 21* has fixedly, mounted thereon a pulley 29, and operating over the pul- .ley 29 and over the pulley 25 on the armature shaft of the motor is an endless belt 30. It is apparent, in view of the arrangement of the pulleys 25 and'ZQ and the'endless belt 30, that when the motor M is in operation rotary movement will be imparted to the shaft 21. Fixed'to the shaft 21 at the end thereof opposite to the end at which the pulley 29 is located is a movement stabilizing element in the form of a fly wheel 3|. The fly wheel 3| is rigidly fixed to the shaft 21 so that it rotates therewith, and said fly wheel is of such weight that when the shaft is in motion the momentum of the rapidly rotating fly wheel will render the movement of the shaft2I much more uniform than it would be in the absence of said fly wheel.

Secured to the fly wheel 3| by means of fastening devices 32 is an element 33, said element 33 being providedwith a flange 34 through which I the fastening devices 32 are passed. The element 33 is provided with a short shaft 35 which extends outwardly from the main body portion of the element at a slight angle with respect to the major axis of the shaft 21 (Fig. 5), the forward face 33 of the body portion of the element 33 being at an approximately right angle to the major axis of the short shaft 35. Mounted on the short shaft 35 is a sleeve 36 which lsprovided with an outwardly extended flange 31 at its inner end which contacts the angular face 33' of the body portion of the element 33. The outer end portion of the sleeve 36 is screw-thread ed and a plate 38, which is provided with a central screw-threaded opening, is screwed on the screw-threaded end portion of the sleeve. The flange 31 of the sleeve 36 and the plate 38 are tal shaft 21 is supported includes a bearing por-' tion 42 which is provided with an opening in which a 'rod 43 is mounted forreciprocatory movement.

The rod 43 is provided with an enlarged head portion 44 of bifurcated formation, and extended across the space between thespaced legs of said bifurcated head portion and supported by said spaced legs is a pin 45. The bifurcated head portion 44 of the rod 43 receives'the lower end portion of the cutting element [6 between the spaced legs thereof, said lower end pc-rtion'of said cutting element being provided with a transversely extended open end slot 46 (Fig.4) which receives the pin 45 in a manner to connect the cutting element and the rod 43 together. At the lower end of the rod 43 a bifurcated element 41 is fixedly attached thereto, and rotatably supported by the spaced legs of said bifurcated element so that it extends from one leg to the other is arod 48. The rod 48 is provided with an aperture 49 formed therethrough through which an extension 50 on the yoke 46 extends, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper portion of the yoke 40 is provided with an extension 5|, and this extension, together with the portionof the yoke adjacent thereto, is positioned between a pair of spaced apart extensions 52 formed on the bearing portion 42 of the bracket structure 26. The spaced apart extensions 52 serve as guides which prevent rotation of the yoke .46 and guide said yoke during vertical movement thereof.

As already stated, the plate 38 is screwed on the screw-threaded end portion of the sleeve 36, and because the frictional contact between the rollers 39 and said plate 38 may tend to unscrew said plate when the rollers are rotated about the sleeve 36, we provide a torsional coil spring 53 (Fig. 5) to eliminate this tendency. One end of the torsional coil spring is connected to the plate 38 and the other end is connected to a nut 54 which is screwed on the reduced, screw-threaded end portion 35' of the short shaft 35and serves to retain the sleeve 36 on said short shaft. The torsional coil spring 53 is characterized by a tendency to rotate the plate 38 in a manner to screw said plate inwardly on the screw-threaded portion of the'sleeve, hence the force exerted by said coil spring will resist the frictional force which tends to unscrew the plate 38. 7

Due to the fact that the element 33 is provided with the short shaft 35 which is operatively asso-' ciated with the horizontal shaft 21 at an acute angle relative to the major axis of said horizontal shaft, the sleeve 36 and the parts associated therewith will be subjected to wobbling motion when the shaft 21 is rotated by the motor M. This wobbling motion of the element 33 will cause the outer end of the yoke 40 to rise and fall in an arc of a circle, andbecause the extension 50 of said yoke is connected to-the rod 43, said rod, and with it the cutting element l6, will be subjected to reciprocatory movement.

It will be noted by referring particularly to Fig. 3 that the bracket structure 26 has associated with it a housing. 55, which is suspended from nism which imparts reciprocatory motion to the cutting element IS. a receptacle'for a body of oil which may be disposed in the lower portion of said housing 55 so that it will be splashed about by the fly wheel 3| in a manner to lubricate all of the Working parts within the housing 55. g

The means for guiding the upper end of the cutting element [6 comprisesa substantially L- shaped element 56, one leg 56 of which is seated in an elongated depression 51 formed in the guide IS. The other leg 56 of the L-shaped element 56 is provided with a pin 58 at its outer end which is disposed in an elongatedslot 59 formed in the cutting element l6 at the upper end thereof. The slot 59 is open at the top edge of the cutting element l6, and the leg se of theelement '56 is provided with an elongated slot 66 formed therein through which a fastening device '6! is passed. The fastening device 6| is screwed into a screwthreaded aperture in the body portion of the guide l5, and said fastening device is provided This arrangement provides with a shoulder 62 which isadapted to frictionally engage the outer face of the leg 56 of the element 56 when said fastening device is screwed inwardly to clamp the element 56 in a fixed position.

The slot 59 at the upper end of the cutting element I6 is of suflicient length to permit re ciprocatory movement of said cutting element with respect to the pin 58, andwhen it is desired to remove a cutting element for the purpose of sharpening same, or for any-other reason, the fastening device Si is unscrewed so as to remove the shoulder 62 out of contact with the outer face of the leg 56 of the element 56. The entire element 56 may then be moved upwardly until the pin 58 is above the upper edge of the cut-- ting element, the slot 66 in the leg 56 of said element 56 permitting upward movement'of said element with respect to the screw-threaded shank of the fastening device 6!. The cutting element may thenbe grasped at the finger openings 63 and moved outwardly to the approximate position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 4 so as to disengage the slot 46 at the lower end of the cutting element from the pin 45,.whereuponthe cutting element may be lifted out of position.

When a cutting element'is being arranged in place inthe machine the lower end of said cutting element is introduced into a position where the slot 46 engages the pin 45, after which the cutting element ismoved to its proper position. The element 56 is then moved downwardly in a manner to cause the pin 58 to move into the slot 59 at the upper end of the cutting element, after which the fastening device 6| is screwed inwardly so as to clamp the element 56 in position. It will be noted that the backing strip is cut away at its lower end, as indicated at the point desig' nated by the reference character 64 in Fig. 4.

This is to permit engagement and disengagement of the slot 46 at the lower end of the cutting element relative to the pin. 45.

65 designates a gauge plate which serves to regulate the thickness of the slices produced by the slicing machine. This gauge plate is arranged in substantially the same vertical plane in which the plate l2, already referred to herein, is disposed, the plate I2 being located at one side of the cutting element "5 and the gauge plate 65 being located at the opposite side of said cutting element. The gauge plate is arranged for adjustment so'that its inner edge, or that. edge thereof which is located immediately adjacentto the cutting edge of the cutting element I6, may be moved f plate 65, each of said arms having an end portionthereof interposed between a pair of vertically alined ears 66, and a pin 68 being extended through said ears and'through the end portion of the arm located therebetween, whereby the arm is pivotally attached to the gauge plate. Supported for axial rotation in openings formed in the base I isa pair of vertically arranged rods .69, said rods at their upper ends being rigidly ,fixed to the ends of the arms 61 opposite to the ends thereof which are pivotally connected to the gauge plate. The lower faces of the arms 61 rest on the top'face of the base I, whereby the elevation of the gauge plate 65 is maintained, and also theirods 69 are rotatable toswing the outer 6 ends of the arms 61in an arc of a circle, and in this manner adjust the gauge plate forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the cutting edge of the cutting element I6.

Rigidly fixed to the lower ends of the rods 69 is a pair of operating arms I6 which are pivotally connected together at their outer ends by a link 'II. I2 designates a bell crank lever which has a leg thereof pivotally attached to an end portion of the link II. The bell crank lever is pivoted at 13 to the base I and includes an elongated operating arm I4 which extends outwardly beyond the base of the machine. The base I of the machine is provided with a plurality of upstanding, spaced extensions I5 arranged in arcuate formation, and the bell crank lever I2 is provided with an element I6 which is movable into the spaces between the various adjacent extensions 15 so as to lock said bell crank lever against accidental movement after same has been set. Also,,the base I has fixed to it a plate 11 provided with graduations with respect to which the operating arm I4 of the bell cranklever I2 is moved, said graduations indicating the degree of movement of the operating arm I4 necessary to obtain slices of predetermined thicknesses. An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the gauge plate 65 is tilted slightly in a horizontal direction; that is to say, the outer edge of said gauge plate is disposed in a position which is. removed rearwardly of the machine a slight distance with respect to the position of the inner edge of said gauge plate.

The base I of the machine is provided with a recess I8 (Fig. 3) in which a guiding member 19 is arranged. This guiding member is preferably in the form of a tubular element which is extended longitudinally of the base I and is supported at its opposite ends by suitable means,

such as the members 80 which are fixed to the base I. Also, the base I is provided with a track 8| which likewise extends longitudinally of said base.

aoosuoe' shaped (Fig. 2) and. the upstanding wall 82' at the right-hand side of the carriage in this view is provided with spaced apart lugs 85 which sup spect to the. top face of the bottomwall of the As already stated, the supporting elecarriage.

ment is slidable with respect to the carriage 82,-

and tracks 9| are provided at the top face of the bottom wall of the carriage to facilitate such movement.

Mounted for sliding movement ,on the rod- 86 is a follower which comprises an arm 92 provided with eye portions 93 throughv which a rod 93? is extended, said rod 93 being supported by upstanding lugs 93'? on the eye portions 88- of the supporting element. The follower includes a sub-; stantially L-shaped plate 94 fixed to said arm. The L-shaped plate 94 is comprised of a horizontally disposed portion which is arranged parallel with and in slightly spaced relation to the portion 99 of the supporting element 81, and a substantially vertical plate portion formed integral with the horizontal portion, said vertical plate portion serving as a pusher plate. .The follower is provided with a handle 95 for moving same forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the carriage, and because the eye portions of the arm 92 of the follower areinterposed between and in contact with the eye portions of the supporting element, said supporting element will be moved by said follower. tion- 90 of the supporting element-is provided with upstanding prongs 96, and the vertical portion of the L-shaped plate of the follower is provided with prongs 91. which extend downwardly and forwardly, respectively. I v

In orderto cause the carriage 82 to move freely with respect to the guiding member 19, we provide the tubular element 83'which embraces said guide ing member with a plurality of rollers I60 (Fig. 7). These rollers are mountedonangular shafts IOI which are inserted into correspondingly shaped slots I02 formed at. the oppositeends of the tubular element 83, said slots being open at the ends of the tubular element: as shown in Fig. 2, andthe angular shafts with the rollers I mounted thereon being passed into, said slots from the open ends of the slots. I03 designates caps (Fig.2) which are fittedon the tubular element 83 at its opposite ends to prevent displacement of the rollers I00. If desired, the eye portions of the supporting element 81 and the follower may be provided with rollers arranged as just described, so as to cause said supporting element and follower to move freely with respect to the rod 86.

A very important feature of this invention resides in the fact that the upstanding plate of the follower is engaged parallel with respect to the tilted gauge plate 65. This means, of course, that the rod 86, by which the follower isguided, is disposed at a right angle with respect to the plane of the gauge plate so that the parallelism of the upstanding plate, of the follower and the gauge plate may be maintained. By so arranging. the upstanding plate of the follower and the gauge plate we provide The horizontally disposed porfor' straight line movement,

for forcing the entire face of the article being sliced into contact with the gauge plate and maintaining said face in contact with said gauge plate duringthe slicing operations, whereby slices of uniform thickness throughout are produced. The importance of this arrangement will be realized if it will be remembered that if the upstanding plate of the follower were located at a slight angle to the tilted gauge plate, as would be the case if said upstanding plate of the follower were parallel with respect to the path of travel of the carriage 82, the article to be sliced would be gripped tightly between the follower and the gauge plate at the forward ends only thereof. This condition wouldpermit the rearmost end of the article being sliced to move during the cutting operation whereby slices of non-uniform thickness would be produced.

In the operation of the improved slicing ma chine, the material to be sliced is supported by the carriage 82 and said material is moved rearwardly of said carriage by the follower. If desired, the material to be sliced may be clamped between the horizontal plate portion of the follower and the horizontal portion of the supporting element 8'! during such rearward movement of said material, or, if preferred, the material may be moved rearwardly of the carriage by arranging the rear end thereof in contact with the vertical plate portion of the follower and moving said follower rearwardly. The operator grasps the handle and moves the carriage back and forth with respect to the machine, at the same time keeping the material pressed rearwardly by forcing the follower in that direction, and each time I the material ismoved from left to right of the machine and with respect to the rapidly reciprocating cutting element, a slice is cut therefro which falls on the pan P.

It will be noted by referring to Fig. 1 that the transverse dimension of the cutting element is tilted with respect to the path of travel of the carriage 82; in other words, the cutting edge of said cutting element is located in advance of the rear edge thereof. This is important, inasmuch as only' the cutting edge of the cutting element contacts with the foodstuffs being sliced, the remainder of thecutting element being located out of the path of travel of said foodstuffs. Thus the flat side face of the reciprocating cutting elements does not rub against the. foodstuffs being sliced after a slice has been removed therefrom. Also, the cutting element extends outwardly from'and forwardly of the guide a suflicient distance to permit of the cutting element being ground a number of times in sharpening same before said cutting element "must be discarded.

1. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element said supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge only'thereof which 'extendsoutwardlybeyond the supporting means,

means forsubjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, said cutting element being provided with a cutting edge which is inclined at an acute angle to the path of movement of material being fed thereto to be sliced,

being arranged in a vertical plane which is disposed at a slight angle with respect to the vertical plane of said cutting element.

2. A slicing machine comprising a utting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, said supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge only thereof which extends outwardly beyond the, supporting means, 1 means for subjecting said cutting element to rebeing'fed thereto to be sliced, and a gaugeplate for regulating the thickness of slicescut by the slicing machine, said gauge plate being arranged in a vertical plane which is disposed at a slight angle with respect to the vertical plane of said cutting element.

3. A, slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, said supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge only thereof which extends outwardly beyond the supporting means, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, a carriage movable transversely of the path of movement of said cutting. element for supportingthe material being sliced, said cutting element being inclined at an'acute angle to the path of movement of the material being fed' thereto to be sliced, and a gauge plate for regulating the thickness of slices cut by the slicing machine, said gauge plate being arranged in a vertical plane which is; disposed at a slight angle with respect to the path of movement of said carriage.

4. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, said' supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge thereof which extends outwardly beyond the supporting means,

means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, a gauge plate, means for adjusting said gauge plate to various positions to produce slices of different thicknesses, a carriage movable transversely of the path of movementof said cutting element for supporting the material to be sliced, said gauge plate being disposed in a vertical plane at a slight angle to'the path of travel of said carriage, and a follower including a pusher plate disposed in a. substantially verticalposition, said pusher plate being arranged substantially parallel with respect to said gauge plate. r

5. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting, said cutting element for straight, line movement, said supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge thereof which extends outwardly beyond the supporting means, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciproca-.

of travel of said carriage, a follower including apusher'plate disposed in 'a substantially vertical position, said pusher plate being arranged substantially parallel with respect to said gauge plate, I

and means for guiding said follower toward and from the vertical plane of said gauge plate, said means being disposed perpendicularly with respect to the vertical plane of the gauge plate.v

6. A slicing machine comprising a cutting ele-- ment, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, said supporting means enclosing the cutting element transversely except for the cutting edge thereof which extends outwardly beyond the supporting means, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, a gauge plate, means for adjusting said gauge plate to various positions to produce'slices of different thicknesses, a carriage movable transversely of the path of movement of said cutting element for supporting the material to be sliced, said gauge plate being disposed in a vertical plane at a slight angle to the path of travel of said carriage, a follower including a pusher plate disposed in a substantially vertical position, said pusher plate being arranged substantially parallel with respect to said gauge plate, and means comprising aguiding rod for guiding said follower toward and from the vertical plane of said gauge plate, said means being disposed perpendicularlyv with respect to the vertical plane of the gauge plate. "7. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, and means for guiding said cutting element at the top thereof at which point said cutting element is provided with an elongated opening, the last-mentioned means comprising a movably supported element provided with a pin extended into the elongated opening atthe top of said cutting element, and means for locking said movable element in a position where the pin thereof is extended into said elongated opening.

8. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, 1 and means for guiding said cutting element at the top thereof at which point said cutting elementis provided with an elongated opening, the last mentioned means comprising a slidingly supported element provided with a pin extended into the elongated opening at he top of said cutting element, and means for locking said slidable element in a position where the pin thereof is extended into said elongated opening. 1

9. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight linemovement, meansforsubjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, and means for guiding said cutting element at the topethereof at which point said cutting element is provided with an elongated opening, the last-mentioned means comprising a movably supported element of substantially L-shaped formation provided with a pin extended into'the' elongated opening at the top of said cutting element, and means for locking said movable element in 10. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, a guide for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, and means for guiding said cutting element at the top thereof at which point said cutting element is provided with an elongated opening, the last-mentioned means comprising an element of substantially L-shaped formation provided with a pin extended into'the elongated opening at the top of said cutting element, a

portion of said L-shaped element being slidingi. m. a

1y supported in a depression formed in" said guide to permit of the pin thereof being removed-from the elongated opening at the top of'said cutting element by elevating said element, and means for locking said element in a position where the pin thereof is extended into said elongated opening; Y

'11. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, a guide for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatoiy movement, and means'for guiding said cutting element at the top thereof at which point said.

cutting element is provided with an elongated opening, the last-mentioned means comprising an element of substantially L-shaped formation provided with apin extended into the elongated element, means for supporting-said cutting ele ment for straight line movement, and means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, the'lastmentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said-rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connecting said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and joint portions at opposite ends of saidrod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively.

13. A slicing machine comprising a'cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, and means for subjecting said cutting element-to reciprocatory movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with saidirotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connect-' ing said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising 'a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and joint portionsat. op-

posite ends of said rod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively, the joint portion which engages the cutting element includinga pin adapted to be introduced intoan opening'formed in the; cutting element, I .2"

14. A slicingmachine comprising a c'uttingelement, means for supportingsaid cutting element for straight line movement, and meansfor subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connect ing said yoke to said cutting element, saidaconnecting means comprising a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and. joint portions at opposite ends of said rod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cuttingelement respectively, the joint portion which engages the cutting element including a pin adapted to be introduced into an elongated opening formed in the cutting element.

15. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element. means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, and means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connecting said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising a rod supported for recipr0ca-' tory movement, and joint portions at opposite ends of said rod arranged to detachabiy engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively, the joint portion which engages the cutting element including a pin adapted to be introduced into an elongated, transversely extended opening formed in the cutting element.

16. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, and means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connecting said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and joint portions at opposite ends of said rod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively, the joint portion which engages the cutting element including a pin adapted to be introduced into an elongated, transversely extended,-

open end opening formed in the cutting element.

17. A slicing machine comp-rising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, and means for subjecting said cutting element to reciprocatory movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connecting said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and joint portions at opposite ends of said rod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively, the joint portion which engages the yoke including a rotatable pin, said rotatable pin being provided with an aperture which receives a portion of said yoke.

,jecting 18. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for supporting said cutting element for straight line movement, and means for sub said cutting element movement, the last-mentioned means including a rotary element, a yoke associated with said rotary element, guiding means for guiding the movement of said yoke, and means for connecting said yoke to said cutting element, said connecting means comprising a rod supported for reciprocatory movement, and joint portions at opposite ends of said rod arranged to detachably engage said yoke and said cutting element respectively, the joint portion which engages the yoke comprising a bifurcated portion provided with a rotatable pin, said rotatable pin being provided with an aperture which receives a portion of said yoke.

19. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for imparting movement to said cutting element, a carriage for supporting material to be sliced, guiding means for guiding said carriage transversely with respect to the path of movement of said cutting element, said'guiding means comprising an elongated member. a

sleeve portion associated with said carriage Which embraces said elongated member, and antifriction means for causing said sleeve to move freely with respect to said elongated member, the lastmentioned means including rollers, and angular shafts on which said rollers are mounted, said angular shafts being disposed within angular openings formed in said sleeve.

20. A slicing machine comprising a cutting element, means for imparting movement to said cutting element, a carriage for supporting material to be sliced, guiding means for guiding said carriage transversely with respect to the path of movement of said cutting element, said guiding means comprising an elongated member, a sleeve portion associated with said carriage which embraces said elongated member, and antifriction means for causing said sleeve to move freely with respect to said elongated member, the last-mentioned means including rollers, and angular shafts on which said rollers are mounted, said angular shafts being disposed Within angular openings formed in said sleeve in a manner to provide said angular openings with open ends at an end of said sleeve.

' CARL S. REED. I

ADOLPH RUBIN.

to reciprocatory

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