Rotatable manifold cutter for use in portioning

A method of cutting a workpiece, comprising:

• moving a workpiece along a travel path;
• supporting a first array cutter above the workpiece to emit an array of cutter beams toward the workpiece;
• moving the first array cutter in a controlled manner transversely across the width of the travel path of the workpiece to position the first array cutter to coincide with the lateral location of the workpiece relative to the travel path and to accommodate the angular orientation of the workpiece relative to the travel path;
• simultaneously rotating the first array cutter about a rotational axis extending in the direction of cutter beams independently of the transverse movement of the first array cutter, to alter the overall width of the array defined by the cutter beams of the first array cutter, to correspond to changes in the overall width of the workpiece being cut;
• and
• further comprising moving a second array cutter across the one or more strips of the workpiece resulting from the cutting of the workpiece by the first array cutter.

A method of cutting a food piece into a plurality of longitudinal strips, the width of the food piece varying along the length of the food piece, comprising:

• providing an array cutter pivotable about an upright axis located centrally along the width of a cutting pattern;
• and
• moving the upright axis longitudinally along the food piece, and transversely across the food piece independently of the longitudinal movement of the upright axis while emitting a plurality of cutter beams from the array cutter towards the food piece, the cutter beams defining the cutting pattern extending across the width of the food piece with the outermost cutter beams of the cutting pattern disposed closest to the margins of the food piece to cut the food piece along cutting paths defined by the cutter beams;
• and
• simultaneously and independently of the longitudinal and transverse movement of the array cutter, rotating the array cutter about the upright axis, said rotation of the cutting pattern in response to change in the width of the food piece, whereby the overall width of the cutting pattern formed by the cutter beams is adjusted to correspond to changes in the width of the food piece as the food piece is being cut by the array cutter.