Food product cutting apparatus having user-selectable horizontal and vertical mounts that provide the same cutting thrust axis orientation

A system, comprising:

• a universal mount configured to mount, at differing times, to a vertical surface of a vertical support and to a horizontal surface of a horizontal support, said universal mount comprising universal mounting features that include:
• a first receiver opening upwardly when said universal mount is mounted to the vertical surface;
• and
• a second receiver opening upwardly when said universal mount is mounted to the vertical surface and being spaced vertically from said first receiver when said universal mount is mounted to the vertical surface;
• and
• a thrust-type food product cutting apparatus for cutting a food product, wherein the thrust-type food product cutting apparatus is designed and configured to be secured, at differing times, to said universal mount when said universal mount is mounted to the vertical surface and when said universal mount is mounted to the horizontal surface, said thrust-type food product cutting apparatus comprising:
• a chassis designed and configured to be supported by said universal mount, when said universal mount is mounted to either the vertical surface or the horizontal surface, so that the thrust-type food product cutting apparatus is stable during a cutting operation;
• a cutting thrust axis having an operating orientation during use of said thrust-type food product cutting apparatus;
• a blade set fixed relative to said chassis, said blade set having:
• a plurality of blades spaced to define a plurality of food openings for receiving therethrough during the cutting operation of the thrust-type food product cutting apparatus;
• and
• a cutting edge side;
• a pusher head movable relative to said blade set toward and away from said blade set on said cutting edge side;
• a guide mechanism designed and configured to guide said pusher head along said cutting thrust axis during a cutting operation;
• and
• a handle mechanism coupled to said chassis and engaged with said pusher head, said handle mechanism designed and configured to allow a user to manually drive said pusher head along said cutting thrust axis toward said blade set with said guide mechanism guiding said pusher head along said cutting axis;
• wherein said chassis includes:
• a lower end when said chassis is oriented for the cutting operation;
• a backside when said chassis is oriented for the cutting operation;
• a set of horizontal-mounting features located on said lower end of said chassis, said set of horizontal-mounting features including a first member and a second member spaced from said first member, wherein:
• said first and second members are horizontally spaced from one another;
• and
• when said universal mount is mounted to the horizontal surface, said first member mechanically interlocks with said first receiver and said second member mechanically interlocks with said second receiver so as to hold said cutting thrust axis in said operating orientation;
• and
• a set of vertical-mounting features located on said backside of said chassis, said set of vertical-mounting features including a third member and a fourth member spaced from said third member, wherein:
• said third and fourth members are vertically spaced from one another;
• and
• when said universal mount is mounted to the vertical surface, said third member mechanically interlocks with said first receiver and said fourth member mechanically interlocks with said second receiver so as to hold said cutting thrust axis in said operating orientation.