Blade assembly

A method for forming a blade assembly, comprising:

• providing a pair of tension members, each tension member having a plurality of blade-receiving slots formed therein, each tension member further having an opening for receiving a spacer, each tension member further having a hole longitudinally extending through at least a portion of said tension member, said hole passing through said blade-receiving slots in said tension member;
• aligning said tension members so that said blade-receiving slots in each said tension member face each other;
• providing a plurality of blades, each blade having opposing longitudinal ends and having an aperture at each of said longitudinal ends;
• inserting one longitudinal end of each of said blades into a respective blade-receiving slot in one tension member and the other longitudinal end of each said blade into the opposing slot in the other tension member such that said blade apertures are aligned with the hole extending through a respective tension member;
• inserting a respective elongated member through each tension member hole and said aligned blade aperture;
• aligning the tension members having the blades inserted therein in a fixture, and activating the fixture to controllably increase the spacing between the tension members to establish a tension in the blades extending therebetween, and to create sufficient distance between the tension members such that a spacer can be inserted between corresponding spacer openings to maintain said spacing;
• providing a spacer having a length such that said spacer is insertable into said spacing between said opposing tension members, said spacer having sufficient strength for maintaining a selected distance between said tension members;
• inserting said spacer into said spacing between opposing tension members;
• and
• adjusting the fixture to allow the tension members to move toward each other a specified distance to seat the spacer in said corresponding spacer openings, thereby establishing a fixed distance between said tension blocks and maintaining a desired tension in said blades.

A food slicing device, comprising:

• a frame;
• a blade assembly removably fitted into said frame, the blade assembly comprising:
• a plurality of blades;
• a pair of tension members, each tension member having a plurality of slots formed therein, said tension members being positioned such that said slots in one tension member are disposed generally opposite said slots in the other tension member, said tension members being spaced such that a longitudinal end of a blade is received in each of said generally opposite slots, and said blade is maintained therebetween under tension;
• a retainer associated with each of said tension members for retaining said blade longitudinal end in said tension member slot;
• and a spacer for maintaining said spacing between said tension members to maintain said blade tension.