Food product slicer with gauge plate based shutdown operation

A food product slicer, comprising:

• a base;
• a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base;
• a carriage assembly mounted to the base for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife, the carriage assembly having a full stroke length that extends from a most forward position toward a front side of the base and a end of stroke turnaround position toward a rear side of the base;
• a drive for automatically moving the carriage for automated food product slicing;
• a carriage position sensing arrangement for determining position of the carriage assembly;
• an adjustable gauge plate mounted for movement between a closed position that prevents slicing and multiple open positions that permit slicing at respective thicknesses;
• a member for varying position of the gauge plate between the closed and open positions;
• a gauge plate closure sensing arrangement for detecting whether the gauge plate is in the closed position;
• and
• a controller operatively connected with the drive, the carriage position sensing arrangement and the gauge plate closure sensing arrangement, the controller configured such that, during movement of the carriage assembly for automated slicing, and upon the gauge plate closure sensing arrangement detecting that the gauge plat is in the closed position, the controller initiates a shutdown operation and effects operation of the drive to bring the carriage assembly to a stop at a location substantially corresponding to the most forward position of the carriage assembly.