Roll slicing machine

A machine for cutting slices from a cylinder of material, including:

• machine frame;
• a holding assembly on the frame for holding a cylinder of material for cutting and rotating the material cylinder about a central longitudinal axis;
• the holding assembly including a gripping chuck rotatably mounted on the machine frame and arranged to releasably grip the material cylinder at one end thereof;
• drive means operable to rotate the gripping chuck;
• a carriage assembly mounted on the machine frame for movement relative thereto;
• a disc shaped rotatable cutting blade carried by the carriage assembly;
• drive means operable to rotate the cutting blade;
• the carriage assembly being movable to present the rotating cutting blade to the material cylinder being held and rotated by the gripping chuck for cutting the cylinder transversely of the longitudinal axis into material slices;
• a brake mechanism actuable to positively brake gripping chuck rotation upon cessation of the gripping chuck drive means operation and thereby prevent free running of the gripping chuck and material cylinder;
• and a separate brake mechanism operable to positively brake cutting blade rotation upon cessation of the cutting blade drive means operation and thereby prevent free running of the cutting blade, the brake mechanism for the cutting blade also being operable during operation of the drive means rotating the cutter blade so as to apply a positive drag effect to the rotating cutter blade.