Food processing apparatus

A rotary cutting apparatus for use with food processing machines, comprising:

• a cutter head assembly having a cylindrical sleeve and a cylindrical jacket;
• said jacket comprising a pair of opposed outer members and a belt-engaging center member, said outer members being coupled together so as to secure said belt-engaging member therebetween;
• said sleeve having an open discharge end and a cutting end, said cutting end having a slicing blade attached thereto for engaging food items to be sliced, said sleeve being inserted coaxially into said jacket and attached therein to inhibit rotation of said sleeve relative to said jacket;
• support means for rotatably supporting said cutter head;
• and
• belt means for frictionally engaging said belt engaging center member of said cutter head and transmitting a rotational force to said cutter head assembly.

A rotary cutting apparatus for use with a food processing machine, comprising:

• a free-floating cutter head;
• said cutter head having a substantially cylindrical body with a longitudinal center axis, a cutting end, an open discharge end, and a belt track running along the periphery of said body;
• said cutting end having a slicing blade proimate thereto suited for slicing food items traveling toward said slicing blade from a direction in line with the longitudinal center axis of said cutter head;
• multiple idler support rollers engaging the periphery of said cutter head for radially supporting said cutter head;
• multiple thrust support rollers engaging the edge of said discharge end for axially supporting said cutter head;
• a stationary discharge tube disposed inside of said cutter head and extending out of at said discharge end, whereby said cutter head rotates relative to said discharge end, whereby said cutter head rotates relative to said discharge tube and sliced food pieces discharged by said slicing blade enter into and are discharged from said discharge tube;
• and
• a drive belt frictionally engaging said belt track for applying a rotational force to said cutter head.

The rotary cutting apparatus for slicing edible items, comprising:

• a substantially cylindrical cutter head assembly having an outer periphery, a cutting end, an open discharge end and a longitudinal center axis;
• a slicing blade removably attached to said cutter head assembly proximate to said cutting end for slicing edible items fed thereto from a direction in line with the longitudinal center axis;
• said cutter head assembly having a central belt track extending along said outer periphery and peripheral flange means for creating a guide channel overlying said belt track;
• multiple idler support rollers engaging the periphery of said cutter head assembly for radially supporting said cutter head assembly, said idler support rollers extending into said guide channel;
• and
• multiple thrust support rollers engaging said discharge end of said cutter head assembly to provide axial support for said cutter head assembly.