Cold meat slicer

A cold meat slicer including in combination a machine housing (2, 4), a rotating cutter blade (K), a carriage (3) for the product to be cut, means mounting said carriage on said housing for reciprocating movement relative to said cutter blade, said carriage adapted to be driven alternatively manually or by a motor, a motor (7) for driving said carriage and adjusting means for selectively switching between manual and motor-driven operation modes of said carriage, said selecting means comprising a drive rocker arm (12) and a driven rocker arm (17) parallel to said drive rocker arm (12), means mounting said rocker arms for pivotal movement around a common swivel axis (13), said rocker arms executing their movements exclusively in planes parallel to each other, said carriage having a guide member (5), a first coupler (18) for connecting said driven arm (17) to said guide member (5), a crank (10) and a second coupler (11) connecting said drive arm (12) to said motor (7), and a coupling means operable by said adjusting means (31) for coupling and uncoupling said rocker arms to switch over between motor-driven and manual operation of said carriage, said coupling means comprising a recess (14) in and end face of the drive arm (12) remote from said swivel axis (13), a locking element (22) displaceable relative to said recess and engageable therein with surface contact and without relative movement in the engaged position thereof, a guide (19) on said driven arm (17) receiving said locking element for displacement radially of said swivel axis (13) and in the planes of movement of the rocker arms between limits (20, 21), said adjusting means comprising a cam segment (26), said coupling means further comprising a roller (25) attached to said locking element (22) and running along said cam segment, a spring (23) for urging said locking element (22) in the direction toward said swivel axis (13) against one of said limits (21), said locking element (22) and said recess (14) being conical at their flanks so that the force of said spring (23) acting on said locking element is sufficient to prevent accidental release, and at least one electrical switch position indicator associated with said adjusting means to provide an indication of the mode of operation of the carriage.