Drive system for food slicing machine

A drive system for a food product slicing machine having a frame and an attached workpiece-retaining carriage for reciprocating the food product workpiece retained therein through a path including a cutter, the drive system comprising:

• (a) a drive member having a first end rigidly mounted to the workpiece-retaining carriage and a second, opposing end, said drive member being pivotably mounted to the machine frame about a pivot axis positioned between the first and second drive member ends;
• (b) a support panel mounted near the second end of the drive member, the support panel having a circularly curved surface spaced from the pivot axis a distance substantially equal to a radius of curvature of the curved surface, said curved surface having first and second opposing ends;
• (c) a first idle pulley rotatably mounted to the machine frame;
• (d) a second idle pulley rotatably mounted to the machine frame spaced from the first idle pulley, forming a gap;
• (e) a drive pulley drivingly linked to a rotatably driven shaft of a prime mover that is mounted to the machine frame;
• and
• (f) an elongated, flexible drive belt having first and second ends, the first belt end extending from attachment to the drive member, near the first end of the support panel's curved surface, through the gap between the first and second idle pulleys, around the drive pulley, through the gap, the second belt end attached to the drive member near the second end of the support panel's curved surface.