Food slicing apparatus for a food processing line

A slicing apparatus for a product processing line comprising:

• a frame;
• a conveyor system mounted to said frame, said conveyor system for forming a first path along which bases move;
• a cutting blade mounted on structure for moving generally perpendicular to said first path;
• a tube assembly connected to said frame for moving along a second path parallel to and above said first path and for moving items to be sliced passed said cutting blade;
• a compact drive system connected to said tube assembly for moving said tube assembly, said drive system including a precision motion generator and a connected crank;
• and
• a control system for cycling said drive system in a predetermined manner;
• and wherein
• said drive system includes a group of gears, a cam and a cam follower plate, said gears being driven by a servomotor;
• said crank has first and second end portions, said first end portion being operatively mounted to said gears;
• said cam being mounted to said second end portion of said crank;
• and
• said cam follower plate having a slot for receiving said cam.

A drive system for a food slicing apparatus, where said apparatus includes a conveyor system for moving a series of bases, a pair of rails and a control system, said drive system comprising:

• a precision motion creator located above said conveyor system:
• gears operatively connected to said motion creator;
• a link having first and second end portions, said first end portion being operatively mounted to said gears;
• a cam mounted to said second end portion of said link;
• a cam follower movable along said pair of rails, said cam follower including a slot for receiving said cam;
• and a connector for engaging said cam follower and a food transporting assembly, said food transporting assembly also being movable along said pair of rails whereby food product transported by said food carrier assembly is deposited upon said moving bases.

A slicing apparatus for a product processing line comprising:

• a frame;
• a conveyor system mounted to said frame, said conveyor system for forming a first path along which bases move;
• a cutting blade mounted to move across said first path;
• a tube assembly connected to said frame to move along a second path parallel to and above said first path and to move items to be sliced passed said cutting blade;
• a compact drive system connected to said tube assembly to move said tube assembly;
• and
• a control system to cycle said drive system in a predetermined manner;
• wherein said drive system includes a motor, a crank connected to the motor, and a plate having a slot with a predetermined geometry;
• said crank includes first and second end portions, said first end portion being operatively connected to said motor and said second end portion being connected to a cam;
• and
• said cam is disposed in said slot and is restrained to move in a predetermined manner wherein said tube assembly is moved above said first path in a predetermined manner.

A slicing apparatus for a product processing line comprising:

• a frame;
• a conveyor system mounted to said frame, said conveyor system for forming a first path along which bases move;
• a cutting blade mounted to structure to enable said blade to move across said first path;
• a tube assembly connected to said frame to move along a second path parallel to and above said first path and to move items to be sliced passed said cutting blade;
• a drive system connected to said tube assembly and positioned compactly above said cutting blade to move said tube assembly along said second path;
• and
• a control system for cycling said drive system in a predetermined manner wherein said drive system includes a motor, a crank connected to said motor, a cam connected to said crank and a plate with a slot dimensioned to received said cam, and wherein said motor, said cam, said crank and said plate are positioned above said cutting blade.