Article slicer with integral pick and placer

A method of simultaneously slicing a plurality of unsliced articles picked from a surface conveyor into multiple parallel slices comprising:

• simultaneously picking the plurality of unsliced articles with a pick and placer from the surface conveyor,
• moving the picked articles with the pick and placer rearwardly from the surface conveyor to positions in alignment above a plurality of parallel cutter blades,
• placing the picked articles with the pick and placer in engagement with the plurality of parallel cutter blades,
• moving the pick and placer forwardly from the plurality of parallel cutter blades back to the surface conveyor, and
• moving article pushers simultaneously in timed relationship with the movements of the pick and placer:
• rearwardly from the positions over the plurality of parallel cutter blades to the positions spaced laterally behind the plurality of parallel cutter blades as the pick and placer moves rearwardly,
• forwardly from positions spaced laterally behind the positions of the plurality of parallel cutter blades to positions over the plurality of parallel cutter blades as the pick and placer moves forwardly, and
• when the pick and placer has moved forwardly moving the article pushers:
• downwardly into engagement with articles located at the plurality of parallel cutter blades, downwardly through the plurality of parallel cutter blades to move the articles through the cutter blades, and
• upwardly from the plurality of parallel cutter blades to the positions over the plurality of parallel cutter blades, and
• moving the plurality of parallel cutter blades as the articles are moved downwardly through the plurality of parallel cutter blades.