Food article transfer mechanism for a food article slicing machine
AssigneeFormax, Inc.
InventorsGlenn Sandberg, Scott A. Lindee, David Hansen, Salvatore Lamartino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated sequenced food article tray loading method and apparatus for a slicing machine where food articles can be loaded sequentially into designated and separated lanes of a lift tray and automatically sequentially assume a preload condition. Food article separation is maintained on the lift tray after the food articles are loaded. A food article sweep mechanism receives the food articles on the lift tray in their separated positions and transfers the food articles into the food article feed mechanism while maintaining the separated positions. The food article sweep mechanism is a substantially open structure without enclosing walls.
Claims13
A food article slicing machine, comprising:
- a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting path;
- a food article feed apparatus configured to support a plurality of food articles for longitudinal movement along a corresponding plurality of food article paths intersecting the cutting path;
- a lift tray adjacent to the food article paths of the food article feed apparatus, the lift tray having a plurality of longitudinal tray lanes for receiving food articles to be loaded onto the food article feed apparatus;
- and,
- a transfer mechanism having two or more food article boundaries movably supported above the lift tray defining a plurality of food article transfer lanes, the food article boundaries configured to maintain one or more food articles in a same position relative to one or more other food articles when the transfer mechanism laterally moves food articles from said lift tray to said food article feed apparatus.
A food article slicing machine, comprising:
- a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting path;
- a food article feed apparatus configured to support a plurality of food articles for movement along a corresponding plurality of longitudinal food article paths intersecting the cutting path;
- a staging area adjacent to the food article paths of the food article feed apparatus, the staging area having a plurality of longitudinal lanes corresponding to at least two of the plurality of food article paths of the food article feed apparatus;
- a transfer mechanism having two or more food article boundary stops movably supported above the staging area, the food article boundary stops are configured to maintain one or more food articles in a same position relative to one or more other food articles when the transfer mechanism laterally moves food articles from the lift tray to said food article feed apparatus.
A food article slicing machine, comprising:
- a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting path;
- a food article feed apparatus configured to support a plurality of food articles for longitudinal movement along a corresponding plurality of food article paths intersecting the cutting path;
- a lift tray located adjacent to the food article paths of the food article feed apparatus, the lift tray having a plurality of longitudinal tray lanes for staging food articles to be loaded onto the food article feed apparatus;
- and,
- a food article transfer mechanism having a multilane sweep supported above the lift tray defining a plurality of longitudinal food article transfer lanes, the multilane sweep configured to maintain each food article in the same longitudinal food article transfer lane relative to the other food articles in other longitudinal food article transfer lanes when the food article transfer mechanism laterally moves food articles from the lift tray to said food article feed apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.