Article slicer

An article slicing apparatus for simultaneously cutting several articles into multiple parallel slices, comprising:

• a plurality of elongated cutter blades extending parallel to and spaced from one another for cutting the articles placed on the cutter blades into slices,
• a blade actuator connected to said cutter blades for oscillating the cutter blades,
• a plurality of article pushers each sized and shaped to move from above the cutter blades downwardly into engagement against the articles placed on the cutter blades to push the articles through the cutter blades,
• pusher actuating means operatively connected to said plurality of article pushers for progressively moving the plurality of article pushers in sequence while maintaining the article pushers in a constant orientation:
• from above the cutter blades at article loading positions (a) to positions spaced laterally away from above the positions on the cutter blades where the articles are to be placed on the cutter blades for facilitating the placement of articles on the cutter blades,
• forwardly to aligned positions (b) above the cutter blades at the positions where the articles are to be placed on the cutter blades,
• downwardly to down positions (c) to push the articles downwardly through the cutter blades,
• upwardly to return to the aligned positions (b) above the cutter blades, and
• rearwardly to withdraw the article pushers laterally back to the article loading positions (a),
• a pick and placer positioned adjacent said cutter blades for picking the articles and placing the articles on said cutter blades,
• said pick and placer including an actuator movable in timed relationship with said pusher actuating means to advance the articles toward the aligned positions (b) above the cutter blades and place the articles on the cutter blades as the pusher actuating means withdraws the pushers away from the aligned positions (b) toward the loading position (a), and to withdraw from the aligned positions (b) as the pusher actuating means moves from the loading positions (a) toward the aligned positions (b),
• such that the progressive rearward movement of the article pushers to the article loading positions progressively forms a space for said pick and placer to progressively move in the same direction above the cutter blades to load the articles on the cutter blades, and as the article pushers progressively move forwardly to aligned positions above the positions where the articles are placed on the cutter blades, the pick and placer progressively withdraws from the aligned positions above the cutter blades.