Apparatus for cutting twisted strips

Apparatus for cutting a food product into strips having a twisted shape comprising:

• a hollow cutting tube having a longitudinal axis, and a non-circular cross section;
• a first end of said tube comprising a food cutting element;
• said tube having a twist about its longitudinal axis of between 30 and 360 degrees along said length;
• and
• a rotational support element proximate to a second end of said tube;
• a moveable support member for supporting said cutting tube for movement in the direction of the tube axis into the food product to be cut and for withdrawal of said cutting tube from the food product;
• said rotational support element supporting said cutting tube on said support member to permit rotation of said tube in a first direction as the tube is inserted into the food product and in an opposite direction as the tube is withdrawn from the food product to thereby cut a twisted strip of the food product.

Apparatus for cutting a food product comprising:

• a plurality of hollow tubes each having a first end and a second end, a longitudinal axis, and a non-circular cross section;
• said first end of each tube comprising a food cutting element;
• each said tube having a twist about its longitudinal axis of between 30 and 360 degrees along said length;
• and
• a ring secured to each said tube proximate to said second end thereof and centered about said longitudinal axis of said tube;
• wherein each said ring and tube comprises a cutting tool for cutting food into strips having a twisted shape;
• a first subset comprising plurality of said hollow tubes;
• a plate assembly comprising at lease a first plate and a second plate, the first plate having a plurality of apertures for receiving therein said respective plurality of food cutting tubes;
• a first plurality of concave receptacles located about at least a first subset of said plurality of apertures on a first face of said first plate, said concave receptacles dimensioned to receive therein a ring of a food cutting tube and supporting said tube for rotational movement about its longitudinal axis;
• the second plate having a plurality of apertures corresponding to said apertures of said first plate for receiving therein said respective plurality of food cutting tubes, a second plurality of concave receptacles located about a first subset of said corresponding plurality of apertures on a first face of said second plate, said concave receptacles of said second plate dimensioned to receive a ring of said food cutting tube and supporting said tube for rotational movement about its longitudinal axis;
• said first and second plates being secured to one another with said respective first surfaces facing each other and said apertures in the first and second plates in alignment so that said plurality of food cutting tubes pass through said apertures and the rings of at least said first subset of said plurality of food cutting tubes are supported by said first plurality of concave receptacles and said second plurality of concave receptacles for rotation therein about their longitudinal axes.