Dicing machines and methods of use

A machine for dicing solid and semisolid materials, the machine comprising:

• a knife adapted to slice food product to produce slices;
• a circular cutter comprising knives that are adapted and arranged to receive the slices from the knife and cut the slices into strips;
• a cross-cutter comprising knives that are adapted and arranged to receive the strips from the circular cutter and produce a cross-cut in the strips;
• a shear plate at least partially between the circular cutter and the cross-cutter and having slots that receive the knives of the circular cutter, the shear plate defining a first shear edge in proximity to the knives of the cross-cutter and adapted to ensure dicing of the strips received by the cross-cutter from the circular cutter, the shear plate further comprising a second shear edge comprising individual edges between adjacent pairs of the slots for removing the strips from between adjacent pairs of the knives of the circular cutter;
• a support bar supporting the shear plate;
• and
• means for adjusting the proximity of the first shear edge relative to the knives of the cross-cutter to cause the first shear edge to move toward and away from the cross-cutter and thereby reduce and increase, respectively, a distance between the first shear edge and the knives of the cross-cutter.