Food processor with safety mechanism

A food processor apparatus, the apparatus including:

• a base having a motor;
• a processing bowl releasably couplable to the base;
• a lid for the processing bowl, the lid having a feed tube;
• a linkage cover coupled to the feed tube that defines a housing for a linkage assembly;
• a pusher device for the food processor, the pusher having a body and a safety rail that extends from the body;
• the safety rail having a contact surface for engaging the linkage assembly when the safety rail is at least partially inserted into a longitudinal channel located about the feed tube;
• and
• wherein the longitudinal channel substantially extends axially along the feed tube, two opposed tabs are located at the top of the channel:
• the tabs are each inwardly directed for partially closing the channel to the feed tube and defining a pilot opening that receives the safety rail;
• and
• wherein a majority of the longitudinal channel, as located below the opposed tabs, has a full width of the channel directly exposed to an interior of the feed tube.