Food product gripping assembly for a food product slicing apparatus

Abstract

A food product slicing apparatus is provided for slicing food products into slices. A frame mounts a drive assembly, a lower feed roller, a shear bar and a slicing blade. The drive assembly moves the food products onto the lower feed roller. The food product passes over the lower feed roller and through the shear bar for slicing by the slicing blade. At least one upper feed roller is mounted on the shear bar and is adjustable in position relative to the lower feed roller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food product slicing apparatus for slicing food products into slices comprising:
 a frame;   a drive assembly coupled to the frame and configured move the food products relative to the frame;   a shear bar coupled to the frame downstream of the drive assembly, the shear bar having an opening therethrough through which the food product is configured to pass, the shear bar including at least one upper feed roller mounted thereon which overlaps the opening;   a lower feed roller rotatably coupled to the frame downstream of the drive assembly and which overlaps the opening, the lower feed roller being positioned proximate to the shear bar and separate from the shear bar, the at least one upper feed roller and the lower feed roller are aligned with each other; and   a slicing blade coupled to the frame downstream of the drive assembly, the slicing blade being configured to slice the food products into slices.   
     
     
         2 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein each feed roller is motor driven. 
     
     
         3 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 2 , wherein the lower feed roller is coupled to the drive assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower feed roller is coupled to the drive assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower feed roller is driven by a motor which drives the drive assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly comprises an upper drive assembly coupled to the frame, and a lower drive assembly coupled to the frame, the upper drive assembly being positioned above the lower drive assembly, the upper and lower drive assemblies being configured to receive food product therebetween and to move the food products relative to the frame and onto the lower feed roller. 
     
     
         7 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein each feed roller has a plurality of spiked projections thereon. 
     
     
         8 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of spiked projections of the lower feed roller seat partially within channels of the shear bar. 
     
     
         9 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one upper feed roller is adjustable in position relative to the lower feed roller. 
     
     
         10 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 9 , wherein two upper feed rollers are provided. 
     
     
         11 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the lower feed roller seats partially within channels of the shear bar. 
     
     
         12 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein two upper feed rollers are provided. 
     
     
         13 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 12 , wherein each upper feed roller is independently driven for rotation by a motor. 
     
     
         14 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 13 , wherein the upper feed rollers are adjustable in position relative to the lower feed roller. 
     
     
         15 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 13 , wherein the upper feed rollers are independently adjustable in position relative to the lower feed roller. 
     
     
         16 . The food product slicing apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein an upstream surface of the slicing blade is planar and a downstream surface of the shear bar is planar.