13,680. Vann, C. J. June 13. Bread cutters.-In a machine for slicing bread, meat, and vegetables, a detachable connexion is used between the pusher and the actuating worm, and the worm is rotated intermittently by means of a reciprocating rack. The machine comprises a bed 10, mounted on standards 11 and provided with a slot 28, in the sides of which are fixed two plates 29, designed to fit into recesses 39 on the pusher 24, which is provided with spikes for securing the bread &c., which it pushes along the bed to the knife. A shaft 12, suitably mounted in the frame, carries at one end a driving-wheel and a gear-wheel 17, and at the other end an eccentric knife 13 ; the wheel 17 gears with the wheel 18, on which is mounted an adjustable crank-pin 19, designed to actuate, through the rod 20, the reciprocating rack 21. This rack works in the guides 22 on the bracket 23 fixed to the bed 10, and actuates the gear-wheel 43, which is provided with a hub 44 and rotates on a spindle 41, mounted in bearings in the bracket 23 and in another bracket 42 depending from the bed. Recesses 45 in the hub 44 form bearings for the clutch dogs 47, the outer ends of which are held by the springs 49 in frictional contact with the periphery of a recess 48 in the gear-wheel 38, which actuates through the wheel 39, the worm 2Q mounted below the slot 28, and carries on its hub 40 a friction ring 50 and clamping-ring 51 ; this ring ends in two arms connected by a thumb-screw by which the operator can clamp the ring 50 tightly to the hub 44, and so bring the wheel 38 and pusher 24 to rest while the rack 21 is moving to the right and the knife 13 is cutting a slice. When the rack 21 is moving to the left, the pressure of the ring 50 is released, and the clutch dogs 47 drag the wheel 38 in the same direction as the wheel 43, thus imparting rotation to the worm 26 and a corresponding forward movement to the bread. The pusher 24 is in detachable connexion with the worm 26 through a bar 27, carrying at its lower end a thread to engage the worm 26, and integral with, or fixed to, a plate 32 which is pivotally connected to the pusher at 33 and is pressed by a spring 34 on the pusher so as to keep the bar 27 out of engagement with the worm 26. A latch 35, extending through a slot in the pusher and pivotally mounted on a block 36 on it, withstands the action of the spring and holds the bar 27 in engagement with the worm until the loaf has been cut, when it is detached from the block 36, and the pusher is brought back to its initial position to take another loaf. Guides 56 for the loaf are mounted on the uprights 58 of the slides 57, which are adjustably secured to the bed by screws 60 passing through slots in the horizontal parts. A top guide 61 is carried on a rod 62 passing loosely through the support 63 which is secured to the slides 57 by thumb-screws 65 and may be hinged at 66 to allow the guide 61 to be swung out of position, a spring 67 serving to hold the upper portion in the normal position. A spring 64 surrounds the rod 62 and presses on the support 63 and guide 61, thus holding the guide in contact with the loaf. A guard 70 for the knife 13 is provided, and a curved box 71 for receiving the slices is attached to the frame. A board may be detachably mounted on the frame for cutting meat and vegetables. The thickness of the slice is varied by adjusting the position of the crank-pin 19.