US1976866A

US1976866A - Pneumatic fly for stackers

Info

Publication number: US1976866A
Application number: US575015A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilhelmus Adrianus Van Berkel
Original assignee: U S Slicing Machine Co Inc
Current assignee: U S Slicing Machine Co Inc
Priority date: 1930-11-28
Filing date: 1931-11-14
Publication date: 1934-10-16
Anticipated expiration: 1951-10-16

Description

1934- w. A. VAN BERKEL PNEUMATIC FLY FOR STACKERS Filed Nov. 14, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 16, 1934. w. A. VAN BERKEL PNEUMATIC FLY FOR STACKERS Filed Nov. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Get. 16, 1934 STATES e-Aram castes ApplicationlNov emben 14, 19.31,.Serial Nonevaoisl In. GreatBTitaiir November 28;I9B'0;

17 Gl'aiinsi (C15 146 -94) 'Ihissinventicn relates; to slicingzmachines and particularly to, slicing machines: in which. the; slices. afterr they are: severed the; knife: are? converged: byg a. special; conveyor" and: stacking; mechanism: into: a; discharge position, at; which position. the? slices; are: discharged; up on:. a:v slice receiving; surface; Heretofore: it, has been: cus-a tomaryyto discharge 2 thesslicesrby moving ifingers arrangedbehincl; the; slice: when the slice is 'at the discharge=:position.-. Necessarily suchran. are rangementzrequires' specialJ-mechanismforr open-- ating; the; fingers; whicha mechanism; is.- subject. to, Wear, and; furthermore, theslices. tend. to adhere-to; theslice-engaging fingers: so. that the 2 slices: do X not; fall; properly upon. each other. or.

uponthe: slice receiving; surface to form a. uni

form stack. of:v slices. on the :SllCBzlECBlVGI;

One object of r this invention; therefore; .lST- to provide-meanswhereby these difficulties are: done e away withandzin carrying out thisbbjectgLprQP vide'apneuma-tic .meanssoperated leitherlby the :slicingg-machine onby; a, separate:meansaind-ependent from-i the slicing. machine for; discharging air.

against the-sliceetolthrow theeslice onto theslioe; receiver.

A: more .pa-rticular. obj cot-of my. invention :is ':to

provider-a1. seriess of: fingers; or; their. equivalent:

arranged between the-prongs.- on asconveyor: andz; adapted=to lie-.-behind-1thes slice at-Jthe discharge.-

- position. and provide .these fingers withsopenings through-which airiis :discharged: tothrow the: slice.

ontheslice receivingosurface;

A: still ifurtherl object v of this invention residesin rproviding a conveyingmechanismin whichthe: slice; whilein arverticaliposition, ;is fedltoca slice discharge position and hollow-- fingermalso ar ranged vertically, one above. the. other, ,havingg openings: in .--the,. sides thereof 1 adjacent the .slice. sethateair may be. introduced into the. fingers and-{dischargedthrough. the. openings :xtO throw.

therslice onto rthesslicew receiving surface. Withi charged against the-upper end. of theslicethan agai-nstithe lower end, ands-as a result, .theslice will be' turned through a substantial angle into' a-, substantially horizontal position on i the slice receiver.

Aastill further object resideslinthe provision. of asdischarge fly-which can be. used as theordie narvfly is used, or, ifdesired may be used asla stationaryelement using theair to dischargethe. pslice. With this-arrangement, if forany-reasen.

the pneumaticidischargerbecomes'inoperative; themechanical; discharge: of: the; slice may still; be: used.

Other objects: of this invention will. appear hereinafter. as the: description thereof 1 proceeds;'.

the: novel: features;- arrangements: andr combina-- time. being. clearly: set forth. in. the: description: and in the. appendedv claims.-

In the drawings; V

Fig. 1*. representsa planiv-iew of a-devicefembodying:v my invention Fig. 2. is a; side elevation thereof-,- viewed from the: sideat! which the stacking: mechanism is arranged;

Fig53: is arview'looking fromathe side opposite f rom thatviewedin-Fig; 2,- illustrating the manner which: the reciprocating. table actuates the means forcompressing the airusedrfors the. discharge. fiy;.

Fig; 4 is: a; vertical .crosssectiontlirough the dischargafiyg,

.Eig..5ris. a section taken-.alongftheiline. 5-5 1 .h

Eig '6 is: a horizontal. section taken 'substantiallmthrough the pivotfor.the-dischargefly, and

Fig; 'lzshows rel-modified arrangement-fora partof the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2

'ImEiga 1, thereference numeral :1 indicateaa reciproeatingtable slidably; g ui dediby; theguides imonnted onttheabase-3s .A-crank:4 carried by. aistub shaft 5 :is connected means. of -a-pitma-n Go to the; under: sidee-ofi the. table 1 Whenthecran k 4.;xrotates;theresulteis thatthe table recip; rocates-ialong its guides. A: flywheel '7- secured: to a shaft 8 has a bevel gear 9 meshingiwith-a bevel. gear; 10-.secured to the stub shaft i 5, so that when. -.the:fiy.wheel -is rotated the :cranle 4 will. rotats and the .tableswill reciprocate upon itsguidese An'r-additional shaft 1l=havingaa bevelg-ear. 1'2 secured theretmmeshirrg-x with that gear 10 is adaptedztot drive. the knife-16, Which:knife-r is mounted on the :spind1e.13 rotatablysmounted in the-bracket 14esecm edlto theibase 3i 1 A-chainl5 is.-. trained; overrthe': sprockets on-= the: shafts: 13" and 11 so that a rotary motion is imparted to the knife: 16;. This construction. iscquite well knowninsthe-art .to: swhichit pertains Mounted on. one side of. theslicing machine base isafbracketllfl carryingaaldefictor 18lhaving? a---series.-of horizontally, extending. recesses thereinforathe reception of the prongs 20 "carried: by a -.drumlzlirotatableiwithla shaft-22. As the: shaft .22 .-rot ates, ,th'elprongs .20" are carried past the edgeof theknife and Ipartlvimo therecesses" 19. inlthadflctorllzil The shaft 22'is driveniromz the shaft 8 by means of the bevel gears 23, 24, shaft 25 and bevel gears 26 and 2'7. Bevel gears 23, 24, 26 and 27 are secured respectively to the

shafts

8, 25, 25 and 22. The drum 21 rotates once for each complete reciprocation of the table 1. j i a An auxiliary bracket 28 secured tothe bracket 1'? has a slice receiving tray 29 thereon and this tray is adapted to receive the slices as they are discharged from the drum 21. The parts are so arranged that as the slice is formed the same is engaged by the prongs 20 and due to=the fact that the prongs extend partially into the. recesses 19 when passing the deflecto'ri18, the slices are impaled on the prongs and held thereon untilthe slice reaches the discharge position. When the slice reaches the discharge position; means are provided for discharging the slice from the prongs, and this comprises, in the ordinary construction, a plurality of fingers arranged between rows of prongs, the same as shown in the drawings, and a means for moving these fingers'about a pivot to throw the slices on to the tray 29. In the present instance, a similar arrangement is used, except that I have added pneumatic means, which is ordinarily operable to discharge the slices without relying on the fingers themselvesexceptas means for conveying-the'air; The discharge fly, i as is best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, comprises i a hollow pivot 30 rotatably mounted in a bearing 31 on the bracket 17. An upwardly extending hollow member 32 has free communication with the interior of the hollow pivot 30 and carries a plurality of hollow fingers 33, which also com-:- municate at 34 with the interior of the upwardly extending hollow member 32. Each of the fingers is provided with-a series of openings 35. Ihese openings are of such a size as to exert the desired amount of pressure on the slice, to turn the slice .from a vertical position into substantially a horizontal position to thereby stack the slices-uniformly on the'tray'. As will be'seen from -an inspection of Fig. 4, the openings in the lowermost fly is secured to the hollow pivot 30 by'means'of the pin 3'7. 1

A stationary conduit38 is connected by means of a sleeve 39 and packing glands 40 to the rotating hollow pivot 30 and is adapted tosuppl-y air under" pressure to the pivot and to the fingers of the fly. A three-way valve 44 having

branches

41, 42 and 43 is arranged in the conduit 38 and is adapted to selectively supply air to the hollow pivot 30, or cutoff the supply of air, if'des'ired. In Fig. 6 air can be supplied to the hollow pivot Ordinarily the flngersare held in an upright position and this isaccomplished by means of an arm 47 secured by a pin 48 to'the hollow pivot 30 and a bolt 49 which passes through the arm into a tapped opening 48' in the bracket 17.

Therefore when the slice arrives at a position adjacent the slice receiving tray 29 and airisintroduced through the conduit 38 to the hollow, fin-,

gers 33, the slic'eis discharged onto the tray and Q --in addition, as discharged, is turned through a theslice are not affected a great amount by the air pressure. Consequently the upper side is thrown outwardly at a more rapid rate than the lower side and soon the slice assumes a substantially horizontal position and so falls upon the slice receiving tray or previous slice which has been cut. 7

In order to supply the conduit 38 with air at the proper time I provide a cylinder 52 in which reciprocates a piston 53 mounted on a connecting rod 54 extending through one end of a cylinder and having an upwardly extending projection 55 arranged within a recess 56 in the underside of the table I. As the table reciprocates, the air is compressed between the piston 53 and the end of the cylinder 52 whichlies adjacent the'operators side of the machine. The opposite end of the cylinder is eitherentirely open or is provided with means for admitting air to the cylinder so as not to retard the movement of the piston during the time when the air is not being supplied to the conduit 38. The cylinder 52 is secured by brackets 57 to the side of the base 3.

The table, when in the position shown in Fig. 1, is almost at the end of its return stroke and soon will begin the forward stroke to present the substance to the knife so that the slicesare cut therefrom. 'The'drum 21 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 1 and is in a position to receive the slices on the prongs 20 i substantially at the time the knife begins to sever the slice from the substance. The drum, after picking -up the substance, conveys the same around to the position illustrated in 'Fig. 1, or in Fig. 2, at which position the substance-is ready to be discharged from the drum. Due to the fact that the projection 55 extends into the slot 56 and may travel lengthwise relative thereto,-

it will be'obvious that the first part of the movement of the table 1 will not compress the air in the cylinder 52, and as soon as the-table has been moved onits working stroke a suflicient distance, the projection 55 will be engaged by the end'of the slot, and as a result, the piston rod and piston will be moved, but will not compress the-air in the cylinder 52. However, on the return stroke of the table actuates the piston 53, compressesthe air and forces the air through the conduit 38 to the discharge fly just as the slice arrives at the slice discharge position which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The slice is discharged in the manner which has already been described.

Whenever it is necessary or desirable touse the discharge fly as the ordinary discharge fly, I disconnect the bolt 49 and the pivot 30 is then free to rotate, except as restrained by the means now to be described. A cam 57 secured 'to the shaft 22 engages a roller 59 on an arm 58 and rocks the arm 58 in a counter-clockwise direction. A compression spring arranged within the telescoping casing 60 is pivoted at 61 to the arm 58 and at 62 to a lug 63 on the underside of the reverses bracket 28 and normally urges the arm 53 inv a clockwise direction. The arm 58 is formedas an extension on the member 47' and therefore when the arm 58 rotates the hollow pivot 30 will also ro-' tate. The cam is provided with an abrupt vertical portion 64 and as soon as the shaft 22 has rotated a sufficient distance into the position shown in Fig. 2, the arm 58 is ready to move off the lowermost side of the cam along the abrupt vertical portion and the spring within the casing 60 urges the roller in this direction causing the discharge fly to move outwardly and downwardly about the pivot 30, thereby discharging the slice upon the slice receiving tray 29. A brake 65 pivotally connected at 66 to a link 6-7 which in turn is pivoted at 68 to the arm. 58 travels along the vertically I arranged braking surface 69 on the downwardly extending projection 70 on the underside of the bracket. 28. As the discharge fly moves under the action of the spring in. a clockwise direction, the brake 65 travels upwardly along the braking. surface 69 and as a result, retards the movement of the discharge fly and especially at the end of the discharge movement; In addition, a separate spring retarding means is provided to retard the movement of the discharge fly near the end of the discharge movement, and this means comprises telescoping members 71 and 72 pivoted at 73' and 74 to the. bracket 1'7 and to the link 67 respectively and a telescoping tension spring connected respectively at its opposite ends to the telescoping members 71' and 72. With this arrangement the link 67 is normally urged in a clockwise direction about the pivot 68 and therefore increases the frictional force with which the brake 65 is held against the surface 69.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated a supplemental friction retarding element in the form of a spring '75 secured to the upper side of the bracket 17 by meansof the screws 76 and extending downwardly through the opening 7''! in opposition to the braking surface 69. The lower end of'the spring extends outwardly at 76 to facilitate the entry of the brake between the spring and the braking surface 69'; With this arrangement the frictional retarding force between the brake and the braking surface 69 is increased and the spring itself forms an additional braking surface whereby the discharge fly is brought to rest more quickly than where just the usual braking surfaceis'provided. Also the spring acts to cushion the end of the movement of the discharge fly.

Aswill be noted from an inspection of Fig. l, the fingers on the fly are tapered so that-they are narrower at their extreme outer ends and are heavier adjacent the portions which are attached to the upright connecting portion 32. The outer curvature of the fly is so arranged as to expose a greator portion of the prongs beyond said outer surface near the ends of the fingers than adjacent the portions of the fingers which are attached to 32. This results in a peeling? action when the slice is discharged from. the prongs. In other words, as the fly moves outwardly at a uniform rate. the portion of the slice which, is adjacent the part 32 is first pulled off the prongs and the remaining. portions of the-slice toward. the ends of the fingers are successively removed from their respective prongs in a sort ofpeeling action which.

prevents the; slice from being, torn. The result. is that the'slices which. are deposited upon the slice receivingsurface are very neat in appearance and are rendered more salablethan wherethe slices are partially-torn due tothefact that; all; portions:

ofthe slice are removed from the respective prongs at the sametime;

Various changesmay be made in the apparatus as disclosed without departing from-the spirit of this invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited in my invention except as set forth hereinafter inthe appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a slicing machine, the combination with a knife and a table movable relative to each other, air compressing means actuated by the relative movement of said knife and table, a movable slice conveyor for conveying slices away from the knife after they are formed, a normally stationary discharge fly provided with a plurality of openings, means for actuating said conveying means to move the same in a direc tion tov bring the slices into a position adjacent said fly and in front of said openings, communicating means betweensaid air compression means and. said openings for supplying air to said openings substantially at the time said slices arrive in front of said openings whereby to direct a plurality of streams of air against the slice to thereby turn the slice through a substantial angle onto a slice receiving surface.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the air compression means comprises a pump, means for operating said pump operatively connected to the means for reciprocating saidknife and table relative to each other so that the introduction of air under pressure to said openings is synchronized with the movement of said knife and table relative to each other to insure that air is always forced through said openings in the aforesaid manner.

3. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, means for conveying slices away from said knife as they are formed, and a movable discharge fly for removing theslices from said conveying means and for depositing same upon a slice receiving surface, means for actuating said discharge fly to move same against a slice as it arrives at discharge position, pneumatic means associated with said discharge fly for directing a series of-streams of air against the side of the slice' to be discharged when the slice is atthe discharge position, and means for selectively rendering either of said last two mentioned means inoperative.

4. In a slicingmachine, thecombination with.

a knife, a conveyor for conveying slices away from the knife after they are formed, a discharge fiy'for discharging slices off said conveyor onto a slice receiving surface,.mechanical means for moving said discharge fly into discharge position, means for resisting movement of said fly into discharge positioncomprising a brake slidably engaging a braking surface, and means for increas ing the frictional resistance of said brake on said surface at the end of its movement therealong comprising an auxiliary member arranged in opposed relationto said first braking surface to engage said brake only hear the end of its movement and force said brake against said first braking surface to thereby increase the frictional resistance on both the first braking surface and said auxiliary member whereby to suddenly arrest themovement of said discharge fly to insure the removal of the slice therefrom and to decrease the distance necessary to move the fly to properly discharge the: slice therefrom at a predetermined place...

5. In a slicing machine, the combination with a knife, a conveyor for conveying-slices away from the knife after they are formed, a discharge fly for discharging slices on said conveyor onto a slice receiving surface, mechanical means for moving said discharge fly into discharge position comprising a brake slidably engaging a braking surface, and means for increasing thefrictional resistance of said brake on said surface at the end of its movement therealong comprising a flat spring arranged in opposed relation to said first braking surface to engage. said brake only near the. end of its movement and force said brake against said first braking surface to thereby increase the frictional resistanceon both the first braking surface and said flat spring whereby to suddenly arrest the movement of said discharge fly to insure the removal of the slice therefrom and to decrease the distance necessary to move the fly .to properly discharge the slice therefrom at a predetermined place.

6. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicingknife, a movable element having slice engaging prongs thereon for receiving a slice as it is formed and for moving the slice to a discharge position, means for forcing the slice onto said prongs so that said prongs will hold the slice as said element moves the slice. to a discharge.

position, and a discharge fly having means arranged adjacent the path of travel of said slice as it moves into discharge position for engaging the slice as it moves to discharge position, the engaging surface of said discharge fly remaining stationary until the slice is in position to be discharged, the slice engaging surface of said discharge fly being arranged slightly at an angle to the path of movement of the slice, said angle being inclined outwardly toward the ends of said.

prongs from the portion of said discharge fly which first engages the slice to the portion thereof which subsequently engages said slice, whereby the slice is partially stripped from said prongs prior to the movement of said discharge fly into discharge position, whereby when said discharge fly is moved to an inoperative position, the slice is peeled from successive prongs ,in the direction of movement of the slice, at successiveintervals of time and not simultaneously.

7. A discharge means for slicing machines comprising a conveying element-having. prongs upon which the slice is impaledi after it isformed; and in substantially equal amounts on all 'of'said.

prongs, and 'a discharge fly arranged in the path of movement of said slice and adapted to pass between adjacent prongs on, the side of the slice which lies adjacent the bases of said prongs, said dischargefly having a periodof rest which lasts.

substantially until the entireslice is against said discharge fly or in a position to be engaged therefly which firstv engages the slice lying farther away from the points of said prongs than the portions which subsequently engage the slice whereby during the movement of'the slice into a. position to be discharged from the prongs, the.

advance end of the slice is partially stripped from the prongs so that when the discharge fly ismoved to remove the slice from the prongs, the

advance portion of the slice is first stripped from the prongs followed in quick succession by lthe other portions of the slice, thus effecting a peeling action which prevents the prongs froni tearing the. slice.

8. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a slice conveying element for conveying slices away from the knife as they are formed comprising a movable member having a plurality of rows of prongs upon which the slice is impaled, means for moving said member from a position adjacent said knife to a slice discharge position, a discharge element having a plurality of substantially parallel spaced hollow fingers positioned to pass between adjacent rows of prongs adjacent the side of the slice which is remote from the points of the prongs, said fingers having openings communicating with the interior of said hollow fingers and with the exterior portions of said fingers which lie adjacent the slice when the slice is in discharge position, and means for introducing air under pressure into said hollow fingers when the slice is at the discharge position whereby the slice is discharged from said prongs.

9. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of, a slice conveying element for conveying slices away from the knife as they are formed comprising a movable member having a plurality of rows of prongs upon which the slice is impaled, means for moving said member from a position adjacent said knife to a slice discharge position, a discharge element having a plurality of substantially parallel spaced hollow fingers positioned to pass between adjacent rows of prongs adjacent the side of the slice which is remote from the points of the prongs, said fingers having openings communicating with the interior of said hollow fingers and with the exterior portions of said fingers which lie adjacent the slice when the slice is in discharge position, means for introducing air under pressure into said hollow fingers when the slice is at the discharge position whereby the slice is discharged from said prongs, mechanical means for moving said discharge fly to'bring the fingers against the slice and remove the slice from the prongs onto a slice receiving surface, and means for selectively rendering said last mentioned means and means for introducing air under pressure inoperative as desired.

10. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which said rows, of prongs extend substantially horizontally with the rows of prongs spaced from each other in a vertical direction and in which said openings in said fingers near the uppermost rows of prongs are of a size to permit greater amounts of air to move against the slice than the openings in the fingers between the lowermost prongs, whereby the upper side of the slice is directed outwardly away from said prongs at a greater rate than the lower portion thereof so that the slice is turned from a substantially vertical position into a position at a substantial angle to the vertical as it. is moved onto the slice receiving surface.

11. A device as set forth in claim 9 in which said rows of prongs extend substantially horizontally with the rows of prongs spaced from each other in a vertical direction and in which said openings in said fingers near the uppermost rows of prongs are of a size to permit greater amounts of air to move against the slice than the openings in the fingers between the lowermost prongs whereby the upper side of the slice is directed outwardly away from said prongs at a greater rate than the lower portion thereof so that the slice is turned from a substantially vertical .position into a position at a substantial angle to the vertical as it is moved onto the slice receiving surface.

12. A discharge fly for slicing machines adapted to be movably mounted in a position adjacent the slice when the same is conveyed to a discharge position, comprising a hollow member having a plurality of openings for permitting the escape of air introduced into said hollow memher, said openings facing in a direction toward the slice when the slice is in a discharge position, means for introducing air under pressure to said hollow member to move the slice onto a slice receiving surface, means for moving said discharge fly to bring said hollow member intophysical contact with the slice to move the slice to a slice receiving position, and means for selectively rendering either of said last mentioned means operative or inoperative.

13. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife arranged with the cutting plane thereof extending substantially vertically, a rotating drum having a plurality of horizontally extending prongs thereon with the outer points of the prongs arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of said drum, a discharge fly having arcuate horizontally extending fingers thereon having the slice engaging portions thereof of a curvature which is substantially concentric with the axis of rotation of said drum when the discharge fly is in its inoperative position just prior to discharging the slice from the drum, said fingers being hollow to provide air chambers therein, openings leading from said air chambers through those sides of the fingers which lie adjacent the slice as the slice arrives at discharge position, means for introducing air under pressure into said chambers when a slice is at the discharge position, whereby the slice is moved off said prongs onto a slice receiving surface.

14. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife arranged with the cutting plane thereof extending substantially vertically, a rotating drum having a plurality of horizontally extending prongs thereon with the outer points of the prongs arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of said drum, a discharge fly having arcuate horizontally extending fingers thereon having the slice engaging portions thereof of a curvature which is substantially concentric with the axis of rotation of said drum when the discharge fly is in its inoperative position just prior to discharging the slice from the drum, said fingers being hollow to provide air chambers therein, openings leading from said air chambers through those sides of the fingers which lie adjacent the slice as the slice arrives at discharge position, means for introducing air under pressure into said chambers when a slice is at the discharge position, whereby the slice is moved off said prongs onto a slice receiving surface, said discharge fly being also movably mounted to physically engage the slice when it is at the discharge position, means for moving the discharge fly against the slice to move the slice onto a slice receiving surface, and means for rendering said last mentioned means and the means for introducing air under pressure inoperative selectively as desired.

15. A discharge fly for slicing machines comprising a plurality of hollow fingers, a support for said hollow fingers having a duct communicating with the interiors of said hollow fingers, a bearing member for said support, a hollow tube extending through said bearing member, means for securing said support to said hollow tube so as to rotate therewith, said hollow tube having a communication with said duct, means for introducing air under pressure to said hollow tube whereby the air is conveyed to the interiors of said hollow fingers, said hollow fingers having openings communicating with the interiors thereof and with external faces of said fingers which lie adjacent the slice at a discharge position, and means selectively operable for moving said discharge fly about its pivot.

16. In a slicing machine the combination with a slicing knife of means for presenting a substance to be sliced to said knife, movable means for receiving and conveying slices away from said knife after they are formed, means for actuating said conveying means to'move the slices to discharge position, a member located at said discharge position having a plurality of spaced openings therein through which air may be discharged against the side of the slices as they arrive at discharge position and means for supplying air under pressure to said openings, said openings varying in their dimensions to spread and turn the slices through a substantial angle on to a slice receiving surface after said slices have been conveyed to said discharge position in front of said openings by said conveying means and means for selectively moving said member to bring the same into physical engagement with said slices to discharge the slices from said conveying means as desired, whereby either the air alone, the member alone, or the latter two elements in conjunction with each other may be used to discharge the slices from said conveying means.

17. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing knife, of a conveying element for conveying slices away from the knife as they are formed and for moving them to a discharge position, a discharge fly movably mounted adjacent the discharge position, means for actuating said discharge fly to move the slices off said element when the slices arrive at the discharge position by physical contact therewith, said fly being provided with means whereby air may be directed under pressure against the side of the slice adjacent the fiy to move the slice 01f said conveying element, and means for selectively rendering the discharge fiy inoperative to force the slices oif said element by physical contact therewith whereby the air Lmder pressure which is directed against the slice forces the slice off said element.

WILHELMUS ADRIANUS VAN BERKEL.