Rotary knife

摘要

A rotary knife having a handle having a head section (24), a blade housing (14) that comprises a split, ring-like member supported by the head section and defining a circumferentially extending groove (86), an annular blade (18) supported in the blade housing groove for rotation about a central axis. The blade housing comprises a ring-like member having an annularly extending blade supporting groove that opens radially inwardly and in which the blade is rotatably disposed. The groove peripheral wall defines a plurality of blade engaging bearing faces (150) spaced apart throughout the blade housing periphery and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart fat receiving recesses (152). The blade housing also defines a plurality of fat directing channels (154) each communicating with a fat receiving recess for directing fat from the recess out of the blade housing. Opposite sides of the split blade housing are detachably connected to the head section and one end of the split housing is movable relative to the head section by a rack and pinion gear set (122,126) to enable blade removal and replacement.