| 摘要 |
An apparatus for cutting a food product is disclosed which utilizes a cutting wheel having a plurality of knives extending between a hub and a rim in conjunction with other cutting knives to produce a multi-dimensional cut of the food product. The use of the additional cutting knives enables the apparatus to dice a thin layered or leafy food product (cut it into small pieces) as opposed to merely slicing the food product in a single dimensional cut. The additional cutting knives may include one or more julienne knives attached to each of the knives of the cutting wheel so as to extend approximately at right angles to the cutting plane defined by the cutting wheel knives. A circular knife may be located upstream of the cutting plane defined by the cutting wheel such that the rotary knife longitudinally cuts the food product before it passes through the cutting plane. The apparatus according to the invention also utilizes separate drive motors for the feed conveyor and for the cutting wheel. In order to prevent deflection or deformation of the larger cutting wheel, a rim stabilizer engages the cutting wheel rim to prevent any deflection of the rim which, may cause deflection of the cutting knives, as the cutting wheel rotates. |
