Method of and apparatus for slicing potatoes

Claim 1

IN A CUTTING ASSEMBLY FOR CUTTING VEGETABLE PRODUCTS INTO PREDETERMINED SHAPES INCLUDING CRINKLE CUT SHAPES, A SERIES OF SIDE SLAB CUTTING ELEMENTS, A FIRST RECIPROCATING PISTON MEANS TO SUCCESSIVELY THRUST SAID PRODUCTS THROUGH SAID ELEMENTS IN SINGLE LINE FASHION, END SLAB CUTTING ELEMENTS DISPOSED TO RECEIVE SAID PRODUCTS IN SERIES WITH SAID FIRST NAMED CUTTING ELEMENTS, SPACED AND PARALLEL CUTTING KNIVES ADJACENT SAID END SLAB CUTTING ELEMENTS TO SEVER SAID PRODUCTS IN ONE DIRECTION INTO A PLURALITY OF CENTER CUTS, SPACED AND PARALLEL CUTTING MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID CUTTING KNIVES AND RIGHT ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO SAID ONE DIRECTION, A SECOND RECIPROCATING PISTON MEANS TO FORCE SAID PRODUCTS THROUGH SAID END SLAB CUTTING ELEMENTS AND SAID CUTTING KNIVES, AND A THIRD RECIPROCATING PISTON MEANS TO FORCE SAID PRODUCTS THROUGH SAID RIGHT ANGULARLY DISPOSED CUTTING MEANS, SAID FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PISTON MERANS BEING SEQUENTIALLY TIMED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER.

Claim 3

A METHOD FOR THE CONTINUOUS AND SEQUENTIAL CUTTING OF A FOOD PRODUCT INTO STRING FRENCH FRIED AND CRINKLE CUT SHAPES COMPRISING INITIALLY REMOVING FOUR SLAB FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID PRODUCT, PASSING SAID PRODUCT TO AN END SLAB REMOVAL ZONE AND REMOVING SAID END SLABS FROM SAID PRODUCT, PASSING SAID PRODUCT THROUGH A CENTER SLAB CUTTING ZONE IN A DIRECTION TO SEVER SAID PRODUCT INTO MULTIPLE CENTER CUT SLABS, PASSING SAID CENTER CUT SLABS THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL CENTER SLAB CUTTING ZONE IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO DIVIDE SAID CENTER CUT SLABS INTO ADDITIONAL CENTER CUT SEGMENTS, AND DISCHARGING SAID CENTER CUT SEGMENTS FROM SAID LAST NAMED ZONE.

Claim 4

A METHOD FOR THE CONTINUOUS AND SEQUENTIAL CUTTING OF A FOOD PRODUCT INTO STRING FRENCH FRIED AND CRINKLE CUT SHAPES COMPRISING INITIALLY REMOVING FOUR SLAB FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID PRODUCT, PASSING SAID PRODUCT TO AN END SLAB REMOVAL ZONE AND REMOVING SAID END SLABS FROM SAID PRODUCT, PASSING SAID PRODUCT THROUGH A CENTER SLAB CUTTING ZONE IN A DIRECTION TO SEVER SAID PRODUCT INTO MULTIPLE CENTER CUT SLABS, PASSING SAID CENTER CUT SLABS THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL CENTER SLAB CUTTING ZONE IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST DIRECTION TO DIVIDE SAID CENTER CUT SLABS INTO ADDITIONAL CENTER CUT SEGMENTS, AND DISCHARGING SAID CENTER CUT SEGMENTS FROM SAID LAST NAMED ZONE.