Apparatus for cutting food product

1. A cutting apparatus comprising an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller assembly coaxially mounted within the cutting head for rotation about an axis of the cutting head in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head, the impeller assembly having means for delivering food products radially outward toward the cutting head, the cutting head comprising:

at least one knife extending radially inward toward the impeller assembly in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the impeller assembly, the knife having a cutting edge at a radially innermost extremity thereof defined by oppositely-disposed radially inner and radially outer faces of the knife, one of the radially inner and radially outer faces of the knife being unbeveled at the cutting edge; and

means for clamping the knife to the cutting head, the clamping means comprising an outer holding member contacting the radially outer face of the knife, an inner holding member contacting the radially inner face of the knife, a clamping member located adjacent a radially outermost extremity of the knife and oriented substantially parallel to the knife, means for securing the inner holding member and the clamping member to each other and retaining the outer holding member therebetween so as to allow radial movement of the outer holding member between the inner holding member and the clamping member, and means for forcing a first portion of the outer holding member radially outward into engagement with the clamping member to simultaneously cause a second portion of the outer holding member to move radially inward into engagement with the radially outer face of the knife to clamp the knife between the inner and outer holding members, the outer holding member and the radially outer face of the knife defining a trajectory plane for slices removed from the food products by the cutting edge, the clamping member having a tapered thickness in a radial direction of the cutting head that decreases in a direction toward the knife to provide clearance for the slices when traveling the trajectory plane of the knife;

wherein the forcing means forces the clamping member and the first portion of the outer holding member radially outward toward the trajectory plane of the knife.

2. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radially inner face is beveled at the cutting edge, and the radially outer face is not beveled at the cutting edge.

3. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the forcing means comprises a rotatable lever having a flat, and the forcing means releases the outer holding member from engagement with the clamping member when the flat faces the outer holding member.

4. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the securing means comprises at least one fastener that passes through the inner holding member, through the outer holding member and into the clamping member and allows for relative movement of the outer holding member between the inner holding member and the clamping member.

5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping means further comprises a removable insert that defines a radially innermost extremity of the inner holding member, and the removable insert contacts the radially inner face of the knife adjacent the cutting edge thereof.

6. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping means does not compress a polymeric material when generating the clamping force with the clamping member.

7. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping means comprises only metallic materials.

8. A cutting apparatus comprising an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller assembly coaxially mounted within the cutting head for rotation about an axis of the cutting head in a rotational direction relative to the cutting head, the impeller assembly having means for delivering food products radially outward toward the cutting head, the cutting head comprising:

at least one knife extending radially inward toward the impeller assembly in a direction opposite the rotational direction of the impeller assembly, the knife having a cutting edge at a radially innermost extremity thereof defined by oppositely-disposed radially inner and radially outer faces of the knife, wherein the radially inner face is beveled at the cutting edge and the radially outer face is not beveled at the cutting edge; and

means for clamping the knife to the cutting head, the clamping means comprising an outer holding member contacting the radially outer face of the knife, an inner holding member contacting the radially inner face of the knife, a clamping member located adjacent a radially outermost extremity of the knife and oriented substantially parallel to the knife, means for securing the inner holding member and the clamping member to each other and retaining the outer holding member therebetween so as to allow radial movement of the outer holding member between the inner holding member and the clamping member, and means for forcing a first portion of the outer holding member radially outward into engagement with the clamping member to simultaneously cause a second portion of the outer holding member to move radially inward into engagement with the radially outer face of the knife to clamp the knife between the inner and outer holding members, the outer holding member and the radially outer face of the knife defining a trajectory plane for slices removed from the food products by the cutting edge, the clamping member having a tapered thickness in a radial direction of the cutting head that decreases in a direction toward the knife to provide clearance for the slices when traveling the trajectory plane of the knife;

wherein the forcing means forces the clamping member and the first portion of the outer holding member radially outward toward the trajectory plane of the knife.

9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the forcing means comprises a rotatable lever having a flat, and the forcing means releases the outer holding member from engagement with the clamping member when the flat faces the outer holding member.

10. The cutting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the securing means comprises at least one fastener that passes through the inner holding member, through the outer holding member and into the clamping member and allows for relative movement of the outer holding member between the inner holding member and the clamping member.

11. The cutting apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the clamping means further comprises a removable insert that defines a radially innermost extremity of the inner holding member, and the removable insert contacts the radially inner face of the knife adjacent the cutting edge thereof.