Slicer and pusher

1. A mandoline slicer, comprising:

a ramp with a slicing blade positioned between the ramp; and

a pusher, wherein the pusher comprises:

a cap having an upper and a lower end, the cap defining an interior space;

a lower plate attached to a pillar, the pillar defining a central axis, the pillar further being attached to a telescoping tube wherein the pillar and the telescoping tube are telescopically moveable with respect to one another along the central axis;

a guide defined within the interior space, the pillar and the telescoping tube being mounted to the guide for movement of the pillar and the telescoping tube with respect to the guide along the central axis; and

a spring having a first end connected to the cap and a second end connected to the lower plate, the spring urging the lower plate away from the cap in a direction from the upper end toward the lower end,

wherein the upper end of the cap further comprises a central opening positioned about the central axis, the cap further having an upper abutment providing a stop to limit upward movement of the telescoping tube, and

whereby, the pusher is operable to push a food item along the ramp and across the slicing blade.

2. The mandoline slicer of claim 1 , wherein the guide further comprises a lower abutment providing a stop to limit downward movement of the telescoping tube.

3. The mandoline slicer of claim 2 , wherein the upper abutment is positioned to prevent upward movement of the telescoping tube beyond the upper end of the cap.

4. The mandoline slicer of claim 1 , wherein the telescoping tube surrounds the pillar.

5. The mandoline slicer of claim 4 , wherein the guide defines an interior channel and the telescoping tube and pillar are received within the interior channel.

6. The mandoline slicer of claim 5 , wherein the telescoping tube further includes a lower seat configured to limit movement of the pillar.

7. The mandoline slicer of claim 6 , wherein the spring surrounds the guide.

8. The mandoline slicer of claim 6 , wherein the lower plate further includes a retaining wall, the spring being received within the retaining wall.

9. A mandoline slicer, comprising:

a ramp with a slicing blade positioned between the ramp; and

a pusher, wherein the pusher comprises:

a cap with an upper end, a lower end, and a central axis extending from the upper end to the lower end, the lower end terminating in a lower rim, the cap defining an interior space;

a guide extending into the interior space from the upper end toward the lower end, the guide having a hollow interior defining a channel, the channel extending to the upper end of the cap to define an upper opening;

a lower plate attached to a pillar, the pillar further being attached to a telescoping post, wherein the pillar and the telescoping post are telescopically moveable with respect to one another along the central axis, the pillar and the telescoping post further being mounted within the channel of the guide for movement of the pillar and the telescoping post with respect to the guide along the central axis; and

a spring positioned between the cap and the lower plate, the spring being mounted to urge the lower plate away from the cap in a direction from the upper end toward the lower end,

wherein the upper end of the cap further comprises an upper abutment positioned to engage the telescoping post to limit upward movement of the telescoping post, and

whereby, the pusher is operable to push a food item along the ramp and across the slicing blade.

10. The mandoline slicer of claim 9 , wherein the guide further comprises a lower abutment positioned to engage the telescoping post to limit downward movement of the telescoping post.

11. The mandoline slicer of claim 9 , wherein the upper abutment is positioned to prevent upward movement of the telescoping post beyond the upper end of the cap.

12. The mandoline slicer of claim 9 , wherein the telescoping post is configured as a telescoping tube, and further wherein the telescoping tube surrounds the pillar.

13. The mandoline slicer of claim 9 , wherein the spring surrounds the guide.

14. A mandoline slicer, comprising:

a ramp with a slicing blade positioned between the ramp; and

a pusher, wherein the pusher comprises:

a cap with an upper end, a lower end, and a central axis extending from the upper end to the lower end, the lower end terminating in a lower rim, the cap defining an interior space;

a guide mounted within the cap and extending from the upper end into the interior space, the guide having an open interior defining a channel along the central axis, the channel extending to the upper end of the cap to define an upper opening;

a lower plate attached to a pillar, the pillar further being attached to a telescoping post, the pillar and the telescoping post further being mounted within the channel of the guide for movement of the pillar and the telescoping post with respect to one another and with respect to the guide along the central axis; and

the guide further having an upper abutment and a lower abutment, the upper abutment and lower abutment limiting the extent of movement of the pillar and the telescoping post along the central axis; and

a spring positioned between the cap and the lower plate, the spring being mounted to urge the lower plate away from the cap in a direction from the upper end toward the lower end,

wherein the upper abutment is positioned to prevent upward movement of the telescoping post beyond the upper end of the cap, and

whereby, the pusher is operable to push a food item along the ramp and across the slicing blade.

15. The mandoline slicer of claim 14 , wherein the telescoping post is configured as a telescoping tube, and further wherein the telescoping tube surrounds the pillar.

16. The mandoline slicer of claim 15 , wherein spring surrounds the guide.

17. The mandoline slicer of claim 16 , wherein the lower plate further includes a retaining wall, the spring being received within the retaining wall.