HYDRO-MECHANICAL CUTTER

1 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method for cutting vegetable food product along an axis of the food product and then at least generally perpendicularly to the axis of the food product, the method comprising:

carrying, by a food product carrier, a food cutter circumferentially around an axis of rotation, the food cutter having a knife and a pusher facing radially outward from the axis of rotation;

receiving, by the knife, the food product, the food product received radially into engagement with the food cutter along the axis of the food product;

carrying, by the food cutter, the food product circumferentially around the axis of rotation;

gradually pushing, by the pusher, the food product out of engagement with the food cutter as the food product is carried around the axis of rotation, the pusher slidably coupled with the knife and radially movable with respect to the axis of rotation; and

slicing, by a slicing knife, the food product in a generally tangential orientation with respect to the food cutter and at least generally perpendicularly to the axis of the food product as the food product carrier rotates and the food product is gradually pushed out of engagement with the food cutter.

16 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein gradually pushing, by the pusher, the food product out of engagement with the food cutter comprises engaging the pusher with a track oriented generally circularly with respect to the food product carrier and about the axis of rotation, the track arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with a follower, the follower connected to the pusher for pushing the food product.

17 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the knife comprises a spiral knife.

18 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein the pusher comprises an ejector plate.

19 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the follower comprises a cam follower engaged with the track.

20 . The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising receiving, by a chute, cut food product from the food product carrier and the slicing knife.

21 . A method for cutting vegetable food product, the method comprising:

carrying, by a food product carrier, a food cutter circumferentially around an axis of rotation, the food cutter having a knife and a pusher facing radially outward from the axis of rotation;

receiving, by the knife, the food product, the food product received radially into engagement with the food cutter;

carrying, by the food cutter, the food product circumferentially around the axis of rotation;

pushing, by the pusher, the food product out of engagement with the food cutter as the food product is carried around the axis of rotation, the pusher slidably coupled with the knife and radially movable with respect to the axis of rotation; and

slicing, by a slicing knife, the food product in a generally tangential orientation with respect to the food cutter as the food product carrier rotates and the food product is pushed out of engagement with the food cutter.

22 . The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the vegetable food product is received radially into engagement with the food cutter along an axis of the food product, and sliced in a generally tangential orientation with respect to the food cutter at least generally perpendicularly to the axis of the food product.

23 . The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein pushing, by the pusher, the food product out of engagement with the food cutter comprises engaging the pusher with a track oriented generally circularly with respect to the food product carrier and about the axis of rotation, the track arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with a follower, the follower connected to the pusher for pushing the food product.

24 . The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the knife comprises a spiral knife.

25 . The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the pusher comprises an ejector plate.

26 . The method as recited in claim 23 , wherein the follower comprises a cam follower engaged with the track.

27 . The method as recited in claim 21 , further comprising receiving, by a chute, cut food product from the food product carrier and the slicing knife.

28 . A method for cutting vegetable food product, the method comprising:

carrying, by a knife, a food product circumferentially around an axis of rotation, the food product received radially into engagement with the knife;

pushing the food product out of engagement with the knife as the food product is carried around the axis of rotation; and

slicing, by a slicing knife, the food product in a generally tangential orientation with respect to the knife as the knife rotates around the axis of rotation and the food product is pushed out of engagement with the knife.

29 . The method as recited in claim 28 , wherein the vegetable food product is received radially into engagement with the knife along an axis of the food product, and sliced in a generally tangential orientation with respect to the knife at least generally perpendicularly to the axis of the food product.

30 . The method as recited in claim 28 , wherein pushing the food product out of engagement with the knife comprises engaging a pusher with a track oriented generally circularly about the axis of rotation, the track arranged at varying radial distances from the axis of rotation and coupled with a follower, the follower connected to the pusher for pushing the food product.

31 . The method as recited in claim 28 , wherein the knife comprises a spiral knife.

32 . The method as recited in claim 28 , wherein the food product is pushed out of engagement with the knife by a pusher slidably coupled with the knife and radially movable with respect to the axis of rotation, and the pusher comprises an ejector plate.

33 . The method as recited in claim 30 , wherein the follower comprises a cam follower engaged with the track.

34 . The method as recited in claim 28 , further comprising receiving, by a chute, cut food product from the slicing knife.