Slicing machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a slicing machine (100) for slicing a product piece (P) into slices (S), comprising: a pressing device (102) defining therein a pressing space (R) designed and intended to receive the product piece (P), wherein the pressing device (102) comprises a longitudinal pressing unit (104) designed to press the product piece (P) in a longitudinal direction (L) of the product piece (P), and a transverse pressing unit (110) designed to press the product piece (P) in a transverse direction (Q) of the product piece (P) that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L), a cutting unit (126) arranged adjacent to the pressing device (102) and designed to cut the product piece (P) into slices (S), and a stop unit (120) that can be moved between a limiting position,in which it limits a movement of the product piece (P) in the longitudinal direction (L) towards the cutting unit (126), and is adjustable to a release position in which it does not limit the movement of the product piece (P) in the longitudinal direction (L) towards the cutting unit (126), the stop unit (120) is arranged in the release position on a side of the pressing device (102) facing away from the transverse pressing unit (110), and the transverse pressing unit (110) extends at least partially beyond the stop unit (120) in the direction of the cutting unit (126) in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the product piece (P).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a slicing machine for slicing a product piece into slices, comprising a pressing device defining a pressing chamber therein, which is designed and intended to receive the product piece, wherein the pressing device comprises a longitudinal pressing unit configured to press the product piece in a longitudinal direction of the product piece, and a transverse pressing unit configured to press the product piece in a transverse direction of the product piece that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, a cutting unit arranged adjacent to the pressing device and configured to slice the product piece, and a stop unit adjustable between a limiting position, in which it limits movement of the product piece in the longitudinal direction toward the cutting unit, and a release position.in which it does not limit the movement of the product piece in the longitudinal direction towards the cutting unit.

[0002] It should already be pointed out at this point that the slicing machine according to the invention is intended to cut a piece of product, in particular made of meat, fish or other foodstuff, into slices, wherein each slice can preferably have a predetermined thickness and / or a predetermined weight.

[0003] The product piece can, for example, be an elongated product piece with a cross-section that varies in the longitudinal direction, such as a piece or a strand of grown meat or the like. In order to be able to cut slices of essentially the same volume or essentially the same weight from the above-described product pieces with a cross-section that varies in the longitudinal direction, generic slicing machines are known in which such a product piece is first pressed by a pressing device into a product piece with a cross-section that is essentially constant in the longitudinal direction and is then cut open in the pressed state by means of a blade of the cutting unit of the slicing machine. Thus, by specifying a suitable slice thickness, slices of essentially the same volume or essentially the same weight can be cut.One application, for example, involves cutting thicker slices, such as steaks, from a piece of fillet or the like.

[0004] The pressing device can, for example, comprise a forming tube which defines a pressing space therein in which the product piece can be received. The pressing device can be configured to press the product piece at least in its longitudinal direction, which can be substantially parallel to a feed direction of the product piece to the cutting unit. For this purpose, the pressing device can comprise a longitudinal pressing unit, for example in the form of a longitudinal pressing die, which is movable by means of a longitudinal pressing drive unit. In order to be able to press the product piece in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the pressing device can further comprise a transverse pressing unit, which can, for example, be formed by a forming tube half of the forming tube which is movable by means of a transverse pressing drive unit.

[0005] All this also applies to the slicing machine according to the invention.

[0006] In order to be able to press the product piece before being cut by the cutting unit using the longitudinal pressing unit, it is known to provide a stop unit, for example in the form of a stop plate, at an end of the forming tube facing the cutting unit, which serves as a stop during the pressing of the product piece in the longitudinal direction. After pressing, the stop unit is moved by a drive unit essentially in the transverse direction of the product piece out of a movement path of the product piece in order to release a cutting channel through which the product piece can be guided to the cutting unit by means of the longitudinal pressing unit.To ensure that the product piece does not lose its pressed shape during slicing, the cutting unit can further comprise a hold-down unit, for example in the form of a cutting punch, which can be arranged downstream of the transverse pressing unit with respect to the feed direction of the product piece to the cutting unit and can be configured to act on the product piece in the transverse direction in order to prevent the product piece from expanding, at least in the transverse direction, during slicing. In its retracted release position, in which it releases the cutting channel, the stop unit is usually arranged between the transverse pressing unit and the hold-down unit.Consequently, separate drive units must be provided for the movement of the cross-pressing unit, the stop unit, and the hold-down unit, which can result in a multitude of separate parts and, in particular, a large number of separate drive units, for example, in the form of servo drives. This can lead to comparatively high manufacturing costs and a correspondingly high maintenance requirement for the slicing machine.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to remedy this situation, in particular by providing a slicing machine of the type mentioned at the outset which has a smaller number of separate components than known slicing machines.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a slicing machine of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the stop unit is arranged in the release position on a side of the pressing device facing away from the transverse pressing unit, and the transverse pressing unit extends at least partially beyond the stop unit in the direction of the cutting unit in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the product piece.

[0009] According to the invention, the transverse pressing unit can therefore serve both to press the product piece in the transverse direction while the stop unit is in the limiting position, and to act as a hold-down unit in the transverse direction when the product piece is cut open by means of the cutting unit while the stop unit is in the release position. Consequently, a separate hold-down unit in the form of a cutting punch or the like with a separate drive unit arranged directly in front of the cutting unit is preferably not required.

[0010] In other words, according to the invention, the cross-pressing unit and the hold-down unit can be functionally combined, preferably combined into a single component. This is possible because, compared to known slicing machines, the cross-pressing unit can be extended in the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, since the stop unit, in the release position, is located on the side of the pressing device facing away from the cross-pressing unit and not on the side of the pressing device facing the cross-pressing unit, i.e., not on the same side as the cross-pressing unit.

[0011] The transverse direction can, for example, correspond to a height direction of the product piece.

[0012] Furthermore, the stop unit can be arranged at an end of the pressing device facing the cutting unit. The cutting unit can comprise a knife that can be driven to rotate about a rotational axis. The knife can preferably also be configured to perform an oscillating movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to the rotational axis, in addition to rotating about the rotational axis. During the oscillating movement, the knife can move between a retracted position, in which the knife clears a cutting channel of the cutting unit, and an advanced position, in which the knife penetrates the cutting channel of the cutting unit in order to be able to cut a slice from the product piece.

[0013] Since the stop unit is not located on the side of the transverse pressing unit in the release position, according to one embodiment, the transverse pressing unit can extend at least partially in the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the product piece, in particular directly in front of a cutting plane of a blade of the cutting unit. Consequently, during the slicing process, the transverse pressing unit can act on the product piece in the transverse direction directly in front of the cutting plane to ensure that the product piece retains its pressed shape at least in the transverse direction.

[0014] To accommodate the product piece, the pressing device can further comprise a forming tube, which can preferably have an opening facing the cutting unit and a further opening facing the longitudinal pressing unit. The forming tube can thus define the pressing space and thus the achievable dimensions of the product piece, preferably in the transverse direction and / or a width direction that runs substantially orthogonal to the transverse direction.

[0015] In a further development of the latter embodiment, the forming tube can comprise at least two forming tube halves, namely a first forming tube half, which can be a component of the transverse pressing unit or form it and which can be displaced in and preferably counter to the transverse direction by means of a transverse pressing drive unit of the pressing device, and a second forming tube half, which is configured to lie opposite the first forming tube half and can be operatively connected to a frame of the slicing machine. Accordingly, the first and second forming tube halves can define the pressing chamber. A dimension of the pressing chamber in the transverse direction can be increased or decreased by displacing the first forming tube half in the transverse direction. In the release position, the stop unit can be arranged on a side of a cutting channel of the cutting unit facing away from the first forming tube half.

[0016] Furthermore, the first forming tube half can have a substantially C-shaped cross-section and / or the second forming tube half can have a substantially U-shaped cross-section. The second forming tube half can accordingly form a U-shaped groove into which the product piece can be inserted or pushed prior to pressing. Subsequently, the product piece can be pressed to a cross-section with the desired dimensions by appropriately displacing the second forming tube half in the transverse direction.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the first forming tube half may have a smaller dimension in the transverse direction than the second forming tube half, so that preferably only the first forming tube half with a smaller dimension in the transverse direction and in particular a lower weight needs to be moved by means of a transverse pressing drive unit of the transverse pressing device.

[0018] According to a further exemplary embodiment, it is proposed that the first forming tube half has a larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than the second forming tube half. The first forming tube half preferably extends beyond the stop unit in the direction of the cutting unit in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the product piece. While the first forming tube half acts on a remainder of the product piece that has not yet been cut open when the product piece is being cut open, the lower forming tube half can therefore preferably already be loaded with a new product piece. On the side opposite the first forming tube half, the remainder of the product piece can rest on a section of the cutting channel that is formed separately from the second forming tube half.The cutting channel can preferably be arranged upstream of the cutting unit with respect to a feed direction of the product piece to the cutting unit, in particular the knife. The cutting channel can be configured to guide the product piece while it is conveyed, in particular advanced, to the cutting unit by means of the longitudinal pressing unit.

[0019] In order to be able to move the pressing device back and forth between a loading position, in which the pressing device can be loaded with a product piece, and a slicing position, which is provided for a slicing operation of the slicing machine, the slicing machine can further comprise a pivoting unit, which is configured to pivot at least a part of the pressing device, in particular the second forming tube half, about a pivot axis. The pivot axis can preferably run substantially parallel to a width direction of the product piece. The pivoting unit can comprise a pivot mechanism with a pivot drive unit and an articulated linkage, which can be articulated at one end to the at least part of the pressing device, in particular the second forming tube half, and at the other end to a frame of the slicing machine.

[0020] In principle, it would be conceivable to move the stop unit between the limiting position and the release position, for example, by means of an operator of the slicing machine. However, since this can be laborious and time-consuming for the operator, not least due to the increased actuation forces, a further embodiment proposes that the stop unit be further assigned a stop drive unit, which is configured to move the stop unit between the limiting position and the release position.

[0021] In order to be able to design the stop drive unit to be functionally reliable and at the same time as compact as possible, it is proposed in a further development of the last-mentioned exemplary embodiment that the stop drive unit comprises at least two drive elements, preferably push rods, which are arranged on opposite sides of the pressing device and preferably outside a cutting channel of the cutting unit. The stop drive unit can, for example, comprise a servo drive. Since the drive elements are arranged on the opposite sides of the pressing device and preferably outside the cutting channel, a movement path of the product piece towards the cutting unit is not disrupted by the drive elements, even if a force generating unit, such as a motor, of the stop drive unit is arranged on the side of the pressing device facing the transverse pressing unit.In other words, the transverse pressing unit and the stop drive unit can be arranged on the same side of the pressing device, in particular of the forming tube, which ensures a compact arrangement of the slicing machine.

[0022] Furthermore, the longitudinal pressing unit can be designed in a manner known per se as a longitudinal pressing stamp, which can be moved in and preferably counter to the longitudinal direction by means of a longitudinal pressing drive unit of the pressing device.

[0023] According to a further exemplary embodiment, it is proposed that the cutting unit further comprise a cutting receiving unit, in particular a cutting plate, which is designed to receive at least one end of the product piece facing the cutting unit, wherein the cutting receiving unit at least partially defines the cutting channel through which the product piece can be guided to the cutting unit. Preferably, at least a part of the cutting channel can be defined by the transverse pressing unit, in particular the upper forming tube half of the forming tube, as already explained above. The cutting channel can ensure that the product piece retains its pressed shape even during cutting. Since the transverse pressing unit preferably extends directly in front of a cutting plane of a blade of the cutting unit, the transverse pressing unit can also serve to define at least a part of the cutting channel.

[0024] In order to be able to press the product piece preferably in all three spatial directions, i.e., in three dimensions, before slicing, the slicing machine can further comprise an additional pressing unit configured to press the product piece in an additional direction, wherein the additional direction can be substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal and transverse directions. The additional direction can preferably be a width direction of the product piece. The slicing machine can therefore also be suitable for so-called "3D pressing" of the product piece.

[0025] According to yet another embodiment, the slicing machine can be designed as a two-track slicing machine and comprise two substantially parallel tracks, wherein each track can preferably comprise a pressing device as described above and a stop unit as described above. Consequently, two of the product pieces can be pressed or sliced ​​essentially synchronously. Furthermore, compared to a single-track slicing machine, this can even eliminate twice as many components, for example, two of the aforementioned hold-down units and their corresponding drives. The cutting unit is preferably assigned to both tracks so that it can serve as a common cutting unit.

[0026] It should also be noted that the slicing machine may further comprise a discharge unit configured to discharge the slices cut by the cutting unit along a discharge direction. Consequently, the slices can be discharged for further processing and / or packaging and / or portions can be formed, each of which can preferably consist of several slices.

[0027] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment in the accompanying drawings. They show: Figure 1a a perspective view of a slicing machine according to the invention according to an embodiment, Figure 1b a side view of the slicing machine according to Figure 1a , Figure 2a a perspective view of parts of a pressing device and a cutting unit of the slicing machine according to Figure 1a , Figure 2 legs cut side view according to Figure 1a, Figure 2c shows a side view of components of the slicing machine according to Figure 1a , in which a lower forming tube half of the pressing device is in a pivoted-up cutting position, and Figure 2 shows a further side view corresponding to Figure 2c , in which the lower half of the forming tube is in a downwardly pivoted loading position.

[0028] In the Figure 1a and 1b An embodiment of a slicing machine according to the invention is generally identified by the reference numeral 100.

[0029] The slicing machine 100 comprises a pressing device 102, which defines a pressing chamber R therein, which is designed and intended to receive a product piece P, for example in the form of a food such as grown meat or fish or the like. The product piece P is in Figure 1a not shown, but for example in Figure 1b drawn schematically.

[0030] The pressing device 102 comprises a longitudinal pressing unit 104, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a longitudinal pressing ram. The longitudinal pressing ram 104 is configured to control a dimension of the pressing chamber R in a longitudinal direction L of the product piece P or a direction substantially parallel thereto in order to press the product piece P in its longitudinal direction L. For this purpose, the longitudinal pressing unit 104 can be connected via a piston rod 106 to a longitudinal pressing drive unit 108, which is configured to move the longitudinal pressing ram 104 in and against the longitudinal direction L in order to bring the product piece P to a desired length in the longitudinal direction L.

[0031] The pressing device 102 further comprises a transverse pressing unit 110, which is designed to control a dimension of the pressing chamber R in a transverse direction Q of the product piece P, which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction L, in order to press the product piece P in the transverse direction Q. In the illustrated embodiment, the transverse pressing unit 110 comprises a forming tube 112 with a first upper forming tube half 112a, which is displaceable in and against the transverse direction Q by means of a transverse drive unit 114, for example in the form of a servomotor or hydraulic or pneumatic transverse drive unit. The upper forming tube half 112a is also, for example, in the Figures 2a to 2d recognizable, in particular from Figure 1a It can be seen that the upper molded tube half 112a, seen in the longitudinal direction L, has a substantially C-shaped cross-section.

[0032] In the illustrated embodiment, the forming tube 112 further comprises a second lower forming tube half 112b, which is pivotable about a pivot axis S* (see, for example, Figure 2c ) is pivotable. In the Figure 1a , 1b , 2a, 2b and 2d the lower forming tube half 112b is shown in a folded-down loading position, in which the product piece P is loaded with a loading device 118 (see Figure 1a and 1b) can be conveyed in the feed direction Z onto the lower forming tube half 112b. For this purpose, the loading device 118 can comprise, for example, a belt conveyor 118a and / or a feed device 118b, for example in the form of a feed ram 118b or the like. In a slicing operation of the slicing machine 100, the forming tube 112 can have an opening 113a facing the cutting unit 126 and a further opening 113b facing the longitudinal pressing unit 104.

[0033] In Figure 2c the lower forming tube half 112b is shown in a cutting position, in which the lower forming tube half 112b faces the upper forming tube half 112a and, starting from the Figure 2d shown loading position has been folded up around the pivot axis S* by means of the pivot mechanism 116. As soon as the lower forming tube half 112b is in the Figure 2cshown slicing position, the upper forming tube half 112a can be displaced by means of the transverse pressing unit 114 in the transverse direction Q in the direction of the product piece P until the product piece P has a desired dimension in the transverse direction Q. Subsequently or substantially simultaneously, the product piece P can be cut by moving the longitudinal pressing punch 104 (see for example Figures 2a and 2b ) in the longitudinal direction L to a desired dimension in the longitudinal direction L.

[0034] During pressing in the longitudinal direction L by means of the longitudinal pressing ram 104, a stop unit 120, for example in the form of an intermediate plate, serves as a counter-holder according to the invention. For this purpose, the stop unit 120 can be displaceable by means of a stop drive unit 121, which will be described in more detail below, preferably in and against the transverse direction Q and can be arranged between a Figure 2ashown release position, in which it releases a cutting channel 124, and one in Figure 2c only schematically indicated by a dashed line, in which the stop unit 120 at least partially blocks the cutting channel 124. In order to be moved into the limiting position, in particular during a pressing process of the product piece P with the pressing device 102, the stop unit 120 can be moved by means of the stop drive unit 121 starting from Figure 2a be displaced by a predetermined amount against the transverse direction Q.

[0035] After the product piece P has been pressed to the desired dimensions in the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q, the stop unit 120 can be moved back into the position shown in Figure 2ashown position and then the product piece P is moved by a further movement of the longitudinal pressing ram 104 in the longitudinal direction L through the cutting channel 124 to a cutting unit 126 of the slicing machine 100. The cutting unit 126 is arranged adjacent to the pressing device 102, in particular downstream of the pressing device 102 with respect to the longitudinal direction L or the feed direction Z, and comprises a knife 128, which can be rotatable about a rotation axis R' in order to cut the product piece P into slices S (see, for example, Figure 1b ). The rotation axis R' of the knife 128 is, for example, in Figure 2bindicated schematically. The knife 128 can preferably be configured to perform an oscillating movement in or against the transverse direction Q in addition to a rotational movement about the rotation axis R'. During the oscillating movement, the knife 128 can be moved between a retracted position, in which the knife 128 essentially clears the cutting channel 124, and an advanced position, in which the knife 128, starting from Figure 2a in the transverse direction Q to penetrate the cutting channel 124 in order to be able to cut a slice S from the product piece P. As long as the knife 128 is in the retracted position, the product piece P can be advanced in the longitudinal direction L by a predetermined amount corresponding to a desired slice thickness of the respective slice S.

[0036] In order to be able to press the product piece P preferably in all three spatial directions, ie in three dimensions, before cutting, lateral boundary walls 112b1 and 112b2 of the lower forming tube half 112b can preferably also form a further pressing unit and can be arranged so as to be movable towards and away from one another in a width direction B in order to be able to bring a dimension of the product piece P in the width direction B to a desired size before cutting by the cutting unit 126.

[0037] After the slices S have been sliced ​​by means of the cutting unit 126, they can be conveyed out of the slicing machine 100 along a conveying direction A by means of a conveying unit 130, which can also be designed as a belt conveyor or the like, in order to be able to be further processed and / or packaged, for example.

[0038] To operate the slicing machine 100, the slicing machine 100 may further comprise an operating unit 132, which may be arranged on a frame 134 of the slicing machine 100 and may be configured to be operated by an operator of the slicing machine 100. The operating unit 132 may, for example, be configured as a touchscreen or the like.

[0039] As particularly in the Figures 2a and 2bAccording to the invention, the stop unit 120 is arranged in the release position on a side of the pressing device 102, in particular of the forming tube 112, facing away from the transverse pressing unit 110, in particular the upper forming tube half 112a. In other words, the stop unit 120 can be arranged in the release position on a side of the cutting channel 124 facing away from the upper forming tube half 112a. Furthermore, the transverse pressing unit 110, in the illustrated embodiment the upper forming tube half 112a, extends in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the product piece P beyond the stop unit 120 in the direction of the cutting unit 126, as for example in Figure 2b recognizable.

[0040] In the illustrated embodiment, the upper forming tube half 112a of the forming tube 112 extends in the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the product piece P up to immediately in front of the cutting unit 126, in particular up to a cutting plane S' of the blade 128 of the cutting unit 126.

[0041] Furthermore, the upper forming tube half 112a can have a smaller dimension in the transverse direction Q than the lower forming tube half 112b, so that only the upper forming tube half 112a, which has the smaller dimensions in the transverse direction Q and preferably also has a lower weight than the lower forming tube half 112b, has to be moved by means of the transverse press drive unit 114.

[0042] Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the upper molded tube half 112a has a larger dimension in the longitudinal direction L than the lower molded tube half 112b. This can be advantageous because the lower molded tube half 112b is already inserted into the Figure 2b folded-down loading position can be pivoted when a residual product piece of the product piece P is still cut open by means of the cutting unit 126 while it is located in the cutting channel 124 and is held down in the transverse direction Q by the upper forming tube half 112a of the transverse pressing unit 112 in order to retain its pressed shape in the transverse direction Q.

[0043] Furthermore, the stop unit 120 can be assigned the stop drive unit 121, which is configured to displace the stop unit 120 between the limiting position and the release position. In the illustrated embodiment, the stop drive unit 121 comprises two drive elements 122, which in the illustrated embodiment are designed as push rods 122a and 122b, which are arranged on opposite sides of the pressing device 102 and outside the cutting channel 124 of the cutting unit 126.

[0044] Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the cutting unit 126 comprises a cutting receiving unit 115, which can be designed, for example, as a cutting plate. According to the illustrated embodiment, the cutting receiving unit 115 is configured to receive at least one end of the product piece P facing the cutting unit 126, wherein the cutting receiving unit 115 at least partially defines the cutting channel 124 therein, through which the product piece P can be guided to the cutting unit 126. Preferably, at least a portion of the cutting channel 124 is defined by the transverse pressing unit 110, in the illustrated embodiment by the upper forming tube half 112a, which extends directly in front of the cutting unit 126, in particular the cutting plane S' of the blade 128.

Claims

1. Slicing machine (100) for slicing a product piece (P) into slices (S), comprising: a pressing device (102) defining therein a pressing space (R) which is designed and intended to receive the product piece (P), wherein the pressing device (102) comprises a longitudinal pressing unit (104) which is designed to press the product piece (P) in a longitudinal direction (L) of the product piece (P), and a transverse pressing unit (110) which is designed to press the product piece (P) in a transverse direction (Q) of the product piece (P) which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L), a cutting unit (126) which is arranged adjacent to the pressing device (102) and is designed to cut the product piece (P) into slices (S), and a stop unit (120) which can be moved between a limiting position in which it prevents movement of the product piece (P) in the longitudinal direction (L) limited to the cutting unit (126),and a release position in which it does not limit the movement of the product piece (P) in the longitudinal direction (L) towards the cutting unit (126), , characterized in that the stop unit (120) is arranged in the release position on a side of the pressing device (102) facing away from the transverse pressing unit (110), and the transverse pressing unit (110) extends at least partially beyond the stop unit (120) in the direction of the cutting unit (126) in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the product piece (P).

2. Slicing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse pressing unit (110) extends in the direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (L) of the product piece (P) at least partially up to immediately in front of the cutting unit (126), in particular up to immediately in front of a cutting plane (S') of a knife (128) of the cutting unit (126).

3. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressing device (102) comprises a forming tube (112) which preferably has an opening (113a) facing the cutting unit (126) and a further opening (113b) facing the longitudinal pressing unit (104).

4. Slicing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the forming tube (112) comprises at least two forming tube halves (112a, 112b), namely a first forming tube half (112a), which is a component of the transverse pressing unit (110) or forms the latter and which can be displaced in and preferably counter to the transverse direction (Q) by means of a transverse pressing drive unit (114) of the pressing device (102), and a second forming tube half (112b), which is designed to lie opposite the first forming tube half (112a) and is operatively connected to a frame (134) of the slicing machine (100).

5. Slicing machine according to claim 4, characterized in thatthe first shaped tube half (112a) has a substantially C-shaped cross-section and / or the second shaped tube half (112b) has a substantially U-shaped cross-section.

6. Slicing machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first molded tube half (112a) has a smaller dimension in the transverse direction (Q) than the second molded tube half (112b).

7. Slicing machine according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the first molded tube half (112a) has a larger dimension in the longitudinal direction (L) than the second molded tube half (112b).

8. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slicing machine (100) further comprises a pivoting unit (116) which is designed to pivot at least a part of the pressing device (102), in particular the second forming tube half (112b), about a pivot axis (S*).

9. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop unit (120) is further assigned a stop drive unit (121) which is configured to displace the stop unit (120) between the limiting position and the release position.

10. Slicing machine according to claim 9, characterized in that the stop drive unit (121) comprises at least two drive elements (122a, 122b), preferably push rods, which are arranged on opposite sides of the pressing device (102) and preferably outside a cutting channel (124) of the cutting unit (126).

11. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal pressing unit (104) is designed as a longitudinal pressing ram which is movable in and preferably counter to the longitudinal direction (L) by means of a longitudinal pressing drive unit (108) of the pressing device (102).

12. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe cutting unit (126) further comprises a cutting receiving unit (115), in particular a cutting plate, which is designed to receive at least one end of the product piece (P) facing the cutting unit (126), wherein the cutting receiving unit (115) at least partially defines a cutting channel (124) therein, through which the product piece (P) can be guided to the cutting unit (126), wherein preferably at least a part of the cutting channel (124) is defined by the transverse pressing unit (110), in particular the upper forming tube half (112a) of the forming tube (112).

13. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slicing machine (100) further comprises a further pressing unit (112b1, 112b2) which is configured to press the product piece (P) in a further direction (B), wherein the further direction (B) is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (L) and the transverse direction (Q).

14. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slicing machine (100) is designed as a two-track slicing machine and comprises two substantially parallel tracks, wherein preferably each track comprises a pressing device (102) and a stop unit (120) according to one of the preceding claims.

15. Slicing machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slicing machine (100) further comprises a discharge unit (130) which is designed to discharge the slices (S) cut by the cutting unit (126) along a discharge direction (A).

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