15,899. Robinson, O. July 2. Cutting and slicing meat.- In machines for cutting and slicing bacon &c. of the type in which the meat is carried on a reciprocating table in the path of a rotary disk knife, and in which means are provided to prevent the cut surface of the meat from rubbing against the face of the knife during each stroke of the table, the latter object is attained by automatically moving the guides of the reciprocating table away from the plane of the knife. Fig. 3 shows a machine similar in construction to that described in Specification 13,158/09, which is fitted with one construction of mechanism according to the present invention. The reciprocating table n is guided by rollers t' engaging a slotted member t, which is moved laterally by the links v<2> connected to a pivoted link oscillated by an eccentric on the shaft i<1>. The table commences to move away from the knife b at the commencement of the cut, and the front edge k of the carriage is shaped to remain in contact with the edge of the knife during the cutting operation. For adjusting the table relatively to the knife, the links v<2> may be mounted upon an eccentric pin w. In a modified construction, the member t may be pivoted, preferably at the end remote from the knife, and be oscillated by suitable mechanism.