IN THE CLAIMS:
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of efaiat claim 17, wherein each the
`
`food article feed path cerprises-atane comprise lanes withinalift tray.
`
`3-4.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`5.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of elai~a+ claim 17, wherein the food
`
`article feed path feeds the food article between a front lower conveyor and an upper presserplate
`
`upstream of the slicing station.
`
`6.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of claim 5, wherein the lower conveyor
`
`pivots between a first position which decreases the-distance a distance between the upper presser plate
`
`and the lower conveyor, and a second position which increases the distance between the upper presser
`
`plate and the lower conveyor.
`
`7.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of etait claim 17, wherein each
`
`independently driven endless conveyor belt is wrapped around a drive roller; said-deiverroter the drive
`
`roller having a toothed outer diameter for engaging with the endless conveyor belt and a toothed
`
`recessed diameter for engaging with a drive belt.
`
`8.
`
`(Original)
`
`The foodarticle slicing machine of claim 7, wherein the drive belt is connected
`
`to a drive shaft connected to a servomotor.
`
`9.
`
`(Original)
`
`The foodarticle slicing machine of claim 8, wherein each endless conveyor belt
`
`is driven independently by a servomotor; each servomotor arranged on the same side of the endless
`
`conveyor belts.
`
`
`
`10.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of eat claim 17, wherein each
`
`independently driven endless conveyor belt can be timed to move foodarticles towards the slicing
`
`station at the same rate.
`
`11.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`12.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of etait claim 17, wherein movement
`
`of each conveyor belt is in a plane parallel to the food article feed path.
`
`13.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`14.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of etait claim 17, wherein a plane
`
`defined by a surface of each conveyer belt is parallel to the food article feed path.
`
`15.
`
`(Canceled)
`
`16.
`
`(Currently Amended)
`
`The food article slicing machine of etait claim 17, wherein the lift tray
`
`assembly pivots between the staging position and the elevated position.
`
`17.
`
`a)
`
`b)
`
`c)
`
`d)
`
`e)
`
`f)
`
`g)
`
`(New)
`
`A food article slicing machine comprising:
`
`a slicing station comprising a knife blade and a knife blade drive driving the blade along a cutting
`
`path in a cutting plane;
`
`a foodarticle loading apparatus;
`
`a food article feed apparatus disposed over said food article loading apparatus,
`
`said food article feed apparatus having a conveyor assembly with independently driven endless
`
`conveyor belts,
`
`wherein each of the conveyor belts is connected to a food article gripper for moving a food
`
`article along a food article feed path,
`
`the conveyor assembly is an upper conveyor assembly,
`
`a food article stop gate disposed upstream ofthe slicing station forms a portion of the food
`
`article feed path,
`
`
`
`h)
`
`wherein the food article loading apparatus includesa lift tray assembly moveable between a
`
`staging position and an elevated position, said elevated position being a position wherein the
`
`food articles disposed within the lift tray assembly are in the food article feed path,
`
`the food articles are supported in position along the food article feed path by at least the food
`
`article stop gate when the lift tray assembly is moved from its elevated position,
`
`j)
`
`wherein the food article stop gate also serves as a door for the removal of food article end
`
`portions.
`
`
