Machine for slitting a fabric into narrow widths

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SLITTING A WEB OF FINISHED FABRIC HAVING ADJACENT SELVAGES INTERMEDIATE THE LATERAL EDGES OF SAID WEB COMPRISING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A WEB OF FINISHED FABRIC TO BE SLIT, TAKE-UP MEANS TO WHICH SAID WEB PASSES FROM SAID SUPPORT, A SLITTING KNIFE AFFIXED TO A SURFACE OF A MOUNTING PLATE, SAID KNIFE HAVING A GREATER LENGTH THAN WIDTH AND A FORWARD CUTTING EDGE COLLECTIVELY ADAPTED TO GUIDE THE KNIFE BETWEEN SAID SELVAGES, A MOUNTING PLATE POSITIONED UNDER SAID WEB AND SUPPORTING SAID KNIFE AND HAVING A LENGTH AND WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE LENGTH AND WIDTH OF THE KNIFE WHEREBY INCREASED STABILITY IS IMPARTED TO SAID KNIFE AND ITS CUTTING EDGE WHICH IS OPPOSED TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID WEB, A SLITTING CARRIAGE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID WEB-SUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID TAKE-UP MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID MOUNTING PLATE, A LOW FRICTION MEANS SUPPORTING SAID MOUNTING PLATE TO PERMIT FREE LATERAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID WEB AND SAID CARRIAGE, AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID WEB WHEREBY SAID KNIFE IS MAINTAINED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID WEB WHILE CUTTING THE WEB BETWEEN SAID SELVAGES.