Leaf tobacco cutting machine

Claim 1

A TOBACCO CUTTING MACHINE COMPRISNG A ROTATING CUTTER HAVING A NUMBER OF KNIVES MOUNTED UPON IT, A MOUTHPIECE, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING TOBACCO BETWEEN UPPER AND LOWER CONVEYORS TO THE MOUTHPIECE THROUG WHICH IT PASSES IN ORDER TO BE CUT BY THE ROTATING CUTTER, THE KNIVES OF THE ROTATING CUTTER HAVING CUTTING EDGES WHICH MOVE IN A CYLINDRICAL PART WHICH NEARLY TOUCHES THE FRONT FACE OF THE MOUTHPIECE, THE MOUTHPIECE COMPRISING A BOTTOM MEMBER INCLUDING A DEAD PLATE EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF THE LOWER CONVEYOR SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY TOWARDS THE ROTATING CUTTER, A FIXED SUPPORT MEMBER SITUATED UNDERNEATH AND SUPPORTING THE DEAD PLATE, AND LYING BETWEEN THE FRONT OF THE LOWER CONVEYOR AND THE ROTATING CUTTER, AND A KNOCK-OFF MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE SUPPORT MEMBER AND FORMING THE FRONT OF THE BOTTOM MEMBER, THE REAR FACE OF THE KNOCK-OFF MEMBER HAVING AN UPWARD POINTING STEP WITH AN UPWARDLY INCLINED UPPER FACE FORMED IN IT, WHICH STEP MATES WITH A CORRESPONDING DOWNWARDLY INCLINED STEP HAVING A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED LOWER SURFACE FORMED IN THE FRONT FACE OF THE DEAD PLATE, AND THE TOP SURFACE OF THE KNOCK-OFF MEMBER EXTENDING IN THE SAME PLANE AS THE TOP SURFACE OF THE DEAD PLATE, THE ATTACHMENT OF THE KNOCK-OFF MEMBER TO THE SUPPORT MEMBER BEING CAPABLE OF BEING BROKEN BY A DOWNWARD BLOW FROM THE ROTATING CUTTER IF THE CYLINDRICAL PATH OF THE CUTTING EDGES OF THE KNIES ON THE ROTATING CUTTER TOUCHES THE FRONT EDGE OF THE TOP SURFACE OF THE KNOCK-OFF MEMBER.