Apparatus and method for detecting and processing materials according to color or shade variations thereon

Claim 2

A rotary cutter comprising a rotatably driven member, a plurality of blade members each having a cutting edge and being supported for rotation with said driven member and for radial movement relative thereto between a normally retracted noncutting position and an extended cutting position, a stationary cam track supported adjacent said driven member, said cam track having a first and a second cam surface, an axially extending pin affixed to each of said blade members and actuating means supported adjacent said cam track and adapted to be selectively energized for guiding said pins in cooperative engagement with one of said cam surfaces.

Claim 3

A rotary cutter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cam track is arcuately shaped and one of said cam surfaces is of a gradually increasing radius in the direction of rotation of the driven member such that upon rotation of said driven member those blade members having a corresponding pin positioned in cooperative engagement with said one of said cam surfaces are gradually displaced to the extended cutting position.

Claim 4

A rotary cutter as set forth in claim 2 further including an arcuate cam section having one end overlying one end of said cam track and disposed to receive the pins from said first and second cam surfaces, said cam section having a cam surface of gradually decreasing radius in the direction of rotation to cause all of the pins to be forced radially inward and retracted upon continued rotation of the driven member, the other end of said cam section being in spaced relationship with the other end of said cam track and forming a passage therebetween to allow selective positioning of said pins on said one of said cam surfaces in response to energization of said actuating means.

Claim 5

A rotary cutter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a rotary actuator having a cam surface for positioning said pins, said cam surface being disposed when said actuator is energized for guiding said pins in cooperative engagement with said first cam surface and when said actuator is de-energized for guiding said pins in cooperative engagement with said second cam surface.

Claim 6

A rotary cutter comprising a rotatably driven drum having a plurality of spaced axial slots along the peRiphery thereof, a plurality of blade members each having a cutting edge and being supported within said drum for rotation therewith and for radial movement relative thereto between a normally retracted non-cutting position and an extended cutting position, a plurality of radial slots on said drum, an axially extending pin affixed to each of said blade members and cooperating with one of said slots, a stationary cam track comprising two cam sections disposed adjacent said drum for cooperative engagement with said pins, one of said cam sections having a gradually increasing radius in the direction of rotation of said drum, the other of said cam sections having a gradually decreasing radius in the direction of rotation of said drum, and means supported adjacent one end of each cam section and adapted to be energized for selectively guiding said pins in cooperative engagement with said cam surface of increasing radius to cause said pins to be gradually extended to the cutting position as said drum is rotatably driven, said second cam section having its other end overlying the other end of said first cam section so as to receive the pins therefrom upon continued rotation of said drum and cause said blades to be retracted to the non-cutting position.

Claim 7

A rotary cutter comprising a rotatably driven drum having a plurality of spaced axial slots along the peRiphery thereof, a plurality of blade members each having a cutting edge and being supported within said drum for rotation therewith and for radial movement relative thereto between a normally retracted non-cutting position and an extended cutting position, a plurality of radial slots on said drum, an axially extending pin affixed to each of said blade members and cooperating with one of said slots, a stationary cam track comprising two cam sections disposed adjacent said drum for cooperative engagement with said pins, one of said cam sections having a gradually increasing radius in the direction of rotation of said drum, the other of said cam sections having a gradually decreasing radius in the direction of rotation of said drum, and means supported adjacent one end of each cam section and adapted to be energized for selectively guiding said pins in cooperative engagement with said cam surface of increasing radius to cause said pins to be gradually extended to the cutting position as said drum is rotatably driven, said second cam section having its other end overlying the other end of said first cam section so as to receive the pins therefrom upon continued rotation of said drum and cause said blades to be retracted to the non-cutting position.