Device for cutting sheet material

Claim 2

A cutting device for cutting sheet material, said device comprising means providing a supporting surface for supporting sheet material to be cut in a spread condition, a cutter head located outwardly beyond said supporting surface, said cutter head having a cutting axis arranged generally perpendicular to said supporting surface and having a cutting tool which extends generally along said cutting axis toward said supporting surface so as to be cuttingly engageable with the sheet material spread thereover, means supporting said cutter head for movement both longitudinally and transversely relative to said supporting surface in a plane generally parallel thereto, a bottom member extending transversely of said supporting surface and adapted to reside between said supporting surface and the sheet material spread thereon, and means for moving said bottom member longitudinally of said supporting surface in unison with the movement of said cutter head longitudinally of said supporting surface, said bottom member having a slot therein extending transversely of said supporting surface and aligned with the path of said cutting tool as said cutter head is moved transversely of said supporting surface for receiving the distal end portion of said cutting tool.

Claim 3

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said slot in said bottom member being filled with a means providing a surface facing said cutter head for supporting the material located over said slot and which surface is penetrable by said cutting tool.

Claim 4

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a body of foamed plastic.

Claim 5

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a body of self-healing material.

Claim 6

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a plurality of bristles having fixed ends located at the base of said slot and having free ends located at the mouth of said slot.

Claim 7

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 1 further characterized by means including an automatic controller for moving said cutter head relative to said supporting surface so as to cause said cutting tool to follow a desired line of cut relative to the sheet material spread over said supporting surface.

Claim 8

A cutting device as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said bottom member having a top surface engageable with said sheet material, and means for ejecting air from said top surface of said bottom member to reduce the friction between said top surface and said material.

Claim 9

A cutting device as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said means supporting said cutter head for movement both longitudinally and transversely relative to said supporting surface including a carriage movable longitudinally of said supporting surface, said bottom member being fixed to said carriage so as to be moved longitudinally of said supporting surface in unison with the longitudinal movement of said cutter head.

Claim 10

A cutting device as defined in claim 1 further characterized by means for moving said cutting tool along said cutting axis toward and away from said supporting surface to enable it to be withdrawn from the material being cut and plunged into said material at any point thereon to initiate a line of cut.

Claim 11

A cutting device for cutting sheet material, said device comprising means providing a supporting surface for suppOrting sheet material to be cut in a spread condition, a cutter head located outwardly beyond said supporting surface, said cutter head having a cutting axis arranged generally perpendicular to said supporting surface and having a cutting tool which extends generally along said cutting axis toward said supporting surface so as to be cuttingly engageable with the sheet material spread thereover, means supporting said cutter head for movement transversely relative to said supporting surface in a plane generally parallel thereto, and means defining a slot located below the material spread on said supporting surface and extending transversely of said supporting surface and aligned with the path of said cutting tool as said cutter head is moved transversely of said supporting surface for receiving the distal end portion of said cutting tool, said slot having a width longitudinally of said supporting surface slightly larger than and of the same order of magnitude as the maximum dimension of said cutting tool in the plane of said supporting surface, and said slot being filled along substantially its entire length and width with a means providing a surface facing said cutter head for supporting that portion of said sheet material which is located over said slot and which latter surface is penetrable by said cutting tool and is stationary longitudinally of said supporting surface relative to said cutter head.

Claim 12

A cutting device for cutting sheet material, said device comprising means providing a supporting surface for suppOrting sheet material to be cut in a spread condition, a cutter head located outwardly beyond said supporting surface, said cutter head having a cutting axis arranged generally perpendicular to said supporting surface and having a cutting tool which extends generally along said cutting axis toward said supporting surface so as to be cuttingly engageable with the sheet material spread thereover, means supporting said cutter head for movement transversely relative to said supporting surface in a plane generally parallel thereto, and means defining a slot located below the material spread on said supporting surface and extending transversely of said supporting surface and aligned with the path of said cutting tool as said cutter head is moved transversely of said supporting surface for receiving the distal end portion of said cutting tool, said slot having a width longitudinally of said supporting surface slightly larger than and of the same order of magnitude as the maximum dimension of said cutting tool in the plane of said supporting surface, and said slot being filled along substantially its entire length and width with a means providing a surface facing said cutter head for supporting that portion of said sheet material which is located over said slot and which latter surface is penetrable by said cutting tool and is stationary longitudinally of said supporting surface relative to said cutter head.

Claim 13

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 10 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a body of foamed plastic.

Claim 14

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 10 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a body of selfhealing material.

Claim 15

A cutting device for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 10 further characterized by said means filling said slot being a plurality of bristles having fixed ends located at the base of said slot and having free ends located at the mouth of said slot.