Process and apparatus for cutting elongated material

Claim 2

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting a cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, and c. sensing said cutting pressure.

Claim 3

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of the tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing and cutting pressure, and d. recording said cutting pressure, thereby providing a record of the cutting pressure required.

Claim 4

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of the tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing and cutting pressure, and d. recording said cutting pressure, thereby providing a record of the cutting pressure required.

Claim 5

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windngs radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of the tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, and c. sensing said cutting by means which indicates when the cutting pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 6

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windngs radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of the tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, and c. sensing said cutting by means which indicates when the cutting pressure exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 7

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting a cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing an increase in said cutting pressure occasioned by a misfunction or malfunction of the cutting operation, and d. utilizing the sensing obtained in (c) above to stop the cutting operation.

Claim 8

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting a cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing an increase in said cutting pressure occasioned by a misfunction or malfunction of the cutting operation, and d. utilizing the sensing obtained in (c) above to stop the cutting operation.

Claim 9

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting a cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing an increase in said cutting pressure occasioned by a misfunction or malfunction of the cutting operation, and d. utilizing the sensing obtained in (c) above to actuate a signaling device.

Claim 10

The process of cutting a continuous length of tow or the like into short lengths comprising, a. continuously winding the tow onto a rotating drum with the windings radially overlapping, b. cutting the layers of tow adjacent the drum into short lengths by exerting a cutting pressure on the outer windings of the tow on the drum, c. sensing an increase in said cutting pressure occasioned by a misfunction or malfunction of the cutting operation, and d. utilizing the sensing obtained in (c) above to actuate a signaling device.

Claim 11

The process of operating apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths, which apparatus embodies a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters, a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting pressure engagement with the cutters, and means to hold the pressure roller into said cutting pressure engagement with the material, the steps of: a. maintaining cutting pressure between the pressure roller and the material, and b. utilizing an increase in said pressure above a predetermined amount thereof to stop the cutting operation of said apparatus.

Claim 12

The process of operating apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths, which apparatus embodies a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters, a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting pressure engagement with the cutters, and means to hold the pressure roller into said cutting pressure engagement with the material, the steps of: a. maintaining cutting pressure between the pressure roller and the material, and b. utilizing an increase in said pressure above a predetermined amount thereof to stop the cutting operation of said apparatus.

Claim 13

The process of claim 6 which comprises the specific step of utilizing the increase in pressure on said roller, when operating, which develops when the cutters exceed a predetermined dullness value to stop the cutting operation of said apparatus.

Claim 14

In apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths embodying a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters and a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting engagement with the cutters, the improvement comprising: a. means mounting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operative relation relative to the cutting assembly, b. operating means for moving the pressure roller into and out of operating position, c. resilient means operatively interposed between said operating means and said pressure roller and effective when the roller is in operating position to urge it into cutting contact with the material, d. means included in said operating means for the roller to hold it in operating position under the influence of said resilient means, and e. means associated with the operating means of said roller effective upon the existence of more than a predetermined amount of pressure between the roller and the material being cut to deenergize the apparatus.

Claim 15

In apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths embodying a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters and a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting engagement with the cutters, the improvement comprising: a. means mounting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operative relation relative to the cutting assembly, b. operating means for moving the pressure roller into and out of operating position, c. resilient means operatively interposed between said operating means and said pressure roller and effective when the roller is in operating position to urge it into cutting contact with the material, d. means included in said operating means for the roller to hold it in operating position under the influence of said resilient means, and e. means associated with the operating means of said roller effective upon the existence of more than a predetermined amount of pressure between the roller and the material being cut to deenergize the apparatus.

Claim 16

In apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths embodying a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters and a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting engagement with the cutters, a. means mounting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operative relation relative to the cutting assembly, b. operating means for moving the pressure roller into and out of operating position, c. resilient means operatively interposed between said operating means and said pressure roller and effective when the roller is in operating position to hold it in contact with the material being cut, and d. means included in said operating means for the roller to hold it in operating position under the influence of said resilient means and also effective to apply the force of said resilient means a preset amount when the roller is in operating position, and further including a toggle linkage embodying one fixed and two floating pivots, said resilient means being interposed between said floating pivots, the relative arrangement of said pivots being such that one of the movable ones thereof moves past a line passing through the other movable pivot and the fixed pivot, thus to break the toggle joint over center and lock the pressure roller in operative position.

Claim 17

In apparatus for cutting material into predetermined lengths embodying a cutting assembly including reel mounted cutters and a pressure roller for forcing the material into cutting engagement with the cutters, a. means mounting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operative relation relative to the cutting assembly, b. operating means for moving the pressure roller into and out of operating position, c. resilient means operatively interposed between said operating means and said pressure roller and effective when the roller is in operating position to hold it in contact with the material being cut, and d. means included in said operating means for the roller to hold it in operating position under the influence of said resilient means and also effective to apply the force of said resilient means a preset amount when the roller is in operating position, and further including a toggle linkage embodying one fixed and two floating pivots, said resilient means being interposed between said floating pivots, the relative arrangement of said pivots being such that one of the movable ones thereof moves past a line passing through the other movable pivot and the fixed pivot, thus to break the toggle joint over center and lock the pressure roller in operative position.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which, when the toggle joint is in broken over center position, the movably mounted pressure roller is limited by stop means against more than predetermined movement toward the cutters and is held in such position by said resilient means for movement away from the cutters.

Claim 19

Apparatus for cutting continuous filamentary material into short lengths of the kind embodying a drum on which the material to be cut is wound, a plurality of cutters on the drum and a pressure roller for holding the material in cutting engagement with the cutters, the improvement comprising: a. a linkage system supporting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operating position relative to the material on the drum, b. a handle operatively connected to the linkage system and so related thereto that a single, continuous movement of the handle moves the pressure roller from operating position to withdrawn, non-operating position, and vice versa, and c. means to hold the pressure roller in operating position with its periphery a predetermined distance from the periphery of the drum comprising a toggle joint in said linkage system, together with means to break said toggle joint over center when the handle moves to preSsure roller operating position.

Claim 20

Apparatus for cutting continuous filamentary material into short lengths of the kind embodying a drum on which the material to be cut is wound, a plurality of cutters on the drum and a pressure roller for holding the material in cutting engagement with the cutters, the improvement comprising: a. a linkage system supporting the pressure roller for movement into and out of operating position relative to the material on the drum, b. a handle operatively connected to the linkage system and so related thereto that a single, continuous movement of the handle moves the pressure roller from operating position to withdrawn, non-operating position, and vice versa, and c. means to hold the pressure roller in operating position with its periphery a predetermined distance from the periphery of the drum comprising a toggle joint in said linkage system, together with means to break said toggle joint over center when the handle moves to preSsure roller operating position.