US3777610A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for supporting and clamping knives on a rotary cutter head
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1972-10-10
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1992-10-10
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of knives are supported on and clamped to a rotary cutter head by a plurality of similarly formed wedges aligned in contiguous face-to-face relationship to define two endless, spaced apart arrays for clamping opposite end portions of the knives. Each wedge defines within one of its faces a recess for receiving an end portion of a knife, and further defines on its opposite face a keyed surface that interengages within the recess of an adjacent wedge to abut against the received end portion of an adjacent knife. A band member encircles each array for clamping together the wedges of each array. The clamped knives are thereby made more rigid and more resistant to buckling and twisting due to compressive stresses exerted against the cutting edges by yarn or tow being wrapped around the cutter head in contact with the knives prior to cutting; and in one embodiment are the sole support between the upper and lower array of wedges on the cutter head, and in another embodiment may be tensioned to resist buckling due to still greater compressive stresses or significantly large yarns or tows.
Inventors
- 👤 A Spaller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 15:16
CPC Classifications
D; D01; D01G; D01G1/00; D01G1/02; D01G1/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S83/00; Y10S83/913; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/465; Y10T83/4766; Y10T83/4795; Y10T83/483; Y10T83/4838; Y10T83/929; Y10T83/9372; Y10T83/9408; Y10T83/9457; Y10T83/9464; Y10T83/9469
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for supporting and clamping a plurality of knives on a rotary cutter head for cutting elongated material into shorter lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of wedges aligned in contiguous face-to-face relationship to define two endless path arrays; means for supporting each endless path array on the rotary cutter head in spaced apart superposed relationship to define an upper array and a lower array; a plurality of knives disposed between the upper and lower arrays having their cutting edges facing radially outwardly from the rotary cutter head and having their opposite end portions disposed between and supported by adjacent pairs of wedges, the wedges being adapted to be moved in clamping relation with the end portions of the knives; and means for moving the wedges into clamping relation with the end portions of the knives.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for supporting and clamping a plurality of knives on a rotary cutter head for cutting elongated material into shorter lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of wedges aligned in contiguous face-to-face relationship to define two endless path arrays; means for supporting each endless path array on the rotary cutter head in spaced apart superposed relationship to define an upper array and a lower array; a plurality of knives disposed between the upper and lower arrays having their cutting edges facing radially outwardly from the rotary cutter head and having their opposite end portions disposed between and supported by adjacent pairs of wedges, the wedges being adapted to be moved in clamping relation with the end portions of the knives; and means for moving the wedges into clamping relation with the end portions of the knives.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising means for moving one of the arrays axially away from the other array for placing the clamped knives under a tensile load.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for supporting and clamping a plurality of knives on a rotary cutter head for cutting elongated material into shorter lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of similarly formed wedges aligned in contiguous face-to-face relationship to define two endless path arrays; means for supporting each endless path array on the rotary cutter head in spaced apart superposed relationship to define an upper array and a lower array; each wedge defining in one of its faces a recess adapted to receive an end portion of a knife and defining on its opposite face a keyed surface adapted to interengage within the recess of an adjacent wedge and to abut against the received end portion of an adjacent knife; and means for drawing the keyed surfaces of the wedges of each array into the adjacent recesses and holding the keyed surfaces in clamping abutment with the received end portions of the knives thereby supporting and clamping the knives at their opposite end portions in extended position between the upper and lower arrays on the rotary cutter head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for supporting and clamping a plurality of knives on a rotary cutter head for cutting elongated material into shorter lengths, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of similarly formed wedges aligned in contiguous face-to-face relationship to define two endless path arrays; means for supporting each endless path array on the rotary cutter head in spaced apart superposed relationship to define an upper array and a lower array; each wedge defining in one of its faces a recess adapted to receive an end portion of a knife and defining on its opposite face a keyed surface adapted to interengage within the recess of an adjacent wedge and to abut against the received end portion of an adjacent knife; and means for drawing the keyed surfaces of the wedges of each array into the adjacent recesses and holding the keyed surfaces in clamping abutment with the received end portions of the knives thereby supporting and clamping the knives at their opposite end portions in extended position between the upper and lower arrays on the rotary cutter head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein each wedge defines in its radially inwardly facing end surface when aligned on the cutter head a notched recess, and said means for supporting includes means for interengaging within the notched recess of each wedge for supporting and holding the wedges on the rotary cutter head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein each wedge defines in its radially outwardly facing end surface when aligned on the cutter head a notched recess, and said means for drawing and holding the keyed surfaces includes means for being received within said notched recess and adapted to loosely hold the wedges in their aligned face-to-face relationship.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 4, and wherein said notched recess faces radially inwardly of the rotary cutter head and said means for interengaging within the notched recess includes a resilient member adapted to urge each wedge radially outwardly.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 5, and wherein said notched recess faces radially outwardly of the rotary cutter head, and said means for drawing and holding the keyed surfaces further includes band members each encircling a wedge array and adapted to abut against the means received within said notched recess and transmit a clamping force through the last said means to the wedges in an array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said means for supporting each endless path array includes a plurality of knives, the knives also being adapted to connect the lower array to the upper array and thereby space the lower array from the upper array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said means for supporting each endless path array includes means for axially moving one of the endless path arrays away from the other endless path array and thereby adjustably tensioning the knives.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein said means for supporting each endless path array on the rotary cutting head includes an upper support member and a lower support member, each support member defining at its outer periphery an annular shoulder, and the wedges being adapted to interfit in readily slidable relationship with the annular shoulders.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, and wherein said upper support member includes an axially movable member on which an annular shoulder is located at its outer periphery, and means for moving said axially movable member for adjustably tensioning the knives.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein the upper and lower arrays of wedges define opposed diverging surfaces thereby allowing for expansion of cut shorter lengths of material in a vertical plane as the cut material moves inwardly of the knives.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |