Machine for cutting non-rigid materials

Claim 2

In an apparatus for cutting non-rigid materials having a cutting surface over which a non-rigid material is advanced, the improvement comprising a radius cutter assembly comprising a spindle rotatably mounted above the cutting surface, an arm extending radially outwardly from the spindle and fixed thereto for rotation therewith, said arm including an intermediate portion and a hinged portion, with the intermediate portion being mounted on the hinged portion, a rotary knife mounted on the hinged portion, means for pivoting the hinged portion to raise the rotary knife from a cutting relation with the cutting surface, means for adjusting the height of the intermediate portion from the cutting surface to render the height of the cutting knife above the cuttinG surface adjustable, means for driving the rotary knife and means for rotating the spindle to advance the rotary knife in an arcuate path over the cutting surface.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the cutting surface includes a groove therein corresponding to the arcuate path adapted to receive the knife to insure that the knife cuts through the non-rigid material.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for driving the knife is mounted on said arm.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means for raising the rotary knife from a cutting relation with the cutting surface.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means for holding the non-rigid material on the cutting surface as the knife is advanced in an arcuate path.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for pivoting the hinged portion includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means to rotate the spindle includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder and yoke means operatively connecting the piston with the spindle whereby activation of the piston in one direction advances the rotary knife in an arcuate path in one direction and actuation of the piston in the other direction advances the rotary knife in an arcuate path in the opposite direction.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the cutting surface includes a plurality of openings therein adapted to pass a fluid under pressure therethrough to minimize friction of the material advanced over the cutter surface and to assist in the removal of scrap from the cutting surface.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means to stack the material as the material is advanced over the cutting surface.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for cutting non-rigid materials including a cutting surface, means for advancing a non-rigid material over the cutting surface, knife means adapted to be displaced transversely over the cutting surface to cut the material into the desired lengths and trimming knife means adapted to slit the material longitudinally as the material is advanced over the cutting surface, the improvement comprising at least one radius cutting assembly comprising a spindle rotatably mounted above the cutting surface, an arm extending radially outwardly from the spindle and fixed thereto for rotation therewith, said arm including an intermediate portion and a hinged portion, with the intermediate portion being mounted on the hinged portion, a rotary knife mounted on the hinged portion, means for pivoting the hinged portion to raise the rotary knife from a cutting relation with the cutting surface, means for adjusting the height of the intermediate portion from the cutting surface to render the height of the cutting knife above the cutting surface adjustable, means for driving the rotary knife and means for rotating the spindle to advance the rotary knife in an arcuate path over the cutting surface.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for cutting non-rigid materials including a cutting surface, means for advancing a non-rigid material over the cutting surface, knife means adapted to be displaced transversely over the cutting surface to cut the material into the desired lengths and trimming knife means adapted to slit the material longitudinally as the material is advanced over the cutting surface, the improvement comprising at least one radius cutting assembly comprising a spindle rotatably mounted above the cutting surface, an arm extending radially outwardly from the spindle and fixed thereto for rotation therewith, said arm including an intermediate portion and a hinged portion, with the intermediate portion being mounted on the hinged portion, a rotary knife mounted on the hinged portion, means for pivoting the hinged portion to raise the rotary knife from a cutting relation with the cutting surface, means for adjusting the height of the intermediate portion from the cutting surface to render the height of the cutting knife above the cutting surface adjustable, means for driving the rotary knife and means for rotating the spindle to advance the rotary knife in an arcuate path over the cutting surface.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the cutting surface includes groove means adapted to receive the knife means and the rotary knife to insure that the knife means and the rotary knife cut through the thickness of the non-rigid material.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 which includes means for raising the rotary knife from a cutting relation with the cutting surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 which includes means for holding the non-rigid material on the cutting surface as the knife is advanced in an arcuate path.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the means for pivoting the hinged portion includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the means to rotate the spindle includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder and yoke means operatively connecting the piston with the spindle whereby activation of the piston in one direction advances the rotary knife in an arcuate path in one direction and actuation of the piston in the other direction advancEs the rotary knife in an arcuate path in the opposite direction.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the cutting surface includes a plurality of openings therein adapted to pass a fluid under pressure therethrough to minimize friction of the material advanced over the cutter surface and to assist in the removal of scrap from the cutting surface.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the trimming knife means includes at least one rotary trimming knife, said rotary trimming knife being mounted above the cutting surface and operatively connected to a fluid operated piston and cylinder whereby the rotary trimming knife is adapted to be lowered into cutting engagement with the material on the cutting surface and raised therefrom.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the trimming knife means includes means to drive the rotary trimming knife.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the cylinder is movably mounted above the cutting surface.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 which includes stacking means for receiving the material advanced over the cutting surface.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the stacking means includes a table adapted to be reciprocated in a horizontal plane, said table being positioned below the cutting surface to receive the material passed over the cutting surface, and means to reciprocate the table as material is advanced over the cutting surface to stack the material on the table.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein the means for reciprocating the table includes a fluid operated piston and cylinder.