Flat stock cutter

Claim 2

A cutter assembly for cutting flat stock materials comprising: a cutter bar located such that material to be cut positions under the cutter bar allowing a view of the exact line to be cut, a track located under the bar, a caRriage slideably mounted in the track, a rotatable cutter wheel mounted to the carriage with a side of the wheel in contact with the face of the cutter bar, means for resiliently urging the cutter wheel against the cutter bar, means for moving the carriage such that the mounted cutter wheel moves along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock materials, a pivotable gripper bar firmly urging by resilient means the flat stock material against the underside of the cutter bar to hold the material in place during the cutting cycle, means for releasing the gripper bar to allow freedom of movement of the flat stock material, and means for fastening the cutter assembly to a support.

Claim 3

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the means for moving the carriage comprises: a cord fastened to each of the two ends of the carriage such that pulling on a cord moves the carriage in one direction and pulling on the other cord moves the carriage in the opposite direction, and a rotatable pulley mounted near one end of the track to allow the cord fastened to that end of the carriage to reverse its direction such that the same direction of pull may be applied to either cord.

Claim 4

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the means for resiliently urging the cutter wheel against the cutter bar further comprises: a means of rotatably mounting the cutter wheel to the carriage, and a resilient member acting between the carriage and the cutter wheel.

Claim 5

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the means for resiliently urging the cutter wheel against the cutter bar further comprises: a means for mounting the slideable carriage to allow the carriage to pivot in a direction normal to the direction of slide, and a resilient member acting between the carriage and the track to pivot the carriage with mounted cutter wheel.

Claim 6

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the means for releasing the gripper bar comprises: a lever arm fastened to the end of the gripper bar and extending to the front of the assembly at essentially a right angle to the pivot line of the gripper bar such that movement of the lever arm acts against the resilient means to rotate the gripper bar away from the underside of the cutter bar.

Claim 7

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, wherein the means for releasing the gripper bar comprises: a cam mounted on an arm extending from and at essentially a right angle to the pivot line of the gripper bar, with the cam located such that the carriage near the end of its travel strikes the can to rotate the gripper bar away from the underside of the cutter bar.

Claim 8

A cutter assembly as in claim 2, further comprising: a pin mounted near each end of the track to provide the mounting for the rotatable pulley used to change direction of one of the pull cords, to allow one to place the pulley on either pin to select the side from which the cords may be pulled.

Claim 9

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: a coating of rubber onto the underside of the cutter bar.

Claim 10

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: a coating of rubber on the top of the gripper bar.

Claim 11

A cutter assembly as in claim 1, further comprising: an arm fastened to the carriage extending upward and having an offset finger the lower surface of which contacts the upper surface of the cutter bar, and the cutter wheel having an opening in the side contacting the cutter bar such that the arm occupies part of said opening.

Claim 12

A flat stock material cutter allowing direct observation of the exact line of cut comprising: a frame having a surface for holding the material, a cutter bar mounted above the surface to allow insertion of the material under the cutter bar, with the observable face of the cutter bar defining the line of a cut; a track mounted to the frame and located below the surface and extending parallel with the line of cut, a carriage slideably mounted to the track such that the carriage when sliding moves parallel with the line of cut; a rotatable cutter wheel slideably mounted to the cArriage; resilient means acting between the carriage and the cutter wheel to force the side of the cutter wheel against the face of the cutter bar, means for sliding the carriage to move the cutter wheel along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock material, a pivotable gripper bar resiliently urging the material against the underside of the cutter bar to hold the material in place during the cutting cycle, and means for releasing the gripper bar to allow free movement of the material.

Claim 13

A flat stock material cutter allowing direct observation of the exact line of cut comprising: a frame having a surface for holding the material, a cutter bar mounted above the surface to allow insertion of the material under the cutter bar, with the observable face of the cutter bar defining the line of a cut; a track mounted to the frame and located below the surface and extending parallel with the line of cut, a carriage slideably mounted to the track such that the carriage when sliding moves parallel with the line of cut; a rotatable cutter wheel slideably mounted to the cArriage; resilient means acting between the carriage and the cutter wheel to force the side of the cutter wheel against the face of the cutter bar, means for sliding the carriage to move the cutter wheel along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock material, a pivotable gripper bar resiliently urging the material against the underside of the cutter bar to hold the material in place during the cutting cycle, and means for releasing the gripper bar to allow free movement of the material.

Claim 14

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 11, wherein the means for sliding the carriage comprises: a pair of cords with one of the pair fastened to one end of the carriage and the other cord fastened to the opposite end of the carriage such that a pull on one cord will move the carriage in one direction and a pull on the other cord will move the carriage in the opposite direction; a pulley wheel, rotatable on a mounting pin, over which one of the cords passes to reverse direction of that cord and allows both cords to be pulled from the same direction; and wherein the means for releasing the gripper bar comprises: a lever arm connected to the end of and extending perpendicular to the gripper bar such that movement of the lever arm overcomes the resilience and moves the gripper away from the underside of the cutter bar.

Claim 15

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 12, further comprising: an arm fastened to the carriage extending upward had having an offset finger the lower surface of which contacts the upper surface of the cutter bar, and the cutter wheel having an opening in the side contacting the cutter bar such that the arm occupies part of said opening in the cutter wheel.

Claim 16

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 13, further comprising: a coating of rubber on the underside of the cutter bar, and a coating of nylon on the surface of the offset finger that contacts the cutter bar.

Claim 17

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 11, wherein the means for sliding the carriage comprises: a reversible electric motor, means for connecting the motor to the carriage, means for energizing the motor to move the carriage with cutter wheel, means for stopping and reversing the motor at each end of travel of the carriage, and means for stopping and reversing the motor at intermdiate points of the carriage''s travel.

Claim 18

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 15, wherein the means of releasing the gripper bar comprises: an arm connected to each end of the gripper bar and extending perpendicular to the gripper bar, a spring fastened to each arm forces contact between the gripper bar and the cutter bar, a cam mounted to each arm is located such that the carriage at each end of travel moves against a cam to compress the spring and move the gripper bar.

Claim 19

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 16, wherein the means for connecting the motor to the carriage comprises: a pair of sprockets one mounted on the motor at one end of the track and the other sprocket mounted at the opposite end of the track, a continuous chain extending between and around the sprockets, and an arm attached to the carriage which engages in a tooth of the chain.

Claim 20

A flat stock material cutter as in claim 18, wherein the means for connecting the motor to the carriage comprises: a first sheave connected to the shaft of the electric motor; a second sheave; a flexible belt connecting the two sheaves; a capstan integral with the hub of the second sheave; a cord fastened to one end of the carriage encircles the capstan thence fastens to the other end of the carriage; and a pair of pulley wheels over which the cord passes to permit an essentially direct line of pull by the cord on the carriage.

Claim 21

A cutter as in claim 18, further comprising a coating of rubber on the lower surface of the cutter bar.

Claim 22

A cutter as in claim 18, further comprising: an arm fastened to the carriage extending upward and having an offset finger the lower surface of which contacts the upper surface of the cutter bar, and thE cutter wheel having an opening in the side contacting the cutter bar such that the arm occupies part of said opening.

Claim 23

A cutter as in claim 20, further comprising: a coating of nylon on the surface of the offset finger that contacts the cutter bar.

Claim 24

A cutter for flat stock material allowing direct observation of the exact line of cut comprising: a frame having a surface for holding the material; a cutter bar mounted above the surface to allow insertion of the material under the cutter bar, with the observable face of the cutter bar defining the line of a cut; a track mounted to the frame and located below the surface and extending parallel with the line of cut; a carriage slideably and pivotably mounted to the track such that the carriage when sliding moves parallel with the line of cut and when pivoting moves normal to the line of cut; a cutter wheel rotatably mounted to the carriage; a spring slideably mounted to move with the carriage, the spring action pivots the carriage forcing a side of the cutter wheel against the face of the cutter bar, and means for sliding the carriage on the track to move the cutter wheel along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock material.

Claim 25

A cutter for flat stock material allowing direct observation of the exact line of cut comprising: a frame having a surface for holding the material; a cutter bar mounted above the surface to allow insertion of the material under the cutter bar, with the observable face of the cutter bar defining the line of a cut; a track mounted to the frame and located below the surface and extending parallel with the line of cut; a carriage slideably and pivotably mounted to the track such that the carriage when sliding moves parallel with the line of cut and when pivoting moves normal to the line of cut; a cutter wheel rotatably mounted to the carriage; a spring slideably mounted to move with the carriage, the spring action pivots the carriage forcing a side of the cutter wheel against the face of the cutter bar, and means for sliding the carriage on the track to move the cutter wheel along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock material.

Claim 26

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 22, further comprising: a gripper bar pivotally mounted with a resilient member firmly urging the material against the underside of the cutter bar to hold the material during the cutting cycle, and means for releasing the gripper bar to allow free movement of the material.

Claim 27

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 23, wherein the means for sliding the carriage comprises: a pair of cords with one of the pair fastened to one end of the carriage and the other cord fastened to the opposite end of the carriage such that a pull on one cord will move the carriage in one direction and a pull on the other cord will move the carriage in the opposite direction: a pulley wheel, rotatable on a mounting pin, over which one of the cords passes to reverse direction of that cord and allows both cords to be pulled from the same direction; and wherein the means for releasing the gripper bar comprises: a lever arm connected to the end of and extending perpendicular to the gripper bar such that movement of the lever arm overcomes the resilience and moves the gripper bar away from the underside of the cutter bar.

Claim 28

A cutter for flat stock as in claim 24, further comprising: an arm fastened to the carriage extending upward and having an offset finger the lower surface of which contacts the upper surface of the cutter bar, and the cutter wheel having an opening in the side contacting the cutter bar such that the arm occupies part of said opening in the cutter wheel.

Claim 29

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 25 further comprising: a coating of rubber on the underside of the cutter bar, and a coating of nylon on the surface of the offset finger that contacts the cutter bar.

Claim 30

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 23, wherein the means for sliding the carriage comprises: a reversible electric motor, means for connecting the motor to the carriage, means for energizing the motor to move the carriage with cutter wheel, means for stopping and reversing the motor at each end of travel of the carriage, and means for stopping and reversing the motor at intermediate points of the carriage''s travel.

Claim 31

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 27, wherein the means of releasing the gripper bar comprises: an arm connected to each end of the gripper bar and extending perpendicular to the gripper bar, a spring fastened to each arm forces contact between the gripper bar and the cutter bar and a cam mounted to each arm located such that the carriage at each end of travel moves against a cam to compress the spring and move the gripper bar.

Claim 32

A cutter for flat stock material as in claim 28, wherein the means for connecting the motor to the carriage comprises: a pair of sprockets one mounted on the motor at one end of the track and The other sprocket mounted at the opposite end of the track, a continuous chain extending between and around the sprockets, and an arm attached to the carriage which engages in a tooth of the chain.

Claim 33

A flat stock cutter assembly as in claim 28, wherein the means for connecting the motor to the carriage comprises: a first sheave connected to the shaft of the electric motor; a second sheave; a flexible belt connecting the two sheaves; a capstan integral with the hub of the second sheave; a cord fastened to one end of the carriage encircles the capstan thence fastens to the other end of the carriage; and a pair of pulley wheels over which the cord passes to permit an essentially direct line of pull by the cord on the carriage

Claim 34

A cutter as in claim 30, further comprising a coating of rubber on the lower surface of the cutter bar.

Claim 35

A cutter as in claim 30, further comprising: an arm fastened to the carriage extending upward and having an offset finger the lower surface of which contacts the upper surface of the cutter bar, and the cutter wheel having an opening in the side contacting the cutter bar such that the arm occupies part of said opening.

Claim 36

A cutter as in claim 32, further comprising: a coating of nylon on the surface of the offset finger that contacts the cutter bar.

Claim 37

A cutter assembly for cutting flat stock materials comprising: a cutter bar located such that material to be cut positions under the cutter bar allowing a view of the exact line to be cut; a track located under the bar; a carriage slideably mounted in the track; a freely rotatable cutter wheel mounted to the carriage with a side of the wheel in contact with the face of the cutter bar, said cutter wheel of a width to push away an operator''s hand placed against the cutter bar without cutting the operator; means for resiliently urging the cutter wheel against the cutter bar; and means for moving the carriage such that the mounted cutter wheel moves along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock materials.

Claim 38

A cutter assembly for cutting flat stock materials comprising: a cutter bar located such that material to be cut positions under the cutter bar allowing a view of the exact line to be cut; a track located under the bar; a carriage slideably mounted in the track; a freely rotatable cutter wheel mounted to the carriage with a side of the wheel in contact with the face of the cutter bar, said cutter wheel of a width to push away an operator''s hand placed against the cutter bar without cutting the operator; means for resiliently urging the cutter wheel against the cutter bar; and means for moving the carriage such that the mounted cutter wheel moves along the face of the cutter bar to cut the flat stock materials.