Patent US3877334A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3877334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for cutting sheet material with a fluid jet
Assignee: Gerber Technology LLC
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Filing: 1973-11-23
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Granted: 1975-04-15
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Expires: 1993-11-23
Abstract
Abstract A high velocity fluid cutting jet is utilized as a cutting tool to cut pattern pieces from limp sheet material. The limp material is spread on a support surface and is compressed into a hardened mass by evacuating air from within the material or applying a positive external pressure to an exposed portion of the sheet material. By compressing and hardening the material, the cutting jet passes through the material along a reduced dimension and the material cannot flutter or deflect away from the jet. A sharper and more accurate cut results.
Inventors
- 👤 Heinz Joseph Gerber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 11:26
CPC Classifications
B; B26; B26D; B26D7/00; B26D7/01; B26D7/018; B26F; B26F3/00; B26F3/004; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/04; Y10T83/0405; Y10T83/0443; Y10T83/0591; Y10T83/263; Y10T83/364; Y10T83/748
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material comprising: supporting means defining a fluid permeable support surface on which the sheet material may rest and a fluid collection chamber below the surface and communicating with the surface for the transfer of fluid from the surface to the chamber; a cutting tool mounted above the support surface and including a fluid jet nozzle directed toward the fluid permeable support surface to impinge a high velocity fluid cutting jet upon the sheet material; controlled drive means for moving the cutting tool and the sheet material relative to one another in directions parallel to the support surface to move the fluid cutting jet from the nozzle along a desired line of a cut on the material; and means for compressing the sheet material on the support surface at least in the region of the material being cut by the jet including vacuum generating means cooperating with the fluid collection chamber and the fluid permeable surface for drawing a vacuum or reduced pressure in the region of the sheet material being cut.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material comprising: supporting means defining a fluid permeable support surface on which the sheet material may rest and a fluid collection chamber below the surface and communicating with the surface for the transfer of fluid from the surface to the chamber; a cutting tool mounted above the support surface and including a fluid jet nozzle directed toward the fluid permeable support surface to impinge a high velocity fluid cutting jet upon the sheet material; controlled drive means for moving the cutting tool and the sheet material relative to one another in directions parallel to the support surface to move the fluid cutting jet from the nozzle along a desired line of a cut on the material; and means for compressing the sheet material on the support surface at least in the region of the material being cut by the jet including vacuum generating means cooperating with the fluid collection chamber and the fluid permeable surface for drawing a vacuum or reduced pressure in the region of the sheet material being cut.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for cutting as defined in claim 1 wherein: the supporting means comprises a porous, fluid permeable bed defining the support surface; and the vacuum generating means is connected to the porous bed and communicates with the sheet material on the support surface through the porous bed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein: the porous, fluid permeable bed comprises a bed of bristles having free ends substantially in a common plane to thus define the support surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein: the porous, fluid permeable bed comprises a honeycomb structure having cells opening at the support surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus for cutting as defined in claim 1 wherein: the means for compressing further comprises an air-impervious overlay spread upon the sheet material to be cut.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus for cutting as defined in claim 1 wherein: the supporting means comprises a conveyor having a movable conveyor surface defining a portion of the support surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus for cutting as in claim 1 wherein: the supporting means comprises a pair of conveyors placed end-to-end with an intervening gap between the conveyors; and the fluid jet nozzle is directed toward the intervening gap.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as in claim 1 wherein: the compressing means further comprises a roller positioned adjacent the cutting tool and on the sheet material; and the controlled drive means also moves the roller and the sheet material relative to one another in one coordinate direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as in claim 1 wherein: the compressing means further comprises a pair of parallel rollers positioned adjacent the cutting tool on the sheet material and an endless belT mounted on the rollers and having one belt portion resting against the sheet material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 1 wherein: the compressing means further comprises a pressure chamber positioned adjacent the cutting tool above the support surface and having one side confronting the sheet material on the support surface and having at least one aperture exposing the sheet material to pressure within the chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as in claim 10 wherein: the pressure chamber and the cutting tool are structurally connected together; and the drive means moves the cutting tool together with the pressure chamber relative to the sheet material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 1 wherein: the means for compressing further comprises a pair of parallel rollers positioned adjacent the cutting tool above the support means and the sheet material resting upon the support surface, and an endless belt formed by an air-impervious material and mounted on the rollers whereby the one portion of the belt between the rollers and the sheet material resting upon the support surface may rest in sealing relationship upon the sheet material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus for cutting sheet material as defined in claim 1 wherein: the compressing means further comprises means for sealing the sheet material spread upon the supporting means including a roller supported with the cutting tool for movement by the controlled drive means and a strip of air-impermeable material wound upon the roller whereby the strip may be anchored to the supporting means and the roller may move with the cutting tool while the strip of air-impermeable material is reeled onto or off of the roller in accordance with the controlled movement of the cutting tool relative to the sheet material on the support surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus for cutting as defined in claim 13 wherein: the sealing means includes a pair of rollers mounted at opposite sides of the cutting tool for movement with the tool relative to the sheet material on the support surface and strips of air-impervious material wound upon the respective rollers.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of cutting pattern pieces from limp sheet material comprising the steps of: placing the limp sheet material on a fluid permeable support surface in a spread condition; applying a compressive force to the spread sheet material in a direction generally normal to the plane of the material and the support surface on which the material is spread by drawing a vacuum from a chamber below the fluid permeable support surface through the support surface; generating a fluid cutting jet; directing the fluid cutting jet onto the compressed sheet material at a cutting point to cut through the material in the direction normal to the material and the support surface; collecting the spent fluid from the jet in the chamber below the permeable support surface; and controllably moving the spread sheet material and the fluid cutting jet relative one another in directions generally parallel to the plane of the sheet material to move the cutting point of the jet along a desired line of cut defined by the periphery of a pattern piece.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of cutting pattern pieces from limp sheet material comprising the steps of: placing the limp sheet material on a fluid permeable support surface in a spread condition; applying a compressive force to the spread sheet material in a direction generally normal to the plane of the material and the support surface on which the material is spread by drawing a vacuum from a chamber below the fluid permeable support surface through the support surface; generating a fluid cutting jet; directing the fluid cutting jet onto the compressed sheet material at a cutting point to cut through the material in the direction normal to the material and the support surface; collecting the spent fluid from the jet in the chamber below the permeable support surface; and controllably moving the spread sheet material and the fluid cutting jet relative one another in directions generally parallel to the plane of the sheet material to move the cutting point of the jet along a desired line of cut defined by the periphery of a pattern piece.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein: the step of applying further comprises generating a region of increased air pressure over the limp sheet material in the spread condition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method of claim 15 wherein: the step of applying comprises applying an additional compressive force to the exposed surface of the sheet material in a localized region of the spread material adjacent the cutting point of the fluid jet; and an additional step comprises controllably moving the additional compressive force and the sheet material relative to one another during the step of directing to maintain the cutting point of the fluid jet and the localized region subjected to the compressive force in adjacent relationship.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of cutting sheet material as defined in claim 17 wherein: the step of applying an additional compressive force comprises generating a positive holddown pressure over the spread sheet material adjacent the fluid cutting jet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of cutting as in claim 18 wherein: the step of generating a positive holddown pressure comprises generating a region of increased air pressure over the spread sheet material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of cutting as in claim 18 wherein: the step of generating a positive holddown pressure comprises placing a roller on the spread sheet material adjacent the cutting jet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of cutting as in claim 18 wherein: the step of generating a positive holddown pressure comprises placing a pair of parallel rollers and an endless belt extending around the rollers on top of the spread sheet material.
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) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |