Apparatus for the longitudinal cutting of narrow strips

Claim 1

Apparatus for the longitudinal slitting of narrow strips of web material such as paper, foil and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of annular adjacent hubs mounted along said shaft for rotation therewith, circular knives and flat annular flexible springs seated on each of said hubs, radially extending shoulder projections on said hubs, said knives lying against one side wall of said projections of said respective hubs, annular outwardly opening grooves on said hubs being located on opposite sides of said projections for the reception of said springs, a wall of each said groove defining an opposite side wall of each said projection, each said opposite side wall sloping slightly toward the longitudinal axis of said shaft in a direction toward said knives on adjacent ones of said hubs, and the diameter of said grooves being slightly greater than the diameter of the inner annular edge of said springs, whereby said springs are made to flex radially when seated within their respective grooves to thereby positively secure said springs in place, and whereby said springs bear against said knives on said adjacent ones of said hubs by reason of said sloping opposite side walls to thereby maintain said knives flatly against said one side wall of each said projection.