Slitting wheel holder

Claim 2

A holder for a slitter wheel having a central hole, comprising: a. a holding block formed with a retention opening; b. a housing positioned in the retention opening of the holding block; c. bearing means carried within the housing; d. a sleeve engaged with the bearing means and disposed for rotation within the housing; e. a locking element on the sleeve and capable of being positioned in the central hole of the slitter wheel; and, f. tightening means for releasably locking the locking element against the slitter wheel.

Claim 3

The structure according to claim 1 wherein the tightening means includes: a shaft which extends entirely through the sleeve and serves as an axle for the slitter wheel.

Claim 4

The structure according to claim 2 wherein the tightening means includes: retention means coupled to the shaft and arranged to allow the sleeve and shaft to rotate together.

Claim 5

The structure according to claim 3 including: a slitter wheel; and, an abutment plate on the sleeve between the housing and slitter wheel, the slitter wheel and abutment plate being held in abutting engagement by the shaft and retention means.

Claim 6

The structure according to claim 4 wherein: the retention means is a nut; and, the nut and slitter wheel are positioned on opposite ends of the shaft.

Claim 7

The structure according to claim 1 wherein: the locking element is a ring; the tightening means includes a shaft which extends into the sleeve and is formed with an enlarged head disposed within the ring, the head being arranged to urge the ring into locking engagement against the slitter wheel.

Claim 8

The structure according to claim 6 wherein: the ring is split into resilient gripping fingers.

Claim 9

The structure according to claim 7 wherein: the internal periphery of the ring is conically shaped; and, the sleeve enlarged head is tapered to assist in spreading the resilient gripping fingers and thrusting them against the slitter wheel.

Claim 10

The structure according to claim 1, wheRein: the retention opeing of the holding block is an internally threaded bore; the housing has an insert portion externally threaded and inter-engaged with the internally threaded bore.

Claim 11

The structure according to claim 9, including: position adjustment means coupled to the housing for laterally repositioning the slitter wheel.

Claim 12

The structure according to claim 10 wherein: the position adjustment means includes a flange connected to the housing by which the housing may be rotated and axially shifted relative to the holding block.

Claim 13

The structure according to claim 1 wherein: a detent is provided for preventing relative movement between the housing and holding block; and, the bearing means is a ball bearing assembly.

Claim 14

The structure according to claim 1 including: a mounting block pivotally coupled to the holding block.

Claim 15

The structure according to claim 13 including: clamping means for clamping the mounting block to an object.

Claim 16

The structure according to claim 14 wherein: the mounting block is formed with a mounting recess, a split segment, and, sockets extending through the split segment and into the main body of the mounting block; and, the clamping means has a pair of fasteners disposed in the sockets that may be tightened to clamp the mounting block on an object disposed in the mounting recess.

Claim 17

The structure according to claim 13 including: load adjustment means interconnecting the holding block and mounting block and being arranged to regulate the load applied by the slitter wheel.

Claim 18

The structure according to claim 16 wherein the load adjustment means includes: a spring load adjustment screw coupled to the mounting block; and, a spring interposed and retained between the mounting block and holding block.

Claim 19

A slitter wheel and holder, comprising: a. a slitter wheel formed centrally with a locking hole; b. a holding block formed with a laterally extending and internally threaded bore; c. a housing rotatably coupled in the internally threaded bore of the holding block; d. a flange carried by the housing for rotating the housing relative to the holding block to thereby laterally reposition and align the slitter wheel. e. a ball bearing assembly carried fully within the housing and positioned entirely outside of the slitter wheel; f. a sleeve engaged with the ball bearing assembly and disposed for rotation within the housing; g. a locking ring formed by one end of the sleeve and positioned in the locking hole of the slitter wheel; h. a shaft extending entirely through the sleeve to serve as an axle for the slitter wheel, the shaft having an enlarged head disposed within the locking ring and arranged to urge the ring into locking engagement against the slitter wheel; and, i. retention means coupled to the shaft and arranged to allow the sleeve and shaft to rotate together.

Claim 20

A slitter wheel and holder, comprising: a. a slitter wheel formed centrally with a locking hole; b. a holding block formed with a laterally extending and internally threaded bore; c. a housing rotatably coupled in the internally threaded bore of the holding block; d. a flange carried by the housing for rotating the housing relative to the holding block to thereby laterally reposition and align the slitter wheel. e. a ball bearing assembly carried fully within the housing and positioned entirely outside of the slitter wheel; f. a sleeve engaged with the ball bearing assembly and disposed for rotation within the housing; g. a locking ring formed by one end of the sleeve and positioned in the locking hole of the slitter wheel; h. a shaft extending entirely through the sleeve to serve as an axle for the slitter wheel, the shaft having an enlarged head disposed within the locking ring and arranged to urge the ring into locking engagement against the slitter wheel; and, i. retention means coupled to the shaft and arranged to allow the sleeve and shaft to rotate together.

Claim 21

The structure according to claim 18 wherein: the locking ring is split into a plurality of resilient gripping fingers and has an internal periphery that is conically shaped; and, the sleeve enlarged head is tapered to assist in spreading the resilient gripping fingers and thrusting them against the slitter wheel.

Claim 22

The structure according to claim 19 including: a mounting block pivotally coupled to the holding block; clamping means for clamping the mounting block to an object; and, load adjustment means interconnecting the holding block and mounting block and being arranged to regulate the load applied by the slitter wheel.