Severing apparatus for plastic material

Claim 2

A resin severing apparatus for effecting an improved severance of successive individual pieces from a sheet-like body length of solidified thermosplastic resin material which comprises, a frame, a pair of opposed blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a pass for the body length, means for moving one blade of said pair into engagement with the material of the body length and flexing it into engagement with the other blade at the pass and for then simultaneously applying said pair of blades in the same plane inwardly with aligned cutting-in blade pressure and melting heat along lines of blade engagement fully across opposite sides of the body length to form opposed aligned line recesses therein, means carried by said frame for positively limiting the relative forward movement of said blades to a slightly separated fully in-line relation to complete the application of cutting-in blade pressure and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion between the line recesses, means for thereafter withdrawing the blades relative to each other to release the body length, and means for advancing and cooling the material along the line recesses and for thereafter severing a forward end portion of the body length along the full extent of the thin transverse thickness portion.

Claim 3

Apparatus for enabling an improved severance of individual pieces from a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, a frame, a pair of blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a pass for the material, means for relatively moving said blades forwardly in the same plane into substantially evenly applied, opposed, aligned lines of engagement across opposite sides of the material, means for simultaneously applying cutting-in blade pressure and melting heat along the lines of blade engagement across the material to form opposed aligned recesses on opposite sides of the material, means for positively limiting the relative forward movement of said blades to a slightly separated fully in-line relation to complete the application of the cutting-in blade pressure upon the material and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion between the line recesses, means for withdrawing the blades relative to each other to release the material, means for advancing and cooling the material along the line recesses and for thereafter severing the material along the full extent of the thin transverse thickness portion in alignment with the line recesses, and supporting means for the body length of material adapted to be advanced forwardly with one blade of said pair out of a supporting position with respect to the material and to be retracted backwardly with the withdrawal of said one blade relative to the other blade into a supporting position with respect to the material.

Claim 4

Apparatus for enabling an improved severance of individual pieces from a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, a frame, a pair of blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a pass for the material, means for relatively moving said blades forwardly in the same plane into substantially evenly applied, opposed, aligned lines of engagement across opposite sides of the material, means for simultaneously applying cutting-in blade pressure and melting heat along the lines of blade engagement across the material to form opposed aligned recesses on opposite sides of the material, means for positively limiting the relative forward movement of said blades to a slightly separated fully in-line relation to complete the application of the cutting-in blade pressure upon the material and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion between the line recesses, means for withdrawing the blades relative to each other to release the material, means for advancing and cooling the material along the line recesses and for thereafter severing the material along the full extent of the thin transverse thickness portion in alignment with the line recesses, and supporting means for the body length of material adapted to be advanced forwardly with one blade of said pair out of a supporting position with respect to the material and to be retracted backwardly with the withdrawal of said one blade relative to the other blade into a supporting position with respect to the material.

Claim 5

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a scoring pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into a material flexing and an opposed cutting-in resin-forming engagement with opposite sides of a length of material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, a cross-extending head for each of said blades, a cross-extending hollow support member for each of said heads, one of said hollow support members being movable and journaled for forward and backward movement along said frame and with respect to the other support member, each of said blades being vertically and horizontally adjustably mounted within an associated support member for aligning the blade carried thereby in a substantially exact and fully opposed alignment with the blade carried by the other of said heads, a pair of fluid motors carried by said frame, each of said fluid motors having a piston rod secured adjacent one end of said movable support member for actuating it, rack and gear means operatively carried by said frame and connected to opposite end portions of said movable support for maintaining a fully synchronous movement of said support member and the associated head and blade carried thereby during its actuation by said pair of fluid motors, said movable support member having a foot portion for guidably supporting the body of resin material during advancing movement thereof into and through the pass, said foot portion being adapted to be moved out of supporting engagement with the body when said movable support member is advancing its associated blade into a cooperating cutting-in relation with respect to the blade of said other support member, and said foot portion being suspended by said movable support member for engagement with the body of material to move it relatively to the pass when said movable head is moving its associated blade out of close adjacency with the other blade.

Claim 6

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a scoring pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into a material flexing and an opposed cutting-in resin-forming engagement with opposite sides of a length of material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, a cross-extending head for each of said blades, a cross-extending hollow support member for each of said heads, one of said hollow support members being movable and journaled for forward and backward movement along said frame and with respect to the other support member, each of said blades being vertically and horizontally adjustably mounted within an associated support member for aligning the blade carried thereby in a substantially exact and fully opposed alignment with the blade carried by the other of said heads, a pair of fluid motors carried by said frame, each of said fluid motors having a piston rod secured adjacent one end of said movable support member for actuating it, rack and gear means operatively carried by said frame and connected to opposite end portions of said movable support for maintaining a fully synchronous movement of said support member and the associated head and blade carried thereby during its actuation by said pair of fluid motors, said movable support member having a foot portion for guidably supporting the body of resin material during advancing movement thereof into and through the pass, said foot portion being adapted to be moved out of supporting engagement with the body when said movable support member is advancing its associated blade into a cooperating cutting-in relation with respect to the blade of said other support member, and said foot portion being suspended by said movable support member for engagement with the body of material to move it relatively to the pass when said movable head is moving its associated blade out of close adjacency with the other blade.

Claim 7

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, an upright support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a cutting pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into an opposed cutting-in recess-forming engagement with and fully across opposite sides of a length of the material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, a lower fixed head and an upper movable head positioned on said frame, one of said cutting blades being respectively carried by each of said heads, heating means also carried by each of said heads, said means for relatively moving said blades being connected to said upper head to move it towards and away from said lower head and to flex material into recess cutting-in alignment between said pair of blades, thermostat means for controlling the temperature of said heat applying means, said means for moving said upper head being a fluid motor means mounted on said support frame, means for automatically de-energizing said motor means when said movable head has advanced its said cutting blade into close edgewise adjacency with the other of said blades, and means for applying melting heat being electrical heating elements carried by said blades, thermosensitive indicator means carried by said blades for indicating the operating temperature thereof, and means for adjusting the electrical energization of said heating elements in accordance with the reading of said indicator means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, an upright support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a cutting pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into an opposed cutting-in recess-forming engagement with and fully across opposite sides of a length of the material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, a lower fixed head and an upper movable head positioned on said frame, one of said cutting blades being respectively carried by each of said heads, heating means also carried by each of said heads, said means for relatively moving said blades being connected to said upper head to move it towards and away from said lower head and to flex material into recess cutting-in alignment between said pair of blades, thermostat means for controlling the temperature of said heat applying means, said means for moving said upper head being a fluid motor means mounted on said support frame, means for automatically de-energizing said motor means when said movable head has advanced its said cutting blade into close edgewise adjacency with the other of said blades, and means for applying melting heat being electrical heating elements carried by said blades, thermosensitive indicator means carried by said blades for indicating the operating temperature thereof, and means for adjusting the electrical energization of said heating elements in accordance with the reading of said indicator means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein, said means for moving said movable head is a pair of fluid motors positioned on said frame and operatively connected to said movable head, and tie means operatively connects opposite end portions of said movable head to assure an equal inward movement of the blade carried thereby into an accurately aligned inward position with respect to the blade carried by said fixed head.

Claim 10

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a scoring pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into a material flexing and an opposed cutting-in recess-forming engagement with opposite sides of a length of the material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, one of said blades having means actuated during movement of said blades away from each other to move the material off the other of said blades, and said means for relatively moving said blades being carried by said support frame and operatively connected to move one of said blades towards and away from the other of said blades.

Claim 11

Apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from a body of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades operatively carried by said frame and defining a scoring pass for the material, means for heating said blades to a resin-melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards each other into a material flexing and an opposed cutting-in recess-forming engagement with opposite sides of a length of the material introduced into the pass defined thereby and for relatively moving said blades away from each other, one of said blades having means actuated during movement of said blades away from each other to move the material off the other of said blades, and said means for relatively moving said blades being carried by said support frame and operatively connected to move one of said blades towards and away from the other of said blades.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein, an ejector blade is carried by said frame and is adapted to engage the material and move it off said other blade simultaneously with movement of said movable blade away from said other blade after the forming of the line recesses in the material.

Claim 13

An in-line resin severing apparatus for progressively effecting an improved cross severance of individual pieces from forward end portions of a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, means for endwise-forwardly advancing the body length of material, a support frame in a cooperative in-line position with respect to said advancing means, movable and fixed blades defining a pair of cutting blades carried by said frame and defining a recess-forming pass therebetween for the body length, means operatively carried by said frame for relatively moving said pair of blades towards each other on a cross-extending plane into opposed inward lines of engagement with opposite sides of a forward end portion of the body length at the pass, means for simultaneously applying opposed cutting-in blade pressure and melting heat at the pass to the body length along the lines of blade engagement for forming aligned line recesses fully across opposite sides thereof, means for positively limiting the relative movement of said blades towards each other to a slightly separated fully aligned engaging relation within the body length to complete the application of cutting-in blade pressure and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion fully across the opposite sides of the body length between the line recesses, means for relatively withdrawing said blades with respect to each other and for releasing them from engagement with the body length, means for advancing the body length in-line from the recess-forming pass and cooling it along its line recesses, and separating means in an in-line advanced position with respect to the recess-forming pass for engaging the body length and flexing it adjacent its line recesses to break-off the thin thickness portion thereof and complete separation of the forward end portion from the body length thereat.

Claim 14

An in-line resin severing apparatus for progressively effecting an improved cross severance of individual pieces from forward end portions of a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, means for endwise-forwardly advancing the body length of material, a support frame in a cooperative in-line position with respect to said advancing means, movable and fixed blades defining a pair of cutting blades carried by said frame and defining a recess-forming pass therebetween for the body length, means operatively carried by said frame for relatively moving said pair of blades towards each other on a cross-extending plane into opposed inward lines of engagement with opposite sides of a forward end portion of the body length at the pass, means for simultaneously applying opposed cutting-in blade pressure and melting heat at the pass to the body length along the lines of blade engagement for forming aligned line recesses fully across opposite sides thereof, means for positively limiting the relative movement of said blades towards each other to a slightly separated fully aligned engaging relation within the body length to complete the application of cutting-in blade pressure and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion fully across the opposite sides of the body length between the line recesses, means for relatively withdrawing said blades with respect to each other and for releasing them from engagement with the body length, means for advancing the body length in-line from the recess-forming pass and cooling it along its line recesses, and separating means in an in-line advanced position with respect to the recess-forming pass for engaging the body length and flexing it adjacent its line recesses to break-off the thin thickness portion thereof and complete separation of the forward end portion from the body length thereat.

Claim 15

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said separating means has a pair of means engaging opposite sides of the body length and has closely adjacent means for flexing the body length between said pair of means.

Claim 16

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for positively limiting the relative movement of said blades towards each other is operatively carried by said support frame and connected to one of said blades.

Claim 17

In an in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein, said separating means has a pair of rolls positively gripping opposite sides of the body length adjacent its line recesses, and said separating means has means for flexing the forward end portion of the body length adjacent the thin thickness portion thereof when the thin thickness portion is in an adjacent endwise-forward position ahead of said pair of rolls.

Claim 18

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein means is operatively carried by said frame and cooperating with said pair of blades to effect the recess-forming operation uniformly in depth across the full width extent of opposite sides of the body length at the recess-forming pass.

Claim 19

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein, said separating means includes a pair of opposed rolls moving in the direction of in-line advance of the body length, and means cooperates with said pair of rolls to flex the body length out of alignment with respect to its in-line direction of advance.

Claim 20

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein, said fixed one of said blades is mounted in position on said frame, and a head is opperatively carried by said frame to carry the other of said blades and move it into and out of a recess-forming position with respect to said fixed blade.

Claim 21

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein blade means is adapted to engage the body length adjacent said recess-forming pass upon the completion of the forming of the aligned line recesses thereacross for moving the body length off said fixed blade.

Claim 22

An in-line apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said blade means is connected to said head for movement with said other blade.

Claim 23

Apparatus for enabling an improved severance of individual pieces from a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, a frame structure, a pair of blades carried by said frame structure and defining a scoring pass therebetween for the material, means for heating each of said blades to resin melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards and away from each other into and out of scoring engagement across opposed lines on the material to form line recesses on opposite sides of the material, means for positively limiting the relative inward movement of said blades with respect to each other to a slightly separated fully aligned relation within the material while retaining a relatively thin transverse thickness portion therebetween, means for thereafter withdrawing said blades with respect to each other and for releasing the material from engagement therebetween, means for supporting the material while advancing it into the pass between said pair of blades, means for thereafter releasing said supporting means during relative movement of said blades into a scoring position with respect to the material, means for returning said supporting means to a supporting position with respect to the material while said pair of blades is being moved out of engagement with the material, and means for advancing the thus supported material forwardly of said blades.

Claim 24

Apparatus for enabling an improved severance of individual pieces from a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, a frame structure, a pair of blades carried by said frame structure and defining a scoring pass therebetween for the material, means for heating each of said blades to resin melting temperature, means for relatively moving said blades towards and away from each other into and out of scoring engagement across opposed lines on the material to form line recesses on opposite sides of the material, means for positively limiting the relative inward movement of said blades with respect to each other to a slightly separated fully aligned relation within the material while retaining a relatively thin transverse thickness portion therebetween, means for thereafter withdrawing said blades with respect to each other and for releasing the material from engagement therebetween, means for supporting the material while advancing it into the pass between said pair of blades, means for thereafter releasing said supporting means during relative movement of said blades into a scoring position with respect to the material, means for returning said supporting means to a supporting position with respect to the material while said pair of blades is being moved out of engagement with the material, and means for advancing the thus supported material forwardly of said blades.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said means for supporting the material is carried by one of said blades.

Claim 26

A resin severing apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from successively presented portions of a sheet-like body length of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades, a pair of cross-extending heads carried by said frame, one of said blades being carried by an associated one of said heads and the other of said blades being carried by an associated other of said heads, said pair of blades together defining a scoring pass for progressively presented end portions of the body length, a pair of electric heating elements carried by said heads for heating each of said blades to a resin-melting temperature, said one head carrying its associated said one blade to extend across said frame in a fixed position, said other head being movable on said frame and carrying its associated said other blade to extend across said frame in an aligned pass-defining relation with said one blade, fluid motor means carried by said frame and connected to said other head for moving said other blade into and out of an opposed pass-closing closely adjacent cutting-in position with respect to said one blade for forming opposed line recesses across a forward end portion of the body length, means cooperating with said other head for limiting its movement towards said first head to a position where the blades are in a close non-engaging aligned adjacency with respect to each other to retain a relatively thin connecting thickness portion across the body length, tie means operatively connecting opposite end portions of said other head to assure an equal inward movement of said other blade into an accurately aligned inward position with respect to said one blade, means positioned forwardly of said scoring pass for substantially retaining the main body of the material in a longitudinal in-line position while breaking-off a forward end portion thereof along said line recesses, and means for progressively advancing the body length in-line to the scoring pass and thereafter to the breaking-off position for successively severing forward end portions therefrom.

Claim 27

A resin severing apparatus for accurately severing individual pieces from successively presented portions of a sheet-like body length of resin material which comprises, a support frame, a pair of cutting blades, a pair of cross-extending heads carried by said frame, one of said blades being carried by an associated one of said heads and the other of said blades being carried by an associated other of said heads, said pair of blades together defining a scoring pass for progressively presented end portions of the body length, a pair of electric heating elements carried by said heads for heating each of said blades to a resin-melting temperature, said one head carrying its associated said one blade to extend across said frame in a fixed position, said other head being movable on said frame and carrying its associated said other blade to extend across said frame in an aligned pass-defining relation with said one blade, fluid motor means carried by said frame and connected to said other head for moving said other blade into and out of an opposed pass-closing closely adjacent cutting-in position with respect to said one blade for forming opposed line recesses across a forward end portion of the body length, means cooperating with said other head for limiting its movement towards said first head to a position where the blades are in a close non-engaging aligned adjacency with respect to each other to retain a relatively thin connecting thickness portion across the body length, tie means operatively connecting opposite end portions of said other head to assure an equal inward movement of said other blade into an accurately aligned inward position with respect to said one blade, means positioned forwardly of said scoring pass for substantially retaining the main body of the material in a longitudinal in-line position while breaking-off a forward end portion thereof along said line recesses, and means for progressively advancing the body length in-line to the scoring pass and thereafter to the breaking-off position for successively severing forward end portions therefrom.

Claim 28

An in-line severing apparatus for effecting an improved cross-severance of individual pieces from progressively presented forward end portions of a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, means for endwise-forwardly advancing the body length of material on a substantial horizontal plane, a support frame having a cooperative in-line position with respect to said advancing means, a pair of cooperatively positioned cross-extending blades operatively carried by said frame for defining a recess-forming pass therebetween for the body length, one head mounting one of said blades in a fixed position with respect to said frame, another and movable head mounting the other of said blades for forward movement into engagement with the body length to flex it across its width extent and into engagement with said fixed blade, means for applying melting heat to both of said blades and for simultaneously applying opposed cutting-in blade pressure along the lines of blade engagement with opposite sides of a forward end portion of the body length to form opposed aligned line recesses thereacross at the pass, means cooperating with said movable head for positively limiting the movement of said movable blade towards said fixed blade to a slightly separated fully aligned, opposed, line-recess-forming relation with the body length to complete application of recess-forming blade pressure and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion fully across the body length between the line recesses, said movable head being adapted to withdraw said other blade with respect to said one blade for releasing the body length, in-line means for advancing the body length from the recess-forming pass and cooling it along its line recesses, and a pass-forming separating means in an in-line advanced position with respect to the recess-forming pass for engaging opposite sides of the body length adjacent its line recesses to break-off the thin thickness portion thereof and complete separation of the forward end portion of the body length thereat.

Claim 29

An in-line severing apparatus for effecting an improved cross-severance of individual pieces from progressively presented forward end portions of a sheet-like body length of solidified thermoplastic resin material which comprises, means for endwise-forwardly advancing the body length of material on a substantial horizontal plane, a support frame having a cooperative in-line position with respect to said advancing means, a pair of cooperatively positioned cross-extending blades operatively carried by said frame for defining a recess-forming pass therebetween for the body length, one head mounting one of said blades in a fixed position with respect to said frame, another and movable head mounting the other of said blades for forward movement into engagement with the body length to flex it across its width extent and into engagement with said fixed blade, means for applying melting heat to both of said blades and for simultaneously applying opposed cutting-in blade pressure along the lines of blade engagement with opposite sides of a forward end portion of the body length to form opposed aligned line recesses thereacross at the pass, means cooperating with said movable head for positively limiting the movement of said movable blade towards said fixed blade to a slightly separated fully aligned, opposed, line-recess-forming relation with the body length to complete application of recess-forming blade pressure and retain a relatively thin transverse thickness portion fully across the body length between the line recesses, said movable head being adapted to withdraw said other blade with respect to said one blade for releasing the body length, in-line means for advancing the body length from the recess-forming pass and cooling it along its line recesses, and a pass-forming separating means in an in-line advanced position with respect to the recess-forming pass for engaging opposite sides of the body length adjacent its line recesses to break-off the thin thickness portion thereof and complete separation of the forward end portion of the body length thereat.