Rotary cutting die with scrap ejection

Claim 2

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate over the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate, having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate over the length of said second cutting rule portion, and spaced from said first cutting rule portion, a first resilient ejection strip between said cutting rule portions, located adjacent said first cutting rule portion, and extending upwardly at least to the height of the first cutting edge, and a second resilient ejection strip between said cutting rule portions, located adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and extending upwardly to a height not exceeding the height of said first ejection strip, said second ejection strip being softer than said first ejection strip to apply an asymmetrical ejection force to material between said first and said second cutting rule portions.

Claim 3

A cutting die according to claim 1 characterized by there being a third ejection strip adjacent said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said second ejection strip.

Claim 4

A cutting die according to claim 2 characterized by said third ejection strip having a height exceeding that of said second ejection strip.

Claim 5

A cutting die according to claim 1 characterized by said first resilient ejection strip extending upwardly beyond the height of the first cutting edge and said second resilient ejection strip extending upwardly to a height not exceeding the height of said second cutting edge.

Claim 6

A cutting die according to claim 2 characterized by said third ejection member having a height exceeding that of both said first and second ejection strips.

Claim 7

A cutting die according to claim 1 characterized by said first and second cutting rule portions being joined by a cutting rule web at ends thereof, and a short, straight cutting rule extending outwardly fom said web in a direction generally parallel to said first and said second cutting rule portions, said short, straight cutting rule being substantially symmetrically spaced with respect to said first and said second cutting rule portions.

Claim 8

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, resilient strip means which is harder near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said resilient strip means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion.

Claim 9

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, resilient strip means which is harder near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said resilient strip means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion.

Claim 10

A cutting die according to claim 7 characterized by said means outside said second cutting rule portion having a height exceeding that of said resilient strip means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for making an elongate opening in a carton blank or the like made from sheet material and for ejecting a scrap strip from the elongate opening, said apparatus comprising first and second arcuate cutting rule means for incrementally cutting the sheet material along spaced apart lines and leaving a narrow scrap strip of sheet material between the lines, resilient ejecting means located between said arcuate cutting rule means for separating the strip from the sheet material by applying a greater force along the narrow strip adjacent one of the lines than along the narrow strip adjacent the other of the lines to cause said strip to twist relative to the plane of the sheet material, said ejecting means comprising a first resilient strip located adjacent the inner surface of one of said cutting rule means, and a second resilient strip located adjacent the inner surface of the other of said cutting rule means, and deflecting means on one side of said cutting rule means for deflecting sheet material away from the plane of the sheet material on the other side of said cutting rule means.

Claim 12

Apparatus for making an elongate opening in a carton blank or the like made from sheet material and for ejecting a scrap strip from the elongate opening, said apparatus comprising first and second arcuate cutting rule means for incrementally cutting the sheet material along spaced apart lines and leaving a narrow scrap strip of sheet material between the lines, resilient ejecting means located between said arcuate cutting rule means for separating the strip from the sheet material by applying a greater force along the narrow strip adjacent one of the lines than along the narrow strip adjacent the other of the lines to cause said strip to twist relative to the plane of the sheet material, said ejecting means comprising a first resilient strip located adjacent the inner surface of one of said cutting rule means, and a second resilient strip located adjacent the inner surface of the other of said cutting rule means, and deflecting means on one side of said cutting rule means for deflecting sheet material away from the plane of the sheet material on the other side of said cutting rule means.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 9 characterized by said first resilient strip being higher than said second resilient strip.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 10 characterized by said second resilient strip being softer than said first resilient strip.

Claim 15

Apparatus for making an elongate opening in a carton blank or the like made from sheet material and for ejecting a scrap strip from the elongate opening, said apparatus comprising first and second arcuate cutting rule means for incrementally cutting the sheet material along spaced apart lines and leaving a narrow scrap strip of sheet material between the lines, resilient ejecting means located between said arcuate cutting rule means for separating the strip from the sheet material by applying a greater force along the narrow strip adjacent one of the lines than along the narrow strip adjacent the other of the lines to cause said strip to twist relative to the plane of the sheet material, and deflecting means on one side of said cutting rule means for deflecting sheet material away from the plane of the sheet material on the other side of said cutting rule means, said first and second arcuate cutting rule portions being joined at common ends by a cutting rule web to form an end of said elongate opening, and a third cutting rule portion extending outwardly from said web and parallel to said first and said second arcuate cutting rule portions for forming a slit in the elongate opening beyond the end.

Claim 16

Apparatus for making an elongate opening in a carton blank or the like made from sheet material and for ejecting a scrap strip from the elongate opening, said apparatus comprising first and second arcuate cutting rule means for incrementally cutting the sheet material along spaced apart lines and leaving a narrow scrap strip of sheet material between the lines, resilient ejecting means located between said arcuate cutting rule means for separating the strip from the sheet material by applying a greater force along the narrow strip adjacent one of the lines than along the narrow strip adjacent the other of the lines to cause said strip to twist relative to the plane of the sheet material, and deflecting means on one side of said cutting rule means for deflecting sheet material away from the plane of the sheet material on the other side of said cutting rule means, said first and second arcuate cutting rule portions being joined at common ends by a cutting rule web to form an end of said elongate opening, and a third cutting rule portion extending outwardly from said web and parallel to said first and said second arcuate cutting rule portions for forming a slit in the elongate opening beyond the end.

Claim 17

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, resilient strip means which is higher near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion and is harder near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion, said resilient strip means being located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said resilient strip means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion.

Claim 18

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, resilient strip means which is higher near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion and is harder near said first cutting rule portion than near said second cutting rule portion, said resilient strip means being located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said resilient strip means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion.

Claim 19

A cutting die according to claim 13 characterized by said means outside said second cutting rule portion having a height exceeding that of said resilient strip means.

Claim 20

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, ejecting means located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said ejecting means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion, said first and second cutting rule portions being joined at common ends by an arcuate cutting rule web, and a third cutting rule extending outwardly from said cutting rule web and having a third cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate and parallel to said first and second cutting rule edges to form a slit in the sheet material beyond the end of the slot.

Claim 21

In a cutting die, a die plate, a first cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a first cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said cutting rule portion, a second cutting rule portion extending upwardly from said die plate and having a second cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate along the length of said second cutting rule portion, said cutting edges being spaced apart and said cutting rule portions being joined at common ends to form an elongate opening in sheet material, ejecting means located between said cutting rule portions for applying an asymmetrical force to slot scrap from the sheet material to eject the scrap away from the die plate, with a portion of the scrap adjacent said first cutting rule portion being ejected farther from the die plate than a portion of the scrap adjacent said second cutting rule portion, and means outside said second cutting rule portion on the side opposite said ejecting means for pushing a portion of the sheet material located outside said second cutting rule portion farther from said die plate than a portion of the sheet material located outside said first cutting rule portion, said first and second cutting rule portions being joined at common ends by an arcuate cutting rule web, and a third cutting rule extending outwardly from said cutting rule web and having a third cutting edge spaced a uniform distance above said die plate and parallel to said first and second cutting rule edges to form a slit in the sheet material beyond the end of the slot.