Rotary cutting head, particularly for tobacco cutting machines

Claim 1

A cutting device, particularly for cutting a block of tobacco leaving a supply device, comprising: a support and guide structure supported so as to be rotatable about an axis lying at an angle to the direction of advance of the block of tobacco; a plurality of movable blade-carrier elements mounted on said support and guide structure with each element carrying a cutting blade adapted to intersect and penetrate the block of tobacco leaving the supply device; each blade-carrier element and associated blade being movable axially relative to the said support and guide structure independently of each other; drive means for rotating the guide and support structure, and control means for sequentially effecting an axial reciprocating translational movement of each blade-carrier element in synchronism with a revolution of the support and guide structure during the cutting of the block of tobacco; the control means including a stationary cam member having a shaped drive profile; each blade-carrier element having a respective feeler member cooperating with said drive profile, and thrust means carried by said structure for urging each feeler against said drive profile of the cam member.