Abstract: Rectangular drawings of standard dimensions or formats can be automatically cut out of a continuous paper or plastic web (1) by a transverse cutter (9) and a plurality of longitudinal cutters (26), as directed by coding (20) on the edge of the web. The cut-off strips (23) of scrap made by transverse cutter (9) are directed away by a movable deflector (13). Additional deflectors (62) are provided downstream, in web motion direction D, of the longitudinal cutters (26) and serve to separate the scraps (23, 25) produced by the longitudinal cutters from the drawing forms (A0-A4) which have been trimmed on all four sides. Thus, manual separation of the drawings from the surrounding scrap is obviated.