Abstract: A stone cutting system and method for cutting a stone sheet having a substantially planar surface utilizes a frame upon which a stone sheet to be cut can be positioned, a motor for supporting a cutting tool adjacent the stone sheet and for rotating the cutting tool, and an articulated arm assembly enabling the cutting tool to be moved to any of a number of coordinate positions across the surface of the stone sheet. By rotating and moving the cutting tool in cutting engagement with the stone sheet, material is removed from the stone sheet by the cutting tool.

Abstract: A composite tool comprising a supporting part of a metallic material having a first composition and a working part of a metallic material having a second composition which is different from the first composition, a process for the manufacture thereof and a method of cutting an austentic alloy article with this composite tool. The supporting part of the composite tool is made of a tenacious iron-based material, and the working part is made of a precipitation harden iron-cobalt-tungsten alloy. The parts are joined by a metallic connection.

Abstract: A method of making shingles includes providing a moving asphalt coated sheet having at least an overlay lane and an underlay lane. Blend drops of at least two color blends are discharged onto each lane, wherein at least one of the blend drops discharged onto the overlay lane has a different color blend from the color blends of all the blend drops discharged onto the underlay lane. Background granules are then discharged onto the asphalt coated sheet to form a granule coated sheet, and the excess granules are removed from the granule coated sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a window covering including a head rail, a bottom rail and slats includes a base having a substantially flat cutting surface, and a frame overlying the cutting surface. The base includes a clamping assembly for securing the window covering atop the cutting surface with the bottom rail, slats and top rail in a side-by-side arrangement over the cutting surface. The apparatus includes a cutting assembly having a cutting blade with a cutting edge for sliding along a movement axis having a first component of movement extending in a direction substantially parallel to the cutting surface and a second component of movement extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cutting surface. A driver is connected with the cutting assembly for moving the cutting blade toward the cutting surface, wherein the cutting edge simultaneously cuts through the bottom rail, the slats and the head rail.

Abstract: A method of cutting a window covering having a longitudinal axis and a second axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis to a specified length includes providing a cutting apparatus including a base having a cutting surface. The cutting apparatus has a cutting blade slidably mounted thereon for sliding along a movement axis toward and away from the cutting surface. The window covering is then positioned atop the cutting surface of the base and the cutting blade is moved along the movement axis and toward the cutting surface to cut the window covering to the specified length. The movement axis has a first component extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the window covering and substantially perpendicular to the second axis of the window covering and a second component extending substantially parallel to the second axis of the window covering.

Abstract: A blind cut-down apparatus for cutting a blind having at least a head rail component, and blind material suspended from the head rail, and having a blind component holding plate having at least a head rail opening and a blind material opening for receiving respective components of a blind, and holding them in position for cutting, a blind material cutting bar moveable relative to the holding plate, and carrying material cutting means, for cutting blind material extending through the holding plate, a cutting die support adjacent to the cutting bar, having at least one cutting die for receiving the headrail, and being moveable relative to the holding plate for cutting at least one the headrail and including a movement device for moving the blind material cutting bar and the cutting die support substantially simultaneously, so as to cut the blind material and the head rail in a common plane. End stops are provided for setting the length of material trimmed off the various components.

Abstract: A drilling jig has a pyramidal tip, a cylindrical portion, and a proximal end. The pyramidal tip is formed like a polygonal pyramid and each pyramidal face is provided with a concave. The cylindrical portion connecting with the pyramidal tip is formed like a prism and the proximal end is made of a flat plate functioning as a stopper. The drilling jig makes it possible to efficiently recover sodium from a spent NaS cell without greatly damaging the structure of the cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a plurality of sequentially arranged edged contoured slats for use in a blind. A strip of material 10 is provided lengthwise into the slat making machine. It passes through a forming unit 6 where it is cambered, into an accumulator 8 where any excess is held, through a position encoder 12 and over a collision detector 14. Edge contours are then cut into the strip material if they are not already pre-provided. The positions of any edge contours are detected by a sensor 18 which provides relevant information to a CPU 40. On the basis of this information and other pre-provided information on the type of blind being made guide holes and notches and the ends of the slats are cut ensuring that the contouring and the guide holes and ends do not interfere with each other.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of and apparatus for sizing a factory made pleated shade downwardly to an exact width from a factory made width at the point of purchase in a retail outlet using the skill level of the service personnel commonly found in such retail establishments. Specifically, a pleated shade having (a) two or more lift cords and (b) head and bottom rails which are slidable with respect to the top pleat or pleats and the bottom pleat or pleats, respectively, is arranged so that the pleats as an integral unit can be moved relative to both the head and bottom rails in diametrically opposite directions whereby the pleats may be sized by cutting off portions at each and thereof and the rails sized by single or multiple cutting operations.

Abstract: A remotely controlled apparatus for reducing the size of energetic materials is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a remotely controlled cutter, retainer and a device for positioning the energetic material to be reduced. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the size of energetic materials by positioning a block of energetic material between the cutter and the retainer and causing the cutter to cut through the block of energetic material.

Abstract: A device for emptying the contents of a bag into a hopper includes an arrangement for lifting the bag to a position higher than the top edge of the hopper, an arrangement for transporting the bag from an intermediate position in a frame to an unloading position including a retractable conveyor as the upper end of the bag is still engaged by the arrangement for lifting, an arrangement of cutters for cutting the lateral sides of the bag and the leading side of the bag to form a flap connected to the bag by the trailing side which flap will be opened by retracting the forward end of the retractable conveyor to allow the flap to open to discharge the contents as the bag is maintained by the arrangement for lifting over the hopper.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compact, multi-station system for sizing window coverings such as roller shades, mini blinds, pleated shades and vertical blinds. The system includes devices for cutting components of each of the types of shades and coverings to correct window dimensions and an arrangement for presenting to a system operator, the cutting equipment for a particular application. In its most preferred form, the system includes four (4) stations with a flip-top horizontal surface containing sizing equipment on opposed sides. The most preferred system also includes fixed cutters, e.g. for roller shades and for cutting the head rail of vertical blinds. In the most preferred embodiment, the system also includes storage space for product to be sized.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for advancing the leading edge of a corrugated web for positioning the web for a secondary operation, such as a cutting operation to cut a discrete sheet from the web. The web has a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys. The apparatus comprises an endless loop conveyor including a plurality of spaced support bars for contacting the valleys of the web. At least one vacuum source holds the web against the support bars. A motor and a distributed control system repeatedly advance the conveyor and the leading edge of the web from the entrance end to the exit end of the conveyor. A rotary encoder and a sensor sense the presence of a support bar near the position for applying the cutting operation. The vacuum source is de-activated, and at least one pressure source is activated to remove the cut sheet from the support bars.

Abstract: A machine for cutting pin headers of a desired length from a standard length of pin header stock is disclosed. A vertically disposed track is provided for receiving the standard lengths of pin header stock. The stock is allowed to fall by gravity to a cutting station where a single cutting blade cuts individual pin headers from the end of the stock. The cut pin headers are deposited into a bin for convenient unloading. Leftover, or residual pieces of stock are directed into another bin for discarding or salvage.

Abstract: A machine for cutting pin headers of a desired length from lengths of pin header stock is disclosed. A mechanism is provided for adjusting the width of the track opening that receives the pin header stock so that stock of various widths may be accommodated in the machine. A portion of the track is continuously movable, that is, it is never rigidly clamped in a stationary position, but rather, its position relative to a stationary portion may be adjusted by a single control element.

Abstract: A cut edge position correcting apparatus is used for correcting a direction and a wave-like contour of a cut edge of a belt-shaped member cut by a cutter unit. The cut edge position correcting apparatus includes a support base for supporting a belt-shaped member, a bending member arranged extendible above and retractable into the support base for bending the cut edge portion upwardly, and a restraining member rotatable in a horizontal plane for uriging the belt-shaped member over its entire width against the support base. The apparatus further includes a lifting unit for raising and lowering the restraining member, clamp pawls for clamping the cut edge portioned, a plurality of slide plates arranged aligned with each other in a lengthwise direction of the restraining member to hold the cut edge portion over their entire widths in cooperation with the clamp pawls, and a driving unit for independently moving said slide plates relative to the restraining member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the precision cutting of corrugated paperboard panels into rectangular test specimens, having shapes of predetermined size. A reference rod is inserted through a selected flute in the corrugated paperboard panel, prior to the first cutting operation on the raw panel. The reference rod is then placed in a specific location on the cutting table surface, so that the internal flutes in the raw panel are oriented at a specific angle to the cutting plane of the cutter mechanism. This ensures that the first edge formed on the raw panel has a precise orientation relative to the panel flutes, such that the final precision cut panel specimen can be used as a test specimen for performing edge compression tests, and other tests, that are reproducible, and representative of the characteristics of the corrugated paperboard panel structure.

Abstract: A golf ball dispenser apparatus is arranged for accommodating plural columns of packages permitting ease of dispensing of the packages with separation of the packages and permitting removal of individual components therefrom.

Abstract: Venetian blind slats are stacked and clamped onto a support, and confined laterally, while leaving ends beyond the desired length to which they are to be cut, un-confined. Then in one stroke in a direction perpendicular to the support, the ends of the stack are sheared-off by a punching tool having a cutting edge which contacts longitudinal margins prior to the center of the slats.

Abstract: A method for cutting a generally oblong, compressed bale of hay or forage into a plurality of elongated sub-sections, is disclosed. The method comprises moving compressed bales continuously through a sawing section having a first and second series of saws arranged transversely for progressively cutting the bale at a series of vertical and horizontal planes to form the hay sub-sections. The cut sub-sections are caused to fall on a conveyor belt which dispenses them from the end of an outlet chute. The sawing of the bale minimizes leaf and fibre damage, and the cut subsections of hay readily break apart to make them easily consumable by livestock.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting a check which has attached to it a corroborating paper strip in a manner such that the check and the paper strip are aligned relative to a cutting station to permit the check and the attached strip to be automatically presented to the cutting knife in a precise location such that the knife can automatically cut the check at the location of the intersection of the check edge and the edge of the corroborating paper strip and thereafter separate the two and cause the detached check to be sent to one processing station while the detached corroborating paper strip is sent to a waste paper station.

Abstract: A hay bale cutter and a method of cutting a hay bale open, particularly suited for large round bales. The cutter has an elongate generally horizontal blade with a sharpened cutting leading edge, a skid on a lower edge for keeping the blade above ground, an upward facing support surface for support of a cut bale on the blade, and structure for securing the trailing end of the blade to a motor vehicle. The method has the steps of mounting the blade on a vehicle, taking the vehicle and mounted blade to a hay bale, spearing the sharpened end of the blade into one end of the bale, and plunging the blade through the length of the bale to cut the bale open along a radius of the bale.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for cutting a superfluous edge portion of an interlayer of a laminated glass. The device comprises an ultrasonic cutter including an ultrasonic generator and a cutter knife, the cutter knife being ultrasonically vibrated to cut the superfluous edge portion thereby to produce a cut part of the same; a structure for moving the ultrasonic cutter along a given way extending around the periphery of the laminated glass; and a dag holder moved together with the ultrasonic cutter and slidably carrying thereon the cut part of the superfluous edge portion to promote flowing of the cut part from the remainder of the superfluous edge portion toward a given position.

Abstract: Apparatus shears foreign matter such as lines, wires, nets and weeds that can entangle and befoul propellers, propeller shafts, bearings and the like of propeller-driven water born vessels. The apparatus shears by cooperative shearing action of rotating blades that rotate in conjunction with the propeller and a non-rotating blade mounted on a non-rotating portion of the vessel. The non-rotating blade is pivotally mounted in a rigid blade holder. A wedge and V-shaped valley mechanism operating between holder and non-rotating blade forces the non-rotating blade toward the rotating blade as the blade pivots when foreign matter is being sheared to overcome forces tending to spread the blades apart. The apparatus is intended for operation in situations where there is negligible axial movement of the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a window covering including a head rail, a bottom rail and slats includes a base having a substantially flat cutting surface, and a frame overlying the cutting surface. The base includes a clamping assembly for securing the window covering atop the cutting surface with the bottom rail, slats and top rail in a side-by-side arrangement over the cutting surface. The apparatus includes a cutting assembly having a cutting blade with a cutting edge for sliding along a movement axis having a first component of movement extending in a direction substantially parallel to the cutting surface and a second component of movement extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cutting surface. A driver is connected with the cutting assembly for moving the cutting blade toward the cutting surface, wherein the cutting edge simultaneously cuts through the bottom rail, the slats and the head rail.