Abstract: An elongated strip of sheet material is transported over a frame and along a transversely movable carriage on which upper and lower circular rotary cutting knives are mounted to slit the strip longitudinally into a desired portion to be processed immediately and a remnant portion for later use. The free edge of the desired portion is urged against a longitudinal guide, adjustably secured to the carriage, for adjusting the width of the desired portion. The strip is urged against the guide by a vertical crab wheel, locatable against the strip, and disposed at a slight acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the strip. The carriage and the guide are freely movable in a transverse direction to accommodate non-linearities in the strip.

Abstract: A machine for slitting strips of elongated sheet material from a wider roll of the material in which two spaced mandrels are mounted vertically on a frame and the sheet of material extends from the mandrel past a carriage to the second mandrel. The carriage carries two engaging circular knives mounted on the carriage for rotation about vertical axes, the knives engaging opposite sides of the sheet to cut a strip from the upper edge of the sheet. The carriage is provided with a guide to maintain the selected distance from the upper edge of the sheet to the cutting plane of the circular knives.