Abstract: The present invention discloses a reinforcement product for use in cement boards and a method of manufacturing said product and of manufacturing cement boards using this product.The reinforcement product of the present invention comprises cross-layered webs of plastic fibres with a preponderance of fibres laid in the trans-axial direction, and continuous filaments or fibrillated tapes located between the layers to impart a high degree of strength in the axial direction. The cross-layered web and the filaments or tapes are compacted to form a reinforcement product which can be rolled up and handled for further processing on cement board forming machines. The webs of plastic fibre are formed by monoaxially orientating on extruded sheet of plastics material in axial direction, then fibrillating the sheet to form a cohesive fibre mass which is cut into lengths and carded to break up the film into a coarse fibrous mass which when stripped from the carding machine forms said plastic fibre web.

Abstract: The present specification describes and claims a method and apparatus for cutting elongate material into predetermined lengths. The apparatus comprises a cutting assembly including a cutter wheel having a number of spaced apart knife edges projecting radially outwardly in the region of its periphery. Winding means are provided for winding successive layers of material to be cut in contact with the knife and a pressure wheel forces the material onto the knife edges as the cutter wheel rotates. Press nip rollers are arranged to feed the material to the cutter wheel and both the cutter wheel and the press nip rollers are driven by the same motor.