Abstract: A control apparatus and method for progressively fracturing a work piece from a material sheet in a mechanical press in which the separation distance between an upper die and a lower die is varied in discrete steps as an upper platen advances the upper die toward the lower die, each discrete step occurring within the thickness of the material being stamped. Varying the separation distance includes a motion opposite to the relative direction movement of the upper platen at one or more predetermined distances to create a controlled release of stored forces in the dies and press frame. A distance measuring transducer generates an output indicative of the position of the upper die in relation to the lower die.

Abstract: A slitting line includes a slitter, an uncoiler, and a thread sled between the slitter and the uncoiler for peeling material off of a coil of strip material and guiding it into the slitting arbors. The thread sled is displaceable transversely with respect to the material pass line from an active position within the material pass line to an inactive position displaced from the material pass line. When the thread sled is displaced into the inactive position, a substitute pair of slitting arbors that have been retooled may be rotated in a generally horizontal plane into an active position in the material pass line to perform a slitting operation. This thread sled is then displaced back into its active position in the material pass line, where it unpeels material from a coil supported on the uncoiler and guides the leading edge of the material into the retooled slitting arbors.

Abstract: A device for making cuts in the direction of the advance of pieces of thin material, for example in slips of paper along the path on which they are fed, includes a cutter carrying drum (1) and a cutting bed drum (2) rotating in opposite directions to each other. The drum (1) carries at least one peripheral cutter (3, 3', 3") whose cutting edge (103) is orientated in the direction of advance of the pieces of material and is curved coaxially with the drum (1), projecting radially beyond it. The cutter (3, 3', 3") is fixed on the cutter carrying drum (1) by a removable (5, 7) base (4, 4', 4") which has an intrinsic elasticity provided by slits such that it provides a certain spring support of the cutter (3, 3', 3") alternatively and in combination in the radial direction and in the direction of oscillation about an axis transverse to the cutting edge (103) of the cutter (3, 3', 3"), in particular substantially parallel to the axis of the drum (1).

Abstract: A cutting head for a string trimmer is provided which accommodates any string gauge thickness and may be easily and quickly re-threaded upon failure of a string previously disposed therein. Clamping members are provided to clamp the strings within the cutter head, with the clamping force being provided by springs and centrifugally generated moments. The clamping members are capable of generating two degrees of clamping force. The lesser degree of clamping force can be overcome by a string forcibly inserted into the cutting head.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for trimming an inner ring from the neck flange of a blow-molded plastic bottle by extending a reverse punch having a lead end and a trailing end larger than the lead end into the bottle through the flange opening, elastically bending the flange into the interior of the bottle as the punch passes and withdrawing the reverse punch from the bottle and trimming a ring from the flange.

Abstract: An angularly adjustable table saw jig which comprises a base plate having an upper flat surface for supporting a work piece to be cut, a means for slidably attaching the jig to a table cutting tool, an upwardly extending work advancing abutment rotatably connected to the base plate at an axis of rotation for advancing work into cutting engagement with a table cutting blade, and a slot extending generally parallel to a cutting path of the cutting blade for providing clearance for the cutting blade as the jig is advanced into cutting engagement therewith. The jig also includes an elongated guide rail, which is rotatably connected to the base plate, and whose axis of rotation lies in the same plane of the cutting blade.

Abstract: A photosensitive material is mounted onto an inner surface of a cylindrical inner surface drum. An input signal which provides the size of the photosensitive material is supplied to a controller. As the controller drives a pulse motor under the control of a control signal, a moving part with which punching units are connected is moved in a circumferential direction of the drum by means of the pulse motor and positioned at the desired positions for punching. Then only two punching units, determined by the controller in accordance with the size of the photosensitive material, are driven to punch holes in the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A dispenser for a roll of bags joined in series end-to end along transverse severable lines comprising a receptacle in which a roll of bags may be held and rotated to pass the bags through the outlet of the receptacle and a web guide secured to the outlet. The web guide may be provided with a floor and inwardly overhanging side edges with the floor terminating in an upwardly projecting serrated edge which effects separation of each bag from its next ensuing bag.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming a ring from the neck of a blow molded plastic bottle includes a reverse punch for cutting a ring from the neck and positioning the ring on the punch shaft and a ring stripper for cutting one side of the ring on the punch shaft and stripping the ring from the shaft. The ring stripper travels transversely of the punch shaft. As the reverse punch is retracted with the cut ring on the punch shaft, the ring stripper is moved transversely across the path of the punch shaft. The ring stripper engages an edge of the cut ring and subsequently moves the cut ring away and severs one side to strip the ring from the shaft.

Abstract: Previous methods of bucksawing logs slow the throughput of a sawmill in that the conveyor line is stopped while a given log is bucksawed to length. The present invention provides a method for bucksawing a log which improves the throughput speed, comprising the steps of a) advancing the log endwise along an infeed conveyor; b) raising the log above the level of said infeed conveyor while advancing the log; c) measuring the advance of the log while raised; d) stopping the log at the desired length; e) sawing the log to produce a forward log segment; and f) lowering the forward log segment onto an outfeed conveyor while advancing the remaining log segments. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A film dispenser includes a housing having bottom, front, rear and side walls and a pivotally mounted top cover. The front wall defines a substantially elongate opening. Film or wrap severing means are provided at or adjacent said opening. An elongate and transversely extending support recess is provided within said housing and rearwardly of the opening, so as to allow for an elongate roll of film or wrap to be located therewithin. A pivotally mounted pressure flap is provided within the housing and is positioned above and apart from said support recess. A roll of film or wrap is adapted to be located within said support recess, with said pressure flap providing a downward pressure thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming a ring from the neck of a blow molded plastic bottle includes a reverse punch for cutting a ring from the neck and positioning the ring on the punch shaft and a ring stripper for cutting one side of the ring on the punch shaft and pulling the other side of ring from the shaft. The ring stripper includes a hook for engaging the ring and pulling the ring against a blade. The blade severs the ring and the hook then strips the severed ring from the shaft for disposal.

Abstract: A punch includes a base portion on which at least two punching units are disposed. The punching units are connected by a shaft extending therethrough. Each one of the punching units has an actuating device securely disposed to the shaft. The actuating device has at least one toothed element, a box portion disposed to each one of the punching unites and a block disposed in the box portion. The block provides a passage defined longitudinally therethrough and a punching rod disposed to an underside thereof and received in the passage. The block has at least on rack disposed thereto so as to engage to the toothed element such that when the shaft connected to a handle is pivoted, the block is moved downwardly, and each one of the punching devices slidably moves along the shaft so as to adjust a distance between two punching units.

Abstract: A clipping catcher for connection to a powered hedge trimmer to catch trimmings severed from a plant, such as a hedge or bush, by the hedge trimmer. The catcher includes a plurality of catcher panels that are hingedly connected along respective opposed longitudinal edges of the adjacent panels. The catcher panels are held in a predetermined angular relationship relative to each other by end clips that engage end edges of respective adjacent catcher panels to define a catcher that, when viewed in cross-section, has a C shape. The end clips are pivotable about hinge pins and are movable axially relative to the catcher panels to permit withdrawal of the end clips from the end edges of the catcher panels for reorientation of the catcher panel members relative to each other to enable the catcher to be utilized in each of two opposite directions of movement of the hedge trimmer, and without requiring removal of the catcher from the hedge trimmer cutter assembly.

Abstract: A cutting device for elongated objects, especially for wire, having a cutting element which is movable relative to a shearing element by means of a drive. The cutting element is of disk-shaped configuration and its periphery is configured, at least in segments, as a cutter. The cutting element is coupled to the drive in such a way that different segments of the cutter for the execution of a respective cut, can be moved one after the other past the shearing element.

Abstract: A straight razor has a handle portion and a disposable multi-blade assembly with at least two blades as the cutting edge on at least one of its sides. A molded guard portion at the bottom of the blade portion prevents the blades from cutting into the skin by keeping the cutting edge limited to the surface in common among the sharp edges of the blades and the bottom guard portion. The blade assembly may be connected to the handle by a pivotable blade holder attached to the handle. The blade holder is attachable to disposable blade assemblies at one end of the blade assemblies. A tube-shaped handle may be directly attached to the blade assembly that slides over the blade to form a handle on either ends of the blade. The handle and the blade holder portions may be made of disposable materials and the blade assembly is permanently attached to the blade holder so that the entire multi-blade straight razor is disposable.

Abstract: An automated sheet cutting device includes a frame, a fixed linearly-shaped blade secured to the frame, and a moveable blade-supporting mechanism also secured to the frame for operably supporting a moveable blade against the fixed blade. In particular, the blade-supporting mechanism includes a swing arm pivotally secured to the frame for movement about a first axis, and further includes a blade holder pivotally secured to the swing arm for movement about a second axis. An actuator connected to the swing arm rotates the blade-supporting mechanism about the first axis, and a spring connected to the blade holder pivots the blade holder about the second axis so that the moveable blade continuously engages the fixed blade. The fixed and moveable blades comprise elongated linearly shaped bars, but are oriented at an angle so that the blades contact along a continuously shifting shearing point as the moveable blade is moved curvilinearly downwardly across the fixed blade with a sweeping motion.

Abstract: An adjustment mechanism is provided for positioning a fence assembly along a guide rail of a bench top woodworking tool. The device includes a body member having a guide way portion which is linearly slidable along the guide rail and lockable at various positions. The barrel's body is provided with an elongated axial bore parallel to the guide rail. An elongated barrel extends through the bore and the body of the barrel is relatively rotatable thereto. An attachment member connects the elongated barrel to the fence assembly so that relative rotation of the elongated barrel and the body member causes the attachment member and fence assembly to move linearly relative to the body. The body member is provided with a locking mechanism so that the body member can be secured to the guide rail at various positions to facilitate precise adjustments of the fence relative to a woodworking tool cutter.

Abstract: A filament trimmer comprises a lower housing, an upper handle and a single handle tube connecting the two together to form a completed trimmer. The handle tube has approximately the same length as the length of the lower housing, and the upper handle has approximately the same width as the lower housing, to allow the three-part construction of the trimmer to be packaged in a box of minimum size. The upper end of the lower housing has an S-shaped cord channel, with an adjacent open chamber or space next to and below the cord channel, such that the electrical cord passing downwardly into the lower housing from the handle tube will naturally form a downwardly protruding loop that is easily received in the lower housing when the handle tube is pushed down into the lower housing during assembly.

Abstract: An automated dental floss dispensing apparatus for dispensing waxed or unwaxed floss, the apparatus having a dispenser housing including a spool receptacle for retaining a spool of floss. The spool receptacle has a conically shaped discharge aperture with inwardly slanting walls for feeding and guiding the dental floss and the dispenser housing includes a dispensing aperture for dispensing the floss. A cutter is disposed adjacent to the dispensing aperture for cutting a selected length of floss. A battery driven motor is operably coupled to a first and a second circuit for control of motor operating speed and for control of the length of floss to be dispensed by selective activation and deactivation of the motor. A control panel and a start button are included in a wall of the dispenser housing and the dispenser housing is preferably configured as two units which may be separated from one another, with one of the units having a removeable front panel to facilitate access inside the dispenser housing.