Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for selectively cutting sheets of paper of variable length from a paper supply having a continuous web moving from an upstream location to a downstream location through a pair of pinch rollers and along a predetermined path to a rotary cutter. A controller controls the rotation of the rotary cutter. First and second sensors sense the angular positions of the rotary cutter and pinch rollers, respectively, to provide respective input signals to the controller indicative thereof. A format selector, controlled by an operator, provides a third input signal to the controller indicative of the speed and format for cutting individual sheets from the web. The controller is responsive to the first, second and third signals so that the rotary cutter cuts the sheets to the desired length and the pinch rollers feed the web at a desired speed.

Abstract: A suture-material-dispenser system for a supply of dry or wet suture material includes the supply of such material and a housing which defines a cavity for containing the supply. The housing includes a top region that has an opening formed in it, and a bottom region with a semi-circular bearing positioned in it. A reel fits within the cavity on the bearing, and has wound on it the supply. An anti-contaminant, flip-top cover is pivotably attached to the top region, and is constructed for releasable closure over the top region substantially to prevent contaminants from entering the cavity. A gas-permeable, resilient member is also included and has a body that fits sealingly within the opening, which body has formed in it a suture-material-dispensing port to allow dispensing of suture material therethrough. The body is preferably formed from a substance with a hardness in the range of about 40-80 on a Shore A durometer.

Abstract: An edge trimmer for removing excess edgebanding includes a retainer plate and a guide rail which assemble to hold a beveled, single-edged cutting blade. The retainer plate has a slot to accommodate and guide the excess edgebanding. In addition, the retainer plate has a recessed blade tray which receives the cutting blade and spans at least a portion of the slot. A removable fastener holds the retainer plate and guide rail together.

Abstract: A papermaking process dry end slabbing method using high pressure fluid cutting moves generally parallel to a spool at the end of the papermaking process. The process removes multiple layers of unwanted paper which may be of the wrong grade, poor quality, mis-spooled or otherwise damaged from the spool. A first method uses a carriage mounting an articulated cutter. Vertically extensible pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders and anti-oscillation and thrust support telescopic stanchions displace the cutter in response to input from a set of sensors used to detect a surface of the paper. A track embedded in the floor guides the carriage generally parallel to the spool. The track can be a geared rack, a rail, a channel defined in the floor or a wire embedded in the floor. A driven pinion gear or wheel, undriven foot or wheel, or sensing equipment disposed within the carriage interacts with the track to guide the carriage.

Abstract: A raffle ticket dispenser which incorporates a holder for a continuous strip of tickets which readily dispenses a single ticket or multiple tickets. The free end of the continuous strip of tickets is fed through an opening in the holder which has a ticket locator that maintains the first ticket in the strip readily available, and provides an edge to facilitate the removal of a single ticket or multiple tickets. In addition storage compartments are attached to the ticket holder to store items associated with the sale of the tickets. This makes a convenient, portable device which is easily moved from place to place and, also, keeps all necessary items together.

Abstract: A microtome particularly suitable for sectioning specimen to be observed on a transmission type electron microscope. Mounted on top of and located to one side of a machine base (2) are an X-Y axis stage and a tilting stage (4) which in turn supports thereon a cutter holder block (5) with a cutting knife (6). Located to the other side of the machine base (2) is a micro-feed mechanism (7) which supports thereon a specimen holder support arm (12) with specimen (14) and a Z-axis stage (11). The micro-feed mechanism (7) has first and second linear motor stages (8) and (9) to be displaced inversely in intersecting directions crossed each other with a predetermined intersection angle (28) across Y-axis. As the first and second linear motor stages (8) and (9) are displaced at the intersection angle (20) with each other, the specimen (14) is displaced over a small distance of nanometrically fine level in the direction of X-axis, thereby permitting to produce an ultra-thin specimen piece.

Abstract: A filament trimmer has an improved trimmer head. The trimmer head includes a spool having crush ribs on its core to prevent contraction of the filament line from warping or otherwise damaging the spool. A slot shaped exit aperture is provided in the head which can be opened up when the head is disassembled to allow the filament line to be more easily placed therein, but which will be closed when the head is fully assembled and will constrain the line against excessive vertical movement. The head includes a line indexing system for feeding out additional line in which one of the groups of the conventional teeth in such system are vertically spaced away from the spool flanges and are placed on a spool core extension. A dirt seal is provided to help prevent from passing around the ground engaging member of the indexing system. Finally, the head includes a self threading drive shaft that forms the attachment threads for the head into the head when the head is threaded onto the drive shaft.

Abstract: A method for making perforations in a continuous film which is thereafter cut into individual filmstrips having variable lengths. A die set unit of the perforator has a plurality of punches and corresponding dies which are respectively arranged along the continuous film. The die set unit performs die-punching N times (N=1, 2, 3 . . .) in every first section having a variable length Lx, and the measuring feeder transports the continuous film by a first length after each of (N-1) times die-punching and by a second length after the last die-punching for every first section. The first length is given as Lx/N, and the second length corresponds to the first length plus the length L2 of a second section disposed alternately with the first section along the continuous film. In alternative, the die set unit is constituted of first to nth die sets aligned in order from downstream to in the film transporting direction. The ith die set of the die sets has a number Gi (i=1, 2, . . .

Abstract: An automatic reconfigurable die having an array of knives, each of which is separately pivoted and extended along and about a respective longitudinal axis, to allow a desired contour to be scored and cut from a sheet material, according to a real time computer plan which is controlling the array of knives. The automatic reconfigurable die includes actuators associated with each knife to control, via information associated with a remote computer system, the extension and retraction, and orientation of the knives. The computer selects the appropriate setpoints for each knife in order to match the required shape/pattern of the cut by simple curve fitting methods. In this manner, a selected plurality of the knives in the array are chosen, oriented and extended in real time to score/cut the selected part.

Abstract: Cutting insert and tool, wherein the tool has a seat formed by at least 190 degrees of a cylindrical seat surface, and the insert has an outwardly projecting region forming a cutting edge and three convex regions simultaneously touching the cylindrical seat surface at three distinct points. Those points form an imaginary triangle with all angles acute. A center of the cylindrical seat surface lies within the imaginary triangle, and a center of gravity of the insert lies outside of the imaginary triangle. The insert can only be removed from the seat after being rotated by a prescribed angle away from its cutting position.

Abstract: A punching device comprises a housing carrying a main punch body in the form of a plate mounted for rectilinear sliding movement, the punch body comprising a driving rack extending downwardly along each side, and a plurality of integral punch members projecting downwardly in a staggered array, the punch members being waisted. The device comprises an operating handle pivotally mounted on the housing carrying drive pinions engageable with the racks, so that by movement of the handle, the punch body may be raised and lowered. The punch body additionally carries auxiliary punch members, each being mounted on the punch body for longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto.

Abstract: Miter joint cutting apparatus includes a base, and an adjusting member mounted on the base for relative sliding movement to a position along the direction of a saw line. A workpiece locating mechanism is mounted on the base for angular adjustment with respect to the saw line, and includes a pair of elongate guide boxes wherein each box has a lower lateral wall parallel to the base for supporting a workpiece with a forward end of the wall pivoted to the adjusting member, and a vertical wall extending from the lower wall. The lateral wall is coupled to the base via a projection which slides in a lateral slot in the base, as the guide box is moved by operation of the adjusting member.

Abstract: A process for preparing tubular coupons formed of a pair of tube lengths butt-welded together with a full depth circumferential weld includes partially diagonally cutting the coupon sample through its transverse dimension so as to leave a thin bending strip along one wall of the coupon about which the coupon is bent for inspection of the internal surface of the weld area. Two procedures are described, both of which leave the interior surface of the weld exposed adjacent the diagonal cutting line through the coupon. The procedure facilitates bending open the cut coupon for internal inspection of the weld area. A jig fixture for holding the coupon during cutting by a band saw blade is described.

Abstract: A cutting tool for material, such as a web, sheet, slab, packaging or other material includes a dynamic guide slot in which the material is moved while it is bent by cooperative surfaces to stiffen the material and to direct the stiffened material into engagement with a blade for cutting the material. A pointed beak can pierce the material to initiate a cutting operation.

Abstract: A power operated tool positioner for moving a tool parallel to a tool-positioning axis has a first tool-contacting member movable parallel to the tool-positioning axis for exerting a first pushing force against the tool, and a second tool-contacting member movable transverse to the tool-positioning axis for simultaneously exerting a second pushing force against the tool perpendicular to the first pushing force to resist any tendency of the first pushing force to tilt the tool obliquely relative to the tool-positioning axis. A third tool-contacting member is preferably provided for exerting a third pushing force to push the tool in the opposite direction from the first tool-contacting member, likewise while the second tool-contacting member is simultaneously pushing against the tool. The second tool-contacting member preferably exerts its pushing force prior to the commencement of the first or third pushing force.

Abstract: A burster for continuous single part business forms having a paper weight of about 32 lbs. or less utilizes a conventional transport mechanism, high speed rolls, and breaker blade. The slow speed rolls are substantially smooth surfaced (no axial grooves) and are mounted so that there is a fixed gap between them of 0.005-0.008 inches, which gap can be adjusted prior to machine operation. With this fixed gap, bubble formation in the business forms being burst does not occur, and there is no reason to use a servo or stepper motor to cycle the slow speed rolls apart and together. The high speed rolls are spring biased together and the transport mechanism includes a tractor pin feed drive located upstream of the slow speed rolls, a set of driven pull rolls between the tractor pin feed drive and the slow rolls, and a transport belt assembly. Spaced sheet metal plates may be used in place of the slow speed rolls.

Abstract: An automatic protective bagel slicing system for automatically slicing food, such as bagels or rolls, into symmetric halves within an enclosed drawer for precluding injury to a user. The inventive device includes an encasement having an interior cavity, a drawer slidably projecting into the encasement, a loop blade rotatably connected mesial a motor and a pulley traverse to the drawer's line of motion, and a slot within the drawer to receive the blade. An outer track is secured to a bottom surface of the drawer and an inner track is secured to a bottom surface of the interior cavity for slidably engaging the outer track. The food to be sliced is positioned within the drawer and the drawer is pushed into the encasement where the blade cuts the food into symmetrical halves.

Abstract: A detachable oscillating unit is provided which converts a conventional wet shave razor, such as a disposable razor, into an oscillating wet shave razor. The oscillating unit includes a body forming a hollow interior cavity and a pair of attachment members which are fixed to the body for removably attaching the body to the handle of the razor. The attachment members form a longitudinal channel which receives the handle therein and the handle is resiliently clamped or gripped therebetween. The oscillating unit also includes an electric motor mounted within the hollow interior cavity which has a rotatable shaft extending therefrom, an eccentric weight connected to the shaft and disposed within the hollow cavity, and a battery operatively connected to the motor. The motor rotates the eccentric weight to provide a vibration signal which is transmitted from the motor, through the body and the attachment members, to the handle of the razor where it is transmitted to a cutting blade.

Abstract: A miter saw clamp accessory to facilitate vertical and/or horizontal clamping of a workpiece against a supporting worktable and fence is disclosed. The miter saw clamp accessory includes a pair of extension rods extending laterally outwardly from one end of a frame with a clamp support mounted on such extension rods. A clamp shaft is adapted to be mounted in a top opening of the clamp support for vertical clamping or in a side opening of the clamp support for horizontal clamping of the workpiece. A clamp assembly is mounted on the clamp shaft and includes a connecting arm for adjustable mounting of a clamping arm having a workpiece clamp at one end that is arranged for confronting opposed positioning relative to the frame for vertical clamping or to the fence for horizontal clamping of the workpiece. A miter saw crown molding jig accessory is also disclosed for mounting on a miter saw frame.

Abstract: A manual tool is driven by an electric motor, and has a primary handle and a secondary handle arranged at a distance from each other. A switch is situated in the manual tool and can only be switched on by the simultaneous actuation of two contact mechanisms, one arranged in each handle, the motor being switched off when grip on either handle is released. The tool further comprises an initiating device in the form of a safety interlock mechanism which is adapted to prevent actuation of the switch, unless the safety interlock mechanism is actuated prior to actuation of the contact mechanism arranged in the primary handle. The switching mechanism is particularly suitable for a hedge clipper or chainsaw, especially a cordless tool.