Abstract: A dispenser is provided for dispensing from a roll of tape or labels in a predetermined length, which dispenser includes an inner shell carrying a roll of tape or labels to be dispensed through an outlet opening, an outer housing rotatable for a limited distance with respect to the inner shell with an outlet opening for the tape or labels and an interposed friction lock for advancing the tape or labels for dispensing.

Abstract: Sheet slitting apparatus which includes a plurality of belt members each having a clamp to receive the leading edge of a sheet to be slit. The clamps are urged downwardly by the action of guide members arranged in the belt path to grip the sheet securely during the slitting operation. The clamps are released after slitting is completed.

Abstract: A method of cutting desired pieces from a heat-severable material in which a tool is provided to cut a shape corresponding to one projection of the pieces in one direction and to cut a second projection of the desired pieces in a direction at right angles to said first cut, and a unitary tool to perform the method.

Abstract: An improved rotary shearing apparatus for cutting a rapidly moving body including rotatable blades which may be inserted into a cutting position and withdrawn therefrom, positioning means for inserting or withdrawing the blades into or out of cutting position, and automatic switches and circuitry capable of causing insertion of the blades and their withdrawal within one rotation of the blades, so that the blades will sever the rapidly moving body with a single clean cut and without disturbing its rapid movement.

Abstract: A combination bacon slicing, segregating and weighing machine is provided. The slicing machine has a slicing blade and controls for determining the rate of feed of the bacon belly towards the slicing blade and, consequently, the slice thickness. Receiving and conveying structure is associated with the weighing machine and receives the sliced product coming from the slicing machine. Control apparatus is designed for interruption of the operation of the feeding mechanism by appropriate controls when the slices are at a weight less than the prescribed draft weight. The apparatus then provides for weighing and registering the weight of the accumulated light weight group of sliced product and for counting the number of slices in the lighter group.

Abstract: Continuous strip closed-bottom open-mouthed packaging bags are produced by continually making, at spaced intervals in a continuous flattened tubular oriented plastic film supply, a transversely extending heat seal to define a bag bottom, and, adjacent each heat seal, perforating the two plies of the film supply with a blade heated to effect annealing of the edges of the perforations and having a serrated cutting edge with spaced deep recesses to define connecting tabs between perforations.

Abstract: Electronic components, such as DIP's, which have at least one row of generally right angular or generally linear leads projecting from their bodies, are dispensed from their respective columns in a magazine of the machine, one by one, and as predeterminedly selected by a picker controlled by computer means. Due to occasional obstructive slight irregularities in the formation of the bodies and/or their leads, means is provided to insure exact registration of each selected component with a component inserting mechanism. Improved means for rapid, reliable release and transfer of the successive selected components from the magazine, and between the delivery ends of its respective columns and, a lead conditioning means at the locality of such registration, enable efficient coordination with the inserting mechanism whereby continuous output at a higher rate is attainable.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for cutting continuous strand or roving, particular strands of mineral material such as glass, into short lengths is disclosed. The apparatus employs a rotatable drum equipped with a large number of radially disposed cutting blades, the drum cooperates with a supporting device for supporting the strand as it is cut. Ejector bars are maintained in position on the drum between adjacent cutting blades by elastic mounting members that receive the ends of the ejector bars. The elastic mounting members cause the ejector bars to compress the strand against the support drum as the strand is being cut and, in conjunction with centrifugal force arising from rotation of the drum, to eject the cut pieces of strand from the cutting drum.

Abstract: A guiding and rotary cutting device for severing strips of tape or the like comprising a cylindrical guide post having a slot, preferably tapered, extended transversely through said post and a hollow cylindrical rotatable knife coaxially mounted about the post, said rotatable knife having a longitudinal slot disposed adjacent to and in alignment with the longitudinal first opening of the slot in the guide post and a longitudinal knife slot disposed adjacent to and in alignment with the longitudinal second opening of the slot in the guide post such that upon rotation of the cylindrical knife, a tape or the like protruding out from the longitudinal second opening in the guide post will be severed by the longitudinal knife edge defining the knife slot in the cylindrical knife.

Abstract: A mechanism for achieving a precisely-timed intermittent operation includes an oscillating drive having continuously repeating oscillating cycles during which an output member of the oscillating drive oscillates back and forth between opposed dead center positions. A driven structure which has an input portion is provided for producing a predetermined intermittent operation. A motion-transmitting member has an operating position situated in the path of movement of the output member of the oscillating drive to be moved thereby, the input portion of the driven structure being situated in the path along which the motion-transmitting member is moved by the output member so that when the latter is in its operating positon a drive is transmitted from the output member through the motion-transmitting member to the driven structure to operate the latter. This motion-transmitting member has a retracted, rest position beyond the path of movement of the output member.

Abstract: A first shear-unit is essentially combined with at least one second shear-unit of the same type in a parallel way or in series, to form one single shear machine, wherein the cutting of an advancing bar is alternately at one or the other shear and for this purpose employing a bar-deviator, which is mounted upstream of these shears.

Abstract: Punch presses are positioned for punching holes at selected vertical locations in the flanges of I-beams, angle irons and channels by apparatus which utilizes a movable probe to determine the initial position of the presses and which further utilizes a reversible counter and a comparator to stop the presses after they have moved a selected distance from their initial position.

Abstract: A relatively rigid horizontally extending supporting surface supports a layup of sheet material to be cut. Air is evacuated from between the sheets in the layup, and a sheet of air impervious material covers the layup to aid in compacting the layup. One of several blanking dies in a turret is adapted for vertical movement in a carriage mechanism, which is movable in at least one coordinate direction across the layup. Relative movement in the other coordinate direction is also provided for, and the turret is rotatable on a vertical axis normal to the supporting surface for orienting the die to be used. The blanking die turret is also indexable about a horizontal axis in order to locate its various dies for the blanking motion and thereby minimize waste from the layup of sheet material.

Abstract: A method for cutting lithium metal into a plurality of pieces, and a device for accomplishing the method, are disclosed, comprising the steps of positioning a quantity of lithium metal at a predetermined position between an anvil means and a cutting means which are positioned in operating relationship with each other. A thin flexible film, preferably a plastic, is interposed between the blade and the lithium such that when the blade is forced against the anvil with sufficient force to cut the lithium, the film prevents contact of the blade with the lithium. Indexing of the lithium and the film after each cut permits repetitive cutting to provide a plurality of pieces from the lithium metal stock.

Abstract: Disk cutting apparatus embodying a pair of detachable clamping elements having flat surfaces facing each other for clamping a stack of sheets of material therebetween from which the disks are cut. At least one opening is provided through a clamping element and is of a size corresponding to the size of the disk to be cut. A cutter extends through the opening and has inner and outer cylindrical surfaces with the outer surface being of a size corresponding to the size of the opening. The inner surface at one end of the cutter is beveled to provide an outwardly flaring annular surface which terminates in an annular cutting edge.

Abstract: A dispenser for one or more rolls of pressure sensitive adhesive coated tape. The dispenser includes a core support having an arcuate surface adapted to support the rolls of tape for rotation about the surface. The core support is fixed at one end to a radially projecting member slidably mounted on a base for the dispenser to afford manual movement of the core support between a dispense position at which a roll of tape is retained around the core support by walls of the dispenser adjacent the side surfaces of the roll of tape as tape is pulled from the roll; and a load position at which empty cores can be removed and full rolls of tape applied over an unrestricted end of the core support.

Abstract: A method and machine adapted to removed baked waffles from a succession of waffle irons on a feed conveyor, trim the waffles so removed into a regular peripheral configuration, and transfer those waffles in succession onto a transfer conveyor. The feed conveyor is adapted to convey a series of successive waffle irons, with baked waffles thereon, from an oven to a transfer location. A vacuum head of novel structure is provided at the transfer location to move cyclically in a machine direction of the feed conveyor between an upstream and a downstream location, the vacuum head being raised and lowered during that limited motion path to pick up waffles by vacuum from successive waffle irons without stopping the conveyor. The vacuum head is also movable in the cross machine direction of the feed conveyor between the feed conveyor and a transfer conveyor.

Abstract: The upper and lower shear drums of flying shears having respective shear blades are driven continuously by one motor at a tangential speed synchronized to the translational speed of a stock strip traveling therebetween, and the upper drum is moved between an upper non-shearing position and a lower position for cooperative shearing of the strip with the lower drum by an upper drum displacing mechanism driven by another motor controlled to undergo operational cycles each starting from full stop and ending at full stop during an integral number of revolutions of rotation of either of the drums.

Abstract: Sheet slitting and punching apparatus for cutting a large elongate sheet of paperboard or similar material into a plurality of rectangular cards of uniform size and punching holes in each of the individual cards. A large sheet is fed along a conveying means having two tandemly arranged feed sections separated from each other by a transverse and a longitudinal slitting station. Both feed sections of the conveyor are driven from a common drive means, however, the upstream or infeed section is driven at a conveying speed substantially slower than that of the downstream or outfeed section. Transversely spaced slitters form longitudinally extending slits in the sheet as it is fed along the conveying means. When the feeding end of the sheet reaches a predetermined location near the upstream end of the outfeed conveyor, it engages a sensing element which immediately stops the conveyor drive.

Abstract: In a tobacco cutting machine where tobacco is cut by knives mounted on a rotating drum, the knives are advanced as they are worn away. In order to prevent the knives being advanced too far, and becoming damaged by contact with other machine parts, a safety device is provided. This includes a blade positioned near the path of the knife edges to be struck by a knife if the latter is advanced too far. The resultant movement of the blade is amplified by a lever system and is used to trigger a microswitch in the cutter drum drive circuit, whereby when a knife is advanced too far the cutter drum is stopped. The advancing mechanism for the knives includes a ratchet device driven by pulses of compressed air via a piston and cylinder device.