Abstract: An interchangeable electrical assembly provides a tactile switch that selectively opens and closes a circuit for operating myriad styles of illumination devices. The tactile switch detachably mates with, and regulates conduction of direct current to the illumination device. The tactile switch also provides tactile feedback of an operating position. A wire carries a 12 volt direct current into a switch housing. A conductive member receives the direct current. A cap receives a force to axially displace the conductive member while providing tactile feedback to the position of the conductive member. A contact pin operatively connects to the conductive member. A spring biases the conductive member to disengage from the contact pin. The cap selectively displaces the conductive member to engage the contact pin. An illumination device detachably mates with tactile switch, and includes a conducting shaft, an inverter for converting direct current to alternating current, and circuitry to generate illumination.

Abstract: A detectable cutter knife (100) is useful as a replacement for a conventional cutter knife used in product inspection and cutting systems of the type having a cutting wheel assembly. The cutting wheel assembly includes a knife guide having angularly spaced radially oriented knife support slots through which cutter knives having tangs extending therefrom move between a retracted noncutting position and an extended cutting position. The detectable cutter knife (100) includes a shank (102), a tang (114), and an amount of metallic material in the shank sufficient to stimulate a metal detector. The use of metallic material in the shank permits automatic and efficient detection of a broken cutter knife (100) and its removal from product flow. Preferably, the metallic material takes the form of a ball bearing (152) secured within a hole (150) positioned in a low-stress area (154) of shank (102).

Abstract: A self-cleaning cutter knife (100) is described for use as a replacement for prior art cutter knives in product inspection and cutting apparatus having a cutting wheel assembly including a knife guide having angularly spaced radially oriented knife support slots through which cutter knives having tangs extending therefrom move between a retracted noncutting position and an extended cutting position. The self-cleaning cutter knife (100) includes a shank (102) and a tang (114) similar to those of prior art cutter knife (10) but also includes a secondary blade (126) whose cutting edge (128) is positioned to cut product remnants adhering to the shank (102) as it retracts into the cutting wheel assembly. The secondary blade (126) diminishes the knife jamming that results from accumulation of large product remnants in the cutting wheel assembly knife slots.