Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a custom resilient foam support for a human body from a foam block having first and second opposite sides. The method includes placing the first side of the foam against a plurality of individually adjusted supports which are movable towards the first side and placing a human body against the second side of the foam block. The supports are individually adjusted for compressing portions of the foam block for obtaining the desired support characteristics of the human body and cutting means cut the foam block along a plane between the supports and the body.

Abstract: A device for performing the continuous cutting of materials of any form and nature, provided they are stratified and not flexionally rigid. The device generally comprises: fixed and mobile support surfaces; a mobile cutting shear cooperating with a fixed cutting shear; a fixed blocking unit on the fixed support surface side of the cutting shears; a mobile blocking unit on the mobile support surface side of the cutting shears; an eccentric for driving mobile portions of the device, including the mobile cutting shear, the eccentric being synchronized with the fixed and mobile blocking units; and a link block and slide guide. Non-rigid, stratified materials thereby may be more easily cut in that the invention substantially reduces or eliminates the dragging effect of the material that typically occurs during the cutting process.

Abstract: A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator predeformed in compression actuates a cable cutter mechanism. A cable or other item to be cut is placed between an anvil and a movable blade affixed to the SMA element. The SMA element is heated by an electrical resistance heater to cause it to return to its undeformed elongated state, thereby moving the blade against the anvil to compress and sever the cable or other item. Ones of the shape memory alloy actuator have a plurality of parallelly arranged SMA elements, every other one of which is predeformed in compression and intermediate ones of which are predeformed in tension. The elements are coupled end-to-end so that, when they are heated to cause them to return to their undeformed states, their respective elongations and shrinkages combine at the output to produce an actuation that is the cumulation in the same direction of the changes of all the elements. The plurality of elements may be in a side-by-side or concentric arrangement.

Abstract: As a cutter having first and second cutter blades is driven toward a molded ceiling consisting of a base material and a surface material which is attached to the base material in a stretched state, the surface material is first cut by the first cutter blade which is adapted to cut the molded ceiling at a position outside of a predetermined trimming or cutting position such that the trimmed or cut end of the surface material is inclined to have a flat triangular sectional shape. Then, the inclined end of the surface material is cut off together with an excess portion of the base material by means of the second cutter blade which is adapted to cut the molded ceiling at the predetermined trimming or cutting position.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing diced food product includes a endless wire mesh conveyor belt for supporting food product to be diced. In one embodiment, a plurality of high pressure water jet nozzles are spaced apart on a water manifold that extends in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt and is reciprocative across the conveyor belt. The jets of water pass through the product, the belt and a slotted grid matching the spacing of the water jets. In one specific arrangement, the nozzles extend over a length at least equal to twice the length of transverse movement of the manifold less the distance between adjacent nozzles, and the speed of movement of the manifold and conveyor belt are equal, whereby to produce diced food product of square configuration. In another arrangement, the speed of movement of the manifold or belt is made faster or slower than the other, whereby to produce diced product of diamond configuration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for edge sharpening a strip that provides a doctor blade or a squeegee blade (e.g. for use in screen printing), wherein a rotary cutting blade cuts through the strip between the opposite major faces of the strip, and at fixed angles to said major faces, while the strip is move longitudinally relative to the rotary cutting blade. The apparatus, which constitutes a strip blade edge sharpening machine, comprises a rotary cutting blade, a support structure to support the strip in upright attitude upon a minor face of the strip, and a mechanism to effect relative movement between the rotary cutting blade and the strip in a direction longitudinally of the strip such that the rotary cutting blade cuts through the strip between the opposite major faces of the strip, and at fixed angles to said major faces, at a location spaced by a predetermined constant distance from the strip's supported minor face.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for cutting patterned sheets. The apparatus is made of a support surface formed on an upper side of a pedestal. Needle holders having removable needles therein are disposed above said support surface and held adjustably by a base member. The apparatus also includes a suction pipe disposed on one side edge of the support surface. The suction pipe is used with an envelope of air-impervious material and forms one edge of the envelope.

Abstract: The saw blade has a series of teeth which are formed with cutting elements which are spaced inwardly from an outer circumferential edge and have sides which extend outwardly from planar sides of the saw blade. The saw blade is designed to cut yieldable material without cutting the carrier medium which can be a conveyor belt or a caul. Cutting is achieved by pushing the blade into the yieldable material until a cutting element engages the material. Movement of the blade then causes the cutting element to cut the yieldable material until a full depth cut is accomplished. The conveyor belt or caul is not cut by the saw blade outer edge which acts like a smooth disk. The saw blade can include a wear strip positioned on the outer circumferential rim to lengthen the life of the saw blade and conveyor belt or caul.

Abstract: A method of cutting stacked layers of compressible material utilizing a steel rule cutting die. An open cell foam member is placed in the area between spaced portions of the cutting die to define a flat upper surface substantially flush with the sharpened upper edge of the cutting die. The stacked layers of compressible material are placed on top of the foam member and on top of the sharpened upper edge of the die and the upper platen of the associated press is lowered to precompress the stacked compressible layers prior to the cutting operation by the die. The foam member is an open cell member and has a compressibility such that it maintains a flat upper face flush with the upper cutting edge of the die during the precompression of the layers and thereafter moves downwardly in a smooth translatory manner to allow the layer to be moved downwardly through the cutting die.

Abstract: Printed elastic bands are made by piercing, evacuating and flattening an elastic tubing and washing and scrubbing and drying the upper surface of the tubing, aligning a tubing on a conveyor and moving the tubing upward toward a printing head and quickly downward away from the printing head while maintaining the tubing flattened. The printing is devolatilized and cured while the tubing continues to move to the cutoff point. Nip rollers drive a tubing onto a cutoff platen, a final roller near the edge of the platen has a higher surface speed than the nip rollers to flatten the tubing. Printing on the tubing is sensed and rotating knives are sensed and the speed of the nip rollers is controlled to cut the tubing between the printed areas. Severed printed bands are removed by vacuum and are discharged from a cyclone separator.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for the accumulation, cutting, and stacking of continuously moving web material such as fabric tape that is to be printed and cut by appropriate processing apparatus into a plurality of discrete labels. The method and apparatus provide for the accumulation of the continuously-supplied web between a base and an overlying resilient spring member while other processing steps such as web cutting are being performed on the web. The spring member engages the tape to temporarily suspend its forward advancement while allowing the tape to accumulate between the spring member and the base. The cut labels are stacked in a bottom-fed stacking assembly having a stacker chute that is angled both rearwardly with respect to the machine front and backwardly in the direction of label advancement to permit the removal of previously processed labels during operation of the processing apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to apparatus for cutting irradiated fuel elements when in the horizontal position. A fuel element is placed on a support and presents a cross-section for cutting. The fuel element may be displaced along its longitudinal axis. In the immediate proximity of the cutting section, the fuel element is compressed by at least one side clamp, and between two cuts the side clamp(s) is/are unclamped, the fuel element is then advanced by a desired length, and the side clamp(s) is/are reclamped. The end pieces cut off by end piece cutters fall into a fixed end piece removal apparatus. The rods are cut up inside a cavity in such a manner as to confine the cut-off lengths therein, the cavity being provided with a bottom opening enabling the cut-off lengths to be removed and directed towards a fixed rod-removal apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the end pieces are cut off against the front face of the carriage which carries the rod-cutting blade.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of emptying from a case a compressible load consisting of carton blanks, prongs penetrate through a preformed perforation in opposite side walls of the case and push the load away from those walls, an upper portion of the case is partially severed by knives along respective paths at those walls, other cuts are formed across the top wall along the other two side walls of the case, suction cups pull away that upper portion, the load is received between support fingers, the load and the lower portion of the case are turned through 180 degrees in a vertical plane, the inverted lower portion is removed from the load by suction cups, and a gripping head seizes the load and removes it from between the support fingers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a stream of cut filaments from a source of tangled, non-oriented filaments. A feeder ram is movable between a feed position and a load position for directing filaments from the source of non-oriented filaments into interfering relation with advancement of a cutter ram. The cutter ram is movable between a load position and a cut position for directing at least a portion of the filaments, which are in interfering relation with advancement of the cutter ram, against at least two blades. Fibers directed against the blades are cut to form, with remaining filaments which are not cut, a stream of cut filaments. The blades can be configured for continuous sharpening of blade edges during cutting.

Abstract: An apparatus for dividing scrap tires having a compression transport in a rotary shear station. The compression transport centers the tire and provides forces onto the treaded periphery to buckle the scrap tire. The compression transport then feeds the tire to the rotary shear station in a straight-line manner. The rotary shear station has overlapping and counter-rotating circular shears that make at least one cut along the length of the collapsed tire to produce annular tire segments. The movement of the collapsed tire relative to the rotary shear station remains a linear movement during the shearing process. Preferably, the rotary shearing station includes a pair of coaxial circular shears that are spaced apart by a third shear supported on a shaft parallel to a shaft supporting the spaced pair of shears. In this manner, the scrap tire is reduced to three segments as a pair of shearing cuts are made parallel to the flattened tread of the scrap tire.

Abstract: A stationary steel rule cutting die for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the steel rule die and including a vacuum system for reducing the stacked height of the compressible material layers prior to cutting. The die assembly includes an enclosure comprising an upper wall and collapsible side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall. A rigid annular structure is secured to the lower edge of the collapsible side walls. The enclosure is positioned over the stacked compressible material layers with an annular sealing surface defined on the lower peripheral edges of the rigid annular structure coacting with an upwardly facing, closed loop sealing surface defined on the steel rule cutting die to define a sealed chamber from which air is exhausted through the rigid annular structure to collapse the side walls of the enclosure and compress the material layers prior to cutting.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members mounted on a movable carriage. The carriage provides reciprocating motion to the shearing members between two shearing work stations. While shearing action takes place at a first work station a scrap tire is fed into the adjacent work station, whereafter the bead wires of the scrap tire are first elongated and then compressed into overlying adjacent positions. Advancement of the shearing members into the tire produces a first tire shear that is at least closely tangential to the bead wires. When the pinch point of the shearing members is proximate the bead wires forward movement of the carriage is ceased. However, the tire is caused to rotate about its axis by the shearing members to produce a second shear that is substantially concentric with the bead wires, the first and second shears being a single continuous motion.

Abstract: A stationary steel rule cutting die for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the steel rule die and including a vacuum system for reducing the stacked height of the compressible material layers prior to cutting. The die assembly includes an enclosure comprising an upper wall and collapsible side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall. The enclosure is positioned over the stacked compressible material layers with the lower peripheral edges of the side walls of the enclosure coacting with an upwardly facing, closed loop sealing surface defined on the steel rule cutting die to define a sealed chamber from which air is exhausted to collapse the side walls of the enclosure and compress the material layers prior to cutting.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members and a movable carriage. The carriage includes a plurality of rolls positioned to fit within the inside diameter of a tire. One of these rolls is a tensioning roll that is movable so as to stretch the tire and elongate the bead wires. This elongation crowds the bead wires against a crowding bar. The crowding bar and a pair of compression rollers are mounted to a rod which is moved downwardly when the carriage is advanced toward the shearing members, said compression rollers being positioned to apply compression force to the side wall of the tire as the rollers descend. The compression force aligns the bead wires with a bead guide roll so that the crowding bar may be pivoted away from the subsequent shearing action, the bead wires then being crowded against the bead guide roll.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making printed elastic bands from elastic tubing. The tubing is conveyed, perforated for exhausting fluid therefrom, flattened, cleaned, dried, printed and cut into printed elastic bands.

Abstract: An apparatus for segmenting scrap tires having a compression conveyor and three rotary shears that make perpendicular cuts into the tire. The compression conveyor centers the tire and provides forces onto the treaded periphery to buckle the tire. The compression feeds the tire to a first rotary shear having overlapping counterrotating circular shears that make at least one cut about the circumferential periphery of the tire to produce annular tire segments. The annular tire segments fall by gravity into a conveyor having a pair of auger flights which position the segments for pickup by a conveyor chain. The conveyor chain includes a number of hooks which grasp the inner circumference of the annular tire segments, whereupon they are centered for entry into a second and third rotary shear.

Abstract: The method comprises cutting a glass wool blanket with a circular cutting grid having elastomeric plugs in the grid spaces. The cut columns and the plugs are both compressed. The cut columns are ejected by expansion of the plugs.

Abstract: A stationary steel rule cutting die for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the rule die, including a vacuum system for vertically reducing the stack height of the compressible material layers without lateral distortion prior to cutting and retaining the compress condition during the progressive or incremental cutting operations.

Abstract: A method for obtaining strips from a material, particularly a latex coagulum, is characterized by raising the material with a fluid via a solid piece arranged below the material and placed directly in contact with the material, and cutting the material into strips above the solid piece by the use of cutting means.The invention also concerns apparatus for carrying out this method, as well as the strips obtained by this method or with the apparatus.

Abstract: The cylinder may be an aircraft landing gear axle. The items may be pick- to sense axle deformation. A ring (30) for supporting the pick-ups is made of highly resilient material. It is initially of such a size that its cylinder-engaging surface overlaps the cylindrical surface it is to engage. The ring is then deformed by urging at least two points (34 to 37) around its circumference to increase the degree of overlap. While maintaining the deforming force on the ring, its cylinder-engaging surface (31) is machined so that there is no longer any overlap, and still maintaining the force, the ring is engaged with the cylinder. The force is then removed. The said points move resiliently away from the cylinder, but intermediate points are consequently resiliently urged into contact with the cylinder. The contact is smooth and progressive, thus avoiding the kind of stress concentrations that could reduce cylinder life by fatigue, etc.

Abstract: An apparatus for collapsing and storing used burnable poison assemblies in a reduced volume, which includes a hanger member movable up and down for lifting a holder portion of a burnable poison assembly; a cutter for cutting solid portions of thimble plugs and poison rods of the burnable poison assembly hung on the hanger member; a restricting mechanism for holding the poison rods in restricted positions, restraining spontaneous movements in lateral directions; a gripper member movable up and down and capable of releasably gripping the poison rods; a packing mechanism capable of pushing aside previously stored poison rods in a container to put thereinto the poison rods gripped by the gripper member; and a thimble plug handling mechanism for guiding cut-off thimble plugs onto a receptable tray and placing the same in a container.

Abstract: An underwater compressing and cutting apparatus for activated or contaminated components of the core of a nuclear reactor by means of which even components of different geometry and different properties can be compressed to reduce their bulk and cut. The apparatus comprises a frame and slidable sleds, one sled having a squeezing jaw and the other sled having a chopping knife which are operated by unidirectional hydraulic cylinders.

Abstract: A method of making a suction catheter having grooves and suction holes in the grooves is disclosed which includes the step of clamping a tube to effect a bulge and moving a knife longitudinally of the tube to skive the outer portion of the bulge to form a groove after clamping pressures are removed. Holes are formed in the bottom walls of the grooves. Skiving apparatus is disclosed which includes a clamping device for positioning and bulging a tube adjacent one end, and a knife relatively movable longitudinally of the tube to skive the bulge.

Abstract: An extrusion die for extruding helical gears or the like is formed with an extrusion passage having a predetermined draft by initially forming a blank with a central bore and frusto conical outer side surface coaxial with the bore. The formed blank is then forcibly pressed into a frusto conical bore in a die case. The frusto conical bore in the die case is tapered at an angle less than that of the outer surface of the die blank, thus when seated in the bore, radial compressive forces are applied to the blank which progressively increase in magnitude from the small diameter end of the blank to its large diameter end. While so compressed, helical gear teeth are cut into the wall of the central bore of the blank. Upon removal from the case, the blank metal expands radially to provide the machined central passage with the desired draft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fine shearing a metal workpiece involves placing the workpiece on a stationary die surface for support and driving a single punch against the workpiece such that at least a portion of the workpiece is placed in compression. The punch is then driven into and through the workpiece along a predetermined path which has a first directional component both perpendicular to and directed toward the die surface and a second directional component both parallel to the die surface and directed into the compressed portion of the workpiece. The punch is driven with a force having components both perpendicular to and parallel to the path of the punch. The force component perpendicular to the punch path is large enough to keep the compressed portion of the workpiece in a plastic state. The force component parallel to the path of the punch is large enough to overcome the shear strength of the workpiece along the path.

Abstract: A stationary steel rule cutting die for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the rule die including a vacuum system for reducing the stack height of the compressible material layers prior to cutting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining sheets from a flexible material, particularly a latex coagulum, is characterized by the following features:(a) the material is floated in a fluid so that a part of the material emerges above the fluid;(b) a depression is produced on a portion of the emerged part by the use of depressing means;(c) sheets are cut off from the depressed portion by the use of cutting means; and(d) the thickness of the sheets is adjusted by varying the difference in height between the level of the depressing means and the level of the cutting means in the depressed portion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dismantling, shearing and compacting a fuel assembly frame skeleton. A frame is provided which can be placed into the transfer canal of a fuel-handling building for severing a bottom nozzle from the thimble tubes and grids of the frame skeleton, compacting the remainder of the skeleton, and then further severing the thimble tubes and grids into shorter longitudinal lengths, and placing the shortened compacted severed pieces into a container for off-site shipment or on-site storage.

Abstract: A method of cutting a hole in the wall of a pliable tube in which the tube is flattened and is held with the walls touching each other and in which a plug is cut in one of the sidewalls while the tube is in this flattened position.

Abstract: A reclaim system for plastic bottles whereby the bottles are held between moving belts and the contaminated portion sawed from the uncontaminated portion, thereby permitting suitable reclaim of the respective parts. The method of operation is also shown.

Abstract: A method for preforming magnetic drum material involves the use of a hydraulic press and sleeve which in turn compresses the material and then cuts the material into a specific shape. This process is repeated until the material builds up in the sleeve to the required charge thickness. This method has improved the molding process by eliminating air and gas voids in the molded magnetic drum.

Abstract: A predetermined volume of the face part of a segment of boneless fresh whole-muscle meat (e.g. strip loin, tenderloin, top sirloin butt, or ribeye roll) is positioned in engagement with a stop plate and constrained in a first shaping clamp of given cross-sectional configuration and thickness, and an additional part of the meat segment is constrained in a second shaping clamp of approximately the same cross-sectional configuration, with both shaping clamps solidly filled; cutting the meat segment between the two shaping clamps forms a steak or other meat portion of closely controlled volume and weight.

Abstract: A sleeve having a tapered outer surface is shrink or interference fitted over the outer surface of a die blank in which is formed a central bore, a larger diameter bore and a transition bore therebetween. The diametrical interference between the sleeve and the die blank is effective in producing an elastic deformation of the smaller diameter bore causing it to assume a conical shape. The die blank and sleeve are restrained within a casing and the inner surface of the die is formed by electrical discharge machining, electrical chemical machining or by other known methods. The die casing and sleeve are removed from the die, allowing the release of the stored strain energy of deformation which causes the smaller bore of the die to assume a conical shape tapering radially outwardly from its inner extremity. The sharp corner that results at the innermost end of the smaller bore is removed by lapping a straight-sided tool through the central opening of the die.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting elastomeric material into volumetric elastomer samples is disclosed. These volumetric samples may be reproduced at identical mass for precision testing purposes. The volumetric samples are reproducible for such precision purposes by the use of a volumetric adjustment mechanism which determines the volume of the cavity into which elastomeric material is compressed before cutting. The apparatus also has a moving cutting mechanism with a contoured cutting area, which in combination with the volumetric adjustment apparatus, removes deleterious air bubbles and other deformities prior to cutting the elastomeric material. The volumetric adjustment apparatus is housed within a die apparatus, which has a damping mechanism to permit complete manipulation of the elastomer prior to cutting the elastomer into the volumetric plug. After the cutting of the plug has occurred, the ejection apparatus pushes the volumetric plug from the cavity whereupon another cycle is begun.

Abstract: A watch case containing at least one opening, in combination with means for sealing said opening comprising a plate of circular material containing on one surface thereof a resilient disc shaped material with an edge having a concave outward shape. In a preferred embodiment the plate compresses a stainless disc and the resilient material comprises neoprene rubber.

Abstract: Described is a method of making fluid-issuing openings through the wall of flexible plastic members, particularly fluid conduits, by forming each opening through a small radius of curvature portion of the conduit wall while the respective wall portion is of curved oblong shape in cross-section, such that during use of the conduit, it assumes a circular shape, thereby increasing the radius of curvature of the wall portion and reducing the cross-sectional area of the outer part of the opening formed therethrough. The method is particularly described for producing linear-source water irrigation emitters which have a smaller sensitivity to clogging, which are easier to clean, and which have a smaller sensitivity to pressure variations in the water supply line.

Abstract: A method and a device for recovering the various materials of a composite body having a restricted circumference as compared with its length, for example, cables; the object of the invention is to provide a possibility of recovering separately the constituents, particularly the metals, so that these metals maintain a high degree of purity and their original properties; the method is characterized by cutting the composite body along at least one transverse plane and at least one longitudinal plane and by subsequently sorting out the portions of materials reduced in size and separated from one another by the cutting operation; the device is characterized by a clipping apparatus for shortening the body into portions, by a splitting apparatus for cutting through each shortened portion at least along the longitudinal plane and by a sorting system, in which a degreasing section may be provided between the clipping section and the sorting section.

Abstract: An endless elastic band is severed from a tube of resilient material while the interior of the resultant band is being engaged by tensioning fingers which can be manipulated to deliver the band in at least partially expanded condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating continuous unexpanded structural honeycomb material formed of permanently creasable material comprises rollers for drawing the material in the expansion direction whilst compressing it perpendicularly thereto so that it adopts a second unexpanded state. A guide receives the advancing material and permits slight re-expansion and a double acting severing device, e.g. a circular blade driven by a double-acting ram in forward and return strokes, severs the slightly re-expanded material to form cut lengths. The severing device may be located at the position of a guide of compact form, or at the outlet end of a guide in the form of a channel having at least one resilient wall. A receiving surface, formed in part by a conveyor belt may be provided to receive the cut lengths and allow them to expand. Guides for the expanded material may be arranged to discharge the expanded material from the receiving surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting threads, particularly threads formed of mineral substances such as glass, are disclosed. A rotating drum carrying a plurality of radially extending cutting blades operates in conjunction with a rotating support drum which carries and supports the thread for cutting by the cutting blades. Ejector elements carried by the cutting drum and positioned in the spaces between the cutting blades are urged radially outwardly by centrifugal force and compress the thread against the surface of the support drum. The ejector elements then serve to strip cut sections of the thread from between the blades as the cutting blades move away from the support drum. Compressed air is supplied to the spaces between the cutting blades to remove waste material resulting from the cutting operation.