Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a jerky food product. The method comprises: (a) preparing a raw meat to obtain a moldable meat dough; (b) contacting at least a portion of the meat dough with a jerky mold apparatus having a pre-determined geometric configuration, wherein a plurality of sectors are spatially separated and defined by supported partitions arranged in a pre-determined pattern; (c) causing at least one of the partitions of the jerky mold to impale the meat dough to dispose portions of the meat dough into at least one of the sectors, thus separating the meat dough into a plurality of meat segments having a size and shape corresponding to that of the sectors; (d) removing the meat segments from the jerky mold; and (e) treating the meat segments to produce a plurality of jerky pieces.

Abstract: Method for binding a quire formed of folded sheets slipped into each other, characterized in that it consists in providing at least one cut through the sheets of the quire as of a short distance from the folding edge of the quire, whereby every cut through a sheet of the quire defines a lip extending mainly crosswise to the above-mentioned folding edge of the quire and which is connected to the quire with its far end turned towards the folding edge, and whereby said lip has a widening.

Abstract: Curled decorative grass having a variety of configurations and methods for making such decorative grass is provided which, because of its increased bulk, can also be used as a packing material, animal bedding, cat litter, mulch for soil, and a media for plants. The curled decorative grass is produced by curling a substantially flat sheet of material and thereafter cutting the resulting curled sheet of material, or by cutting a pre-curled material.

Abstract: A device for suspending one end of a saw blade (28) in a first arm (14) of a parallelogram-jigsaw, having a second arm (18) parallel to the first arm and having a a saw blade clamp (38) mounted pivotably with respect to the first arm (14). A third arm (36) is provided parallel to the first arm (14) as positive guide and pivotably mounted, of which the length can be slightly extended or reduced in the longitudinal direction under load. The saw blade clamp (38) is mounted pivotably on the ends of the respective first arm (14) and third arm (36) which ends are opposite the rotation axis (12, 43).

Abstract: A method of cutting a resilient workpiece having sides in opposition to one another to form at least one cut in the workpiece includes the steps of stretching the workpiece, maintaining the workpiece in stretched condition by applying clamping forces to the sides of the workpiece after the workpiece has been stretched, cutting the workpiece while it is clamped and stretched to form a cut in and extending through the workpiece, and unclamping the workpiece after the cut has been formed to allow the workpiece to return to unstretched condition and the cut to close.

Abstract: A process for the compression cutting of foam which uses a moving table which supports a template over which a foam block to be cut is placed. The foam block and template are moved under an angled moving belt compressed and passed against a moving blade. The improvement of the present invention includes the step of placing a second foam block above the foam block to be cut and passing both the foam block to be cut and the second block under the moving belt and cutting only the foam block to be cut. Next, the second foam block is removed and placed on top of the template and becomes a foam block to be cut and a new second foam block is placed over the block to be cut and the process is repeated. The template has a flat base with removable form members affixed to its upper surface. Then, when the template becomes worn, a new base board and sidewall can easily be formed and the removable form members removed from the worn form and placed on the upper surface of the base of the replacement template.

Abstract: A new type of multi-chopper for cutting strands or ribbon shaped material such as strands of glass fibers, and a method of using this chopper, is disclosed. The chopper has at least two chopper assemblies on a rotating frame. When one chopper assembly needs repair, the frame is rotated which brings a rebuilt or repaired chopper assembly into operating position quickly and also brings the assembly needing repair into a position where it can be worked on while the other chopper is operating resulting in much reduced downtime. The frame of the chopper can rotate around a vertical or horizontal line, or around a line passing through two opposite corners of a frame.

Abstract: An ultrasonic apparatus and method for cutting a non-planar workpiece. The apparatus includes an anvil having a non-planar surface for closely engaging an underside of the workpiece. An ultrasonic horn has a non-planar cutting surface closely receiving a topside of the workpiece, wherein the cutting surface and the support surface have complementary non-planar shapes. The ultrasonic horn resonates at a predetermined frequency effect cutting of the workpiece. If the workpiece has a heat fusible component, the workpiece can also be seamed.

Abstract: An EL lamp has a perimeter that is beveled and said rear electrode is smaller in area than said front electrode due to said bevel. The lamp is made by placing an EL panel on a concave die with the rear electrode in contact with the die and shearing the edge of the lamp at an acute angle. The angle is between 30.degree. and 60.degree. and is preferably 45.degree.. The die has a radius of curvature that is 50-150 times the thickness of the panel to prevent deformation of the panel. For circular or nearly circular lamps, the entire perimeter of the lamp can be cut in a single stroke.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing tissue samples for subsequent slicing in a microtone, utilizing a thermally transmissive body and removable mold heads to facilitate encapsulation of tissue samples in a gelatinous substance so that the samples may be selectively oriented for proper slicing in the microtone.

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: In an apparatus for blanking out a sheet material (1) between a punch (4) and a die (6) having a sharp edge (7), the punch (4) is formed by a heterogeneous composite elastic material having localized regions (4a) having a relatively higher hardness, and complementary regions (4b) having a relatively lower hardness.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for trimming signatures moving in a continuous stream and in an arcuate path as controlled by a conveyor. A trimming knife is stationarily disposed adjacent the arcuate path for engaging the marginal edges of the signatures and trimming those edges. Input and output conveyors are in signature-flow communication with the conveyor of the arcuate path, and either input or output conveyor can be reversed for the input and output function, and also the conveyor having the arcuate path can accordingly be reversed so that the signatures can move in either continuous arcuate path of movement for the trimming process.

Abstract: A method and device for cutting out pieces of the desired shape having a cavity with a bottom wall at different levels from a block of plastic foam material. The block of foam material is compressed between a first plate having a relief form member corresponding in shape to the desired cavity and a die having an aperture of the desired contour. The part of the compressed block protruding through the aperture is compressed by the back form member corresponding to the different levels of the cavity and provided on a second plate on the other side of the die remote from the first plate. A straight edge cutting blade cuts the block flush with the die between the die and the second plate to obtain the piece of desired shape.

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 strip 10 of slips 12 is characterized by breaking portions 62,64 at which each individual clip 12a, 12b, 12c is separable from its longitudinal neighbors these portions being coextensive, longitudinally of the strip, with the line of separation 60 which divides off each clip from its longitudinal neighbors and which is formed without removal of material of the strip. This line is achieved by shearing the material of the strip while bowing it about a longitudinal axis so as to present a curved surface to an oncoming shearing tool which has an oppositely curved surface. The extent of the intersection of the opposite curve defines the length of the line of the separation. The breaking portion is adjacent each end of the line. The clips during severence suffer apparent lateral contraction but no longitudinal distortion.