Abstract: A dispenser for rolls of flexible sheet material has a feed roller with a pair of pinch rollers spaced around the feed roller periphery to guide a web of the material from a supply roll to the dispenser exit. A cutting blade is slidably mounted within the feed roller to move in a path parallel to and offset from a radius of the feed roller with cam followers movable with the blade and extending beyond the ends of the feed roller disposed to reciprocate along this radius. Stationary cams are mounted adjacent the ends of the feed roller engaged with the cam followers, respectively, to positively project the blade cutting edge beyond the feed roller periphery to cut the web and retract such edge as the feed roller is rotated by drawing on the web at the dispenser exit.

Abstract: A method of accurately punching holes into a moving web of a thermoplastic film material, and more particularly, punching holes into the web through the intermediary of a rotary serrated tube punch. The invention relates to accurately punching holes into an advancing web of thermoplastic film material utilizing a novel rotary serrated tube punch. The film web is continuously advanced over at least a portion of the circumferential surface of a rotatable anvil roll, and tensioned against the anvil roll surface through the use of suitable tensioning devices, such as tension rollers arranged upstream and downstream of the anvil roll. At least one opening is formed in the circumferential surface of the anvil roll which is slightly larger than the size of the hole which is desired to be punched into the film web through the use of the inventive rotary tube punching arrangement.

Abstract: A high speed rotary cutter includes a rotary drum rotated at varying speeds in synchronization with an associated toothed counterwheel. The rotary drum includes at least one reciprocative cutter blade which is movable radially of the drum into and out of engagement with at least one fixed cutter blade provided on the toothed counterwheel. The movement of the reciprocative cutter blade between a projected and a retracted position thereof is controlled by a rotary cam which is located inside of the rotary drum coaxially therewith and which is driven by a servomotor. The rotary cutter also includes a control unit which controls the servomotor in such a manner that, during a cutting mode, the rotary cam is rotated with its cam nose engaged with the reciprocative cutter blade to urge it into engagement with the fixed cutter blade to shear a continuous corrugated strip.

Abstract: A shearing apparatus for performing several modes of operation on travelling or stationary material. Two cooperative knife drums, which can be rendered rotatable or non-rotatable, form a gap whose spacing is varied by hydraulic piston cylinder assemblies, one mounted on opposed ends of the upper or bottom drum. The adjustable knife drum is held in a parallel or non-parallel positioning or caused to rock with or without additional high frequency oscillations by controlling and regulating the pressure in the cylinders, while simultaneously moving the upper drum towards the lower drum and/or rotating both drums.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a length of wire into wire segments includes a pair of adjacent knife carriers, each disposed for rotation about parallel eccentric shafts. The knife carriers each hold a knife blade having a cutting edge. The cutter is constructed and arranged such that the carriers can selectively rotate about either the axis of rotation of the eccentric, wherein the cutting edges do not cut the wire passing between the cutter, or they can rotate about the center of the eccentric, wherein the edges will cut the wire. When the cutting edges cut the wire, their tangential speed is the same as the wire speed.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a continuous bar of cigarettes into individual cigarettes includes a cutter head supported rotatably on a first rotary shaft, a knife projecting from the cutter head, and a device provided in the cutter head for holding and advancing the knife. A second rotary shaft is coaxial with the first rotary shaft. A gear train is provided between the first and second rotary shafts for rotating the second rotary shaft at a speed which is slightly different from that of the first rotary shaft. The knife advancing device includes a feed screw member which is rotatable by the second rotary shaft.

Abstract: In a paper towel dispenser of the type in which a user grasps a piece of the towel web projecting from a dispenser to pull out a section, which is thereupon automatically severed from the web, the improvement of belting together an internal drum which is driven by the web to sever the web and a safety roller, located at the slot through which the web is dispensed, in such an arrangement that the web is guided by the belt in its transit from the internal drum to the safety roller at the slot.

Abstract: Apparatus for making bags from a folded web of thermoplastic material includes a rotating drum to which the web is continuously applied. As the drum rotates through a given arc length, the web is tucked outwardly from the periphery of the drum in progressively deeper folds wherein the depth of tuck determines the width of the bag. A cam, controlling the depth of tuck is movable in a rectilinear radial direction for adjusting the depth of tuck, thereby controlling the bag width.

Abstract: A cutter wheel is provided having a plurality of spokes thereon interfitting with successive apertures in a continuous strip of plastic material assembled with cans, such as beverage cans, and having spaced cutting blades thereon for severing the plastic strip at spaced intervals to produce discreet packages, i.e., "six packs". The wheel is driven by the strip and overlies the strip, lying in a plane parallel to the direction of motion of the strip and assembled can. Each spoke is offset from a radial position so that a spoke is upstream from a radial line perpendicular to the strip when such spoke reaches a vertical position perpendicular to the strip for the associated cutter to effect its cut.

Abstract: An improved rotary knife assembly for severing a moving web in which a support is mounted on a frame for rotary movement around a first axis, and a knife blade is mounted on the support for rotary movement around a second axis generally parallel to and spaced from the first axis. The knife blade is adapted to move from a first position remote from the web to a second position at which it engages and severs the web. Means are provided for concomitantly driving the support and the blade around the axes to move the blade from the first position through the second position and back to the first position.

Abstract: An article inspection and cutting apparatus (10) is described for high production processing of elongated articles (12) such as raw potato strips (french fries). The apparatus includes a conveyor (20) for moving the articles (12) in line in a large number of transversely spaced lanes past an inspection (28) station and a cutting station (30). Scanning cameras (38, 40) at the inspection station (28) rapidly scan across the lanes to detect color or shade variation in the articles (12) and generate electrical signals characteristic of the defect. Rotating sets of knife wheels (54) are positioned at the cutting station for selectively projecting two or more knives (68) from the periphery of the wheel to cut sections of the article (12) containing the defect to separate the defective portion from the remainder of the article. The apparatus 10 has the capability of detecting the size of different shade defects and removing smaller dark defects and larger lighter defects.

Abstract: A cutting device for continuous rods of cigarette, in which a substantially cylindrical cutting head is rotatably mounted about its axis on a support and is drivingly connected by a central coupling to a drive shaft extending through the support, the cutting head being provided with a flexible cutting blade incrementally removable from a magazine at least in part constituted by a guide for the blade extending through the head in a substantially diametrical direction and around the coupling.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting rod or strand-like products comprised of a rotary holder positioned adjacent the outlet end of a tube from which a water jet is discharged and in which the rod or strand-like products are entrained. The rotary holder includes a plurality of individually actuatable cutting blades movable between cutting and non-cutting positions. An optical scanner determines the presence of dark or discolored areas on the products and generates a signal timed to actuate a sufficient number of cutting blades which will cut through the product as it emerges from the tube and separate the discolored area from the acceptable areas. The cutting blades can be held inoperative by electromagnets and returned by a cam. Alternatively, the blades can include a deflection member and jet nozzles can be employed to pivot the blades in and out of the cutting position.

Abstract: Mechanism for cutting a web of rolled flexible sheet material in a dispenser having a feed roller and pinch roller between which the web passes is provided with a knife mounted in the feed roller to be projected outwardly beyond the periphery of the feed roller during a web severing cycle wherein engagement of the pinch roller with the web immediately before the knife penetrates it acts to maintain tension in the web ahead of the knife and a high friction surface portion of the feed roller periphery which is in contact with the roll of material maintains tension in the web behind the knife as the web severing cycle proceeds while peripheral protrusions on the feed roller momentarily bump the roll out of contact with the feed roller during feed roller rotation to permit periphery which is in contact with the roll of material maintains tension in the web behind the knife as the web severing cycle proceeds while peripheral protrusions on the feed roller momentarily bump the roll out of contact with the feed roll

Abstract: A dispenser for rolled flexible sheet material, wherein several plies of material fed from multiple source rolls are jointly cut while passing over a feed roller associated with a cutter, has a retarding force applied to the exterior of one source roll at a point remote from the point where such roll rests on the feed roller of the dispenser such that the interengagement between the web plies is enhanced to enable their being jointly cut by the cutter without undue slippage between the web plies.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting round corners on advancing sheets. The sheets are cut from a web and advanced continuously to a transport roll provided with aligned corner-rounding assemblies located to meet the line of cut between successive sheets.

Abstract: A mechanism for cutting a web of flexible sheet material which is adapted to be used in a dispenser having a feed roller and a pinch roller between which rollers the web passes. A knife is pivotally mounted in the feed roller to swing about an axis laterally displaced from the plane of a radially outward portion of the knife defining a cutting edge which edge is projected outwardly beyond the periphery of the feed roller to cut the web as it passes over the feed roller and cam followers ar carried by the ends of the knife extending beyond the ends of the feed roller with the followers displaced from the pivot mounting axis of the knife. Stationary cams are mounted adjacent the ends of the feed roller with which the cam followers on the knife engage to positively project the knife cutting edge beyond the feed roller periphery and retract the cutting edge upon rotation of the feed roller.

Abstract: A rotary cutter for sheet or strip material, comprises a roller with an air-pervious surface to which negative air pressure can be applied and an axially disposed knife in the roller which intermittently projects radially from the roller to cut the material when held thereon by negative pressure. Such a cutter can conveniently form part of a belt wrapper for starting a coil of material, where unwanted material can be cut and discarded.

Abstract: A dispenser for wound rolls of flexible sheet material, such as, paper towels, toilet tissue or the like has inwardly facing tracks on the opposite inner side walls of the dispenser housing to receive therein outwardly projecting spindles carried by wound rolls to be dispensed for the rolls to move in succession downwardly relative to the tracks with a section of the lower end of each track slanting away from a feed roller mounted adjacent the lower end of the dispenser housing and each track having at such lower end section a pivotally mounted roll rotation driving guide biased toward the track center to form the lower side of each track section slanting away from the feed roller.

Abstract: A dispenser for sheets of web material, such as paper towels, from a supply roll, including a housing, means for holding a supply roll of the web material, and means for separating a sheet of the web from the supply roll operable in response to a user pulling the sheet from the housing and arranged to present at least a portion of the leading edge of the web ready for a user to seize for the dispensing of a further sheet as a direct result of the user pulling the previous sheet from the dispenser.

Abstract: An improved assembly for forming a plurality of individual packages, containing articles, such as crackers or the like therein. The assembly includes a first roller member and a second roller member which is mounted in cooperative relationship with the first roller member. Each of the roller members includes cooperating members for simultaneously heat sealing, crimping and transversely severing a tubular strip containing the crackers in order to form the individual packages containing the crackers. The improvement includes a slitter member mounted on each of the sealing, crimping and severing members carried by the first roller member. The slitter members slit the film along the end portions.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting and simultaneously dispensing a web of roll material comprising a carrier for a roll of material mounted in a casing and urged against a rotatable drum which is driven in rotation by manual traction applied to a free end of the material extending from the casing. A profiled pawl is supported at one of the ends of the drum and cooperates with a shock absorber and an elastic abutment to brake the drum at the end of one revolution and hold it in readiness for a subsequent pull on the material. An eccentric lever is secured at the other end of the drum and is engaged by a spring such that in a first portion of rotation of the drum, the spring absorbs energy and after a dead point, it releases its energy to drive the drum in rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus for perforating the minor diameter or inner corrugation of a transversely corrugated thermoplastic drainage pipe. A plurality of perforations are simultaneously formed in the inner corrugations of the pipe by reciprocally moving heated punches radially into the pipe, removing the punches and then translating the pipe to another position for the next punching step. In an alternative embodiment, the punches are carried by a rotating ring which positions them opposite an inner corrugation and a cam device drives the punch radially into the pipe.

Abstract: A mechanism for cutting a web of flexible sheet material which is adapted to be used in a dispenser having a feed roller and a pinch roller between which rollers the web passes. A knife is pivotally mounted in the feed roller to swing about an axis laterally displaced from the plane of a radially outward portion of the knife defining a cutting edge which edge is projected outwardly beyond the periphery of the feed roller to cut the web as it passes over the feed roller and cam followers are carried by the ends of the knife extending beyond the ends of the feed roller with the followers displaced from the pivot mounting axis of the knife. Stationary cams are mounted adjacent the ends of the feed roller with which the cam followers on the knife engage to positively project the knife cutting edge beyond the feed roller periphery and retract the cutting edge upon rotation of the feed roller.

Abstract: Both an upper blade carried by an upper drum and a lower blade carried by a lower drum or either of them is so arranged as to describe a non-circular locus when shearing is effected.

Abstract: Disclosed is a drum type flying shear wherein both or either of blades carried by upper and lower drums, respectively, is caused to describe a part of a non-circular locus whose major axis extends vertically when a blank or hot strip is almost sheared off.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cutting textile tow into staple is disclosed. The textile tow is wound onto a textile tow support which is rotatable at a predetermined angular velocity. A plurality of moveable cutting surfaces are attached integrally to the textile tow support around its periphery to permit the tow to be wrapped in surface contact with the cutting surfaces. The tow is cut into staple by transverse or orthogonal movement of the cutting surfaces with respect to the direction of winding of the textile tow on the textile tow support. In a first embodiment of the invention, the cutting surfaces comprise knife bands which are driven by rotation of the textile tow support. In the second embodiment, the cutting surfaces comprise reciprocating knives which are driven by rotation of the textile tow support.

Abstract: Apparatus for punching regularly-spaced apertures in film or tape includes a rotary ring carrying a plurality of radially-extending punches, a further rotary ring carrying a plurality of dies and a drive ring outwardly of the punch-carrying ring which is mounted eccentrically of the punch-carrying ring and serves to force the punches at a punching zone into corresponding dies and thereby punches the required apertures in the film or tape.To avoid damage to the surfaces of the film or tape infeed and outfeed guides are provided for directing the film along an in-feed path initially parallel to the axis of rotation of the punch ring and turning the film or tape about one of the guides rotatable about an axis approximately 17.degree. to the horizontal and in a plane at right angles to the axis of rotation of the punch ring. The out-feed guide is rotatable about a similarly inclined axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting and simultaneously dispensing a web of roll material comprising a carrier for a roll of material mounted in a casing and urged against a rotatable drum which is driven in rotation by manual traction applied to a free end of the material extending from the casing. A profiled pawl is supported at one of the ends of the drum and cooperates with a shock absorber and an elastic abutment to brake the drum at the end of one revolution and hold it in readiness for a subsequent pull on the material. An eccentric lever is secured at the other end of the drum and is engaged by a spring such that in a first portion of rotation of the drum, the spring absorbs energy and after a dead point, it releases its energy to drive the drum in rotation.

Abstract: Both of the upper and lower blades carried by the upper and lower drums, respectively, or either of the upper or lower blade is so arranged as to partially describe a non-circular locus having the vertically extended major axis when complete shearing is effected.

Abstract: A shearing device for cutting rod of the type comprising a pair of coplanar discs with projecting blades has the blades mounted in grooves in the discs so that the tips of the blades can be moved into and out of the path of the rod, thereby enabling the discs to rotate continuously and thus avoiding the problem with the known shearing device of accelerating and stopping the discs and ensuring that the blades are moving at precisely the same speed as the rod during the cutting action.

Abstract: Bias cutting of rubberized fabric material having high strength material embedded therein, wherein a carriage is reciprocated on a support frame, which frame may be adjusted angularly to determine the bias angle of cut. A cutter support is mounted on the carriage for movement therewith. Such cutter support journals for rotation a shaft that supports on one end a rotating cutter mounted off-center. The cutter cooperates with an anvil carried by the cutter support to shear the fabric material. A guide is located adjacent to the anvil for supporting the anvil. Such guide supports material that moves over it. Upon completion of the cut the cutter, anvil and its supporting framework is pivoted out of the way to permit the indexing of the material and the return of the cutter and anvil during such indexing to the starting position in preparation for the succeeding cutting operation.

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: A machine for perforating high density polyethylene film comprising a feed roller, cooperating male and female rollers between which the film passes for perforation and a take-up roller for receiving the perforated film material. A plurality of blade members are housed within the male roller and under the influence of adjustable indexing means are adapted for reciprocal motion relative to the surface of the male roller. In the vicinity of the female roller preselected ones of the blade members are caused to project from the surface of the male roller and to enter a complementary recess in the female roller to perforate the film material as it passes between the male and female rollers. The longitudinal distance between the perforations on the film is determined by the selection of blade members caused to project from the male roller during each revolution of the male roller.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting continuously arriving flat structures, especially printed products, wherein there is provided a revolving driven rim of similar cutter tools which can be each actuated via entrainably moving follower elements through the agency of a common control cam. Operatively associated with each of the cutter tools are feed means for the infeed and removal of a flat structure.

Abstract: A device is provided for the high speed severing into lengths of an elongated material product issuing continuously at high speeds from refined steel mills or wire mills. The product may be rolled wire, for example, moving continuously from the mill through rotating guides. The invention incorporates cooperating radially movable shears directly into two cooperating rotating guides for the wire. The shears are connected to reversible pressure fluid piston and cylinder arrangements also incorporated into the cooperating rotating guides. Actuation of the shears from retracted to cutting positions and vice versa is through pressure fluid lines positioned in the axis of the rotating guides and connected to controls for coordinating the speed of the material to be cut and the speed of the rotating guides with the movement of the shears.

Abstract: An apparatus for breaking out, stripping or separating scrap pieces from a continuously moving sheet of material such as paper or cardboard having a die-cut or punched pattern therein is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pair of counter-rotating cylinder elements between which the sheet moves. At least one of such cylindrical elements, and preferably both, carry tool assemblies which are cam actuated and guided to cause the tool assemblies to move radially of the cylinders and grippingly engage or grasp even small scrap pieces. The tool assemblies further move such pieces, while firmly gripped, in a direction, usually downwardly, causing separation from the remainder of the sheet of material. The cylindrical elements and tool assemblies are formed for selective adjustment of the location of the tool assemblies over the width of the sheet and around the periphery of the cylinders.

Abstract: An article wrapping machine has superposed shafts geared together that mount opposed rotary crimping heads for crimping the wrapping between the articles. A knife blade is radially movable in a slot in the upper crimping head and is projected into a recess in the lower crimping head for severing the wrapping between a string of articles. The blade actuating mechanism comprises a rod axially movable in a bore in the shaft that mounts the upper crimping head. A pair of bell cranks is provided for projecting and retracting the blade. An intermediate portion of each bell crank is pivoted to the crimping head. An outer or free end portion of each crank is pivoted to the blade and the inner ends are pivoted to the rod. The bell cranks are disposed so that the pivotal connections to the blade pass "over center" and the geometry of the arrangement is such that there is virtually no axial or slicing motion of the blade during its radial movement.

Abstract: A rotary perforating apparatus for forming the guide perforations in photographic film, wherein the mechanism which controls the movements of the punch carrier arms comprises a control disc which rotates eccentrically with respect to a film-supporting wheel, and wherein the punch carrier arms are connected to said control disc through control arms which may perform a spacial swinging movement, thereby to provide a mechanism which is little subject to wear, and wherein standard ball bearings and ball joints may be used.

Abstract: A mechanism for perforating a web of flexible sheet material which is adapted to be used in a flexible sheet material dispenser, said mechanism comprising; a rotatably mounted roller, a rotatably mounted knife positioned adjacent the roller and having a radially outward portion defining a cutting edge for perforating the web as the web passes between the roller and the knife, the roller being operatively connected to the knife for synchronous rotation therewith and having a slot therein for receiving the radially outward knife portion as the knife rotates past the roller, and means associated with the knife for orienting the cutting edge substantially in the direction in which the radially outward knife portion moves with respect to the web during the entrance of the portion into the slot so that when the portion enters the slot the cutting edge will effectively perforate the web.