Abstract: A die cutter for cutting a product from a sheet of material. The die cutter has a rule die blade, which defines the shape of the product. The die blade is held by a die holder, which has an opening corresponding to the die blade, so that the cut product can pass through the die holder. A platen is mounted for relative movement toward and away from the die holder, and has a groove corresponding to the die blade. The die blade thus does not contact the platen at any time. The platen also has passages for the removal of chaff. A resilient stripper plate is mounted on the die holder, adjacent to the die blade, for stripping the material away from the die blade.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing oblong wooden articles to be used for the manufacture of coherent pairs of chopsticks includes punching or cutting the articles out of veneer sheets along outer straight lines resulting in outer surfaces (6 and 7) being formed. These surfaces are preferably inclining slightly towards one another and extend over the entire length of the articles. The articles are simultaneously provided with a cut along the plane of symmetry between the inclining surfaces (6 and 7), which results in a short uncut portion at the thickest end (9). This cut (8) along the plane of symmetry extends only partially through the articles in the transverse direction thereof, whereby a bridge-creating portion (10) is present between the parts (2 and 3) of the articles. This bridge-creating portion (10) is optionally automatically removed at a succeeding processing involving a bevelling (11-18) of the parts of the article.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing fibrous web pieces by die cutting the pieces from a continuous web. In the method, a fibrous web is provided having adjacent corrugations usually filled with a powder, and the powder-filled web is passed through a matched cutting die set intermittently which cuts and punches out the individual web pieces. Following the web cut out step, the web pieces are transferred downwardly onto a shuttle conveyor, and the pieces moved forward and simultaneously spread apart to permit subsequent convenient placement of the pieces. The cutting die apparatus includes matched punch and body die units which closely interfit with less than about 0.001 inch total clearance, so as to cut and punch out the fibrous web pieces from the continuous web.

Abstract: A method of punching patterns of holes in printed circuit boards and sheets of material used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. Each hole pattern punched is precisely positioned with respect to the metallized circuitry or the photographic image of the circuitry on each sheet of material. This method is accomplished with the use of an optical registration punch which automatically positions each sheet of material and punches a pattern of holes therein at a precise position with respect to the circuitry or the image of the circuitry on each sheet of material.

Abstract: A method of punching cylindrical tubes with openings from the inside to the outside. In accordance with the method, the punching apparatus includes a mandrel that slidably supports the dies and a backup die that includes a slug ejecting punch which serves the dual function of ejecting the slugs from the backup die and also retracting the punches.

Abstract: A steel rule die assembly for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the steel rule including a plate member defining a support surface, a steel rule die adapted to be positioned on the support surface, and a continuous rigid frame adapted to be removably positioned on the support surface in surrounding relation to the steel rule die and pivotally secured to the plate member along one side edge of the frame so as to allow the frame to be pivoted upwardly about that side edge to allow removable and replacement of the steel rule die.

Abstract: A piece of carpet is placed in a press equipped with a cutting tool and with a plate through which pattern on the carpet can be viewed when the plate overlies the carpet. The position of the plate relative to the cutting tool is accurately controlled and the plate can be moved away from the piece of carpet prior to cutting of the latter. The plate has indicating means which can be aligned visually with selected elements of the pattern of the carpet by manual adjustment of the latter to enable the carpet to be cut at predetermined positions with respect to the pattern.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for the cutting of rectangular windows on mats provides a pair of blades on respective tracks which are simultaneously displaced to cut a pair of mutually perpendicular cuts in a blank positioned on a worktable. The blade carriages are actuated by pneumatic cylinders and in turn carry pneumatic cylinders for raising and lowering the blades. The margins of the mat are defined by adjustable bars whose perpendicular distances from a reference point, represented by the junction of the paths of the cuts, can be set.

Abstract: A control device for the driving and translation, in a chosen direction, of the movable head of a diecutter machine, provides for the pre-setting of the direction of translation and for the successive driving of the pressing head by means of five sets of sensitive plates switches, disposed in the front portion of the machine. By touching opportunely one or two of said plates, combinative logic circuits are activated that allow selection of the direction of motion, the actuation of the thus preset displacement and the lowering of the head for the cutting operation.

Abstract: In the art of cutting dies for layers of deformable stock material such as plastic, the improved cutting means combination and method which includes a razor blade cutting edge mounted on a punch press opposite a supporting cutting surface having a slot matching the shape of the razor blade cutting edge. The cutting edge is applied with appropriate pressure to the stack of material in the area of relief provided by the slot so that a clean efficient cut is effected through the stack of material. Preferably the razor blade cutting edge is a single blade so that problems such as material hang ups caused by incomplete cutting are minimized and/or completely eliminated.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disc vehicle wheel having both bolt openings and a center pilot opening in the wheel disc wherein the average axis of the wheel bead seats is eccentrically offset from both the bolt hole circle and center hole axes by an amount and in a direction so as to locate a peak of the first harmonic of bead seat radial runout adjacent to a predetermined location on the wheel rim where the disc punch tooling is constructed such that the bolt hole circle and center hole axes are non-coincident. The location of the average bead seat axis is within a zone bounded by the angular range of the peak location with respect to the predetermined location on the wheel rim, and by radii from the bolt and center openings determined by the maximum allowable bead seat eccentricity.

Abstract: A process for precision cutting of a hole near the edge of a thin workpiece. Clamping of the workpiece laterally adjacent the hole to minimize deformation of the workpiece is achieved prior to cutting the hole with a cutting punch.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for cutting woven labels. According to the invention, the woven labels, in the form of a continuous ribbon or the like, are fed step by step towards an ultrasonic wave cutting device, where each label is centered and pressed between a first cutting element defining the outline of the label and a second cutting element, aligned with the first, constituting an ultrasonic wave emitter; an ultrasonic impulse of adequate frequency and intensity, causes the cutting and simultaneous cold welding of the label all around the edges.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a burr-free blank from an elongated sheet of flat metal stock comprisingpunching a first aperture in one surface of said metal stock, said first aperture extending only partially through said stock;simultaneously forming the lower burnished land portion of said blank;punching a second aperture in the opposite surface of said metal stock, coaxial with said first aperture, said second aperture extending only partially through said stock, said second aperture being smaller than said first aperture;simultaneously forming the upper burnished land portion of said blank, causing the material of said stock to fracture between said burnished land portions and recovering said burr-free blank.The resulting burr-free metal blank exhibits a shiny upper peripheral burnished land portion, a rough, fractured intermediate peripheral portion and a shiny lower peripheral burnished land portion, said lower land portion having a smaller circumference than said upper land portion.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling the movement of a workpiece to be processed in a punch press is disclosed in which after the workpiece is processed by contact of a ram on the upper tool of the press and the ram is momentarily out of contact with the upper tool, the recontact of the ram and upper tool is detected and then the processed workpiece is moved out of the processing position. In addition, the apparatus detects when the ram has returned to the proximity of the top dead center of the eccentric shaft which drives the ram and when the processing of the workpiece has been completed. The apparatus is also provided with a monitoring system which detects a malfunction in the control apparatus.

Abstract: A forging (A) is received in a split ring (B) which provides peripheral support to a forging peripheral wall (14) and an upper peripheral flange (16). The forging and the split ring are supported by a nest member assembly (C) as a trimming assembly (D) moves longitudinally to trim the forging flange and a forging bore (10). A punch (74) with a hardened cutting edge (80) moves axially through the forging bore and interacts with a nesting assembly cutting edge (60) to trim the bore. Concurrently, a trim die (90) having a cutting edge (96) interacts with a split die cutting edge (36) trimming the upper flange. The split ring restrains a central portion of the forging from puffing peripherally outward in response to the punch being urged therethrough. The interaction of the trim die and the split ring inhibits the upper part of the forging adjacent the upper flange from being drawn in toward the forging bore by the interaction between the punch and forging.

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: Method for operating an automatic hollow punch search device and relevant control, for die-cutting machines, particularly for footwear production, in which a mobile head is associated to a device to move it to and fro, both horizontally and vertically, above a fixed faceplate on which the material to be cut is placed, together with a hollow cutting punch. The movement devices are automatically piloted by a drive circuit interlocked to manual starting device which provides means to carry out a complete head movement operating sequence from its positioning above the hollow punch to its lowering and return to the starting point after cutting.

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 method of blanking wherein an endless V-shaped groove of desired contour is formed on at least one of the top and bottom sides of a material sheet. The groove is shaped so that the external side thereof is at a right angle to the groove-cut surface of the sheet. A blank having the desired contour is then cut out of the sheet along the right-angled external side of the groove.

Abstract: A method and device for forming openings in a gelatinous substance in a Petri dish in which the Petri dish (6) is lifted towards punch tools (19) until the tools have penetrated the gelatinous substance and are on or near the base of the dish. The dish is then moved with a low amplitude motion perpendicular to the penetration direction, i.e. horizontally to loosen a pellet of the gelatinous substance within each punch tool from the base (6a) of the dish, and finally the dish is lowered to withdraw the punch tools (19) from the dish while suction applied to a compartment (4) communicating with the interior of each tool extracts the punched pellet and clears the tool for a subsequent penetration in the same or a different dish (6).

Abstract: A method of punching a wheel for a pneumatic tire and wheel assembly manufactured with mounting holes offset from the geometric center to locate the low point of the first harmonic of radial runout adjacent a given angular location, such as the valve hole, so that, when a tire is mounted thereon with the high point of the first harmonic of radial force variation aligned with the valve hole, the respective harmonics cancel each other to provide a tire and wheel assembly with enhanced rotational characteristics. In an apparatus for forming the wheel mounting holes by axially reciprocating a piercing tool against a wheel disc while the bead seats are clamped between wheel locating jaws, axially opposed jaw pairs are centered on an axis offset from the axis of reciprocation such that the centerline of the mounting holes is correspondingly eccentrically offset from the average bead seat axis.

Abstract: A device for use in applying panels to a wall, for providing holes in the panels to expose electrical outlets and switches therethrough. The device includes two components, a box and a cutter plate; the box is fitted to an outlet or switch, that is in position in the wall, and has pins and a peripheral cutting edge directed outwardly when the box is so fitted. The wall panel to be put on the wall is tentatively set in place, bearing against the pins, and is then tapped to drive the pins into and through the panel. The panel is then removed from such tentative position, carrying the box with it, by means of the pins friction-holding in the holes, and laid on the floor with the box down. The cutter plate is then fitted on the pins which are exposed through the panel, applied to the upper surface of the panel, and struck with a hammer, forcing the panel against the peripheral cutting edge of the box, cutting through the panel and leaving a hole therein of the size, shape and location of the box.

Abstract: A Jack-O-Lantern forming method for cutting facial feature openings (14) in a pumpkin (12). At least one pumpkin die element (26) having a closed contour sidewall element (32) is provided. The sidewall element (32) has a lower edge (36) adapted for contiguous interface with the pumpkin outer surface contour (16). Additionally, the pumpkin die element (26) has an upper edge (38) adapted to be impact loaded for displacing the pumpkin die element (26) through a wall (22) of the pumpkin (12). The die element (26) is impacted on the upper edge (38) and displaced through the wall (22) to provide a plug element which is removable and is contoured in the form of one of the facial feature openings (14). Through use of a number of differently contoured die elements (26), a wide variety of facial feature contour openings (14) may be provided in a minimal time reference frame.

Abstract: An arrangement for fabricating planar elements which may be stacked for producing predetermined surfaces and bodies. The planar elements have cross-sections corresponding to respective cross-sections of the surface to be constructed. The planar elements are formed by cutting them from plate-shaped material or sheet metal, and the cut-out elements are held to the parent sheet or plate material by tabs. The planar elements are cut successively from the sheet or plate-shaped material at spaced intervals. The cutting action is such as to leave the tabs for holding the planar elements in place. Registration holes are punched about the planar element, so that these may be readily stacked relative to each other, as required to form the surface to be constructed. Sprocket holes are also punched in the sheet material to advance the material along a processing path at which the various processing stations are located.

Abstract: A plurality of identical, irregular, non-polygonal pieces, such as motorcycle silhouette games pieces, are cut from flat stock of predetermined width and indefinite length with minimum waste of the stock, by laying out a gang cutter "pattern", "marker" or "stencil" in a sequence of steps comprising (1) "boxing in" the curved outline of one non-polygonal piece to form a plane polygonal figure of three sides or more, (2) combining two such polygonal figures into a parallelogram, (3) nesting any protuberance in one piece into any recess in the other piece to reduce the area of the parallelogram (4) laying out a plurality of said parallelograms side by side across the width of the stock and (5) successively cutting the resulting pattern from the stock by a gang cutter arranged in the pattern.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blanking wide sheet materials into a plurality of pieces of predetermined shapes are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a blanking die press and first and second carriages movable in a predetermined, numerically controlled and programmable sequence along Y and X axes, respectively, relative to the blanking die press. The blanking die includes upper and lower die holders which are adapted to be automatically rotated approximately 180.degree. to reverse the die orientation and thereby more economically blank the sheet material with a minimum of wastage.

Abstract: A punch assembly including a punch member having first and second ends, a punching end on the first end of the punch member, an adjustable head on the second end of the punch member, a shoulder on the punch member intermediate the first and second ends, a punch retainer member including a shoulder engaging portion adjacent the shoulder for effectively engaging the shoulder, a stripper spring between the punch retainer member and the adjustable head, retainer shims between the shoulder engaging portion and the shoulder, and a counterbore in the punch retainer member for receiving the retainer shims, the counterbore being of a diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the retainer shims. By the use of the retainer shims, the distance between a reference point on the retainer member and the end of the punch may be maintained the same even after sharpening, with the adjustable head being adjustable to maintain the overall length of the punch assembly the same after sharpening.

Abstract: A cutting table having a suction chamber and operable to retain tobacco leaves thereon. A plurality of knives are located adjacent the table, and the knives and table are movable relative to one another so that the knives can be exposed above the surface of the table. A pressure device is positionable over the table and is cooperable with the exposed knives to cut tobacco leaves. The knives are located with respect to one another so that in the method of cutting wrappers from tobacco leaves, consecutive cutting operations can be performed after displacing the tobacco leaf but while maintaining the same orientation of the stem of the leaf.

Abstract: A machine which cuts gaskets and similar parts from a thin strip of material and which arranges the parts in stacks. Feed rollers periodically advance the gasket material through a pair of dies which are forced together by a hydraulic ram. The cut gaskets are carried with the strip to a knockout station at which pneumatic cylinders force knockout dies against the gaskets to separate them from the strip. The gaskets fall onto a rack on which they are stacked until a preselected number is contained in the stack, at which time the machine stops. Power cylinders then extend the rack to a position where the stacked gaskets are readily accessible for removal.

Abstract: A method and a device for holing an oblong member, particularly a guard rail, substantially directly in front of a hole in a second member, particularly a pole, by utilizing a punching device comprising a punch and first and second pressure means with different ratios, of which the first means causes the punch to abut the oblong member, and the second means effects further movement of the punch to carry out holing in said member.

Abstract: A high-speed rotary shear for making, in the direction of travel, straight cuts, curved cuts, and combinations thereof, through a continuously moving web of thin, pliable, compliant, cut-resistant material and a process of making such cuts. The shear comprises at least one pair of first and second cooperating blades located to either side of the web. Each of the first and second blades is mounted on a blade support affixed to a rotatable shaft. At least one of the first and second blades is in part at least elastically mounted on its support and is itself flexible. The axes of the shafts of said first and second blades lie in spaced horizontal planes and in vertical planes which intersect at an angle such that the first and second blades will be skewed with respect to each other at an angle of from about 1.degree. to about 6.degree. and such that the first and second blades, having the same outside diameter, will have a single point contact, cutting the web with a scissors action.

Abstract: To avoid the waste of die-cutting a plurality of circular blanks of identical diameter from rectangular sheet material, the material is formed into non-rectangular sheets of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle configuration, which have a predetermined length and width substantially equal to a multiple of the diameter of the circles. The circular dies of a gang-die cutter are juxtaposed in a series of laterally extending rows in parallelism, longitudinally of the die cutter, the rows being at an angle of 60.degree. to the longitudinal edges of the sheets. The sheets and the die pattern thus both are of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle, outline.

Abstract: A process for the production of a marbled or mottled cake or bar, particularly of soap, comprising cutting an extruded rope having axially aligned section of different colors, into blanks of the desired dimension, at an angle .alpha. of 75.degree. to 15.degree. to the axis of said extruded rope, stamp molding said blanks with the direction of stamping at an angle .beta. of from 90.degree. to 30.degree. to the cut surfaces of said blank, and recovering a marbled or mottled cake or bar of soap.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for blanking products from pliable sheet material where the material to be cut is supported on a planar support member within the peripheral shape of the final product and after the blanking process has been completed a product-discharge roller is moved through an aperture in the supporting surface to lift the cut product clear of the cutting edge and discharge the product from the cutting apparatus. Additionally, the cutting edge has a portion which separates the cut product and its peripheral waste from incoming material and the peripheral waste is positively discharged from the apparatus by a conveyor arrangement located externally of the cutting edge which defines the products peripheral shape.

Abstract: A novel compound angle cutting edge configuration on a die rule, slitter blade, hollow punches, shearing blades, etc. provides cleaner cuts on stock material with less tonnage, improved cutting and cleaner cuts. The die rule cutting edge includes a plurality of side by side notches on only one side of the cutting edge defining a plurality of equally spaced piercing points. A primary cutting edge extends from each piercing point substantially to a next adjacent piercing point and forms a compound angle with an imaginary line through the tips of the piercing points of between about one and fifteen degrees. In use, the cutting edges are axially pressed through stock material to cut blanks of predetermined configuration. The cutting action consists of the piercing points penetrating the material and then the primary cutting edges slicing the stock material from one penetration point, substantially linearly and unidirectionally, to the next adjacent penetration point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting resilient foamed synthetic plastics filter material by pressing a die against a block of such material to provide cuts which are interleaved extending from opposite faces of the block the cuts at each such face being joined by a curved cut conforming to the desired exterior surface shape of the cut block when it is stretched to provide a corrugated configuration.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a stripper insert, and to a method of making and using the insert in a sheet punching apparatus. The stripper insert is comprised of a plastic component inserted within a cup-shaped metallic retainer plate. The retainer plate includes a base for engaging and stabilizing sheet material during a punching operation, with a flange peripherally circumscribing the base and extending generally perpendicular thereto. The plastic component also includes a base which is peripherally received by the retainer plate flange. In one embodiment, an axial bore is formed through the base of both the plastic component and the retainer plate by a reciprocal punching tool while the component parts of stripper insert are secured in position on the sheet punching apparatus. In a second embodiment, the retainer plate includes a previously formed opening, and an axial bore is formed in only the plastic component by the punching tool.