Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting a knife edge offset in a cutter toolhead having a cutter toolhead frame. The apparatus including a knife moveably coupled to the toolhead, an actuated arm moveably attached to the cutter toolhead frame, a computer controller for controlling the movement of the knife and actuated arm, an abrasive sharpener moveably attached to the actuated arm and adapted to contact the knife, and a sensor adapted to determine a distance between the cutter toolhead frame and the actuated arm. The computer controller of the apparatus is further capable of adjusting the movement of the knife and the actuated arm as a function of the distance determined by the sensor.

Abstract: The cutting apparatus includes an ultrasound cutting element associated with a drive mechanism which enables the rate of advance of the cutting element through the product being cut to be varied selectively and locally. The preferred application is for cutting layered food products.

Abstract: In a radial arm saw, there is provided a continuously adjustable restraining device for controlling the speed of cut of the saw through work pieces positioned on the work table. The adjustable device has a hydraulic cylinder which is connected at one port to a first connection line, and at the other port to a second connection line. Each connection line is connected in turn to a valve which controls the flow of fluid from one connection line to the other. The valve has a pivotal lever for continuously adjusting the flow rate of fluid therethrough, which fluid is forced out of one port of the cylinder upon movement of the saw by the user of the saw, through the valve, and into the other port of the cylinder at a control rate determined by the pivotal rotation of the pivotal lever. Thus, the rate of flow of the fluid between the cylinder ports is variable and controllable, to thereby provide a desired counter-force to the movement of the saw as its progresses through its cut of the work piece.

Abstract: A double-acting cylinder piston unit for controlling the feed motion of a saw blade relative to a workpiece in a mechanical frame saw having a stationary machine frame, a housing part pivotally mounted on the machine frame and a saw frame guide movably mounted in the housing part and carrying a saw blade. The piston of the cylinder piston unit is pivotally connected to the machine frame, while the cylinder thereof is pivotally connected to the pivotally mounted housing part. The cylinder includes a cylinder head in the form of a block, and the unit includes a reservoir delimited by one face of the block, a first wall extending from, and substantially perpendicular to, the one face and a second wall spaced from, and substantially parallel to, the face.

Abstract: In a power frame saw having a machine frame, workpiece clamping jaws mounted on the machine frame and relatively movable for clamping a workpiece in a fixed position, a guide member pivotally mounted with weight balancing on the machine frame, a saw bow mounted on the guide member to undergo reciprocating movement in a given direction relative to the guide member, a saw blade held in the bow to extend at an oblique angle to the direction of movement, a drive system connected for imparting such reciprocating movement to the bow to cause the saw blade to perform successive cutting and return strokes, and components for controlling pivotal movement of the guide means relative to the machine frame and including a source of hydraulic pressure fluid, and an adjustment device responsive to the spacing between the clamping jaws to control the advance of the saw blade into the workpiece during each successive cutting stroke.

Abstract: A hack sawing machine is disclosed, which comprises a base, a case, a shaft rotated by a motor, a saw blade bow guided in a sliding movement in the case, a drum cam which causes the blade to have an active forward stroke and a passive return stroke, a two-armed lever (bracket), eleastic means which, rotating the case, bring the blade back into the cut after the passive stroke and a hydraulic system. This system comprises a hydraulic cylinder, a hydraulic circuit having a hydraulic pump to pump oil to the cylinder. The hydraulic circuit acts to maintain a predetermined pressure of the saw blade bow on the workpiece during the active stroke and camming means cause the bow to be raised during the passive stroke.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting pattern pieces from sheet material with an automatically controlled cutting machine utilizes special control techniques for guiding a reciprocating cutting blade accurately along a desired cutting path defined by the pattern piece peripheries. The cutting machine includes a control computer which also serves as a data processor for generating machine command signals and controlling cutting blade movements. The controller has memory units which contain standard cutting programs and optinal programs. From a program selector panel, the cutting machine operator can select optional programs which modify the standard programs in a manner most suitably adapted to cause the cutting blade to follow the cutting path in the sheet material more accurately. The optional programs vary the feed rate or stroking speed, introduce yaw signals to control blade orientation along the cutting path, or perform other control functions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting pattern pieces from sheet material with an automatically controlled cutting machine utilizes special control techniques for guiding a reciprocating cutting blade accurately along a desired cutting path defined by the pattern piece peripheries. The cutting machine includes a control computer which also serves as a data processor for generating machine command signals and controlling cutting blade movements. The controller has memory units which contain standard cutting programs and optional programs. From a program selector panel, the cutting machine operator can select optional programs which modify the standard programs in a manner most suitably adapted to cause the cutting blade to follow the cutting path in the sheet material more accurately. The optional programs vary the feed rate or stroking speed, introduce yaw signals to control blade orientation along the cutting path, or perform other control functions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting sheet material utilizes a closed loop automatically controlled cutting machine having a reciprocating cutting blade as the cutting tool. Sheet material to be cut is spread in multiple plies to form a layup, and the cutting blade and the material are then moved relative to one another in cutting engagement along predefined lines of cut. During cutting, a sensor detects a cutting parameter that is affected by the interaction of the cutting blade and sheet material, and signals provided by the sensor are fed back in the closed loop automatic control mechanism to adjust or initiate further steps in the cutting operation. Such adjustment or initiation alters the cutting machine operation for cutting conditions in real time in order to improve the overall performance of the machine.

Abstract: A method of controlling the cutting feed speed of a saw frame of a band-sawing machine or a similar machine, whereby the change of cutting resistance to the saw blade is detected as a change in pressure of an oil pressure cylinder supporting the saw frame and by transforming such change into a voltage change by means of a piezoelectric element, the flow rate of a flow control valve provided in the pressure oil discharge circuit of the oil pressure cylinder is controlled by said detected voltage or the like and thereby the cutting feed speed is changed in response to the change of cutting resistance so as to maintain the cutting resistance to the saw frame at an optimum.

Abstract: A bow saw machine has a machine frame; a device for immobilizing a workpiece in the machine; a housing pivotally attached to the machine frame for providing for a swinging motion of the housing generally in a vertical plane; a saw bow supporting a saw blade in a generally horizontal orientation during the sawing operation; a guide supported in the housing for longitudinally displaceably mounting the saw bow; a drive motor; a crank drive supported in the housing and having a generally vertically oriented drive shaft eccentrically coupled to the saw bow for effecting a reciprocating motion thereof along a path of reciprocation determined by the saw bow guide. The crank drive is located above the saw bow substantially within the zone of its path of reciprocation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting sheet material utilizes a closed loop automatically controlled cutting machine having a reciprocating cutting blade as the cutting tool. Sheet material to be cut is spread in multiple plies to form a layup, and the cutting blade and the material are then moved relative to one another in cutting engagement along predefined lines of cut. During cutting, a sensor detects a cutting parameter that is affected by the interaction of the cutting blade and sheet material, and signals provided by the sensor are fed back in the closed loop automatic control mechanism to adjust or initiate further steps in the cutting operation. Such adjustment or initiation alters the cutting machine operation for cutting conditions in real time in order to improve the overall performance of the machine.