Cutting apparatus for use in the tobacco industry

Rotary shear cutting apparatus to cut discrete non-rectangular portions from a web of smoking article sheet material, comprising:

• a first rotary carrier provided with a first cutting edge;
• a second rotary carrier provided with a second cutting edge, wherein said first and second cutting edges are configured to cooperate during rotation of said first and second rotary carriers to cut a non-rectangular portion from the web,
• wherein at least one of the first and second cutting edges comprise an inclined section,
• the inclined section being configured such that a section of the first and/or second cutting edge is disposed at a greater radial distance from the rotational axis of the first and/or second rotary carrier on which the first and/or second cutting edges are provided and to facilitate contact between the first and second cutting edges,
• the first and/or second cutting edges being configured such that a cut formed by the first and second cutting edges progresses inwardly.