Self-contained cassette material cutter and method of cutting
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsMichael Weiss, Sean Allen, Vladimir Jambrih
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular cassette cutter design with a unique blade retention system for making multiple, simultaneous cuts in elongated strip material. The blades are retained so that they can be individually replaced. The blade hardware is made accessible from one side of the tool for easy replacement. The cassette modules lend themselves for easy accommodation to different types of gasket material and shapes. The cassette module cutters are easily interchangeable to make end cuts or corner cuts, and may be combined in a single press to make different cuts simultaneously. Prefabricated gaskets may be cut using data from linear measurements of cover designs.
Claims20
An apparatus for making a cut in an elongated strip of material comprising:
- at least one modular, self-contained cassette cutter including:
- an upper cutter portion having a blade retaining plate and at least one blade, said upper cutter portion in slideably movable contact with a lower cutter portion;
- retaining springs acting on and separating said cutter portions;
- and
- mounting pins in contact with said at least one blade for pressably securing said at least one blade to said blade retaining plate;
- wherein said apparatus further comprises screw holes through said lower cutter portion for mounting said apparatus to a press.
A self-contained cassette module cutter for cutting elongated strips of material in a press to form predetermined shapes comprising:
- an upper cutting portion including:
- an adapter pressure plate;
- at least one cutting blade;
- a blade retainer plate comprising:
- a plurality of slots for holding said at least one cutting blade, said plurality of slots geometrically positioned such that said at least one cutting blade forms an L-shape for end cutting or a plurality of triangular shapes for corner cutting;
- screw holes positioned for setscrews to press and secure said at least one cutting blade against said blade retainer plate;
- mounting screws securing said adapter pressure plate to said blade retainer plate;
- and
- a top front and top rear safety shield;
- a lower cutting portion including:
- a base plate/material cradle;
- a stripper plate;
- and
- a bottom front and bottom rear safety shield;
- guide pins passing through said blade retainer plate, return springs, return spring seats, and threaded into said base plate/material cradle;
- apertures at each end of the longitudinal axis of said cassette module for inserting and exiting said elongated strips of material;
- and
- cassette base mounting screws securing said lower cutter portion to a press.
A method of cutting elongated strip material comprising:
- marking said elongated strip material with linear measurements of locations for corner cuts and end cuts;
- attaching at least one end cut cassette module in a press, said at least one end cut cassette module including a plurality of slots for holding at least one cutting blade, said plurality of slots geometrically positioned such that said at least one cutting blade forms an L-shape for end cutting;
- operating said press with said at least one end cut cassette module secured therein to perform end cuts at said linear measurements marked for end cuts on said elongated strip;
- and
- moving said elongated strip to additional linear measurements for end cuts and operating said press with said cassette module to perform additional end cuts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.