Cutter mechanism for cutting sheet material
AssigneeGerber Garment Technology, Inc.
InventorDavid R. Pearl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cutter having a reciprocating knife for cutting sheet material has a drive mechanism for converting the rotary motion of a drive member into the reciprocating motion of the knife. The drive mechanism is comprised of a mechanical linkage which causes the forces applied to the upper end of the knife to be directed substantially along the axis of reciprocation and to, therefore, have very small lateral components minimizing wear between the knife guiding surfaces. The drive mechanism basically includes an eccentric drive pin which through a connecting link oscillates a pivotal crossarm. The oscillating movement of the crossarm is in turn imparted to the knife by means of an intermediate link connected between the crossarm and knife.
Claims8
A cutter mechanism for cutting sheet material, said cutter mechanism comprising:
- a drive pin movable in a circular path about a given crank axis, a crossarm supported at one of its ends for pivotal movement about a crossarm pivot axis fixed relative to and parallel to said crank axis, a connecting link connected between said drive pin and the other end of said crossarm for oscillating said crossarm about said crossarm pivot axis in response to travel of said drive pin repeatedly about said circular path, a knife supported for movement along a knife axis fixed relative to said crank and pivot axes and located in a plane perpendicular to said crank and crossarm pivot axes, and an intermediate link connected between said other end of said crossarm and said knife for reciprocating said knife along said knife axis in response to oscillation of said crossarm about said crossarm pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.