Apparatus for cutting sheet molding compound
AssigneeEagle-Picher Industries, Inc.
InventorRichard H. Hayes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for cutting sheet molding compound in which the compound is sandwiched between two liner sheets and fed from a letoff roll onto a conveyor. The compound is conveyed past longitudinal slitters and a transverse cutting knife which cut the compound into rectangular segments of preselected size. Before a sheet reaches the area of the cutting operation, the upper liner is removed. At the area of the transverse cutting, the lower liner is diverted from the sheet compound to pass under an anvil against which the transverse cutting mechanism operates. The lower liner is then passed upwardly to return to a position underneath the sheet compound in order to support the sheet compound on the liner as it passes along the conveyor where it is picked off by the operator.
Claims4
Apparatus for cutting sheet molding compound carried on a liner comprising,
- a conveyor for carrying compound and liner,
- a plurality of transversely adjustable slitting knives engageable with said compound to form longitudinal slits in said compound to form strips of selectively variable width,
- a transversely movable knife engageable with said compound to cut said strips into preselected lengths,
- means for separating said liner from said compound upstream of said transverse knife and returning it to said compound downstream of said knife,
- anvil means against which said knife presses said compound to cut the same, said anvil means being located between said liner and compound,
- means for detecting the longitudinal distance of movement of said compound,
- and means for automatically operating said knife after a preselected length of compound passes under it.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.