US 4,382,834 A · Rotating cutter and stitcher for severing material from a body

Abstract

In a machine for covering a toroidal body with layers of elastomeric material wherein a cutting and stitching apparatus is provided for severing a scrap portion of a sheet of material (32) from a portion of the sheet that has been applied to a toroidal core (30) and stitching the applied portion to the core (30). The apparatus (16,18,20,22) includes actuators (45,54) for positioning the cutters (104) and the stitchers (105) in operative position on the outside periphery and the inside periphery of the core (30) with the rotatable cutters (104) in proper position for effecting a cut through the material without scoring the core (30) or other underlying material. The cutting and stitching apparatus (16,18,20,22) is rotated about the core (30) as the rotating cutter (104) severs the material. The cutter (104) is programmed to retract as the stitchers (105) continue to stitch the edge of the applied material to the core (30).

Claims12

Dependent claims

A cutting and stitching apparatus (16,18,20,22) for cutting and stitching an applied portion of a sheet of elastomeric material (32) to a core (30), said cutting and stitching apparatus comprising:

a rotatable carrier plate (24);
a cutter (104) supported by said carrier plate (24) and having a rotatably driven blade (140);
a stitcher (105) supported by said carrier plate (24) and having a freely rotatable roller (162);
actuator means (45,54) for moving said cutter (104) and said stitcher (105) toward and away from said core (30);
means (110) for moving said rotatably driven blade (140) of said cutter (104);
and,
means (152) for rotating said blade (140).

4 more elements

In a vacuum-forming mechanism for applying a layer of elastomeric sheet material (32) to one side of a core (30), said mechanism comprising a vacuum container (28) having said core (30) positioned therein, said container (28) and said core (30) being axially movable relative to each other to move said core (30) from a position within said container (28) to a position partially raised above the open end of said container (28), means (39) for fastening said sheet of elastomeric material (32) over the open end of said container (28) when said core (30) is in position within said container (28), means for drawing a vacuum in said container (28) as said core (30) is moved to said position partially raised above the open end of said container (28) whereby a portion of said sheet of material (32) will be applied to one side of said core (30), in combination:

a cutting and stitching means (16,18,20,22) for cutting and stitching said applied portion of said sheet of material to said core (30), said cutting and stitching means (16,18,20,22) comprising:
a rotatable carrier plate (24);
a cutter (104), having a rotatably driven blade (140);
a stitcher (105);
actuator means (45,54) for moving said stitcher (105) and said cutter (104) between a first position spaced from said core (30) and a second position in close proximity to a junction between the applied portion of said sheet of material (32) and the remainder of said sheet;
means (110) for advancing and retracting the rotatably driven blade (140) of said cutter (104) toward said junction between the applied portion of the sheet of material (32) and the remainder of said sheet, the plane of said blade (140) lying in a direction parallel with said core (30), and said rotatably driven blade (140) slicing through said junction of the sheet of material (32) in response to said cutter (104) being advanced and said carrier plate (24) being rotated about the axis of said core (30);
said actuator means (45,54) moving said stitcher (105) into stitching contact with said severed edge of said applied portion of the sheet of material (32) in response to said cutter (104) being retracted and said carrier plate (24) being rotated to rotate said stitcher (105) about said core (30);
and,
means (26) for raising and lowering said carrier plate (24) and said cutting and stitching means (16,18,20,22) relative to said core (30) and relative to said vacuum container (28).

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotating cutter and stitcher for severing material from a body

Life of this patent

Rotating cutter and stitcher for severing material from a body

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12