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US 4,488,466 AGranted
Apparatus for cutting sheet material
AssigneeSeal Tech Corp.
InventorWilliam C. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for and a method of dispensing cut sheet material, particularly foam sheet material, which comprises a first fixed pair of sheet-retainer bars, and a second, movable pair of sheet-retainer bars and a cutting knife, the second pair of retainer bars and the cutting knife adapted to move with a reciprocating piston, and a control means, so that the sheet material is moved sequentially between the first and second retainer bars while being dispensed from a supply roll, the sheet retained under tension between the first and second retainer bars and the sheet, while under tension, severed by the cutting knife which passes into an air space between the first pair of sheet-retainer bars, thereby providing for rapid, effective and efficient means for the dispensing and cutting of sheet material to defined lengths.
Claims13
A sheet-cutting and -dispensing apparatus, which apparatus comprises:
- (a) support means to support a source of sheet material to be dispensed and cut by the apparatus;
- (b) drive means to move the sheet material from the support means along a predetermined, directional flow path toward an outlet, where the cut sheet material is to be dispensed;
- (c) a first pair of laterally spaced-apart, sheet-retainer means characterized by an air space therebetween and positioned adjacent the directional flow path of the sheet material;
- (d) a second movable pair of laterally spaced-apart, sheet-retainer means aligned generally opposite the first pair of retainer means and on the opposite side of the directional flow path of the sheet material, to define a sheet-movement space between the first and second retainer means for the directional flow movement of the sheet material, when the first and second retainer means are in a nonsheet-retaining position;
- (e) a cylinder means including a piston for reciprocating movement;
- (f) a sheet-cutting means secured for reciprocating movement with the piston between a sheet-cutting and a -noncutting position and positioned between the second retainer means;
- (g) the second retainer means secured for reciprocating movement with the piston between a sheet-retaining position, wherein the first and second retainer means retain the sheet material in a fixed, generally taut condition therebetween, and a nonsheet-retaining position, wherein the sheet material is free to move in the sheet-movement space and to move along the directional flow path;
- (h) control means to provide for the reciprocating movement of the piston between
- (i) a nonsheet-retaining position, whereby the sheet material may move along the directional flow path from the means to support to the outlet,
- (ii) a sheet-retaining position, whereby the first and second retainer means are positioned to retain the sheet material therebetween in a taut condition across the air space, and
- (iii) a sheet-cutting and -retaining position, whereby the cutting means cuts the taut, retained sheet material and moves into the air space, the control means providing for the dispensing of a desired amount of sheet material by the drive means, and the preselected, timed, sequential control of the piston between the noncutting and retaining position, the sheet-retaining position and the sheet-cutting position.
8 more elements
A sheet-cutting and -dispensing apparatus, which apparatus comprises:
- (a) a support means to support a roll of sheet material to be cut and dispensed by the apparatus;
- (b) a housing having an inlet for the introduction of sheet material and an outlet for the dispensing of cut sheet material which includes
- (i) a drive motor and a pair of rollers, one of which is driven by the drive motor, the sheet material adapted to pass between the rollers and to be driven along a predetermined directional flow path between the inlet and the outlet,
- (ii) a first pair of laterally spaced-apart, elongated, sheet-retainer bar elements fixed to the housing and characterized by an air space between the bar elements, and positioned adjacent the directional flow path of the sheet material,
- (iii) a second pair of laterally spaced-apart, spring-tensioned, elongated, sheet-retainer bar elements positioned adjacent the directional flow path of the sheet material and disposed on the opposite side and generally aligned with the first pair of sheet-retainer bar elements, to define a sheet material movement space therebetween for the directional flow movement of the sheet material, when the first and second sheet-retainer bar elements are in the nonsheet-retaining position,
- (iv) an elongated cutting blade positioned between the second sheet-retainer bar elements,
- (v) a plurality of fluid-actuated cylinder means, each containing a piston, the cylinder means disposed generally uniformly across the width of the sheet material to be cut, the piston adapted for reciprocating movement,
- (vi) swing-arm assembly means connected to each of the pistons, to provide for generally simultaneous, parallel movement of the pistons together,
- (vii) the second sheet-retainer bar elements and the cutting blade secured for movement with each of the pistons,
- (c) control means to provide for the predetermined, timed actuation of the drive motor, to dispense sheet material of the desired length, and for the predetermined, sequential actuation of the pistons between
- (i) a nonsheet-retaining position, wherein the sheet material may be driven by the drive motor along the directional flow path toward the outlet,
- (ii) a sheet-retaining position wherein the movement of the piston places the first and second retainer bar elements in a sheet-retaining position, whereby the sheet is retained in a firm, generally taut condition between the pairs of bar elements, and
- (iii) a sheet-cutting position wherein the further movement of the piston forces the cutting blade through the taut sheet material and into the said air space.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.