Apparatus and method for cutting and unbonding elastic bands
AssigneesRobert Alameda, Richard Cooper
InventorPaul A. Lewis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An elastic band cutting apparatus is disclosed which includes a movable blade mounted proximate an elastic band stock holding structure for displacement to effect cutting of the tubular stock. The apparatus also includes a movable anvil which cooperates with the blade to engage the cut elastic bands so as to grip the same between the blade and anvil. After cutting is completed, one of the anvil and blade are displaced with respect to the blade so as to break any bonds which have formed during the shearing process. The apparatus further includes stock feeding assembly which will advance the stock to the cutter and eject previously cut and separated bands onto band manipulating apparatus. A method for cutting and separating elastic bands also is disclosed.
Claims14
A method of cutting an elastic band from tubular elastic band stock and unbonding opposite sides of the cut band including the steps of holding said stock with opposite sides pressed into abutting relation, cutting an individual band from said stock by a cut across said stock with cutting means including a movable blade and anvil means movably mounted in alignment with and resiliently biased toward said blade, and gripping said band after cutting with gripping means wherein the improvement in said method comprises:
- during said gripping step, engaging said band with said sides of said band in abutting relation, and
- shifting said gripping means to produce displacement of at least one of said opposite sides relative to a remainder of said opposite sides of said band in a direction along said cut over a distance sufficient to break any bonds between said abutting sides of said band.
Apparatus for cutting an elastic band from tubular stock and unbonding opposite sides of the cut band including, stock holding means formed to hold said stock for cutting with opposed sides in abutting relation, cutting means mounted proximate said holding means and having a movable blade mounted for displacement transversely across said stock to cut a band therefrom with opposite band sides in abutting relation, and band gripping means mounted proximate said movable blade and formed to grip said band as said band is cut from said stock, wherein the improvement in said apparatus comprises:
- said gripping means being formed for displacing at least one of said band sides relative to the other band side in a direction along the length of the cut made by said cutting means after said band is cut from said stock a sufficient distance to break any bonding between said band sides resulting from cutting of said band.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.