Coupon cutting machine

Apparatus for cutting coupons from a plastic web, said apparatus comprising;

• a peripherally continuous cutting blade surrounding an axis,
• means for supporting the cutting blade,
• a cutting surface spaced apart from the cutting blade to permit passage of a plastic web to be cut therebetween,
• a bearing cage containing cylindrical bearings surrounding said axis and extending radially relative thereto to form said cutting surface, said cylindrical bearings being rotatable relative to said case about radial axes along which said cylindrical bearings extend,
• a bearing cap containing said bearing cage and permitting the bearing cage to rotate about said axes relative to said bearing cap,
• resilient means between said bearing cage and said bearing cap operable to resiliently yield when the cylindrical bearings engage the cutting blade,
• means for effecting relative movement along said axis between said cutting blade and said cutting surface to cause the cylindrical bearings to resiliently engage the cutting blade, and
• means for rotating the bearing cap about said axis to cause rotation of the cylindrical bearings about said axis to cut a coupon from plastic web between the cutting surface and cutting blade with the bearing cage rotating relative to the bearing cap to enable the rotational speed of the bearing cage to be less than that of the bearing cap.