Cutting machine

A machine for cutting strip-like material by means of a high pressure fluid jet, comprising a substantially flat bearing surface for supporting the strip-like material, a cutting nozzle for directing a fluid jet under high pressure against the strip-like material, means for displacing said nozzle in a direction Y perpendicular to the strip length, means for displacing the strip-like material in both directions X parallel to the length of the strip, in such a way that the combined displacements of the strip-like material and said nozzle make it possible to make cuts of a random shape over a random length of the said strip-like material, the bearing surface of the machine upstream of said cutting nozzle and on either side of said means for displacing the strip-like material being in the form of a fixed table provided with a guidance tunnel through which the strip moves, and a jet recovery system disposed beneath the material to be cut, facing said nozzle and in alignment with the jet stream produced thereby, said recovery system comprising a hollow body for receiving a jet stream from said nozzle, a first metal plate disposed within said body for breaking up the jet stream, a normally fluid tight cavity located below said first plate, the lower wall of said cavity having a further metal plate against which the jet strikes when said first plate is perforated, and means for detecting perforation of said first plate and consequent arrival of the jet stream in said cavity.