Method and apparatus for transversely cutting strips of deformable material

An improved method for transversely cutting a strip of deformable multi-component material including the steps of:

• (a) transporting an elongated strip of said material along a support structure to a stationary position at a cutting station;
• (b) firmly drawing the stationary strip against the support structure at two spaced apart positions;
• (c) providing a cutter blade having a diameter generally between 33/4 inches and 5 inches, and having a serrated cutting edge formed by a plurality of teeth generally in the range of 96 to 132 teeth;
• (d) rotating the cutter blade at a rotational speed of between 500 and 1500 rpm;
• (e) moving the rotating cutter blade in a cutting direction generally transversely across the stationary strip between the spaced positions at a speed of between 4 and 16 inches per second to cut the strip along a cut line and provide a sized cut strip during a cut cycle;
• (f) applying a lubricant on the blade as it is moving across the strip in the cutting direction;
• (g) removing some of the lubricant after it has been applied onto the blade;
• (h) releasing the cut strip and the remaining elongated strip from against the support structure at both positions;
• and
• (i) removing the sized cut strip from the support structure.

A device for transversely cutting a strip of deformable material including:

• (a) support means for supporting a strip of said material;
• (b) transport means for moving said strip along the support means;
• (c) a cutter blade movably mounted for a generally transverse movement across said strip along a cut line during a cut cycle;
• (d) drive means for moving the cutter blade generally transversely across the strip in a cutting direction during the cut cycle and for moving the cutter blade in an opposite return direction during a return cycle;
• (e) means for rotating the blade;
• (f) hold-down means for holding the strip against the support means on opposite sides of the cut line during the cut cycle;
• (g) means for applying a lubricant onto the blade generally throughout its cutting movement across said strip;
• and
• (h) blow-off means for directing excess lubricant away from the cut line, said blow-off means including at least two fluid nozzles for directing streams of a pressurized fluid toward the cutter blade with one of said nozzles being actuated during the cut cycle and the other of said nozzles being actuated during the return cycle.

A device for transversely cutting a strip of deformable material including:

• (a) support means for supporting a strip of said material;
• (b) transport means for moving said strip along the support means;
• (c) a cutter blade movably mounted for a generally transverse movement across said strip along a cut line during a cut cycle;
• (d) drive means for moving the cutter blade generally transversely across the strip in a cutting direction during the cut cycle and for moving the cutter blade in an opposite return direction during a return cycle;
• (e) means for rotating the blade;
• (f) hold-down means for holding the strip against the support means on opposite sides of the cut line during the cut cycle including a platen having at least two chambers, each communicating with a series of slots formed in the platen and located on opposite sides of the cut line, and a vacuum applied to the chambers and associated slots for drawing the strip against the support means during the cut cycle;
• (g) pickup means mounted on the support means for assisting the release of the strip from the hold-down means after the cut cycle, said pickup means being a fluid pressure actuated pickup bar extending transversely across the support means and vertically movable with respect thereto;
• (h) means for applying a lubricant onto the blade generally throughout its cutting movement across said strip;
• and
• (i) blow-off means for directing excess lubricant away from the cut line.

A device for transversely cutting a strip of deformable material including:

• (a) support means for supporting a strip of said material;
• (b) transport means for moving said strip along the support means;
• (c) a cutter blade movably mounted for a generally transverse movement across said strip along a cut line during a cut cycle;
• (d) drive means for moving the cutter blade generally transversely across the strip in a cutting direction during the cut cycle and for moving the cutter blade in an opposite return direction during a return cycle;
• (e) means for rotating the blade;
• (f) vacuum hold-down means for holding the strip against the support means on opposite sides of the cut line during the cut cycle;
• (g) means for applying a lubricant onto the blade generally throughout its cutting movement across said strip;
• (h) blow-off means for directing excess lubricant away from the cut line during both the cut cycle and the return cycle;
• and
• (i) pickup bar means extending transversely across the support means and movable vertically with respect thereto for assisting the release of the strip from the vacuum hold-down means after the cut cycle.