Cutter apparatus

A paper handling apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a paper feeding guide for guiding paper in a feeding direction, said paper feeding guide having a striation-like opening formed across the width thereof, said striation-like opening forming a fixed blade;
• (b) a movable blade having a distal cutting portion which enters into the opening in a cutting direction and thereby cooperates with said fixed blade to cut the paper;
• wherein said movable blade has a first drive guide groove formed therein;
• (c) a paper holding plate provided on only one side of said movable blade, said paper holding plate being slidable in the cutting direction relative to the movable blade, said paper holding plate having a distal end for firmly holding the paper against the paper feeding guide;
• (d) a sliding mechanism which:
• keeps the distal end of said paper holding plate projected forward in the cutting direction further than the distal cutting portion of said movable blade;
• slides the movable blade and the paper holding plate in the cutting direction;
• and, with the distal end of said paper holding plate firmly holding the paper against the paper feeding guide, further slides the movable blade into the opening to cut the paper;
• and wherein said sliding mechanism includes an urging means for urging said paper holding plate continuously in the cutting direction relative to the movable blade;
• and
• (e) paper feed means for feeding the paper in the feeding direction and for fixing the paper in place to prevent the paper from moving in the feeding direction when said movable blade is moved in said cutting direction to cut the paper, said paper feed means being located on the opposite side of said movable blade from said paper holding plate, whereby the paper is fixedly held in place by only said paper holding plate and said feed means when said movable blade is moved in said cutting direction to cut the paper;
• and
• wherein said paper holding plate has a projecting portion engageable with the guide groove of said movable blade and slidable in the guide groove in accordance with the movement of said sliding mechanism;
• and wherein said projecting portion of said paper holding plate is a dimple formed by applying a half blanking process in a part of the paper holding plate.