Measure-cut-strip wire processing apparatus

A physically supported pair of blades for cooperative use in apparatus for processing an elongated, filamentary workpiece, said blades comprising:

• a) a first blade having a first, planar surface and a first cutting edge in the plane of said first surface, said first cutting edge defining at least a portion of a periphery fully surrounding a first, through opening in said first blade;
• b) a second blade having a second, planar surface and a second cutting edge in the plane of said second surface, said second cutting edge defining at least a portion of a periphery fully surrounding a second, through opening in said second blade;
• c) means for supporting said first and second blades with said first and second planar surface in mutual contact, whereby said first and second cutting edges lie in parallel planes, and with at least portions of said first and second openings aligned for passage of said workpiece through said aligned portions along an axis substantially perpendicular to said common plane;
• and
• d) motive means for imparting movement to at least one of said blades relative to the other in a direction parallel to said common plane to move said first and second openings toward and away from relative alignment, said motive means imparting reciprocal movement to said at least one blade to move said first and second openings toward and away from relative alignment in each of two, opposite directions, whereby first portions of each of said first and second cutting edges are moved toward one another during relative blade movement away from full alignment of said first and second openings in a first direction, and second portions of each of said first and second cutting edges are moved toward one another during relative blade movement away from full alignment of said first and second openings in a second direction, whereby a workpiece extending through said openings will be engaged by said first portions of said cutting edges upon relative blade movement in said first direction, and by said second portions upon relative blade movement in said second direction.

Apparatus for processing an elongated, filamentary workpiece as the latter is moved longitudinally along a predetermined axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a) first conveyor means including first and second endless belts, said first belt passing tautly about a first and a second roller, said second belt passing tautly around a third and a fourth roller, said first through fourth rollers establishing the paths of travel of said first and second belts to include opposed, linear stretches for engaging opposite sides of said workpiece and transporting it along said axis between first inlet and first outlet ends of said first conveyor means;
• b) second conveyor means including third and fourth endless belts, said third belt passing tautly around a fifth and a sixth roller, said fourth belt passing tautly around a seventh and eight roller, said fifth through eighth rollers establishing the paths of travel of said third and fourth belts to include opposed, linear stretches for engaging opposite sides of said workpiece and transporting it along said axis between second inlet and second outlet ends of said second conveyor means;
• c) blade means positioned between said first and second conveyor means for operating upon said workpiece;
• d) said first outlet end being the portion of said first conveyor means closest to said blade means, and said second inlet end being the portion of said second conveyor means closest to said blade means;
• wherein
• e) said first and third rollers are adjacent said first inlet end, and said second and fourth rollers are adjacent said first outlet end and have diameters less than the diameters of said first and third rollers;
• and
• f) said fifth and seventh rollers are adjacent said second outlet end, and said sixth and eighth rollers are adjacent said second inlet end and have diameters less than the diameters of said fifth and seventh rollers.

Apparatus for processing an elongated, filamentary workpiece as the latter is moved longitudinally along a predetermined axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a) first transport means at inlet side of said apparatus engaging said workpiece and moving it along said axis;
• b) second transport means at an outlet end of said apparatus for engaging said workpiece and moving it along said axis;
• c) blade means positioned between said first and second transport means for operating upon said workpiece;
• d) guide means positioned between said first and second transport means and including a plurality of sections collectively defining a passageway at least a portion of which is of predetermined cross section slightly larger than said workpiece, said passageway extending between first and second ends along a linear central axis, said second end being closely adjacent said blade means and constituting the terminus of a selectively interchangeable one of said plurality of sections;
• e) means for mounting said guide means for movement between a first position, wherein said central axis is coincident with said predetermined axis, and a second position, wherein at least said second end is laterally spaced from said predetermined axis;
• and
• f) means for moving said guide means between said first and second positions.

Apparatus for processing an elongated, filamentary workpiece extending along a fixed, linear axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a) first blade means including first and second cutting edges disposed in generally opposed, spaced relation in a common plane perpendicular to said axis;
• b) second blade means including third and fourth cutting edges disposed in generally opposed, spaced relation in a plane closely spaced and parallel to said common plane;
• and
• c) means for effecting simultaneous movement of said first and second blade means from a neutral position in each of two, opposite directions parallel to said common plane, said first and third cutting edges being disposed on one side and said second and fourth cutting edges on the other side of said axis in said neutral position, whereby said workpiece is engaged by said first and fourth cutting edges upon movement of said first and second blade means in one of said opposite directions and by said second and third cutting edges upon movement of said first and second blade means in the other of said opposite directions.

Apparatus for processing an elongated, filamentary workpiece having a linear, longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a) first structure defining a first cutting edge;
• b) second structure defining a second cutting edge and rigidly connected to said first structure with said first and second edges in spaced, generally opposed relation in a first, common plane;
• c) third structure defining a third cutting edge;
• d) fourth structure defining a fourth cutting edge and rigidly connected to said third structure with said third and fourth edges in spaced, generally opposed relation in a second, common plane;
• e) means for supporting said first, second, third and fourth structures in a first position wherein said first and second planes are in closely spaced, parallel relation, and said first and third edges are on one side and said second and fourth edges are on the opposite side of said axis and each of said edges in spaced relation to said workpiece;
• and
• f) means for simultaneously moving said first and second structures away from said first position in a first direction and said third and fourth structures away from said first position in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, to move said first and fourth edges toward one another into engagement with said workpiece, and for simultaneously moving said first and second structures away from said first position in said second direction and said third and fourth structures away from said first position in said first direction to move said second and third edges toward one another into engagement with said workpiece.