Apparatus for cutting and sorting diagnostic strips

Apparatus for cutting transverse strips from an elongated card and for sorting defective strips from non-defective strips, comprising:

• a die member having a vertically extending surface with a horizontal slot therein into which successive transverse portions of said card may be traveled, said slot forming a shear zone defining edge,
• a vertically reciprocatable shear blade disposed against said die member and having a cutting edge positioned to cut transverse strips from said card at said shear zone defining edge as the blade reciprocates, said shear blade having an inclined surface which extends upward from said cutting edge and outward from said die member,
• a strip transporting carrier having a platen for supporting newly cut strips, said carrier being movable along a horizontal strip travel path which extends away from said shear zone defining edge of said die member, said carrier being movable from a first location at which a front end of said carrier is against said die member in position to receive and support a newly cut strip to a second location at which nondefective strips are removed from said carrier and being further movable to a third location at which defective strips are released from said carrier, said front end of said carrier being formed by a plurality of strip supports which are retractable into said platen, said strip supports being urged into said platen by said inclined surface of said shear blade as said shear blade travels downward during a cutting operation.

Apparatus for cutting transverse strips from an elongated card and for sorting defective strips from non-defective strips, comprising:

• a die member having a shear zone defining edge across which successive transverse portions of said card may be traveled,
• a reciprocatable shear blade which is adjacent to said die member and which has a cutting edge which is coplanar with said shear zone defining edge of said die member and positioned to cut transverse strips from said card at said shear zone defining edge in a sequential manner, and
• a strip transporting carrier supported for movement between a first location at which a front end of said carrier is adjacent to said die member at said shear zone defining edge thereof in position to receive and support strips which are cut from said card, a second location at which non-defective strips are removable from said carrier and a third location at which defective strips are released from said carrier,
• wherein said carrier conveys strips along a strip travel path which extends from said first location through said second location to said third location, and,
• at least one retractable strip support disposed at said front end of said carrier immediately below said strip travel path, said retractable strip support being positioned to abut said die member at said shear zone defining edge thereof, said strip support being retractable into said carrier and wherein said shear blade has a blade surface which extends upward from said cutting edge and which is inclined towards said carrier, said retractable strip support being urged into said front end of said carrier by said inclined surface of said shear blade as said shear blade descends.

Apparatus for cutting transverse strips from an elongated card and for sorting defective strips from non-defective strips, comprising:

• a die member having a shear zone defining edge across which successive transverse portions of said card may be traveled,
• a reciprocatable shear blade which is adjacent to said die member and which has a cutting edge which is coplanar with said shear zone defining edge of said die member and positioned to cut transverse strips from said card at said shear zone defining edge in a sequential manner, and
• a strip transporting carrier supported for movement between a first location at which a front end of said carrier is adjacent to said die member at said shear zone defining edge thereof in position to receive and support strips which are cut from said card, a second location at which non-defective strips are removed from said carrier and a third location at which defective strips are released from said carrier,
• wherein said carrier conveys said strips along a strip travel path which extends from said first location through said second location to said third location, said strip transporting carrier moving reciprocally from said third location to return to said first location.