Cutter for cross cutting of reeled webs

A cutter for cross cutting a reeled web, comprising:

• a web advancement assembly for advancing the reeled web along an advancement path;
• a first shaft disposed at a first side of the advancement path, the first shaft being rotatable about a first axis;
• a blade disposed on the first shaft;
• a first gear and a second gear disposed at opposite ends of the first shaft and rotatable with the first shaft;
• a second shaft disposed at a second side of the advancement path, the second side being opposite the first side, the second shaft being rotatable about a second axis;
• a cylindrical jacket disposed on the second shaft;
• a channel portion disposed on the cylindrical jacket;
• a counter blade disposed at the channel portion;
• a driving means for rotating the first shaft about the first axis and the second shaft about the second axis, the rotating of the first shaft and the rotating of the second shaft being synchronized with the advancing of the reeled web so as to position the blade and the counter blade opposite one another in a cutting position;
• and
• an actuating means for moving the first shaft toward the second shaft when the blade and the counter blade are in the cutting position such that the blade is received in the channel portion proximate the counter blade to cross cut the reeled web;
• wherein the blade extends along a length of the first shaft between the first gear and the second gear and the second shaft is disposed parallel to the first shaft, the channel portion and the counter blade extending along a length of the second shaft;
• wherein the actuating means comprises a third shaft, a third gear and a fourth gear disposed at opposite ends of the third shaft, the third and fourth gears engagingly meshing with the first and second gears, respectively, and a protrusion extending from the first gear, the protrusion contacting the third gear at the cutting position and displacing the first shaft in a direction toward the second shaft.