Cutter assembly for a master processing apparatus

A master processing system comprising:

• a frame;
• first and second feed rolls carrying respective supplies of first and second stock material, the feed rolls being mounted to the frame to enable the stock materials to be unwound from their respective feed rolls, at least one of the stock materials having a layer of adhesive disposed thereon;
• a master processing assembly constructed and arranged such that a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master;
• the master processing assembly being constructed and arranged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed into the feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof;
• and
• a cutter assembly removably mounted in a mounted operative position to the frame on the discharge side of the master processing assembly, the cutter assembly having (a) a base member removably mountable to the frame and extending generally transversely with respect to the frame, the base member providing a substrate supporting surface configured to receive and support the processed master and stock materials being discharged from the processing assembly in a substantially flat relation, and (b) a blade mounted to the base member and movable to perform a cutting operation in the form of a severing operation wherein the blade cuts through the stock materials discharged from the processing assembly and supported on the base member in a direction generally transverse to the feeding direction to sever a final product comprising the processed master and stock materials from a remainder of the supply of the stock materials;
• the cutter assembly being constructed and arranged to be removed from the frame as a unit for placement in a removed operative position on a generally horizontal surface separate from the fame, the cutter assembly being constructed and arranged such that, in the removed operative position, the blade is movable to perform other cutting operations including a trimming operation wherein the blade is moved to cut through the processed stock materials supported on the base member in the feeding direction.

A master processing apparatus for use with a pair of removable feed rolls, the removable feed rolls carrying a supply of stock material to be unwound, at least one of the stock materials having a layer of adhesive provided thereon, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame constructed and arranged to removably mount the feed rolls;
• a master processing assembly constructed and arranged such that, when the feed rolls are removably mounted to the frame, a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master;
• the master processing assembly being constructed and avenged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed in a feeding direction into the feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof;
• and
• a cutter assembly mounted to the frame on the discharge side of the master processing assembly, the cutter assembly having a blade movable to perform a cutting operation in the form of a severing operation wherein the blade cuts through the stock materials discharged from the processing assembly in a direction generally transverse to the feeding direction to sever a final product comprising the processed master and stock materials from a remainder of the supply of the stock materials;
• the cutter assembly including a generally transversely extending guide member and a blade carriage carrying the blade, the blade carriage being mounted on the guide member to enable the blade and the carriage to be moved generally transversely therealong to perform the severing operation;
• the guide member having a removable portion that is removable to create an open space in the guide member, the open space being configured to enable the blade carriage to be (a) removed by transversely moving the carriage into the open space so as to disengage the carriage from the guide member and (b) installed by disposing the blade carriage within the open space and moving the blade carriage transversely onto the guide member.

A master processing apparatus for use with a pair of removable feed rolls, the removable feed rolls carrying a supply of stock material to be unwound, at least one of the stock materials having a layer of adhesive provided thereon, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame constructed and arranged to removably mount the feed rolls;
• a master processing assembly constructed and arranged such that, when the feed rolls are removably mounted to the frame, a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master;
• the master processing assembly being constructed and arranged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed in a feeding direction into a feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof;
• and
• a support structure removably mounted in a mounted operative position to the frame on one of the feed side and the discharge side of the master processing assembly, the support structure having a substrate supporting surface configured to receive and support the processed master and stock materials being fed through the master processing assembly in a substantially flat relation;
• wherein the frame includes a storage compartment on the same side of the master processing assembly as the support structure in its mounted operative position, the storage compartment having an upwardly facing opening and being configured to store objects therein,
• the support structure being positioned in covering relation to the upwardly facing opening of the storage compartment when the support structure is removably mounted in the mounted operative position to the frame, the support structure being constructed and arranged to be removed from the frame to enable access to the storage compartment of the frame through the upwardly facing opening thereof.