Bi-directional cutting or trimming knife

Apparatus for trimming or cutting a stack of sheet members comprising:

• a cutting table;
• a support frame connected to said cutting table and extending upwardly therefrom;
• a linkage mechanism comprising a base link and first and second side links pivotally connected to said base link and extending downwardly therefrom;
• an elongated knife holder having an elongated knife with a cutting edge mounted thereto, and being pivotally connected to said first and second side links, whereby said base link, said first and second side links, and said knife holder form a collapsible parallelogram;
• an extensible cylinder connected to said frame and to said knife holder for moving said knife from one of a plurality of start positions spaced from said table to a cut position proximate said table;
• said base link being movably mounted to said support frame for movement from a first link position wherein said first and second links angle downwardly at an inclined first angle when said knife is in a first start position to a second link position wherein said first and second side links angle downwardly at an inclined second angle opposite from said first angle when said knife is in a second start position.

Apparatus for cutting or trimming a stack of sheet members comprising:

• a cutting table;
• an elongated knife having a substantially straight cutting edge extending along an elongated cutting edge axis;
• a knife supporting frame connected to said cutting table;
• a guide mechanism mounting said knife to said supporting frame for movement of said knife from one of a plurality of start positions wherein said knife is positioned spaced from said cutting table and said stack of sheet members to a cut position wherein said knife is positioned proximate said cutting table, wherein said knife moves toward said cutting table and trims or cuts said stack of sheet members;
• at least a portion of said mechanism guide being movable on said frame to a first guide position of the guide mechanism for causing said knife to be positioned in a first start position and to move in a first direction relative to said cutting edge axis when moving from said first start position to said cut position;
• and
• at least a portion of said guide mechanism being movable on said frame to a second guide position of the guide mechanism for causing said knife to be positioned in a second guide position and to move in a second direction opposite from said first direction when moving from said start position to said cut position.