Blade holder with cutting force adjustment independent of stroke

In combination, a circular blade and a blade holder for cutting machines, comprising:

• a blade head secured to a lowering device and comprising a blade head housing having a chamber;
• said blade head further including a blade holding member;
• a said circular blade being retained by said blade holding member;
• an advancing device mounted in said blade head housing;
• said advancing device comprising an advancing piston rod and an advancing piston actuating said advancing piston rod;
• a biasing component acting on said advancing piston rod to press said advancing piston rod in a ready position of the circular blade;
• said advancing piston rod acting on said blade holding member for moving the circular blade from a ready position into a cutting position, thereby overcoming the force of a said biasing component acting on said advancing piston rod to press said advancing piston rod In the ready position of the circular blade;
• said advancing piston actuated by a first pneumatic drive and mounted end in said chamber;
• said biasing component including a return spring and being mounted within said chamber, said biasing component having one end supported against said advancing device and another end supported against a support structure within said chamber at an axial spacing from said advancing piston with the axial spacing between said advancing piston and said support structure within said chamber being such that said biasing component is in a ready position compression when said one end of said biasing component is supported against said advancing device and said another end of said biasing component is supported against said support structure within said chamber;
• and
• a pressing device for increasing the compression of said biasing component beyond said ready position compression of said biasing component by loading said biasing component toward said support structure within said chamber while said axial spacing between said advancing piston and said support structure within said chamber remains constant, whereupon said one end of said biasing component previously supported against said advancing device is decoupled from and is no longer supported against said advancing device.