Slitting knife cartridge

A cartridge for slitting a mill roll for use in a slitting machine, in combination with said slitting machine, said slitting machine having a complementary seat defined between laterally opposite endwalls, said cartridge comprising:

• a pair of endplates spaced laterally apart;
• a first shaft mounted in bearings at opposite ends to respective ones of said endplates, with one end having a first yoke that is drivable for rotating said first shaft;
• said first shaft including a plurality of first circular blades spaced apart longitudinally along said first shaft by corresponding spacers;
• a second shaft pivotally mounted at opposite ends to respective ones of said endplates, and spaced parallel with said first shaft;
• a dovetail bar fixedly joined to said second shaft and parallel therewith;
• a plurality of blade holders spaced longitudinally apart along said dovetail bar, and each of said holders including a second circular blade aligned with a corresponding one of said first blades for cutting in shear a web unwound from said mill roll;
• said endplates being sized and joined together by said first and second shafts for permitting installation and removal of said cartridge as an assembly in and out of said seat in said machine;
• and
• a tie bar fixedly joined at opposite ends to said endplates for providing with said first and second shafts three parallel load paths between said endplates;
• wherein:
• said endplates include straight bottom rails spaced longitudinally apart with said rails resting atop said seat in said slitting machine, and with said first yoke being engaged with a complementary second yoke in said machine for driving said first yoke and rotating said first shaft,
• said second shaft includes a crank at one end thereof for pivoting said second shaft, and in turn pivoting said dovetail bar and blade holders to selectively engage and disengage said second blades with said first blades,
• each of said blade holders further includes a clamp fixedly engaging said dovetail bar, and said clamp is releasable for sliding said blade holders longitudinally along said dovetail bar for aligning said second blades with corresponding ones of said first blades, and
• said spacers are tubular;
• said machine further comprising an actuator joined to said crank for selectively pivoting said second shaft, dovetail bar, and blade holders mounted thereto.