Patent ID: 6923098
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: B26D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A cutting wheel assembly for cutting elongated articles, comprising: a substantially cylindrical housing defining a longitudinally disposed cavity and which has a substantially circular outer periphery; a plurality of cutting device support rings rotatably mounted about the outer periphery of the cylindrical housing; a plurality of cutting devices mounted for radial movement on each cutting device support ring, and disposed at angularly spaced increments about the cylindrical housing, and wherein each cutting device is radially moveable between a first, retracted non-cutting position, and a second, extended cutting position, and wherein rotation of the respective cutting device support rings creates inertia forces on the cutting devices such that the cutting devices are encouraged to move to the second, extended cutting position; an assembly of conduits and valves operatively connected to the cylindrical housing for selectively directing a pulse of a first fluid at a preselected angular position against individual cutting devices to urge the respective cutting devices substantially radially outwardly from the first, retracted non-cutting position, to the second, extended cutting position; an assembly of fluid conduits operatively connected to the cylindrical housing for delivering a second fluid at a given flow rate to the respective cutting devices and cutting device support rings to create a fluid induced adhesive force between the respective cutting devices and cutting device support rings, and wherein the second fluid prevents the respective cutting devices from indiscriminately moving from the first position to the second extended cutting position due to the inertia forces exerted on the respective cutting devices; and a plurality of camming components mounted on the outer periphery of the cylindrical housing and located adjacent the cutting device support rings, the camming components comprising tracking grooves for receiving portions of the respective cutting devices and which operate to guide the respective cutting devices as they individually travel between the first and second positions, and further maintaining the respective cutting devices in the second extended cutting position without a continued presence of the first fluid, and wherein the respective cutting devices cut the elongated articles when located in the second position.