Patent ID: 7100486
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: B26D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for cutting a product, comprising: a conveyor assembly that conveys the product in a feed direction and defines a conveyance surface; and a slitter assembly positioned relative to said conveyor assembly and coupled thereto, to slit the product into strips as the product is conveyed in the feed direction, said slitter assembly including a plurality of cutting elements arranged in a V shape, as viewed in a direction substantially normal to the conveyance surface, with said cutting elements each comprising a circular blade and overlapping one another in the feed direction, said slitter assembly further including a slitter frame, a slitter arm coupled to said slitter frame, a leading slitter shaft and a trailing slitter shaft both rotatably supported by said slitter frame, and at least one intermediate slitter shaft rotatably supported by said slitter arm, wherein each of said slitter shafts extends transversely to the feed direction, and at least one of said circular blades is rotatably supported on each of said slitter shafts, and wherein said slitter arm is pivotable relative to said slitter frame to raise said at least one intermediate slitter shaft and said at least one circular blade supported thereon vertically out of contact with the product, thereby allowing for selective adjustment of the width of the strips of product during operation of the apparatus.