Patent ID: 6109153
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: B26D,B65H,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A cutting mechanism for cutting a length of material from a supply of material, said cutting mechanism comprising:an elongate member having a first end, a second end, an outer face for receiving the material thereon, and an inner face opposite the outer face;a slot in the elongate member extending from the first end to the second end thereof;a cutter block having a first end and a second end and movable along the slot between the first and second ends of the slot;a guide member for guiding movement of the cutter block along the slot adjacent the inner face of the elongate member;a knife blade mounted on the cutter block and extending through the slot for engaging the material on the outer face;an elongate flexible drive member having a first end and a second end, said an elongate flexible drive member being fixed at each of its first and second ends to the cutter block;and drive means for selectively moving the elongate flexible drive member in one of a first direction thereby causing movement the cutter block along the slot towards the first end of the slot, and a second direction thereby causing movement of the cutter block along the slot towards the second end of the slot, the drive means comprising:a first pulley at a position spaced from the first end of the slot of the elongate member in the direction towards the second end of the slot of the elongate member and spaced from the inner surface of the elongate member and from the cutter block;a second pulley at a position spaced from the second end of the slot of the elongate member in the direction towards the first end of the elongate member and spaced from the inner surface of the elongate member and from the cutter block;and a drive element for driving one of the first and second pulleys in one of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction;wherein the elongate flexible drive member extends under and around each of the first and second pulleys, with the first end of the elongate flexible drive member extending around the first pulley to a first point on the cutter block, and the second end of the elongate flexible drive member extending around the second pulley to a second point on the cutter block;wherein the first pulley is spaced from the inner face of the elongate member by a distance such that the cutter block, as it is guided by the guide member, passes at the first end of the slot between the first pulley and the inner face such that the first point on the cutter block is located at a position beyond the first pulley, at which position the first and second ends of the elongate flexible drive member are drawn taut such that movement of the cutter block along the slot is stopped by the taut elongate flexible drive member as the cutter block moves towards the first end of the slot;and wherein the second pulley is spaced from the inner face of the elongate member by a distance such that the cutter block, as it is guided by the guide member, passes at the second end of the slot between the second pulley and the inner face such that the second point on the cutter block is located at a position beyond the second pulley, at which position the first and second ends of the elongate flexible drive member are drawn taut such that movement of the cutter block along the slot is stopped by the taut elongate flexible drive member as the cutter block moves towards the second end of the slot.