Patent ID: 6142046
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: B26D,B27L,Y10T

Abstract:
A knife projection sensing system for cutting machines having a rotatable surface adapted to retain a plurality of cutting knives having cutting edges that project from the rotatable surface, the sensing system comprising:at least one sensor mountable to the cutting machine to be stationary with respect to the rotatable surface for generating a signal capable of indicating the position of each cutting knife as the knives rotate past the at least one sensor;processing means in communication with the at least one sensor for analyzing the signal generated to locate a portion of the signal that represents the cutting edge of each knife and determine the projection of each knife from a reference surface and to determine if the projection of at least one of the plurality of cutting knives deviates outside preset desirable limits; andmeans for communicating the projection status of the knives to an operator.