Paper web cutter

A paper web cutter for cutting across the width of a moving web of paper in locations along the length of the web, for severing the web in two sections. Two conveyors carry the web therebetween and hold the web against each other. One conveyor carries a cutter which operates to cut either the full web width, or only a part of the web width, and another cutter then cuts the remainder of the web width.

This invention relates to a paper web cutter, and, more particularly it 
relates to a cutter for a continuously moving web of paper which can be 
cut across its width in desired lengths. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The prior art utilizes paper web cutters of a rotary type where two 
cylinders, in rolling contact, carry the respective cutter elements of a 
cutter and an anvil or the like. The web passes between the two cylinders, 
and the cutter then shears the paper across its width. In some instances, 
the cut paper is gripped by one of the rotating cylinders and the cut 
section is then conveyed away See U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,097. 
In that arrangement of the prior art, the concern is with regard to the 
provision for, and the synchronization of, the cutter and the anvil. That 
is, they must be provided for in durable metal material which is generally 
required to be hardened, and the mating between the cutter and the back-up 
member on the other cylinder must be with extreme precision. These 
limitations and requirements also result in a restriction on the 
permissable speed of moving the web of paper. 
The present invention improves upon the prior art cutters in that it 
combines both the conveying and cutting members in the same elements of 
the conveyor itself, all such that the web is positively held by the 
conveyor and is also cut while moving at a high speed. This is achieved 
because the web is simultaneously held on its opposite faces at the same 
time that it is cut and conveyed forward along its path of movement, and 
at no time is the web free of the conveyor until it is deposited on a 
collecting conveyor or the like. 
In accomplishing the objective of improving upon the prior art and avoiding 
the precise requirements of rotary cutters in the way of synchronizing 
cutter and anvil, the invention provides for two opposed lengths of 
conveyor belts which engage respective faces of the web for moving the web 
and for holding the web while it is being cut during its movement. The 
shearing cutter itself is carried on a moving member which progresses or 
moves with the forwarding of the web, and the opposed belts retain tension 
in the web so that it is accurately and cleanly cut, and the belts also 
retain the cut web for conveying it to the deposit conveyor or the like. 
A further improvement of the present invention is with respect to providing 
two cutters, or assemblies thereof, at two different stations along the 
path of the moving web, with one of the cutters cutting across the width 
of the web in only a portion thereof, such as in a perforated type of cut, 
and with the other cutter at the downstream station cutting the remainder 
of the web, so that the complete web is finally cut. Still further the 
present invention provides for only the first of the aforementioned cutter 
which performs the socalled perforated type of cut, and the web can then 
be further engaged in its downstream travel to be pulled at a faster speed 
than the speed at the time it is cut, and that faster pulling speed will 
cause the web to completely sever across its width through a tearing 
action of the remainder of the width which is otherwise uncut. 
In the present invention, the web of paper is moved at a high speed and is 
severed across its width at various lengths along the web, and the cut 
sections of the web can then be deposited on a take-off conveyor, as 
desired. In accomplishing these objectives, the need for precision cutting 
elements is obviated, and the prior art problem of dullness and wear of 
the cutting elements is also avoided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED APATUS AND METHOD 
The following description will be directed at the apparatus, and, as such, 
the method aspect will also be inherently disclosed. A web of paper W is 
moving rightwardly, in FIG. 1, under the influence of incoming conveyors 
10, and it moves into the control and grip of a conveyor generally 
designated 11. Of course the web W is in the nature of an endless web of 
already processed or printed paper, and it is now desired to cut the web 
across its width and deposit it in cut lengths or sections such as the 
section S on the takeoff or collector conveyor 12. In all instances of 
conveyors, they are of course moving in the direction of the arrows 
adjacent the conveyors. 
The conveyor 11 includes an inner section 13 and an outer section 14, both 
of which are shown to consist of a plurality of conveyor belts in the 
side-by-side relationship, such as seen in FIG. 2. The conveyor 13 is 
trained over a cylinder or drum 16 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 
17 and rotates in the direction of the arrow shown thereon, and it is also 
trained over pulleys or the like 18 and 19 so that the conveyor 13 is 
endless and makes repetitious cycles. Also, the conveyor 14 is endless and 
it is trained over pulleys 21, 22, and 23, and it too is trained over the 
drum 16 in approximately the right-hand half thereof as seen in FIG. 1. 
The conveyors 13 and 14 therefore contact the opposite faces of the web W, 
that is the lower and upper surfaces, respectively, and tightly control 
and move the web around the drum 16 to the direction therebelow, as 
indicated. 
As mentioned, the conveyors 13 and 14 are composed of conveyor belts 24 and 
26, respectively, and the belts are in side-by-side and spaced-apart 
positions, as seen in FIG. 2, and the web W is therebetween. 
A knife or shearing cutter 27 is shown affixed to the drum 16 and extends 
radially therefrom to project beyond the belts 26 when in the FIG. 1 
position, for instance. FIG. 2 also shows that the knife 27 has its 
cutting edges 28 in spacedapart but aligned positions along one line, and 
they penetrate or cut the web W when the conveyors 13 and 14 move through 
their parallel movement portions designated 29. Of course the web W is cut 
in spaced positions along the cutline designated L, in FIG. 3, and the 
actual cuts, designated C, are shown spaced-apart along the line L and 
they were created by the six shown knives or cutters 28. Therefore, the 
web W is cut in the nature of a perforated type of cut in that it is 
discontinuous when the web W is moving around the drum 16 and to the 
position therebelow. 
Another cutter assembly is disposed in the lower half of FIG. 1, and it 
includes a rotatably mounted drum 31 on a support shaft 32, and it also 
has an inner conveyor 33 and an outer conveyor 34. Again, the conveyors 33 
and 34 consist of a plurality of face-to-face or overlying belts, such as 
the five belts shown in FIG. 2. As such, the conveyors 33 and 34 receive 
the web W and continue to convey it downwardly and counter-clockwise 
around the roller 31 and out onto the take-out conveyor 12. 
The conveyor 33 includes the usual pulleys, such as another one of the 
pulleys 23, and a series of aligned pulleys 36. Also, the conveyor 34 
includes another one of the pulleys 18 and an aligned series of pulleys 37 
and pulleys 38 It will be understood that the upper two conveyors 13 and 
14 and their respective belts are offset with respect to the lower two 
conveyors 33 and 34 and their respective belts, all so that the web can be 
continously conveyed, without interruption or gap from the upper half to 
the lower half of FIG. 1 and through the intermediary of the series of 
pulleys 18 and 23 which support the belts of both the upper and lower 
sections being described. That is, the lower conveyors 33 and 34 have 
face-to-face belts designated 39 and 41, respectively, for snugly and 
tightly gripping the web W therebetween, as indicated by the belts and web 
in FIG. 2. Further, as shown and as will be understood in this 
description, the belts between the upper and lower halves of FIG. 1 are 
offset from each other, axially of the drums 16 and 31, and thus they can 
pass each other and perform the function of the continuous conveyance of 
the web W without any gap in the contact and support of the web until it 
is desposited on the conveyor 12. 
With the offset of the belts as mentioned, the belts 39 and 41, being 
aligned with each other, are disposed in positions of the cuts C across 
the width of the web, and thus the line L across the width of the web 
which is uncut is exposed and is available for cutting. To cut that uncut 
portion, a shearing cutter or knife 42 is affixed to the roller 31 and 
extends therefrom, and is in the nature and relationship of the cutter 27. 
Therefore, when the cutter 42 rotates to approximately the 10 or 11 
o'clock position, as viewed in FIG. 1, then the cutter 42 will penetrate 
the web line L in its several uncut portions and perform the cut or shear 
of the web and thus have the web fully severed across its width at the 
line L. Of course the cut section would continue to be conveyed by the 
conveyors 33 and 34 and would move into the control of conveyors 43 which 
ultimately deposit the cut section S on the conveyor 12. 
In these arrangements, a tensioning device 46 is effective on a pair of 
pulleys or the like 47 to assure a tight grip of the web W, in the upper 
half of FIG. 1, and also a tensioning device 48 operates on two Pulleys 49 
on which the respective belts 39 and 41 are trained, so that the web W 
will be snugly and tautly held by the conveyors for the shearing action as 
well as accurate conveyance. The devices 46 and 48 are in the nature cf 
extenders, such as compression springs or the like which force the rollers 
47 and 49 into tight gripping relationship with the web W. 
In the aforementioned manner, the web W is cut into sections S, and the cut 
can be completely across the width of the web along the line L while the 
web W is moving at a high speed and non-stop. The respective cutters 27 
and 42 simply project between the belts in their respective conveyors, and 
since the web is held taut while being cut, no anvil or other mechanism is 
required for engaging and controlling the web or the cutting action. 
Still further, if only one of the drums 16 and 31 and their respective 
conveyors was utilized, then the conveyors 43 can be utilized to operate 
at a speed faster than the speed of the web at the location of contact 
with the drums, and since the conveyor 43 is engaging the opposite faces 
of the web W and operating at a faster speed, it can actually pull the 
remaining uncut portion of the web apart, along that line L and after of 
course the web has received the spacedapart cuts C, as shown in FIG. 3. In 
the case of that arrangement, then only one of the cutters 27 and 42 is 
required. 
FIG. 4 shows the single section of the combined conveyor and cutter, and it 
includes the inner conveyor and outer conveyor, generally designated 51 
and 52, respectively, which are trained over a drum 53 and on pulleys 54. 
A drive motor 56 is shown engaged with the outer conveyor 52 and of course 
the movement of the two conveyors 51 and 52 would be in precise unison for 
the conveyance of the web W. Further, the conveyors are shown to have the 
belts 57 and 58, respectively in that side-by-side relationship mentioned 
and indicated, all for conveying the web W through the unit and to produce 
the cut sections S, as indicated. Thus, the inner belts 57 are provided 
with spaced-apart shear cutters 59 attached to the belts and extending 
therefrom for penetrating the web W in approximately the 12 o'clock 
position of FIG. 4. In that arrangement, the sections S would be of the 
length between consecutive cutters 59 which form the perforated type of 
cut already shown in FIG. 3. A belt tightener 61 can be employed for 
assuring the synchronized drive desired. 
FIG. 5 shows a drum 62 which would be rotatably mounted on a shaft 63 for 
rotation and use such as the previously described drums, and it is shown 
to have two shearing cutters 64 extending radially therefrom for cutting 
the web W in two close lines of cut and thereby form a "chip" type of cut 
where a section across the width of the web is perforated and utlimately 
removed, when that type of cut is desired. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 show an enlarged side or sectional views of conveyor belts of 
the timing belt type. Thus the outer belts would be the belt 66 and the 
inner belt would be the belt 67 carrying a cutter 68 which could be 
embedded in the belt 67. The two belts have the usual teeth or cogs 69 for 
the timing belt feature of moving the belts in precise synchronization 
relative to each other. Also, the outer belt 66 has a recess 71 which 
accommodates, by receiving, the knife or cutter 68 when the two belts are 
in overlying position with only the web W therebetween, as described in 
connection with FIGS. 1 or 4. 
FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 show another arrangement of belts, and here a cutter 72 
extends across the width of the belt 73, and it would of course make one 
continuous cut across the web W when the belt 73 is utilized as one of the 
inner cutting belts described herein. The belt 73 thus has the cutter 72, 
of the T-shape shown in FIG. 9, and also that being the shape in FIG. 7, 
and the cutter 72 is suitably affixed to the base of the flexible belt 73. 
Also, the belt 73 has raised sections 74 and 76 flanking the cutter 72, and 
these sections 74 and 76 are in the nature of cushions so they have good 
frictional characteristics on their surfaces 77, and they may actually be 
pliable to indent when the web is thereon and the two opposing belts are 
being tensioned toward each other for holding the web W therebetween FIG. 
10 shows the mating or outer belt 78, and it too has the cushioned faces 
or surfaces 79 for engaging the web and thus tautly and non-slidably 
holding the web with the cushions of belt 73. Again, the belt 78 has an 
opening 81 for receiving the cutter 72 when the two are aligned and are 
mated in the cutting action described herein. 
In all of these instances, there are two matched conveyors, an inner and 
outer conveyor, and they have portions which move in parallelism while 
gripping the web W therebetween. At that time the web is sheared by the 
cutters, which have cutting edges 82 projecting toward the outer conveyor, 
all for penetrating the web. 
In all instances, drums 16, 31, 53, and 62 are a respective part of the 
inner conveyor, such as conveyors 13 and 51. Also, the cutters 59 and 72 
are mounted directly on the inner belts 57 and 73, respectively. In all 
instances, there are conveyor portions that move parallel to each other 
and have a cutter thereon for movement toward the other conveyor for 
shearing the web held between the portions. 
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment where the web W is passed over a standard 
former/folder 83 and moves into the control of a conveyor 84 which extends 
approximately one-quarter around the circumference of a cylinder 86. Four 
web cutters 87 are mounted equally spaced around the cylinder 86, and the 
cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow shown, and thus the web W 
is trapped between the cylinder 86 and the conveyor 84 and the four 
cutters 87 will sever the web W at the location at the top of the cylinder 
86. 
The severed sections of the web W are then presented to a rotating fan 88 
which has the usual shelves 89 for receiving the individual cut sections 
of the web W and for depositing those sections onto a slow-moving take-off 
conveyor 91, so that the web sections are placed in a shingled form, as 
indicated. From there the web sections S move to a conventional sheet 
stacker. 
In that embodiment in FIG. 11, and also in the embodiment in FIG. 12, the 
web W can be severed across its entire width by the individual cutters 87 
in that the conveyor 84 includes the web guiding belt 92, and a similar 
belt 93 in FIG. 12, which are timing belts, such as shown in FIGS. 13. 
That is, the timing belt has the usual openings 94 spaced therealong 
across the width of the belt, and aligned ones of the openings 94 will 
receive the cutters 87 when these elements are at the top of the cylinder 
86 of FIG. 11 and a cylinder 96 of FIG. 12. Thus the web W will be pressed 
against the respective circumferences 97 of the cylinders 86 and 96 to be 
snug therewith for severing or penetration by the knife edge 98 of a 
respective cutter 87. 
FIG. 13 further shows that the cutter 87 is mounted on the circumference 97 
of a respective roller or cylinder 86 and 96, and a screw 99 extends 
through the cutter 87 and into the respective cylinder 86 and 96 for 
securing the cutters 87. The paper web W will of course be held against 
the respective circumferences 97 by the respective cylindrical 
circumferences and the inside edge of the timing belts 92 and 93, 
respectively, and thus the web is held firmly while being sheared and of 
course during the time that there is continuous movement, according to the 
arrows shown. 
Further, FIG. 12 shows nip rollers 101 which are positioned between the 
former 83 and the cylinder 96 to advance the web W in the direction of the 
arrow shown and to the position between the belt 93 and the cylinder 
circumference 97. Also, the belt 93 is trained on a pulley 102 which is 
located at the direct top of the cylinder 96 and which then also serves to 
press the timing belt 93 downwardly and against the cylinder circumference 
97 at the instant that the web is being severed by the knife or cutter 87, 
and thus the web W is firmly held, as mentioned, while it is being 
severed. 
The outer conveyor, which includes the timing belts 92 and 93, as well as 
the outer belts in the previous embodiments, will press against the 
respective circumferences 97 of the adjacent cylinders 86 and 96, at 
surfaces 103 and 104 extending across the circumference 97 on opposite 
sides of the location of the cutter 87, for instance. As such, the web is 
held firmly while it is being cut. 
FIG. 14 shows there is a cutter 106 which is radially movably mounted on 
its support cylinder 107 which has an opening 108 for receiving the cutter 
106. In the FIG. 14 position, the cutter 106 is extended and would 
therefore have cut through the web of paper extending over the 
circumference 109 of the cylinder 107, and this would be at the time while 
the outer conveyor or timing belt 93 is pressing the web against the 
cylinder circumference 109 at locations 111 and 112 so that the web is 
firmly held while the cutter 106 passes through the web for shearing it 
completely across the web. 
FIG. 14 further shows that the radially movable cutter 106 carries a cam 
follower 113 rotatable thereon, and the follower 113 rides on a cam 
surface 114 which is the periphery of a cam 116 adjacent the clyinder 107. 
Of course the movable cutter 106 is shown to be pivotally mounted on a 
pivot pin 117 affixed to the cylinder 107 for rotatable displacement with 
the cylinder 107 while permitting inward and outward radial movement 
relative to the cylinder 107 and in the opening 108 in the cylinder 107. 
Therefore, the cutter 106 will extend beyond the circumference 112 in the 
approximate one o'clock position of the cylinder 107, and that is when the 
web is being firmly held at the circumferential locations 111 and 112. 
Also, the cutting edge 118 of the cutter 106 may be a serrated edge for 
maximum cutting efficiency. There may be a plurality of the cutters 106 
spaced around the cylinder 107, as in the arrangement shown in FIG. 11 
with cutters 87. 
With the cam operated embodiment, the cutter 106 will not move beyond the 
cylinder circumference 109 until the web W is being firmly held against 
the circumference 109 and in both locations 111 and 112. That is, the web 
W contacts the cylinder 107 tangentially, but the cutter 106 will not 
engage the web until the web is being held at the circumferential 
locations 111 and 112 at which time the cylinder 107 has rotated to the 
position where the cam follower 113 activates to extend the cutter 106 
into contact with and through the web W and across its entire width to 
make a complete cut of the web. Of course there would be suitable means 
for causing the cam follower 113 to remain with the cam 114, that is, 
radially inwardly relative to the circumference 109 until the severing or 
cutting action is undertaken, and that could be simply a spring urging the 
cutter 106 inwardly, such as with the spring 118 anchored between the 
cylinder 107 and the cutter 106. The cam embodiment could be incorporated 
in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 14 can be substituted into FIGS. 11 and 12, in 
respect to the cutters.