Patent ID: 8584662

Claim:
A cutting machine for cutting slots in fiber-cement workpieces, comprising: an anvil plate having a plurality of slots, wherein individual slots have sidewalls and end walls; a drive system for moving a fiber-cement workpiece over the anvil plate along a drive path; a cross member above the anvil plate, wherein the cross member extends transverse to the drive path along which the workpiece travels; an actuator coupled to the cross member, wherein the actuator moves the cross member along a straight path between a raised position and a lowered position; a plurality of blade mounts along the cross member at locations corresponding to the slots in the anvil plate; and a plurality of cutting blades, wherein individual cutting blades comprise a head configured to be attached to a corresponding blade mount, a shank projecting downwardly relative to the head, and a cutting edge extending at an angle of approximately 83.5° to 85° relative to an axis parallel to the straight path along which the blade moves to cut slots in the fiber-cement workpiece.