Patent ID: 8578576

Claim:
An apparatus for continuously perforating elongate stock comprising: a first form roll unit configured to form flanges on opposing first and second edges of the stock, each opposing edge disposed at an oblique or perpendicular with respect to a central portion of the stock; first and second cutter sections for receiving and perforating the stock; and a spreader for receiving and expanding the perforated coil stock, wherein the spreader comprises first and second fixed steering plates that each interact with the respective first and second edges of the stock to place the central portion of the stock in tension, the spreader further comprising a fixed lower guide plate upon which the central portion of the stock translates, the lower guide plate with first and second side edges that engage the respective flanges upon the first and second edges of the stock and the first and second side edges of the lower guide plate each form continuous curves along a portion of the spreader such that a width of the central portion increases in a non-linear fashion along the spreader.