Patent ID: 7591615

Claim:
A sheet material cutting machine comprising, in combination: a bristle bed with generally vertically extending bristles having free ends defining a support surface for supporting sheet material to be cut; a carriage movable over the bristle bed and carrying at least one cutting tool assembly to selectively cut the sheet material; wherein said cutting tool assembly includes a rotating hollow drill having a first end forming a cutting edge, a second end opposed to the first end and an internal passage axially extending from the first end to the second end; wherein said cutting tool assembly includes a bracket receiving the second end of the rotating hollow drill and mounted stationary relative to the rotating hollow drill; a vacuum cleaning system providing vacuum at the carriage to remove cutting debris as the cutting tool assembly is cutting the sheet material; wherein said vacuum cleaning system includes a hose assembly connecting the bracket to a vacuum source to provide vacuum to the internal passage at the second end of the rotating hollow drill to remove cutting debris through the internal passage and the hose assembly as the hollow drill is cutting the sheet material; and a controller in communication with the vacuum cleaning system so that the controller deactivates the vacuum within the internal passage when the hollow drill is not cutting the sheet material.