Patent ID: 8567293

Claim:
A method of severing a band ( 11 ) which encloses a blank stack ( 10 ), comprising: a) pushing together the blank stack ( 10 ) such that the band ( 11 ) is spaced apart from the blank stack ( 10 ), at least in a certain spaced-apart region, wherein, while the blank stack ( 10 ) is being pushed together, the band is retained in certain regions and/or is brought into abutment against at least one side surface of the blank stack ( 10 ), wherein, while the blank stack ( 10 ) is being pushed together, the blank stack ( 10 ) butts partially, in the region of the at least one side surface of the blank stack ( 10 ), against an abutment wall ( 31 ), wherein the abutment wall ( 31 ) has a lower height than the corresponding at least one side surface of the blank stack ( 10 ), wherein, by virtue of the blank stack ( 10 ) being pushed together, the band ( 11 ) is spaced apart from the blank stack ( 10 ) in a non-retained region or in a region which does not butt against the at least one side surface of the blank stack ( 10 ), and is spaced apart from the blank stack ( 10 ) in a region of the at least one side surface of the blank stack ( 10 ) that does not butt against the abutment wall ( 31 ), and wherein, while the blank stack ( 10 ) is being pushed together, the abutment wall ( 31 ) is moved by a ram plate ( 29 ) into a correct position relative to a region of action of a cutting means such that the abutment wall ( 31 ), irrespective of the height of the blank stack ( 10 ) in each case, does not cover an essentially constant-magnitude portion of the at least one side wall of the blank stack ( 10 ); b) severing the band ( 11 ) in the spaced-apart region, which also is in the region of a band station ( 19 ), by the cutting means, knife ( 23 ); and then c) removing the band ( 11 ) from the blank stack ( 10 ).