Patent ID: 7640776

Claim:
An expanded metal machine, comprising: a) a fixed blade; b) a displaceable blade, the displaceable blade being vertically and transversely displaceable with a reciprocating motion in a vertical and a transverse direction, respectively; c) a cutting edge provided on the displaceable blade, the cutting edge having cutting projections interspaced in the transverse direction; d) a conveying device for conveying a flat material in a direction of conveyance between the fixed blade and the displaceable blade, the direction of conveyance being transverse relative to the vertical direction of the displaceable blade and the direction of conveyance being transverse relative to the lateral direction of the displaceable blade; e) a ram for effecting a periodic vertical movement of the displaceable blade in the vertical direction; f) a transverse displacing device configured for effecting a transverse displacement of the displaceable blade in the transverse direction, the transverse direction being different from the direction of conveyance, and the transverse displacing device being synchronized with the reciprocating motion of the displaceable blade; g) the fixed blade being received in a vertically adjustable fixed blade holding fixture, which is vertically adjustable for adjustment of a vertical immersion or cutting depth between the fixed blade and the displaceable blade by a cutting depth adjusting device having at least two wedges; and h) the cutting depth adjusting device being a gap adjusting device, and the at least two wedges including two oppositely tapering wedges displaceable in a coupled manner and have parallel sloped surfaces and that are slidably received in the blade holdinq fixture.