Patent ID: 8875608

Claim:
A sheet slitting mechanism comprising: a framework having sides that support a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft, each having a respective rotational axis, wherein each axis is substantially parallel to the other axis; a first slitter element mounted on the first drive shaft and including an axially movable first wedge assembly that is normally biased into an axially locked position on the first drive shaft; a second slitter element mounted on the second drive shaft that impinges to first slitter element to form a shear; and a key assembly constructed and arranged to selectively engage the first slitter element to axially move the first wedge assembly into an axially unlocked position, the key assembly being movable in the axial direction to move each of the first slitter element axially along the first drive shaft and the second slitter element axially along the second drive shaft; wherein the second slitter element includes an axially movable second wedge assembly that is normally biased into an axially locked position on the second drive shaft and the key assembly is further constructed and arranged to selectively engage the second slitter element to axially move the second wedge assembly into an axially unlocked position; wherein the first wedge assembly and the second wedge assembly each define a shoulder of a circumferential groove and the key assembly includes a key having at least one tine with a tapered tip that moves into the groove to thereby axially spread-apart the groove.