US1768978A - Apparatus for slitting expanded sheets - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1930. o. E. GIBSON 1,768,978

' APPARATUS magnum sx1= .mnnn sm-zm's Filed Jan. 5, 1929 I Z Sheets-Sheet 1 i fnvnior' FIG] OL/l/EE 5.6/BJON ATTORNEY:

July 1, 1930. so l,' 768,978

APPARATUS FOR SLITTING EXPANDED SHEETS Filed Jan. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l jm mior I OL/ /ER .E .G/B6ON ATTORNEY! M ingly fed to sai l m-rm 'rmj-Es f a'rsm omen:

OLIVER GIBSO N, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO I UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY, 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ELINOIS APPARATUS FOR SLI'ITING EXPANDED SHEETS Application filed January 5, 1929; Serial 1T0. 330,482.

This invention relates toganimproved apparatus for slittingexpanded metal lath or fabric, such as is commonly used as a base or supporting means for plaster, stucco, 'etc., in

. theconstruction of buildings and other struc tures. 1

Expanded metal lath or fabric, ofthe char-;

acter herein referred'to, is usually constructed of sheet metal suitably slitted and expanded to provide a reticulated surface, including mesh portions connected by spaced-apart bonds substantially alined in a general direction of the fabric. When the metal is expanded the connecting bonds usually assame angular positions relativel to the medial plane. of the fabric. In t e construction of building walls, and other structures where this type'of material may be used, it often becomes desirable to slit fabric into narrower sheets or strips for convenient use. i

Heretofore, it has been common practice to slit the fabric sheet across the strands and bonds which results in leaving the sheets or as strips with'the projecting ends of severed jstrandsand bonds. Y

The present invention provides an apparatus for slitting the fabric through 'alined bonds, whereby the severed edges of the fabso no will be comparatively smooth, thereby eliminatin sharp projections which result when the onds cut transversely or diagonally. An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for slitting successively and substantially on median lines a row .of bonds that are substantially alined ina general direction of the fabric, and thereby dividing the fabric lon 'tudinally through its bonds with smooth edges and with no divided meshes or meshes having cut or severed strands or bonds.

ed upon a suitable sup ort, and angular-lyto t e medial plane of disposed relatively I 0 0 when the fabmc 1s grudthefabric whereb the sheets of and strands are slitted or and leaving t e expanded sheets or strips vide an apparatus or machine consisting of'a disks, the cutting edges.

thereof will successively engage and sever ahned bondssubstantially along their median lines whereby the fabric will be divided into sections or strips havingcomparatively smooth undulated edges.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for slitting expanded metal lath, comprising a plurality of slitting disks, means for feeding the fabric to said disks, means for guiding the fabric so as to cause the cutting edges of the disks to successively divide longitudinally alined connecting bonds, and means for firmly holding the fabric in contact with the table of the apparatus adjacent to the cutting edges of the disks, Whereby the fabric will be slit into sections having comparatively smooth edges free from projections.

1 The particular object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved apparatus for slitting expanded metal fabric;

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have showna structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown asvarious changes may-be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying part of this specification:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the general construction of the apparatus drawings forn'ung and the angular positions of the slitting disks with. respect to the table upon which the material is fed;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view on the line 2'2 ofFigure 1'; Figure 3 is a plan view showing a portion of-an expanded metal indicating the places where-thefabric is to be slitted; and v Figure 4; is an-enlarged detail view of the cutting line with respect to the medial plane of the sheet. I

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show details. In'the selected embodiment of the apparasheet, the broken lines bers 2, as shown, and provide supports for a plate 6 which functions as a machine bed or table. This plate 6 has a transverse opening 7 therein located beneath the upper cross members 3, to provide clearance for the slitting disks 8 and 9, as shown in Figure 1. Guides 11 are adjustably secured to the plate 6 to provide means for guiding the expanded metal sheet 12, as the latter is fed towards the slitting disks. I Each pair of discs 8 and 9 have overlapping edges as shown and sever the metal by a shearing action. The discs may, therefore, be properly termed rotary shears. While I have shown in the accompanying drawings, two pairs of these rotary shears, it will be understood that any number of pairs of shears, one or more, may be employed. and that these may be spaced to divide the fabric into. strips or sheets of any desired widths and strips or sheets of different widths may,

if preferred, be cut from the same sheet of fabric.

Expanded metal fabric such as here shown, has a reticulated surface comprising mesh portions formed by spaced apart bonds 13 and diagonal strands 14. The bonds 13 are ordinarily substantially of double the width of the strands 14, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and, because of the expansion of the slitted sheet the bonds are angularly disposed with res ect to the medial lane of the sheet as in icated by the line B, in Figure 4. To provide comparatively smooth edges for the severed sheets or strips the material is sheared along the broken lines A, A, shown in Figure 2, which lines, it will be noted, pass longitudinally through alined bonds 13 and substantially through the .centers of said ponds thus dividing the bonds on median mes.

When the bonds are thus severed, as indicated at 10 in Figure 3, the edges of the fab-- ric strips will correspond in appearance to the outer edges of the sheet and will be comparatively smooth and free from sharp proections.

To thus sever the reticulated sheet along alined bonds, the slitting disks 8 and 9 are mounted at an angle, as shown'in Figure 1. Each disk is removably secured to a shaft 15 by means of a washer 16 and screw 17. The

- lower end of the shaft is supported in a beared engagement with the sleeve. In the drawings, two sets of slitting disks are shown, and,

as each disk an its associated parts are of' like construction, but one such mechanism will be described.

The upper end'of the shaft 15 is received in a bearing provided in the bracket 19, and has a bevel gear 22 terminally secured thereto which meshes with a pinion 23, slidably mounted upon a cross shaft 24, but prevented from relative rotation thereon by means of a feather key 20, shown in Figure 2. The lower pinions 23 are similarly mounted upon a shaft 25, rotatably mounted in suitable bearings provided upon the side frame members 2-2.

Each bracket 19 is provided at its lower portion with oppositely extending flanges 26 and at its upper portion with flanges 27. The lower flanges 26 are engageable with the lower surfaces of the cross members 3-3, as

shown in Figure 2. Plates 28 are preferably interposed between the flanges 27 and the upper surfaces of the cross members 33, and are adapted to be engaged by lock screws 29, received in threaded engagement with the flanges 27. These screws act to lock the brackets 19 in adjusted positions upon the cross members 3. p

A curved guide finger 31 is secured to each of the upper brackets 19 by suitable screws 32, and function to hold the expanded metal sheet or fabric firmly in contact with the plate 6, adjacent to the cutting edges of the slitting disks 8 and 9, as shown in Figure 1. The pinions 23 are rotatably mounted in bearin s 33, here shown as bein integrally formed with the brackets 19. 4 ach pinion 23 is retained in its complementary bearing 33by means of a nut 34, received in threaded engagement with the reduced end portion 35 thereof. Thus, it will be seen that the pinion 23 and gear 22 associated with each shaft 15.

will be constantly retained in mesh with each other, regardless of the movement or adjustment of their supporting bracket 19.

The means provided for driving the shafts 24 and 25 is shown in Figure 1, comprises a pinion 36 terminally secured to the upper shaft 24 and meshing with a gear 37, rotatably mounted upon a stud 38, suitably secured to one of the side frame members 2. The gear 37 is here shown as having a sprocket wheel 39 secured thereto, which has a chain 41 connecting it with a similar sprocket 42, secured to a relativly larger sprocket 43, keyed to the lower shaft 25. A drive chain 44 connects the sprocket 43 with a suitable drivin means, not shown.

In t e operation of'this novel apparatus, the sheet of reticulated or expanded fabric to be slitted, is placed upon the plate or table 6 against the guides 11, as shown in Figure.

1. The brackets 19 are then relatively adjusted upon the cross members 3-3 to brin reference to Figures 1 and 4, it will be noted that the cutting edges of each pair of, slitting.

' i th disks are so positioned with respect medial plane of the sheet, that-theyw cessivelysever the. bonds13-aliiied therewith, substantially intermediately andlengthwise thereof, as indicated at 10 in Figure 3. It

will also be, noted that the cutting edges of the slitting disks 8 and 9 lie in a plane indicated by the brokenlinieC-G, whichis at substantially right angles to the medial plane of the bonds to be severed, so that the severed edges of the bonds engagedb the cutting edges of the disks, will be su stantially at right angles to the opposite surfaces thereof. The slitting disks 8 and 9"may be quickly adjusted upon their respective cross members. 3'3, by simply loosening the lock screws 29 and shifting the positions of the brackets 19. The curved guide .fingers 31 are'preferably supported upon the upper brackets 19 so that they are movable therewith, and whereby it will not be necessary'to relatively adjust these fingers each time the brackets 19 are adjusted .with respect to one another. I

In the drawings, I have showntwo sets of slitting disks, but it is to be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to this particular .number, or to the particular details of construction shown as, obviously, any desired number of sets may be. used and also the structure may be varied in numerous ways Without departing from the scope of the invention.

By the described the alined bonds are successively slit or divided longitudinally and substantially "along their center lines. This leaves each section of the fabric at each edge with an outer row of complete meshes, the

edge strand of whichis substantially smooth and free from points or projections Byv thus slitting the sheets none of the fabric meshes are cut or destroyed buteach sheet is divided into parts without loss of any'of its meshes;

I claim as my-invention:

1. Means for dividing expanded diamond shaped mesh metal fabric wherein the bonds connecting the strands forming the meshes are at an angle to the plane of the fabric into separate sheets or strips comprising in combination, a supporting table over which the fabric may bemoved and guided, rotary shears havingshear blades mounted on' axes parallel to the planes. of the bonds uniting the fabric meshes when the fabric is supported on said table and at an angle to the lane of the fabric support, said shear blades elng arranged at opposite sides of the fabric support, means for guiding said fabric in a direction longitudinal of its meshes and directing-the bonds of an alined row successively tothe rotary shears, whereby the bonds of a selected alined row may be severed longitudinally and on median lines thereof and each severed sheet or strip will have at each edge a row of complete or uncut meshes.

2. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets or strips having coinplete meshes at each longitudinal edge thereof, comprising in combination, a supporting table over which the fabric may be moved and guided, rotary shears having shear blades mounted 011 axes inclined to the surface of the supporting table and one shear blade being arranged above and the other below said supporting table, means for rotatin said shears and means for guiding said fabric in a direction longitudinally of its meshes and directing the bonds of an alined row to the rotary shears, whereby the bonds of a selected alined ro'w may be severed longitudinally and on median lines thereof.

3. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets or strips having complete meshes at each longitudinal edge thereof,-comprising in combination, a support over which the fabric may be moved and guided, rotary shears having shear blades mounted on axes inclined to the surface of the fabric support with one shear blade above and the other below said support,

means engageable with the upper surface of the fabric adjacent to the rotary shears to prevent buckling or bulging of the fabric, means for rotating said shears, and means for guiding said fabric in a direction longitudinally of its meshes and directing the bonds of an alined row to the rotary shears whereby the bonds of a selected alined row may be successively severed longitudinally and on median lines thereof.

4. Means for dividing expanded metal fabric into separate sheets or strips, comprising in combination, a fabric support, one or more pairs of rotary shears having shear blades mounted on'axes inclined to the surface of the fabric support, with one shear blade

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