US2526779A

US2526779A - Knife-moistening means for cutting machines

Info

Publication number: US2526779A
Application number: US688054A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles P Stevenson; Lester J Ulrich
Original assignee: Eastman Machine Co
Current assignee: Eastman Machine Co
Priority date: 1946-08-02
Filing date: 1946-08-02
Publication date: 1950-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1967-10-24

Description

c. P. STEVENSON ETAL 2,526,779 KNIFE-MOISTENING MEANS FOR CUTTING MACHINES Oct. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1946 mmm w? W mkf e 0 ,W M41 m 0 a ,L Q a W ,0 a% 6 a H11 4 m n 7///\ M w 0 6 .0 we a H 9 A 7 3 V 3 w Oct. 24, 1950 c.- P. STEVENSON ETAL 2,526,779

KNIFE-MQISTENING MEANS FOR CUTTING lviACI-{IIIES Filed Aug. 2, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJf ffiiiarfmn 1071/ z t orveys.

Oct. 24, 1950 -C- P. STEVENSON KNIFE-MOISTENING MEANS FOR CUTTING MACHINES Sheets-Sh; j 3

Fired Aug. 2; 1946 IN VEN TORS,

By I 6hr Oct. 24, 1950 c. P. STEVENSON EI'AL 2,526,779

xmFs-morsmmue MEANS-FOR CUTTING mgcmmas Filed Aug. 2, 1946 4 Siiegts-She'f i dfi orweys.

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 KNIFE-MOISTENING MEANS FORCUTTING MACHINES Charles P. Stevenson and Lester J. Ulrich, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Eastman Machine Company,

Buffalo, N. Y.

Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 688,054

13' Claims.

This. invention relates to a meansfor moisten- "ing the knives. of cutting machines, more particularly of that type, commonly used for cutting 'clothand other sheet materials, which have an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially vertical front cutting edge that can be caused to follow adesired pattern or line of cut in a pile or lay of sheets by appropriately guiding the machine about upon the supporting table or surface for the material. Such machines are commonly equipped with knife-sharpening mechanisms, of which a well known type comprises flexible grinding belts that are arranged at opposite sides of the knife and'driven so as to travel hori- Zontally. or transversely with respect to the length of the knife edge for sharpening the knife. These belts are relatively narrow, and when the sharpening mechanism is not being used. to sharpen the knife, it occupies a position at the upper portion of the upright knife-guiding standard of the machine, well above the material being out, where it is out of the way and does not interfere with the cutting operation of the machine. When the knife requires sharpening, the sharpening belts aredriven and are shifted or moved downwardly and upwardly along the knife for sharpening its edge throughout its length.

In the, use of machinesof this type for cutting certainkinds of materials, suchfor instance as some synthetic plastic and other sheet-materials, the cut edges of the sheets tend to stick or adhere to the knife, and to each other due, it is believed, to, the fact that the heat resulting from the friction produced by the rapidly reciprocating knife, acts to soften or fuse the material and cause it to become adherent. This tendency of the sheets to adhere to each otherand to the surfaces of the knife greatly increasesthe load on the knife-driving motor, reduces the efficiency of operation of the-machine and seriouslyinterferes with the ease and facility of manipulation of the machine in use. Furthermore, the adhesion of the cut edges of the sheetsto each other makes necessary thetime-consuming and tedious operation of pulling apart the adhering edges of the sheets one after another before the cut sheets can be used for most intended purposes. The efficiency and ease of operation of the machine in cutting such materials can be greatly increased and improved and ultimately much labor and time saved if during the cutting operation the faces of'the knife that contact with the material are kept wet or moistened with a suitable fluid or moistening medium which will prevent the heating and consequent softening or stickiness of the materials being cut.

An object of this invention is to accomplish these results by providing efiicient and. desirable means for wetting or moistening the knife during its cutting operation with a suitable fiuidor solution.

It is important to the convenient and effective use of the machine that the means for moistening the knife shall not interfere with the operation or use of the sharpening mechanism for sharpening theknife, and, furthermore shall not obstruct 0r interferewith the operators view in watching the cutting operation of the knife so as to prevent him from properly guiding the machine,,as required, to cause the knife to follow the required line of cut. Another object of the invention, therefore, is toprovide a knife-moistening means of an arrangement or construction which will not interfere with the operation of the knife-sharpening means or obstruct or interfere with the operators view of the machine necessary to its proper operation in cutting.

Other. objects of the invention are to equip a cutting machine with a knife-moistening means which, in its operative position, i disposed adjacent to and operable to apply moisture to the surfaces of' the knife, but which in such posi tion, does not prevent the operator from readily seeing those portions of the knife which are cutting the material, and which moisture-applying means is readily shiftable away from its operative position adjacent the knife to a position in which it" will not interfere with the movement of the knife-sharpening mechanism along the edgeof the knife; also to provide knife-moistening means of a character such that when the sharpening mechanism is operated to sharpen a knife, it acts automatically to shift the moisteni ng means away from its operative position to a position where it is out of the path of movement of the sharpening mechanism.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification of the different embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a cutting machine of the typementioned, equipped with knife-moistening means of one form embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is'a sectional plan view on line 2--2, Fig. 1, showing the moistening means in operative position relative to the knife.

Fig. 31s a similar view showing the moistening means shifted to a position where it will not interfere with the operation of the sharpening mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the moistening means in its operative position.

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the moistening elements on line 55, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating knife-moistening means of a different form embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view thereof on line l-l, Fig. 6, showing by solid and broken lines respectively the operative and inoperative positions of the moistening means.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 8-8, Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail thereof on line 99, Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating another modification of the invention, and showing the operative and inoperative positions of the moistening elements respectively by solid and broken lines.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 10.

The drawings illustrate knife-moistening means of different forms embodying the invention, applied to a cutting machine of known construction which, insofar as necessary to an understanding of the invention, may be briefly described as follows: The machine, see Fig. 1, comprises the usual base l5 adapted to rest on the cutting table or support for the material, a standard l6 rising from said base and forming the support for the knife-operating motor, indicated at H, and also forming a guide for the vertical knife l8, which is operatively connected with the motor for reciprocating the knife vertically. The knife-sharpening mechanism shown comprises two endless flexible belts l9 and which have suitable abrasive or grinding surfaces and are disposed so as to travel horizontally or transversely relatively to the length of the knife at opposite sides thereof. The grinding belts pass around suitable front and rear supporting pulleys 2| and 22, of which the front pulleys are operatively connected to a vertical drive shaft 23 which may be driven by suitable mechanism (not shown) from the knifeoperating motor for driving the belts. The sharpening belts are operatively associated with a suitable carriage 24 (indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3) which is slidably mounted in the machine to be shifted or moved down and up along the knife for presenting the travelling sharpening belts to different portions of the knife edge lengthwise thereof. Belt sharpening mechanisms of this sort are in use and well known, and also disclosed in various patents, and further description of the construction and operation thereof is considered unnecessary.

25 represents the usual presser foot for engaging and holding down the material being cut in front of the knife, and 26 the usual presser foot rod, which extends vertically in front of the knife and is adjustably supported by usual or suitable means on the machine to enable the adjustment of the presser foot vertically, as may be required, for piles or lays of different thickness of the material being out.

As illustrated in Figs. 1-5 of the drawings, the moistening device is mounted on and adjustable vertically with the presser foot rod 26 to place it at the most suitable elevation relatively to the knife, depending upon the thickness of the particular lay of material being cut. The device comprises an arm or member 3|] which is shown as suitably pivoted at its front end to a bracket or part 3| formed on or fixed to the presser foot or presser foot rod 26, and extends rearwardly therefrom, at one side of the knife standard IE to a point in rear thereof, and a second arm 32, which is suitably pivoted at 33 to the rear end of the arm 30 and extends forwardly therefrom at the opposite side of the knife standard. These arms or

members

30 and 32 support or carry

moistening elements

34 and 35 which may be of any suitable type adapted to apply a moistening fluid or solution to the surfaces of the knife, but as shown, consist of bodies or pads 36 of sponge or other suitable liquid permeable material retained in the inner ends of hollow holders or

containers

31 and 38 formed or secured on the supporting

arms

30 and 32 in position for the sponges or pads 36, in the operative positions of the moistening elements, to contact or wipe against the opposite faces of the knife and apply thereto moisture or fluid from the pads. A suitable spring 39, connected at its opposite ends to the arm 30 and to the pivot support for the same, acts normally to hold the arm 30 in its operative position with its moistening element against one side of the knife, as shown in Fig. 2, and a spring 40 connected at its opposite ends to the rear portions of the two

arms

30 and 32 adjacent their connecting pivot acts to normally hold the arm 32 with the pad of its moistening element against the opposite face of the knife, as also shown in Fig. 2. The spring 39 is preferably disposed relatively to the supporting pivot of the arm 30 so that normally it acts as stated, to hold the arm 30 in its rearwardly exte'nding operative position in which the pad of its moistening element 34 is pressed against the adjacent face of the knife, and when the arm is moved outwardly away from the knife, -the spring is shifted across the pivotal axis and acts to releasably hold the arm in an inoperative position, indicated in Fig. 3, distant from the knife. Similarly, the spring 40 acts normally to press the pad of the other moistening element 35 against the opposite face of the knife, and when this arm 32 is swung outwardly away from the knife this spring is shifted across the pivotal axis of the arm 32 and releasably holds the latter in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3. A stop shoulder or part 4| on the main arm 30 is adapted to engage the pivot bracket for the arm and limit the outward movement of the arm, and a stop or part 42 on the arm 32 is adapted to engage the rear portion of the arm 30 to limit the outward movement of the arm 32. Thus, these springs normally hold the moistening elements in their operative positions, shown in Fig. 2, with their pads pressed against the opposite faces of the knife, and in order to move the moistening device from its operative to its inoperative position, it is only necessary to swing the arm 32 outwardly and rearwardly around the knife standard, thereby swinging the main supporting arm 30 also outwardly to its inoperative position with the moistening elements spread apart, as shown in Fig. 3, in which positions the elements will be releasably retained by saidsprings. When the moistening elements are thus moved to their inoperative positions, they are out of the way, clear of the path of movement of the knife-sharpening mechanism, so as not to interfere with the sharpening movement of the latter downwardly and upwardly along the knife edge.

It will be noted that in the operative position of the

moistening elements

34 and 35, the element 35 does not project forwardly beyond approximatelythe front cutting..edge:;of.:the knife and, as shown, inclines or recedes rearwardly. from its front end positioned .as. stated, or so that it does not project forwardlyof a transverse vertical plane approximately coincident with the front edge of the knife. Therefore, this moistening element, which-is located at that side of the knife from which the operator looks .at the ma.-

chine in guiding it to cause the knife to follow the line of cut, does not obstruct the operators view of that portion of the knife close to. where it enters the material in cutting it. The moistening element 34 at the opposite side of the knife likewise can be formed and .arranged to...similarly incline or recede rearwardly from a point. adjacent the cutting edge of the knife, and is so shown, but this is not so necessary in the case of this element, since it is at the opposite side .of

the knife from which the same is ordinarily viewed by the operator and so would not beapt to obstruct his view.

The fluid or solution for moistening the knife may be supplied to the moistening elements in any suitable manner, as for instance, from one or more reservoirs or containers 43 suitably supported on the machine, and connected by flexible delivery tubes i l to thepad containers of the moistening elements.

In the different embodiment of the invention, shown in Figs. 6-9, the moistening

elements

34a and 35a are mounted at opposite sides of the knife on carrying arms 59 and 5!, which in the operative position of the device, extend rearwardly from the moistening elements at opposite sides of the knife-standard to a support suitably :5'

mounted on the machine at the rear of the knife standard. This support may consist of a vertical rod or bar 52 which, like the presser foot rod 26, is adjustable vertically in a suitable clamp or mounting device 53 on the motor housing or other appropriate part of the machine, so as to permit the bar to be adjusted vertically to locate the moistening device at the required height or elevation relatively to the knife. As shown, the carrying

arms

56 and 5! for the moistening elements are pivoted at their rear ends, as by pivot studs 54 to a bracket or part 55 secured on the supporting rod 52, to permit the

arms

50, 5! to be swung outwardly and rearwardly away from their operative positions adjacent opposite sidesof the knife to inoperative positions distantfrom the knife and out of the up and down path oftravel of the knife-sharpening mechanism when sharpening the knife. Preferably, as shown, the supporting arms 5!], 5! for the moistening elements are geared together, as by intermeshing gear pinions 56 on their pivot studs, so that when one arm is swung outwardly, the other arm will be simultaneously and correspondingly swung in the opposite direction outwardly away from the. knife standard. Also, preferably the arms 50,15!- are connected by a spring 5! which normally acts to pull the arms toward each other and press the pads of the moistening elements against opposite faces of the knife, and which spring, when the arms are swung out to their inoperative positions, shifts past the pivotal pointsfor the arms and acts to releasablyhold the arms in such inoperative positions Except as above described, this embodiment of the moistening device may. be similar to the construction first described, in which the moistening elements consist of sponges or permeable pads arranged to contact with opposite faces of the knife and are retained in hold ers to which the moistening, fluid or solution. is

delivered from a suitable source of supply through.

flexible tubes connected with the sponge or pad containers, and the moistening elements are preferably formed and disposed in such'manner, as explained in connection with the first construction, as not to obstruct the view of theoperator to the cutting portion of the knife in the use of moved manually from, their. operative; positions. adjacent opposite sides of the knife topositions; in which they. are out'of the path'of travelof the sharpening. mechanism when the latter is operated to sharpen the knife. However, the

moistening device may, if desired, be constructed;

and arranged so as to be operated automatically,

by operation of the sharpening mechanism,...t01 move the moistening device out of the way-gof;

the sharpening mechanism when the latter isoperated to sharpen the knife,

sides of the knife by means of supporting arms 60 and 6 I. supports 53secured to the-lowerendsof vertical rods 64 which are disposed at opposite sidesv of}: the knife standard l6 and are adjustable verti-' callyin suitable brackets 65, which may project laterally from opposite sides of the upper portion of the'machine, and permit theadjustment of the moistening elements to different required;

Mounting elevations relatively to. the knife. brackets 65 for the supporting. rodsfi i may be provided with screw operated clamping guides 66. or means of other appropriate construction adapted to secure thesupporting rods. 84 for the moistening elements in different vertical adjustments. The supporting arms .60 and 6! for the moistening elements, as shown, are normally held in operative position with their pads pressed against opposite faces of the knife, as by suitable springs '6"! connected at opposite ends to the arms 6Q, GI and to the supporting rods 54 for the. arms. Mounted on or connected with the vertically movable carriage 2 ib.of the sharpening mechanism,

at opposite sides of the knife standard so as to.

travel up and down therewith, are operating elements 59, each arranged to engage a curved or cam-shaped edge or face [9 of one of the supporting arms for the moistening elements and adapted, when the knife-sharpening mechanism is moved downwardly along the knife in sharpening the same, to ride along-said cam edges of the arms and thereby swing the arms outwardly versely along said cam edges of the moistening element arms and permit the elements to be returned by their springs 6': to their operative positions in which they contact with. or apply moisture-to the opposite faces of the knife.

' It should be manifest from the foregoing specification of different embodiments of the invention, that knife-moistening elements or means such as disclosed, or of other suitable character, can be arranged in various other ways to accomplish the described functions of the invention,

andavhereby the moistening means, when in the.

Such a construe? tion is shown in Figs. Y10 and 11, in which two moistening elements 3% and 35b, which may be. similar to the moistening elements previously described, and similarly supplied with a moisten-.1 ing fluid or solution, are mounted at opposite.

Thesearmsare suitably pivoted at 62 on I operative position, will not obstruct or obscure the necessary view of the cutting action of the machine by th operator, and the moistening means can be shifted manually Or automatically so as not to interfere with the operation of the knife-sharpening mechanism. Therefore, in its broader aspects, the invention is not restricted to the particular constructions herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge and driven in a direction lengthwise of said edge in performing its cutting operation, and knifesharpening means shiftable lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, a knife moistening device supported on said machine and comprising a pair of moistening elements arranged to contact with opposite sides of the knife, means movably mounting said elements for movement from operative positions in which they are located adjacent to and apply moisture to opposite side faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the edge of th knife, and connections between said mounting means operable by movement of one element to its inoperative position to move the other element to its inoperative position.

2. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge and driven in a direction lengthwise of said edge in performing its cutting operation, and knifesharpening means shiftable lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, a knife moistening device supported on said machine and comprising a moistening element movably mounted for movement from an operative position adjacent the plane of the knife in which it applies a moistening medium to the knife, to an inoperative position distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the edge of the knife, and means operable by movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the knife edge to move said moistening element to its inoperative position out of the path of movement of said sharpening means.

3. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge and driven in a direction lengthwise of said edge in performing its cutting operation, and knifesharpening means shiftable lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, a knife moistening device supported on said machine and comprising a moistening element movably mounted for movement from an operative position adjacent the plane of the knife in which it applies a moistening medium to the knife, to an inoperative position distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the edge of the knife, a member movable with said sharpening means, and a member which is connected to said moistening element and is engaged by said first mentioned member to move said moistening element out of the path of movement of said sharpening means when the latter is shifted lengthwise of said knife edge.

4. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge and driven in a direction lengthwise of said edge in performing its cutting operation, and knifesharpening means shiftable lengthwise along said edg when sharpening a knife, a knife moistening device supported on said machine and comprising a moistening element movably mounted for movement from an operative position adjacent the plane of the knife in which it applies a moistening medium to the knife, to an inoperative position distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the edge of the knife, and means operable by movement of said sharpening means in one direction along the knife to move said moistening element from its operative position to its inoperative position, and operating upon the return movement of said sharpening means to return said moistening element to its operative position.

5. In a cutting machine comprising an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially upright cutting edge, moistening means for said knife comprising a support, moistening elements mounted on said support and movable thereon from operative positions adjacent opposite faces of the knife in which said elements apply moisture to said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife, and spring means operable to releasably retain said moistening elements in their said operative positions and also in their said inoperative positions.

6. In a cutting machine comprising an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially upright cutting edge, a pair of moistening means for said knife comprising a support, moistening elements mounted on said support and movable thereon in different directions from operative positions adjacent opposite faces of the knife in which said elements apply moisture to said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife, arms on which said elements are supported and connections between said arms operable upon movement of one of said elements to or from its operative position to simultaneously move the other element to or from its operative position.

'7. In a cutting machine comprising an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially upright cutting edge, a pair of moistening means for said knife comprising a support, moistening elements mounted on said support and movable thereon in different directions from operative positions adjacent opposite faces of the knife in which said elements apply moisture to said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife, arms on which said elements are supported con nections between said arms operable upon movement of one of said elements to or from its operative position to simultaneously move the other element to or from its operative position, and spring means acting on said arms and operable to releasably retain said moistening elements in both their operative and inoperative positions.

8. In a cutting machine comprising an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially upright cutting edge, moistening means for said knife comprising a supporting rod arranged in front of said knife and adjustable vertically on the machine, an arm pivoted on said rod and extending to the rear of the knife at one side thereof, a second arm pivoted to the rear portion of said first arm and extending forwardly at the opposite side of said knife, moistennig elements carried by said arms and movable therewith from operative positions adjacent opposite faces of the knife in which said elements apply moisture to said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife, a spring which normally holds said first arm with the moistening element carried thereby in its said operative position, and a spring which connects said arms and normally holds said second arm with the moistening element carried thereby in its said operative position.

9. In a cutting machine] comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge,

mechanism for drivin the knife in a direction lengthwise of said edge for performing its cutting operation, and knife-sharpening means mounted and shiftable on the machine lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, the improved knife-moistening device mounted on said machine and comprising a pair of moisture-holding elements, supporting arms for said elements mounted on said machine and movable to shift said elements into operative positions in wiping contact with opposite sides of the knife, in which said elements appl moistening media to the knife, and into inoperative position distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the edge of the knife.

10. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having a substantially upright cutting edge, mechanism for driving the knife in a direction lengthwise of said edge for performing its cutting operation, and knife-sharpening means mounted and shiftable on the machine lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, the improved knife moistening device mounted on said machine and comprising a pair of moisture permeable elements, supporting arms on which said elements are mounted and which are pivotally mounted on said machine and which may swing about their pivotal mounting to place said elements into engagement with opposite sides of said knife in wiping contact with opposite faces of the knife in which said elements apply moisture said supporting arms beig swingable to move said elements into said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said knife-sharpening means lengthwise of said knife edge.

11. In a cutting machine comprising a knife having an upright front cutting edge, mechanism for driving the knife in a direction lengthwise of said edge in performing its cutting operation, and knife-sharpening means mounted and shiftable on the machine lengthwise along said edge when sharpening the knife, the improved knife-moistening device comprising moistureholding elements arranged at opposite sides of the knife, means movably mounting said elements on the machine for movement from operative positions in wiping contact with opposite sides of the knife for applying the moisture on the opposite side faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means length- Wise of the edge of the knife, at least one of said 'said edge when sharpening the knife, the improved knife-moistening device mounted on said machine and comprising moistening elements arranged at opposite sides of the knife, means movably mounting said elements for movement away from operative positions adjacent the knife in which they apply moisture to the opposite sides of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said sharpening means lengthwise of the knife edge, and spring means operating automatically to yieldingly hold said moistening elements in their operative positions and to releasably retain said elements in their inoperative positions.

13. In a cutting machine comprising an upright reciprocating knife with a substantially upright cutting edge, and knife-sharpening means mounted and shiftable on the machine lengthwise along said edge for sharpening the knife, the improved moistening means for said knife comprising a support adjustable vertically on said machine, moisture-confining elements mounted on said support for vertical adjustment therewith and movable on said support from operative positions adjacent opposite faces of the knife in which said elements contact with and apply moisture to said faces of the knife, to inoperative positions distant from the knife and out of the path of movement of said knife-sharpening means lengthwise of said knife edge.

CHARLES P. STEVENSON.

LESTER J. ULRICH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 659,088 McKenzie Oct. 2, 1900 767,076 Mattison Aug. 9, 1904 1,958,912 Clark May 15, 1934 2,149,731 Greenbaum Mar. 7, 1939 2,294,497 Zawistowski Sept. 1, 1942