US3545327A

US3545327A - Film-cutting mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3545327A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isidore Dorman
Original assignee: NB Jackets Corp
Current assignee: NB Jackets Corp
Priority date: 1969-05-09
Filing date: 1969-05-09
Publication date: 1970-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-08

Description

United States Patent l33,673 12/1872 Searls lnventor Isidore Dorman Whitestone, New York Appl. No. 823,261 Filed May 9, 1969 Patented Dec. 8, 1970 Assignee NB Jackets Corporation Woodside, New York a corporation of New York FILM-CUTTING MECHANISM 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 83/542, 83/580, 83/590, 83/605, 83/610 Int. Cl. B26d 1/38, 826d 5/08 Field of Search 83/542, 580, 589, 602,590, 605, 610

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Michael Ebert ABSTRACT: A cutting mechanism for slicing a web of film into strips, the mechanism including a rigid platen having an aperture through which uncut film is extended. Cooperating with the platen is a blade formed of flat spring metal, the blade being mounted on a rocker which, in its retracted or unraised position, lies in a plane parallel to the film below said platen, the blade extending upwardly from the rocker and being angularly disposed with respect to the, platen so that only the cutting edge thereof is in contact therewith at a point below the film. When the rocker is raised by an operating element, the blade then flexes and presses against the platen as it slides upwardly thereagainst, to slice the film. When the operating element is withdrawn from the rocker, the spring tension on the blade is released to cause the rocker to resume its initial retracted position.

PATENTED DEC 8 mm 'IIIHIIIHH.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII Anne/v03 1. FILM-CUTTING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for cutting a microfilm web into strips or individual film frames, and more BRIEF DESCRIPTION of DRAWING following'detailed description to be read in conjunction with particularly to a cutting mechanism which is of simple and i highly efficient design.

In the handling of data, such as records, drawings, or other documentary material, the modern practice is to photograph each item of data in reduced scale on microfilm. The use of such film conserves storage space and facilitates the transmission and retrieval of data.

When in roll form,ready access cannot be had to specific microfilm frames, and for this reason the film, in some instances, is sectioned into individual frames for mounting in socalled aperture cards," in the manner disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,248,846. In other instances the film is cut into strips containing several frames. Thus in US. Pat. No. 2,937,483, and in the copending Pat. application Ser. No. 559,569, filed June 22, 1966, now US. Pat. No. 3,457,697, there are disclosed means for sectioning a microfilm web into strips for insertion in the channels of a microfiche jacket.

In a typical film slicer, the blade reciprocates with reference to a fixed platen against which it slides in a parallel plane to provide a guillotine action. In order to obtain a clean cut, the absence of clearance between the blade and platen is essential, and yet one must avoid excessive friction therebetween. Since the blade and platen are both formed of relatively inflexible metal plates, the tolerances necessary to obtain optimum cutting conditionsare severe, and as the slicer proceeds to wear, the desiredtolerances are not maintained, and the slicing action is degraded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention toprovide aslicing mechanism for film, which is of simple and efficient design, and which maintains optimum cutting conditions for a prolonged period.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a slicing mechanism in which theblade is formed of flat spring metal, and, in the retracted position, lies at an angle with respect to a platenhaving an aperture through which the film to be sliced extends, only the cutting edge of the blade touching the platen at a point below the film, the blade when actuated then resiliently pressing against the platen and sliding thereagainst to effect the slicing action.

A significant feature of the invention is that upon completion of the slicing action, the spring tension produced by actuating the blade serves to effect automatic retraction thereof when tension is released.

While the invention has been described in connection with the slicing of a microfilm web to produce frames or strips for insertion in aperture cards or microfiche jackets, it is to be understood that the principles underlying the invention are applicable to the sectioning of any web of material, which need not necessarily be film material, but may be paper, plastic or any other sheetlike material.

Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a slicing mechanism in which a film web is guided in the horizontal plane through an aperture in a vertically disposed platen. Cooperating with the platen is a blade formed of flat spring metal, the blade being mounted on a rocker which in its initial or retracted position lies in the'horizontal plane below the platen and parallel to the film web, the blade extending upwardly from the rocker and being angularly disposed with respect to the platen so that only the cutting edge thereof is in contact with the platen at a point below the film.

. When an operating element acts to raise the rocker, the bladethen flexes and presses against the platen as it slides ups thereagainst to slice the film. When the operating element is withdrawn from the rocker, the spring tension on the blade is released to causethe rocker to resume its initial retracting position.

the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutter mechanism in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism in its retracted position, prior to a cuttingaction;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mechanism in its fully raised position, after a cutting action; and

blade included in the mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION I Referring now to the drawing. the leading portion of the :film 10 to be cut is guided along a horizontal trackway l1 terminating in a vertical platen lZLformed of high-quality stainless steel or other suitable material. Platen 12 is provided with a rectangular aperature 13 through which the advancing film passes.

Cooperating with platen 12 is a cutting blade 14 formed of I flat spring metal, the width of the blade being somewhat! greater than that of aperture 13, whereby the sides of thes blade are slidable along the banks of the aperture in a mannerl to be later described. 5

Blade 14 is removably mounted by

screws

15 and 16 on the; upstanding bracket arm 17 formed at one end of a rocker 18,: the other end of which is pivoted on trunnion 18A. In itsl retracted or initial position, rocker 18 lies in a horizontal? plane below the horizontal film trackway, the blade 14 mounted on bracket arm 17 extending upwardly therefrom and being inclined relative to platen 12, whereby only the cutting edge 14A of the blade engages the platen at a point on the aperture below film 10.

The operating element for the rocker is in the form of a seesaw l9 pivoted on a fulcrum 20, the

seesaw having fingers

21 and 22 projecting from opposite ends thereof. Finger 21 lies below bracket arm 17 of the rocker, while finger 22 is disposed in the orbital. path of a roller 23, eccentrically mounted on a wheel 24, driven by an electric motor 25.

Initially, in the conditionshown in FIG. 2, rocker 18 lies in the horizontal plane andth e cutting edge 14A of the blade lies below the junction of platen aperture 13 and the portion of lfilm 10 extending therethrough in readiness to be cut. The manner in which the film is advanced for cutting, forms no part of the present invention. It will be appreciated, however, ithat in practice one may readily coordinate the operation of :rnotor 25 with a film-advance mechanism to cause an advance ito take place after each cutting action.

In the course of each revolution of wheel 24, roller 23 mounted thereon will engage finger 22 on seesaw 19 and ride therealong to depress one side of the seesaw and thereby elevating the other side thereof. As the other side rises, finger 21 thereon acts to raise rocker 18 in the manner shown in FIG. .3.

l Since blade 14 is angularly disposed toward platen 12, when lthe flexible blade is pushed upwardly by the rocker, it flexes 'while pressing against the banks of aperture 13. The blade then performs a film-cutting action when it reaches the junction of film 10 and theupper edge of aperture 13. At this point [the timing is such that roller 23 disengages from finger 22, and

lfinger 21 retracts from the bracket arm 17.

Because of the spring tension developed in blade 14 when 3 While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of film-cutting mechanism in accordance with the .invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, departing from the essential spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A cutting mechanism for slicing a web of material into strips, said mechanism comprising:

a. a web guide structure terminating in a platen having an aperture therein through which the leading portion of the web is advanced;

b. a pivoted rocker adapted to swing from an initial to an active position;

c. a blade formed of resilient flat metallic material mounted on said rocker at an angle to said platen at which the cutting edge of said blade engages said platen at a point below the junction of said aperture and said web at the initial position of said rocker; and

d. and a retractable operating element cooperating with said rocker to raise it from said initial position to said active position to cause said blade to flex and to press against said platen as it slides thereagainst to cut said web, the

initial position when the operating element is retracted.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said web is a- 3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operating element is a seesaw, one end of which engages said rocker, and further including means to depress the other end to cause said rocker to swing upwardly to the active position.

4. A mechanism as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means ito depress the seesaw is constituted by a rotating wheel having ;a roller mounted eccentrically thereon, the roller moving in an orbital path and engaging said other end of the seesaw once geach revolution of the wheel.

5. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blade is gremovably mounted on a bracket arm extending upwardly from one end of said rocker.

6. A mechanism as set forth in claim 5, wherein said one end ;of said rocker is provided with a finger which lies under said bracket arm.