Blade and spring fiber chopper

• US 6,527,211 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation
• Inventors: Bellasalma, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/923,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20030029949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 833/47, 839/13, 241/235, 241/242, 241/294, 241/222
• US Class Current: 241/222
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 37/16 Cutting or severing light guides G02B6/25

Abstract

This fiber chopper overcomes the disadvantages of the previous cutting rollers for chopping continuous filaments. The apparatus includes a means for feeding continuous fibers to a chopping roller. A spring holds the cutting blades on the chopping roller. The filaments pass between the chopping roller and a feed roller for chopping.

Claims

1. An apparatus for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising:

a chopping roller having a plurality of cutting blades mounted thereon;

a spring engaging the cutting blades and holding the cutting blades on the roller;

wherein the spring is a circular band circumscribing the chopping roller, and

a feeder roller positioned parallel to the chopping roller.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the feed roller forms a nip with the chopping roller.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring is a spring washer.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 including an idler roller parallel to the feed roller.

5. An apparatus according to the claim 4 wherein the idler roller forms a nip with feed roller.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the blades are made of synthetic diamond.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the blades have a width ranging from 0.125 inch to 2.0 inches.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring is made of spring steel.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring has a thickness ranging from 0.01 to 0.10 inch.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring is a flat band.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring is a coiled band.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cutting blades include at least one notch and the spring engages the notch.

13. An apparatus for chopping continuous fibers into discrete fiber lengths comprising:

a chopping roller having a plurality of cutting blades mounted thereon;

a spring engaging the cutting blades and holding the cutting blades on the roller, wherein the cutting blades include at last one notch and the spring engages the notch, and

a feeder roller positioned parallel to the chopping roller.