Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for chopping glass strands

US4045196A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
3References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 6, 1976
Grant dateAug 30, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 6, 1996

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T83/9312
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the chopping of glass strands is disclosed. The back-up or cot roller for the chopping blades includes an annular cutting surface or ring which is mounted on an expandable wheel, such as an inflatable wheel. By varying fluid pressure within the inflatable wheel, variations in the resiliency of the cutting surface are realized. This allows for a smoother operation of the chopping system and increases the life of the cutting surface. Further, the expandable wheel around which the cutting surface rides will adapt for variations in the thickness of the annular cutting surface and still give a consistent mesh with the cutting blades. Thus, it is now possible to employ cutting rings having inconsistent inner and outer diameters and to resurface the cutting surface by grinding that portion of the surface which has been partially gouged by the cutting blades to an even surface once again and thus to reuse the cutting ring. This reduces replacement costs for the annular cutting surface rings or cots by further increasing their life expectancy, thus improving the efficiency of the chopping system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.