Abstract: A wire chopper module for processing spent electrode emerging from an EDM system employs replaceable inserts that are also movable relative to the feed path of the electrode. Shifting the position of the inserts relative to the feed path of the electrode allows more than one portion of each cutting edge on the insert to be used. Each insert has more than one cutting edge and can be rotated and re-inserted to present a completely new cutting edge. Removable multi-edge inserts that are repositionable relative to the feed path of the spent electrode permit renewal of the cutting edges of the wire chopper module with increased frequency and reduced cost. The wire chopper module also incorporates a flywheel to increase the movement of inertia of the rotating cutting inserts as an aid in overcoming jams. Sharp cutting edges and increased rotational momentum improve the reliability of the inventive wire chopper module.

Abstract: A wire chopper module for processing spent electrode emerging from an EDM system employs replaceable inserts that are also movable relative to the feed path of the electrode. Shifting the position of the inserts relative to the feed path of the electrode allows more than one portion of each cutting edge on the insert to be used. Each insert has more than one cutting edge and can be rotated and re-inserted to present a completely new cutting edge. Removable multi-edge inserts that are repositionable relative to the feed path of the spent electrode permit renewal of the cutting edges of the wire chopper module with increased frequency and reduced cost. The wire chopper module also incorporates a flywheel to increase the moment of inertia of the rotating cutting inserts as an aid in overcoming jams. Sharp cutting edges and increased rotational momentum improve the reliability of the inventive wire chopper module.

Abstract: Knife arrangement for a granulator for granulating plastic ropes with two draw-in rollers and a cutting rotor (9) cooperating with a counter-knife (2), and a striper (3) facing one of the draw-in rollers (11), whereby counter-knife (2) and striper (3) are mounted on a common support, whereby the striper (3) is arranged adjustably for adjustment of the distance between the striper (3) and the draw-in roller (11), and whereby the striper (3) has a support surface (6) for feeding the plastic ropes (12) to the counter-knife (2) and the cutting rotor (9), and is provided on one side with a striper edge (18) projecting towards the draw-in roller (11), and on its other side with an end edge (7) projecting towards the counter-knife (2), whereby the support (1) has a support surface (4) facing the striper (3), on which the striper (3) rests with a counter surface (5) adapted to the support surface (4), whereby support surface (6) and counter surface (5) approach each other towards the counter-knife (2) in a wedge-shap

Abstract: A rotating cutting apparatus comprising a cutting blade holder with at least one hole on the outside diameter of the cutting blade holder into which cutting blades are inserted and bonded to the cutting blade holder. The cutting blade holder encloses a center hole, so that the rotating cutting apparatus can be mounted to a drive shaft of machinery or secured to a cup that can be mounted to the drive shaft of machinery and driven by the machinery. The cutting blade holder can be made of a less expensive material, with only the cutting blade being made of higher-grade materials that maintains its cutting edge well. Additionally, in some arrangements of the present invention, the cutting blade may be sharpened on two sides so that the rotating cutting apparatus can be used for longer periods of time.

Abstract: Improperly mounted wafer saw blades can damage wafers cut or diced with the blades. Embodiments of this invention employ sensors to measure a distance to the blade to help indicate if the blade is improperly mounted. In one method of the invention, the distance to the blade face is measured as the blade is rotated and a variance in this measured distance is determined. If the variance is no greater than a predetermined maximum, the blade may be used to cut the wafer. In one apparatus of the invention, a wafer saw include a blade and a sensor. The sensor is adapted to monitor a distance to a face of the rotating blade. A processor coupled to the sensor may indicate if the distance to the face of the blade as it rotates deviates too far from a baseline position of the blade face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for setting the cutting gap between a rotor, having cutting blades and rotatable about its rotor axis, and a counter-blade body, which carries a cutting edge, can be fixed in position and can be set relative to the cutting blades of the rotor for optimizing the gap by an adjusting mechanism acting perpendicularly to the rotor axis, the adjusting mechanism having a slide guided in a linear guide, and the linear guide being arranged at an angle deviating slightly from the parallelism to the rotor axis, and the counter-blade body being arranged on the slide in such a way that the parallelism of cutting edge and cutting blade is ensured, or a U-shaped counter-blade body being provided, the legs of which are pressed apart elastically by pressure elements for setting the cutting gap. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of setting the cutting gap between a rotor and a fixed cutting edge.

Abstract: An improved impeller for use in a rotary food slicing machine comprising a rear base plate and at least one forward ring secured in axial spaced parallel relation relative to the rear base plate and a plurality of circumferentially spaced planar paddles spanning the base plate and the forward ring. The paddles are each oriented to extend at an angle relative to the radius of the rear base plate and the at least one forward ring. Moreover, the end of each paddle located adjacent to the rear base plate is arranged in a partially trailing relationship relative to the end of the paddle located adjacent the at least one forward ring with respect to the intended direction of rotation of the impeller.

Abstract: A rotating cutting apparatus comprising a cutting blade holder with at least one hole on the outside diameter of the cutting blade holder into which cutting blades are inserted and bonded to the cutting blade holder. The cutting blade holder encloses a center hole, so that the rotating cutting apparatus can be mounted to a drive shaft of machinery or secured to a cup that can be mounted to the drive shaft of machinery and driven by the machinery. The cutting blade holder can be made of a less expensive material, with only the cutting blade being made of higher-grade materials that maintains its cutting edge well. Additionally, in some arrangements of the present invention, the cutting blade may be sharpened on two sides so that the rotating cutting apparatus can be used for longer periods of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chopping long unwound items like fiber, fiber strands, yarn, etc. having an idler roll for pressing the item(s) against a backup roll for pulling the item(s) into the chopper uses an improved mount for the idler roll that maintains the outer peripheral surface of the idler roll into more consistent contact with more consistent force with the item(s) being chopped.

Abstract: Knife arrangement for a granulator for granulating plastic ropes with two draw-in rollers and a cutting rotor (9) cooperating with a counter-knife (2), and a striper (3) facing one of the draw-in rollers (11), whereby counter-knife (2) and striper (3) are mounted on a common support, whereby the striper (3) is arranged adjustably for adjustment of the distance between the striper (3) and the draw-in roller (11), and whereby the striper (3) has a support surface (6) for feeding the plastic ropes (12) to the counter-knife (2) and the cutting rotor (9), and is provided on one side with a striper edge (18) projecting towards the draw-in roller (11), and on its other side with an end edge (7) projecting towards the counter-knife (2), whereby the support (1) has a support surface (4) facing the striper (3), on which the striper (3) rests with a counter surface (5) adapted to the support surface (4), whereby support surface (6) and counter surface (5) approach each other towards the counter-knife (2) in a wedge-shap

Abstract: Apparatus for the continuous, chipless separation of individual, identical pieces from a solid round workpiece, includes at least two cutting rollers, cooperating with one another, for separating and rolling the workpiece. Each of the cutting rollers is defined by a separating portion and has a coil, with the height of the coil of one cutting roller being equal or slightly greater than the radius of the workpiece in the separating portion, and with the coil of the other cutting roller so configured as to eliminate a collision in the separating portion with the coil of the one cutting roller.

Abstract: A method for dicing small devices including MEMS, ink jet printheads, lasers etc. The method comprises making a first pass cut into a substrate with a blade of narrow kerf and having long wear characteristics. This first pass cut is then followed with a polishing blade of wider kerf having desirable smooth cutting qualities.

Abstract: An ingot plate (10) of cleaveable thermoelectric material has a layered structure having substantially parallel cleavage planes. Substantially all of the cleavage planes are disposed at a less cleavage angle with respect to the upper and lower faces (11, 12) of the plate. The ingot plate can be successfully cut into bars (20) along cutting planes generally perpendicular to the cleavage planes without causing substantial interlayer fracture. Electrodes (25) are formed on the opposite sides of the bar which are defined by the cutting planes. The bar is in use to be cut into a number of discrete chips (30) with one of the electrodes fixed on a substrate. Since the cutting is made along planes again generally perpendicular to the cleavage planes of the bar, the bar can be successfully cut into the corresponding chips without causing any substantial fracture.

Abstract: A water-resistant, anti-static pressure-sensitive adhesive tape suitable for use as a wafer dicing tape comprising a flexible substrate having opposing surfaces, at least one surface bearing thereon a removable, aziridine-crosslinked microparticulate adhesive comprised of microparticles having a surface bearing thereon an ionic conductive material formed from a polymer electrolyte base polymer, and at least one ionic salt selected from the group consisting of salts of alkali metals and salts of alkaline earth metals, wherein said microparticles have an average diameter of at least about 1 micrometer, said adhesive having an adhesion to steel of from about 0.5 Newtons/100 mm (N/100 mm) to about 10 N/100 mm.

Abstract: A strand pelletizer for cutting thermoplastic strands into pellets is provided. The strand pelletizer has a housing that includes a base, a pivotable cover, and a moveable end wall. The pivotable cover and the movable end wall may be opened without the use of tools to provide access to the interior of the pelletizer cutting chamber. The movable end wall is both slideable and pivotable over a fixed dowel pin within the housing base. The moveable end wall houses the feed rolls for the pelletizer and also houses the strand inlet to the pelletizer. After the cover is raised, the moveable end wall may be pivoted away from the cutting chamber to permit cleaning of the interior of the cutting chamber, particularly the critical area below the lower feed roll of the cutting chamber.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing pellets which comprises introducing strands between two upper and lower feed rolls using a belt conveyor slanted downwardly in the direction of travel with a press roll mounted thereon, then introducing the strands to a support having a fixed blade on the head thereof and cutting the strands with a rotary blade while spraying a liquid onto the strands from above the support, to thereby yield pellets having no obliquely cut surfaces and having a uniform cut length.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for making a substrate of a semiconductor of a monolithic silicon wafer, or the like, for use as a discrete element such as a transistor, diode, or the like. In particular, the invention is directed to re-slicing the silicon wafer into two further pieces, to dope impurity diffused layers on both sides but not to provide any impurity diffused layer in the core portion of the silicon wafer. The re-slicing process is performed from substantially the center portion of its core thickness of the wafer so as to provide each re-sliced surface as a plain surface without any impurity diffused layer and for doping a further new impurity diffused layer, so as to obtain two pieces of a substrate as discrete elements simultaneously from one piece of the wafer by the re-slicing process and apparatus of the invention.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing pellets which comprises introducing strands between two upper and lower feed rolls using a belt conveyor slanted down forward with a press roll mounted thereon, then introducing the strands to a support having a fixed blade on the head thereof and cutting the strands with a rotary blade while spraying a liquid onto the strands from above the support.This process can give pellets having no obliquely cut surface and having a uniform cut length.

Abstract: The invention relates to a strand cutter, more particularly for granulating plastic materials. It has for its object the provision of a strand cutter in which the fixed bed knife can be replaced with a new bed knife without interrupting the granulating process. This is to prevent the deterioration of the cutting quality, and thereby the shape of the granules, due to the progressive wear of the bed knife or to prevent down-times during the changing of the knife. This object is achieved according to the invention by keeping the bed knife (2) in a guide free from play at right angles to the delivery direction of the strands (3) and moving the bed knife (2) forward at a low feed rate or replacing it with a new bed knife (2') during the granulating process.

Abstract: An improvement to a dual arbor scrap chopper used for cutting scrap edge trims associated with flat sheet metal strip production. The scrap chopper utilizes a pair of rotary arbors, each having identical angularly displaced multiple sided blades aligned for progressive cutting registration with each other as the arbor rotates. Each of the blades are defined as a symetrical multi-sided configuration allowing each blade to contain multiple usable cutting edges which can be exposed upon inversion, inverting or rotation of the blade selectively in its respective rotary arbor.

Abstract: A bed knife that acts together with a cutting blade moved past it, particularly for granulating plastic strands, consisting of individual aligned sections of the same type that are fastened to a supporting beam and whose knife edge consists of a cutter material. Each section consists essentially of ceramic cutter material and extends over the areas of feed and delivery of the material to be cut of the cut material. The section is provided with a cutout running in the direction of the bed knife that is aligned with the cutouts of all of the sections and changes into an outer surface of the section as a throat in comparison with the corresponding dimension of the cutout, with the cutouts containing a continuous bar extending through several sections. The bar presses the section against the supporting beam by means of screws passing through the throat that penetrate into the bar, with sections being connected to one another positively by the bar.

Abstract: Multi-bladed disc cutter for cutting into pellets thermoplastic material extruded from a die plate of an underwater pelletizer, wherein the blades of the cutter are integrally formed on the periphery of a backplate and radially project therefrom, the sidewalls of the blades being integrally connected by shroud members to provide added strength against bending and twisting of the blades under load. Perforations are provided in the shroud members and backplate to permit passage of water to cool and flush away the cut pellets. Additionally, integrally formed blades may be arranged in concentric circles inwardly of the periphery of the backplate. The integral of the disc cutters avoids weakening and misalignment of the blades, saves space and permits a greater number of cutting edges than is possible in disc cutters wherein the blades are fastened to a hole by bolts. Casting the cutter integrally with its blades permits off-line grinding for final alignment purposes.

Abstract: Apparatus for chunking wood slabs and the like. The apparatus includes a rotary drum mounted on a frame for powered rotation thereon. The drum carries two linear arrays of teeth at diametrally opposed drum positions, the teeth in the two arrays being disposed at alternate, axially offset positions. A notched anvil in the apparatus is mounted on the frame for reciprocating between first and second positions where the anvil is positioned to intermesh with one and then with the other tooth arrays. The anvil is shifted between its first and second positions, in synchrony with drum rotation, by a pair of flanges carried at opposite ends of the drum, parallel to one another and in planes non-normal with respect to the drum's rotational axis, and a pair of rollers mounted adjacent opposite ends of the anvil for engaging the inner surfaces of the associated flanges.

Abstract: Fine fibres of steel for use as concrete reinforcement are produced by longitudinally slitting continuous steel strip to form narrow strip segments and severing the strip segments at intervals along their length. The strip is slit longitudinally on passing between a pair of nip rollers having intermeshing circumferential tongues and grooves so that penetration of the tongues into the grooves severs the strip longitudinally. The resulting strip segments are passed between chopping rollers which chop them into discontinuous fibres and also deform the thus formed fibre ends to promote anchorage in the concrete.

Abstract: A catalyst strand sizer is described which produces catalyst pellets of uniform preselected length without producing an excessive amount of fines. The catalyst sizers comprises two fixed rotatable rolls wherein one roll has a compressible surface and the other roll is covered with a wire mesh of selected dimensions whereby when the catalyst strand extrudate is passed between said rolls, the strands are broken into catalyst pellets of preselected length.

Abstract: An iron piece shearing machine which comprises in combination an iron strip supply source from which at least one continuous length of iron web or strip is payed out, a pair of upper and lower feed rollers positioned midway of the passage of said iron strip extending from said supply source and having a nip defined therebetween, a pair of upper and lower spaced stationary blades positioned downstream of said feed rollers in the passage of the iron strip and having an iron strip guide clearance defined therebetween, and a high speed rotary shearing cutter assembly positioned adjacent to the distal ends of said stationary blades to shear small pieces having a small square cross-section area off the remaining portion of said iron strip in cooperation with the stationary blades.