An automatically controlled cutting machine having a support table on which limp sheet material is spread for cutting by means of a cutting tool is provided with a marking apparatus to identify key points on pattern pieces cut from the sheet material. The cutting tool and the marking apparatus are mounted on a tool platform for movement to any desired location over the sheet material. The marking apparatus utilizes a needle which is suspended above the sheet material and a dye thread which is la...

A part identification system for non-intrusively identifying a subset of parts cut from a sheet material. The part identification system includes a visual signal generator for projecting an identifying image associated with a given subset of cut parts. A labelling program accesses a database, generates a control signal including the part location and identifying image and sends the signal to a controller. The controller directs the identifying image from the visual signal generator to identify t...

An apparatus for conveying and cutting sheet material has an endless conveyor belt trained over rotatable end units. The endless belt defines an upper run for supporting the sheet material, a lower run spaced below the upper run, and two arcuate end sections, each extending between the upper and lower runs. A first gap is formed in the conveyor belt between one end of the upper run and the adjacent end section, and a second gap is formed in the belt between the other end of the upper run and the...

A method and apparatus deals with a cutter used for cutting a fabric or other material sheet having a layer of active or activatable adhesive disposed on it and provides a lubricant in gel form to be applied to the surfaces of the cutting implement to keep these surfaces free from adhesive otherwise building up on them. The lubricant in the preferred embodiment is a compound of silicone and polytetrafluoroethylene. Further, a second lubricant is provided which is to be applied to the surfaces of...

The leading and lower cutting edges of a reciprocating cutting blade on a sheet material cutting apparatus are sharpened by elevating the blade from a cutting region proximate the sheet material supporting surface of the apparatus to a sharpening region above the cutting region and reciprocating the blade within the sharpening region. The apparatus includes two sharpening wheels mounted on a pivoted yoke and supported at opposite sides of the blade. One of the sharpening wheels is biased toward ...

Apparatus for cutting limp sheet material comprises a computer-positioned fluid jet cutting tool supported for movement above and relative to a bed of vertically elongated upwardly projecting members which have pointed free upper ends disposed in a generally common plane to define a fluid permeable sheet material supporting surface. The bed has fluid passageways therethrough which communicate with a fluid collection chamber therebelow. Vacuum apparatus independent of the fluid collection chamber...

An apparatus for cutting limp sheet material with a rigid, cantilevered blade that is reciprocated as it advances along a cutting path through sheet material employs a load sensor to measure lateral loads applied to the blade by the sheet material during cutting. A load signal from the sensor is applied to the blade controls through a variable gain feedback circuit and causes the blade to be oriented slightly toward the side of the cutting path from which an unbalanced load is applied. The adjus...

Apparatus for applying a substance to a layup of sheet material at a selected location on each of the sheets which comprise the layup includes a table for supporting the layup, a tool assembly including an axially elongated rotary applicator tool having a sharp free end, a carriage assembly movable relative to the supporting surface of the table for positioning the applicator tool with its free end in alignment with the selected position, a mechanism for feeding a supply of the substance to the ...

Apparatus for cutting patterns from successive contiguous segments of an elongated layup of sheet material has a zoned vacuum table which includes an endless bristle mat conveyor, for shifting a layup along the table to position a segment of the layup in the cutting zone of the table and for holding the layup segment in the cutting zone, and a carriage assembly, which moves a cutting mechanism relative to the table and in cutting engagement with the segment to cut patterns from the segment in re...

A method and apparatus for cutting multi-ply layups of limp sheet material employs an automatically controlled machine with a knife blade and a controller for guiding the blade along cutting paths defined by a marker of pattern pieces. The marker contains a plurality of pattern pieces in a closely packed array which causes the pattern pieces and segments of the cutting paths to be in contact or in close proximity to one another, and makes accurate cutting difficult or impossible. Digitized data ...