ARTICLE MADE OF ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL, JOINT FACE OF SUCH ARTICLE, METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING ELASTOMERIC MATERIALS

A method and apparatus (10) for cutting an elongated body of elastomeric material includes a tensioned wire (12) which is oscillated in a generally up and down motion while traversing through the elastomeric material. The wire acts as a cutting blade and prepares the cut surface of the elastomeric material to improve splices. The wire (12) is suspended between a pair of pivotally mounted arms (42,48) so that the wire oscillates as the arms are rocked by an eccentric (60) mounted to a rotating shaft. The cutter wire (12) passes through the body of elastomeric material at an angle (WA) relative to the plane (P) in which the body of elastomeric material lies. The body of elastomeric material is secured in place by clamp segments (100) which conform themselves to the cross-sectional shape of the body. The cutter wire (12) is traversed through the elastomeric material on a cutter frame (52) which is moved by a ball screw (74) driven by a variable speed electric motor (78).