CUSHIONING CONVERSION MACHINE AND METHOD WITH PLURAL CONSTANT ENTRY ROLLERS AND MOVING BLADE SHUTTER

摘要

A cushioning conversion machine and method for converting sheet stock material into a cushioning dunnage product with better control over the tension of the stock material fed into such machines for conversion into a dunnage product and better control over the dunnage product during a cutting operation to minimize the chance of a machine jam. The machine and method are characterized by a stock supply assembly that includes a plurality of constant entry guides at an upstream end of the machine for passage of respective plies of stock material thereover, a biased damper over which the multi-ply stock material can be trained before passage to constant entry guides, and a plurality of separators between the constant entry guides and the conversion assembly. Also disclosed is a severing assembly for severing the strip of cushioning to form a pad, which severing assembly includes a shutter movable with the moving blade for substantially blocking the strip path when the moving blade is in its extended position.