A diverter valve housing has two outlets and one inlet for receiving a
flow of air conveying a continuous strip of material, and a diverter duct
or tube is pivotally supported within the housing on a pivot axis
adjacent the inlet. The diverter tube has an outlet end portion
supporting a pair of inclined cutting blades which cooperate with a
cutting blade supported by the housing between the outlets for
alternately and quickly chopping or cutting the strip of material when
the outlet end portion of the diverter tube pivots between the two
outlets of the housing. Sealing members connect the diverter tube to the
housing and form stops for the diverter tube. A fluid cylinder is
pivotally connected to the housing and has a piston rod pivotally
connected to the diverter tube for rapidly pivoting the diverter tube
between the two outlets.