Abstract: Apparatus for providing a supply of angle irons or like elongated members. A dispensing magazine includes a pair of side walls and a bottom wall, the magazine being pivotal about a horizontal axis for movement from a first operating position where the walls are generally vertical to a second loading position where the walls are generally horizontal. The angle irons in the vertical stack with the side walls in the first position are moved upwardly as the top angle iron is removed, so that the top angle iron in the vertical stack is always substantially at the same vertical level. An ejecting cylinder or the like is provided for pushing the top angle iron from the vertical stack off of the stack when the magazine is in the first position.

Abstract: A method of producing stereoscopic film from standard 35 mm film is described in which the standard 35 mm is longitudinally cut in half. Selected sprocket holes in each half are enlarged to provide a series of locating holes at regular intervals along the film. Each locating hole enables a corresponding pair of stereoscopic film frames on the film to be located in a viewing position. Also described is a viewer for viewing the stereoscopic films. The viewer incorporates a locating finger which engages each locating hole in turn to locate and hold the film steady while viewing. The viewer includes a reciprocating drive means for driving the film. The locating finger is withdrawn from a locating hole when the drive means performs its forward stroke and the forward stroke is limited when the finger engages the next hole. The finger remains engaged with the next locating hole during the return stroke of the drive means thereby preventing any inadvertant movement of the film during the return stroke.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for acting on angle irons or the like. A vertical stack of angle irons is provided and the angle irons are fed one at a time to a punching position. At the punching position a hole of selected size is punched in the angle iron, and the angle iron is fed from the punching position in a linear direction of movement to a cutting position. The length of the angle iron to be cut is determined by measuring the length of angle iron in the direction of movement past the cutting position, and the angle iron is cut at the cutting position. Each cut angle iron is removed from the cutting position in a direction normal to the linear direction of movement of the angle iron to the cutting position. A computer may be provided for controlling operation of all motors to affect selection of punch sizes and cutting blades, and to affect operation of all the power mechanisms.

Abstract: Apparatus for manufacturing and wrapping labels comprises a table, feeding means which are intermittently operable to move a stack of sheets on said table in two directions that are at right angles to each other to blanking means comprising a blanking for severing a stack of blanks from the stack of sheets, whereafter labels can be punched out of the stack of blanks by means of a punching tool and when taken from a stack can be wrapped by wrapping means. The blanking knife of the blanking means is outwardly spaced from a punching plate and together with the latter is recessed in a portion of the table which succeeds the portion for guiding the stack of sheets. The blanking knife is moved against the stack of sheets from underneath. A blanking die and pressure plate and a guide for the material which has been blanked and punched are arranged one over the other and over the blanking knife. Said guide consists of a punching knife, which cooperates with the punching plate.

Abstract: Sheet slitting and punching apparatus for cutting a large elongate sheet of paperboard or similar material into a plurality of rectangular cards of uniform size and punching holes in each of the individual cards. A large sheet is fed along a conveying means having two tandemly arranged feed sections separated from each other by a transverse and a longitudinal slitting station. Both feed sections of the conveyor are driven from a common drive means, however, the upstream or infeed section is driven at a conveying speed substantially slower than that of the downstream or outfeed section. Transversely spaced slitters form longitudinally extending slits in the sheet as it is fed along the conveying means. When the feeding end of the sheet reaches a predetermined location near the upstream end of the outfeed conveyor, it engages a sensing element which immediately stops the conveyor drive.

Abstract: To avoid the waste of die-cutting a plurality of circular blanks of identical diameter from rectangular sheet material, the material is formed into non-rectangular sheets of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle configuration, which have a predetermined length and width substantially equal to a multiple of the diameter of the circles. The circular dies of a gang-die cutter are juxtaposed in a series of laterally extending rows in parallelism, longitudinally of the die cutter, the rows being at an angle of 60.degree. to the longitudinal edges of the sheets. The sheets and the die pattern thus both are of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle, outline.

Abstract: A lay table is placed adjacent to a cutting table with the tables in end-to-end relationship so that layups of limp sheet material may be prepared on the lay table and then be moved onto the cutting table for a cutting operation. A sled formed by a low friction, non-stretching, sheet material is first placed on the lay table and the layup is then formed on top of the sled. Motor-driven cabling extends between the cutting table and the lay table and when a layup is to be moved, the sled is coupled to the cabling and pulled by the cabling with a layup thereon onto the cutting table. The layup on the cutting table is then clamped in position, and the cabling pulls the sled out from between the layup and the cutting table.

Abstract: The provision in a conventional punch press of a cyclicly-operable transfer mechanism which is adapted to be bolted to the stationary die shoe of the press in between successive forming stations and has associated with it a pair of blank-gripping jaws which travel generally in web line fashion between first and second stations for blank-transferring purposes while at the same time rotating so that each blank is reversed from end to end upon completion of the transfer operation. During the transfer, the jaws swing or revolve in a circular path about a vertical axis so that directional reversal of the jaws accounts for a major portion of the blank displacement.

Abstract: Punching apparatus, preferably for metal strip, comprises at least two pairs of shafts rotatably mounted in a framework wherein the pairs are spaced apart along a feed path and the shafts of each pair are spaced apart one on each side of this path. Each shaft carries an eccentric with the eccentrics on the same side of the feedpath being similarly orientated and the eccentrics of each pair of shafts being orientated 180.degree. apart. A beam is mounted on each side of the feedpath on the corresponding eccentrics and parallel to the path and at least one punch is mounted on one beam extending towards the other beam which carries a complementary die. Means are included for holding and moving a metal strip along the feed path and also for rotating the shafts in unison but such that the shafts on opposite sides of the feedpath rotate in opposite directions.

Abstract: A rotary turret numerically controlled punch press is provided with a discharge station at 90.degree. from a punching station. A part is clamped in the turret, separated from a larger workpiece and then rotated with the turret to the discharge station. A transfer arm is slaved to the NC punch press and engages the part at an exact attitude and position relative to a reference point on the part and transfers the part to a rotary chuck. The part is placed in the chuck at an exact attitude and with the reference point at the axis of rotation of the chuck.Four rotary chucks are provided on a rotary turret contouring apparatus. The turret is rotated 90.degree. to position the part at a cutting station.A band saw is provided with rotary guides for changing the angle of the saw. While the part is rotated and linearly translated toward and away from the saw by the contouring apparatus, the saw cuts a peripheral shape on the part with the blade changing its angular attitude where necessary.