Abstract: Billets 3 are fed to billet carrying equipment 2 through billet loading equipment 28. With actuation of a first truing-up equipment the grinding apparatus of billets at both end faces 1, the billet placed on a tray 23 is trued-up to the side of a first grinding equipment for working on planar portions 4A. With actuation of the first grinding equipment for working on planar portions 4A, working on the planar portion in one end face of the billet 3 is performed by a grinding belt 46. The billet is carried through billet carrying equipment 2 to the position of working of a first grinding equipment for chamfering 5A. With actuation of a second truing-up equipment, a truing-up guide is pushed to cause the billet on the tray 23 is trued-up to the side of first grinding equipment for chamfering 5A.

Abstract: To obtain a high-quality billet with a minimum amount of deformation, the billet is borne in an optimum condition during cutting. When moved downward, a movable cutting tool 4 begins to cut into stock while causing a distortion to the stock. At this time, a billet bearing shoe 15 bears the billet from below. When a ram 2 further moves downward, a projecting cam 26 moves along an inclined surface 24 of a recessed cam 23 on a shoe support shaft 17 against the force of coned disk springs 30. Upon completion of the fracture of the billet, the projecting cam 26 sliding along the inclined surface 24 runs onto the outer peripheral surface of the shoe support shaft 17, and the billet bearing shoe 15 withdraws so that the billet can drop.