Abstract: A power driven workpiece infeed conveyor supports a honeycomb-stone-honeycomb laminate on edge for feeding to an elevator conveyor in a work station. A fixed rear vertical panel of vacuum pads and a forward movable vertical panel of vacuum pads are separated by a space into which the workpiece is lifted by the elevator conveyor. The forward movable panel is moved rearwardly to cause the vacuum pad panels to engage front and rear surfaces of the workpiece and a source of vacuum is connected to the vacuum pads. The elevator conveyor is then lowered so that the workpiece is supported solely by the vacuum pads. A driven horizontal cutter wire flight then moves downwardly through the entire vertical dimension of the stone slab center portion of the workpiece to cut the workpiece into two stone-honeycomb panels.

Abstract: A power driven workpiece infeed conveyor supports a honeycomb-stone-honeycomb laminate on edge for feeding to an elevator conveyor in a work station. A fixed rear vertical panel of vacuum pads and a forward movable vertical panel of vacuum pads are separated by a space into which the workpiece is lifted by the elevator conveyor. The forward movable panel is moved rearwardly to cause the vacuum pad panels to engage front and rear surfaces of the workpiece and a source of vacuum is connected to the vacuum pads. The elevator conveyor is then lowered so that the workpiece is supported solely by the vacuum pads. A driven horizontal cutter wire flight then moves downwardly through the entire vertical dimension of the stone slab center portion of the workpiece to cut the workpiece into two stone-honeycomb panels.