Abstract: Rod stock pieces are successively fed in a path to a work station of a multiple spindle automatic turning machine such as a lathe. A slide member supports a trailing rod stock piece and is mounted on the machine for movement towards and away from the work station. The slide member is coupled with a drive of the turning machine to thereby move the slide member together with the rod stock piece supported therewith through a stroke of predetermined length. The length of the stroke of the slide member is adjusted in dependence upon the length of the leading rod stock piece located at the work station.

Abstract: A bar loading machine for the automatic feeding of bars to an automatic screw machine or other bar machine includes a bar-engaging device, a feed chain for driving the bar-engaging device, a start switch arrangement for sensing the arrival of the leading end of a bar, and a feed control arrangement. The feed control arrangement establishes the feed distance required for properly positioning the leading end of the bar in the bar machine, and includes first and second distance-measuring arrangements which successively and independently of each other control the movement of the feed chain. The first distance-measuring device includes a fixed stop arrangement for limiting the feeding of a bar.