Abstract: A sawing machine for cutting workpieces such as panels or packs of panels (P) comprises a horizontal workpiece support table (A) having a straight longitudinal slot (L) defining a cutting line, a sawing tool (S) movable along the cutting line and a longitudinal pressure device arranged above the workpiece support table and extending along the entire length of the cutting line. The pressure device consists of two pressure beams (1, 1') arranged at both sides of the cutting line, parallel thereto. Each beam can be raised and lowered independently of the other in relation to the workpiece support table in order to clamp thereon the workpiece to be sawed or to contact the surface of the support table.

Abstract: A method of cutting panels with or stacks of panels a circular cutting saw to effect extremely neat and rapid cuts with no splintering. The saw cuts a panel in two steps, first by acting thereon through a portion of its thickness during a horizontal stroke, and then through the remaining portion of its thickness during the reverse stroke, while the direction of rotation of the saw remains unchanged and is such that the teeth thereof act successively on the two faces of the panel and press them inwardly of said panel. The saw is precisely adjustable both horizontally and vertically. Before being positioned for the first cutting step, it is displaced both vertically and horizontally to effect on the side of the panel where the cutting stroke is initiated and terminated one or more incisions compressing the panel material inwardly thereby, avoiding splintering during the subsequent cutting operations.

Abstract: A lifting platform for feeding stacks of panels to a machining line, in synchronism with the operation of a composite pusher (12) which skims the top side of a stack on the platform, and has transverse beams (5-5') for locally lifting the stack. The pusher has fingers in the same vertical ideal planes as the transverse beams. Above the stack are dimension feelers (14), one for each beam and vertically aligned therewith. At the beginning of each feeding cycle, the lifting platform is in its lowest position, the feelers (14) are completely lowered and the platform is then lifted by a predetermined amount (X) which is detected and evaluated by the feeler(s) first engaging the top of the stack, whereupon the feeler(s) causes the platform to stop. Thereafter, the feelers that had not reached the predetermined dimension are also raised to the same plane by selectively actuating the underlying beams (5-5') which lift the interposed portion of stack by an appropriate amount.