Abstract: Several courses of random width, low-grade tapered wood shingles are stacked in an elongated trough with the butts of shingles of adjacent courses disposed at opposite sides of the trough to form a substantially continuous stacked shingle lay-up. A cutoff saw consecutively cuts loose packs of shingles from an end portion of the lay-up. After each pack-cutting operation, the lay-up is shifted lengthwise of the trough to a position for the saw to cut another pack from the lay-up. Each severed pack is banded about its center to form a bundle, moved lengthwise partway through a gang saw to form a set of parallel kerfs spaced apart uniformly widthwise of the bundle and extending from an end of the bundle almost up to the band and then turned end-for-end and moved lengthwise partway through the gang saw to form another set of kerfs extending from the other end of the bundle almost up to the band. The kerfs of the two sets of kerfs are in registration.

Abstract: Several courses of random width, low-grade tapered wood shingles are stacked in an elongated trough with the butts of shingles of adjacent courses disposed at opposite sides of the trough to form a substantially continuous stacked shingle lay-up. A cutoff saw consecutively cuts loose packs of shingles from an end portion of the lay-up. After each pack-cutting operation, the lay-up is shifted lengthwise of the trough to a position for the saw to cut another pack from the lay-up. Each severed pack is banded about its center to form a bundle, moved lengthwise partway through a gang saw to form a set of parallel kerfs spaced apart uniformly widthwise of the bundle and extending from an end of the bundle almost up to the band and then turned end-for-end and moved lengthwise partway through the gang saw to form another set of kerfs extending from the other end of the bundle almost up to the band. The kerfs of the two sets of kerfs are in registration.

Abstract: A valve is disclosed, which provides its principal utility in oil field pumping operations, having a valve body with an interior quiet chamber. Ports are provided beneath the chamber, shown as holes in the side wall of the valve body. A pin extends downwardly in the quiet chamber, and a valve is provided having a long stem with a hollow bore proportioned for a sliding fit along the aligning pin, the valve terminating in a head having a seating portion. A seat is provided in the lower portion of the valve in open communication with a lower extension. In an alternative embodiment, a second seat is provided at a mid portion of the valve to mate with a chamfered seat in the lower portion of the quiet chamber. In addition, a stainless steel insert is provided on the face of the lower valve seat. The valve is preferably formed of a light weight, non-corrosive, relatively inert moldable plastic, such as that known as delrin.