Abstract: Stacking apparatus for ferrous sheets, for example transformer sheets having holes therethrough, comprises a plurality of power-driven magnetic conveyors in lengthwise alignment with each other, for receiving and conveying ferrous sheets on the undersides of the conveyors. Upon deenergization of the conveyors, the sheets fall on a lowerator which is progressively lowered as the stack is formed. If the sheets are pierced, then pins extending vertically above and below the lowerator to a position immediately below the conveyors, engage in the holes in the sheets to align the sheets and retain the stack. The pins do not lower; instead, when the stack is complete, the lowerator and the pins can be removed together transversely of the conveying direction.

Abstract: Transformer core sheets are cut out by selectively intermittently advancing a metal strip and cutting off the ends at various angles by changing the cutting angle of a swivel-type cutting shear. Trapezoidal or parallelogram pieces are cut by cutting off the lengths of strip along shear lines alternately at 90.degree. to each other. Hexagonal pieces are formed by severing the strip with one oblique cut, spacing the stock and the cut-off piece lengthwise from each other, and then cutting off a tip on each piece by a single cut that bridges the gap between the pieces, at 90.degree. to the previous cut. For this purpose, the cut-off piece may be advanced or the stock retracted, or both, to space apart the stock and the cut-off piece. A further cutter, at right angles to strip travel, may be provided for cutting off tips of the workpieces previously obliquely cut, at right angles to the direction of strip movement.