Abstract: A machine for cutting wood panels, and having: a first worktable; a cutting station located along the first worktable and for cutting a first pack of panels along a first horizontal axis; a second worktable downstream from the first worktable and supplied with a second pack defined by a number of third packs of strips formed by cutting the first pack at the cutting station; and a cavity formed between the first worktable and the second worktable. The machine is mainly characterized by having at least one shuttle movable between an idle position outside the cavity, and a loading position wherein the shuttle is located inside the cavity to receive at least one fourth pack of strips formed by cutting the first pack at the cutting station.

Abstract: An apparatus for the manufacture of sheets of corrugated web of variable size comprises a margin cutting arrangement, which is disposed--in the conveying direction--downstream of, and separated from, longitudinal cutting arrangements and which is provided with cutting devices for cutting margins, which are permanently in engagement with the web of corrugated board. In the case of changes of format width accompanied by changes of the width of the margins to be cut off, this makes it possible that the latter can be cut continuously, which helps avoid malfunction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing skivings generated by slicing a moving web comprises a slitter knife for cutting the web and an edge vacuum machine comprising at least two vacuum heads which engulf but do not touch the moving web. Skivings from the edges of the web are vacuumed away so that they do not contaminate the web during later treatment.

Abstract: A trimming processing device automatically processes trimmings generated when a running wide web is slit in the running direction of the web into a plurality of strips having desired widths. A trimming cutting unit movable in the transverse direction of the web cuts the trimmings in the transverse direction of the trimmings, and a trimming conveyor unit movable in the transverse direction of the web conveys the trimmings away from the web. The positions of the trimming cutting unit and the trimming conveyor unit are controlled according to the position of the trimmings which varies according to the width of the web and the width and the number of the strips to be slit from the web.

Abstract: A strip severing device for a feed strip to be threaded in a machine for producing or processing a paper web. The device has a swingably mounted guide plate for the guiding of the feed strip selectively toward or away from a web separating device. The separating device has a support element which can be rotated. It carries at least one flexible or flexibly supported separating element which swings out from a position of rest into an operating position in which it severs the feed strip coming from the guide plate.

Abstract: A high speed food loaf slicing machine slices two food loaves simultaneously, using one cyclically driven knife blade; the slices are stacked or shingled in groups on a receiving conveyor located below the slicing station. Independent loaf feed drives are provided; slices cut from one loaf may be thicker than slices from the other. Each loaf feed drive includes two "short" conveyors each driven at a predetermined speed; the conveyor speeds may be different. In each machine cycle the receiving conveyor is moved down to accommodate an increasing number of slices; when a slicing cycle is completed, the receiving conveyor rapidly discharges the slice groups onto a deceleration conveyor and moves back up to start a new slicing operation. The loaf feed drives are reversed at the end of a slicing cycle, stopped, and then reversed again before the next slicing cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for stopping a roll set, quickly in a controlled fashion. Typically, such a roll set is comprised of a plurality of rolls which is launched from a slitter wherefrom it is rolled along a downward ramp to a conveyor. On the downward ramp, on the side of the conveyor opposite the ramp is a number of adjacent stop gages suited for being controlled to a home position and an operating position, respectively. For each roll, a required number of the stop gages located along the rolling path of the roll is selected to operate, while the rest of the stop gages are left in their home positions. In this fashion, each roll can be stopped individually even when the rolls move simultaneously and, moreover, the stopping force can be adjusted separately for each roll.

Abstract: A device for the pre-sealing of a document to a plastic band comprises at least one first cylinder on which the document is wound from a first given point of space tangential to the cylinder and a mechanism for heating the plastic band at a second point tangential to the cylinder where the plastic band is in contact with the document, this tangential point forming a constant angle (.alpha.) with the given point of space, the document being pre-sealed by the affixing of the plastic band to this second tangential point. Application to the pre-sealing, to a plastic band, of documents that are to be plastified on an industrial scale.

Abstract: In a veneer lathe having a knife mounted to a knife support frame with a backing plate, a roundup control system for a veneer lathe is disclosed that recognizes or detects the production of usable veneer using the body of the knife as a signal source. During initial production of veneer, the lathe produces a trash or roundup veneer that is directed to a chipper through a trashgate. When there begins production of usable veneer, the trashgate is closed and the usable veneer is directed toward production trays or stackers. A sensor or displacement detection device is mounted in the backing plate of the knife support frame lateral the unsupported portion of the knife. As the knife contacts wood, the unsupported span of the knife flexes causing the magnet to move which the sensor detects. The sensor outputs a voltage signal proportional to movement of the knife in magnitude and direction. This voltage signal is relayed to a central processing unit where it is converted into a digital signal.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a circular knitting machine with a pair of cutting devices (15) in opposite positions for longitudinally cutting, on two sides, the tubular fabric component and for forming two individual even pieces (13a, 13b) and with two winding units (11, 12) for separately winding the two pieces onto rolls, the pieces being led in opposite directions by central return rollers (16, 17).

Abstract: A method of replacing a first strip with a second strip on a manufacturing machine featuring an input traction device for feeding the first strip along a route defined by a first and second portion at a given angle in relation to each other; according to which method, a lead portion of the second strip is positioned along the first route portion so as to project beyond the junction between the first and second route portions, and is accelerated up to the speed of the first strip., the first strip is then cut upstream from the first route portion and the second strip is cut by a device operating in a direction coincident with that of the second route portion, so as to simultaneously cut the second strip and feed the end so formed into the traction device.

Abstract: A sheet diverter apparatus diverts sheets into alternate paths by guiding the leading portion of each sheet through a gap in a horizontal conveyor into alternate diverter belt conveyor units where the sheet is firmly grasped for transfer. The one conveyor unit is a horizontal unit having a top belt conveyor and a bottom belt conveyor, one of which is offset downstream to form a diverting gap. A diverter is located to successively rotate through the gap and divert the alternate sheet into the angulated conveyor unit. In an upwardly angulated conveyor, the horizontal moving sheet is supported by the bottom conveyor belt of the horizontal unit. In a downward angulated conveyor unit, the length of the gap is selected to maintain sheet flow across a gap in the plane of the sheet. The top conveyor of the horizontal unit assists the support of the horizontal sheet. The linear or surface speed of the diverter cam is greater than the linear speed of the sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously transporting, separating, and changing the path of webs in machines for processing webs prior to further processing are disclosed. A web consisting of at least one ribbon of material is conveyed by a pair of nip rollers arranged in a first transport path. When it is desired to separate and convey the web, for example when the web is of insufficient quality, a separating flap pivotally mounted on a first rotary axis located above the first transport path pivots downward cutting and directing the web to a second transport path. A blade flap pivotally mounted on a second rotary axis located below the first transport path opens and closes the transport path to the web. When the blade flap is in the closed position it bridges a gap between a lower guide and a guide section to allow the conveyance of a web through the first transport path.

Abstract: An applicator wheel and guide system are provided in order to accurately align and position web material, either as discrete lengths or as a continuous strip, to articles or a continuous web. Specifically, the guide system includes a lateral edge guide disc rotatable with the applicator wheel which exhibits an edge guide surface at a first point along the periphery of the wheel applicator to precisely laterally align the web material and which moves radially inward from the surface of the applicator wheel at an application point so as not to obstruct the application of the web material to the articles or continuous web moved at a constant rate thereby. Moreover, the guide system includes the provision of an air bar for forming a loop in the supplied strip of web material prior to handling by the wheel applicator. The air bar eliminates roller inertia and guarantees consistent lengths of discrete lengths of web material to be applied to articles or a web when used on a wobbler arm.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing helical slices of an object, such as a potato. The apparatus includes a rotatably mounted knife assembly having one or more sets of knife blades arranged in a spiral pattern. Each set of knife blades produces a set of helically shaped potato slices. The spiral arrangement of each blade set reduces the torque needed to slice an object using the knife assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the inventive apparatus includes two sets of slicing blades, for producing two sets of intertwined helical product slices. A curved separator tube, which extends downward from the slicing blade area, disentangles the pair of intertwined slices having the smallest radius, as the blade assembly and the separator tube rotates as a unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for stripping and removing external and internal waste automatically from previously die-cut blanks is described. Independently positionable stripping belts permit stripping external perimeter and internal lengthwise strips of waste material from the blanks, followed by vibrating and brushing the blanks for automatic removal of loosely held internal waste.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for shearing to length steel bars coming from a rolling mill in which the rolled product is continuously fed to the first of a plurality of stepped collecting chambers, of a braking/distributing apparatus which brakes and distributes the sheared bars and in phase to the stepped chambers by shearing to length a first bar and introducing the leading end of a second bar, following the first bar, to a second collection chamber; shearing to length said second bar and, by means of the shifting of said collection chambers, discharging said first, braked bar onto conveyor means.

Abstract: An apparatus for spacing and orienting croissant dough pieces has a dough-spacing device located at the position where the dough pieces are transferred from the upstream conveyor to the downstream conveyor, which dough-spacing device places the dough pieces apart from one another in the feeding direction on the downstream conveyor in a staggered manner, and a reorienting device for turning the dough pieces, with one side of each dough piece at right angles to the feeding direction of the downstream conveyor. The dough pieces are thus spaced apart from one another without increasing the conveyor width. The dough pieces are also fed to a downstream rolling-up apparatus after ensuring that the relevant side of each of the dough pieces is perpendicular to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An elongated piece to be cut is clamped in a vise (9) and is in abutment against a stop (10), the stop (10) being secured on a shaft (11) free to rotate in bearings. The shaft is connected to a connecting rod (19) and a rod (20) of adjustable length to an arm (4) which carries the sawing blade (6), whereby, as the cutting operation is carried out, the stop (10) rises while pivoting and loses contact with the piece being cut before the cutting operation is finished.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing partially cut (semi-converted) products in continuous roll form has input feeds for supplying a continuous web of material and a continuous transport web in parallel, feed rollers for incrementally advancing the two webs together to a cutting station where product units are partially cut in successive increments in a continuous strip, a scrap remover, and a station for winding up the cut product strip. The webs are unwound and the cut product strip is wound via dancer bars maintaining constant tension. The input webs have a width which is a multiple of the width of the product units so that multiple strips can be formed simultaneously. The invention is used to form semi-converted, micro diskette liners having connecting portions and indented cutouts marking the boundaries between units. The cutouts are overcut in one direction and also in an intersecting direction to obtain complete cuts despite slight variations in registration.

Abstract: An apparatus for slitting foil (14) of thermoplastics material comprises a mover to move the foil (14) through a slitting station (1), the slitting station (1) having a first slitting blade (2) having a sharp front edge (4) located extend transversely through the path of the moving foil (14), and that part (5) of the blade (2) behind the front edge (4) having each side (6), sharped to be non-intrusive into the slit and melted thermoplastics material foil (14), a heater (8,9) to raise and maintain a temperature of the slitting blade (2) to a temperature equal to or above a melting temperature of the thermoplastics material foil (14) selected to be slit by the slitting blade (2), and a cooling blade (3) located behind and aligned with the slitting blade (2) and having two sides each adapted to be aligned with the corresponding side of the slit of thermoplastics material foil (14) and provide by both contact and radiant heating effects, a substantial cooling effect.

Abstract: A horizontal disc supported on a sawmill carriage arranged to project into a kerf made by a horizontal saw on the carriage whereby to provide vertical braced stabilization between a log and the carriage. The carriage also supports an abutment foot which faces the log and is arranged to have slidable engagement with a vertical surface of the log to control the depth of cut. The horizontal disc and abutment foot have adjustable movement whereby to have simultaneous extending and retracting movements. Hold down wheels are also provided which when set are arranged to forceably press the wheels down on a log to provide vertical stabilization.

Abstract: Frozen slabs of fish are introduced one at a time to one end of a conveyor having a bed of laterally spaced plastic strips forming slots therebetween. Beneath each slot is an endless chain having a series of upwardly directed fingers thereon. The fingers are engageable with the various slabs so as to advance the slabs to a location beneath an assembly of water jet devices, each device including a pivotal arm having a nozzle at one end thereof. A barrel cam has a plurality of tracking grooves, the pivotal arms having cam followers depending downwardly therefrom into the tracking grooves of the barrel cam. As the slabs are successively advanced beneath the liquid jet devices, the jets cut the particular slab into individual portions. Advancement of the now severed portions cause the portions to be moved onto a plurality of tilt strips which prevent the cut edges from freezing together.

Abstract: An off-line terminal, located at an airline boarding gate processes composite tickets bearing a magnetic stripe. Processing includes: authenticating, verifying, recording, canceling, bursting into component sections and sorting. Operations are controlled, logged and interrelated in accordance with ticket content and operating programs. Structurally, a processing computer cooperates with magnetic stripe transducers, a printer, a burster, signal lamps and a plurality of document-direction gates to select and control the path of individual ticket components. An additional magnetic sensor for ticket components (e.g. boarding passes) enables control of passenger movements after initial clearance with ticket processing.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for cutting a layer from a substrate length of rubber material such as used conveyor belting comprises a cutting station having a table with an upper surface to receive the material and a knife to cut the material. The cutting apparatus further comprises conveying rollers to convey the substrate length of material along the upper surface of the table and through the knife. The knife has a knife edge disposed in a plane generally parallel to and in spaced relation with the upper surface of the table to confront the material for cutting. The knife edge is arranged to extend in a transverse direction to the intended direction of passage of the material through the knife and is adapted to reciprocate in the transverse direction within the plane in conjunction with the conveyance of material through the knife to successively cut the layer from the material.

Abstract: An apparatus for stripping the scrap portion from a die cut blank includes a stripper pin carrier providing a pattern of stripper pins supported in a resilient compressible material layer in which the stripper pins are demountably embedded. The stripper pins may be inserted into the resilient layer to provide a pattern or patterns which will accommodate virtually any size, shape and location of scrap portions to be stripped from a blank. The stripper pins can be removed and reinserted in a different pattern to accommodate a different run of blanks of corrugated paperboard or the like. Programmable robotic control may be used for pin placement and removal. A unique positive stripping apparatus includes a resilient soft-covered roll beneath the blank at the point of stripping and into which the leading edge of the scrap portion is pressed by the stripper pins on the upper rotary pin-carrying roll.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting soft sheetlike material, such as a fabric material, which is subject to elongation due to effect of tensile force. The apparatus has a driving device for supplying a layered severable material in an intermittent step-like manner from an upper position to a lower position. A cutting device cooperates with the layered severable material, when in a stationary vertically-suspended condition, for forming cutting lines of basic configuration therein along the elongate direction thereof, with such cutting lines being repeatedly formed following each advancing step of the material to create cutting lines which extend substantially continuously along the severable material. Devices are also provided for removing non-wanted portions of the severable material so as to leave only the essential portion. The severable material includes, superimposed sheets of flexible soft material and thin flexible backing, which sheets are separated and independently wound following the cutting step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a severing appliance for dividing especially deep-frozen fish. The severing appliance consists of several disc-shaped severing blades 3 which are arranged parallel and next to one another above the supporting surface 6 of a platform 1 and the peripheral margin 5 of which is arranged at such a short distance from the supporting surface 6 that the blocks 15 fed by forward-pushing means 16, 17 are for the greater part severed, with the exception of thin webs 19. For the severing of the webs 19, the severing blades are followed by severing elements 8 arranged in a stationary manner and perfectly aligned with the severing blades 3. Even in blocks of differing local hardness, such an appliance carrying out the severing operation in two stages ensures faultless transport of the severed smaller units.

Abstract: An apparatus for diverting and delivering sheets in which the sheets are positively controlled throughout the entire operation. Initially, a continuous web of paper passes between opposing cylinders comprising a rotary cutter. The lead edge of the web is then engaged by a pair of opposed nip rollers. Once held by these nip rollers, the rotary knife cuts a separate sheet from the front of the continuous web. The separate sheet then passes between and is accelerated by the nip rollers whereupon a dual set of diverting cams, in combination with a pair of conveyors, directs the sheet to one of two delivery systems. The next subsequent sheet is directed to the other delivery system so that each successive sheet is alternately diverted between the two delivery systems. Upon exiting either delivery system, the sheet is subjected to a snubbing means which decelerates the sheet and further allows the next subsequent sheet to overlap the previous sheet before being similarly decelerated.

Abstract: A notch cylinder unit for selectively activating a plurality of impaling pins such as might be used for separating and removing a strip from a paper web. The notch cylinder unit comprises a cylinder having a longitudinally extending hole and a hollowing driving shaft extending therethrough, at least two rows of removable blades extending radially outwardly from and longitudinally of the cylinder, and adapted to cut a strip in the web, and a plurality of slidably mounted impaling pins generally equally spaced between the rows of blades and adapted to puncture, hook and remove the strip. The notch unit cylinder unit further includes an activating means including an activating means for activating or deactivating the impaling pins.

Abstract: A cutter cylinder-counter cylinder combination pair (5, 6) has cutter knives (13, 14) and counter elements (15, 16) thereon, respectively, preferably, located diametrically opposite each other. A cutter knife (14) on one cylinder (6) cooperates with a counter element (15) on the other cylinder (5). In addition to the cutter knives and counter elements, the cylinders carry deflection elements which are positioned relative to the direction of rotation of the cylinders behind the cutter knives for deflection of the leading edge of the web (2) into one of two selected paths (18, 19; 20, 21). The deflection elements include a longer and comparatively stiff, elastic blade (11) on one cylinder and a short, and more flexible blade (10) on the other cylinder. The two elements cooperate to grip the web (2) between themselves and, upon rotation of the cylinders, the stiffer, longer blade deflects the edge (26) of the web into the given path, permitting the shorter, resilient blade to flex.

Abstract: A cutter of the present invention comprises a punching member having a punching edge and a receiving member for receiving the punching force of the punching member, the receiving member having a sandwich structure comprising two plate materials and an elastic body held therebetween. Therefore, the receiving member is capable of elastically holding the punching edge during punching.

Abstract: A system for selecting wood veneers on the basis of their size comprises in combination: a cutter, at least a selector apparatus downstream of the cutter composed of a vacuum conveyor, expellers cooperating with the conveyor to separate the veneer from it, sensors for reading the length of the veneer which are disposed upstream of the cutter and which control the coming into operation of the expellers, and a conveyor for taking the veneers to a stacker downstream of the selector apparatus. The expellers consist of a plurality of compressed air nozzles above the feed path of the veneer which are adapted to direct in a controlled manner jets of air against the veneer so as to detach it abruptly from the vacuum conveyor.

Abstract: A crooked cut detecting system consisting fundamentally of a sensor for sensing irregularities developed on a cut end of a material from which a section was cut away by a sawing machine, an arithmetic means for deriving as a developed crookedness the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the above irregularities, and a comparator to compare the developed crookedness with a standard value defining a maximum allowable crookedness. The operations of the above fundamental constituents are computerized so as to be incorporated in the operation of an ordinary automatic sawing machine, whereby successive irregular cutting operations of an automatic sawing machine can be eliminated.

Abstract: A sheet diverter, adapted for cooperative association with a cutter in a pinless folder assembly for a high speed printing press, wherein a ribbon is cut into a plurality of signatures destined for serially deflected parallel collation from a diverter path through the sheet diverter to a desired one of a plurality of collation paths to systematize the order of the signatures into a selected array, is comprised of an oscillating diverter guide member reciprocating in a diverter plane having a component generally normal to the diverter path of a signature through the guide member, for directing the lateral disposition of the leading edge of the signature into engagement with a diverter member separating a plurality of collation paths, each having a throat for receiving a selected signature and merging to a confined course for guiding it, the diverter member including a diversion surface disposed in each of the throats lying at a diversion angle respecting the travel of the signature from the oscillating guide m

Abstract: In a double longitudinal cutter, a suction device (18) is provided for removing edge strips produced at the time of longitudinal cutting, which is located in the region of the double longitudinal cutter arranged between an upper web and a lower web and is provided with bent suction nozzles (19,20,21,22,23,24) by which the edge strips can be removed by suction after being guided over the lower cutter of the pairs of circular cutters provided for longitudinal cutting. The suction above the lower cutters (11,12) allows a removal of the edge strips in the narrowest space, while maintaining satisfactory quality of the longitudinal cut.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for selectively determining the orientation of dough pieces, dough pieces are made to fall from an upper conveyor passing around a curved end portion formed at the downstream end thereof. The falling dough pieces hit a bar positioned underneath the curved end portion and land on a lower conveyor positioned under the bar with the orientation reversed or unchanged depending upon whether the dough piece rides on the forward or the rearward side of the bar.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for splitting pieces of material (1) into smaller units for further handling, whereby the piece of material (1) is split-up into preferably sector formed units which are placed on a rotatable solid or ringformed plate (10) built up from several sector shaped carrier discs (11) mounted in a pulling and guiding chain, and whereby the rotatable plate (10) upon actuation from the chain is rotated and the carrier discs (11) successively are rotated to a position substantially parallely to each other and are displaced in such parallel position to a station for further handling.

Abstract: In a cigarette production machine, a device for feeding at least one paper web along one or other of two paths, the first of which extends through a station for loading a continuous stream of shredded tobacco onto said web, and the second of which is a discard path; that portion of the web extending along said second path being cut and removed by a selectively operable removal device.

Abstract: An electric food cutting machine which includes a main body, an electric motor and a container mounted on the main body, a disc-shaped cutter in the container rotatively driven by the motor for cutting cut pieces from a food object to be cut, and a disc member positioned in the container below the cutter for rotation by the motor in the same rotational direction as the cutter. The cut pieces are directed to the disc member for being discharged from the container. A passage is defined in the machine for directing the uncut portion of the food object from the cutter so as to separate the cut pieces from the uncut portion.

Abstract: An improved tree cutting mechanism for a tree harvester. The mechanism employs two stacked circular saws which are rotated and moved forwardly to cut through a tree. A wedge between the saws moves pieces of the tree being cut between the saws out of the way of the support for the saws.

Abstract: A cutting assembly is provided for use in cutting vegetable products, such as potatoes and the like, into a longitudinally extending central core and a plurality of longitudinally extending outer strips having a generally arcuate cross section. The cutting assembly is mounted along an hydraulic flow path defined by an inlet pressure conduit for passage of the product one at a time at a relatively high velocity into cutting engagement with a core knife and a plurality of strip knives and for separation of the core and the outer strips for respective flow along an inner core discharge conduit and a concentric outer strip discharge conduit. The cutting assembly is supported within an assembly housing between the inlet conduit and the discharge conduits with the core knife having a cylindrical shape for mounting at the upstream end of the core discharge conduit and defining a circular leading cutting edge along the axis of the flow path.

Abstract: A film slitter is described including means for supporting a blade in an unexposed condition. The slitter comprises a support which is selectively slidably mounted on a supporting member. The support is provided with an elongated slot extending downwardly thereinto which is adapted to receive a blade in a vertically disposed position. A second slot extends downwardly into the upper end of the support and extends between the first slot and one side of the support member. A second slot extends downwardly into the upper end of the support at the other side of the first slot and extends between the first slot and the other side of the support. The lower ends of the second and third slots extend in diverging directions with respect to each other.

Abstract: A photographic processing apparatus for severing an advancing strip into successive segments and for mechanically segregating the segments in conjunction therewith includes a strip feed for advancing the strip in a lengthwise direction and a guide for guiding the strip past a cutting station in a predetermined path of advance. A cutting blade is mounted at the cutting station and is operable to sever from the strip the segments thereof that have passed the cutting station. The blade has a home position wherein it permits passage of the strip along the path of advance before severance and is movable through a cutting stroke from the home position and back into the home position. The blade has a deflecting position wherein it permits passage of the strip beyond the cutting station while deflecting the strip from the path of advance. A blade actuator is provided to move the blade into and from the home position and deflecting position and through the cutting stroke in timed relation to strip advancement.

Abstract: A device for staggering and aligning filter portions cut from multiple-length filter rods includes a first fluted drum which conveys the filter rods (already cut) to a second fluted drum with a rolling plate for rolling at least one portion of each filter rod into a staggered position with respect to another portion of the same rod, at least one stationary finger being arranged to hold adjacent filter portions out of the flutes until they have been rolled to their staggered positions at least some of the filter portions along the flutes of the second drum are then displaced to align all the filter portions.

Abstract: Two horizontally spaced parallel shafts (27,28) are rotatably mounted on a base plate (24) having an aperture (27a) therethrough. Each shaft has a plurality of rows of radially extending fingers (36). A casing (38,40) around the fingered portions of the shafts has an inlet throat (44) for receiving shopped strands (16). The shafts are operatively connected by a pair of gears (32,34), and a motor (30) connected to one of the shafts drives the shafts to move the fingers upwardly between the shafts for breaking up clumps of strands and carrying strands of a desired chopped length around the outer sides of the shafts for exit through the aperture. Excessively long strands become wrapped around one or the other of the shafts.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for automatically cutting multiple slices from a block of frozen food material includes a repositionable block-guiding fence whose position relative to a saw blade determines the thickness of the slices. A programmable controller is preset before a slicing sequence to produce a desired number of thin slices before actuating a fence-repositioning mechanism, thereby increasing the thickness of the slices cut from the remainder of the block. The controller is recycled automatically and the fence returns to its initial position before a new block is sliced. A slice-restraining arm mounted on the fence prevents a completed slice from being reinserted between the fence and the saw and from interfering with the return movement of the fence.

Abstract: An improved fully mechanized sawmill is provided which is composed of structurally independent modules which are removably mounted on a platform composed of a plurality of side-by-side longerons supported horizontally on files of spaced-apart vertical piers and columns. The longerons provide horizontal stress support for the platform along the files of piers and columns perpendicularly to the cutting axis of the sawmill, and the modules mounted thereon provide horizontal stress support for the platform along the ranks of the piers and columns parallel to the cutting axis. In addition, improved mechanisms and techniques are provided for handling and selecting the sawlogs to be cut, for selecting and distributing the pieces cut therefrom according to shape and utility, and for stacking and handling the distributed pieces at preselected locations according to shape and utility.

Abstract: A frame supports an upper set of trim chutes movable toward and away from each other as well as a lower set of trim chutes movable toward and away from each other. The frame supports an upper web support member and a lower support member thereby defining two web paths. Each trim chute has a portion pivotable to an inoperative position wherein the extent to which each end portion projects in an upstream direction is decreased.

Abstract: An apparatus for the longitudinal cutting of webs of material into individual strips has a plurality of cutter pairs consisting of a lower cutter and an upper cutter and disposed side by side. The spreading of the material on its width and the spreading apart of the strips of material after cutting is brought about solely by the mounting of the cutter pairs in an arc along the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web and by the tilting movement of the cutter pairs into the plane of movement of the web of material.