Abstract: Process for removing the wrapper from a fibre bundle, characterized thereby that it mainly consits in successively gripping the fibre bundle (1) at the wrapper (2), freeing the embraced bundle of fibres (4) over a determined length from said wrapper (2), gripping said bundle of fibres (4) at the freed part and removing it from said wrapper (2), and carrying it away to a suitable arrangement, while the empty wrapper (2) is carried away as waste.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for piling a plurality of cut blanks of a flexible material in overlapped and shingled or stacked relationship. After being cut each blank is accelerated to increase its lineal speed to thereby produce a gap between the blank and an immediately succeeding blank. After acceleration, each blank is deflected, preferably by a plate, away from and out of its accelerated path of travel toward an underlying receiving surface such as a conveyor or platform. After being deflected, the trailing portion of each blank is displaced preferably by rotating cams so that when rapidly decelerated, an immediately succeeding blank passes into and is deposited in overlapping relationship with such blank. To deposit the blanks is stacked relationship with their leading edges substantially aligned, they are decelerated from their forward travel to a complete stop preferably by striking a positive stop.

Abstract: A sheet member is transported over a knife anvil by a feed conveyor movable from a first position adjacent the knife anvil to a second position overlapping the knife anvil. The feed conveyor has a moving belt which is driven in a forward direction for transporting the sheet member over the anvil and to a takeaway conveyor. The belt is driven in an opposite direction to pull the cut leading edge of the sheet material away from the end of the feed conveyor after cutting of the sheet material and during movement of the feed conveyor to the overlapping position over the anvil. A rotary knife is moved along the knife anvil and is mounted for rocking of the knife in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the knife to provide a positive shear point.

Abstract: An automatic material loading, positioning and unloading system is disclosed in connection with a machine tool turret punch. The device includes a loader which receives a stack of sheets to be fed to the punch machine. The loader includes means for lifting the sheets one at a time from a storage area, means for transporting the sheets to a loading area of the punch worktable and means for unloading the sheets at the worktable area. The punch machine includes automatically controlled workpiece grippers which receive the sheets from the loader, properly position them with respect to the machine tool, move them in a predesired sequence through the machine and transport them to an unload area of the worktable. The unload area of the worktable is effective to discharge the punched sheets from the machine to an unload stacker. The unload stacker receives and stacks completed sheets.

Abstract: A web of foam material is fed to a cutting station by upper and lower rollers drawing the web from a supply roll and along a low-friction table surface. A cutter station has a knife bar and blade, with a clamp bar coupled with the knife bar. The lower draw roller has its axle mounted in a pair of pivoted arms depressible by presser feet on a presser foot bar carried by the knife bar. When a desired length of web has been drawn past the cutter station, actuation of the knife bar lowers the blade toward a grooved anvil, while the presser feet swing the arms down to depress the lower roller away from the web to stop drawing it. Immediately after interrupting drawing action, the web is clamped by the clamp bar, and then immediately thereafter cutting occurs. The table has bridge-like fingers extending downstream through grooves in the movable lower feed roller. These fingers support the web when the lower roller is swung down.

Abstract: To change reels (11, 12) of packaging material in or on packaging machines, a front region of a connecting sheet (13) is held ready in an exact relative position in a common conveyor track (18). When the end of a run-off sheet (10) is reached, an end piece of the latter is severed, so that the run-off end and the front end of the sheets of material (10, 13) can be conveyed (further) in an exact position to one another.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cutting mechanism for a stacker. A web of record members traveling in a longitudinal direction is severed by the cutting mechanism while the web is traveling. The cutting mechanism severs the web transversely to cut off the record members. The cutting mechanisms has cutters or knives that travel as a unit with respect to each other and with respect to the web in the longitudinal direction as the web travels.

Abstract: An automatic material loading, positioning and unloading system is disclosed in connection with a machine tool turret punch. The device includes a loader which receives a stack of sheets to be fed to the punch machine. The loader includes means for lifting the sheets one at a time from a storage area, means for transporting the sheets to a loading area of the punch worktable and means for unloading the sheets at the worktable area. The punch machine includes automatically controlled workpiece grippers which receive the sheets from the loader, properly position them with respect to the machine tool, move them in a predesired sequence through the machine and transport them to an unload area of the worktable. The unload area of the worktable is effective to discharge the punched sheets from the machine to an unload stacker. The unload stacker receives and stacks completed sheets.

Abstract: Process for removing the wrapper from a fibre bundle, characterized thereby that it mainly consists in successively gripping the fibre bundle (1) at the wrapper (2), freeing the embraced bundle of fibres (4) over a determined length from said wrapper (2), gripping said bundle of fibres (4) at the freed part and removing it from said wrapper (2), and carrying it away to a suitable arrangement, while the empty wrapper (2) is carried away as waste.

Abstract: A first transport mechanism which unwinds the cable from a drum and which transports the cable in the direction of its longitudinal axis is provided. A second transport mechanism comprises two belt drives, disposed successively as seen in the direction of the cable, which transport the cable perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cable to the individual stations processing the cable ends. Upon advancing through the first transport mechanism, the cable is fed into a guide channel which is formed by a groove and by a ledge bar, where the groove is covered like two lips toward the second transport mechanism by two spring plates. Two separately controllable sliders engage the guide channel from the rear side, which sliders press the end of the cut-to-length cable section between the lip-shaped spring sheet metal sections into the belt drives. Advantageously, a guide sleeve is disposed between the first transport mechanism and a cutting provision.

Abstract: An apparatus for collapsing and storing used burnable poison assemblies in a reduced volume, which includes a hanger member movable up and down for lifting a holder portion of a burnable poison assembly; a cutter for cutting solid portions of thimble plugs and poison rods of the burnable poison assembly hung on the hanger member; a restricting mechanism for holding the poison rods in restricted positions, restraining spontaneous movements in lateral directions; a gripper member movable up and down and capable of releasably gripping the poison rods; a packing mechanism capable of pushing aside previously stored poison rods in a container to put thereinto the poison rods gripped by the gripper member; and a thimble plug handling mechanism for guiding cut-off thimble plugs onto a receptable tray and placing the same in a container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a brick cutting and handling apparatus having a movable wire bank cutter assembly. The wire bank cutter assembly is movably confined within a holding frame structure and is movable generally vertically up and down therein in a rectilinear fashion. As a respective brick slug is pushed through the wire bank cutter assembly, the wire bank cutter assembly is moved generally downwardly. This vertical downward movement tends to form a swirl-like configuration on opposite sides of the individual cut brick. Further, roots, sprigs and other such debris are often caught on the respective wires of the wire bank cutter assembly as respective brick slugs are pushed therethrough. This vertical up and down movement of the wire bank cutter assembly tends to pull such roots, sprigs, etc., from the respective slugs and once pulled from the slug or slugs, these same roots, sprigs, etc., are stripped therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for slitting sheet material. The apparatus includes a first arbor shaft for mounting and rotatably driving a first rotary cutter. The first cutter is comprised of at least one rotary knife element having two opposite side faces, and the first arbor shaft is constructed to allow axially movement of the knife element along the first arbor shaft. A second arbor shaft mounts and rotatably drives a second rotary cutter. The second rotary cutter is comprised of at least one rotary knife element which has two opposite side faces and is movable axially along the second arbor shaft. The second arbor shaft is also selectively movable radially with respect to the first arbor shaft to provide a selected intermeshing overlap region between the first cutter knife element and the second cutter knife element.

Abstract: A punch press having a self-adjusting stripper member is disclosed whereby stripping of the press punching tool from a workpiece is automatically effected attendant to effecting a return stroke of the press actuator. The construction includes a press frame upon which is mounted a double-acting fluid actuator, with the actuator being mounted for limited relative movement with respect to the frame. A piston rod of the actuator carries a punching tool for effecting punching of a workpiece. Notably, a stripper member is operatively connected to the housing of the actuator for movement therewith with respect to the press frame, with the stripper normally positioned to provide a large running clearance relative to the workpiece.

Abstract: An intermittent motion horizontal packaging machine in which pouches made one at a time by a pouch making section operating at a high index cycle rate are filled two at a time while being advanced in a single row by a pouch filling section operating at one-half the index cycle rate of the pouch making section.

Abstract: A method of stacking fins of heat exchangers suitable for use in producing fins of a plurality of heat exchangers arranged in a group widthwise thereof, characterized by causing one group of fins after another to adhere to a suction plate and forcedly inserting tube receiving apertures formed beforehand in the fins into stacking bars to thereby stack the groups of fins.

Abstract: The current that drives the motor for a slicing blade is continuously monitored to detect when it rises above a threshold level. This threshold level is related to the resistance to the rotation of the blade that is presented by a product being sliced. When this current rises above the threshold level, the slicing operation is momentarily interrupted. The threshold level is adjustable in accordance with the number of slices that is desired to be trimmed. While the slicing operation is interrupted, the first few irregular slices from the leading edge of the product can be carried away from the location of the slicing blade. Then slicing can resume with the first slice in the first full draft being a full slice.

Abstract: A machine and method wherein a pusher advances a piece of meat to be sliced across the plane of a slicing blade against a backstop. The blade removes a slice from the piece. The difference between the slice weight and a preselected reference weight is used to adjust the separation of the backstop from the plane of the slicing member and hence the thickness of the next slice to be cut from the piece so as to tend to closely conform the weight of the next slice to the reference weight. Clamps hold the piece during slicing but release to allow the pusher to again advance the piece for production of the next slice. The pusher is actuable for ejecting a residual butt portion of the piece to enable loading of a new piece.

Abstract: The leading end of a continuous tubular supply is fed past a rotating flywheel into a guide. When the leading end reaches the back of the guide, a blade mounted on the flywheel severs the supply to form a straw or stirring stick. The straw is immediately ejected from the guide and is swept into the entrant portion of a feeder by a rotary brush. The feeder is provided with a stem-propelling run that is formed from a pair of top V-belts and a wide underbelt and between which the straw is propelled to a collecting hopper. Successive straws are pushed into the hopper under the impetus of the conveyor belts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting metal rods into shorter lengths comprising a movable cutting line (A) which is made up of a portal bench (1) which can slide transversely on rails (B) to align itself with a stored bundle of rods, the bench (1) having a first extraction device (2) for the partial extraction of a bundle of rods (b) from the store, arranged so as to transfer onto the feed and cutting line (X--X) a sub-bundle of rods (b') to a second extraction device (3) for subsequent extraction consisting of gripper-pincers (3.1) which can be moved alternately backwards and forwards along the line (X--X), placed upstream of shears (4), which operate in conjunction with a similar device (5) for subsequent extraction and feed placed downstream of the shears.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting a series of uniformly spaced longitudinal slits in a cylindrical shotgun shell wad. The wad slitting apparatus, with which the method can be performed, is a cylindrical member having upper and lower portions. A plurality of cutting members are uniformly spaced about the lower portion and project radially outwardly therefrom, with each cutting member having a downwardly facing cutting edge spaced a predetermined distance from a bottom edge of the cylindrical member. In use, the upper portion of the cylindrical member is secured to a movable ram member, which may be the ram tube of a shotgun reloader, and the lower portion is inserted into a wad positioned on a fixed plate. The ram member is then moved toward the plate, causing the cutting members to make a plurality of longitudinal slits in the wad with the slits extending from the upper end of the wad to an area spaced from a lower base portion of the wad by said predetermined distance.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for dismantling, shearing and compacting a fuel assembly frame skeleton. A frame is provided which can be placed into the transfer canal of a fuel-handling building for severing a bottom nozzle from the thimble tubes and grids of the frame skeleton, compacting the remainder of the skeleton, and then further severing the thimble tubes and grids into shorter longitudinal lengths, and placing the shortened compacted severed pieces into a container for off-site shipment or on-site storage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a brick handling system for conveying brick slugs to and through a slug cutting device such as a wire bank cutter. More particularly, the system comprises an off bearing belt that conveys slugs to a discharge point where an over-hanging pusher-puller assembly acts to pull one slugs off said off bearing belt onto a slug support. After this a second slug is transferred to the discharge point such that said first and second slugs are horizontally aligned and disposed in side-by-side relationship. At this point, the same pusher-puller assembly is operative to engage said first slug on said slug support and push the same towards said second slug, engaging said second slug and continuing to transfer both first and second slugs across said conveyor towards the wire bank cutter.

Abstract: An improved method of operating an apparatus to cut sheet material workpieces eliminates the inadvertent dropping of a relatively small scrap or remainder portion of a workpiece into a clearance space between a pair of cutter blades and a discharge conveyor. Thus, a relatively large sheet metal workpiece is gripped by a holder which moves the workpiece relative to a pair of blades. The blades are moved relative to each other to cut the workpiece to form a product having a desired configuration. The product is dropped onto a discharge conveyor. In order to prevent a relatively small scrap piece remaining in the holder from being dropped into a space between the discharge conveyor and the blades, the holder is extended through the space between the blades to a location over the discharge conveyor and is opened to drop the scrap or remainder portion of the workpiece onto the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: In the cutting of a continuous web such as paper or cardboard into sheets employing a cross-cutting apparatus comprising conveyor rolls, a pair of parallel cross-knives and a sheet outfeeder, the improvement in the start-up or restarting of the apparatus which comprises moving the cross-knives to a position not interfering with the free passage of the web, starting the apparatus up by setting the conveyor rolls in rotation, and bringing the cross-knives into the cutting position only after the leading end of the web has been introduced in full web width into the sheet outfeeder.

Abstract: A stack of strips of feed stock are placed on an adjustable height table. The strips are positioned on the table by arms which align the stack to the centerline of punching dies in a punch press. A pneumatic actuated head uses vacuum cups to raise the end of the top strip and insert it into in-feed rolls. The drive means for the in-feed rolls also drive an encoder which signals roll movement as the rolls incrementally feed the stock into the punch press. Drive means for the feed stock switches to the out-feed rolls once the blanked out stock reaches those rolls, and when the end of the strip passes through the punch press, a control unit is signaled and a new strip is fed into the system.

Abstract: A foodstuff such as a sausage is sliced in a predetermined slicing direction into a succession of slices each having a respective width measured parallel to the slice direction. This succession of slices is then deposited on a support in a plurality of rows with the slices in each row offset from one another by a predetermined first distance and the rows offset from each other by a predetermined second distance. The width of the slices is continuously measured as they are cut and at least one of the distances is automatically varied in dependence of the measured width to produce a uniformly overlapping array of slices. In addition the machine can calculate the weight of a given slice by combining the width with the slice thickness and the slice density, and this weight can be divided into a desired weight to determine how many slices at the predetermined size are needed to make up the desired weight. A signal can indicate then when this weight is reached.

Abstract: A plurality of frozen fish columns having a rectangular cross section are contained in a corresponding number of transversely aligned and laterally spaced tubes constituting a magazine. The lower ends of the columns rest on pushers which are slidable on a number of plastic anvils or blocks comprising part of a vertically adjustable table assembly. A single-edge blade is advanced and retracted at a 30.degree. angle through the lower ends of the frozen columns to sever portions therefrom having a thickness determined by the vertical adjustment of the table assembly. Pushers, which are synchronized with the blade movement, shove the severed portions from the cutting station beneath the lower ends of the tubes onto a conveyor. By controlling the speed of the conveyor the various severed portions, while still uniformly oriented, are transferred in an appropriately spaced end-to-end relationship to another location for processing.

Abstract: A large rectangular plate is subdivided into small rectangular sections in a system wherein the plate is fed stepwise in a main direction through an upstream shear while the downstream end portion of the plate is seized immediately downstream of the shear with each advanced step. Between the advanced steps the end portions are sheared off and then displaced in the main direction to the upstream end of a conveyor where they are deposited one after the other. The conveyor displaces the sheared-off end portions until each one is positioned above a respective aligner spaced apart in the main direction. The conveyor lowers these sections onto the aligners and the aligners then align them perfectly perpendicular to the main direction. The aligned and sheared-off end portions are then pushed jointly in a transverse direction perpendicular to the main direction stepwise to a downstream shear while they are supported and pneumatically seized at their downstream ends immediately downstream of the downstream shear.

Abstract: A block of material such as a clay is fed onto a support comprising spaced apart supports, and a cutting frame, having tensioned cutting wires, is moved in a substantially vertical plane through the block and between the supports so that the cutting wires cut completely through the block without interruption of the cutting motion. The cutting wires lie in a plane extending at an acute angle to the plane of feed of the block. The cut block is then removed from the support. Feeding of the block onto the support and removal of the cut block from the supports occurs in a single plane and are effected substantially simultaneously by means of a pushing device. The method and apparatus of this invention is particularly applicable to the cutting of individual clay batches into a number of individual brick mouldings. An advantage of a preferred embodiment of this invention is that cut portions can be produced without marking of the cutting surfaces and/or the cutting edges of the cut portions.

Abstract: There is disclosed an envelope processing machine in the form of an improved envelope cutter apparatus adapted to sever one edge of envelopes in one by one relationship. The apparatus includes a supply hopper for retaining the envelopes to be processed, cutting means for severing one edge of the envelopes, means for removing envelopes in one by one relationship from the supply hopper and for transmitting the removed envelopes to the cutting means, and means for orienting the envelopes in respect to the cutting means. The orienting means includes a plurality of angularly disposed feed belts operable upon the envelope and an abutment member against which an envelope is engaged in its movement to the cutting means.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for efficiently and at an improved rate cutting an extruded clay column, strand or strip, or a portion thereof, into individual brick mouldings. A conveyor brings the uncut strip portion into a predetermined position beneath a cutting device and by causing relative vertical movement between the conveyor and a lifting table the uncut portion is transferred to the lifting table, itself comprised of a plurality of separate supports spaced apart both transversely of and in the direction of travel defined by the conveyor. While supported by the lifting table, the clay strip is cut by a plurality of cutting wires secured under tension in a frame which is lowered with respect to the table so that the wires pass through the clay. Thereafter the frame is raised to its starting position and the cut mouldings redeposited on the conveyor by again causing relative vertical movement between the conveyor and table.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for efficiently cutting clay columns. The apparatus employs at least two supporting conveyors with one positioned downstream from the other and spaced apart a predetermined distance defining a gap therebetween. Each conveyor is wide enough to handle any desired column length so that no changes thereof are necessary when the size of the cut length changes. The conveyors or the end rollers thereof adjacent the gap are arranged to move horizontally thereby causing the gap to move. The cutting mechanism moves vertically and is operated in a coordinated fashion with movement of the gap following the point of intersection of at least one cutting wire with the conveyor plane so that clay columns are conveyed and cut simultaneously. Material adhering to the cutting wire(s) is automatically cleaned therefrom during cutting.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for removing front and rear segments of rolled wire or wire rod which, in the form of winding packages, is supplied to the apparatus (connected before a collecting device) and is subdivided by separating procedures into good windings and scrap windings.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing, collecting and transporting platelike fins, including fin forming apparatus for simultaneously forming plural fins in adjacent side-by-side relationship from sheet material. The forming apparatus causes the fins to be discharged outwardly in the lengthwise direction thereof. Fin handling are positioned adjacent the forming apparatus for collecting and transporting the fins. The fin handling apparatus includes an endless conveyor having a substantially straight upper reach positioned adjacent the forming apparatus and movable substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the fins as discharged from the forming apparatus. A plurality of elongated fin collectors are fixed to the endless conveyor, being spaced a predetermined distance apart throughout the lengthwise direction of the conveyor, the predetermined distance being equal to the centerline-to-centerline distance between adjacent fins as discharged from the forming apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling articles (such as web stacks) wherein a series of articles is advanced along a first lineal path and gripped therein, thereafter directed about an arcuate quadrant to a second path perpendicular to the first path and while still being gripped, and thereafter translated, while still being gripped, into a third path parallel to the second path, the handling in the first, second, and third paths occurring while a dimension of the article remains parallel to the direction of travel of the first path.

Abstract: A mechanism for use in a multi-station crank press, and the method of operating said mechanism wherein the stripper sleeves at each station are actuated, adjustably, under the control of two cams both to hold the blanks before they are contacted by the punches and to strip the blanks from the punches at selected moment as they are retracting.

Abstract: Apparatus to cut a carpet into two sections with the edge of each section being beveled. The apparatus employs two rotary cutters mounted at an angle to each other and which are driven at the same speed in the same direction.

Abstract: A method of sawing and stacking sheets of fiberboard and similar material includes placing a first sheet to form a support. A plurality of second sheets are now divided into smaller sheets and are stacked on the first sheet without altering their positions in relation to each other.

Abstract: A strip 10 of slips 12 is characterized by breaking portions 62,64 at which each individual clip 12a, 12b, 12c is separable from its longitudinal neighbors these portions being coextensive, longitudinally of the strip, with the line of separation 60 which divides off each clip from its longitudinal neighbors and which is formed without removal of material of the strip. This line is achieved by shearing the material of the strip while bowing it about a longitudinal axis so as to present a curved surface to an oncoming shearing tool which has an oppositely curved surface. The extent of the intersection of the opposite curve defines the length of the line of the separation. The breaking portion is adjacent each end of the line. The clips during severence suffer apparent lateral contraction but no longitudinal distortion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting, grouping and stacking brick wherein after cutting and grouping, selected courses are inverted and stacked on other uninverted courses to form two course high stacks with the respective bricks being stacked face to face in order to assure uniform face color after the bricks have been cured and dried. As a part of the method, rows of single course cut brick are accumulated on a receiving table after exiting from a brick cutting assembly, and selected bricks are transferred from the receiving table to an inverter where they are inverted and deposited back on a course of single high uninverted brick to form a two course stack with the respective bricks being stacked face to face. The formed two course high stack is then transferred to where the same is ultimately loaded onto a kiln car for curing and drying.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting sheets of carpet into a number of rectangular swatches comprises a gang slitter including a plurality of disc cutting blades mounted on a single shaft for making a plurality of parallel cuts in the sheet of carpet moving through the blades, thus cutting the carpet into a plurality of long strips of predetermined width, and a cross cut blade which moves across the sheet of carpet to make a cut in the carpet perpendicular to the plurality of parallel cuts, thus cutting the long strips of carpet material into shorter rectangular swatches. The sheet of carpet material is automatically fed through the gang slitter and stopped for the cross cut, and the swatches are discharged from the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a stack of neatly aligned sheets of microfoam plastic material from a web of microfoam material. The method and apparatus provide for supplying the web of material to a cutting station and transporting an edge of the material a predetermined distance beyond the cutting station, restraining motion of the web and captivating it at a location adjacent to the cutting station, and cutting the web in a transverse direction. The web advancement, restraint and captivation, and cutting are repeated until a predetermined number of sheets of the material have been accumulated in a stack. The stack is then released from captivation and is conveyed from the cutting station.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for manufacturing books, blocks or calendars by cutting large sheets having printed thereon different pages into smaller sheets which must be brought into an orderly succession before the pages or sheets are bound. The usual folding of the large sheets can be omitted, in that the sheets are fed individually and successively to a conveyor means and are conveyed towards a cutting means; the individual sheets are stacked in a partially overlapping manner. The cutting of the sheets is effected whenever predetermined widths of the individual sheets have been conveyed through the cutting means.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a method of and apparatus for cutting a slab from a body of uncured light-weight concrete, resting on a support surface. The method comprises the step of moving the body of uncured light-weight concrete along a longitudinal axis of said support surface through a predetermined distance; cutting a slab from said body while supporting the front face of said slab, moving the slab away from said body along an extension of said longitudinal axis; and subsequently moving the slab along at least one arcuate movement path in a plane perpendicular to said support surface and parallel to said longitudinal axis. The apparatus for performing the methods includes a sequentially moveable work feed means, a wire cutter mechanism for cutting a slab from the face of the concrete and a carosel-like pneumatic suction device for holding and transporting the cut slab to subsequent spraying, shaping and stacking stations.

Abstract: Upper and lower web guides are pivotably mounted for directing the leading edge of a web to either of upper or lower paths. Each web guide has a plurality of resilient members disposed side by side and extending downstream to define a channel through which the web can pass.

Abstract: An improved trimmer section is provided for use in a sawmill, together with method and means for automatically selecting timbers and the like to be trimmed, and for automatically routing trimmed timbers to a preselected one of a plurality of different storage and loading points in the sawmill. In particular, the operator is required to select which of several stations is to receive each timber after it has been cut to a designated length. Thereupon, the timber is automatically transferred through several stages of mechanical manipulation to the designated station while, simultaneously therewith, another un-trimmed timber is promptly conducted to the trimming saws. Actuation of the entire operation is effected by merely selecting the station to receive the trimmed timber, since the cycle will repeat as long as there are timbers to be trimmed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting and feeding foliage material from a stack, the apparatus comprising a wheeled vehicle, for example a wagon pulled by a tractor, capable of being displaced along the ground, a tiltable bed thereon disposed in a parallel position between ground engaging wheels and a powered conveyor so that a stack of foliage may be loaded onto the bed from a position on the ground (or unloaded from the bed back to the ground) and also may be successively advanced along the conveyor bed to provide an overhang beneath and forward of a rotating angularly disposed variable cutter which travels horizontally and then vertically downward in a zig-zag pattern to successively cut slices of foliage from the overhang of the stack.

Abstract: An envelope opener comprising first, second and third shear stations for shearing three edges of an envelope in sequence one edge at a time. Each shear station sequentially aligns the envelope by contacting the edge to be sheared, shears the contacted edge, and then releases the envelope. A microcomputer monitors the advance of the envelope through and between the shear stations and causes the shear stations to cyclically align, shear and release the envelope. A peel back station downstream of the shear station peels back a panel of the envelope to expose the contents thereof. If an envelope is jammed at or between any of the stations, the microcomputer actuates a display to indicate a jam condition. The microcomputer also shuts off power to the opener to prevent damage to the envelope.

Abstract: A punch assembly including a punch member having first and second ends, a punching end on the first end of the punch member, an adjustable head on the second end of the punch member, a shoulder on the punch member intermediate the first and second ends, a punch retainer member including a shoulder engaging portion adjacent the shoulder for effectively engaging the shoulder, a stripper spring between the punch retainer member and the adjustable head, retainer shims between the shoulder engaging portion and the shoulder, and a counterbore in the punch retainer member for receiving the retainer shims, the counterbore being of a diameter which is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the retainer shims. By the use of the retainer shims, the distance between a reference point on the retainer member and the end of the punch may be maintained the same even after sharpening, with the adjustable head being adjustable to maintain the overall length of the punch assembly the same after sharpening.