Abstract: A method for cutting at least one elongated workpiece (13b) with a saw head assembly (10b) having a cutting blade (11b). The saw assembly (10b) further includes a guide mechanism for providing relative guided movement between the cutting blade (11b) and the workpiece (13b) along a cutting line (14b). The method comprises the steps of placing the workpiece (13b) across the cutting line (14b). Further, moving at least one of the cutting blade (11b) and the workpiece (13b) along the cutting line (14b) from a starting position (28b) on one side (27b') of said workpiece (13b) to a parked position (37b) on an opposite side (27b) of the workpiece (13b). In the parked position, the entire cutting stretch is positioned beyond the workpiece (13b). Next, the cut part or portion (32b) is displaced away from the cutting line (14b) using the workpiece (13b), while the cutting blade (11b) is in the parked position (37b).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and a device for producing burr-free workpieces by blanking using a counterblanking tool. The counterblanking tool has an upper tool and a lower tool which include respectively an upper blanking die and a lower blanking die and an upper punch and a lower punch. The counterblanking tool further includes a ram plate which moves one of the upper and lower tools towards the other of the upper and lower tools. The ram plate moves in a continuous ram stroke during which a blanking strip from which a workpiece is to be blanked is clamped between the upper and the lower tool. During the initial portion of the blanking operation, the blanking dies remain in place while a first one of the punches, travels further and a second one of the punches travels back until a limit stop is reached. During this travel the first punch cuts partly into the blanking strip.

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: A portable hand-cutting tool having a pair of perpendicularly arranged handles which is used for separating the trailing edge of bonded elevator or rudder skin panels following removal from an aircraft for repair. The tool features an electrically heated knife blade in combination with pneumatic controls for linearly vibrating the knife to achieve the cutting. The blade is fabricated from spring steel, has a leading edge sharpened with a full width taper, and is directly heated by way of electrical currents passing through the blade electrodes connected to the blade.

Abstract: In a cutting system and method for cutting pattern pieces from flexible sheet material, after the cutting the cut pattern pieces are separated from the waste material by moving the material forwardly to a separating station at which the waste material is pulled from one point to another so as to be tensioned and constrained to move along one path to one delivery station, while cut pattern pieces are not similarly pulled or tensioned but instead are allowed to move by gravity to a different path leading to another delivery station. An associated means, such as a roll with a resilient outer surface or a plurality of plungers, applies forces to the material to aid gravity in the separation of the pattern pieces by tending to push such pieces from the waste material. The material may also be vibrated to assist in the dislodgment of the pattern pieces from the waste material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting up thick layers of fibrous material, the apparatus comprising a base to which a blade is fixed. The end of the blade carries a nozzle which emits an ultrafast fine water jet when fed with water under pressure via a duct. On each cutting pass, an additional thickness (H) of the layer is cut while the flanks of the cut that has already been made are held apart from each other by the blade, thereby ensuring that the jet is not disturbed by the flanks and retains its full cutting power.

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 inspection station punch block apparatus for removing a portion of an integrated circuit die lead from a lead frame. The missing lead is used to mark a defective die and is lataer monitored by a scanning means which causes rejection of the die from the lead frame. A method of carrying out this operation is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the automatic manufacture of portions of a given length of strip material printed or embossed with a repetitive pattern in a longitudinal strip material, such as venetian blind slats, panels for walls and ceiling coverings and for shutters, awnings and sun louvres, in which the strip material is fed progressively to a cutting unit, first sections are cut, each of said given length, on the strip material, the second sections are cut from parts of the strip material immediately following at least some of the cut-off first sections, in a controlled manner, to allow varying of the length of each of said second sections individually, to provide a controlled positioning of the repetitive pattern along the length of the subsequently cut first sections, the second sections being rejected and the first sections being renewed for further handling.

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: Small-sized, folded, glued coupons for insertion into a food package are made on a continuous line starting with a roll of paper and finishing with a straight, aligned, moving row of finished coupons, disposed in shingled relation to facilitate arranging in a row in a tray for immediate packing in a container for shipment to a user, without manual handling prior to arranging in the tray. The line includes equipment for (1) receiving individual coupons from a rotary cutter in a straight-line alignment in a downstream direction, (2) maintaining that alignment and (3) delivering the coupons in that alignment to a conveyor in such a manner as to facilitate arrangement in the desired shingled relation. Cleanliness is maximized and pilferage is minimized.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described for making individual strips and feeding the strips to a packaging machine for the strips, in particular to a sealing machine, for sealing the strips into a sheet or foil. The individual strips are cut simultaneously from card-like material and by continuous constrained guiding led from the cutting means to the packaging machine. The constrained guiding is provided by magazines with receiving compartments for the strips and clocked transfer means. This makes it possible to obtain a high cutting output and a correspondingly high and exact packaging output. The invention is intended in particular for processing diagnostic test strips.

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: To deflect a moving paper web to respective transport paths (16, 17, 21, 25) by a cutter cylinder - counter cylinder combination (7, 8), the cylinders are oscillated back and forth above the respective transport paths by being retained in journal bearings which are eccentric with respect to the axes of rotation of the cylinders, so that, as the cylinders rotate, the nip between the cylinders will be in alignment with the respective transport path, the shift directing the leading edge of the web to a respective transport path. The cylinders, each, carry a knife and a counter element diametrically located with respect to each other, so that, as the leading edge of the web is gripped between a respective transport path, the web is severed thereafter and as the cylinder moves into alignment with the other transport path to feed the leading edge of the web to the other transport path for subsequent cutting, and so on.

Abstract: This application discloses removing scrap trimmed from a moving web with a series of pins mounted upon a disc which brings the pins into an impaling engagement in the scrap. The movement of the pins into such engagement is carefully synchronized between the cutting roller and the pins. The scrap is removed from the pins by causing it to be grasped between an abutment on one side and a nip roller on the other side and pulled from the pins at the same time as the pins are being withdrawn.

Abstract: The invention is specifically concerned with an improvement in the process of manufacturing reinforced materials. The reinforced materials are conceived to include a wide variety of materials, the most notable being high density compressed gaskets. The improvement comprises mixing a cut solid (generally a cut fiber) with a body material to produce the reinforced materials. The solid is cut into particulates of highly variable size, the range in the size of the particulates being adjusted to optimize the characteristics of the resulting reinforced material. The cut solid is produced utilizing comminuting machines previously used for the recycle of waste products.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing fibrous web pieces by die cutting the pieces from a continuous web. In the method, a fibrous web is provided having adjacent corrugations usually filled with a powder, and the powder-filled web is passed through a matched cutting die set intermittently which cuts and punches out the individual web pieces. Following the web cut out step, the web pieces are transferred downwardly onto a shuttle conveyor, and the pieces moved forward and simultaneously spread apart to permit subsequent convenient placement of the pieces. The cutting die apparatus includes matched punch and body die units which closely interfit with less than about 0.001 inch total clearance, so as to cut and punch out the fibrous web pieces from the continuous web.

Abstract: A plate subdividing and sorting machine includes a variegated subdividing device which subdivides the respective plate blank into final products arranged in the thus subdivided plate blank in respective longitudinal and transverse strips. The subdivided plate blank is shifted onto a stripping-off tray with which there is associated a stripping arrangement which strips the respective longitudinal strips off of the stripping-off tray and onto distributing roller conveyors which distributes the final products of the respective longitudinal strips in a sorted manner in accordance with their sizes to a plurality of adjacently arranged supply roller conveyors. The stripping arrangement includes a stripping blade which is movable, for the reduction of the cycle time, together with the remainder of the stripping arrangement, to at least two of the distribution roller conveyors that are arranged at a distance next to one another to deposit the longitudinal strips thereon.

Abstract: Routing a circuit board from the bottom side allows board removal from areas not generally accessible from the top side, such as board areas which are overhung by top side, such as board areas which are overhung by electrical connector "headers", as well as variable potentiometer and capacitor controls which may not be easily accessible from the top side. One embodiment combines such routing with shearing to merge their respective advantages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monolayering sliced wafer-like articles such as fruit or vegetable slices to enhance further product processing. The apparatus includes a slice catcher in cooperative relationship with a centrifugal slicer such that discharged product slices impinge onto the slice catcher inner surface and are captured by a flow of liquid passing over the slice catcher inner surface. The slices are controllably separated, conveyed and deposited in monolayered fashion on a conveyor for subsequent processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming planar parts (WA) by progressively punching out the shape of the part (WA) from a piece of sheet material (W) in which the part (WA) is automatically removed from the remaining sheet material (W), by a hinged trap door section (37) in a work supporting table (33), one end lowered to form a chute. The punching process is carried out primarily in a first punching station (A), where punch and die set magazines (18, 19) may be mounted, but connecting sections (WC) are left to be removed in a second punching station (B) where the trap door section (37) is located. The separated parts (WC) are deposited on a conveyor system (36) located beneath the table 33, and detector unit (59, 61) enables shut down of the press if a part fails to move after each punching operation.

Abstract: A method of cutting off a masking film of a silicon wafer comprising the steps of rotating the silicon wafer, feeding a heat wire continuously to the outer periphery of the silicon wafer and cutting off the outer periphery of the masking film along the outer perphery of the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing egg timer-shaped absorbent pads in which an absorbent material continuous strip of uniform thickness and uniform width is feed along a longitudinal path and divided in the longitudinal direction, along a continuous wavy cutting line extending symmetrically relative to the median line of the strip, into two partial strips of periodically variable width having one straight edge on and opposite wavy edge, and are offset relative to each other and superimposed, one on the other, to form a composite strip having opposite hourglass-shaped edges and a central part having a thickness twice that of the opposite edges and cutting such superimposed, composite strip in the transverse direction in the zones of maximum width.

Abstract: Routing a circuit board from the bottom side allows router access to areas not generally accessible from the top side, such as board areas which are overhung by electrical connector "headers", as well as variable potentiometer and capacitor controls which may not be easily accessible from the top side. One embodiment combines such routing with shearing to merge their respective advantages.

Abstract: Successive watermarks on a running web of coherent paper sheets are monitored by a scanner which generates defect signals in response to detection of watermarks outside of selected portions of the respective sheets, and the cross cutter which severs the web to form discrete sheets is then adjusted to separate the respective sheets from the next-following sheets with a delay or prematurely so that the sheets bearing the improperly positioned watermarks are too short or too long. Such defective sheets are segregated from satisfactory sheets downstream of the cross cutter in properly delayed response to generation of defect signals by the scanner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting dark portions such as blemishes from articles such as potato stick. In order to detect the blemishes the articles are conveyed through an inspection station by a conveyor having a plurality of rollers arranged perpendicular to the direction of conveyor. The rollers are rotated thereby rotating the articles as they are conveyed through the inspection station so that each side of the articles may be inspected. The inspection station utilizes a raster scan television camera and output signals therefrom are used to actuate one of a plurality of cutting devices in order to sever from the articles those portions containing blemishes. The severed portions containing blemishes are thereafter separated from the remainder of the articles by either a screen or by air jets.

Abstract: The front and tail ends of fast travelling rolled goods (3) such as wire rod are cropped by leading the rolled goods into a guide groove (2) extending around the periphery of a circular disc (1). The disc rotates at the same peripheral speed as the linear speed of the rolled goods. The rolled goods are positively guided in this position and are caused to accompany the disc over a sector (24). The rolled goods are sheared by a cam-operated punch (8) carried by the disc, the punch moving parallel to the axis of the disc. The separated end pieces (22) of the rolled goods are lead away in one direction, and the cropped rolled goods (23) are lead away in another direction.

Abstract: The instant invention is particularly directed to a method and apparatus for automated handling of panels comprising a plurality of interconnected substrates in order to control and separate the circuit boards in a continuous processing line. One embodiment incorporates two shearing stations and a rotary transfer device therebetween in order to transfer a panel portion from the first station to the second station while controlling and rotating the panel for subsequent feed to the second station such that the panel portion is cut on a line of the substrate which is perpendicular to the original line of cut of the substrate. Throughout the handling of the panels and panel portions, sensing, gripping, and indexed feeding of the panels and panel portions are under the control of a programmable computer.

Abstract: To facilitate the lifting of slab-like pieces of material separated from a block of material by substantially horizontal cuts, with the aid of a movable suction device acting upon the upper surface of an upper slab-like piece of material, a pressurized gaseous medium is caused to act in the region of the cut between the upper piece of material and the underlying slab-like piece of material or residual part of the block of material, either prior to and/or while lifting said upper piece. The pressurized medium is supplied into a least one cavity which has an open side and is formed in a movable cover means arranged along a substantially vertical side of the block subsequent to moving the cover means to a position in which it is sealingly connected to and each open cavity side thereof is covered by a portion of said block side, which portion extends along and reaches above and below said region of the cut.

Abstract: A piece of material cut from a web is removed by a stripper mechanism which is preferably embodied in a pair of die cylinders having coacting cutting blades which cut pieces from a web of material passing between the cylinders. As the cylinders rotate, a piece to be removed is releasably secured to one of the cylinders for rotation therewith, the secured piece is pivoted to lift its leading edge from the die by coaction with a finger on the other die which bears on a trailing portion of the piece. After the piece is carried away by the one die, it is removed by cooperation with a stripper plate which passes between the raised leading edge of the piece and the die and releases and removes the piece from the die.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for feeding elongated products, especially food products having generally square cross-sections. Included is a transporting assembly that has a surface for receiving the products and moving them in a direction generally transverse to their longitudinal axes. An escapement assembly is provided near the downstream end of the transporting assembly in order to move the products one at a time to a product feed assembly. Typically, the product feed assembly pushes the product to a slicing device to thereby provide stacks of sliced product.

Abstract: A strip of tape is cut at intervals into precise cut lengths equal in length to that of a desired label of non-rectangular shape. The cut lengths of tape are positioned in exact alignment with a punch of a punch cutting assembly for punching out the label and the punched label is separated from waste about the rim of the label for delivery free of the waste. The cut lengths are transferred to a transfer drum periphery and held momentarily under vacuum pressure which vacuum pressure is released to allow the cut lengths to shift circumferentially about the periphery of the transfer drum against a stop to accurately locate the cut lengths prior to further transfer to the punch cutting assembly.

Abstract: The present device relates to a slicing machine for slicing bacon bellies continuously. The device is provided with a trim circuit which detects the front and rear ends of each belly and generates a trimming signal which triggers the trimming of said ends. Slice counters are provided which the number of slices to be cut from a belly before trimming can be preselected for either the front or the rear ends.The device is also provided with a control circuit which reverses the forward movement of a belly after slicing process is temporarily stopped so that both the last slice before the stoppage and the first slice sliced after the stoppage have a relatively even cross-section.

Abstract: Parts which cannot fall because of their dimensions through an opening of a lower tool are separated from a workpiece plate in a cutting press with an immovable support, a coordinate table, two lateral workpiece supports movable parallel to the y-axis and a transverse carriage displaceable in the direction of the x-axis and having clamping elements, and with a central workpiece support of a plurality of articulately connected supporting elements displaceable in the direction of the y-axis so that a discharge opening for the separated part of the workpiece plate is openable or closable, in such a manner that first a cutting tool separates a workpiece part so as to retain at least one connecting web between separating edges of the workpiece plate and the workpiece part located transverse to the direction of movement of the central workpiece support, the workpiece plate and workpiece support being positioned by the coordinate table above the discharge opening, and before opening of the discharge opening the conn

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: A trimming apparatus for receiving from a book trimmer the elongated glued book trimmings which have a glued end at one end in the elongated direction and for trimming the glued end. The apparatus comprises a chute for receiving the book trimming and placing the trimming between a chain belt conveyor which has receptacles for those trimmings. The trimmings are moved along the conveyor to and between a pair of rotary cutting blades so that the glued portion of the trimming is cut from the unglued portion of the trimming. The portions are separated so that the glued portions fall into one bin and the clean paper portions fall into a second bin. A related method for separating the glued end of a book trimming from the remainder of the trimming is also disclosed.

Abstract: Pattern making, particularly for the garment industry, including longitudinally advancing a web of pattern material onto a cutting table; simultaneously longitudinally advancing a web of fleece material in parallel contact with the pattern material, such that the web of fleece abuts the underside of the cardboard material; pulling a vacuum through said web of fleece, such that the pattern material is pulled towards the fleece; cutting patterns in the pattern material within the confines of the cutting table, such that a burr is formed on the underside of said pattern material and said burr engages said fleece material; simultaneously advancing the web of pattern material and the web of fleece away from the cutting area and separating the web of fleece from the pattern material, so that the cut patterns may be removed.

Abstract: A cutting tool arrangement for performing the process of opening up the slit cut in the workpiece by circular saws before the saw is retracted to facilitate removal of the saw. The workpiece being severed is moved perpendicular to the cutting plane as is the saw blade to accomplish the desired result.

Abstract: The gap cut by a saw blade into a work piece is kept open behind the saw blade by work piece engaging clamping jaw portions on each side of the blade. For this purpose, each clamping jaw includes, in addition to the clamping pressure applying power drive, a further power drive which permits moving the respective work piece engaging clamping jaw portion independently of the clamping pressure applying power drive and in a direction extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the clamping pressure applying power drive.

Abstract: Dome-shaped shoulder pad discs are placed in face-to-face overlying relationship and loaded in segmented carriers of a surface conveyor system. Each carrier moves its shoulder pad discs to a first station where the material is cut between the segments of the carrier and formed into a leading stack of shoulder pads, a following stack of shoulder pads, and an intermediate stack of waste material. The carrier is moved to a second station where the intermediate stack of waste material is pushed downwardly between the segments of the carrier and ejected. The leading segment of the carrier is moved to a third station where the leading stack of shoulder pads is picked from the leading segment of the carrier and moved to a stacker, and then the following segment of the carrier is moved to the third station where its stack of shoulder pads is picked from the following segment of the carrier and moved to the stacker. The stacker forms the shoulder pads in a vertical stack.

Abstract: A conveyor section advances a ribbon into a cutting station where sheets are severed from the glass ribbon. The sheets are advanced onto downstream conveyor rolls where the sheet is accelerated for a given period of time to space the trailing edge of the sheet from the leading edge of the ribbon, i.e., leading edge of the next sheet to be severed from the ribbon. When a predetermined number of spaced sheets are on the conveyor rolls, the conveyor rolls are accelerated to a speed greater than the ribbon conveying speed and spacing speed to move the group of sheets downstream along the conveyor section into additional working stations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing decals from a web of decal material, wherein core portions of waste material in the decals automatically can be removed from the decals. In one aspect of the invention, backing material is stripped from the decal material; the decal configurations are cut into the decal material; the waste exterior portion of the decal material is removed from the decals while the decals are retained in position on a vacuum wheel; and the core portions are removed by the vacuum in the wheel through enlarged openings opposite the core portions on the decals. In another aspect of the invention, the decal configurations are cut into the decal material while it remains on the backing material; the exterior waste portions are removed; and the core portions are removed by passing the backing material over the sharp edge of a peeling bar while pressing the decal portion downwardly on the backing material.

Abstract: Prior to the forming of bar material, without creating internal stresses, on transverse transport presses, bars are sub-divided into sections of equal volume, the end-pieces of each bar having to be discarded before further processing. To provide for the automatic and material-saving discarding of the end pieces, two light barriers are installed in the feed zone of the bars, the distance (a) between these light barriers being newly stored in a microprocessor as each bar is fed in, and this distance being converted, by calculation, to three further distances (b, c, d). By reference to these data, the microprocessor controls the discarding operation, with one, or at the most two, section lengths being discarded per bar, according to whether the interface between two successive bars is located in the central region of the section length in question, or in one of its two end-regions.

Abstract: Each row of uncured brick is arranged with a longitudinal axis extending transversely across the width of a push-off table and is serially pushed by preceding rows past the end of the table. An elevator device registers a first platform with the end of the push-off table to receive a first row(s) and a second platform vertically spaced therefrom to receive a second row(s). The upper and lower row(s) are then simultaneously pushed from the elevator onto the upstream end of a marshalling table to form a two layer stack. A first shuttle device includes a plurality of shorter, longitudinally extending bars interspersed between the bars forming the marshalling table. The bars of the shuttle device are vertically movable between a first position beneath the level of the marshalling table bars, and a second position above such level supporting the bricks thereon.

Abstract: A trimming saw arrangement comprises a root-cutting station, a trimming station, and a feed line for advancing timber, perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, through the stations and to a sorting station having a sorting conveyor. The stations include a plurality of cutting or trimming places arranged one after the other in the feed direction and a distribution flap and conveyor for distributing arriving timber to the respective places responsive to the amount of timber accumulated in a storage bin associated with each cutting or trimming place.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for cutting French fries or other elongated vegetable segments which undergo a processing step, so as to maximize the uniformity of a desirable segment characteristic after processing. To obtain French fries which cook to a substantially uniform degree of "doneness" after blanching, cutter blades are positioned to cut segments or smaller cross-sectional dimensions through the lower solids content pith at the center of a potato, and to cut segments of larger cross-sectional dimensions from the higher solids content portions of the potato.

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 method and system are provided for slicing raw, whole potatoes into sticks or strips; sorting the sticks with photoelectric scanners, separating out sticks having black or discolored spots thereon, snipping the ends of the separated sticks and sorting the separated sticks after snipping.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically cutting wrappers or the like from metal sheets. A metal sheet is conveyed in the x-direction to a cutting position wherein a pair of cutting blade (i.e., shears) assemblies cut edge portions from the metal sheet to form a cut wrapper or the like having longitudinal edges. The cutting assemblies are movable in the y-dimension--transverse to the x-direction--and are also angularly movable. From the cutting position the cut wrapper is continuously conveyed to a notching position wherein notching assemblies also movable in the y-dimension may form notches in the longitudinal edges of the cut wrapper. At a further point in the x-direction, an edge deforming position may be provided including edge deforming apparatus that also is movable in the y-dimension. Flexible elongated members or the like support the metal sheet spaced from its conveyor during conveying to prevent damage to the conveyor by the cutting or notching assemblies.