Abstract: The present disclosure provides an automatic electric punching apparatus that can automatically punch documents or paper sheets by lowering a screw punch blade by means of a screw while being rotated in conjunction with driving of a motor due to switching.

Abstract: A hand-held jigsaw includes a saw blade and control element for automating a tracking the saw blade, the hand-held jigsaw, or both along layout lines. A sensor, preferably a camera unit, detects a layout line provided on a work piece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool monitoring device with an identification unity for identifying the operating situation of a machine tool. According to the invention, the machine tool monitoring device has at least one projection unit for defining at least one region to be monitored.

Abstract: A food article end location detecting system for a food article slicing machine. The system includes a sensor located so that each food article passes a sensing range of the sensor as the food articles are loaded onto a food article feed apparatus. The system has instructions for calculating the length of each food article based on a location value provided by the sensor. The system also comprises a food article end disposal mechanism. The disposal mechanism has a transport for receiving said food article ends and for removing said food article ends from said food article path. The disposal mechanism also has a paddle for displacing food article ends from the transport.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool monitoring device having a detection unit for detecting an application in a machine tool. According to the invention, at least one component of the machine tool is used as a reflector for a transmitting and/or receiving signal of the detection unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of acquiring slices or portions of slices of constant weight from food products sliced by a cutting apparatus. A plurality of cross-sectional areas Fi of the product are determined for at least one product to be sliced, in particular in accordance with the light sectioning process. The total weight Gges of the product is determined; control data are calculated using the cross-sectional areas Fi and the total weight Gges; and the cutting apparatus, is operated at least in part using the control data.

Abstract: A automated stick cutting system is provided adapted to produce stick-frame construction components from material for building construction. The automated stick cutting system has a frame having an in-feed portion and an out-feed portion. A saw is adapted to cut the material, the saw coupled to the frame. An in-feed drive is coupled to the frame, the in-feed drive adapted to accept the material from the in-feed portion and feed the material to the saw. A position detector is coupled to the frame, the position detector adapted to track a position of the material relative to the in-feed drive. An out-feed drive is adapted to accept the material uncut from the in-feed drive, the out-feed drive adapted to accept the material cut from the saw and feed cut material to the out-feed portion. An edge detector is adapted to detect a leading edge of the material when being fed to the saw by the in-feed drive.

Abstract: Saw mill for machine vision detection of undesirable features in the wood in shingles being cut from billets and automated optimized saw operation are disclosed. The saw mill includes a transport system that carries the billet through a butt-trimming saw, past a machine vision station, into an transition station for changing direction of travel of the billet and aligning the billet for travel into the subsequent gang rip saw station. The machine vision station determines any defects in the billet, grades the billet according to order-specific parameters, determines the optimal saw cut to maximize the value of the shingle, and sends control data to the gang rip saw controller, to position the saw blades for the optimal saw cut(s) for the shingle. A sorting system receives instructions from the visual imaging system and automatically shunts the product coming from the gang rip saw station into the appropriate container.

Abstract: Disclosed are a sheet punching apparatus and a method for controlling the same in which the side end position of a sheet, its rear end position, a hole position, and the detachment state of a punch portion are sensed only by two sensors, and a punching hole can be formed at the exact position of a sheet by means of the two sensors.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for increasing the capacity and precision of a portion cutter wherein the items to be portion cut are positioned abutting each other. In particular are provided a method and apparatus for identifying a boundary between consecutive items to be cut when the items are placed on a conveyor abutting each other with little or no gab between the items. At least one characteristic is measured for each of the items, and at least one process parameter is controlled in order to achieve predetermined product portions from the items based on the measured characteristic.

Abstract: A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparatus (15) measures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.

Abstract: A food article end location detecting system for a food article slicing machine. The system includes a sensor located so that each food article passes a sensing range of the sensor as the food articles are loaded onto a food article feed apparatus. The system has instructions for calculating the length of each food article based on a location value provided by the sensor. The system also comprises a food article end disposal mechanism. The disposal mechanism has a transport for receiving said food article ends and for removing said food article ends from said food article path. The disposal mechanism also has a paddle for displacing food article ends from the transport.

Abstract: A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparatus (15) measures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.

Abstract: The present invention relates running webs which have been printed in a high-speed printer. A method and a device are provided for longitudinal cuffing of a running, unseparated web in two web portions, wherein the unseparated web (2) is printed in a high-speed printer (1) and wherein the unseparated web (2) is cut longitudinally in two web portions (2a, 2b). The unseparated web (2) is brought to run between a first and a second edge support (8, 9) such that longitudinal outer edges (2d, 2e), extending in the running direction (T), of the unseparated web (2) can cooperate with the edge supports (8, 9). If the width (B) of the unseparated web (2) varies and/or changes, this is read and the second edge support (9) and the cuffing means (7) are continuously controlled to move in a lateral direction (S) relative to the running direction (T) such that the unseparated web (2) is cut in two web portions (2a, 2b) with widths (B2a, B2b) which are adapted to each other.

Abstract: A substrate to be cut and/or scored is pre-printed with graphics, at least first and second registration marks, and optional encoded-to-print instructions, bar-encoded data, as well as ordinary graphics. The registration marks are sensed as the substrate is automatically transported to a cutting table station that defines a cutting reference plane. Sensed detection of location of the registration marks relative to the reference plane enable the cutting plan for the substrate to be amended for precise location of the graphics on the substrate relative to the reference plane. Automated cutting according to the amended cutting plan occurs. As the registration marks were printed simultaneously with and in known relationship to the graphics, the cut line will be precise relative to the graphics. Machine readable encoded-to-print instructions optionally printed on the substrate can further amend the cutting plan.

Abstract: Systems, including method and apparatus, for processing workpieces driven automatically along a linear path to a plurality of positions disposed substantially along the linear path. In some embodiments, a workpiece may be processed at one or more of the positions using two or more processing stations, such as a first processing station that cuts the workpiece into segments and a second processing station that performs another processing operation on the workpiece.

Abstract: A process for sawing a substrate strip marks corresponding to substrate areas of substrate strips which are arranged side-by-side on a plate. A saw machine is mechanically moved to the substrate areas and positioned by the alignment marks of corresponding substrate areas for cutting the substrate areas of the substrate strips in the first phase. Then the saw machine is further mechanically moved to the substrate areas again and is positioned by the alignment marks of corresponding substrate areas again for cutting the substrate areas of the substrate strips in the second phase. Therefore, an error in any of the substrate areas in the first phase and second phase will not accumulate to the subsequent substrate areas in the substrate strip.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically trimming and cutting images on support sheets, which comprises two cutting devices (1, 2) arranged upstream and downstream, respectively, a conveying device (3) which is suitable for conveying to the second cutting device (2) the sheet portions cut by the first cutting device (1) and comprises one or more conveyor belts (12) tight between a pair of rollers (13), at least one being mechanically connected to a motor (14), a plurality of sensors (16, 17, 18) suitable for detecting the presence of a sheet portion on the conveyor belts (12), as well as one or more conveying rollers (25) suitable for taking a sheet portion placed on the conveyor belts (12) and conveying it to the second cutting device (2).

Abstract: A device for trimming and automatically cutting of either multiple or single images, the images produced for example through digital rendering on paper and other graphic and photographic substrates, wound in reel or being in single sheets (10), especially of large size. Problems in using known devices of this type with feeding rollers (2) with a length corresponding to the substrate width have the consequence of a slowing down of the production owing to the excessive care necessary when introducing at the same time parallel sheets of large size. These problems can be overcome by using rollers of reduced length, but only by adding errors in the forward movement of the substrate, errors which are remedied by of optical sensors (4, 4?) for detecting the separation mark (M) between the images (10a, 10b, . . . ) as well as its angle with respect to the cutting line (7), and by a pair of length differential measuring devices (6).

Abstract: An active measurement and control system for a material cutting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a cutting tool which may be pivoted for cutting a workpiece in a cutting area at a selectable angle. The cutting area defines a datum plane, and a feed table with a shuttle vise is used to move the workpiece toward the cutting area. A controller controls the feed distance of the shuttle vise and the cutting angle of the tool in response to a signal from a sensor used for sensing a transverse dimension of the workpiece relative to the datum plane. In this way, the feed distance and cutting angle are adjusted to compensate for variations in the transverse dimension. This transverse dimension can include a displacement from the datum plane of a distal and/or proximate surface of the workpiece. A method of cutting a workpiece is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a workpiece into sectioned parts using a pair of laterally translatable chipping heads and, downstream, a cutting device of the type having a plurality of rotatable cutting members mounted for rotation on a common axis which is movable and including workpiece transport means for moving the workpiece from a starting position to a final position along a path which extends first past the chipping heads and then past the cutting device.

Abstract: In a method of cutting roofing shingles, multiple webs of roofing material are moved to a cutter. The webs are positioned in stacked relationship prior to the cutter. The webs have distinct portions such as tabs. The locations of the distinct portions of the moving webs are sensed by sensors. End cuts are simultaneously cut through the multiple stacked webs with the cutter to produce separate roofing shingles from the webs. The movements of the webs are controlled, based on the sensed locations of the distinct portions, so that the end cuts of the roofing shingles are positioned at predetermined locations relative to the distinct portions.

Abstract: A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparats (15) meassures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.

Abstract: A punching device of the present invention is proposed which can perform positional alignment with high accuracy without generating positional deviation or vibration by shifting a workpiece, and which does not deteriorate the accuracy of determining the position of an image by shifting a photographic device. In this punching device, a CCD camera, which can photograph the position of the die hole upon the lower die and the position of the pattern upon the workpiece which shows the position thereon where punching is to be performed, is fixedly provided at a position removed from the raising and lowering track of the punch plate. Furthermore, a mirror may be provided between the CCD camera and the die hole upon the lower die.

Abstract: An automatic device for cutting paper and other graphic and photographic substrates in reels or single sheets through optical reflection recognition of complex marks includes at least a pair of rollers (2) for feeding the substrate, a motor (3) for driving said pair of rollers (2), a pair of optical sensors (4, 4′) suitable to detect said marks and their angle with respect to the cutting line defined by a cutting assembly (7), a motor (5) for the relative alignment so as to cancel said angle, a motor (9) for driving the mobile blade of said cutting assembly (7), and a microprocessor suitable to process the signals from said optical sensors for controlling said motors (3, 5, 9).

Abstract: A method for cutting belt material to accurate dimensions and for forming the mating edges of a puzzle cut joint for joining the ends of the belt material to form a continuous belt for use in a document processing application. The belt material is maintained in accurate registration a punch press by optical sensors at each station. A vacuum pickup is constructed to move the belt material from a precision cutter to a punch press and maintains the material in tensioned condition to facilitate accurate operation of the punch press.

Abstract: A peeler block is formed previously on its opposite end faces with markings the centers of which define an optimum axis about which the block should be rotated for achieving maximum yield in peeling veneer from the block in a rotary veneer lathe. An apparatus is disclosed herein which is designed to detecting such markings at two different detecting stations and finally positioning the block such that its optimum axis is set parallel to the axes of spindles of a rotary veneer lathe is disclosed. At the first station, the markings are detected by a first pair of image sensors such as CCD cameras having lenses with a short focal length hence wide-angle viewing capability.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A ticket machine for dispensing tickets from a strip of tickets having perforated joints is provided. The ticket machine includes a roller assembly, a detection mechanism and a bursting blade. The roller assembly adapted to communicate a portion of the strip of tickets along a ticket path. The detection mechanism is disposed adjacent the ticket path and adapted to determine the position of at least a leading ticket of the strip of tickets along the ticket path. The bursting blade is adjacent the ticket path and adapted to floatably strike the strip of tickets adjacent the perforated joints to separate at least the leading ticket from the strip of tickets. A method for separating tickets from a strip of tickets connected along perforated joints is also provided.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: A sheet punching device that cuts holes in a sheet while punches are entering die holes, in which a plurality of punch trains along each of which a plurality of punches are aligned on a rotating shaft in parallel with the rotating shaft are disposed in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft, and the die holes are disposed in correspondence with the punches of the punch trains.

Abstract: A system and method for adjusting the targeting of superabsorbent material in absorbent cores based on the timing of a cutting device are disclosed herein. After targeting superabsorbent material into a segment of absorbent core material, a first sensor is used to determine a change in concentration of superabsorbent material over the length of the segment, or alternatively, a rate-of-change in the concentration is determined. The change in concentration, or rate-of-change, can be interpreted as the timing of the superabsorbent material targeting. A second sensor is used to determine the timing of a cutting device used to separate the segment from the remaining absorbent core material. The timing of the targeting of the superabsorbent material can then be synchronized with the timing of the cutting device for targeting of superabsorbent material in subsequent segments of the absorbent core material.

Abstract: An automatic iron core air gap cutting apparatus includes an electronic control box and a transmission system to receive signals and control from the electronic control box for receiving finished iron cores to perform air gaps cutting operations. The completed iron cores with the air gaps formed thereon are pushed to an exit chute for packaging, thereby completing the automatic iron core fabrication process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting belt material to accurate dimensions and for forming the mating edges of a puzzle cut joint for joining the ends of the belt material to form a continuous belt for use in a document processing application. The workpiece is maintained in accurate registration a punch press by optical sensors at each station. A vacuum pickup is constructed to move the belt material from a precision cutter to a punch press and maintains the material in tensioned condition to facilitate accurate operation of the punch press.

Abstract: When any of facilities of a film producing and packaging system suffers a failure, a film processing controller shuts off the film producing and packaging system. The operator repairs a failing facility and manually discharges a length of an elongate film which may possibly be defective. After the failing facility is repaired, the film processing controller is restarted to operate the film producing and packaging system, which then automatically discharges a length of the elongate film corresponding to a preset number of sized films. It is possible to easily and quickly discard a portion of the elongate film which has been made defective by the facility failure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and control device to grind a knife shaft used in a machine intended for cutting sheets of materials into strips, for example, sheets of paper, plastic, plates of photosensitive film or any other material having the form of thin sheets. The process includes determining the actual differences of position of the knives of the knife shaft in relation to a theoretical position and then dividing these differences to cut the film strips by widths practically equal to one another, and determining the quantities of material to be eliminated by grinding for each knife. This process especially finds its principal application in the photographic industry, in particular on grinding machines for the knives of knife shafts equipping the film slitters.

Abstract: A cutter for self-adhesive labels has a top part and a bottom part and a feeding gap between the top part and the bottom part. The cutter includes further a cutting mechanism having a blade and coupled to one of the top part and the bottom part. Further, the cutter has a transport and guiding device for the labels, wherein the transport and guiding device includes a transport roll located opposite the cutting mechanism. The feeding gap receives an adhesive paper or label sheet and the transport roll pulls the adhesive paper or label sheet through the feeding gap. The adhesive paper or label sheet passes between the cutting mechanism and the transport roll, and the blade cuts the adhesive paper or label sheet against a curved surface of the transport roll.

Abstract: A rotatable saw unit for optimized log breakdown includes a saw unit immediately downstream of an infeed conveyor and cooperating with the infeed conveyor for sawing a workpiece as the workpiece is translated by the infeed conveyor into the saw unit. The saw unit includes at least one saw aligned for sawing of the workpiece parallel to a longitudinal infeed axis. An optimizing processor determines an optimized sawing orientation relative to the longitudinal infeed axis. A saw unit positioner'selectively rotates the saw unit about a saw unit rotation axis so as to rotate the at least one saw into the optimized sawing orientation prior to sawing of the workpiece.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for automatic cutting of graphics area(s) from a sheet of material which includes such graphics area(s), the graphics areas having a plurality of registration marks in predetermined positions with respect thereto and including a subset of the marks on no more than one side of the graphics area which are initial-position/orientation-determining marks. The method involves placing the sheet on a sheet-receiving surface, attempting to sense the subset in the field of view of a main sensor, and, when the subset is not in an expected location, automatically determining the coordinate region of the subset on the sheet-receiving surface and automatically repositioning the main sensor to the coordinate region such that the subset is within the field of view of the main sensor.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for cutting a graphics area from a sheet of material which includes such graphics area. The method improved involves applying a plurality of registration marks on the sheet at and about the graphics area in predetermined positions at the time the graphics are applied thereto, the plurality of marks including a subset of marks (the subset preferably being a tandem pair of marks) which is applied on one side of the graphics area which are used to determine the position and orientation of the sheet, sensing the locations of the registration marks on the sheet of material at the time of cutting, and cutting the graphics area from the ready-to-cut sheet along a path determined in response to the sensed positions of the registration marks with respect to the graphics area at that time, whereby precise cutting occurs despite two-dimensional distortion of the sheet prior to cutting.

Abstract: A wood fiber board (6) which is provided with a decorative layer (3) of paper or similar material, and where the length or width value of the decorative layer (3) deviates from its original value after it is applied to the wood fiber board (6), is cut into uniform panels using a board-dividing apparatus that compensates for these deviations. The board-dividing apparatus has a saw (1) that preferably has a plurality of saw blades (S1, S2, . . . Sn) which are adjustably spaced in parallel fashion. The board-dividing apparatus is equipped with a number of cameras and with controller which utilizes deviation measurement information to adjust the spacing of the saw blades. The wood fiber board (6) is first aligned with at least one initial camera (4a) at a point P1. Then, predetermined points (P1 and P2) in the decorative layer (3) are recorded by the first camera (4a) and a second camera (4b).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device to grind a knife shaft used in a machine intended for cutting sheets of materials into strips, for example sheets of paper, plastic, plates of photosensitive film or any other material having the form of thin sheets. The control device according to the invention enables the grinding of the knives of knife shafts of a slitter by checking and controlling the drift of the dimensional differences of position of the knives on the knife shaft and by controlling the variability of the pitches between the knives. This with the goal of obtaining the precision and the quality of cutting required for cut photographic film strips. This device especially finds its principal application in the photographic industry, in particular on grinding machines for the knives of knife shafts equipping the film slitters.

Abstract: A method of position-based integrated motion controlled curve sawing includes the steps of: transporting a curved workpiece in a downstream direction on a transfer, and monitoring position of the workpiece on the transfer, scanning the workpiece through an upstream scanner to measure workpiece profiles in spaced apart array, along a surface of the workpiece and communicating the workpiece profiles to a digital processor, computing by the digital processor, a high order polynomial smoothing curve fitted to the array of workpiece profiles of the curved workpiece, and adjusting the smoothing curve for cutting machine constraints of downstream motion controlled cutting devices to generate an adjusted curve generating unique position cams unique to the workpiece from the adjusted curve for optimized cutting by the cutting devices along a tool path corresponding to the position cams, sequencing the transfer and the workpiece with the cutting devices, and sequencing the unique position cams corresponding to the work

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: In combination with a cant sawing or cutting unit, a system for guiding two-faced cants through the cut along the line of their natural curvature which includes at the infeed and outfeed ends of the unit, laterally moveable rollers for clamping upon parallel planar faces of the cant and imparting to it a pivotal movement in the horizontal plane while it is moving forward through the cut, so that the saws or cutters follow along a controlled curve in relation to the natural curvature of the cant.

Abstract: A clutchless wire cutting apparatus for successively cutting off leading end portions of a predetermined length of wire from a wire stock. The wire is advanced through a cutting station which includes the cutting apparatus. The cutting apparatus includes an electrical motor whose output is coupled to the cutter mechanism which performs the successive wire cuts. A proximity switch or sensor located downstream of the cutting station signals a controller each time the wire reaches the desired length to periodically generate an electrical current to the electrical motor for selectively intermittently driving the motor at a relatively high frequency corresponding to the frequency at which wire cuts are made. The motor may also be continuously driven for cutting shorter wire lengths. The motor has an output on an motor shaft which is coupled to a cutter shaft via a belt drive. The cutter shaft includes an eccentric cam which acts directly on the wire cutter.

Abstract: In a method of cutting roofing shingles, multiple webs of roofing material are moved to a cutter. The webs are positioned in stacked relationship prior to the cutter. The webs have distinct portions such as tabs. The locations of the distinct portions of the moving webs are sensed by sensors. End cuts are simultaneously cut through the multiple stacked webs with the cutter to produce separate roofing shingles from the webs. The movements of the webs are controlled, based on the sensed locations of the distinct portions, so that the end cuts of the roofing shingles are positioned at predetermined locations relative to the distinct portions.

Abstract: Previous methods of bucksawing logs slow the throughput of a sawmill in that the conveyor line is stopped while a given log is bucksawed to length. The present invention provides a method for bucksawing a log which improves the throughput speed, comprising the steps of a) advancing the log endwise along an infeed conveyor; b) raising the log above the level of said infeed conveyor while advancing the log; c) measuring the advance of the log while raised; d) stopping the log at the desired length; e) sawing the log to produce a forward log segment; and f) lowering the forward log segment onto an outfeed conveyor while advancing the remaining log segments. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for advancing and cutting tube blanks into desired lengths and ejecting the unusable piece of tubing remaining after all of the usable cuts have been made. The machine for cutting the tubes of the present invention is preferably a standard supported shear type cutting machine and the ejection of the tube is accomplished via a pusher that is mounted for reciprocation on a carriage such that when the last piece of usable tubing has been cut from the tube blank the pusher may be activated to eject the tubing from the cutting machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously orienting and positioning first and second different boards, and for feeding the first and second boards along first and second saw axes, respectively, into at least one saw feeds sets of at least two boards at a time to increase the piece rate, while orienting and positioning each board individually to increase the yield rate. A lateral feed mechanism displaces the boards in laterally to a staging area. A first pair of movable stops cooperatively and independently moves to orient and position the first board axis parallel with a first alignment axes. Similarly, a second pair of movable stops cooperatively and independently moves to orient and position the second board axis parallel with a second alignment axes. A moveable displacement arm moves in the lateral direction between the staging area and a feed area for engaging and simultaneously displacing the boards together from the staging area to the feed area.