Abstract: A feed speed control for band saws avoids overfeeding and underfeeding of logs or cants to allow higher initial input feeds and takes into account varying cutting depth throughout a log or cant length. The method comprises the steps of positioning a log or cant in preparation for sawing in a saw line, projecting a first light line onto the surface of the log or cant at the projected saw entry line, and a second light line onto the surface of the log or cant at the projected saw exit line and the second light line to determine depth of cut, and controlling the feed speed of the log or cant during the sawing step past the saw blade, to a predetermined feed speed for the measured depth of cut to avoid overfeeding and underfeeding.

Abstract: An envelope opener having a pair of entries in its opposite sides through which an envelope may enter the opener from either side to have its head automatically cut as it passes through the opener, comprises: cutters driven by a reversible electric motor; a lane for guiding the envelope, interrupted by the cutters; a pair of bar-type sensors swingably mounted crossing the lane, each being positioned in opposite sides of the cutters; a link connecting the sensors with each other to swing the sensors in synchronism when one is swung by an envelope passing through the lane; and contact assemblies coupled with the sensors, one of the assemblies being operated by the of the sensors to establish rotational directions of the motor and the cutters when the envelope entered the opener from either side swings one of the sensors to bring the other through the link into a position where the other of the contact assemblies coupled with the other of the sensors remains opened.

Abstract: A system that rotatively orients and skew positions a log for lumber processing. A log is placed in centering V's and rough centered. Rotatable scan spindles rotate the log while scanners obtain measurements at spaced locations along the log length and at selected rotative positions. Each angular position is analyzed for an optimum cutting pattern and the spindles are rotated to rotate the log into the most desirable angular position. The log is skew adjusted by the scan spindles and/or knee clamps in a carriage and conveyed to a saw array. A computer controls the cutting action to achieve the selected cutting pattern.

Abstract: In a laminating apparatus wherein a predetermined length of a film cut from a continuous web is laminated onto a substrate having positioning holes, a method for forming alignment or indexing holes in the film which correspond with the positioning holes in the substrate includes detecting the position of the positioning holes, establishing the location on the film where the alignment holes are to be formed, and punching the holes in the film. The apparatus includes a hole-forming device positioned to move along the film transfer path, the operation of the device being regulated by a sensor for detecting the position of the positioning holes, a control device for setting the position of the hole-forming device relative to the film in response to the sensor signal, and a mechanism for displacing the hole-forming device to the proper location for forming the alignment holes.

Abstract: The label dispenser comprises a cutter (11) for cutting a label from a continuous tape (1), with first and second means (10, 12) disposed on either side of said cutter for holding and for driving said tape. The dispenser further includes cells (25, 26) for detecting tape advance relative to the cutter in order to place the tape in an initial position at a desired label length from said cutter, together with ejector means (30) for ejecting a label cut from said tape, said ejector means causing said label to advance at a higher speed than the tape advance speed. A franking machine fitted with the detector includes a detector for detecting the position of a lever which controls the printing of an optional slogan on the label, and the length label selected in said dispenser is controlled as a function of the detected position of said slogan conrolling lever.

Abstract: A method of punching patterns of holes in printed circuit boards and sheets of material used in the manufacture of printed circuit boards. Each hole pattern punched is precisely positioned with respect to the metallized circuitry or the photographic image of the circuitry on each sheet of material. This method is accomplished with the use of an optical registration punch which automatically positions each sheet of material and punches a pattern of holes therein at a precise position with respect to the circuitry or the image of the circuitry on each sheet of material.

Abstract: Two shearing blades disposed along two lines which intersect each other are carried on the bottom edges of two adjacent walls of a four-sided ram structure. The ram is supported at four points whereby to provide greater stability. The workpiece is carried on the aligned top surfaces of a fixed bed and a movable carriage. The movable carriages is movable in a first direction. Finger grippers, joined by a connecting bar, are movable in slots along the top surface of the movable carriage in a second direction. Thus, the workpiece is moved in the first direction by movement of the movable carriage and in the second direction by movement of the finger grippers. The workpiece may be precisely and accurately positioned under the shearing blades making use of sensors in each of the finger grippers and a lateral sensor at the end of the movable carriage.

Abstract: A control system is established wherein, when there is a flow of continuous web material (2), an identification phase is provided by increasing the torque signal to a pull roll motor (13) until slippage between the pull roll (12) and continuous web is created at a breakaway torque point, the value of which is measurable. The pull roll motor is then caused to be driven by a signal which creates a motor torque output which is of a value less than the breakaway torque point. Thus, no slippage can occur. As the motor is driven at the lower torque value, a calibration phase is entered wherein an encoder output of the pull roll is properly equated with that of a measuring wheel (9), this phase occuring at a time when there can be no slip between the web-roll interface. The identification-calibration process can be repeated as often as desired.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the cutting of dressed lumber to achieve the optimum valve of cut pieces based upon the specific structural and surface defect characteristics of each board, as well as upon historical demand, business inventory and market factors. The invention includes the use of a Modulous of Elasticity test and photo-electric surface scanners in order to determine these specific structural and surface defect characteristics.

Abstract: A continuous strip which is laminated onto plates arranged at a distance from one another and which is composed of a dry resist laminate is introduced into a separating device 1 extending over the width of a strip 20. A drive cylinder 2 is arranged by means of pillars 3 above a carriage 31. The drive cylinder 2 guides the mounting 11, in which a cross-cutting device 10 is fastened, transversely over the strip 20. The cross-cutting device 10 comprises two knife-holders with knives parallel to one another, which are movable apart from one another and together and which, during the transverse movement, sever the strip 20 in a double cut along the trailing edge 29 and the leading edge 30 of two adjacent plates 4 and 5.

Abstract: Veneer handling apparatus having a veneer clipper at one end thereof and a veneer sheet stacker at the other end is disclosed. Veneer sheets cut into a format size by the clipper are sorted so as to allow defective sheets to be discharged from the apparatus. Sound veneer sheets sorted from the defective sheets are distributed selectively into two ways alternately. Two conveyors arranged one above the other and converging at a position adjacent their downstream ends are provided in the apparatus, and one sheet is distributed to the upper conveyor and stopped at a predetermined position thereon until its succeeding sheet distributed to the lower conveyor is moved to another predetermined position. The sheet on the upper conveyor is allowed to move again at such controlled time that it is combined at the converging position with the succeeding sheet moving on the lower conveyor into a pair with one sheet placed over the other.

Abstract: In a laminating apparatus wherein a predetermined length of a film is laminated onto a substrate having positioning holes, a method for forming alignment or indexing holes in a film which corresponds with the positioning holes in the substrate includes detecting the position of the positioning holes, establishing the location on the film where the alignment holes are to be formed, and punching the holes in the film.

Abstract: A guillotine type cutting machine wherein the length of cuts to be made in stacks of sheets determines the force with which a hold-down device bears upon a stack in the course of the cutting operation to prevent stray movements of the sheets. The force varies as a function of the length of the contemplated cuts and is regulated in such a way that the pressure of the hold-down device per unit area of a larger or smaller stack containing identical numbers and types of sheets is the same.

Abstract: A standard-length positioning apparatus wherein acceleration and deceleration of a driving mechanism for actuating a mechanism for feeding a material is controlled by a digital positioning mechanism according to a position feedback. Marks marked on the material are read by a sensor during the deceleration of the driving mechanism, and the digital positioning mechanism outputs a signal for stopping the driving mechanism when it receives the read-in output of the sensor while the driving mechanism is being decelerated. When a signal from the sensor is not received by the digital positioning means while the drive is being decelerated, the digital positioning mechanism utilizes feedback pulses of a positioning detector to stop the drive.

Abstract: An automatic ticket dispensing machine and a method for operating it to automatically adjust itself to the size of tickets being dispensed. A strip of tickets is fed forward with an advancing mechanism past an optical sensor which detects the perforations between tickets. The optical sensor is coupled to a controller which controls the advancing mechanism. The controller determines the length of the ticket by monitoring the distance the tickets are advanced between detections of perforations. In response to a request for a ticket, the controller advances the ticket strip by a distance corresponding to the predetermined ticket length of output.

Abstract: An apparatus for longitudinally cutting a web into a plurality of ribbons has a plurality of blade holders mounted so that the relative spacing as well as the overall lateral position of the blades can be shifted in response to growth, shrinkage, and lateral shifting of webs, while maintaining the blades perpendicular to the direction of travel of the web. The blades are held in holders having the ends interconnected by a parallelogram linkage and clamped to a rigid bar and a flexible extensible rod.

Abstract: A sawmill in which a multi-log supporting mechanism is constructed wherein logs are grasped at spaced angular positions about the mechanism and rotated by it between an initial receiving position to a profile measurement position and then to a sawing position. The end-to-end axis of the supporting mechanism is adjustably oriented with respect to a saw in terms of profile measurements and size of lumber determined to be cut from a log. Directionally, this adjustment is made normal to the profile measurement dimension.

Abstract: In an uncoiled web feed line including a shear, continuous feed and measuring pinch rolls, a pit for accommodating a loop portion of an uncoiled web, intermittent feed pinch rolls and a metal mold arranged in succession, there is provided a novel method for cutting an uncoiled web at its midway position by a shear such that when the production by the metal mold is continued for the uncoiled web forward of the cut position, just one lot of a desired number of products can be produced without being associated with an excessive waste web.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting predetermined lengths of panels from a continuous strip of flexible material and for forming the lengths of panel members to have a preselected panel profile. The strip is reel fed to a first strip driving station which drives the strip through a shearing station, over a hump table, to a second strip driving station and through a strip forming station. In sequence, the second strip driving station brakes the leading portion of the strip to effect a strip hump over the hump table, which is detected by a protoelectric sensor for hump height and signals the first strip driving station to vary its feed rate to maintain the hump; the second driving station is then signaled to commence driving the lead portion of the strip to the strip forming station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shearing logs to form billets includes movable stop at the discharge side of a shear to measure the length of the log passed through the shear. A light beam impinges on a detector when the trailing end of a log passes beyond the light beam to produce a signal concurrently with a signal which is produced by displacement of the movable stop. The concurrent production of these two signals is used to produce a third signal corresponding to a measure of the length of the log. The latter signal is used for determining the sheared length of one or part of a two-piece billet that can be produced from the log-end portion. The log is severed by displacing a movable upper die of the shear beyond a stationary lower die. In one embodiment, a gripper engages and pulls the end of the log from the shear. In a second embodiment, an H-shaped frame extending outwardly at the discharge side of the shear carries a movable stop.

Abstract: A high-throughput, high-end-product-recovery log-bucking system featuring continuous log travel. The system includes a flying-saw, log-bucking mechanism in combination with an upstream scanner which is capable of producing data related to a log's "sweep." A computer which is interposed the bucking mechanism and the scanner makes a decision at least partially based on log-sweep data, as developed by the scanner, to determine the optimum bucking position(s) along a log's length to obtain the maximum recovery of usable end-product.

Abstract: A controller for cutting sheet material so that inferior or incomplete sheet material is eliminated is characterized by the provision of means for detecting a length of sheet passing through a rotary cutter which continuously cuts the sheet material, means for calculating a length of sheet moving until the sheet is cut after a shear is started, and means for controlling the start timing of the shear so that a cut portion of sheet cut first by the shear coincides with a cut portion of sheet cut by the rotary cutter.

Abstract: For severing a continuous slide fastener chain into individual slide fastener lengths, the chain having succesive coupling element portions and element-free gap sections on a stringer tape, a cutting station is preceded by a detecting unit. The detecting utilizes at least two sensors for sensing the leading end of each successive coupling element portion of the chain which is being conducted to the cutting station. The sensors are longitudinally spaced along the chain's path to the cutting station and produce respective command signals one after the other to a chain drive to reduce the moving rate of the chain in step fashion to a low speed as the gap section approaches the cutting station. This enables uniform and adequate quality fastener length cutting to be reliably achieved.

Abstract: An electric punch wherein lower blades each are formed in the bottom part of each insertion concavity into which sheets of paper being punched are inserted sideways, and a plurality of elevatable upper blades are formed, each upper blade being lowered into the corresponding lower blade by a solenoid excited in sequence.

Abstract: The food product sensor and trimmer apparatus and method may be used to detect and remove defects from french fried potato strips or other elongated food products as they are conveyed in separate channels on a conveyor belt. Such apparatus comprises a defect sensor for each channel including a plurality of light detectors which detect two different wavelength light bands, such as visible light and infrared light, reflected from the surface of the food product to determine the length of the product, the size of the defect and the position of the defect on the product. Visible light and near infrared light are reflected from the product and sensed by different detectors and the ratio of detected visible light to infrared light determined to detect defects and locate them relative to the opposite ends of the product.

Abstract: A slicing machine for slicing a product, comprising a blade 1 and a feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, to feed the product towards the blade 1 also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and programmed with a function corresponding to the typical weight distribution of at least one type of product. The computer 18 is programmed to respond to the input of information representing the weight and length of a particular product to modify the typical weight distribution function in accordance with the input values to provide an anticipated weight distribution for that particular product. The computer is also programmed to control the operation of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12, so that the product is fed towards the blade 1 at a rate which varies with the anticipated weight distribution.

Abstract: A lazy-susan type roll table supports, in a vertical position, a roll of place mats interconnected into a continuous web (i.e. each mat is attached to its adjacent mat by perforations and all are rolled up on a core to form the roll of material). A web feed roller, also disposed for rotation about a vertical axis, is spaced from the roll table and cooperates with a pinch roller to grip therebetween the web of place mats and to feed the place mats along a path. An end panel positioning plate receives the end place mat, as the web is being fed, and carries an infra-red sensor which responds to the presence of the perforations between the mats to terminate drive of the web feed roller. A web tension drive extends up through the core of the roll of place mats and mounts a soft rubber drive wheel which when driven urges the web roll in a direction opposite to that imparted to the web by the web feed roller.

Abstract: A recording paper feeding apparatus for use in a recording machine such as a facsimile machine includes a predetermined paper travelling path along which a recording head, a platen roller, a cutter and a paper discharging roller are disposed. In one form of the present invention, a first detector for detecting presence and absence of the recording paper is disposed upstream of the recording head and a second detector for detecting presence and absence of the recording paper is disposed downstream of the cutter. And, signal sound is produced when both of the detectors detect presence of the paper, indicating that the paper is properly loaded. In another form, a switch is provided and if at least one of the detectors is detecting absence of the paper when the switch is actuated, alarm sound is produced, indicating that the paper is not properly loaded.

Abstract: There are provided an improved product consisting of an elongated non-metallic sheet having a metal embedded therein or attached thereon over the entire length thereof and method and apparatus for producing the same. In particular, the product having the metal forming a wire arranged in a zigzag fashion may preferably used for covering and protecting joints of steel pipes in oil pipeline or cables. In the improved product, the sheet is trimmed on each of the longitudinal sides along a line a predetermined lateral distance outwardly or inwardly from the outline of the periphery of the corresponding side of the metal. In a case of the wire in a zigzag fashion, the wire has turning ends and the outline connects neighboring turning ends.

Abstract: A method and a plant in processing, especially cutting objects such as timber.The invention relates to a method of cutting up elongate objects such as boards e.g. for providing parquet blocks. The method relates, inter alia, to preventing the creation of unnecessary waste and includes measuring the length of every board (6) between its leading edge (L) and trailing edge (T) by advancing the board (6) between rollers (16) so that pulse trains corresponding to the respective board length are obtained. These are stored in a dator (21) register, markings (10-15) for possible defects (7-9) being positionally registered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for accurately cutting documents from a web of transparent material carrying one or more opaque documents, which machine comprises a punch-type cutter which is mounted for pivotal and lateral movement and capable of automatic positioning for accurately cutting a well-defined portion of the web so as to provide series of individual documents of predetermined size. The machine is provided with a first detector for detecting the arrival of an opaque document on the web at the cutting zone, a control responsive to the detector for arresting the movement of the web, other detectors for determining the relative lateral and angular position of the document on the web with respect to the cutter and a control responsive to the other detectors for displacing the cuttering laterally and angularly to bring the same into a predetermined position with respect to the document.

Abstract: A slicing machine including a rotating blade 1 and a feeding head 8 to feed a block of food product towards the blade includes a position detector 38 to detect when the feeding head 8 is a predetermined distance away from the end of its stroke, an encoder 32 associated with the drive 12 of the feeding head 8 to monitor movement of the feeding head 8 over the predetermined distance from the position detector 38 to the end of its stroke, and a cam and proximity switch 34,35 to monitor the movement of the blade 1 of the slicer. The machine also includes a computer 18 to monitor the position of the feeding head 8 as it moves towards the end of its stroke to establish when there is insufficient of the stroke of the feeding head 8 remaining to allow another whole slice of product to be cut before the feeding head 8 reaches the end of its stroke and to return the feeding head 8 to its starting position after completing the slicing of the last whole slice.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for substantially minimizing or eliminating scrap lenghts of material from being cut from an initial undeterminable length of material. A material is fed toward a cutting device. The material is cut in accordance with an initial cut length schedule that is a value between acceptable customer's limits. The trailing end of the material is monitored and the length of the remaining material is determined. The cut length schedule is then adjusted within the limits in accordance with the determined remaining length to bring the last length of material within the permissible limits or if not possible, then to substantially minimize the scrap cut length of material which falls outside of the limits.

Abstract: A device is provided for aligning elongated tubes to be cut into tube sections with a saw blade for cutting the tubes, wherein elongated tubes are provided with cutouts spaced from each other at equal intervals and defining raster marks at which tubes are to be cut into tube sections, the aligning device including a plurality of scanning fingers mounted in contact with the elongated tube to be cut into tube sections and spaced from each other along the elongation of the tube a distance substantially smaller than the interval between adjacent cutouts on the tube. A drive device for rotation and axial displacement of each tube is provided. At least one of the scanning fingers is engageable in one of the cutouts upon the rotation and axial displacement of the tube so that the distance between the saw and the cutout can be determined and the tube can be accurately aligned with the saw.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of shearing heated metal bars to form billets, using a hot shearing apparatus. The bars are heated or kept warm in an oven upstream of the hot shearing apparatus, and the bar column normally is conveyed back into the oven after a shearing procedure. The bar length differs from an integer multiple of the billet length, and in passing over to a subsequent bar, a remnant of the preceding bar is combined with an initial piece of the subsequent bar to form a billet of the billet length prescribed.

Abstract: An article inspection and cutting apparatus (10) is described for high production processing of elongated articles (12) such as raw potato strips (french fries). The apparatus includes a conveyor (20) for moving the articles (12) in line in a large number of transversely spaced lanes past an inspection (28) station and a cutting station (30). Scanning cameras (38, 40) at the inspection station (28) rapidly scan across the lanes to detect color or shade variation in the articles (12) and generate electrical signals characteristic of the defect. Rotating sets of knife wheels (54) are positioned at the cutting station for selectively projecting two or more knives (68) from the periphery of the wheel to cut sections of the article (12) containing the defect to separate the defective portion from the remainder of the article. The apparatus 10 has the capability of detecting the size of different shade defects and removing smaller dark defects and larger lighter defects.

Abstract: A sawmill in which a multi-log supporting mechanism is constructed wherein logs are grasped at spaced angular positions about the mechanism and rotated by it between an initial receiving position to a profile measurement position and then to a sawing position. The end-to-end axis of the supporting mechanism is adjustably oriented with respect to a saw in terms of profile measurements and size of lumber determined to be cut from a log. Directionally, this adjustment is made normal to the profile measurement dimension.

Abstract: The hysteresis of an inductive proximity probe is reduced by repeatedly switching off and on a feedback network in the probe which causes the hysteresis. Such a probe can be used in a fixturing device for the grinding of dovetails on gas turbine engine blades.

Abstract: A flat reducing and sawing installation for processing tapering logs includes a reducing section and a sawing section through which logs pass in sequence. The reducing section includes two reducing disks which can each be moved outwards by respective positioning devices. The sawing section includes at least two laterally movable saw blades. The position of the reducing disks is controlled by an electronic evaluation and control unit on the basis of profile data fed in about the log, which indicates that at least one of the disks is about to grind sufficient material from one side of the log to form a plank of a minimum acceptable thickness, length and width. Under these circumstances, the control unit moves the appropriate reducing disk outwardly by at least the minimum acceptable thickness to allow the outermost saw of the sawing section to saw off the resulting plank.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preventing length measuring errors resulting from accidentally remaining local offshoots from a portion of the butt end of a tree stem which is continuously advanced toward a cross-cutting member for cutting the stem in predetermined length sections. A stem-measuring device periodically emits a cutting impulse to the cross-cutting member so that the advancing stem will be cut into predetermined lengths. Two detectors are provided in a spaced relationship for sensing the entering of the butt end into a detecting station and then emitting an actuating signal to start the measuring device. The spacing of the two detectors, which are symmetrically positioned with respect to the centerline of the stem path, does not exceed a predetermined minimum butt diameter. The measuring device is not actuated until signals from both detectors are emitted.

Abstract: An automatically-controlled system for ripcutting a cant into a plurality of boards includes the conveyor for advancing the cant transversely along a substantially straight path. Optical scanning stations along the path determine the shape of the usable board area which is fed to a control system. The control system, in turn, directs a mechanism which orients the cant on a sawing table. The cant is held in a fixed position on this table while a plurality of overhead saws make a series of parallel cuts on the board. The wane edges fall away and the resulting cut boards are transferred to an outfeed conveyor.

Abstract: In a film cutter which is activated at the end of the film by a film end detection signal, the length of film transported is monitored and the cutter is activated only if the film end detection signal occurs during predetermined ranges of film length.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for processing a pair of continuous slide fastener stringers having element-free spaces between a plurality of longitudinally spaced chains of partly interengaged coupling elements with sliders mounted respectively thereon, the stringers are fed downwardly in a vertical direction at a low speed by an upper roller feed unit until their leading ends are sensed, whereupon they are fed at a high speed by a lower roller feed unit. The coupling element chains are fully closed one by one by the respective sliders which are releasably held by a slider holder disposed between the feed units while the stringers are fed at the high speed.

Abstract: An improvement on commercial machines which bind documents using plastic strips. The punch mechanism may be automatically actuated when the paper sheets are properly aligned on a punch platen or actuated manually at the user's discretion. Distance of the holes from the edges of the sheets may be indexed.

Abstract: Sheet material 14, such as a continuous supply of terry cloth towel 16, is moved along its length through a path and toward a cutting station 15 where it is cut into lengths 139. The sheet material is formed with bands 166 extending across its length, such as bands of reduced thickness, and the sheet material is cut in these bands. The bands are detected by rollers 144, 145 at opposite edges of the sheet material as the bands approach the cutting station 15, and each edge portion of the sheet material is fed by feed rollers 51, 52 independently of the other edge portion into the cutting station so as to cause one side of the sheet material which may lag the other side to be properly located at the cutting station prior to cutting the sheet material.

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 photographic film cutter for cutting film segments from a web of photographic film includes a knife located along a web advancement path, a splice sensor located upstream from the knife, and a notch sensor located between the knife and the splice sensor. A stepper motor moves the web along the path in fixed length steps. A step counter counts the steps to determine the length that the web has advanced since the web was cut by the knife. When a splice is detected by the splice sensor, a maximum feed switch determines, based upon the count of the step counter, whether the distance from a leading cut edge to the splice sensor is greater than or equal to a predetermined maximum distance. If the length is less than the maximum, the web is advanced until a portion of the web adjacent the splice is positioned at the knife, and the web is cut. If the length from the cut edge to the splice is greater than the predetermined maximum length, an additional cut is made.

Abstract: For use with a thermoforming press adapted to form individual articles in the body of a thermoplastic web which has a degree of inherent stiffness, a trimming station for trimming the formed articles from the web subsequent to their formation characterized by a web transport that comprises at least a pair of rotary advancing devices directly engaged with the web at spaced apart locations across the width of the web, a drive for periodically rotating the advancing devices to produce indexing movement to the trimming press and means to periodically release the drive engagement of the rotary advancing devices with the web to enable relaxation of stress developed in the thermoplastic web and to allow the interaction of the web with the guides to realign the web in the absence of constraint by the rotary advancing devices, and the method of operation thereof.

Abstract: At a transition between first and second sets of index marks on a web, a target is applied adjacent the initial mark of the second set. The target is sensed and as a result the web is severed transversely at the transition between the sets of marks. A gap is formed in the web. A microcomputer synchronizes a cut-off machine with the second set of marks while the cut-off machine is in the gap whereby operator intervention is eliminated and scrap minimized.

Abstract: For cutting metal plate with curved edges so that the transverse cuts are perpendicular to the chord of the curve, the leading plate end is laterally located against an abutment close to the cutter, and the plate is swivelled about the abutment until the plate edge at the position of the trailing end cut is in a position corresponding to the leading end at the abutment. The plate edge position is monitored by extensible feelers which also measure the curvature of the plate edge.