Abstract: A system for inspecting at least one edge of metal strip after the at least one edge has been trimmed by at least one cutting device. Included is an inspection station that has at least one image producer for forming at least one image of the at least one edge passing the inspection station. The at least one image is analyzed to determine at least one quality characteristic of the at least one trimmed edge.

Abstract: A slider of the punch carry out unit is moved in the X-axis direction adjacent a punching section of the punch press machine before or after a plate material is punched into a punched product by a punch press machine. At the same time, a gravity center and a shape of the punched product are calculated and recognized on the basis of the manufacturing data. On the basis of the obtained gravity center and the shape of the punched product, the gravity center of the punched product is moved under the lift arm by the X- and Y-axis locating mechanism. Vacuum pads located just over the punched product are selected or discriminated. Then, the lift arm is lowered and the punched product is held by actuating only the discriminated vacuum pads. During this lift motion, it is preferable to bend one end of the punched product slightly upward to easily separate the punched product from the remaining flat plate material.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer tape laminating system includes a loading device for conveying a wafer or cassette to a predetermined location where a laminating process is performed. A laminating device attaches UV tape to the front surface of the wafer conveyed by the loading device. A precutting device having a knife cuts the UV tape around the wafer as spaced therefrom to leave an edge of the tape protruding beyond the peripheral edge of the wafer. A wire cutting device having a wire removes the edge of the UV tape left around the wafer by the precutting device. An ultra-violet illuminator irradiates the edge of the UV tape with ultra-violet rays, and an unloading device carries the wafer to a downstream processing station. When the edge of the UV tape is irradiated with ultra-violet rays, it loses its adhesive strength. Accordingly, the edge will not attach itself to the wafer or to a piece of processing equipment after it is removed by the wire cutting device.

Abstract: A cutoff control system for controlling the positional relationship of a series of printed images on a continuous web of material relative to a cutoff device. The system includes a scanner for producing an output signal indicative of a suitable portion of the printed image on said web and a mechanism for laterally positioning the scanner with respect to said printed image on said web. The system also includes a control mechanism for controlling the operation of the positioning mechanism in response to digital prepress data, including a system for determining a suitable portion of the printed image to be scanned by the scanner.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the mean weight of articles of a soft material, for example cheese, in a flow (1), including a first weighing device (2) for weighing the articles; a flow splitter for splitting the flow (1) into a first flow (3) of articles with individual weights less than an acceptable minimum, a second flow (5) each with a weight greater than the acceptable minimum but less than a predetermined amount in excess, and a third flow (4) each with a weight above the acceptable minimum plus the predetermined amount in excess; a cutter (6) for removing the predetermined amount of material from each of the articles in the third flow (4); a second weighing device (8) for weighing individual articles in the second flow (5) and those in the flow (7) leaving the cutter (6); and a controller for controlling the splitting of the original flow leaving the first weighing device (2) into the respective first, second and third flows.

Abstract: A transporting apparatus transports tubing in a forward direction. A tubing cutter is disposed along the transporting apparatus, and is activated at predetermined time intervals to cut a source of tubing into cut tubing portions as the source of tubing is being transported past the tubing cutter along the transporting apparatus. A first sensor is disposed along the transporting apparatus for detecting the leading edge of the cut tubing portion as the cut tubing portion passes by the first sensor on the transporting apparatus. A second sensor detects the leading edge of the cut tubing portion at a subsequent time. A length determiner determines the length of the cut tubing portion, based upon a first amount of time between two activations of the tubing cutter that were used to cut the front and rear portions of the cut tubing portions. The length determiner also measures a second amount of time between detections of the leading edge of the cut tubing portion by the first sensor and by the second sensor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming a plurality of parts, such as spade-type boring bits, from a continuous stock material. Thus, the various steps of the forming method of the present invention can be performed to predetermined portions of the continuous stock material, prior to separating the continuous stock material into a number of discrete parts. The efficiency of the forming process is enhanced since individual parts need not be individually transported and oriented during the forming operations. By not requiring that the individual parts be separately transported and oriented during the forming operations, the quality of the parts formed by the forming method and apparatus of the present invention will also be enhanced since such separate transportation and orientation of individual parts generally increases the opportunities for misalignment and contributes to poor tolerance control during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A wire processing apparatus is provided with a prefeeder 120, a feeding unit 12 and an accumulator 110 therebetween. A detector is provided to determine if there is a cause for stopping the prefeeder 120. In response to such a detected cause, a controller stops the prefeeder 120 while simultaneously permitting the feeding unit 12 to draw a wire from the accumulator to permit continued operation of the wire processing apparatus.

Abstract: To enhance printed products, lamination is to be carried out by of a controllable pair of laminating rollers, rather than by the conventional method of calender rolling. To do this, the film is applied with relatively low contact-pressure roller pressure in a floating manner. The film can be fed to the laminating rollers without tension by means of a controllable applicator mechanism with a film tension regulating device. The processing rate and sheet length, for example, can be entered by computer so as to control the sequence of the feeder output and also the sequence of a wet cutting device via a suitable incremental-value transmitter from the main drive. Accordingly, processing rates of 60 to 100 meters per minute can easily be set. The quality remains good even at the highest speeds.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for sectioning a specimen (9) by whereas the apparatus is a microtome. The microtome has at least one optical and one additional sensor (35-37) used for generating signals, the value of which is a measure of the sectioning function. At least one essential sectioning parameter, such as the clearance angle of the knife and/or the sectioning speed, is varied. On the basis of the signal values received, the sectioning parameters concerned are set for optimising the sectioning function. The optical sensor (37) senses greyness and/or surface structure of the sections produced. The other sensors are used e.g. for sensing sound (sensor 35) dependent on the sectioning force or work, or stresses in the knife of the microtome (sensor 36) that are dependent on the sectioning force or work.

Abstract: An auto-splice device includes a cutting conveyer on which a sheet is cut to produce a fabric, a vacuum take-out unit for taking the fabric from the cutting conveyer onto a take-out conveyer, and a splice mechanism for splicing the fabric to another fabric on the take-out conveyer. A sheet end position measuring unit controls the location at which the fabric is held by the vacuum take-out unit.

Abstract: An auto-splice device includes a cutting conveyer on which a sheet is cut to produce a fabric, a vacuum take-out unit for taking the fabric from the cutting conveyer onto a take-out conveyer, and a splice mechanism for splicing the fabric to another fabric on the take-out conveyer. A sheet end position measuring unit controls the location at which the fabric is held by the vacuum take-out unit.

Abstract: A facility for hot forging workpieces starting from bars (2), which includes a device (8) for heating the bars (2), a device (3) for longitudinally moving the bars, a shearing machine (9) cutting hot billets to a length l, and a stop (11) for setting the billet length and a device for holding the cut billet. A device is also provided for detecting the ends of the bars (2) and a device (10) for rejecting the billets which have a length shorter than l. The detection device includes at least one sensor (12) of the image of the adjoining or nonadjoining ends of the bars, which device is placed a distance L from the shearing machine (9), and a computer for determining the number n=L/l of billets starting from the detected end wherein the computer is connected, on the one hand, to the sensor and, on the other hand, to a device (5) for measuring the length L.sub.1 of the bars.

Abstract: A machine and method for adjustment of the tooling of a forming machine while continuously operating such machine. The adjusting device being located in a movable or stationary machine part, such as the upper tool part. A measuring device for measuring the cutting and forming result, the measuring signals of which are used to set an actuator which actuates the adjusting device is included. The adjusting device can be actuated by a servo-motor fixed with respect to a stationary machine part. The output shaft of the servo-motor can be coupled with the adjusting device via a transmission arranged on the movable machine part, the driving-sided part of the transmission being arranged on the output shaft of the servo-motor to be slidably displaceable in the direction of movement of the movable machine part and rotatable with the motor output shaft.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for cutting oversized vegetable products or the like, such as potatoes in the course of producing french fry strips, to obtain a controlled product length distribution. The system includes a conveyor for transporting the products in single file to a length sensor station for detecting the length of each product, and then to a cutting station for cutting each overlong product at one of a plurality of different positions as a function of the detected product length. Such length-responsive cutting provides significant control over the distribution of product lengths, while minimizing or eliminating the presence of products which are too long or short.

Abstract: An automatic single crystal ingot disconnector which is mounted on the uppermost chuck of the conventional single crystal ingot removing assembly, which uppermost chuck assembly is adapted to shift in the axial direction of the ingot being chucked; the proposed single crystal ingot disconnector includes: (a) a neck clamper for clamping the neck of the single crystal ingot, (b) a neck cutter for cutting through the neck of the ingot to thereby disconnect the ingot from the seed crystal to which the ingot is connected, and (c) a TV camera to view the position where the neck cutter applies a cutting operation on the neck of the ingot.

Abstract: A plurality of individual frames or stampings provided in a sheet strip material by a stamping device are passed in proximity to a sensing device. As each individual frame or stamping is passed in proximity to the sensing device, the sensing device provides a voltage signal to a controller. The voltage signal is proportional to the amount of, or mass of, metallic material in each frame or stamping and the distance between the frame or stamping and the sensing device. The controller generates an individual waveform from the voltage signal for each frame passed in proximity to the sensing device. Each individual waveform is a function of the position of the movable portion of the stamping device for one cycle. As the plurality of individual frames are passed in proximity to the sensing device, a plurality of individual waveforms are generated within the controller. The waveforms are compared within the controller to detect a deviation between waveforms.

Abstract: The thickness of slices cut by an automatic slicing machine is controlled to produce a draft of slices having a predetermined weight. Desired thickness is determined in accordance with the cross-sectional density of the food product being sliced, which is obtained from the weight and thickness of the most recently cut slice or slices. This information is combined with a desired weight for each of the remaining slices to be cut in the draft to control the rate of advance of the food product into a continuously rotating knife so as to obtain the proper thickness.

Abstract: A roll type stock feed apparatus having a servomotor drive and a programmable controller operable to drive the feed rolls to feed stock in preselected incremental lengths. A ram position sensor is arranged to be actuated when the ram moves in a downstroke and to be deactuated when the ram moves in an upstroke and the programmable controller is operated in response to the sensor to drive the feed rolls when the sensor is deactuated. The interval between successive actuations of the ram position sensor is timed to measure press speed. The interval between actuation and deactuation of the ram position sensor is also timed to control shifting of one feed roll into feeding engagement with the stock when the ram is at a preselected position intermediate the ram positions at which the sensor is actuated and deactuated.

Abstract: A method of recognizing templates and detecting their positions on sheet or plate material, e.g. hide, which hide is placed on a supporting table, the method using optical reader means and template marker means which are readable by said optical reader means, the method including the improvement whereby the marker means on a template are constituted by at least one geometrical figure having a finite area and optionally including at least one characteristic line.

Abstract: Packaging machines are often supplied with a web of packaging material of double width. During transport, the web of material (11) is sub-divided into two part webs (12,13) by means of a central longitudinal cut. The exact run of the web of material (11) and of the part webs (12,13) is monitored by edge-sensing members (21; 25,26). Any deviations from the correct position are transmitted as error signal to web-adjusting members (24; 27,28). These are each equipped with two deflecting rollers (32,33 or 59,60 or 62,63) arranged at a distance from one another and intended for deflecting the web of material (11) or part web (12,13). The two deflecting rollers are each adjusted in order to adjust the web run.

Abstract: A division sheet feeding method comprises the steps of laying at least one division sheet, which is fed by a division sheet conveyance device, upon a group of a predetermined number of product sheets each time the predetermined number of the product sheets are stacked one upon another by a sheet stacking device in the course of cutting a product web by a product web cutting device into the product sheets having predetermined sizes, conveying the product sheets by a product sheet conveyance device, and stacking the product sheets by the sheet stacking device. A division sheet web is cut as required to obtain the division sheet, and the division sheet is fed to the division sheet conveyance device.

Abstract: The thickness of slices cut by an automatic slicing machine is controlled to produce a draft of slices having a predetermined weight. Desired thickness is determined in accordance with the cross-sectional density of the food product being sliced, which is obtained from the weight and thickness of the most recently cut slice or slices. This information is combined with a desired weight for each of the remaining slices to be cut in the draft to control the rate of advance of the food product into a continuously rotating knife so as to obtain the proper thickness.

Abstract: A plurality of individual frames or stampings provided in a sheet strip material by a stamping device are passed in proximity to a sensing device. As each individual frame or stamping is passed in proximity to the sensing device, the sensing device provides a voltage signal to a controller. The voltage signal is proportional to the amount of, or mass of, metallic material in each frame or stamping and the distance between the frame or stamping and the sensing device. The controller generates an individual waveform from the voltage signal for each frame passed in proximity to the sensing device. Each individual waveform is a function of the position of the movable portion of the stamping device for one cycle. As the plurality of individual frames are passed in proximity to the sensing device, a plurality of individual waveforms are generated within the controller. The waveforms are compared within the controller to detect a deviation between waveforms.

Abstract: A food product slicer includes a rotating blade and a carriage for supporting the food product. The carriage is mounted for lateral motion along a linear path to bring the food product into contact with the blade. A drive motor is selectively connected to the carriage for movement of the carriage along the path. In accordance with a method of automatically operating the slicer, the carriage is moved along the path by the motor to a predefined reference position nearest the operator. A motor position count is initialized, and during all motor energization, a count is generated corresponding to incremental movement of the carriage along its path. The motor is energized for a count to move the carraige to a position corresponding to a start of a slicing stroke. The motor is then energized for a count sufficient to move the carriage to a second position corresponding to a completion end of the slicing stroke.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tapered peeling of veneer to form a curved veneer and clipping the curved veneer into discreet sheets by adjusting the angular relationship of the clipping knife to the axis of rotation of the bolt being peeled thereby to clip the veneer along lines substantially radial to the curvature of the veneer adjacent to the point of clipping.In the preferred arrangement two clippers are used in series and their angular relationship adjusted relative to the axis of rotation of the bolt to produce a veneer sheet with substantially parallel sides and to remove a substantially triangular piece between adjacent clipped sheets.

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: A device for supplying webs of wrapping material to a cigarette making machine of the two rod type is constituted by a device for cutting a web of wrapping material into a first and a second web of identical width, and by deviation devices associated with each of the webs for the displacement thereof in a direction crosswise to that in which the webs move forward. Connected to the first and second web are detector devices provided for operating, through circuit elements, a motor for each of the three deviation devices in such a way as to cancel, moment by moment, any possible differences in width between the first web and the second web and any deflection thereof with respect to a given sliding position.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing uniform pieces of meat or other product when cut or sawn from a non-uniform thickness lump. A band saw or the like is adjustable in position to produce different depths of cut piece under the control of signals produced by a control unit. The control employs a keypad for entering numerically the target weight for the cut pieces and an assumed density value for the product. A display unit displays the numerical values entered. A weighing device checks the weight of each cut piece (or batch multiple cut pieces) to produce the actual weight (or average weight) of the cut piece(s) and the control unit compares the actual or average value with the expected value of weight and adjusts the density value if required. The area of the end face of the product is measured by sampling the height of the end face of the product as it passes a sensor.

Abstract: A slicing machine comprises a blade 1, feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 to feed a product 7, typically a food product, towards the blade 1, and a conveyor system 14 downstream of the blade 1 to form groups of slices. The machine also includes a programmed computer 18 to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and control the conveyor system 14 to form groups of slices 13. The programmed computer 18 is programmed to calculate the optimum number of slices and thickness of the slices forming each group in dependence upon physical parameters of the product 7 and to control the feed rate of the feeding mechanism 8, 9, 11, 12 and the conveyor system 14 to form the groups so that the slices in each group are of optimum thickness and there are the optimum number of slices in each group.

Abstract: In the production of wrappers or binders of different sizes from tobacco leaves, these leaves are at first divided into strip pieces that are transferred to a conveyor section and by means of a scanner are scanned to ascertain usable areas with preference from the largest to the smallest size. The strip pieces cut out of the same halves of tobacco leaves (right and left sides) are advanced on a further conveyor section consisting of separate, parallel belts, from which strip pieces of equally large, usable areas are collected in the same bobbin, in which they are oriented parallel to the axis of the bobbin and with their usable areas aligned in the longitudinal direction of the bobbin web. The cutting of nondefective final wrappers or binders is subsequently carried out in a separate operation and without further sorting. This provides for obtaining an optimum output from the tobacco leaves by using an apparatus of non-complicated design.

Abstract: A continuous web which is drawn off a roll is perforated on its way toward the wrapping station of a machine for the making of plain or filter tipped smokers' products or filter rod sections. The perforating device is adjustable by a control system which receives signals from a photoelectronic testing unit serving to monitor the permeability of successive increments of the web between the perforating device and the wrapping station. The combined cross-sectional area of holes per unit area of the web is increased or reduced, depending upon whether the monitored permeability is less than or exceeds a preselected optimum permeability.

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

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for feeding elongated product to a slicer in order to closely hold and control the product immediately before it engages the blade of the slicer and while pulling the product into the slicer blade. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotating augers that engage the product at a location immediately upstream of the slicer blade and that move the product into the blade. The apparatus and method accomplish precision slicing and the formation of uniform slices.

Abstract: A method and a device for dividing a whole or half a tobacco leaf into usable portions, for example, binders or wrappers, in which the tobacco leaf is spread on two or more contour knives, the cutting edges of which are pressed across the material of the tobacco leaf, wherein the punched-out tobacco leaf portions are lifted out of the contour knives, and deposited on a carrier by means of a suction box conveyor; the leaf portions are subsequently scanned by a scanning apparatus having an electronic processing and control circuitry, controlling pick-up means to pick-up the approved leaf portions from said carrier and to carry them into a bobbin.

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

Abstract: The method of forming accurate charges of rubber composed of different sorts of rubber includes the steps of preparing for each sort a series of bales stored in a ready to feed condition on separate storing conveyors, successively discharging the required number of whole bales from respective series onto a common intermediate feeding conveyor wherefrom the batches of whole bales are supplied via a switching intermediate feeding conveyor to a scaling conveyor of an automatic scale. Part of whole bales is selectively directed to a cutting machine where the bales are successively disintegrated into smaller pieces and distributed according to the rubber sorts on separate storing and dosing conveyors directed to a hopper above the scaling conveyor.

Abstract: The size of the gap between the leading and trailing portions of a severed web is monitored with respect to an upper limit. The severed web is cut into box blanks which are transported on a stacker conveyor in shingled relation. The speed of the severed web through the corrugator is continuously controlled to prevent the gap from exceeding the limit when the gap reaches the stacker conveyor. Alternatively, the stacker conveyor is temporarily stopped until the size of the gap falls below the limit, and the stacker conveyor is re-started before the gap can close. In either case, the gap control prevents bumping of consecutive box blanks on the stacker conveyor following a change-over of production runs while insuring that the first blank of the new production run shingles on the last blank of the old production run with sufficient tail to insure retention of the first blank by stacker conveyor suction cups or tail grabbers.

Abstract: A slicing and measuring apparatus for sausage and the like has a table which supports the foodstuff to be sliced and is displaceable back and forth adjacent a blade which is continuously rotated by an electric motor. The motor speed or current consumption is monitored to ascertain when the blade engages the foodstuff being sliced, and similarly the position of the table is monitored by means of a potentiometer. Thus it is possible to determine the diameter of the slice being produced, to square it and multiply it by an appropriate .pi. containing factor and by the known thickness of the slice to determine the volume thereof. Thereafter this volume is mulitplied by the density of the foodstuff to determine the weight of the slice and the weight of successive slices can be added to determine the total weight sliced.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass fiber chopped strand mat is disclosed, in which the dropping direction of chopped strands is detected at all times, so that whenever the dropping direction is varied, immediately the relative position of an axis of a feed roller and an axis of a cutter roller with respect to a stationary structure is displaced so as to correct the dropping direction thereby to uniformly accumulate the chopped strands on a conveyer means.

Abstract: A combination bacon slicing, segregating and weighing machine is provided. The slicing machine has a slicing blade and controls for determining the rate of feed of the bacon belly towards the slicing blade and, consequently, the slice thickness. Receiving and conveying structure is associated with the weighing machine and receives the sliced product coming from the slicing machine. Control apparatus is designed for interruption of the operation of the feeding mechanism by appropriate controls when the slices are at a weight less than the prescribed draft weight. The apparatus then provides for weighing and registering the weight of the accumulated light weight group of sliced product and for counting the number of slices in the lighter group.

Abstract: An improved cut-off control for operating a cut-off mechanism to cut sheets of uniform length from a moving web. The cut-off control comprises means for computing actual sheet length and sheet length error and for generating separate signals indicative thereof. Digital means cylically increment and decrement the actual sheet length signal. Digital means determine whether the sheet length error is within prescribed limits of the uniform sheet length in response to the cylically incremented and decremented actual sheet length signal. A positioning motor corrects the sheet length error if it is determined to be outside the prescribed limits. Digital means simulate the correction of sheet length error effected by the positioning motor and correct the actual sheet length signal as a function thereof.

Abstract: A system for obtaining N slices of substantially uniform thickness from a solid to provide a batch having a desired weight, where N is an integer which may have a value between predefined limits. A partial batch weight is taken in response to weighing a number of slices less than N. A terminal value of N is estimated on the basis of the number of slices in the partial batch and the ratio of the desired batch weight and the partial batch weight. A predicted terminal deviation from the desired batch weight is calculated based on the partial batch weight and the ratio of the estimated value of N and the number of slices in the partial batch. In one embodiment the feed rate of the solid into a slicing device, and accordingly the slice thickness and terminal batch weight, is controlled as a function of the value of the predicted terminal deviation.

Abstract: A method of and device for feeding into the charging funnel of a worm machine strip-shaped or irregularly formed partial pieces of material, especially rubber, dosed by weight as components of a mixture, according to which the pieces are weighed individually and are conveyed to the worm machine in a cycle sequence time compensating for the difference of the rated value or preselected weight and the actual value of the weight of the individual piece. The device for practicing the method according to the invention has an electric scale preferably connected to an analog converter, which scale feeds a starting voltage proportional to the actual weight of the partial pieces to a rated value -- actual value comparator and to an electric calculator which latter determines the change in the cycle sequence time in conformity with the deviation from the preselected weight of the respective partial piece.

Abstract: A device for supplying webs of wrapping material to a cigarette making machine of the two rod type is constituted by a device for cutting a web of wrapping material into a first and a second web of identical width, and by deviation devices associated with each of the webs for the displacement thereof in a direction crosswise to that in which the webs move forward. Connected to the first and second web are detector devices provided for operating, through circuit elements, a motor for each of the three deviation devices in such a way as to cancel, moment by moment, any possible differences in width between the first web and the second web and any deflection thereof with respect to a given sliding position.