Stop gage for band saw conveyor or the like

Claim 2

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, means for positioning the carriage and for clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member on the carriage having a stop surface extending the width of the conveyor, a shaft extending parallel to the rail for mounting the stop member, a sleeve mounted on the carriage and telescoped over the shaft so that the shaft is both axially and rotationally movable in the sleeve, the sleeve being recessed to form an annular fluid chamber having alternatively pressurized inlets at its ends and the shaft having an integral piston movable in the chamber for moving the shaft between a reference position in which the stop surface on the arm is positioned to engage the oncoming stock and a retracted position, the sleeve having an internal cam track and the shaft having a cam follower, with the cam track being so arranged that upon retracting movement of the shaft the stock member is both retracted from the engaged end of the severed workpiece and swung upwardly out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the remote one of the pressurized inlets has a fluid accumulator and in which the cam track has an initial axially extending portion to permit retreating movement of the stop member straight back from reference position, with subsequent restoration to the reference position, upon impact of the stop surface by an oncoming length of stock.

Claim 4

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, means for driving the carriage along the rail and for clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member in the form of an arm having a stock-engaging surface extending the width of the conveyor, means including a telescoped shaft and sleeve having an axis parallel to the rail for supporting the stop member for swinging movement as well as for limited axial retracting movement, an axial position reference stop interposed between the stop member and carriage for defining the working position of the stop member, fluid actuator means interposed between the stop member and carriage for pressing the stop member into bottoming engagement with the reference stop during the gaging of the work piece and for retracting the stop member axiaLly away from the severed workpiece, and a cam and cam follower interposed between the shaft and the sleeve and so formed that upon retraction the stop member is retracted from the severed workpiece and swung upwardly out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the latter.

Claim 5

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, means for driving the carriage along the rail and for clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member in the form of an arm having a stock-engaging surface extending the width of the conveyor, means including a telescoped shaft and sleeve having an axis parallel to the rail for supporting the stop member for swinging movement as well as for limited axial retracting movement, an axial position reference stop interposed between the stop member and carriage for defining the working position of the stop member, fluid actuator means interposed between the stop member and carriage for pressing the stop member into bottoming engagement with the reference stop during the gaging of the work piece and for retracting the stop member axiaLly away from the severed workpiece, and a cam and cam follower interposed between the shaft and the sleeve and so formed that upon retraction the stop member is retracted from the severed workpiece and swung upwardly out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the latter.

Claim 6

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, power means for moving the carriage along the rail, means for clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member on the carriage in the form of an arm presenting a stop surface across the width of the conveyor, a hinge connection between the stop member and the carriage extending along an axis parallel to the rail and permitting limited retracting movement of the stop member along the axis as well as upward swinging movement, an axial position reference stop between the carriage and stop member, a cam and cam follower interposed between the carriage and stop member, a reversible fluid actuator interposed between the carriage and stop member having means for applying fluid pressure in one direction for normally maintaining the stop member seated against the reference stop for positioning the workpiece, said cam having a straight axial portion and an angled portion so that when the direction of pressure in the fluid actuator is reversed the stop member retracts away from the engaged end of the severed workpiece followed by upward swinging movement of the stop member out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 7

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, power means for moving the carriage along the rail, means for clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member on the carriage in the form of an arm presenting a stop surface across the width of the conveyor, a hinge connection between the stop member and the carriage extending along an axis parallel to the rail and permitting limited retracting movement of the stop member along the axis as well as upward swinging movement, an axial position reference stop between the carriage and stop member, a cam and cam follower interposed between the carriage and stop member, a reversible fluid actuator interposed between the carriage and stop member having means for applying fluid pressure in one direction for normally maintaining the stop member seated against the reference stop for positioning the workpiece, said cam having a straight axial portion and an angled portion so that when the direction of pressure in the fluid actuator is reversed the stop member retracts away from the engaged end of the severed workpiece followed by upward swinging movement of the stop member out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 8

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor and having a rack thereon, a carriage riding on the rail, the carriage having a self contained motor and drive pinion for engaging the rack, means for positively clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member on the carriage arranged to extend across the width of the conveyor and hinged to the carriage about an axis parallel to the rail to permit upward swinging movement as well as limited retracting movement in the direction of the axis, and axial position reference stop interposed between the carriage and stop member, a cam and cam follower interposed between the carriage and the stop member, fluid actuator means interposed between the carriage and stop member for normally maintaining the stop member bottomed on the positioning stop and having provision for reversal of pressure, the cam and cam follower upon reversal of pressure being so formed as to cause the stop member to retract from the engaged end of the severed workpiece and to swing upwardly out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the work along the conveyor.

Claim 9

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor and having a rack thereon, a carriage riding on the rail, the carriage having a self contained motor and drive pinion for engaging the rack, means for positively clamping the carriage to the rail at a selected position, a stop member on the carriage arranged to extend across the width of the conveyor and hinged to the carriage about an axis parallel to the rail to permit upward swinging movement as well as limited retracting movement in the direction of the axis, and axial position reference stop interposed between the carriage and stop member, a cam and cam follower interposed between the carriage and the stop member, fluid actuator means interposed between the carriage and stop member for normally maintaining the stop member bottomed on the positioning stop and having provision for reversal of pressure, the cam and cam follower upon reversal of pressure being so formed as to cause the stop member to retract from the engaged end of the severed workpiece and to swing upwardly out of the way of the workpiece for continued movement of the work along the conveyor.

Claim 10

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, means for moving the carriage along the rail and for positively clamping it to the rail at a selected position, a stop member in the form of an arm having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor and having a mounting shaft extending axially parallel to the rail, a sleeve mounted on the carriage and telescoped over the shaft so that the shaft may both rotate and move in an axial direction with respect to the sleeve, the sleeve having at each of its ends a fluid seal with respect to the shaft and defining an annular chamber, a piston integral with the shaft for endwise movement in the chamber, aN annular insert filling the chamber at one end of the sleeve so that the piston is limited to movement between a reference position and a retracted position, the insert having a cam track formed therein and the shaft having a cam follower riding in the track, the cam track being so formed that when the piston is pressurized for retracting movement the cam follower retracts the stop member and swings it upwardly away from the engaged end of the severed workpiece for continued travel of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 11

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, a carriage riding on the rail, means for moving the carriage along the rail and for positively clamping it to the rail at a selected position, a stop member in the form of an arm having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor and having a mounting shaft extending axially parallel to the rail, a sleeve mounted on the carriage and telescoped over the shaft so that the shaft may both rotate and move in an axial direction with respect to the sleeve, the sleeve having at each of its ends a fluid seal with respect to the shaft and defining an annular chamber, a piston integral with the shaft for endwise movement in the chamber, aN annular insert filling the chamber at one end of the sleeve so that the piston is limited to movement between a reference position and a retracted position, the insert having a cam track formed therein and the shaft having a cam follower riding in the track, the cam track being so formed that when the piston is pressurized for retracting movement the cam follower retracts the stop member and swings it upwardly away from the engaged end of the severed workpiece for continued travel of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 12

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, the rail being arranged vertically edgewise to present parallel upper and lower edges, a carriage having a frame consisting of a pair of vertical, spaced apart end members arranged in parallel relation including a central portion of C-shaped cross section extending between them and having upper and lower arms defining a central space which extends all the way through the frame, the rail being accommodated in such space with its upper and lower edges adjacent the upper and lower arms, anti-friction means associated with the upper arm for slidingly mounting the carriage with clearance between the rail and the lower arm, clamping means in the carriage (associated with) including a cam mounted upon the upper arm for applying clamping pressure to the upper edge of the rail thereby bodily lifting the carriage to produce clamping engagement between the lower arm and the lower edge of the rail, a stop member hinged to the carriage having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor in obstructing relation to an oncoming length of stock, and means including an hydraulic actuator for retracting the stop from the end of a severed workpiece and for swinging it clear of the workpiece for transport of the workpiece by the conveyor to a position of discharge.

Claim 13

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, the rail being arranged vertically edgewise to present parallel upper and lower edges, a carriage having a frame consisting of a pair of vertical, spaced apart end members arranged in parallel relation including a central portion of C-shaped cross section extending between them and having upper and lower arms defining a central space which extends all the way through the frame, the rail being accommodated in such space with its upper and lower edges adjacent the upper and lower arms, anti-friction means associated with the upper arm for slidingly mounting the carriage with clearance between the rail and the lower arm, clamping means in the carriage (associated with) including a cam mounted upon the upper arm for applying clamping pressure to the upper edge of the rail thereby bodily lifting the carriage to produce clamping engagement between the lower arm and the lower edge of the rail, a stop member hinged to the carriage having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor in obstructing relation to an oncoming length of stock, and means including an hydraulic actuator for retracting the stop from the end of a severed workpiece and for swinging it clear of the workpiece for transport of the workpiece by the conveyor to a position of discharge.

Claim 14

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, the rail being arranged vertically edgewise to present parallel upper and lower edges, a carriage having a frame of C shape including upper and lower arms embracing the rail, anti-friction means on the carriage frame for engaging the upper edge and the sides of the rail while providing a limited amount of clearance between the lower edge of the rail and the lower arm of the frame, a shoe captive in the upper arm and extending through an opening therein from a point opposite the upper edge of the rail to a point above the upper arm, a cam mounted in the carriage frame above the upper arm thereof and having means for rocking the cam to cause downward crowding against the presented upper surface of the shoe for relative lifting of the frame to take up the clearance and for clamping of the lower arm against the lower edge of the rail, a stop member on the carriage having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor in obstructing relation to an oncoming length of stock, the stop member being hinged about an axis parallel to the rail and having means for imparting rocking movement for rocking the stop member out of obstructing position for passage of the workpiece along the conveyor.

Claim 15

In a dead stop length gage for defining the cut-off length of a workpiece from a length of stock in a band saw or the like, the combination comprising a conveyor extending downstream from the band saw, a rail mounted longitudinally along one side of the conveyor, the rail being arranged vertically edgewise to present parallel upper and lower edges, a carriage having a frame of C shape including upper and lower arms embracing the rail, anti-friction means on the carriage frame for engaging the upper edge and the sides of the rail while providing a limited amount of clearance between the lower edge of the rail and the lower arm of the frame, a shoe captive in the upper arm and extending through an opening therein from a point opposite the upper edge of the rail to a point above the upper arm, a cam mounted in the carriage frame above the upper arm thereof and having means for rocking the cam to cause downward crowding against the presented upper surface of the shoe for relative lifting of the frame to take up the clearance and for clamping of the lower arm against the lower edge of the rail, a stop member on the carriage having a stop surface extending across the width of the conveyor in obstructing relation to an oncoming length of stock, the stop member being hinged about an axis parallel to the rail and having means for imparting rocking movement for rocking the stop member out of obstructing position for passage of the workpiece along the conveyor.