Workpiece handling system, particularly cut-off pieces from rod or rail-shaped stock material, and method

To provide for efficient handling of stock material (40) and cut-off elements (41), which may be workpieces or cut-off wedges, by a cut-off saw, with miter adjustments, a positioning finger (21) is pressed against the stock material to engage the stock material against a guide plate or bar (19) prior to clamping the stock material in position for cut-off. After cutting of the stock material, the clamp (5) is released, and the finger is moved to a position ahead of the cut-off surface, and then longitudinally in feeding direction to a removal conveyor (28) so that the cut-off element is raked away by the positioning finger. After removal, the positioning finger is retracted out of the path of the stock material and, while new stock material is being fed, is longitudinally returned to the starting position to again align new stock material against the guide plate or bar (19).

Reference to related patent application and patent, assigned to the 
assignee of the present application, the disclosures of which are hereby 
incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,662, by the inventor 
hereof: Armin Stolzer; U.S. Ser. No. 07/550,851, filed July 10, 1990, 
Stolzer et al. Reference to related disclosure: German Patent 34 48 041, 
Lindner et al. 
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a system to handle cut-off pieces severed 
from elongated rod or rail material, for example by a circular saw. The 
cut-off pieces may be actual desired workpieces or scrap items which, for 
example, arise when stock material is first cut at 90.degree. angle with 
respect to its longitudinal extent and then a miter cut is to be made, 
leaving a wedge-shaped cut-off element which may be returned to scrap. 
Within the context of this application, the term "workpiece" may be 
applied to all of the cut-off elements, whether they are the desired 
cut-off pieces or scrap which arises in the cutting-off operation. 
BACKGROUND 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,662, by the inventor hereof, and assigned to the 
assignee of the present application, describes, in general, an apparatus 
in which a clamping carriage is provided, which controls feed of stock 
material to be severed, while also controlling removal of previously 
severed workpiece material. Additional hold-down clamps secure the stock 
material against a work table. The severing element is a circular saw. The 
clamping carriage, in addition to clamping and holding the stock material 
and feeding it to the saw should be as compact as possible and readily 
controllable. It is not sufficient that the clamping carriage can only 
push the rail or stock material in steps to the saw so that the required 
length of the rail or rod element can be cut; additionally, arrangements 
must be made to remove the cut workpieces and, if necessary, 
differentially removing them or sorting them with respect to length, 
whether they are desired workpieces or scrap, and the like. This removal 
and sorting should not interfere with the working cycle of the saw. 
Typically, the saw is a cold saw. It is also necessary that short scrap 
pieces have to be removed, which arise, for example, when a miter or bevel 
angle has to be changed between succeeding saw cuts. The clamping carriage 
also must feed the material down to its very end, so that it can be used 
as completely as possible with the least amount of remainder or scrap 
ends. 
The apparatus of my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,662, to which German Patent 
37 02 223 corresponds, can solve these problems. It has been found, 
however, that the apparatus is larger and more complex than desired, 
although special infeed clamping jaws are not required thereby. 
THE INVENTION 
It is an object to improve a circular saw system, and particularly a cold 
saw system, which operates as efficiently and rapidly as the system of my 
earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,662, but which is easier to control, easier to 
make, and lighter. The short cycling times and particularly the 
non-cutting intervals obtained in accordance with the prior system for 
feeding the stock material for a subsequent cut, which overlaps removal of 
the cut workpiece or scrap material should be retained. 
Briefly, a work table is formed with a slit for a cutting saw, the slit 
defining a cutting plane. A feed system feeds stock material in a feeding 
direction towards the cutting plane, the stock material being guided by a 
guide plate or guide bar defining a guide plane downstream of the saw, to 
guide the stock material after severing of the workpieces, or scrap 
cut-offs from the stock. A positioning and clamping arrangement is movable 
towards the guide plate or bar engages the stock material prior to 
severing the stock material and positions the stock material against the 
guide plate or bar. A hold-down arrangement holds the stock material 
against the work table, so that the saw can effectively cut the stock. 
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the positioning devices 
include a projecting finger which acts laterally against the stock 
material and in a direction transverse to the feeding direction to press 
the stock material against the guide plate or guide bar. The finger has a 
clamping or gripping surface which extends at right angles to the feed 
direction, and is movable at least approximately up to the guide plane of 
the guide plate or bar. An operating system is coupled to position the 
finger out of engagement with the stock material, or into engagement with 
the stock material to press it against the guide plate or bar, and, after 
severing, to reach behind the severed workpiece or scrap end for pulling 
the workpiece or scrap end away from the cutting plane for subsequent 
removal, upon longitudinal movement of the operating apparatus to which 
the finger is coupled. A hold-down device is formed with a recess to 
permit entry of the finger at least in part therebeneath. 
The system has the advantage that the stock material which is fed to the 
saw and past the cutting plane--with the saw blade withdrawn--is securely 
engaged against the guide plate or bar, and will be placed in precisely 
parallel relationship with respect to the feed direction before it will be 
clamped by the hold-down clamping device. The finger is then retracted to 
permit the saw to cut. 
As the saw cuts, the feed clamping jaws are released, moved backwardly 
counter the feed direction by the length of the next-to-be-cut stock 
material, and then reclamp the stock material. 
As soon as the cut is finished, the finger can be fed into the kerf left by 
the saw blade, and rake the cut workpiece or scrap material for removal of 
the workpiece or scrap material. If the finger cannot enter the kerf, the 
feeding clamps retract the stock material slightly backwardly, counter the 
feed direction and away from the cutting plane to permit the finger to 
engage behind the cut workpiece. Of course, the hold-down clamp or 
simimilar device had previously been released. 
The finger then, being coupled to a longitudinal slide, engages behind the 
cut workpiece and rakes it longitudinally along a removal table, which may 
include a roller conveyor. At the same time, the feed clamping jaws feed 
the stock material past the cutting plane to permit the next cut to be 
made. As soon as the finger has reached the removal position, it is again 
retracted from behind the cut workpiece or scrap, and returned to a 
position just adjacent the cutting plane, to press the now newly fed stock 
material against the guide bar or plate. As soon as the stock material is 
again properly aligned against the guide bar or plate, the hold-down 
device or clamp holds it in place, the finger can retract, and the saw 
blade can make another cut. 
Synchronized movement of the respective clamping jaws, hold-down element, 
the finger back-and-forth as well as longitudinally, can readily be 
controlled by any suitable sequencing or control unit. 
The arrangement has the additional advantage that the system can be simple 
while carrying out all the required functions. 
In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, the recess in the 
vertical clamping jaw or device is located at the stock supply side 
adjacent the cutting plane, to permit the finger to align the stock 
material against the guide plate or bar. This arrangement permits the 
clamping surface of the vertical clamping jaw to hold the portion of the 
stock material which will be severed and can hold even very small 
workpieces or other cut elements, such as mitered scrap wedges. 
In accordance with another preferred feature of the invention, the finger 
is a thin-walled narrow element fitting into the recess of the vertical 
clamping jaw or device. Making the finger as thin as possible, while 
considering the strength of the material to provide for alignment, permits 
retention of as much material as possible on the vertical clamping jaw 
device, that is, to make the recess into which the finger fits also 
equally small. 
Preferably, the clamping edge of the finger is slightly higher than half of 
the maximum stock diameter which the saw is designed to handle. This 
permits reducing the size of the finger to a minimum dimension, and hence 
making the recess in the vertical clamping jaw as small as possible, while 
still providing for reliable guidance against the guide plate or bar. 
After the finger has removed the workpiece or scrap, and placed the 
respective elements on a removal table or conveyor, the workpiece or scrap 
can then be sorted and/or further handled; sorting or handling can be 
carried out automatically, for example by sensing the respective elements 
electro-optically or the like; they can then be thrown off by tilting of 
the removal table or the like into suitable receptacles. A material 
handling apparatus suitable for association with the saw system of the 
present invention is described in my copending application Ser. No. 
07/550,851, filed July 10, 1990.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The saw system of FIGS. 1-4 includes a frame 1, which may further have a 
cabinet portion in which a control unit CU can be placed. The control unit 
CU is shown only schematically, since it can be of any well known 
construction; operating control elements, such as a control console and 
the like have been omitted from the drawing since it can be of standard 
design, and does not form part of the present invention. 
The frame 1 carries a work table 2 in form of a turret. The turret has a 
slit which defines a cutting plane, in which a circular saw blade--not 
further shown--can be fed from down below to sever rod or rail or other 
elongated stock material, not shown in FIG. 1. The saw blade is fed 
vertically, to sever the material, which is held in position against the 
feed direction of the saw blade by a vertical clamping jaw 5. Vertical 
clamping jaw 5 is secured to a holder 6 which, in turn, is rigidly 
connected to the frame 1. The vertical clamping jaw 5 can be adjusted up 
and down as shown by the double arrow 4. When the clamping jaw 5 is in its 
downward position, it clamps the stock material against the table 2. The 
saw blade, together with the table 2 (see FIG. 3) can be pivoted about a 
vertical axis 7 within a range of angle 8 (FIG. 2). It can be fixed in 
position, at 90.degree. to the feed direction, indicated by arrows 11, or 
pivoted about a miter or bevel angle, in order to be able to make either 
90.degree. or miter cuts across the stock material. 
A supply system is coupled to the saw, which includes a supply frame 9 with 
feed rollers 10 which are driven and can rotate in either direction. The 
feed direction of the stock material is shown by arrow 11, towards the 
cutting plane 3. After the material has been cut, for example after a 
predetermined number of desired workpieces have been cut, the rollers can 
be driven in reverse direction to remove remaining stock material for 
return to a stocking shelf or the like. A chain feed 12 is coupled to the 
feed roller conveyor 10. Rod or rail material can be inserted or placed on 
the chain group 12, to be moved in accordance with the arrow 13 for 
transport to the conveyor 10. 
To determine the length of the material to be cut off, the saw system has a 
reference abutment 15 against which stock material, to be handled, is 
engaged by moving the rollers of the roller conveyor 10, to place the 
stock material into a base or reference position. 
A pair of feed clamping jaws 16, 17 are movable in feed direction in 
accordance with the double arrow 18, both forwards and backwards, with 
respect to the sawing plane 3. The jaw 16 of the clamping jaws 16 and 17 
is fixed; the jaw 17 is movable in accordance with the arrow 20. The fixed 
jaw 16 is positioned to be in-line with an alignment bar, strip or plate 
19, and associated with the saw--see also FIGS. 2 and 3. The alignment 
element 19 forms an engagement plane for the stock material. The 
engagement plane passes through the pivoting axis 7 of the turret 2. 
Moving the movable jaw 17 in accordance with the double arrow 20 permits 
clamping or release of stock material from the feed system formed by the 
jaws 16, 17. 
When a new rod or rail stock is fed, it is placed into engagement with the 
reference abutment 15. The feed jaws 16, 17, after having been moved 
counter the feed direction, are clamped against the stock material into a 
predetermined position in dependence on the next severing length for the 
next workpiece. The abutment 15 is then tipped downwardly about its 
tipping axis 14 to release the clear space for the stock material, which 
is then fed by jaws 16, 17 into the cutting plane 3 on the worktable 2. It 
will be in immediate engagement against the guide sheet or guide plate or 
bar 19. 
To provide for precise alignment for the subsequent sawing step, it is 
necessary that the stock material be reliably engaged against the 
alignment bar or plate 19. 
In accordance with a feature of the invention, a finger 21, which can be 
adjusted transversely to the feed direction 11 against the stock material, 
or towards the bar or plate 19, respectively, is pressed against the stock 
material which will form the workpiece, against the bar or strip 19. This 
aligns the stock material against the bar or plate 19. After this 
alignment has been effected, the vertical clamping device or jaw 5 is 
lowered, to clamp the stock material which will form the workpiece against 
the work table 2. To prevent interference between the finger 21 and the 
vertical clamping jaw 5, regardless of the cross-sectional shape or size 
of the stock material, the vertical clamping jaw 5 is formed with a recess 
22. The recess 22 extends slightly towards the left of plane 3. In FIG. 2, 
that is counter the feed direction 11, and includes the cutting plane 3. 
The finger 21, hence, can engage through said recess 22 essentially 
adjacent the cutting plane 3. This arrangement, in accordance with a 
feature of the invention, is particularly preferred since--and with 
reference to FIG. 2 at the right portion next to the cutting plane 3--it 
permits a clamping surface of the vertical clamping jaw 5 which is as 
large and effective as possible; in other words, the clamping surface is 
not essentially reduced, so that even small pieces which extend beyond the 
cutting plane 3 can be reliably clamped by the vertical clamping jaw 5. 
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the finger 21 should 
be as thin as possible so that the recess 22--taken in the direction of 
feed 11--can be as small as possible. Thus, and with reference to FIG. 2 
at the left of the cutting plane 3, reduction of the clamping surface of 
the vertical clamping jaw 5 will also be small. 
The finger 21 is secured to an operating arm 23 which is pivoted at one end 
on a bridge element 24, coupled to a slider 25. The other end of the 
operating arm 23 secures the finger 21. The slider 25 can shift 
longitudinally along a guide track 26, parallel to the feed direction 11. 
The guide track 26 is carried by a support 27 of a removal conveyor 28, 
and located above the working plane of the removal conveyor 28. The bridge 
element 24 is raised above the removal conveyor 28 by a distance 
sufficient to provide clearance and safety space above the maximum cross 
section of the workpiece for which the unit is designed when a workpiece 
is on the removal conveyor 28. A cylinder-piston unit 29 (FIG. 2) is 
movably secured to the bridge and to the operating arm 23, respectively, 
so that the operating arm 23 can be moved between the position shown in 
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the position shown in FIG. 2, finger 21 is out of 
engagement with the workpiece. 
The length of the guideway 26, and hence the range for longitudinal 
movement of the finger 26 parallel to the feed direction 11, is so 
designed that--as will be described in detail below--the finger 21 can 
move between a position at the left of the vertical clamping jaw 5 to a 
postion where it will be above the removal conveyor 28, so that it can 
grasp or rake a workpiece which has been severed and after withdrawal of 
the saw blade, and pull it on the removal conveyor 28. The workpiece, 
thus, can be raked off to the removal conveyor. To prevent lateral 
shifting or random movement of the workpiece away from the removal 
conveyor, a guide sheet 30, for example a sheet element (FIGS. 2, 3), is 
secured to the operating arm 23. Guide sheet 30 extends, effectively, to 
the support surface for the workpiece to guide the workpiece to the 
removal conveyor 28. 
The removal conveyor 28, in accordance with a feature of the invention, is 
so constructed that it presents as few interruptions to a smooth surface 
as possible. This prevents even small workpieces or scrap material from 
falling or catching in the removal conveyor. Such small pieces, 
particularly slivers, wedges and the like, may occur when the miter angle 
of the saw is changed. Guide sheets 33 are located between transport 
rollers 32 of the conveyor 28, the guide sheets extending almost to the 
crest of the rollers so that the rollers extend only slightly therebeyond 
to leave as few and as small spaces between the rollers 32 and the guide 
sheets as possible and prevent catching of scrap material in the gaps 
between the rollers and the guide sheets. 
The conveyor 28, as seen in FIG. 4, can be located to tilt about a pivot 
axis 34, to form a tipping table, so that workpieces can be selectively 
ejected towards the right or to the left--with respect to the feed 
direction 11--for example, selectively, in a reception container for 
workpieces at one side and into another reception container for scrap at 
the other. 
FIG. 4, highly schematically, also shows a drive 35 to feed the slide 25 
along the slide way or guide 26. 
Various operations, as well known, are controlled from a central control 
unit CU (FIG. 1) for synchronized operation of operating steps. These 
operating steps can be carried out entirely automatically; they may 
control the cylinder--piston arrangement 29 for the operating arm 23 of 
the finger 21, the motor 35 for the longitudinal displacement of the 
operating arm 23, the clamping movement of the vertical clamping jaw 5, 
the clamping movement and feed movement of the feed jaws 16, 17, the 
conveyors and the like. 
Operation, with Reference to FIGS. 5 to 13 
FIGS. 5-13 are schematic illustrations, drawn to the same schematic 
diagram. A suitable rotary or circular saw blade, not shown, is placed 
beneath the turret 2 and adjusted to cut precisely vertically with respect 
to the feed direction 11. 
FIG. 5: A rod 40, forming feed stock, is placed on the feed conveyor 10, 
which is started to feed the stock 40 against the reference abutment 15. 
The stock 40 thus is placed in base position. The feed jaws 16, 17 are 
then fed longitudinally with their support 16' to such a position that, 
upon subsequent longitudinal movement of the feed jaws 16, 17, the 
position of the stock material 40 will correspond precisely to the length 
of material which is to be cut by the saw at the cutting plane 3. 
Arrangement or placement of the feed jaws 16, 17 can be carried out 
simultaneously with feeding of the stock 40 against the abutment 15. The 
vertical clamping jaw 5 is upwardly retracted, and the finger 21 is 
operated out of the feed path of the stock material 40. 
FIG. 6 illustrates clamping of the clamping jaws 16, 17 to grip the stock 
40. In FIG. 7, the reference abutment 15 has been pivoted downwardly out 
of the feed path for the stock material 40 about its pivoting axis 14. The 
feed jaws 16, 17 can feed the rod material 40 into the cutting range of 
the saw. The stock material 40 is being placed adjacent the guide bar or 
plate 19 for aligning the stock material 40 parallel to the feed direction 
11. 
Precise alignment of the stock material 40 against the plate 19 is 
obtained--see FIG. 8--by pressing the finger 21 against the stock material 
40. The cylinder--piston arrangement 29 is contracted to move the 
operating arm 23 into the position shown in FIG. 8. The vertical clamping 
jaw 5 is still raised. 
FIG. 9 illustrates clamping movement of the vertical jaw 5 to press the 
stock material 40 against the work table 2. The finger 21 does not 
interfere with this clamping movement since the vertical jaw 5 can accept 
the finger 21 in its recess 22. Thus, the stock material 40 is precisely 
aligned against the guide bar or plate 19 and, after such precise 
alignment, clamped in position. 
FIG. 9 also illustrates removal of the finger 21 from the cutting range, by 
operation of the cylinder--piston unit after vertical jaw 5 has clamped 
the stock material 29. 
The saw can now be operated to cut the stock material and cut off the 
workpiece. Since the stock material is clamped by the vertical clamping 
jaw 5, the feed jaws 16, 17 can release and reset towards the left for a 
distance corresponding to the length of the next workpiece which is to be 
made, and for re-clamping of the stock material. 
FIG. 10 illustrates that the clamping jaws 16, 17 now move counter the 
direction of feed. Likewise, the slide 25 carrying the bridge 24 and 
operating arm 23 to which finger 21 is attached moves counter the feed 
direction, that is, to the left. The return or left or counter stroke of 
the feed jaws 16, 17 is slightly longer than the counter stroke of the 
slide 25 which controls the position of the finger 21. The saw is 
withdrawn. 
This differential length is used to permit the position of FIG. 11 in 
which, after operation of the cylinder--piston unit 25, the operating arm 
23 is pivoted towards the workpiece and the finger engages behind the 
workpiece and in advance of the next element of the stock material which 
is to be severed. The stock material 40, having withdrawn slightly further 
than the leftward or counter stroke of the finger 21 permits ready entry 
of the finger 21 in the position shown in FIG. 11. 
FIG. 12 shows the next operating step in which the feed jaws 16, 17 as well 
as the slide 24 and hence the finger 21 are moved again in feed direction 
11. The stock material 40 is fed forwardly so that the stock material 
passes the cutting plane 3. The previously made workpiece 41 is raked by 
the finger 21 towards the removal conveyor 28. As best seen in FIG. 13, 
this movement is controlled by moving the slide 25 on its guide way or 
slide way 26, to place the workpiece or any severed material 41 completely 
on the removal conveyor, so that the element 41 can be fed in the feed 
direction 11 thereby; Alternatively, lateral tipping (FIG. 4) of the 
removal conveyor at this position or at a later rightward position (FIG. 
13) can eject the element 41 to the right or to the left into a suitable 
receptacle. The finger 21 is again retracted outwardly, see FIG. 13. 
The next step is return of the finger 13 to the position shown in FIG. 7, 
and the cycle will repeat. 
Sequencing of the cycle, of course, is under control of the control unit 
CU, which can be any well known sequencing apparatus, for example manually 
and/or computer or numerically controlled. 
The guide sheet 30 (FIG. 2) has been omitted from FIGS. 5-13, and also from 
FIGS. 14-20. This guide sheet prevents misalignment of the element 41 as 
the element 41 is raked by the finger 21 on the removal conveyor 28. This 
is particularly important for workpieces or scrap material of substantial 
cross section. 
Operation for Miter Cuts, with Reference to FIGS. 14-20 
Basically, the work sequence illustrated in FIGS. 14-20 is similar to that 
described in connection with FIGS. 7-13; the cut to be made, however, is 
an angular or inclined cut, as best seen in FIG. 14 et seq., obtaining by 
inclining the cutting plane 3 and the turret 2. 
FIG. 14 illustrates stock material 40 fed into cutting position. Finger 21, 
as seen in FIG. 15, is then engaged against the stock material. The stock 
material is then clamped by the vertical clamp--not shown--and the finger 
withdrawn. FIG. 16 illustrates the position during cutting. The feed jaws 
16, 17 are reset by the distance for the next-to-be-cut workpiece and 
again engage the stock material. 
After making the cut, the feed jaws 16, 17, together with the stock 
material 40 and also the finger 21, carried by its arm 23 on the bridge 24 
and the slider 25, are all moved counter the feed direction 11, in a 
counter stroke, so that the finger 21 can reach around the cut-off 
material. The reach of the finger 21 is up to just the position of the 
guide bar or plate 19. Leftward movement of the jaws 16, 17 and the finger 
21 is shown in FIG. 17 and insertion of the finger 21 behind the workpiece 
is shown in FIG. 18. Of course, the vertical clamping jaw 5 has released 
the stock material 40 prior to the rearward movement of the feed jaws 16, 
17. 
FIG. 18 illustrates the position of the finger 21 behind the workpiece, to 
be followed by movement in the feed direction of the feed jaws 16, 17 as 
well as of the finger 21 in accordance with the arrow 11, thus bringing 
the stock material 40 into the next-to-be-cut portion of the miter saw; 
the workpiece 41 is raked by the finger 21 in the direction towards the 
removal conveyor 28. FIG. 20 illustrates the movement of the workpiece 41 
on the removal conveyor 28 and retraction of the finger 21 preparatory to 
movement of the slide 25 towards the left to orient the portion of the 
stock material engaged against the guide bar or rod 19 in proper position 
upon engagement of the finger 21 thereagainst as shown in FIG. 15. 
Further handling of the workpiece 41 from the removal conveyor 28 is as 
previously described. 
The system is very simple and does not require any complex structures or 
apparatus to supply the stock material to form workpieces, and permits 
simple handling in connection with cutting operation and subsequent 
removal of cut workpieces or cut wedges, slivers and the like. The entire 
operation can be easily followed, is visible, and hence maintenance of the 
apparatus and visual supervision by an operator is simple. 
Of course, any other features, well known in the cutting and feeding 
technology, can be combined with the system, so that it is readily 
compatible with existing arrangements. For example, the feed jaws 16, 17 
can have a longitudinal stroke long enough to return stock material 40 to 
the feed conveyor 10 for return of such stock material as has not been 
used up via the chain conveyor 12 to a stock holding or storage station 
and the like. 
The invention has been described in connection with a circular saw; other 
saws can be used, for example a band saw, reciprocating hack saws and the 
like. 
Various changes and modifications may be made, and many structural 
alternatives to those described are possible. For example, the finger 21 
can be mounted in various ways. In a preferred form, the finger is located 
on the operating arm 23 which is longitudinally slidable and, further, 
pivotable on the bridge 24. This is a most simple way to move the finger 
21 in feed direction, counter the feed direction as well as towards and 
against the stock material. It also readily permits the application of the 
guide sheet 30 to the operating arm 23 to guide cut-off workpieces or 
scrap 41. The guide sheet 30, of course, should terminate just above the 
work table 2 and the removal conveyor 28. It effectively prevents 
misalignment of the workpiece and/or scrap when it is raked or fed by the 
finger 21 when the finger 21, on the slider 25, moves longitudinally in 
the feed direction. 
The removal conveyor 28 is not strictly necessary, but, in a preferred form 
of the invention, it is used in combination with the removal finger 21. It 
permits regular removal of the workpieces and/or scrap, slivers and the 
like and, in a particularly preferred form, permits sorting of workpieces 
by appropriate tipping or tilting when the workpieces have reached a 
predetermined position on the removal conveyor, for example by tilting or 
tipping in one direction for workpieces, and in another direction for 
scrap. The removal conveyor should be as smooth as possible, and have as 
few surface interruptions as possible so that small workpieces or scrap 
pieces, which may result when the miter angle of the saw is changed, can 
be raked reliably by the finger 21. Cover sheets which just permit the 
rollers 32 to project therefrom are particularly desirable for longer and 
heavier workpieces. 
In many customary installations for an automatic cut-off saw, a removal 
conveyor is associated with the saw. This permits constructing the guide 
system, for example guide rails or guide rods 26 for the operating arm 23 
of the finger 21 on the same frame as that used for the removal conveyor. 
The slider 25 preferably vertically supports a bridge element 24, spaced 
above the conveyor 28 by a sufficient distance to permit passage of even 
the largest workpiece, for which the saw is designed, therebeneath. Use of 
a cylinder--piston arrangement to move the operating arm, as shown at 29 
in FIG. 2, is a particularly simple and easily maintained arrangement. Of 
course, a more complex slider system can be used, with the operating arm 
23 extending essentially parallel to the feed direction and moving 
transversely thereto. 
The length of the guide track for the slider 25 should be so selected that 
it permits a stroke length of the finger from a position just ahead of the 
cutting plane 3 over to the transport conveyor 25. The finger 23 should 
have three predetermined projecting positions, namely one just in advance 
of the vertical clamping jaw 5, to rake behind the cut workpiece after 
cutting; a next one, at the level of the vertical clamping jaw 5 to 
provide for aligning the stock 40 against the guide bar or plate 19; and a 
third to move the workpiece over the conveyor 28 after the finger has 
gripped behind the workpiece. The finger 21, thus, has a multiple 
function--to provide for precise alignment of the stock material against 
the guide plate or bar 19 and, further, for removal of the cut-off 
element. 
Supply of stock material 40 to the saw can be in accordance with any well 
known structure; in accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, 
it includes a roller conveyor 10 with driven rollers. In accordance with a 
feature of the invention, a reference abutment 15 which can be placed in 
and out of engagement with respect to stock material is provided, so that 
feed jaws 16, 17 can operate on the stock material, after it is fed to the 
reference abutment, by reciprocating next to the feed conveyor 10. 
Newly supplied stock material can be located against the reference abutment 
when it is in an interfering position, to be gripped by the feed jaws at 
that time. Upon removal of the reference abutment 15 from interfering 
position, in the simplest way by merely pivoting it out of the way, the 
feed jaws 16, 17 can then feed the workpiece material for a precise 
distance to the cutting plane 3. 
After the workpiece is made, or after a plurality of workpieces are made, 
and the particular stock is not to be used anymore, the remainder can be 
returned by the feed jaws 16, 17 to the supply conveyor 10 and there fed 
backwardly, by reverse drive of the rollers thereof, for return to storage 
or stocking. 
Various other changes and modifications may be made, and any features 
described herein may be used with any of the others, within the scope of 
the inventive concept.