Patent ID: 7377376

Claim:
Apparatus for positioning objects that are extended in a longitudinal direction, the apparatus comprising: a conveyor for carrying the elongated objects in a conveyor direction generally transverse to the longitudinal direction; a guide mechanism disposed to interact with one of the elongated objects as the elongated object is moved in the conveyor direction, the guide mechanism having a first mode wherein the guide mechanism sets a longitudinal position for the object, the longitudinal position set by the guide mechanism being a function of a position of the object in the conveyor direction; the guide mechanism having a second mode wherein the longitudinal position for the object set by the guide mechanism does not change as the object moves in the conveyor direction; the guide mechanism comprising a switch mechanism connected to switch the guide mechanism from the first mode to the second mode, the switch mechanism moving along a path as the object moves in the conveyor direction; and, an actuating member located to interact with the switch mechanism at a point that is movable along the path of the switch mechanism, the position of the actuating member along the path determining a location at which the switch mechanism operates to switch the guide mechanism from the first mode to the second mode.