US1884947A

US1884947A - Machine for operating upon sheet material

Info

Publication number: US1884947A
Application number: US341764A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erastus E Winkley
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1929-02-21
Filing date: 1929-02-21
Publication date: 1932-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 1949-10-25

Description

Oct. 25, 1932. E, E. WINKLEY 1,884,947

' MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 21, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 1 WVE/VTUEL il k'a lmm 25, 1932. wlNKL Y 1,884,947

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEE-T MATERIAL Fil ed Feb. 21. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 25, 1932. E. E. WINKLEY 1,884,947

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m T, N ww m V 3 W Nww M u amm i O 0 WW 4 7 NW \Sw W O fi m RN @N wm wmw mm Qct..25'; 1932. E. E. WINKLEY 4 1,884,947

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 21, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 umren STATES PATENT} orrica ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, OF LYNN, IVIASSACHNSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINEBY'CORI PORATION, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NE-"VV JERSEY MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET MATERIAL Application filed. February 21, 1929. Serial No. 341,764.

- I be recognized that novel features of the invention are not limited to embodiment in ill machines of that type. a

In performing various operations, for example stamping operations, upon certain kinds of sheet material, such as sheet rubber in the production of rubber soles and other articles, considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced in automatically feeding sheets of material, or different portions of the same sheet of material, accurately with relation to devices for operating'upon the mate rial. This difliculty has been found to be due largely to the flexibility of the material which causes it to stretch or buckle as it is moved from one place of operation to another,thus making it diflicult to feed it a definite distance without distortion.

In view of this, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved means for facilitating the handling and feeding of sheet material in a machine of the type referred to in order to render the operations performed upon the material more accurate and certain without decreasing the production of the machine.

A feature of the invention consists in a novel organization of continuously operating mechanism for advancing sheet material past an operating instrumentality together with means for intermittently interrupting the advance of the material and for presenting a portion thereof to the operating instrumentality. As illustrated, the machine embodying this organization comprlses an endless conveyor for feeding sheets of material along a table which is operable in timed relation with respect to the conveyor to'move through the plane of the conveyor to interrupt the ad- Vance of the sheets by simultaneously removing all of them from the conveyor. Preferably, mechanism is provided for controlling the advance of the sheets in spaced relation along the table so that each sheet as it reaches the operating'station and isremoved from the conveyor will be positioned laterally in predetermined relation with respect to th operating instrumentality.

In handling material in the manner above outlined, the sheets are not subjectedtopressures which would tend to distort them in such way as to make their feeding uncertain, and the operation of the table is effective to present a sheet to the operating instrumentality only after it has been advanced by a predetermined distance. In this way successive operations can be performed upon the same sheet accurately and economically with respect to the use of material. Furthermore, the continuous operation of the conveyor reduces the time required for locating the material in operative position substantially to aminimum. The simultaneous removal of all of the 'material fromthe conveyor results in the preserving of the spaced relation of the sheets as they are advanced so that there is no interference between a sheet at the operating station and the preceding orsucceeding sheets. 7

Another feature oft-he invention consists in the provision of improved means for successively locating different portions of sheet of material with respect to the operating 'instrumentality so that several opera' tlons may be successively performed on the same sheet of material at predetermined intervals. The construction shown comprises a series of stops for locating different portions of the sheet of material relatively to the operating instrumentality in turn, the conveyor being operative to feed material from one stop to another between operations upon the I material.

Novel mechanism is also provided for ar restlng the advance of a sheet until the pre ceding sheet has passed the operating instru- Fig. 1 is a perspective vlew of a machine,

embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a portionof a sheet'ofmatefeatures of the in rial upon which the machine is designed to operate;

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, transversely through the machine;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the operating instrumentality and conveyor mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a detail View showing stop mechanism; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing the table-elevating mechanism.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the illustrated machine comprises a horizontally disposed frame 10 supported upon standards 12. Centrally of the frame 10 is located a die 18 for performing a plurality of successive stamping operations upon each of a succession of sheets of material, such as rubber sole stock, advanced in turn past said die by means of a continuously operating endless conveyor 14. Normally positioned below the plane of the conveyor is a table or grid 16 constituting a Work support which is arranged for intermittent movement vertically through the plane of the conveyor to remove each sheet of material from en agement with the conveyor and to support the material during each of the successive operations performed upon it.

The conveyor 14 comprises a drive chain 18 and a plurality of driven chains 20 extending in a horizontal direction and passing round sprockets 22 secured to shafts 24 rotatably mounted at opposite ends of the frame 10.

The drive chain 18 passesover idler sprockcts 26 (Fig. 3 and 4) and a drive sprocket 28 which is secured to a shaft 30 driven by a pulley 32, the arrangement being such that the

chains

18 and 20 are continuously driven, during the operation of the machine, so that their upwardly disposed surfaces adj acent to the table 16 move lengthwise of the machine from right to left in Fig. 1. In order to prevent sagging of the chains between the shafts 24 a plurality of longitudinally extending grooved guides 84 (Fig. 3) are secured to the frame 10 in position to receive and support the chains.

To provide means for adjusting the tension on the chains, the shaft 24 at the left end of the machine, as viewed in F l, is mounted upon a lever 36 pivoted to the frame 10 at 38 (F g. 7). A bolt 40, which passes through the frame 10 and is threaded into a collar 42 pivoted on the lever 86, secures the lever in position. By turning the bolt the lever can be moved about its pivot 38 in a direction to tighten or loosen the chains as required.

In feeding sheets of rubber sole stock by means of the conveyor it has been found desirable to make use of a cutting board, preferably made of rag stock, to act as a support and guide for a sheet as it passes through the machine. Accordingly, each sheet, such as sheet 43 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4),

is positioned upon a cutting board, such as board 44, the bead 45 of the material (Fig. 2) being located parallel to one edge of the board and spaced therefrom by a predetermined distance in order to locate the stock centrally of the machine, and the edge of the board serving as positioning means, as hereinafter described. Each of the successive sheets of rubber is held in position upon a cutting board by means of s ring clamps 46, one of which is shown in ig. 2. Each of the clamps 46 comprises a pair of pivoted membersprovided with gripper jaws 47 and handles 48, the jaws being normally urged toward each other by a spring, not shown. Two or more of such clamps are used in securing a sheet to a cutting board after alignment of the sheet with the board, the gripper jaws of the clamps being adjusted manually along one edge of the sheet and released so that the jaws grip between them the sheet and cutting board with the rubber sheet uppermost. In this way sheets are temporarily secured to and supported by the boards which can. be fed by the conveyor predetermined distances without subjecting the sheets themselves to lateral pressures which would tend to distort the material.

To provide for moving the table or grid 16 vertically through the plane of the con veyor for removing the work comprising sheets carried by the cutting boards from the conveyor and supporting the work during operations, performed upon it, the table 16 comprises a casting 49 from opposite sides of which project a plurality of rods 50. eX- tending substantially the full length of the conveyor, secured to end members 52 and 53 (Figs. 1 and 6) carried by plungers 54 mounted forsliding movement vertically of the frame 10. The normal position of the table is in a plane parallel to but below the upper surface of the conveyor chains. Slots 55, best shown in Fig. 1, are provided in the casting 49 through which the

chains

18 and 20 pass. so that the chains will not interfere with the movements of the table.

The table 16 is raised and lowered by means of bell-crank levers 56, best shown in Fig. 6, connected to the

end members

52 and 53 by toggle links 58. The bell-cranks 56 are,

arranged for actuation by means of a cam 60 (Fig. 4) mounted upon a shaft 62 which is continuously driven by a link chain 64 from the shaft 30. The cam 60 is provided with a cam track 66 in which runs a roll 68 connected toa lever 7 O mounted for oscillation about a pivot 72 on a frame member 73. Pivotally secured to the end of the lever is a collar 74 slidably mounted upon link 7 6 which is connected to a lever 78 pivotally mounted on the frame 10. The link 7 6 is provided with a bushing 80 arranged for en gagement with the collar 74 upon movement of the. lever 70 in a counter-clockwise direc tion'and by whichthe link 76 is moved iipjwardly. spring82 ispositioned on the lower end of the link 7 6 between the collar 74 and. a washer 8 1, the arrangement being such that movement ofthe lever 70 in a clockwlse direction causes. the.- Lcollar 7 1 to com press the spring 82, thereby .yieldingly to move the link 76v downwardly. Operation of the table responsive to movements of the link '76 is effected byrods'86 and" 88 which connect the lever 78 with the bell-cranks 56 at opposite ends of the machine, a. spring 90 being provided to counterbalance-the weight of the table 1 6.

- The construction just described is such that the table 16 is moved up or down upon actuation of the lever 7 6 downwardly or upwardly by' the cam60. Thus the table is moved in-' termittently up and down through the plane of the conveyor '10 in timed relation to therotation of the cam.

' the die.

The timing of the cam is such that between elevations of the table the conveyor operates to feed a sheet, which has been advanced tot-he die 18, the proper distances for successively locating different portions of the sheet relatively to the die 13 for performing a plurality of operations upon the sheet.

Movement of thetable into raised position is eifect-ive'to remove from the conveyor all of the sheets of material resting upon it, that is, sheets which have been advanced past the die, the sheet being operated upon, and the sheet or sheets which are to be advanced to are returned to the conveyor for further feeding movement.

Means is provided for locating the forward end'of each sheet of material as it is fed with respect to the die and for subsequently determining the position of each sheet to locate different portions thereof relatively to the die. To this end use is made of a gage which comprises a. bar 94' 1 and l) pivotally f and slidably mounted in brackets96 and 98 on the frame and extending in the direction of feed of the material. Upon the bar 9el'are a plurality of raised projections 100 extending lengthwise thereof, each of said projections having a number of stops 1 02 pivotally connected thereto; :Each of thestops, Which are preferably formed of sheet metal, has a tail piece 10 i and a nose portion 106 substantially U-shaped in cross-section. Springs 108 are provided normally to hold the nose portions 106 extended outwardly from the projections 100 but'the construction is such that a stop may be rotated, in a manner to be.

explained, about its pivot until its nose portion projects only slightly from the surface of a projection-100, the lower part of the nose portion being receivedin a slot 110 in the projection. Thenum-ber of stops may bevaried as desired to control the spacing of operations upon sheetsof various sizes. The

When the table is lowered the sheets stops are spaced along the gage according to the distance it is desirable to feed the work. between operations performed upon it, the gage in the present instance being provided, with four sets of stops by which severaldiffer ent spacings can be obtained,- it being necessary only to rotate the gage upon the bearings in

brackets

96 and 98 until the de I I As shown in Fig. l, only the stops in uppermost posisired serie'sof stops is uppermost.

tion are operative at any given time. In this position the stops project slightly above the plane ofthe conveyor 14 into the path of ad- I vanceof the work so that, as the work is advanced against the stops by the conveyor, feeding'movement of the sheet is arrested.- It should be notedthat each sheet of material is positioned upon a cutting boardwith its forward edge slightly-to the rear of the cor responding edge of the board so that the stops contact with the edge of theboard rather than with "that of the sheet thus to eliminate 1ike.;

further movement of the bar 94 and stop is prevented by a bracket 98. The stop then arrests further advancing movement of the workwhich is now properly located laterally for the operation of the die. As the table is operated to elevate the work into position to be operated upon, the work'is raised above the nose portion 106 of the stop with which it is engaged, releasing the gage 94 which is moved to the right by the spring above referred to. This movement brings the first stop underneath the edge of the work so that when the table is lowered, returning the work to the conveyor,the forward edge thereof meets with no resistance until it has advanced into engagement with the second stop after which the cycle is repeated. The

weight of the work is suflicient to depress the 7 springs 108, moving the stops about their pivots until their nose portions 106 areclose to the projection 100, thus enabling the work to rest substantially flat upon the conveyor.

For effecting proper location of the work transversely of the die '18, the machine is provided with means comprising a gage plate 112 (Fig. 1) secured to the table and extending in a vertical direction alongone side thereof. Periodically actuated devices operate to move the aligned side edges of the sheets and cutting board into engagement with the gage plate to position them. To this end, as shown in Figs; 1 and 2, a pusher rod 114 is arranged to contact with the c1amps4l6 and to move brackets 122 and 124 extending from the table 16. A shaft 126 rotatably mounted in said brackets is connected to the arms 118 by means of

links

128 and 130.

Mounted on the side of the machine frame is a shaft 132 operatively connected to the shaft 126 by lever 134 and links 136 and 138. A spring 140 is provided tending normally to turn the shaft 132 in such manner as to effect a rocking of the shaft 126 in a direction to move the pusher 114 inwardly, thus effecting a yielding pressure upon clamps 46 to force them and the work held by them toward the gage 112. The timing of this movement is controlled by a cam face 142 (Fig. 4) associated, with the cam 60, which operates a plunger 144 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) carried by the lever 146 and operatively connected by

links

148 and 150 to shaft 132. When the high part of the cam face 142 engages the plunger 144,

4 the latter is rotated against the force of the spring 140 to effect a retraction of the pusher 114. The construction and arrangement are such that the pusher 114 is moved inwardly yieldingly to press the work against the gage plate 112 as the work is advanced toward the die by the conveyor between elevations of the table, thereby insuring proper location of the material transversely of the operating devices prior to an operation thereon.

A guide rod 152. one end of which is pivotallv secured to the pusher rod 114 and the other end being held by a bracket 154, serves as a guide for directing the clamps 46 into positions in which the clamps straddle the pusher, as shown in Fig. 2. The operator, in placing a cutting board with a sheet of ma terial clamped thereto upon the conveyor, merely slides the work in a direction to bring the handles 48 of the clamps 46 over the guide rod 152, the clamps being guided thereby,

automatically, onto the pusher rod 114 as the conveyor advances the work.

Means is provided for successively arresting the advance of sheets of material at a predetermined distance from the die 13 and for releasing them at the proper times so that each of them can be fed into operative posltlon during a sin gle advance movement of the conv veyor between successive operations of the table.

To this end, a bracket 156 (Figs. 4 and 5) is secured to two of the rods forming the table 16. Pivotally mounted in the bracket 156 is a member 158 which carries at one end a pair of stop fingers 160 and at the other end end of the arm 162,1novement of the fingers in that direction being limited by set screw 166 arranged for contact with the arm 162.

.When rotated in a clockwise direction the fingers 160 project above the planeof the con veyor 14, as shown in Fig. 4, into the path of' the material in such manner as to engage forward edges of the cutting board thereby to arrest the advance of the work. This is for the purpose of preventing forward movement of a sheet until the preceding sheet has passed the die 18.

In order to release the, stock from the re-- taining action of the fingers 160 at the proper time, use is made of a detecting mechanism which initiates operation of mechanism for rotating the fingers into inoperative position. The detecting mechanism comprises a detector plate 168 carried by a rod 170 slidably mounted in the frame 10, a spring 172 tending to force the rod and plate downwardly. The rod 170 has a collar 17 4 having a groove 176 in which is positioned one end of a bellcrank lever 178 pivoted on a stud 179 carried by the frame. The other arm of the lever 178 is pivotally connected to a link 180 received loosely in a collar 181 fixed to the lower end of a lever 182 which is mounted upon a stud 184 for oscillating movement under the end of the arm 162. Normally the collar 181 is yieldingly held against a stop 190 (Fig. 4) on the link 180 by means of a spring 192.

Movement of the detector plate 168 downwardly is limited by means of set screw 193, carried by arm 194 secured to rod 170, which engages the frame 10 when the table is lowered, so that plate 168 does not extend into the path of feed of the work. However, when work is positioned upon the conveyor and the table is elevated, the detector plate is raised slightly against the action of the spring 172 by the material positioned adjacent to the operating station, as shown in Fig. 4, the material actuating the lever 178 to move the link 180 to the left. In this position of the link 180 the upper arm of the lever 182 extends to the right out of engagement with the arm 162 so that the fingers 160 are rotated by spring 164 into elevated position slightly above the plane of the conveyor thus to engage with the forward edge of stock which has been fed toward the operating station. During successive movements of the table the first sheet of stock is fed underneath the plate 168 until it has been advanced beyond the plate, the fingers 160 meanwhile preventing forward movement of the second sheet.

After the rear end of the first sheet is advanced beyond the plate 168, the rod 170 is lowered under the action of spring 172, causing rotation of the lever 178 in a counter clockwise direction and moving the link 180 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, with the result that the lever arm 182 is brought under the arm 162. When the table next descends, the engagement of the arm 182 with the arm 162 results in counter-clockwise rotation of the member 158 and the fingers 160 are moved intoinoperative position below the plane of the conveyor. The second sheet is then advanced underneaththe plate 168 until it is brought to rest by the stop 102, and the cycle repeated. A guard or locking member (Figs. 4 and 5) secured to bracket 156 is provided to prevent movement of the arm 182 in directions either to engage or release the arm "162 except at such times as the table is in its elevated position. Thus, the advance and ar-.

rest of the sheets are intimed relation tothe movements of the table.

As illustrated, the means for operating upon the work comprisesmeans for impress- .ing upon sheet rubber medallion stamps,

such as those indicated by reference characf ter S (Fig.2). To this. end, the die 13 (Figs.

' 3. and carried by a fixed head (not shown) is so positionedab'ove the casting 49 as to be sli htly spaced therefrom when the table Sli'dably 16 is in itsuppermostposition.

' mounted' in an extension 196 of the casting 49 is a plunger 198 arranged formovement toward and away from the die 13 for pressing material inoperative position against the die, thereby to impress medallion stamps upon the material. The plunger 198 is operated intermittently by means of togglev mechanism compr sing

llnks

200 and 202 which are actuated by a link 204 connected to the cam-operatedlever 70. ,The link 200 is connected to the lower endiof the plunger 198, and the link 202 is pivotally connected to a forked lever 206. The lever 206 is supported near the link 202 by a threaded shaft 208 extending into the frame member 7 3 and carried by the frame, through bevel gears 224 V on shaft 222 and 226 on shaft 208, raisesor lowersthe forked end'of the lever'206 substantially about the center of the extension 211, the lever 206 being sufiiciently long so that there is very little movement at its outer end; "Adjustmentof the'forked end of the lever 206 up or down raises or lowers the lower pivot point of link 202 so'that'when the toggle is straightened the plunger. will .erminateits upward movement higher or lower with respect to die 13. This adjust-' ment is provided to-take care of operations upon difierent thicknesses of material.

Since the spring 218 exerts substantially the same pressure upon the plunger 214 against forces tending to straighten the toggle, the stamping pressure will remain substantlally the samefor any adjustment of the plunger operation for any thickness of material.

Mechanism is provided for releasing the spring clamps 46 fromthe cutting boards and sheets carried thereby after they have passed the o1 erating station. This mechanism comprises two rods 228 (Figs. 1 and carried by links 230 secured to shafts 232 supported in brackets 234. The links 230 are provided with intermeshing racks .236 which 7 insure movementof the links 230 in unison aboutthe shafts 232. To one end of the lowermost link 230 is connected an actuating rod- 238 which is operable by means of a foot treadle 240' through a series of connections comprising a bell crank 242, a rod 244, a bell-crank 246 and a rod 248.. By. depressing the treadle 240therod 238 is lowered,

causing links 230 and rods 228 torotate toward each other. As rods 228 approach each other they contact with the handles 48 of the spring clamps 46 in such manner as to open the jaws 47 of the clamps, releasing them from the material, A spring 250 surround-- connection '244 operates to return the rods 228 to inoperative position after the treadle 240 is released.

In order to provide for the return of the released clamps to the end of the machine where they can be used for positioning and guiding fresh sheets of material on the con veyor, the machine is provided with a belt 252 (Figs land 3) passing over roller 254 and shaft 256 which is driven by pinion 258 operativelyconnected to shaft 24. The belt is driven in the direction to carry the clamps, wh ch' fall thereon when released, to the right-hand end of the machine (Fig. 1). 'By this device the ,operator who supplies the :sheet materialto the machine is relieved of the necessity of leaving his station to obtain clamps. f

Preparatory to operation of the machine, sheet material such as sheets of rubber are temporarily secured to cutting boards by means of clamps such as clamps 46 (Fig. 2)

in the manner above described. An operator who is supplied with a number of such sheets secured to cutting boards stands at the right hand end of the mach ne (Flg. 1) and places the work, one piece at a time, upon the conveyor 1 with the arms of the clamps in engagement with the guide rod 152. 1 The material is then advanced toward the die by the conveyor, the pusher rod 114 being moved inwardly yieldingly to press against the clamps and to move the work secured thereto. against the gage plate 112 thereby to locate the work transversely of the machine. The first piece of work is advanced by the conveyor until its forward edge engages with the first of the stops 102 which arrest-s movement of the work. The table 16 isthcn elevated to remove the work from the conveyor and to present it to the die 13 which performs a stamping operation thereon. While the work is being operated upon, the first stop 102 is moved to the right underneath the edge of the work so that when the table is lowered upon the completion of the stamping opera,

the clamps thereby to release the clamps from the work which is then removed from the conveyor. The released clamps fall upon the belt 252 which carries them back to the right-hand end of the machine where they can again be used in securing sheets to cutting boards.

As the first piece of workis being advanced a second piece is placed upon the conveyor but its advance movement is arrested by the stop fingers 160 which are rotated into the path of feed of the second sheet in response tomovement of detector plate 168 which is actuated upon engagement with the first sheet when the table is elevated. The second piece of work is held against advance movement by the stop fingers 160 until operations upon the first piece of work has been completed after which the fingers 160 are depressed and the second piece of work advanced into engagement with the stops 102 and the cycle of operations is repeated.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a machine for operating upon flexible sheet material, a conveyor adapted to feed sheet material, means for operating the conveyor uninterruptedly, a work support normally below and spaced from said conveyor, above and across which sheet material is fed by the conveyor, and means operative intermittently to elevate the work support into engagement with material fed by the conveyor and to cause the work support to lift said material from the conveyor, therebv interrupting the feeding of the material;

2. In a machine for operating upon flexible sheet material a conveyor adaptedto feed sheet material, means for operating the con veyor uninterruptedly, a work support normally spaced from the conveyor, above and across which sheet material is fed by the con veyor, and means operative intermittently to move the work support into engagement with material fed by the conveyor and to cause the work support to remove said material from the conveyor, thereby interrupting the feeding of thematerial.

3. In a machine for operating upon flexible sheet material,a conveyor adapted to feed sheet material, means for operating the conveyor uninterruptedly, a work support normally spaced from the conveyor, above and across which sheet material is fed by the conveyor, and means operative intermittently to cause relative movement of the conveyor and work support to effect engagement of the work support with the material fed by the conveyor and to cause the worksupportto remove said material from the conveyor thereby interruptingthe feeding of the material. V r

4. In a machinefor operating upon flexible sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a conveyor adapted to feed sheet material, means for operating the conveyor uninterruptedly, a work support normally spaced from said conveyor, above and across which sheet material is fed by the conveyor, and means operative intermittently to cause relative movement of the conveyor and work support to effect engagement of the work support with the material fed by the conveyor and to cause the work support to remove the material from the conveyor to present the material and to support it for operation by the operating instrumentality.

5. In a machine for operating upon flexible sheet material, an operating instrumentality, continuously operating means for feeding the material past the operating instrumentality, and means movable relatively to the feeding means to remove the material ther from and to support the material in fixed position during operations performed upon it.

6. In a machine for operating upon flexible sheet material, an operating instrumentality, means for feeding a sheet of material past the operating instrumenta-lity, means for operating said feeding means uninterruptedly,

and means operative to'remove the sheet from the feeding means and to present it to the operating instrumentality,

7. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a

continuously operating conveyor for feeding sheets of material past said instrumentality, means for controlling the spacing of the sheets being fed, and means for simultaneously removing all of the sheets from the conveyor and for presenting one of them to said instrumentality.

8. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a table movable into andout of position for supporting the material to be operated upon in operative relation to said instrumentality,

and continuously Operating means for feedingthe material above and across the table, the construction and arrangement being such as to effect a release of the material from the feeding "means upon movement of the table toward said instrumentality.

9. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a continuously operable endless conveyor. for feeding sheets of material from one end of the machine toward the other, a table normally positioned below the plane of the conveyor and extending substantially the entire length of the conveyor, intermittently operable means for elevating the table through the plane of the conveyor thereby to raise the sheets out of engagement with the conveyor, and means for operating upon one of the sheetswhile it is in raised position. I

10., In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a. continuously operating endless conveyor for feeding sheet material in a horizontal direction, a table normally positioned below the conveyor and extending substantially the entire length thereof, intermittently operable means for elevating the table through the plane of the conveyor thereby to 12. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a table extending lengthwise of the machine, means for feeding sheet material .above and across said table from one end thereof toward the other, and means for moving the table to remove the material from the feeding means.

13. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a work support extending lengthw se of the machine, means for feedlng sheet 7 material above and across said work support from one end thereof toward the other,,and means for relatively moving the feeding means and the work support tocause the work support to engage with and to remove the material from the feeding means.

llaln a machine for operating upon sheet material, an instrumentality for effecting operations upon sheet material, a table normally located below the plane of operations upon the material, feeding devices positioned above. thetable in its normal position and operative to feed sheets of material past the instrumentality, and means operative intermittently to elevate the table above the feed- 1 mg means and to hold the sheets in fixed position during operations performed upon one of them.

15. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an endless conveyor for sheet material, a table normally positioned'bel'ow the plane of'the conveyor, intermittently operable means constructed and arranged for moving the table through the plane of the conveyor to remove the material therefrom,

and'means for operating upon the material while out of engagement with the conveyor.- 1

16. In a-machine for operating upon'sheet' material, an operating instrumentality, a continuouslyoperatingconveyor for advancingshcet material past said instrumentality, and means for removing the material from the conveyor when the materialhas been .ad vanced intopositronto be operated upon and for supporting it in operative relation to the instrumentality.

.117. In amaohine for operating'upon sheet material, :an operating instrumenta-lity, a continuously operating conveyor for feeding material past said instrumentality, means for arresting feeding movement of the material when it has been advanced into operative position laterally of the instrumentality, a work support, and means for effectingrelative movement of the conveyor and work support to remove the material from the conveyor and to hold it in position for operation thereon by said instrumentality.

18. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an instrumentality for operating upon sheet material, continuously operating conveyor forfeeding the material past said instrunientality, means for arresting feeding movement of the material when it has been advanced into a predetermined position relative to said instrumentality, and'means operable through the plane of the conveyor to remove the material from the conveyor and to hold it performed by said instrumentality.

.19. Ina machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating convey-or for advancing a sheet of material past said instrumentality,

means for successively arresting the advance of the sheet with the forward end thereof in predetermined positions relatively to the instrumenta-lity, andmoans for removing the sheet from the conveyor and for presenting it to the instrumentalitybetween successive operations of the arresting means. 1

20. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a continuously operating conveyor for successively advancing sheet material from one end of the machine toward the other, means for operating-upon the material, means for intermi "tent-1y arresting the advance of the material to locate different portions of it laterally with respect to the-operating means, and means for removing the in fixed position curing anoperation fizz material from the conveyor to present it to said operating means and for returning the material to the conveyor after an operation has been performed thereon.

21. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, means for feeding a sheet of material past said instrumentality, means for operating said feeding means uninterruptedly, means for successively arresting the advance of the sheet being fed by the feeding means as the sheet successively reaches predetermined positions relatively to said instrumentality, and means operative intermittently to remove the sheet of material from the feeding means and to present successive portions of the sheet to the operating instrumentality.

22. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating conveyor for feeding the material past the instrumentality, and means operating through the plane of the conveyor for alternately removing the material from and replacing it in engagement with the conve or thereby to present different portions of the material to said instrumentality.

23. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, means for feeding a sheet of material past said instrumentality, means for operating said feeding means unintcrruptedly, and means operative intermittently to remove the sheet of material from the feeding means and to present successive portions of the sheet to the operating instrumentality.

24. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a corn tinuously operating conveyor for feeding sheets of material in turn past said instrumentality, means positioned in the path of feed of the sheets for locating successivel the forward ends of the sheets relatively to the operating instrumentality, and means for moving a sheet from the conveyor into position to be operated upon by said instrumentality.

25. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, means for feeding sheets of material pastsaid instrumentality, means for successively locating each sheet in turn in operative position laterally of the operating means, and means for moving the sheets from the feeding means into the plane of operation of said instrumentality.

26. In a machine for operating upon slice material, an operating instrumentala continuously operating conveyor for feeding sheets of material successively past said instrumentality, stop normally positioned in the line of feed of the sheets for locating successively the forward ends of the sheets relatively to the operating means, meansfor moving a sheet from the conveyor into position to be operated upon by the instrumentality and for returning it to the conveyor after an operation has been performed thereon, and means for moving the stop in a direction opposite to the feeding movement While the sheet is disengaged from the conveyor thereby to render the stop inoperative.

27. in a machine for operating upon sheet material, a Work support, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheet material above and across the Work support, a member normally disposed in the path of movement of the material for arresting the advance thereof, means for causing relative movement of the Work support and conveyor to remove the material from the conveyor and to returnthe material to the conveyor, and means rendering the member inoperative for further arresting the advance of the material. V i

28. In a machine for operating upon sheet mate -al, a work support, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheet material above and across the Work support, a yieldahle stop disposed in the path of movement of the material for arresting the ad- Vance tiereof, means for causing relative movement of the Work support and conveyor to remove the material from the conveyor and return it to the conveyor, and means 0perahle While the material is removed from the conveyor for moving the stop in a direction opposed to the direction of advance of the material to render the stop inoperative.

29. In machine for operating upon sheet material, means for feeding sheet material, means for arresting the feed of the material in predetermined positions comprising a plu rallty of stops normally extending into the path of feed of the material, means for moving the material out of engagement With the stops, and means for moving the stops in the path of feed of the material While the material is disengaged therefrom for efiecting advance of the material from one stop to another.

30. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, means for feeding the material, a plurality of stops normally extending into the path. of feed of the material and mounted for movement out of the path of feed, means for advancing the material successively from one stop to another, means for moving the material out of and back into the path of feed, and means for rendering one of the stops inoperative upon return of the material into the path of feed.

31. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, a continuously operating conveyor for feeding sheet material, a series of pivotally mounted stops normally extending into the path of feed of the material for successively arresting the advance of the material, and means co-operating with the feeding means for feeding sheet materialpast said instrumentality, and a gage comprising arotatably mounted bar and a plurality ofseries of spaced stops carried by the bar, the construction and arrangement being such that each of the series of stops can be positioned selectively in the path of feed of the material.

33. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheets of material past said instrumentality, a detector plate for determining the presence of a sheet in proximity tothe instrumentality, a stop finger, and means responsive to operations of the detector plate for moving the stop finger into and out of the path of advance of the sheets.

34. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheets of material past said instrumenta'lity, means for determining the presence of a sheet of material in proximity to said instrumentality, a stop finger, and means for moving the stop finger into the path of advance of the material when a sheet is located in proximity to the instrumentality in order to arrest the advance of a succeeding sheet of material. g

35. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheets of material past saidinstrumentality, a stop finger, and means for moving the stop finger into the path'of advance of the material operable when a sheet is located in proximity to the said instrumentality in order to arrest the advance of a succeeding sheet of material.

36. In a machine'for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a continuously operating conveyor for advancing sheets of material past said instrumentality, means for determining the presence of a sheet in proximity to the instrumentality, and means responsive to the first-mentioned means for arresting the advance of a succeeding sheet of material until an operation has been completed upon the first sheet.

37. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a. continuously operating conveyor'for advancing sheets of material past said instrumentality, means for'removing a sheet from the conveyor and for presenting it to the instrumentality, a stop finger, and means for engaging with a sheet when it is'presented to the instrumentality operable to'efiect movement of the stop finger into the path of movement of the material to arrest the'advance of a succeeding sheet of material.

88. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality,-a conveyor for advancing sheets of material past the i'nstrumentality, means for determining the "presence of a sheet in proximitytotheinst'rumenta'lity, a member normallybp'erable forarresting the advanceof a sheet toward the instrumentality', and means responsive to the first-mentioned means for renderingsaid member inoperative. V

39. In a machine for operating-upon sheet material, an'ope'rating instr'umentality, a'con- 'tinuously operating conveyor for advancing the materia'l past the instrumentality,means operative intermittently to arrest; thread .va'n'cingimovement of the material success'ively to locate itin different positions longitudi'nally of the operatingmeans, and-means for moving the materialon thelc'onveyor transversely of the operating meansiwhile the material is being fed;

401 In a machine for operating upon sheet material," an. operating'instrumentality, a

continuously operating conveyor for advancing material past said instrumentality, intermittently operated means for removing the material from the conveyor thereby to interrupt the advance of the material, and means operable in timed relation to movements of the intermittently operated means for aligning the material transversely of the conveyor.

41. In a machine for operating upon sheet material, an operating instrumentality, a

continuously operating conveyor for advancing material past said instrumentality, a

gage mounted independently of the conveyor for locating the materialtransversely of the conveyor, and means operable intermittently yieldingly to move the material toward the gage as the material is being advanced.

42. In a machine for operating upon sheets of material-which are temporarily secured to cutting boards by means of clamps, a contmuously operating conveyor for advancing the material, and means for engaging the clamps to locate the material transversely of the conveyor.

43. In a machine for operating upon sheet material which is temporarily secured to a cutting board by means of clamps, a conveyor for advancing the material, and intermittently operated means constructed and ariv ranged to engage the clamps and to move the clamps and the material transversely of the conveyor.

44. In a machine for operating upon sheet a material which is temporarily secured to a cutting board by means of clamps, an op-- erating instrumentality, a conveyor for advancing the material past the instrumentality, and means for releasing the clamps from v the material. I

' 45. In a machine for operating upon sheet material which is temporarilysecured to a cutting board by means of clamps, means for advancing the material from one end of the machine toward the other, means for releasing the clamps from the material and cutting board, and means for returning the released clamps to the first-mentioned end of the machine.

46. In a machine for operating upon sheet material which is temporarily secured to a cutting board by clamps, a conveyor for feeding the material, and means constructed and arranged for engaging the clamps to guide the material as it is placed upon the conveyor. 47. In a machine for operating upon sheet material which is temporarily secured to a cutting board by clamps, means for feeding the material, a member constructed and arranged'to engage the clamps for locating the material transversely of the machine, and means for guiding the clamps toward said member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERASTUS E. VVINKLEY.