Vertical feed cut-off saw

Claim 1

IN A GRAVITY FEED CUT-OFF SAW FOR TUBE AND BAR STOCK HAVING A STOCK INDEXING DRUM ROTATABLE SUBSTANTIALLY ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, AND SAW MEANS TO CUT STOCK INTO PREDETERMINED LENGTHS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: UPPER AND LOWER BELT MEANS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ENGAGING SAID DRUM, SAID LOWER BELT MEANS COMING INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRUM AT A CIRCUMFERENTIAL POSITION BEYOND SAID POSITION AT WHICH SAID UPPER BELT MEANS MAKES ENGAGEMENT; GRAVITY FEED SLOTS LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DRUM; A STOCK SUPPORTING PLATFORM BENEATH SAID DRUM AND OVERLAPPED BY THAT DRUM PORTION NOT BELT ENGAGED; AND SAID SAW MEANS INCLUDING A SAW BLADE VERTICALLY POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID PLATFORM AND SAID LOWER BELT AND OVERLAPPED BY THE BELT ENGAGED PORTION OF SAID DRUM; AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL STOCK SUPPORTING RACK SECURED TO THE TOP SIDE OF SAID DRUM IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH; AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF STOCK; SAID RACK HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY PROJECTING PARTITIONS SPACED ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY TO DEFINE STOCK RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID DRUM AND GRAVITY FEED SLOTS; SAID DRUM AND RACK BEING INCLINED TO THE VERTICAL SUFFICIENTLY TO MAINTAIN STOCK IN TOP SIDE COMPARTMENTS; AND BELT MEANS IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL BUT SAID TOP SIDE COMPARTMENTS INCLUDING A PAIR OF PULLEYS POSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TOP SIDE COMPARTMENTS AND A BELT THREADED ON SAID PULLEYS TO PASS FROM ONE PULLEY AROUND THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID RACK, AROUND THE OTHER PULLEY AND RETURNED TO SAID FIRST MENTIONED PULLEY, SAID BELT AND SAID RACK MOVING IN UNISON TO RETAIN WORKSTOCK THEREIN WHEREBY SAID TOP SIDE COMPARTMENTS ARE FREELY ACCESSIBLE FOR SIDE LOADING OF STOCK IN SAID RACK, AND WHEREBY STOCK PLACED IN SAID TOP SIDE COMPARTMENTS IS GRAVITY FED INTO SAID DRUM SLOTS ONTO SAID PLATFORM WHEN SAID STOCK IS INDEXED TO THE BELT FREE PORTION OF SAID DRUM, SAID STOCK THEREAFTER BEING INDEXED BETWEEN SAID BELTS AND SAID DRUM INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SAW BLADE, THE RANDOM LENGTH TAIL ENDS OF SAID STOCK, OF LENGTHS EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE DISTANCE OF SAID PLATFORM TO THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID UPPER BELT, DROPPING FREE FROM SAID DRUM BETWEEN SAID DRUM ENGAGING POSITIONS OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER BELT MEANS.