Severing apparatus having transfer means operable to engage the leading end of the workpiece before severance

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES TO A FABRICATING MA CHINE, THE ARTICLES BEING PRESENTED TO SAID APPARATUS AS A CONTINUOUS STRIP COMPRISING SUCH ARTICLES CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, AND SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP ENTIRELY SPACED FROM SAID FABRICATING MACHINE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, (A) CONTINUOUS STRIP GUIDING AND FEEDING MEANS HAVING A DELIVERY END AND OPERABLE TO GUIDE AND FEED ARTICLES COMPRISING SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP TOWARD AND PAST SUCH DELIVERY END AT A PREDETERMINED RATE AND WITH A STOP-AND-GO MOTION, (B) MOVABLE SUPPORT MEANS POSITIONED PROXIMATE TO SAID DELIVERY END AND OPERABLE TO SUPPORT THE LEADING ARTICLE OF SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP WHEN SUCH LEADING ARTICLE IS MOVED BY SAID FEEDING MEANS PAST SAID DELIVERY END, (C) TRANSFER MEANS HAVING VACUM-PRODUCING MEANS CONNECTED THERETO AND OPERABLE FIRST TO MOVE TO A POSITION PROXIMATE TO SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT MEANS TO RETAIN BY SUCTION THE LEADING ARTICLE OF SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP AS SUPPORTED ON SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT MEANS, (D) SEVERING MEANS MOVABLE TO POSITION ADJACENT TO SAID DELIVERY END TO SEVER FROM SAID CONTINUOUS STRIP THE LEADING ARTICLE AS RETAINED BY SAID TRANSFER MEANS, (E) SAID TRANSFER MEANS THEN OPERABLE TO MOVE TOWARD SAID FABRICATING MACHINE FIRST TO FORCE SAID MOVABLE SUPPORT MEANS FROM ITS PATH OF MOVEMENT AND THEN TO DELIVER IN PROPER ORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FABRICATING MACHINE THE NOW-SEVERED ARTICLE, AND (F) ACTUATING MEANS FOR ACTUATING IN THE FOREGOING WORK SEQUENCE SAID GUIDING AND FEEDING MEANS, SAID TRANSFER MEANS, AND SAID SEVERING MEANS.