Automatic feed mechanism for a press

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED FEED MECHANISM FOR A PRESS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND COAXIALLY ALIGNED DIES AND A PRIME MOVER FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCAL COAXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST DIE RELATIVE TO THE SECOND DIE IN REPEATING PRESS CYCLES WITH EACH CYCLE INCLUDING DIE WORKING AND DIE RETRACTED POSITIONS OF SAID FIRST DIE, SAID FEED MECHANISM COMPRISING A SLIDE FINGER MECHANISM ADAPTED TO BE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PRESS FOR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT ALONG A PATH TRANSVERSELY OF AND INCLUDING THE AXIS DEFINED BY SAID COAXAILLY ALIGNED DIES, AND POWER TAKEOFF MEANS CONNECTING SAID PRIME MOVER AND SAID SLIDE FINGER MECHANISM IN SUCH A RELATIONSHIP FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT TO SAID SLIDE FINGER MECHANISM ALONG SAID TRANSVERSE PATH BETWEEN EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY CORRESPONDING WITH THE RETRACTED AND WORKING POSITIONS OF SAID FIRST DIE, SAID SLIDE FINGER MECHANISM INCLUDING WORKPIECE RECEIVING AND DISPENSING MEANS FOR RECEIVING A WORKPIECE WHEN IN SAID RETRACTED POSITION AND DISPENSING SAID WORKPIECE ON SAID SECOND DIE WHEN IN SAID EXTENDED POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: WORKPIECE SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING WHETHER A WORKPIECE IS RECEIVED BY SAID RECEIVING AND DISPENSING MEANS AND OPERATIVE TO DEVELOP OUTPUT SIGNALS IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH, AND PRESS CONTROL CIRCUIT MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID OUTPUT SIGNALS FOR STOPPING PRESS OPERATION UPON THE ABSENCE OF AS SAID WORKPIECE IN SAID RECEIVING AND DISPENSING MEANS.