Corner sheared blank conveying apparatus and method

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: opening said first upper blade from said first lower blade; horizontally returning said conveyor portion to said first position; unclamping said sheet; and moving still another portion of said sheet over said first lower shear blade and over said conveyor portion.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3 and further comprising the steps of: opening said first and second upper blades from said first and second lower blades, respectively; horizontally returning said conveyor portion to said first position; unclamping said sheet; and moving still another portion of said sheet over said first and second lower shear blades and over said conveyor portion.

Claim 7

In shearing apparatus having a first upper blade and a first lower blade, said blades being closable to shear a blank from a sheet disposed therebetween, and a conveyor adjacent said lower blade to receive a portion of said sheet thereon and to move the sheared blank away therefrom, the improvement comprising: means coupled to said conveyor and to at least one of said shear blades and operable, when actuated, to move a portion of said conveyor in a direction generally parallel to motion of one of said blades, from a normal sheet supporting first position, to a second position clearing both of said blades when closed; said conveyor including upper conveyor surface means substantially co-planar with an upper edge of said lower blade when said conveyor is in its said first position; a portion of said conveyor upper surface means being disposed under said first upper blade when said conveyor is in said first position and when said conveyor is in said second position; and shifting means coupled to said conveyor and to said lower shear blade to move said conveyor away from said lower blade and open a scrap slot.

Claim 8

In shearing apparatus having a first upper blade and a first lower blade, said blades being closable to shear a blank from a sheet disposed therebetween, and a conveyor adjacent said lower blade to receive a portion of said sheet thereon and to move the sheared blank away therefrom, the improvement comprising: means coupled to said conveyor and to at least one of said shear blades and operable, when actuated, to move a portion of said conveyor in a direction generally parallel to motion of one of said blades, from a normal sheet supporting first position, to a second position clearing both of said blades when closed; said conveyor including upper conveyor surface means substantially co-planar with an upper edge of said lower blade when said conveyor is in its said first position; a portion of said conveyor upper surface means being disposed under said first upper blade when said conveyor is in said first position and when said conveyor is in said second position; and shifting means coupled to said conveyor and to said lower shear blade to move said conveyor away from said lower blade and open a scrap slot.

Claim 9

In shearing apparatus having a first upper blade and a first lower blade, said blades being closable to shear a blank from a sheet disposed therebetween, and a conveyor adjacent said lower blade to receive a portion of said sheet thereon and to move the sheared blank away therefrom, the improvement comprising: means coupled to said conveyor and to at least one of said shear blades and operable, when actuated, to move a portion of said conveyor in a direction generally parallel to motion of one of said blades, from a normal sheet supporting first position, to a second position clearing both of said blades when closed; said conveyor including upper conveying surface means substantially co-planar with an upper edge of said lower blade when said conveyor is in its said first position; a second upper blade and a second lower blade, said second blades being disposed at an angle with respect to said first blades, the second upper blade being closable with said second lower blade to shear a sheet therebetween along a line intersecting the line along which said first blades shear, to thereby shear a corner in said sheet, said conveyor being adjacent both of said lower blades and inside a corner formed by said lower blades; said lower blades being secured to a base said conveyor including a pivotable coupling to said base; fluid operated drive means being coupled to said base and to said conveyor; control means associated with said upper blades and responsive to movement thereof to actuate said fluid operated drive means; a conveyor carriage mounted on said base, said conveyor being mounted to said carriage; said fluid operated drive means being coupled to said conveyor through a link, and coupled to said base through said carriage, said drive means including a first cylinder mounted to said carriage, a rocker shaft mounted to said carriage, bell crank means on said rocker shaft and having an arm connected to the piston rod of said cylinder and another arm connected to said link, said cylinder being operable, when actuated, to rock said arms about said shaft and thereby rock said conveyor portion about said pivotable coupling; said carriage being mounted to said base on linear guide means disposed at an angle with respect to said first and second lower shear blades, to facilitate movement of said conveyor away from said firsT and second lower shear blades on an angle to open scrap slots; and second cylinder means coupled between said base and said carriage and disposed parallel to said guide means and operable to move said carriage on said angle to open and close said scrap slots.

Claim 10

In shearing apparatus having a first upper blade and a first lower blade, said blades being closable to shear a blank from a sheet disposed therebetween, and a conveyor adjacent said lower blade to receive a portion of said sheet thereon and to move the sheared blank away therefrom, the improvement comprising: means coupled to said conveyor and to at least one of said shear blades and operable, when actuated, to move a portion of said conveyor in a direction generally parallel to motion of one of said blades, from a normal sheet supporting first position, to a second position clearing both of said blades when closed; said conveyor including upper conveying surface means substantially co-planar with an upper edge of said lower blade when said conveyor is in its said first position; a second upper blade and a second lower blade, said second blades being disposed at an angle with respect to said first blades, the second upper blade being closable with said second lower blade to shear a sheet therebetween along a line intersecting the line along which said first blades shear, to thereby shear a corner in said sheet, said conveyor being adjacent both of said lower blades and inside a corner formed by said lower blades; said lower blades being secured to a base said conveyor including a pivotable coupling to said base; fluid operated drive means being coupled to said base and to said conveyor; control means associated with said upper blades and responsive to movement thereof to actuate said fluid operated drive means; a conveyor carriage mounted on said base, said conveyor being mounted to said carriage; said fluid operated drive means being coupled to said conveyor through a link, and coupled to said base through said carriage, said drive means including a first cylinder mounted to said carriage, a rocker shaft mounted to said carriage, bell crank means on said rocker shaft and having an arm connected to the piston rod of said cylinder and another arm connected to said link, said cylinder being operable, when actuated, to rock said arms about said shaft and thereby rock said conveyor portion about said pivotable coupling; said carriage being mounted to said base on linear guide means disposed at an angle with respect to said first and second lower shear blades, to facilitate movement of said conveyor away from said firsT and second lower shear blades on an angle to open scrap slots; and second cylinder means coupled between said base and said carriage and disposed parallel to said guide means and operable to move said carriage on said angle to open and close said scrap slots.