US3877332A — Automatic shearing method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: gripping a portion of a member to be sheared; moving the gripped portion toward a pair of power operated shears and stopping movement at a location of the gripped portion remote from said shears, thereby placing another portion of the member in position for shearing by said shears; and shearing said member on intersecting lines while holding said member in one position, beginning the shearing at one edge of the member and conTinuing along one of said lines to a point of intersection of the lines, and continuing the shearing from said point along the other of said lines to another edge of said member, thereby removing a corner blank from said member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: gripping a portion of a member to be sheared; moving the gripped portion toward a pair of power operated shears and stopping movement at a location of the gripped portion remote from said shears, thereby placing another portion of the member in position for shearing by said shears; and shearing said member on intersecting lines while holding said member in one position, beginning the shearing at one edge of the member and conTinuing along one of said lines to a point of intersection of the lines, and continuing the shearing from said point along the other of said lines to another edge of said member, thereby removing a corner blank from said member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 87 words

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: moving the gripped portion toward the shears in a sequence of steps, and shearing said member on intersecting lines at each step in the sequence, thereby shearing another corner blank from said member at each step in the sequence, to remove from said member successive blanks of finished size; pre-programming the sequence of steps to remove blanks of various desired sizes; and power driving the gripped portion toward the shears automatically according to the programmed sequence.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 2 and further comprising the step of: power driving two pairs of shears simultaneously and automatically during each of said steps in the sequence to thereby shear along the intersecting lines during each step.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 2 wherein: the shearing is performed along different percentages of the length of the shears at certain different steps of said sequence to remove blanks of different sizes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of: producing a notch in said member by shearing a corner therefrom.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 5 and further comprising the steps of: successively moving said member and closing said shears, and thereby extending and enlarging said notch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: moving the gripped portion toward the shears in a sequence of steps, and shearing said member on intersecting lines at each step in the sequence, thereby shearing another corner blank from said member at each step in the sequence, to remove from said member successive blanks of finished size.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 7 and further comprising the steps of: depositing said blanks behind said shears.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 8 and further comprising the steps of: conveying said blanks away from the vicinity of said shears.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: clamping said member alongside both lines outside the corner during the shearing of said member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of: clamping said member in front of the shears along a second pair of intersecting lines adjacent and in front of the intersecting lines of shearing, during the shearing of said member.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 176 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of shearing on intersecting lines comprises: first contacting said one edge with the cutting edge of a movable blade of the pair of shears while supporting the member with the cutting edge of the other blade of the pair and then closing the movable blade with the other blade to commence a cut of said member at said one edge and progressively extend the cut of said member along the one of the lines to said point, and then contact the member at said point with the cutting edge of a movable blade of a second pair of shears while supporting the member with the cutting edge of the other blade of the second pair of shears and closing the movable blade of the second pair with the other blade of the second pair to commence a second cut of said member at said point and progressively extend said second cut along the other of said lines to said another edge, to sever the blank from the member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 12 wherein: the contacting and closing to cut along the one line, and the contacting and closing to cut along the other line are done during one continuous movement of the movable blades.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: gripping a member to be sheared, at first locations along a line parallel to a first pair of shears; successively partially closing on said member a first pair of power operatEd shears and then opening said first pair and then moving said member longitudinally of said first pair between said closures thereof, to shear said member along a first line of greater length than the length of said shears; and then completely closing on said member said first pair of shears, and simultaneously therewith closing on said member a second pair of shears along a line intersecting said first line, to thereupon shear from said member a blank having at least one dimension exceeding the length of said first pair of shears.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 131 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: gripping a member to be sheared, at first locations along a line parallel to a first pair of shears; successively partially closing on said member a first pair of power operatEd shears and then opening said first pair and then moving said member longitudinally of said first pair between said closures thereof, to shear said member along a first line of greater length than the length of said shears; and then completely closing on said member said first pair of shears, and simultaneously therewith closing on said member a second pair of shears along a line intersecting said first line, to thereupon shear from said member a blank having at least one dimension exceeding the length of said first pair of shears.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 14 and further comprising the step of: clamping said member adjacent said first pair of shears while gripping said member at said first locations, and while shearing said member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 15 and further comprising the step of: ungripping said member at said first location while continuing to clamp said member adjacent said first pair of shears, and regripping said member at second locations along said line, said second locations being more distant from a reference edge of said member than are said first locations with respect to said reference edge.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 15 and further comprising the step of: clamping said member adjacent said second pair of shears while shearing said member.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of clamping said member adjacent said first and second pairs of shears comprises clamping in front of said first pair of shears and in front of said second pair of shears.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 150 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: establishing a shearing step program in a shear control unit; placing a member to be sheared atop a table associated with power shears and against locating and gripping means and gripping the member with the gripping means; starting a series of member positioning and shear operating steps according to said program, causing the locating and gripping means to horizontally move to position said member and causing said shears to shear blanks from said member automatically in a variety of finished blank sizes predetermined according to said program, and for at least some of said blanks, causing the shears to shear edges square to each other in the member to sever the blank from the member whereby at least some of said blanks are corner blanks; and returning said locating and gripping means to a starting position after completion of said series.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 150 words

A method of power shearing comprising the steps of: establishing a shearing step program in a shear control unit; placing a member to be sheared atop a table associated with power shears and against locating and gripping means and gripping the member with the gripping means; starting a series of member positioning and shear operating steps according to said program, causing the locating and gripping means to horizontally move to position said member and causing said shears to shear blanks from said member automatically in a variety of finished blank sizes predetermined according to said program, and for at least some of said blanks, causing the shears to shear edges square to each other in the member to sever the blank from the member whereby at least some of said blanks are corner blanks; and returning said locating and gripping means to a starting position after completion of said series.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 19 wherein: said program is established by loading tape into a tape reader in said control unit.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 19 wherein: said program is established by manual setting of a plurality of switches.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 19 and further comprising the steps of: conveying from behind said shears, the blanks sheared from said member.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 19 wherein: the step of causing the shears to shear blanks, further comprises for each of the corner blanks, the step of shearing along first and second intersecting lines which extend to different edges of said member.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 23 wherein the step of shearing along first and second intersecting lines further comprises: shearing along the first line between one edge of the member and a point, and shearing along the second line perpendicular to the first line between the point and a different edge of the member, and avoiding shearing beyond the point on any of said lines.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method of claim 23 wherein: the step of shearing along first and second intersecting lines consists of beginning to shear along the first line at one edge of the member and continuing to shear along the first line to a point of intersection of the lines, and then shearing along the second line beginning at said point and continuing along said second line to a different edge of the member.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 23 wherein the step of shearing along first and second intersecting lines further comprises: shearing along tHe first line between one edge of the member and a point, and shearing along the second line perpendicular to the first line between a different edge of the member and the point, and avoiding shearing along said line beyond the point on the member, until the member is moved from one position to another position for shearing the next blank from the member.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 86 words

The method of claim 23 wherein: for each of the member positioning and shear operating steps for each of the corner blanks, the member is clamped in one position during the shearing along the first and second intersecting lines for the shearing of the blank from the member, and the member is moved and then clamped in another position during the shearing along the first and second intersecting lines for shearing the next blank from the member in the next member positioning and shear operating step.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 27 wherein: for the member positioning and shear operating steps for at least some of the corner blanks, the member is moved horizontally relative to both of said intersecting lines during the movement from said one position to said another position.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 27 wherein: for each of the member positioning and shear operating steps for each of the corner blanks, clamping force is applied to the member adjacent both the first and second intersecting lines, outside the corner defined by the intersection of said lines, and the blank is separated from the clamped member without unclamping.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 29 wherein: the separated blanks are deposited and conveyed away from within the corner defined by the intersection of said lines, behind the shears.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 19 wherein: the step of causing the shears to shear edges square to each other in the member for each blank of said at least some of the blanks, is performed while said member is held in one position during the shearing of the blank from the member.

Claim 35

Independent Claim 193 words

A method of power shearing sheet or plate material to shear it into finished pieces of various desired final dimensions, the method comprising the steps of: operating gripping means so as to grip a portion of a member to be sheared; power moving the gripping means in discreate steps of predetermined different amounts of mmovement for certain ones of said steps so as to move the gripped portion towards two pairs of power operated shears having blades which extend along two intersecting lines, and for each step, stopping movement of the gripping means with the gripped portion at a position remote from the blades, so as to place another portion of the member in position for shearing by the blades; and for each step, power shearing the member substantially on the intersecting lines by power shearing along one line and along the other line, so as to remove a finished corner piece of final dimensions from the member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion and behind the blades; whereby certain ones of said corner pieces are removed with dimensions different from others in accordance with said different amounts of movement.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 193 words

A method of power shearing sheet or plate material to shear it into finished pieces of various desired final dimensions, the method comprising the steps of: operating gripping means so as to grip a portion of a member to be sheared; power moving the gripping means in discreate steps of predetermined different amounts of mmovement for certain ones of said steps so as to move the gripped portion towards two pairs of power operated shears having blades which extend along two intersecting lines, and for each step, stopping movement of the gripping means with the gripped portion at a position remote from the blades, so as to place another portion of the member in position for shearing by the blades; and for each step, power shearing the member substantially on the intersecting lines by power shearing along one line and along the other line, so as to remove a finished corner piece of final dimensions from the member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion and behind the blades; whereby certain ones of said corner pieces are removed with dimensions different from others in accordance with said different amounts of movement.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method according to claim 32 wherein: the predetermined different amounts are predetermined by applying tangible programming means to a controller and controlling said power moving of the gripping means by the controller according to the programming means.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 32 wherein: the shearing performed at said certain ones of said steps is performed along different percentages of the lengths of said blades in accordance with said different amounts of movement affected by said power moving of said gripping means.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 32 wherein certain ones of the steps of power moving are further characterized by: power moving the gripping means and thereby the member in directions having components in directions generally parallel to said intersecting lines.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 86 words

The method of claim 35 wherein: the shearing performed at said certain ones of said steps is performed along different percentages of the lengths of said blades in accordance with said different amounts of movement affected by said power moving of said gripping means, said shearing along blades of said one pair extending up to 56 inches at 100% of the length of the blades of the one pair, and up to 50 inches at 100% of the length of the blades of the other pair.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 178 words

A method of power shearing sheet or plate material comprising the steps of: operating gripping means so as to grip a portion of a member to be sheared; power moving the gripping means so as to move the gripped portion towards two pairs of power operated shears having blades which extend along two intersecting lines, and stopping movement of the gripping means with the gripped portion at a position remote from the blades, so as to place another portion of the member in position for shearing by the blades; and shearing the member substantially on the intersecting lines while holding the member in one position, by shearing along one line and along the other line, so as to remove a corner piece from the member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion and behind the blades, the shearing begining at one edge of the member and continuing along one of the intersecting lines to the point of intersection, the shearing being continued from the said point along the other line to another edge of the member.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 178 words

A method of power shearing sheet or plate material comprising the steps of: operating gripping means so as to grip a portion of a member to be sheared; power moving the gripping means so as to move the gripped portion towards two pairs of power operated shears having blades which extend along two intersecting lines, and stopping movement of the gripping means with the gripped portion at a position remote from the blades, so as to place another portion of the member in position for shearing by the blades; and shearing the member substantially on the intersecting lines while holding the member in one position, by shearing along one line and along the other line, so as to remove a corner piece from the member at a location thereon remote from the gripped portion and behind the blades, the shearing begining at one edge of the member and continuing along one of the intersecting lines to the point of intersection, the shearing being continued from the said point along the other line to another edge of the member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-04-14	1978-10-14	1979-04-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-04-14	1982-10-14	1983-04-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-04-14	1986-10-14	1987-04-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic shearing method

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