Workpiece feed/clamp apparatus and cutting machine

A workpiece feed/clamp apparatus that is used in a cutting machine for cutting a cut position of a workpiece set at a cut position on a feed direction, the feed/clamp apparatus being configured to feed the workpiece in the feed direction and then to fix the workpiece on a base of the cutting machine so as to restrict a product cut out from the workpiece against movement, the apparatus comprising:

• an upstream main vise mechanism that is provided just on an upstream side of the cutting position and includes a pair of upstream main vise jaws that face each other in a width direction perpendicular to the feed direction and clamp the workpiece, a hydraulic upstream main vise moving cylinder that moves a first of the upstream vise jaws in the width direction, and a hydraulic upstream main vise shifting cylinder that shifts a second of the upstream main vise jaws in the width direction;
• a downstream main vise mechanism that is provided just on a downstream side of the cutting position and includes a pair of downstream main vise jaws that face each other in the width direction and clamp a portion correspondent to a product in the workpiece, a hydraulic downstream main moving cylinder that moves a first of the downstream main vise jaws in the width direction, and a hydraulic downstream main shifting cylinder that shifts a second of the downstream main vise jaws in the width direction;
• and
• a hydraulic control unit comprising hydraulic control valves configured to drive the hydraulic upstream main vise moving cylinder, the hydraulic upstream main vise shifting cylinder, the hydraulic downstream main moving cylinder, and the hydraulic downstream main shifting cylinder, such that:
• a thrust force of the hydraulic downstream main shifting cylinder toward one side in the width direction is made equal to a thrust force of the hydraulic downstream main moving cylinder toward another side in the width direction,
• a position in the width direction where a vise surface of the second of the feed vise jaws is located when the hydraulic upstream main vise shifting cylinder reaches a stroke end on an extended side thereof serves as a vise reference position, and
• the feed/clamp apparatus is configured so that, if a leading end portion of the workpiece curves, the vise surface of the second of the downstream main vise jaws is located at the one side or the other side of the vise reference position in the width direction according to a curvature of the leading end portion of the workpiece when the portion correspondent to the product in the workpiece is clamped by cooperation of the pair of downstream main vise jaws.