Pile cutting apparatus with support element

A pile cutting apparatus (01) comprising:

• at least one cutting device (13) for cutting at least one sheet pile (26), the at least one cutting device (13) including at least one movable upper blade (18) and at least one lower blade (77) having a cutting edge (81);
• at least one front bearing device (11) having a front pile bearing surface (04);
• at least one rear bearing device (68) having a rear pile bearing surface (69) configured for supporting a detached part of the at least one sheet pile (26);
• a cutting gap (76) provided between the front pile bearing surface (04) and the rear pile bearing surface (69), wherein the front pile bearing surface (04) is configured for supporting a portion of the at least one sheet pile (26) on one side of the cutting gap (76) and the rear pile bearing surface (69) is configured for supporting another portion of the at least one sheet pile (26) on an opposing side of the cutting gap (76);
• a table plane (E) containing the front pile bearing surface (04);
• and
• at least one cutting aid (23) for fixing the at least one sheet pile (26), the at least one cutting aid (23) arranged to be movable at least in a vertical direction (V), and arranged upstream from the at least one movable upper blade (18) along a transport path provided for a transport of the at least one sheet pile (26),
• wherein:
• the at least one cutting device (13) comprises at least one movable support element (78) including at least one contact surface (79) configured for supporting sheets (71) and arranged to be movable at least between a support position and at least one disposal position,
• the at least one movable support element (78), at least in the support position thereof, is arranged between the front pile bearing surface (04) and the rear pile bearing surface (69),
• the at least one contact surface (79) of the at least one movable support element (78), when the at least one movable support element (78) is arranged in the support position, is arranged in and/or beneath the table plane (E),
• the at least one contact surface (79) of the at least one movable support element (78) is arranged closer to the cutting edge (81) of the at least one lower blade (77) when the at least one movable support element (78) is arranged in the support position than when the at least one movable support element (78) is arranged in the at least one disposal position,
• the at least one cutting device (13) comprises at least one bridge element (83) which can be moved between at least one transfer position and at least one interruption position, and the at least one bridge element (83) has at least one prop surface (84),
• when the at least one bridge element (83) is arranged in the at least one transfer position, the at least one prop surface (84) thereof is located in the table plane (E) and/or has a vertical normal vector (N84) so that the at least one prop surface (84) is positioned between the front pile bearing surface (04) and the rear pile bearing surface (69), and configured to provide support to the at least one sheet pile (26) during transfer of the at least one sheet pile (26) across the cutting gap (76) between the front pile bearing surface (04) and the rear pile bearing surface (69),
• when the at least one bridge element (83) is arranged in the at least one interruption position, the at least one prop surface (84) thereof is located at least 50% outside the table plane (E) and/or has a normal vector (N84) that deviates from the vertical direction (V), and
• a surface normal (N79) of the at least one contact surface (79) of the at least one movable support element (78) forms an angle (W) with a surface normal (N84) of the at least one prop surface (84) of the at least one bridge element (83) which is between at least 30° and
• no more than 150°.