Safety-shutoff device for a manually fed processing machine

An intrusion detection system for altering the operation of an associated machine when an appropriate intrusion is detected, the system comprising:

• an alligator shear processing machine having a shear blade for shearing a feed material thereby creating a potential pinch point;
• a first detector to detect the presence of a first distinguishing property and selectively produce an intrusion signal when the first distinguishing property associated with an object is within a danger zone approximate the pinch point of the alligator shear processing machine, wherein alligator shear processing machine components approximate the pinch point and a feed material regularly coming into contact with the machine at the pinch point both do not exhibit the first distinguishing property;
• and
• a controller, operatively coupled to the intrusion detector to receive intrusion signals and operatively coupled to the processing machine to relay an operational signal for controlling the operation of the processing machine, wherein the controller generates a corrective action signal directed toward the processing machine when intrusion signals are received from the intrusion detector.