Adjustable magnetic idle station transport mechanism

An idle station transport mechanism for a press, comprising:

• a first plurality of electro-magnetic transport rails;
• a second plurality of electro-magnetic transport rails automatically axially displaceable with respect to said first plurality of transport rails while disposed in said press;
• and,
• a plurality of electro-magnetic transfer bars arranged to magnetically engage a bottom side of said material and displaceable to move said material axially along said transport path, wherein said first and second pluralities of rails are arranged to magnetically engage said material and form a transport path along which material to be manipulated by said press is arranged to be transported.

A method of transporting material to a press, comprising the steps of:

• axially displacing a first plurality of transport rails with respect to a second plurality of transport rails;
• magnetically engaging a bottom side of a piece of material with a plurality of transfer bars;
• axially displacing said transfer bars;
• depositing said piece of material on a portion of said first and second pluralities of transport rails;
• and,
• magnetically engaging said piece of material with said portion.

A method of transporting material to a press, comprising the steps of:

• automatically axially displacing a first plurality of transport rails with respect to a second plurality of transport rails while said first plurality of transport rails is disposed in said press;
• magnetically engaging a bottom side of a piece of material with a plurality of transfer bars;
• axially displacing said transfer bars;
• depositing said piece of material on a portion of said first and second pluralities of transport rails;
• magnetically engaging said piece of material with said portion;
• and,
• magnetically disengaging said piece of material and said plurality of transfer bars when magnetically engaging said piece of material with said portion.