Bar end dropper for forging machines or the like

A machine for performing operations on elongated lengths of stock comprising operator means at an operating location normally operable to perform repeated operations on said stock as said stock moves to said operating location, feed means operable to feed lengths of stock to said operating location, and sensing and measuring means operable to sense the movement of the end of a length of stock past a control point and to measure the length of stock which moves past said control point after the passage of said end, said sensing and measuring means being connected to modify the operation of said operator means when the length of stock passing said control point after said end is equal to a first length less than the spacing between said control point and operating location and to reestablish normal operation of said operating means after the length of stock passing said control point after passage of said end is equal to a second predetermined length greater than the spacing between said control point and said operating location.

A machine for cutting pieces of stock from an elongated length of stock and for performing operations on said pieces comprising a cutter repeatedly operable to cut pieces of stock from lengths of stock moved to said cutter, clamping means for holding the cut-off pieces of stock, feed means for feeding lengths of stock to said cutter, a sensor at a control point operable to sense the passage of the end of a length of stock, measuring means operable to measure the length of stock moved towards said cutter, said sensor initiating operation of said measuring means when the end of a length of stock passes said control point, said measuring means modifying the operation of said clamping means after it measures the movement of a predetermined length of stock less than the distance between said control point and said cutter and restoring the operation of said clamping means after it measures the movement of a second length of stock having a length greater than the spacing between said control point and said cutter.

A forging machine comprising a die breast, a slide reciprocable toward and away from said die breast, cooperating tools and dies carried by said breast and slide operable to form work pieces, cutter means, stock feed means operable to feed elongated pieces of stock to said cutter in timed relationship to the operation of said slide, said cutter operating in timed relationship to the operation of said slide to cut work pieces from said stock for forming by said tools and dies, and sensing means at a control point operable to determine the movement of an end of a length of stock past said control point and to modify the operation of said cutter to reject work pieces as an end approaches said cutter, said sensing means providing support operable to normally maintain stock in one position and to allow lateral movement thereof to another position when an end portion passes said control point, and a sensor member engaging said stock and being maintained in a first position when the stock is in said one position and moving to a second position when said stock moves to said another position, said sensing means generating a signal when said sensor member moves between said first and second positions.