Die set for cutting I-beam

A method of severing an I-beam comprising impinging the beam between first and second dies, the first die having supporting edges located to engage one side of the I-beam web and the underfaces of the I-beam flanges, and the second die movable with respect to said first die and having leading and trailing cutting portions offset from each other along the direction of movement so as to comprise leading and trailing edges engaging the other side of the web and the upper faces of the flanges and in which movement the second die is reciprocated across the I-beam at an acute angle to the plane of the I-beam web and the second die is configured to engage the I-beam substantially simultaneously at three points, the points being the edge of each flange first encountered by the second die and the web at a location approximately midway between the flanges.

A die set for use in combination with a press or the like for severing structural sections of predetermined configuration having a web and having a flange extending transversely to the web fixed on each edge of the web, the die set comprising a frame defining a guide slot directed transversely of the section and at an acute angle to the plane of the web;

• a movable cutting blade reciprocable in the slot through a cutting stroke having a cutting edge movable across the section to sever the section;
• and fixed blade support means underlying the web and flanges in position to support the section against the thrust of the movable blade;
• the said cutting edge having two cutting portions offset from each other in the direction of movement of the blade each adapted to sever respective parts of the section, the cutting portions each extending approximately at a right angle to the direction of movement of the blade, and one portion being in advance of the other portion so that the said one portion engages the web and one flange of the section substantially at the same time the other portion engages the other flange during the cutting stroke.

A cutting blade adapted for cutting off wide flange I-beams during a cutting stroke directed substantially at a right angle to the axis of the I-beam and at an acute angle to the plane of the web of the I-beam, the blade having a stepped cutting edge with a leading cutting edge portion adapted to engage the I-beam substantially simultaneously at the edge of one flange and adjacent to the center of the web, and with a trailing cutting edge portion offset from the leading cutting edge along the direction of the stroke and adapted to engage of the other flange substantially simultaneously with the engagement of the leading portion with the I-beam.

A cutting blade adapted for cutting off wide flange I-beams during a cutting stroke directed substantially at a right angle to the axis of the I-beam and at an acute angle to the plane of the web of the I-beam, the blade having a stepped cutting edge with a leading cutting edge portion adapted to engage the I-beam substantially simultaneously at the edge of one flange and adjacent to the center of the web, and with a trailing cutting edge portion offset from the leading cutting edge along the direction of the cutting stroke and adapted to engage the edge of the other flange substantially simultaneously with the engagement of the leading portion with the I-beam, the cutting edge portions each extending approximately perpendicularly to the direction of the cutting stroke and being connected by an edge extending generally in the direction of the stroke but having clearance from the cut made by the leading cutting edge portion.