Cutter and belt type conveyor for wire segments

Abstract

A belt type conveyor is provided for conveying segments of wire cut from a continuous strand by a cutting machine to other wire processing machines, such as terminal attachment machines or the like. The conveyor comprises a pair of endless flexible belts supported one above the other by pulleys and guide rails so that the upper flight in the lower belt closely confronts the lower flight in the upper belt whereby wire segments entrapped between the flights are movable along the path of travel of the confronting flights. Each wire segment is disposed so that its axis is perpendicular to the path of travel of the flights and the ends of the segment extend beyond the sides of the flights so as to be accessible to the processing machines. A drive mechanism drives the confronting flights in steps or increments in the same direction and at the same speed. The belts and guide rails are constructed so that the confronting flights are biased toward each other to ensure a firm grip on the wire segments. A mechanism is provided to periodically separate the infeed ends of the confronting flights to enable insertion of a wire segment therebetween.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.