Notching and shearing machine for exterior siding panels and method of using same

An apparatus for notching and shearing continuous exterior siding to form panels, comprising:

• a carriage adapted to reciprocate in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of advance of the siding;
• means for reciprocating said substantially parallel carriage in said direction between a retracted punch position and an extended shear position, and intermediate said positions said carriage passing through an extended punch position and a retracted shear position, said retracted shear position being intermediate said extended shear position and said extended punch position;
• a punch assembly mounted on said carriage and including a die and at least one punch adapted to cooperate with said die to form at least one notch in the siding;
• means for activating said punch to cooperate with said die;
• a shear assembly mounted on said carriage downstream, in said substantially parallel direction, of said punch assembly and including a shear adapted to cut the siding into the panels at a position substantially intermediate the notch cut by said punch assembly;
• means for activating said shear to cut the siding;
• and
• control means for said reciprocating means, punch activating means and shear activating means, said control means activating said carriage reciprocating means for moving said carriage from said retracted punch position towards said extended punch position and operating said means for activating said punch at or prior to said carriage reaching said extended punch position, causing reciprocating means to have a speed less than that of the siding to allow relative movement between said carriage and the siding in said substantially parallel direction, subsequently activating said carriage reciprocating means for moving said punch from said retracted shear position to said extended shear position and operating said means for activating said shear at or prior to said carriage reaching said extended shear position to thereby cut the siding at the position substantially intermediate the notch, and thereafter operating said means for reciprocating to move said carriage from said extended shear position to said retracted punch position.