Cutting and transporting a sheet workpiece

An apparatus for cutting sheets from an elongated workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• supply means for feeding a leading end of the workpiece in an input direction on an upper horizontal input plane to an input station;
• means for cutting the workpiece transversely of the input direction immediately upstream in the input direction from the input station;
• an output conveyor defining a lower horizontal output plane below the upper input plane in an output station below the input station, the output conveyor being effective in an output direction transverse to the input direction;
• upper and lower grippers engageable in a closed position with the workpiece in the upper station and displaceable into the lower station,
• control means connected to the supply means, cutting means, output conveyor, and grippers for sequentially:
• a) closing the grippers on the workpiece leading end in the upper station;
• b) cutting off the leading end of the workpiece to leave a sheet held in the grippers;
• c) displacing the grippers holding the sheet downward and in the output direction to align the sheet with the output plane and pass the sheet to the output conveyor;
• d) opening the grippers and releasing the cut-off sheet to the output conveyor for displacement of the sheet away in the output direction;
• e) displacing the upper gripper downstream in the output direction until it is out from underneath the input station;
• f) displacing the upper gripper upward to immediately above the upper plane and displacing the lower gripper upward to immediately below the upper plane;
• g) displacing the upper gripper upstream in the output direction until it is above the input station and displacing the lower gripper downstream in the output direction until it is underneath the input station;
• and
• h) during steps c) and d) advancing the leading end of the workpiece on the input plane into the input station, whereby steps a) through h) can be repeated.