Method for cutting stacks of sheet material

A method for transversely and longitudinally cutting a relatively large rectangularly shaped starting stack of sheet material into a plurality of smaller finished partial stacks, using a cutting machine having a single cutting blade, comprising:

• providing at least one table portion of the cutting machine having an upper support surface configured to facilitate sliding both the starting stack and the finished partial stacks on and across the upper surface of the table portion;
• operatively supporting the cutting blade generally above and across the upper support surface of the table portion along a cutting plane;
• positioning a starting stack of sheet material on the upper support surface of the table portion of the cutting machine;
• providing a first pushing tool at a location operatively adjacent to the table portion of the cutting machine, and being configured to abuttingly engage at least a first side of either the starting stack and/or the finished partial stacks, and slidingly move the same forwardly along a straight line across the upper surface of the table portion in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to the cutting plane;
• pushing the starting stack forwardly in said first direction slidingly across the upper support surface of the table portion to a position directly under the cutting blade portion of the cutting machine using the first pushing tool;
• separating the starting stack into first and second partial stacks using the cutting blade;
• providing a second pushing tool at a location operatively adjacent to the table portion of the cutting machine, and being configured to abuttingly engage at least a second side of the first and second partial stacks, which second side is oriented generally opposite to the first side of the starting stack, and slidingly move the first and second partial stacks along a straight line across the upper support surface of the table portion in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the cutting plane and is opposite to the first direction;
• pushing the first and second partial stacks on the upper support surface of the table portion slidingly rearwardly back under and past the cutting blade using the second pushing tool;
• aligning the first and second partial stacks on the table to create a rectangular full stack disposed in a first full stack orientation on the upper support surface of the table portion of the cutting machine;
• rotating the rectangular full stack in a generally horizontal plane a predetermined amount to a second full stack orientation on the upper support surface of the table portion that is perpendicular to the first full stack orientation;
• after said rotating step, pushing the rectangular full stack on the upper support surface of the table portion slidingly forwardly under the cutting blade at least once using the first pushing tool;
• separating the rectangular full stack into a plurality of finished partial stacks using the cutting blade;
• providing a receiving table disposed adjacent to an associated side of the cutting machine;
• transferring the plurality of finished partial stacks onto the receiving table;
• and
• aligning the plurality of finished partial stacks on the receiving table to create a rectangular full finished stack.