Stopping apparatus and stop-cancelling method

A stop-canceling method for causing a stopping apparatus to abut against a work being conveyed to stop the work and then canceling a stop of the work, the stopping apparatus comprising a swing unit including a work abutment portion that abuts against the work being conveyed at a predetermined stop position to stop conveyance of the work, the swing unit being pivotable about a first pivot shaft on a downstream side of the predetermined stop position in a convey direction of the work between an abutment position where the work abutment portion protrudes above a lower surface of the work and a retracted position where the work abutment portion moves below the lower surface of the work to allow passage of the work, a driving unit that pivots said swing unit, and a pivot regulating member performing pivot regulation of said swing unit, said driving unit comprising a swing unit elastic member that applies a biasing force to said swing unit in a direction to locate said swing unit to the abutment position, and an electrically driven actuator including a connecting portion connected to said swing unit and a driving portion that moves said connecting portion in a direction to pivot said swing unit to the side of the retracted position, said pivot regulating member performing pivot regulation of said swing unit by engagement with said swing unit and cancellation of the pivot regulation by moving interlockingly with an operation of said driving unit, the stop-canceling method comprises:

• a stop-canceling step of, so as to cancel the stop of the work, pivoting the swing unit located at the abutment position to the retracted position about the first pivot shaft by said electrically driven actuator, and at the same time bending the swing unit at an intermediate portion between the first pivot shaft and the work abutment portion so as to shorten a distance between the first pivot shaft and the work abutment portion along with pivoting motion of the swing unit from the abutment position to the retracted position,
• wherein in the stop-canceling step said pivot regulating member moves interlockingly with the operation of said driving unit so as to cancel the pivot regulation of said swing unit.