US2181401A - Switching of metal stock and the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, '1939. c, HAWTHORNE 2,181401 SWITCHING 0F METAL STOCK AND THE LIKE Filed July 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l 3! INVENTOR CHARLES w HAWTHORNE MZM/ A'r TOR [YE Y Nov. 28, 1939. c. w. HAWTHORNE 2.181.401

SWITCHING 0F METAL STOCK AND THE LIKE Filed July 27, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 2 3 E N m m v P INVENTOR CHARLES WHAWZHORNE A T ToRA EY swrrnme 0F METAL STOCK AND THE LIKE FiledJuly 27, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 H94 H95 F296 F297 [NI/EN TOR CHARLES w. HAWTHORNE BY ATTORNEY NOV. 28, 1 939. c w HAWTHQRNE 2,181,401

SWITCHING 0F METAL STOCK AND THE LIKE Filed July 27, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 j W/HW 1N VE N T OR CIMKLES w HAWTHORNE ATToRN Y Nov. 28, 1939. v a HAwTHbRNz 2,181,401-

SWITCHING OF METAL STOCK AND THE LIKE Filed July 27, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 5- I. I r/ I 44/ [NVENTOR Q Q CHAR w. HAWTHORIVE r i BY 7 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 28, 1939 "UNITE-D A -E PATENT .QFFIC'E SWITCHING or METAL s'rocx AND THE Charles w. Hawthorne, Worcester, as-

Morgan Construction Company,

signor to Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 27,1936, Serial No. 92,836 b v 2o (cl, 193-49) multi-strand rod mill, 1. e., a mill which delivers its product in a plurality of lines or strands.

The invention enables an operator, by suitable manipulation of a single control device. to obtain very readily the proper distribution of the arriving pieces to the several paths'or channels that lead from 'the switching point,the switching 9 apparatus being'so arranged and operated that no hindrance to the delivery of a newly-arriving piece into any selected path or channel is imposed by the concurrent movement through or across the apparatus of other pieces which have 25 been previously directed into adjacent channels or paths; other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

v Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in sectibn, of apparatus involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational viewof such apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

gs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary partly diagrammatic views illustrating difierent positions .of the operating devices for the switching mem- 40 her.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a valve mechanism which is movable to produce the several positions of the operating mechanism shown by Figs. 4, 5,

45 6 and 'l. v

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 i a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the valve member in a different position.

50 Fig. 11 is a detached view, partly in section, of

the valve-member.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of said vaivememher. I

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic plan view, illustrat- 56 mg the operation of the apparatus.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

' In Fig. 13 is shown diagrammatically, by way of example, a conventional billet-heating furnace I, of .the type' through which the'biilets move 5 v broadside in a row; each billet, as it arrives at thedischarge end of said furnace, is pushed out endwisethrough a suitable opening 2, by a movement which carries the billetsf front end clear across my improved switchingapparatus, desig- 10 nated as a whole by the numeral 3. Such switching apparatus, as hereinafter described, is so op erated as to direct such advancing end of each billet into one or the other of fourseparate paths orchannels 4, 5, Saudi, arranged in a row 15 alongside the switching apparatus and constituting, in the apparatusshown by Fig. 13, the receiving'guides for the initial stand of rolls 8 of a m'ulti-strand rod mill, the latter being arranged in the well-known manner to reduce and deliver its product in four parallel lines. or strands 9, 9, 9, 9, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. '13. The switching apparatus of my inventioh is preferably interposed between the row of guide entrances l, 5, 6 and lands, suitable sup- 2};

port or platform ill adjacent the delivery opening 2 of furnace I;' said platform illjis substantially at the same level'as the bottom orsup'porting, surfaces of the'guideopenings'L-I, 6 and I.

.The switching apparatus proper consists principally of two elements, viz, a supporting structure it adapted to beraised and lowered; and a switching member 12 adapted to move back and forth on said supporting structure.

The supporting structure is shown in'Figs. 1,

. 2 and 3 as provided by a pair of parallel rails l3,

l3 connected. at opposite ends by cross-members It, It; each cross-member I4 is supported by a pair of rocker arms i5, [5, the latter extendin upwardly in parallel relation from two cross- 40 shafts l6, it which are Joumalled in suitable stationary supports l1, 11' at opposite ends of the structure. To one of said shafts I6 is keyed or otherwise secured an operating arm it, whose free end, by, mechanism. to be hereinafter de scribed, is adapted to be raised and lowered to procure raising and lowering of the supporting structure II in a parallel motion about the centers or axes ofcross-shafts it, it.

The rails II. I: support the wheels or rollers I9; IQ of the switching member 12 which, as I shown in Fig. 3, substantially bridges the space between the'platform I0 and the channels 4, 5,

8 and I. On the upper-surface of member I! are provided upstanding guide flanges 20 and II ceiving the stock from platform ill, but which converge to form a relatively narrow mouth 22 on the side adjacent the guides or channels 4, 5, 6

and '|,the mouth 22 being of a width to register with only one of such guides or channels. Pivotally connected at 23 to the member I2 is a draw bar 24 which, at its other end, provides one or more notches 25 to engage over a pin 25 provided by a rocker arm 21' which extends upwardly from a shaft 28. Said shaft 28, journalled in suitable supports 29, provides another arm 30, to the end of which is hung a suitable weight 3|, the'latter tending to rockv the shaft 28 counterclockwise, thereby to force the member I2 to its extreme left hand position, Fig. 3, with the mouth 22 alined with the left hand guide entrance or channel 4, as shown.

Operating oppositely on arm 30 from weight 3| is a lifting cable or connection 32 which, by mechanism to be hereinafter described, is subjected to upward movements of varying-lengths; thereby to draw the switching member l2 to the right, Fig.3, for alining the mouth 22 selectively with one or the other of the remaining channels or guide entrances 5, 6 or 1. It will be understood that no actual registration of mouth 22 with any of the guide entrances 4, 5, 8 or 1 occurs when the supporting structure I I is inthe lowered position indicated by Fig. 1, since in that position, the mouth 22 is below the level of said guide entrances; not until said supporting structure U is shifted into its upper position, by upward pull on arm l8, does such registration occur, and in order to maintain such registration with whichever guide entrance has been selected to receive the bar or billet, the member I2 is preferably provided with a projecting lug 33 whichenters, upon the elevation of the supporting structure, in one of a series of recesses 34, 34 underlyingand corresponding'in number and arrangement to the entrances 4, 5, 6 and 1,-thus to hold the member |2 while so elevated against any displacement from the selected position. It follows, therefore,

that the back and forth positioning movement of switch member l2 on'the supporting structure must occur when the latter is in its lowered position; the elevation of said supporting structure to.

register mouth 22 with the selected opening or entrance is made to take place after the switching member l2 has been shifted to the desired position by appropriate upward movement of the cable or connection 32.

' Said cable 32, as shown in Fig. 1, has its upper end pivotally secured to the fulcrum 35 of a lever vidual fluid pressure control device,'such devices, three in number and marked a, b and 0, being piston and cylinder units of conventional construction, each with its piston rod connected at 44 with the associated link or member 31,

4| or 42, respectively.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to and exhausted from the devices a, b and c for the raising and lowering of their respective pistons by way of the separate pipes or conduits 45, 43 and 41, respectively, the latter communicating. as

shown in Fig. 8, with three spaced ports 45', 45' and 41. respectively, of an interior chamber 48 formed by the bore of a valve casing 49. This valve casingforms part of a control valve mechanism which is suitably located in relation to the switching point so that the operator by manipulation thereof, as hereinafter described, may set the switching member l2 in any desired position for directing the next-arriving piece of stock into any one of the guide entrances 4, 5, 3 or 1.

Referring to Figs. 8 to 12 inclusive, the inlet of pressure fluid to bore 48-is by way of a port 53,

which is connected by pipe 5| to any suitable source of pressure fluid supply. The outlet or exhaust of pressure fluid from the valve casing is by way of a port 52, to which may be connected -a suitable return or exhaust pipe 53. Fitted for sliding movement and also for turning movement in the bore 43'is' avalve member of the construction shown by Figs. 1-1 and 12, said member beyond its cylindrical barrel or bearing portion 54 being recessed on opposite sides, asshown at 55, 55, and beyond said recesses having a short cylindrical end portion 56 that iitssa'id bore. In

the extreme right hand position of said valve member shown by Fig. 8, the pressure fluid supwhich opens a passage or port 59 through portion 56 into the chamber 48. I

The valve member is operated by a lever or handle member 50, the latter being pivoted at 6|. to a bracket 62 which projects from a ring 63 that encircles a-cylindrical portion 64 of the valve cassubstantially corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the valve member. However, said ring is restrained from any endwise movement, being engaged on one side by a shoulder or collar 35 of the valve casing, and on the other side by a threaded ring66 which is screwed on to the end of the valvecasing. The handle or operating lever 3|) passes through a diametrical slot 61 in the barrel portion 54 of the valve member, the portion received in said slot preferably having rounded edges 58 to avoid lost motion or any tendency to bind on the adjacent surfaces of the slot, as the valve is moved back and forth-by rocking of the lever on its pivotalaxis 5|.

A stationary bracket '59, preferably secured to 40 ing 49 and is free to turn thereon, i. e., on an axisv the valve casing, has a transverse portion 10' which provides a suitable bearing support' or guide for the reduced portion or stem 1| of the valve member. The longitudinal portion of said bracket 63 provides a series or row of suitably spaced recesses or notches w, :r, y and- '2, adapted to receive the valve operating lever 63in each of the four (or. more) longitudinal positions into which the valve member is movable, for controlling, as hereinafter described, the admission and discharge of pressure fluid to and from the devices a, b and c. The freedom of ring 83 to turn on the longitudinal-axis of the valve mem-- ber allows operating lever 50 to have rocking motions about said axis, for movement into and out of the aforesaid notches w, a, y, z,'and the vaive member itself partakes of such rocking motions, due to the passage of lever 50 through the slot 6 That is to say, with the lever 63 received in 76 position of the valve member is-that illustrated in Fig. 9, whereas with the lever. "rocked outwardly to clear such notches or recesses 10, :c, y, z, the angular position of the valve member is that illustrated in Fig. l0,-there being a suitable stop, not shown, which .limits the turning movement of ring 63 on the withdrawal motion of lever 50 from any ofthe four positions w, :v, y, z, and thus keeps the valve member from moving beyond the angular position shown in Fig. 10.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the valve casing 49, in substantially the same transverse zone as the port 50, provides a port I2 approximately 90 removed from the port 50, the port I2 being connected by a pipe I3 to a fourth fluid pressure control device d (Fig. 1), of substantially. the same construction as the devices a, b and c. The piston rod of device d is connected, preferably through an adjustable turnbuckle link I4, to a cable 15, the latter, as shown in .Fig. 2, having depending therefrom a rod 16 which'is pivotally attached at 11 to the operating arm I8 for raising and lowering the supporting structure II on which rides the switching member I2. ably, rod 16 is surrounded by a coiled spring 18, confined between a collar 19 on said rod and a stationary standard 80,-the function of said spring being to cushion the up and down motions of the supporting structure II, as obtained by the admission of pressure fluid to and the discharge of pressure fluid from the device d. The

operation of the apparatus-is as follows:

With the valve operating lever 60 in .the position shown by Fig. 8 and rocked over into the notch w, the valve "member occupies the angular position shown in Fig. 9,a recess 55 thereof establishing communication between ports and I2, so that the pressure fluid has access by pipe 13 to the device :1; this drives the piston of said device d upwardly, and'thereby elevates the supporting structure II and with it the switching de'vice I2, the latters mouth 22 being thereby registered with the-particular guide entrance (in this instance the entrance 4) with which the mouth 22 is alined when the valve is in its extreme right hand position shownby Fig. 8.

That is to say, this extreme right hand position of the. valve leaves open to exhaust all three of the ports 45', 46 and 41' that are associated with the fluid pressure devices a, b and 0 respectively, in consequence of which all three of the pistons of said devices remain at their lowest points in the respective cylinders; thus the point or connection 35 is held down by weight 3I at the lowest level (Fig. 4) which said point or connection 35 can descend to; with the connection 35 at this level, the switching member I2 occupies the extreme left hand position shown by such bar or billet so directed into entrance 4' has been seized in the reducing roll passto which said entrance 4 delivers, and is being drawn or pulled by the action ofsaid reducing rolls across the platform I0 and the switching member I2; assume also that the operator elects Preferto have the next bar or billet which is pushed outwardly onto platform .III and switching member I2 delivered to the guide'entrance 5. The

operator proceeds at once to arrange the apparatus for such delivery, notwithstanding the fact that the bar or billet first referred to may be still in the process of being drawn across the switching apparatus into guide entrance 4; to arrange the apparatus for such delivery of the next bar or. billet into guide entrance 5, he shifts the operating lever 60 out of the notch w and into the notch :r. The rocking movement of the valve incident to pulling the lever 60 out of notch w, throws said valve into the position shown in Fig.

10, where the valve slot 58 comes into registry with port 12 and thereby immediately exhausts the pressure fluid from device d, causing the supporting structure II and switching member I 2 not disturb in any way the continued passage.

of the bar or billet first referred to into the guide entrance 4, nor does any disturbance to such stock passage arise. from the ensuing longitudinal movement of the lowered switch member I2, when the lever 60, freed from notch w, is shifted to a position opposite the next notch :r. That is to say, such first piece of stock continues to be drawn ,by rolls 8 across thespace im-' mediately-above the lowered switching member l2, and the passage of said stock across said space is at a levelhigh enough to clear the left hand guide flange 20 which, by any right hand movement of switching member .I2 from the position shown in Fig. 3, will be moved into a position underlying a bar or billet which is being drawn into guide entrance 4.

The above described movement of valve lever 60 to a position opposite the notch a: shifts the valve member 54 far enough to carry its cylindrical portion 56 beyond the port 41', thus causing the valve recess to connect the port 41' with fluid supply port 50. This admits pressure ing member I2, through cable 32. to the right, so that the mouth 22 will be positioned just below the guide entrance 5. During this left hand movement of valve 54, the registration of slot 58 with port 12 (Fig. 10) is maintained, so that the piston of device d remainsat the bottom of its cylinder, this preventing any elevation of switching member I2 during its above-described right hand movement. But when the operator completes the valve movement by throwing the lever 60 into the selected notch 1., the angular movement thus imparted to said valve (see Fig. 9) restores the flow of pressure fluid into port I2 for the immediate lifting of the piston of device d,thus returning the supporting structure to its elevated position which disposes the mouth sage into entrance4 of the first-referred to bar flange 20 when theswitch member I! is in its elevated position; Assume now that with two diflerent bars or billets being-drawn by rolls 8 across the switching member, one piece into the entrance 4 and the other into the entrance 5,

the operator elects to have thenext-arriving piece enter the guide entrance 6; to set the switching member for this purpose, the operator withdraws the valve lever from notch :d and.

The resulting elevation of the piston of device I? raises the left hand end of lever, 69 as shown in Fig. 6, and thereby produces, through further raising of point 39, an additional upward movement of point to shift switching member ii on rails it a sufiicient distance to dispose the mouth 22 of said member just below the guide entrance 5. Thereupon, when the operator com- .pletes the valve movement by throwing the lever so into the selected notch 1, the angular movement thus imparted to said valve (see Fig. 9) restores the flow of pressure fluid into port 72 for the immediate lifting of the piston or device d,--thus elevating the supporting structure to dispose the mouth 22 in registry with the guide entrance t.

In this position of the switching member, both of the previously directed pieces being drawn into the entrances d and 5 will ride over the flange 2d, and the next-arriving piece will be directed by flanges 20 and 2! into guide entrance E3. The same procedure as above described can be employed to set the switching member in position to direct the next piece pushed out from the furnace into the guide entrance i,the valve lever in this instance being shifted into. the

notch 2 by a left hand movement which carries the valve portion 56 past the port Q5',--thus admitting pressure fluid to the device a as well as to the devices b and ,c. In this situation, with the elevation of all three pistons of devices a, b' and c, the point 35, as shown in Fig. 7,

is raised to its highest position, carrying the switching member 82 to its extreme right hand position, so that when the valve lever 60 is rocked over into notch z, the mouth 22 will register with the guide-entrance i. Fig. 13 illustrates graphically ,a situation in which successively pushed-out pieces of stock 5', 6' and l have been directed, respectively, into guide entrances 5,. 6 and 1 and are being drawn by rolls 8 across the space occupied by the switching member !2. The latter having directed the last-arriving piece 1' into guide entrance 7, must nowv be shifted so as to direct the next-arriving piece into the only empty guide entrance, namely, the guide entrance I. For this purpose, the operator withdraws the valve lever from notch z (with consequent lowering of the switching memher) and repositions said valve lever in notch w, the notch corresponding to guide entrance 4. In this manipulation, the valves endwise move ment exhausts the pressure fluid from all three devices a, b and 0, allowing the weight 3| to move the switching member I! to its extreme left or billet, the latter simply riding over the guide of stock 5, 8' and I that, as assumed above, are

being drawn along by the rolls 8. With the elevation of the switching member at the completion of the valve movement, (the rocking of valve lever 60 into notch 10) the guide flange 2|, which is purposely made somewhat higher than the guide flange 20, will lift the three passing pieces high enough to allow the next-pushed-out piece 4 (Fig. 13) on the furnace floor to pass under said three pieces and bedirected without interference into the guide entrance 4.

by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward said entrances to direct each piece into a selected path, and operating means for said guide device to initially free it from lateral engagement with a so-directed piece of stock :passing across same into one of said paths and then to dispose said guidedevice, still free from lateral engagement with said passing piece, in operative relation with the entrance of another of said paths! 2. The combination with a plurality of stockconveying paths having their entrances substantially in a row, of a movable guide device common to all the entrances of said row and adapted by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward said entrances to direct each piece into a selected path, and operating means for said guide device to initially free it from lateral engagement with a piece of'stock passing across same into one of said paths and then to dispose said guide device in operative relation with the entrance of another of said paths, said operating means comprising fluid pressure means for shifting'said guide device at right angles to said row of entrances and other fluid pressure means for shifting-said guide device substantially parallel to said row of entrances,

' 3. The combination with a plurality of stockconveying paths having their entrances substantially in a row, of a movable guide device common to all the entrances of said row and adapted by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward said entrances to direct each piece into a selected path, and operating means for said guide device to initially free it from lateral engagement with a piece of stock passing across same into one of said paths and then to dispose said guide device in operative relation with the entrance of another of said paths, said operating means comprising fluid pressure means for shifting said guide device at right angles to said row of entrances and other fluid pressure means for shifting said guide device substantially parallel to said row of entrances, and a single valve for controlling both of said fluid pressure shifting means.

4. Apparatus for directing successive pieces of moving stock into any one of a plurality of stocks conveying channels arranged substantially in a row,- comprising a table having guide means thereon, fluid pressure means for shifting the table in a direction substantially at right angles to the row of channels to move the guide means into and out of operative relation to the chap nels, fluid pressure means for shifting said table a in predetermined sequence.

both shifting means to cause the first shifting means and the second shifting means to operate 5. The combination with means for the endwise delivery of a succession of stock pieces, of more than two stock-receiving and conveying media having their entrances arranged in a row across the line of stock delivery, stock-forwarding means associated with'each'of said entrances for advancing any piece delivered thereto at a speed so related to the recurring operations of said delivery means that said pieces tail end is overlapped by thefirst end of the next-delivered piece, a stock-switching device adapted to be moved into registration selectively with each of said entrances, and means for procuring the travel of said device, when moving from its registration with one entrance to registration with any other selected entrance along a path offset from said row, whereby to avoid registration of said device with an unselected intervening entrance.

6. The combination with endwise delivery means for a succession of stock pieces, of more than two stock-receiving media, each arranged to continue the endwise movement of pieces so delivered, a switching device interposed'between .said delivery means and the entrances to said stock-receiving media, said switching device being movable selectively into registration with each of said entrances, and means for preventing the movement of said switching device from its registration with one entrance into registration with another entrance except in a plane offset from and substantially parallel tothe plane of said entrance. I

'7. The combination with endwise delivery means for a succession of stock pieces, 'of more than two stock-receiving media, each arranged to continue the endwise movement of pieces so delivered, a switching device interposed between said delivery means and the entrances to said stock-receiving media, said switching device being movable selectively into registration with each of said entrances, means for preventing the movement of said switching device from its registration with one entrance into registration with another entrance except in a plane offset fromand substantially parallel to the plane of said entrances, and means for shifting said switching device between said entrance plane and said olfset plane.

8.'In apparatus 01' the class described, a group of more than two stock-conveying channels served by a common endwise delivery means for a succession of stock pieces, in combination with an interposed switching device adapted to be registered selectively with any of said channels, and operating means for shifting said switching device from one channel to any other by an initial movement into a plane offset from and substantially parallel to the plane of said channels, an intermediate movement in said ofiset plane to a position substantially alining but out of registry with the selected channel, and a final registry movement.

9. The combination. with means for the endwise delivery of a succession of elongated pieces of stock, of stock-forwarding means having. a

group of more than two entrances all served by said delivery means and arranged in a row across the line or stock delivery, said stock-forwardin means operating at a speed so related to said delivery means recurring operations that the tail end of a piece being forwarded by said forwarding means is overlapped by one or more of the next-delivered pieces, a switching member in the path of stockdelivery, and selectively registrable with any of said entrances, to direct an approaching piece thereto, and operating means forsaid switching member to initially free it from lateral engagement with a so-directed piece of stockpassing into one of said entrances, and

' then to move said member along a path offset from said row and into registration with any other selected entrance, whereby to avoid regis tration of said member with an unselected intervening entrance.

10. The combination with means for the endwise delivery of a succession of elongated pieces I of stock, of stock-forwarding means having a group of more than two entrances all served by said delivery means and arranged in a row across the lineof stock delivery, said stock-forwarding means operating at a speed so related to said delivery means recurring operations that the tail end of a piece being-forwarded by said forwarding means is overlapped by one or more of the next-delivered pieces, a stock guiding member in the path of stock delivery and movable into different operative positions corresponding in number and arrangement to said row of entrances, whereby to direct an approaching piece to any selected one of said entrances, and operating means for said guiding member to initially free it from lateral engagement with a so-directed piece passing into one of said entrances, and then to move said guiding member along a path offset from said row and into registration with any other selected entrance, whereby to avoid registration of said guiding member with an unselected intervening entrance.

11. The combination with means for the endwise delivery of a succession of elongated pieces of stock, of stock-forwarding means having a a group of more than two entrances all served by means operating at a speed so related to said delivery means recurring operations that the tail end of a piece being forwarded by said forwarding means is overlapped by one or more of the next-deliveredpieces, a stock guiding member in the path of stock delivery and movable into different operative positions corresponding in number and arrangement to said row of entrances, whereby to direct an approaching piece to any selected one of said entrances, and operating means for said guiding member to initially free it from engagement with a so-directed piece passing into one of said entrances, and then to move said guiding member along a path offset from said row and into operative relation to any other selected entrance, whereby to avoid operative association of said guiding member with an unselected intervening entrance.

12.'The combination with means for the endwise delivery of a succession of elongated pieces of stock, of stock-forwarding means having a group of more than two entrances all served by said delivery means and arranged in a row across adapted to be registered in turn with all of said entrances, to distribute successive approaching pieces of stock between them, and means for withdrawing said member from registration with one entrance, and for thereafter shifting it selectively along a path offset from said row into registration either with an adjacent entranceor with another of said entrances beyond said adjacent entrance.

' 13. The combination with means for the end- I wise delivery of a succession of elongated pieces of stock, of stock-forwarding means having a group of more than two entrances all served by said delivery means and arranged in a row across the line of stock-delivery, said stock forwarding means being operated at a speed so related to the recurring operations of said delivery means that the tail end of a piece being forwarded by said forwarding means is overlapped by one or more of the next-delivered pieces, a switching member adapted to be registered in turn with all of said entrances, to distribute successive approaching pieces of stock between them, means for withdrawing said member from registration with one entrance, and for thereafter shifting it selectively alonga path ofiset from said row into registrawise delivery means operating successively on' single elongated pieces of stock, more than two receiving channels for the delivered pieces, with their entrances arranged in a row transverse to the line of stock delivery, stock-advancing means associated with each channel for continuing the endwise movement of each piece at a speed so related to the recurring operations of said delivery means that said pieces tail end is overlapped by the advancing first end of the nextdelivered piece, a guide device for the stock adapted to be registered, selectively, with any one of said entrances todirect the next-delivered pieceinto a selected channel, means for moving said device from its registry with one entrance into registry with any other of the remaining entrances of said row of three or more entrances, and means for constraining such movement to a path offset from said row, whereby to avoid registration of said device with an unselected intervening entrance.

15.- The combination with stock-forwardingmeans having more than two entrances arranged a substantially in a row, of a movable guide device common to all said entrances and adapted by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving towardv said entrances to direct each piece into a selected entrance, and operating means for said guide device to initially free it from lateral engagement with a so-directed piece of stock passing'across same into one of said entrances and then'to move said device along a path offset from said row and into registration with another selected entrance, whereby to avoid registration of said device with an trance.

16. The combination with stock-forwarding means having more than two entrances arranged substantially in a row, of a movable guide device common to all said entrances and adapted by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward said entrances to direct each piece into a selected entrance, rreans to move said device back and forth as deslred'along a path ofl'set from said row, and means to move said device between said path and said row and vice versa, whereby the device can be moved from registration with one entrance into registration with a selected non-adjacent entrance without registration with an unselected intervening entrance.

1'7. The combination with stock-forwarding means having more than two entrances arranged in a substantially horizontal row; of a movable, guide device common to all said entrances and adapted by lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward said entrances to direct each piece into a selected entrance, means to move said device back and forth as desired along a substantially horizontal path ofiset downwardly from said row, and means to raise and lower the device between said path and said row, whereby the device can bemoved from registraunselected intervening ention with one entrance into registration with a selected non-adjacent entrance without registration with an unselected intervening entrance.

18. The combination with stock-forwarding means having more than two entrances arranged in a substantially horizontal row, of a movableguide device common to all said entrances and adapted by. lateral engagement with successive pieces of stock moving toward-said entrances to direct each piece into aselected entrance, means to move said device back and iorth as desired along a substantially horizontal path offset down-,- wardly from said row, and means to raise and lower the device between said path and said row, the guide device being shaped as a channel which opens upwardly, whereby the device can be moved from registrationwith one entrance while a piece of stock is passing therethrough' and then into registration with a selected non-adjacent entrance without registration with an unselected intervening entrance.

19. In apparatus of the class described, a switching member adapted to be disposed, selectively, in any one of a plurality of operatingpositions; operating means therefor, comprising a, plurality of actuators, and connecting devices between said member and vsaid actuators arranged to produce varying amounts of motion to said member in direct proportion to'the number of actuators rendered active.

' 20. In apparatus of the class described, a

' switching member adapted to be disposed, selectively, in any one of a plurality of operating positions, actuating means therefor comprising a plurality of hydraulic pistons, and connecting devices between said pistons and said member arranged to transmit to said member different movements of varying extent, depending upon the number of said pistons rendered active for the movement of said member.

CHARLES W. HAWTHORNE.

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