Technical Field

The invention relates to a method of continuously proces- sing elongated articles, such as coherent pairs of chop¬ sticks, the outer shape of which is defined by two mutually parallel surfaces and two opposing, plane, oblique surfaces inclining towards one another by the same inclination seen relative to a common plane of symmetry, by which method the articles are advanced in the longitudinal direction while passing pairs of processing implements. The invention relates furthermore to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Background Art

DK-PS No. 155,697 discloses a method of processing chop¬ sticks produced in coherent pairs, the pairs only being coherent a short distance along abutting surfaces. When the chopsticks are to be used, the user merely breaks the coherent portion. During the processing, these chopsticks are continuously advanced through a processing apparatus along a track. During the advancing, the chopsticks are centrally aligned in the track while they pass one or more processing implements. The centering is ensured by means of identical centering rolls operating from their respective side of the plane of symmetry of the chopsticks. The centering rolls are biased by a spring tension. The processing implements for processing the edges of the articles along the oblique surfaces are associated with centering rolls, and accordingly they follow the movement of said centering rolls along the oblique surfaces of the articles in a direction away from their plane of symmetry during the passage of the articles.

Description of the Invention

The method according to the invention is characterised in that during the advancing movement one oblique surface of said articles, the common longitudinal plane of sym- metry, and the second oblique surface are aligned one by one substantially parallel to a common plane of alignment extending in the advancing direction and are processed by a pair of processing implements associated with each aligning position, said advancing being carried out by means of continuously rotating friction rolls engaging the mutually parallel surfaces of the articles .

The resulting method allows a quick, uniform, and efficient processing of succeeding articles, which is especially due to the fact that the implements only need to operate on edges arranged parallel to the common plane of alignment during the processing. Accordingly, the axes of the proces¬ sing implements need not move more than necessary for taking into account the dimensional differences of the individual articles. In this manner the processing imple- ments can relatively quickly and easily enter a correct starting position for receiving a new article with the result that the articles can be high-quality processed and be advanced at a relatively high speed, whereby ap¬ proximately 30,000 articles can be processed per hour.

The apparatus for carrying out the method comprises con¬ veyor means advancing the articles in their longitudinal direction, as well as processing implements processing the articles while they pass through the apparatus. This apparatus is according to the invention characterised in that the apparatus comprises a number of activatable friction rolls adapted to engage the parallel surfaces of the articles and to advance the articles forwards during passage of the processing implements, that the apparatus comprises two guides interspaced when seen, relative to

the advancing direction, said guides being associated with their respective set of processing implements and comprising opposing plane guide surfaces which are arranged parallel to a common plane of alignment extending in the advancing direction and substantially perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the friction rolls, where the guide surfaces are adapted to successively engage the oblique surface of the advanced articles, said articles being pressed against said guide surfaces by means of resi- lient pressing means, and that identical centering rolls are provided between the guides and operate from their respective side towards the common plane of alignment, said centering rolls being biased by a uniform spring tension and engaging the respective oblique surfaces of e the articles so as to align the plane of symmetry of said articles parallel to the plane of alignment while the articles are subjected to processing by means of a pair of processing implements.

The resulting apparatus is of a simple structure and allows a uniform processing of the individual articles. The use of friction rolls for ensuring an advancing allows a flexible advancing, because everywhere it is possible for the articles to slide a short distance relative to said friction rolls in case said articles during the processing should be stopped during their advancing movement. In this manner the processing implements can relatively reliably ensure the necessary processing with a good result indepen¬ dent of variations in the wooden material of the articles . All the friction rolls co-operate only with the plane sides of the articles, and all the implements process portions aligned, in the advancing direction with the result that neither the friction rolls nor the processing implements are subjected to a displacement beyond the one caused by dimensional differences of the individual articles. As a result, each roll and each implement can always be quickly and easily returned to the starting position in which they

receive a new article.

According to the invention most of the activatable friction rolls may be arranged in pairs opposite one another on their respective side of the advancing track of the arti- cles , and the friction rolls on one side of the advancing track may define a common advancing plane perpendicular to the plane of alignment, whereas the friction rolls on the opposite side of said advancing track are resiliently biased by a spring tension towards said advancing plane, whereby a particularly simple structure is obtained.

Furthermore according to the invention, each processing implement may comprise an activatable, rotating milling cutter with an axis of rotation extending substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of the friction rolls, and a friction roll may be pivotally arranged on the shaft of each milling cutter, said friction roll also engaging the articles and. being caused to follow the rotation by means of the adjacent previous friction roll through a belt drive when seen in the moving direction of the arti- cles. In this manner the movement of each processing Implement relative to the advancing plane is controlled by a friction roll and accordingly in direct response to the thickness of the articles measured towards the plane of symmetry. The belt drive connection between the friction roll associated with each milling cutter and the immediate¬ ly preceeding friction roll ensures that the articles are subjected to the same rotational speed.

Moreover according to the invention the friction roll, which is resiliently arranged immediately in front of a pair of milling cutters and which causes the friction roll associated with one milling cutter to follow the rotation, may be secured on a shaft, where the shaft in turn is ro- tatably arranged in a supporting block displaceably ar¬ ranged parallel to the plane of alignment, said support-

ing block also including the shaft of the milling cutter, and the supporting block may be biased towards the advanc¬ ing track of the articles. In this manner the milling cutters are automatically correctly positioned relative to the articles because the preceeding friction roll ensures the necessary displacement of the supporting block and consequently of the milling cutter.

According to the invention, adjustable stopping means may be provided for the adjustment of a predetermined minimum distance between the two milling cutters of the same pair of cutters, whereby two opposing milling cutters are not moved more towards one another than necessary for proces¬ sing the article of the minimum possible thickness.

In addition according to the invention the friction rolls resiliently arranged outside the supporting blocks on one side of the advancing track may be secured on driving shafts associated with adjusting means for the adjust¬ ment of the angle of inclination of said driving shafts relative to the driving shafts of the friction rolls on the opposite side of the advancing track of the articles. In this manner it is possible to adjust the friction rolls so as to assist the pressing means in pressing the articles against the guides.

The invention relates furthermore to an apparatus, where the articles are advanced to the starting position for the movement along the advancing track of the apparatus by means of continuous conveyor means , which parallelly displace the articles into a starting position on a line with the advancing track. This apparatus is according to the invention characterised in that a plurality of activ¬ atable friction rolls is provided above the conveyor means immediately adjacent the starting position of the articles, and that a transferring means is provided below said fric¬ tion rolls, said transferring means causing the articles

to disengage said conveyor means and engage the activatable friction rolls, the transferring means abutting the arti¬ cles by means of a number of loosely arranged resilient rolls .

In this manner the friction rolls ensure an easy and simple transfer of the articles from the conveyor means to the further advancement.

According to the invention, the transferring means may be displaceably arranged on guides and be synchronously activated relative to the conveyor means by means of a connecting rod mechanism, and the connecting rod of the connecting rod mechanism may comprise a cylinder-piston device for a controlled regulation of the stroke of the transferring means in response to a sensor registering whether the article in the starting position has been correctly positioned for advancement by the friction rolls. In this manner it is ensured in a simple manner that incorrectly positioned articles, i.e. articles resting on one of the oblique surfaces atop the conveyor means , are not advanced for further processing, but remain on the conveyor means so as to be discarded therefrom. The latter procedure is ensured by the stroke of the connecting rod mechanism being reduced when the sensor registers an Incorrectly positioned article. Under usual conditions, the connecting rod mechanism carries the transferring means with the resiliently arranged rolls upwards into engagement with each article and causes said article to disengage the conveyor means and engage the opposing activatable friction rolls. The resilience of the trans- ferring means ensures that the rolls remain in engagement with the articles for a relatively long period of time, even though the connecting rod mechanism retracts the transferring means immediately upon reaching its top position. In this manner it is ensured that the activated friction rolls have sufficient time for advancing the

articles in the advancing track to succeeding friction rolls for further advancement before the transferring means release the articles .

Brief Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which

Fig. 1 is a top, side, and end view, respectively, a., b_, and c., of a set of completed coherent chopsticks, said end view being seen from the thickest end,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of an apparatus accord¬ ing to the invention, and illustrating the various sections which the coherent chopsticks pass according to the method of the invention,

Fig. 3 is a top view of the apparatus of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2, whereby parts have been omitted for the sake of clarity, and which inter alia is a diagrammatic view of conveyor means advancing the coherent chopsticks to proces¬ sing by means of the apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 2 and showing friction rolls advancing the coherent chopsticks ,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI and inter alia showing a first set of processing implements,

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view substantially taken along the line VII-VII of Fig. 2, and inter alia showing a second set of processing implements, and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view substantially taken along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2, and inter alia showing a third set of processing implements.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The set of chopsticks of Fig. 1 comprises two coherent chopsticks 1 and 2 manufactured in advance and cut out of a suitable wooden material. The chopsticks are defined by two parallel surfaces 3, 4 as well as by two oblique surfaces 5, 6 inclining towards one another by the same inclination relative to a centrally situated plane of symmetry. The plane of symmetry is indicated by dotted lines 7 in Fig. lc. and extends in the longitudinal direc¬ tion of the chopsticks. The sticks are cut through over a length S in the plane of symmetry, said length S corre- sponding to a substantial portion of the total length L of the sticks. By the method and the apparatus described below, the chopsticks are subjected to a processing whereby all the longitudinal edges are provided with a bevelling, cf. Fig. 1. When the sticks are to be used, they are easily taken to pieces.

The apparatus of Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a plurality of conveyor means with a number of upper, activated friction rolls 8 to 22, and a number of lower, activated friction rolls 23 to 34. The upper friction rolls are caused to rotate clockwise, whereas the lower friction rolls are caused to rotate counter-clockwise with the result that the articles 35 are advanced from the right to the left in Figs. 2 and 3 in the advancing direction indicated by an arrow 36, each article 35 comprising two coherent chopsticks 1 and 2. The articles 35 are advanced one by one past a first, a second, and a third pair of processing implements provided with the general reference numerals 37, 38, and 39 and indicated by dotted lines In Fig. 2.

While passing the first pair of processing implements 37, one oblique surface 5 of each article 35 is pressed against the first guide 40 comprising a plane, vertical guide surface extending parallel to the advancing direction 36 of the article 35. The pressing is carried out by means of pivotally arranged pressing rolls 42, 43 diagrammatical- ly shown in Fig. 3. The pressing rolls 42, 43 are pressed against the article 35 by means of their respective spring 44, 45. While passing the second pair of processing imple- ments 38, the plane of symmetry 7 of each article 35 has been aligned with the advancing direction by means of identical centering rolls 46, 47 and 48, 49, respectively, operating from their respective side. The centering rolls are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 3 and are biased by the same spring tension towards the vertical plane of alignment 50, in which the plane of symmetry 7 is to be situated. The centering rolls are interconnected in pairs in a manner not described in greater detail and with the effect that they are always positioned in pairs at the same distance from the plane of alignment 50. The latter dist¬ ance can for instance be ensured by the axes of rotation of the centering rolls being interconnected in pairs by way of their respective gear wheel.

While passing the third set of processing implements, the second oblique surface 6 of the article 35 is pressed against a second guide 51 also comprising a vertical guide surface 52 parallel to the advancing direction 36. The article 35 abuts the latter vertical guide surface 52. The article 35 is pressed against the guide 51 by means of pivotally arranged pressing rolls 53, 54 diagrammatical¬ ly shown in Fig. 3 and being pressed against said article 35 by means of their respective spring 55 and 56.

As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, and as indicated in greater detail in Fig. 4, the article 35 is advanced so as to be positioned opposite the three activated, upper friction

rolls 8, 9, and 10 situated farthest to the right in Fig. 2. The article 35 is advanced by means of a pair of trans¬ verse, endless conveyor means 57, 58 comprising dogs 59 and 60, respectively. The dogs 59 and 60 are adapted to abut the oblique surfaces of the article 35 so as thereby to advance said articles in the direction Indicated by an arrow 61 to the position immediately below the three first friction rolls 8, 9, and 10. During the latter advancing movement, the broadest end of the articles 35 is caused to abut a guide 62 in such a manner that the articles enter the desired position relative to the friction rolls 8 to 10 when seen in the longitudinal direction.

Three loosely arranged transferring rolls 63, 64, and 65 are provided inmediately below the three first friction rolls 8, 9, and 10 and the transverse conveyor means 57, 58, which are only diagrammatically shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The axes of rotation of the three transferring rolls 63, 64 _r and 65 extend parallel to the friction rolls 8, 9, and 10. The transferring rolls, only one 64 appearing from Fig. 4, are pivotally secured on their respective supporting block 66. Each supporting block is vertically displaceably arranged on a support 67, each supporting block being pressed by their respective spring 68 from below against a horizontal stop rail 69 secured on the support 67. The support 67 is vertically displaceably connected to a guide column 70 and is caused to reciprocate thereon in vertical direction by means of a connecting rod mechanism provided with the general reference numeral 71. The connecting rod mechanism comprises a connecting rod 72 and a motor driven eccentric 73. The connecting rod 72 is a cylinder-piston device, the total length of which is controlled by a sensor not shown which registers whether the articles 35 on the transverse conveyor means are correctly positioned.

At the top the support 67 carries L-shaped stopping means

74 with legs 75 projecting vertically upwards. The support 67 and the stop rail 69 and the L-shaped stopping means are provided with recesses not shown. The recesses allow an up and downward displacement of the support without said support interfering with the transverse conveyor means and the opposing first friction rolls 8, 9, and 10.

The support reciprocates in vertical direction synchronous¬ ly with the advancing speed of the articles 35. In this manner the stopping means 74 of the support 67 are during the upward movement of said support 67 moved into position in front of each article, whereby said article is retained until the transferring means 62, 63, and 64 immediately therafter abuts the article 35 in question from the bottom and transfers it into abutment against the friction rolls 8, 9, and 10, cf. the dotted line in Fig. 2. As soon as the article 35 has been pressed against the friction rolls 8, 9, and 10, it is advanced in the direction indicated by the arrow 36. The displaceable arrangement of the support¬ ing rolls 63, 64, and 65 on the support 67 is such that said supporting rolls remain in engagement with the arti¬ cles for a period of time after said support has started to move downwards again driven by the connecting rod me¬ chanism. In this manner it is ensured that the article 35 is retained in engagement with the first friction rolls until it has engaged the succeeding lower friction rolls. The stopping means 64 of the support 67 ensure that the articles are correctly positioned relative to the first friction rolls 8, 9, and 10 and relative to the supporting rolls 63, 64 and 65 loosely arranged therebelow, although the articles are not directly abutting succeeding dogs 59, 60, but are positioned a short distance in front thereof.

When the above sensor not shown registers that one of the articles 35 is incorrectly positioned on the supporting means, the piston-cylinder device of the connecting rod

is activated such that the stroke of said connecting rod 72 is reduced. As a result, the support 67 is prevented from engaging the article 35 in question. Subsequently, the article 35 in question is carried away past the support 67 so as subsequently to be correctly positioned, if de¬ sired, on the conveyor means. When the article in question has passed the support 67, the stroke of the connecting rod is reextended to usual length.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, both the upper and the lower friction rolls are mounted on their respective shaft 76, 77 rotatably arranged in the frame of the apparatus. The frame of the apparatus is indicated by the general refer¬ ence numeral 78 and comprises a front vertical wall 79 and a rear vertical wall 80. Each shaft 76, 77 carries a sprocket 81 and 82, respectively, behin the rear wall 80. The sprockets engage a chain not shown, which ensures that all the friction rolls follow the rotation at the same rotational speed, the upper friction rolls 8 to 22 rotating clockwise, cf. Fig. 2, whereas the lower friction rolls 23 to 34 rotate counter-clockwise.

The shafts 76 of the upper friction rolls 8 to 22 are connected to the frame 78 by means of displaceably arranged supporting blocks 83 and 84, which are displaceable In vertical direction and pressed downwards by means of their respective spring 85. Each supporting block 83 and 84 is connected to the associated wall of the frame 79 and 80, respectively, by means of an adjusting screw 86 and 87, respectively. The adjusting screws render it possible to adjust the minimum distance between two opposing friction rolls simultaneously with the shafts 76 of the upper friction rolls 8 to 22 being positioned with a desired inclination in vertical direction so as to ensure that the advanced articles 35 do not slide out of engagement with the friction rolls in one direction transverse to the advancing direction away from the guides 40 and 51.

As shown in Fig. 5, recesses 88 are provided in the guide 40, said recesses ensuring that the guide does not inter¬ fere with the friction rolls. Corresponding recesses are provided in the guide 51.

The first pair of processing implements 37 comprises two milling cutters 89, 90 situated vertically above one another, cf. Fig. 6. The milling cutters are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions so as in a manner known per se to bevel the edges of the oblique surface of the article 35 abutting the guide 40 while said edges are being pressed against said guide by means of the pressing rolls 42 and 43. The milling cutters 89 and 90 are secured on their respective shaft 91 and 92, respectively, which are rotatably arranged in their respective housing 93 and 94, respectively. At the opposite end, the shafts are provided with pulleys 95 and 96, respectively, behind the front wall 79 of the frame. These pulleys are rotated by means of a common belt drive 97 in such a manner that the two milling cutters 89 and 90 are driven at the same rota- tional speed, but in opposite directions so that the upper milling cutter 89 rotates counter-clockwise, cf. Fig. 2, and the lower cuter rotates clockwise.

The housing 94 of the lower milling cutter 90 is secured to the front wall of the frame 78, whereas the housing 93 of the upper milling cutter 89 is secured to a supporting block 98 vertically displaceable in the front wall 79 of the frame 78. The supporting block 98 is displaceably arranged on two vertical guide columns 99 and 100 fixed in the frfτ.e. An adjusting screw 101 is mounted between the supporting block 98 and the front wall 79 of the frame, said adjusting screw allowing a presetting of the minimum distance between the upper and the lower milling cutters 89 and 90. A spring not shown is furthermore provided between the supporting block 98 and the front wall 79 of

the frame, said spring biasing the supporting block 98 downwards towards the housing 94 of the lower milling cutter 90.

A friction roll 102 and 103, respectively, is provided in front of the two milling cutters 89 and 90 on the associat¬ ed shafts 91 and 92. The friction rolls 102 and 103 are able to rotate freely on the associated shaft. Each fric¬ tion roll 102 and 103 is formed integral with a pulley 104 and 105, respectively. Each pulley is by a belt 106 and 107, respectively, connected to a pulley shaped on the immediately preceding friction roll 12 and 24, respect¬ ively, in a manner not described in greater detail. The resulting freely rotating friction rolls 102 and 103 can be driven at completely the same speed and in the same direction as the immediately preceding friction rolls 12 and 24.

It should be noted that the upper friction roll 12, which is arranged immediately in front of the upper milling cutter 89 and which causes the associated loose friction roll 102 to follow its rotation, comprises a shaft rotat¬ ably arranged in a manner not described in greater detail in the same supporting block 98 as the one supporting the milling cutter 89. When the upper friction roll adjusts itself relative to a newly advanced article 35 by a vertic- al displacement, the milling cutter 89 is automatically positioned correctly relative to the article 35 immedi¬ ately before it starts the processing thereof. Unlike the remaining upper friction rolls , the shaft on the upper friction roll 12 does not therefore extend through the rear wall 80 of the frame 78, but ends instead between said walls, where it carries a sprocket. The latter sprock¬ et is through a separate chain caused to rotate by a sprocket 108 on the shaft 76, cf. Fig. 5, of the friction roll 11 in front thereof. In this manner the upper friction roll 12 positioned in front of the upper milling cutter

89 is driven at the same rotational speed as the remaining friction rolls .

Opposite the first pair of processing implements 37 and opposite the pairs of friction rolls, the guide 40 is provided with a recess 109 or is shaped with a short interruption so as to allow the milling cutters 89 and 90 to operate freely at the same time as the articles 35 are pressed against the guide surface 41, cf. Fig. 3, of the guide both in front of and behind said milling cutters when seen in the advancing direction.

The second pair of processing implements 38 comprises also an upper milling cutter 120 and a lower milling cutter 121, cf. Fig. 7. These milling cutters 120 and 121 are adapted to bevel the abutting edges along the plane of symmetry 7 on the coherent chopsticks 1, 2. The milling cutters 120,

121 are therefore suitably shaped for the above purpose. Apart from the latter, these milling cutters 120, 121 correspond completely to the milling cutters 189 and 190 in the first pair of processing implements 37, said milling cutters 120 and 121 being secured to their respective shaft

122 and 123, respectively, mounted in their respective housing 124 and 125, respectively. Like the housing 93 of the upper milling cutter 89 in the first pair of processing implements 37, the housing 124 is secured in a displaceably arranged supporting block 126. The supporting block 126 is adapted to reciprocate in vertical direction along two guide columns 127 and 128 and is biased by means of a spring not shown in a downward direction towards the housing 125 therebelow. The housing 125 is secured to the front wall 79 of the frame 78. Furthermore, an adjusting screw 129 is provided, which allows a desired presetting of the minimum distance between the two milling cutters 120 and 121.

The milling cutters 120 and 121 are rotated by means of

pulleys 130 and 131 caused to rotate by a motor not shown via a belt drive 132. Like the preceding milling cutters 89 and 90, the milling cutters 120 and 121 are also rotat¬ ing in such a direction that the articles 35 are subjected to a milling in a direction opposite their advancing direction.

Loosely arranged friction rolls 133, 134 and 135, 136, respectively, are provided on each side of the milling cutters 120 and 121. These friction rolls are all shaped integral with pulleys 137, 138 and 139, 140, respectively. The latter pulleys allow by means of associated belts 141, 142, 143 and 144, respectively, the above friction rolls to be driven at exactly the same rotational speed as the immediately preceding friction rolls 16 and 28, said belts being connected to similar pulleys not shown, but provided on said immediately preceding friction rolls 16, 28. In the latter case too, the shaft of the upper preced¬ ing friction roll 16 is rotatably arranged in the same supporting block 126 as the housing 124 of the upper milling cutter 120 in such a manner that when the upper preceding friction roll 16 adjusts itself relative to a new article 36, the upper milling cutter 120 automatically adjusts itself too due to the displacement of the support¬ ing block 126.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the third pair of processing implements 39 corresponds completely to the first pair of processing impelements apart from the fact that said third pair of processing implements is adapted to bevel the edges along the second oblique surface of the articles 35. The third pair of processing implements comprises therefore also an upper milling cutter 160 and a lower milling cutter 161 secured on their respective shaft 162 and 163, respectively, which is rotatably arranged in their respective housing 164 and 165, respectively. The housing 164 Is secured in a vertically displaceable sup-

porting block 166 displaceably arranged on guide columns 167 and 168 and biased in a downward direction towards the lower housing 165. The lower housing 165 is secured in the front wall 79 of the frame 78, the minimum distance 5 therebetween being preset by means of an adjusting screw 169. Pulleys 170 and 171, respectively, are also secured at the ends of the shafts 162 and 163 opposite the milling cutters 160, 161, said pulleys being caused to rotate through a belt drive 172 by means of a motor not shown in 10 such a manner that the milling cutters 160 and 162 rotate in the same direction as the milling cutters of the other two pairs of processing implements.

Loosely and rotatably arranged friction rolls 173 and 174, respectively, are also provided in connection with

15 the upper milling cutter 160 and the lower milling cutter 161. These friction rolls are shaped integral with their respective pulley 175 and 176, respectively, whereby said friction rolls 173 and 174 can be caused to rotate through belts 177 and 178, respectively, by means of their respec-

20 tive friction roll of the preceding friction rolls 20 and 32, respectively, at the same rotational speed as said rolls. The upper friction roll 20 of said friction rolls is also mounted on a shaft not shown, which in turn is secured in the same supporting block 166 as the housing

25 164 of the upper milling cutter 160. As a result, the correct positioning of the latter milling cutter relative to the advancing articles is set through the upper friction roll 20 situated in front thereof. The latter friction roll 20 is also caused to rotate by means of a sprocket

30 not shown and a chain not shown, but connected to the shaft of the friction roll 19 in front thereof, i.e. exactly as described in connection with the first pair of processing implements.

As explained, the second oblique surface of the articles 35 35 is advanced towards a guide 51 on the side facing

outwards of the third pair of processing implements 39, while said oblique surface is being pressed against said guide by means of the pressing rolls 53 and 54. In this case too, the guide is provided with a recess 179 so as to accomodate the milling cutters 160 and 161.

When the apparatus according to the invention is used, the articles are advanced to the advancing track 36 of said apparatus for processing by means of the transverse con¬ veyor means. From the transverse conveyor means, the articles are transferred for further transportation by the upper and lower friction rolls 8 to 34. The transfer¬ ring is carried out by means of the transferring rolls 63, 64, and 65, the support 67 of which reciprocates in vertical direction by means of the connecting rod mechanism 71. The stroke of the connecting rod 72 of the connecting rod mechanism 71 Is adjusted in response to whether the articles 35 are correctly positioned on the transverse conveyor means 57, 58. When an article is incorrectly position, i.e. rests on one of its oblique surfaces 5, 6, the stroke of the connecting rod 72 is reduced In such a manner that the transferring rolls 63, 64, and 65 of the support 67 are prevented from engaging said article 35. As a result, the article 35 in question is discarded by means of the transverse conveyor means 57, 58 without being processed.

While being advanced by means of the friction rolls 8 to 34, one oblique surface 5 of the articles 35 is intially carried towards the guide surface 41 of the first guide 40 by means of the pressing rolls 42 and 43. Subsequently, the article is during the further advancement by means of the friction rolls carried past the first pair of proces¬ sing Implements bevelling the edges abutting the guide 40. The mutual distance between the milling cutters 89, 90 of the first pair of processing implements is preset by means of the immediately preceding pair of friction rolls

12, 24 in response to each article 35 before said article reaches the cutters, said distance between the two rolls being determined by the displacement of the upper friction roll 12 together with the resiliently arranged, vertically displaceable supporting block 98, which also carries the following milling cutter 89. The necessary setting of the milling cutters 89 and 90 relative to one another is only adjusted in response to variations in the thickness of the article 35. Accordingly, the necessary movement of the upper milling cutter 89 relative to the lower milling cutter 90 is relatively short, because the necessary miminum distance between the milling cutters 89 and 90 can be preset by means of the adjusting screw 101. There¬ fore, the milling cutters 89 and 90 are always correctly positioned before a new article 35 is advanced thereto with the effect that the resulting bevelling of the milling cutters 89 and 90 on the article 35 appears nice and uniform.

Having past the first pair of processing implements 37, the plane of symmetry of the article 35 is aligned with the advancing direction 36 by means of the centering rolls 46, 47 and 48, 49, whereafter the articles is advanced by means of the friction rolls past the second pair of proces¬ sing implements 38 bevelling the edges adjacent the plane of symmetry 7 of the coherent pairs of chopsticks. In this case too, the milling cutters 120 and 121 of the second pair of processing implements 38 are mutually adjusted before the individual articles 35 are advanced, which is carried out in exactly the same manner as de- scribed in connection with the first pair of processing implements .

Having passed the second pair of processing implements, the second oblique surface 6 of the articles is pressed against the guide surface 52 of the second guide 51 by means of the pressing rolls 53, 54. During the further

advancement by means of the friction rolls, the articles 35 are advanced past the third pair of processing imple¬ ments 39, the milling cutters 160 and 161 of which ensure the bevelling of the edges of the articles abutting the guide 51. The correct mutual positioning of the two milling cutters 60 and 61 is carried out in exactly the same manner as described in connection with the two preceding pairs of processing implements 37 and 38.

The completely processed article is carried out of the apparatus for further handling, such as packing.

All the friction rolls 8 to 23 as well as the friction rolls 102, 103, 133, 134, 135, 136, and 173, 174 associated with the processing implements are caused to rotate at the same rotational speed by means of a belt drive on the rear side of the apparatus. The belt drive is activated by means of a suitable motor. The milling cutters are rotated by means of separate motors through belt drives 97, 132, and 172 independent of the rotation of the fric¬ tion rolls. The friction rolls are made of a suitable material ensuring that the articles 35 are advanced by way of friction allowing a sliding movement of the rolls relative to said articles 35, especially when said articles pass the processing implements.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Many modifications may, however, be carried out without thereby deviating from the scope of the invention.