BILLET TRANSFER LINE CLEAN-OUT DEVICE AND METHOD

摘要

A processing line material clear out device and method are disclosed. The device is particularly useful for clearing metal billets from induction heating units, but may be used for many other processes having sequentially ordered materials traveling along a path of travel (18) down a conveyor or other processing line. In one example of the invention, a reciprocating push rod rack (110) is used to sequentially deposit and remove at least two push rods (116) used to abut and clear the downstream billets. A push rod (116) advance device (210) is used to interlink independent, sequential push rods (116) positioned on the billet track (40). On clearing of the billets, the push rods (116) are retracted, removed from the billet track (40) and stored on the push rod rack (110) for ready use.