Pin table

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting sheet material such as cloth during operations thereon such as cutting wherein a pattern is placed on a supporting surface provided with a plurality of pins extending through apertures in the surface, the pins are lowered below the surface for removal of the pattern whereupon sheet material is placed on the surface, typically a plurality of plies being layed up in a stack, and simultaneously the pins are moved through the sheet material to maintain alignment and matching of the plies in the stack. The pattern then is placed on the sheet material in a position determined by the location of the pins, and the material is shaped such as by cutting. A plurality of separate pin holding and supporting devices, each of relatively narrow width, are provided in spaced relation lengthwise along the apparatus and are independently movable lengthwise toward and away from each other. Each pin holding and supporting device includes a pin contacting component wherein a pin contacting surface is defined by a member mounted for limited movement and wherein another pin contacting surface is provided with a wear resistant coating. There is also provided an arrangement for moving the supporting devices to move the pins through the apertures between a position where the heads of the pins are spaced below the supporting surface and a position where the pins extend through the apertures and the heads of the pins are above the supporting surface so that the sheet material can be anchored thereon.