US 10,239,109 B2Granted

Shell system locating assembly for shells

AssigneeStolle Machinery Company, LLC

InventorsAaron Emmanuel Carstens, James Ardel McClung, Paul L. Ripple, Edward E. Donaldson

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Abstract

An alignment assembly for a press assembly is provided. The alignment assembly includes a number of alignment elements. The alignment elements include a number of moving alignment elements. The moving alignment elements are coupled to an upper tooling assembly that moves between a first and second position. As the upper tooling assembly moves, the moving alignment elements move between a first position and a second position corresponding to the upper tooling assembly first position and a second position. The moving alignment elements are structured to move the shell from the initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position. Thus, as the upper tooling assembly moves from the first position to the second position, the moving alignment elements contact a shell and move the shell from an initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An alignment assembly for a press assembly, said press assembly including an operating mechanism, a transfer belt and a tooling assembly, said tooling assembly including a upper tooling assembly and a lower tooling assembly, said upper tooling assembly moving between a first position, wherein said upper tooling assembly is spaced from said lower tooling assembly, and a second position, wherein said upper tooling assembly is immediately adjacent said lower tooling assembly, said transfer belt including a number of apertures, said apertures generally corresponding to a shell, said transfer belt movably disposed between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly, said transfer belt indexing between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly, wherein shells disposed in each transfer belt aperture index between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly, said transfer belt positioning said shells in an initial alignment position when said transfer belt is not moving, said upper tooling assembly positioning said shells in a final alignment position as said upper tooling assembly moves from said first position to said second position, said alignment assembly comprising:

a number of alignment elements including a number of moving alignment elements;
said moving alignment elements coupled to said upper tooling assembly wherein said moving alignment elements move between a first position and a second position corresponding to said upper tooling assembly first position and a second position;
wherein said moving alignment elements are structured to move said shell from said initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position;
and
wherein, as said upper tooling assembly moves from said first position to said second position, said moving alignment elements contact a shell and move said shell from said initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position.

2 more elements

A press assembly comprising:

an operating mechanism;
a transfer belt;
a tooling assembly;
an alignment assembly;
said tooling assembly including a upper tooling assembly and a lower tooling assembly;
said operating mechanism operatively coupled to said tooling assembly and said transfer belt;
said upper tooling assembly moving between a first position, wherein said upper tooling assembly is spaced from said lower tooling assembly, and a second position, wherein said upper tooling assembly is immediately adjacent said lower tooling assembly;
said transfer belt including a number of apertures, said transfer belt apertures generally corresponding to a shell;
said transfer belt movably disposed between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly, said transfer belt indexing between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly, wherein shells disposed in each transfer belt aperture index between said upper tooling assembly and said lower tooling assembly;
said transfer belt positioning said shells in an initial alignment position when said transfer belt is not moving;
said alignment assembly including a number of alignment elements;
said number of alignment elements including a number of moving alignment elements;
said moving alignment elements coupled to said upper tooling assembly wherein said moving alignment elements move between a first position and a second position corresponding to said upper tooling assembly first position and a second position;
wherein said moving alignment elements are structured to move said shell from said initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position;
and
wherein, as said upper tooling assembly moves from said first position to said second position, said moving alignment elements contact a shell and move said shell from said initial alignment position to an intermediate alignment position;
and
said upper tooling assembly positioning said shells in a final alignment position as said upper tooling assembly moves from said first position to said second position.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/057,567Filed 1 Mar 2016
Published: US 2017/0252793 A17 Sep 2017
Granted: 26 Mar 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B21D 43/12
By means in mechanical engagement with the work: by chains or belts
B21D 19/12
Flanging or other edge treatment, e.g. of tubes: edge-curling
B21D 43/003
Feeding, positioning or storing devices combined with, or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, apparatus for working or…:…
B21D 43/05
By means in mechanical engagement with the work: specially adapted for multi-stage presses