Press

A press for laminating together a pair of foils, the press comprising:

• a generally stationary die;
• a die movable toward and away from the stationary die, the foils extending between the dies;
• an actuating plate movable toward and away from the stationary die;
• a spring between the actuating plate and the movable die;
• drive means for displacing the actuating plate and the movable die carried by the spring thereon toward and away from the stationary die for compressing the foils between the dies when the dies are spaced apart by a predetermined distance equal substantially to a thickness of the foils;
• sensor means for detecting movement of the movable die toward the actuating plate with compression of the spring on movement of the actuating plate toward the stationary die;
• and
• control means connected to the drive means and to the sensor means for arresting displacement of the actuating plate toward the stationary die when the sensor means detects movement of the movable die toward the actuating plate when the dies are spaced apart by a distance greater than the predetermined distance.