Stripper assemblies and components thereof for multi-tool punch assemblies

A stripper assembly for a multi-tool punch guide, the stripper assembly comprising:

• a plate including a first face, a second face and a centerline axis extending through the first and second faces;
• a plurality of strippers approximately coplanar with the plate, each stripper including a punch port extending therethrough, from the first face of the plate to the second face of the plate;
• a plurality of grooves located around a perimeter of the first face of the plate and facing toward the centerline axis of the plate, each groove adapted to engage with a corresponding flange of the punch guide when aligned therewith;
• and
• an information storage device coupled to the first face of the plate;
• wherein the plurality of grooves are engaged by rotating the plate, about the centerline axis thereof, with respect to the surface of the punch guide, after bringing the first face of the plate into close proximity with a surface of the punch guide, the surface of the punch guide being that through which each punch tool, of a plurality of punch tools carried by the punch guide, extends, when activated;
• and
• each punch port of the plurality strippers is aligned with a corresponding punch tool of the plurality of punch tools carried by the punch guide, when the plurality of grooves and the plurality of resilient members are each engaged.

A stripper assembly plate for a multi-tool punch guide, the plate comprising:

• a first face, a second face and a centerline axis extending through the first and second faces;
• a plurality of gripper slots extending through the plate from the first face to the second face thereof, each gripper slot of the plurality of gripper slots being formed by a sidewall, the sidewall including a first end and a second end, the second end being spaced apart from the first end by a gap, and each of the first and second ends being terminated by a relief;
• and
• a plurality of grooves located around a perimeter of the first face and facing toward the centerline axis of the plate, each groove adapted to engage with a corresponding flange of the punch guide when aligned therewith;
• wherein the reliefs of each gripper slot allows for insertion and withdrawal of a corresponding stripper member, such that each gripper slot reversibly couples the corresponding stripper member to the plate;
• each coupled stripper member is approximately coplanar with the plate such that a punch port of each coupled stripper member extends from the first face to the second face;
• and
• wherein the plurality of grooves are engaged by rotating the plate, about the centerline axis thereof, with respect to the surface of the punch guide, after bringing the first face of the plate into close proximity with a surface of the punch guide and then, the surface of the punch guide being that through which each punch tool of a plurality of punch tools, carried by the punch guide, extends when activated.

A method for assembling a multi-tool punch assembly, the method comprising:

• mounting a plurality of punch tools into a punch guide, each tool of the plurality of punch tools being mounted in an unique position within the guide;
• entering punch tool information into an information storage device, the information storage device being coupled to a face of a plate of a stripper assembly, and the punch tool information corresponding to the plurality of punch tools;
• and
• mounting the plate of the stripper assembly to the punch guide such that the information storage device is enclosed between the plate and a surface of the punch guide, the surface of the punch guide being that through which each tool of the plurality of punch tools extends, when activated.

A method for assembling a multi-tool punch assembly, the method comprising:

• mounting a plate of a stripper assembly to a punch guide;
• forming a plurality of strippers in the mounted plate of the stripper assembly;
• and
• mounting a plurality of punch tools into the guide, each punch tool of the plurality of punch tools being mounted in an unique position within the guide.

A method for mounting a stripper assembly onto a multi-tool punch guide, the method comprising:

• bringing a face of a plate of the stripper assembly into close proximity with a surface of the punch guide, the surface of the punch guide being that through which each punch tool of a plurality of punch tools, mounted in the guide, extends, when activated;
• and
• rotating the plate to engage grooves thereof with flanges of the punch guide and to simultaneously engage resilient members thereof with recesses in the surface of the punch guide;
• wherein the grooves are located about a perimeter of the face of the plate, facing a centerline axis of the plate, and the resilient members protrude from the face of the plate.