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AssigneeAccurpress America Inc.
InventorsStephen HILTON, Allen GUERNSEY
Estimating the term…
Two press brake machines each using a single, central hydraulic actuator are provided. The press brake machines are configured to operate separately or in tandem, depending upon a size of a sheet metal workpiece to be deformed. A locking device that may include an upper connecting block and a lower connecting block is provided on each of the at least two press brake machines to allow the machines to interlock when the machines are adjacent to one another and are operating in tandem. The upper connecting block may be “L” shaped to help provide the interlocking. Interlocking of the press brake machines during tandem operation helps prevent distortion that can occur in the upper and lower portions of the ram due to the press brake machine's use of a single, central hydraulic actuator.
A system for bending metal workpieces comprising:
A method for equally distributing a load across an upper beam of at least two press brake machines that are locked together in tandem and that operate in sync, each of the at least two press brake machines further including a lower beam, a male-forming punch mounted on the upper beam, a female-forming die mounted on the lower beam, a locking device, a central hydraulic cylinder that drives the upper beam vertically downward towards the lower beam, and a controller configured to control the at least two press brake machines, wherein each of the press brakes machines are mounted on a support structure, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.