Apparatus for cutting a curved edge on a metal strip having surfaces in more than one plane

An apparatus for cutting in a single pass a metal strip having a flat base portion with edge portions extending from the base portion in planes different from that of the base portion comprising:

• a. support means;
• b. fixed die means mounted on said support means for receiving and supporting the metal strip having a flat base with edge portions extending from the base portion in a plane different from that of the base portion;
• c. cutting die means movably carried by said support means to cut the base portion and the edge portions in a single pass;
• d. said fixed die means including a pair of fixed dies in aligned, spaced, horizontal relationship to provide a space for receiving said cutting die means therebetween when actuated;
• e. actuating means carried by said support means and connected to said cutting die means for effecting movement thereof to cut the edge portions and the base portion of the metal strip;
• f. said support means including:
• 1. a base member for receiving and supporting said pair of fixed dies in said aligned, spaced, horizontal relationship;
• 2. a pair of members mounted on said base member in opposed relation to each other on each side of said fixed die means, with each of said members having an opening inclined toward and aligned with the space between said pair of fixed dies;
• and
• 3. additional means mounted on said base member and having an opening vertically aligned with the space between said pair of fixed dies;
• g. said cutting die means being slidably positioned in the openings in said pair of members to form the edge portion cutting dies and said cutting die means being slidably positioned in the opening in said additional means to form the base portion cutting die;
• h. said actuating means carried by said support means and connected to said cutting die means including:
• 1. elongated shaft means;
• 2. shaft members pivotally secured at one end to said elongated shaft means and at their other end to said support means whereby said elongated shaft means and shaft members may be rocked laterally relative to said support means;
• 3. eccentric means pivotally connected to said other end of said shaft members and to said edge portion cutting dies slidably positioned in said pair of members;
• 4. lever means connected to said elongated shaft means and having one end pivotally connected to said additional means and an other end extending away from said elongated shaft means whereby said elongated shaft means and pivotally connected shaft members may be rocked by said lever means;
• 5. said one end of said lever means having a surface eccentric to said pivotal connection between said lever means and additional means, said eccentric surface being engagable with the base portion cutting die;
• 6. said lever means movable in one direction laterally of said support means to move said shaft members, eccentric means and edge portion cutting dies connected therewith into the space between said aligned, horizontal pair of dies to cut the edge portions of the metal strip and said lever means movable in the other direction laterally of said support means to engage said eccentric surface with and move said base portion die supported in said additional means into the space between said aligned, horizontal pair of dies to cut the base portion of the metal strip;
• i. said base portion cutting die being supported in said additional means by spring means which normally tend to retract said base portion cutting die away from said fixed die means;
• j. said base portion cutting die being shaped to cut the metal strip base portion to form a convex edge thereon;
• and
• k. said edge portion cutting dies being shaped to cut the metal strip edge portions at a receding angle relative to the convex edge on the base portion of the metal strip.