US 4,162,641 AGranted

Automatic loading and unloading for numerically controlled turret punch

AssigneePotomac Applied Mechanics, Inc.

InventorJames H. Stubbings

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Abstract

An assembly for automatically feeding workpieces to and from a numerically controlled turret punch. A loader magazine having an adjustable volume for receiving a stack of workpieces is disposed on one side of a turret punch, and an unloader magazine having a similar adjustable volume for receiving a stack of workpieces is disposed on the opposite side of the turret punch. An ejector associated with a loader magazine ejects the top workpiece from the loader magazine to horizontally feed it into operative association with clamps of the turret punch. The turret punch clamps are moveable with respect to the punching tools, and the punching tools are moveable and operated to effect punching of the workpiece until it has a desired finished configuration. Then the workpiece is moved into engagement with rollers on the unloader magazine and powered into the unloader magazine, while the next workpiece is readied for movement from the loader magazine--or simultaneously with movement of the next workpiece from the loader magazine. Horizontally and vertically moveable locator stops are associated with the turret punch table to facilitate movement of the workpieces into engagement with the turret clamps. The loader and unloader magazines are also numerically controlled.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An assembly comprising a numerically controlled turret punch and an automatic workpiece feeding assembly therefor;

said turret punch having workpiece clamping means, a punching station, means for moving said workpiece clamping means in each of two perpendicular horizontal directions with respect to said punching station, a table, and at least one locator stop associated with said table providing an original orientation for a workpiece to be brought into operative association with the clamping means;
said workpiece feeding assembly including a loader magazine located on one side of said table and having an adjustable volume for feeding a stack of workpieces to be fed to said turret punch;
ejector means associated with said loader magazine for horizontally feeding workpieces one at a time in a feed direction from the loader magazine receiving volume to the turret punch;
an unloader magazine, located on the opposite side of said table as said loader magazine, having an adjustable volume for receiving a stack of workpieces to be received from the turret punch;
an automatic means for controlling said loader magazine and said unloader magazine to transfer each workpiece in a stack from said loader magazine to the turret punch, into said unloader magazine;
further comprising
power means associated with said at least one locator stop for moving said stop vertically between positions above and below said table, and for moving said stop horizontally toward and away from said clamping means so that a workpiece engaged thereby may be moved from a position horizontally spaced from said clamping means into operative association with said clamping means.

4 more elements

An assembly including a numerically controlled turret punch and an automatic workpiece feeding assembly;

said numerically controlled turret punch having workpiece clamping means, a punching station, means for moving said workpiece clamping means in each of two perpendicular horizontal directions with respect to said punching station, a table, means for moving a workpiece on said table into operative association with said clamping means, and sensing means mounted on said clamping means for sensing the movement of a workpiece into operative association therewith to activate said clamping means;
and
said automatic workpiece feeding assembly comprising a loader magazine, located on one side of said table, having an adjustable volume for receiving a stack of workpieces to be fed to said turret punch;
ejector means associated with said loader magazine for horizontally feeding workpieces one at a time in a feed direction from the loader magazine receiving volume to said turret punch to be moved into operative association with said clamping means;
an unloader magazine, located on the opposite side of said table as said loader magazine, having an adjustable volume for receiving a stack of workpieces to be received from said turret punch after release by said clamping means;
and automatic means for controlling said loader magazine and said unloader magazine to transfer each workpiece in a stack from said loader magazine to said turret punch and to said unloader magazine.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.