Device for tool changing in punching machines

Apparatus for changing tools in punching machines, especially turret presses, comprising concentric upper and lower rotatable turret magazines one above the other, a plurality of pairs of tools carried by said magazines with axes of said tools disposed on concentric pitch circles of said magazines, each of said pairs of tools comprising a punch carried by one of said magazines and a mating die carried by the other of said magazines, and guide means for successively moving said tools from said magazines to an operating position, guiding said tools in said operating position and returning said tools to said magazines, said guiding means comprising:

• a fixed guide portion outside said pitch circle of said magazines and having a guide surface for a tool, a movable guide portion having a guide surface for said tool, said movable guide portion being movable radially of said magazines between a first operating position in engagement with said fixed guide portion, a second changing position in which the axis of said guide surface of said movable guide portion intersects the pitch circles of said magazines and a third neutral position on the inside of said pitch circles of said magazines to allow tools carried by said magazines to pass between said fixed guide portion and said movable guide portion when said magazines are rotated, means for moving said movable guide portion between said first, second and third positions, means for clamping said fixed guide portion and said movable guide portion together when said movable guide portion is in said first position, and means for retaining said tool in said movable guide portion during movement of said movable guide portion from said first position to said second position.