US 4,242,898 A · Machine for bending the edges of rectangular sheets of metal

Abstract

Machine for effecting bends of predetermined width and direction on the edges of a substantially-rectangular sheet of metal, comprises a combination of: a bending press having a C-form support structure carrying a lower bending counterblade, an upper, vertically displaceable blank-holder counterblade, and a pair of vertically displaceable bending blades having respective active parts lying in a common vertical plane substantially coplanar with a rear face of the blank holder counterblade; an iron hand including a vice supported on a carriage movable horizontally, perpendicular to the common vertical plane of the active portions of the bending blades, the lower jaw of the vice being rotatable about a vertical axis and the upper jaw being idle about a vertical axis and displaceable vertically to grasp a sheet to be bent between the jaws; and a positioning programmer, whereby, in use, a sheet of metal gripped by the vice is displaced by a value predetermined by the programmer into a position in which a first side to be bent projects between the counterblades by the desired width of the first bend, the upper blank-holder counterblade being moved vertically downwardly to grip the sheet, and the bending blades are displaced vertically to engage a desired active part thereof against the sheet and bend it in the desired upward or downward direction, the blank-holder counterblade is raised and, the sheet repositioned under control of the programmer and a further bend imparted, this being repeated to effect the required number of bends of desired width and direction on the first side, the sheet is then withdrawn to a position in which rotation of the lower jaw of the vice by a rotator effects rotation of the sheet through 90.degree. or 180.degree. as required to present a further side of the sheet to the bending press, the above actions being repeated to effect desired bending of each side.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A Machine for effecting bends of predetermined width and direction on the edges of a substantially rectangular sheet of metal, which comprises

a bending press comprising a support structure of essentially C-form having a vertical section with horizontally extending upper and lower support arms, a bending counterblade carried by the lower support arm, a blank holder counterblade supported from the upper support arm, means for guiding said blank-holder counterblade for vertical displacements, a pair of bending blades supported between said uppper and lower support arms and having respective active parts lying in a common vertical plane extending axially of said C-form support structure, means for guiding said bending blades for vertical displacement, and respective means for driving said vertical displacements of said blank-holder counterblade and of said bending-blades;
an iron hand comprising a carriage movable along a horizontal line perpendicular to said common vertical plane of said active parts of said bending blades, means for guiding movements of said carriage, a vise supported by said carriage for translational movement therewith, said vise having an upper jaw and a lower jaw disposed with respect to each other about a vertical axis, said upper jaw being carried in idling fashion about said vertical axis, to grasp said sheet of metal between said upper and lower jaws, said lower jaw of said vise being supported for rotation about said vertical axis in either sense, first motor means for driving movements of said carriage along said horizontal line in either direction, a second motor means for driving vertical displacements of said upper jaw, and means for rotating said lower jaw about said vertical axis;
and
a positioning programmer for controlling said carriage to undergo displacements along siad horizontal line, of predetermined value in dependence of said predetermined width of said bends to be carried out on a side of said sheet of metal.

1 more element

A machine for effecting a bend of predetermined width and direction on an edge of a sheet metal, comprising a bending press formed by support structure with outwardly extending upper and lower support arms, a bending counterblade carried by the lower support arm, a blank-holder counterblade supported by the upper support arm and driven for vertical movements, and an upper bending blade and a lower bending blade supported between said support arms and driven for vertical movements, said upper and lower bending blades cooperating with said bending counterblade and said blank-holder counterblade for respectively downwardly and upwardly bending an edge of a sheet of metal clamped by the counterblades;

an iron hand formed by a carriage movable on rectilinear guides extending perpendicular to the axis of said support structure, a vise supported by said carriage for translational movement therewith, said vise having an upper and a lower jaw for clamping a metal sheet, and a rotator for displacing at least one of the jaws about a vertical axis;
and
a positioning programmer for controlling the displacements of said carriage along said rectilinear guides in dependence on the predetermined wideth of the bend which is to be carried out on the edge of said sheet of metal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machine for bending the edges of rectangular sheets of metal

Life of this patent

Machine for bending the edges of rectangular sheets of metal

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18