Emergency brake for presses

An emergency brake for a press or the like having a ram and driving element operatively connected to said ram for operating said ram through a cycle of operation from a home position to a working position and back to a home position, said emergency brake comprising a first brake element fixed for rotation upon operation of said driving element, said first brake element having a braking surface extending outwardly from a surface thereof, a second brake element fixed against rotation relative to said first brake element, said second brake element having a braking surface complimentary to the braking surface of said first brake element, and means for actuating said second brake element from a released position wherein said braking surfaces will not interfere with each other upon relative rotation of said brake elements upon the initiation of a cycle of the press or the like and a braking position wherein said braking surfaces may engage each other to prevent further rotation of said first brake element after a predetermined movement of said first brake element less than that required for it to reach when the driving element is in its working position, said braking surfaces of said first and second brake elements being spaced from each other when said ram is in its home position and said second brake element is in its braking position, the spacing of said surfaces when in such positions being such that said surfaces will engage upon movement of said ram in a small increment beyond its home position towards its working position.