Plastics trim press sheet feeding mechanisms
AssigneeLeesona Corporation
InventorsFred L. Greynolds, Robert C. Whiteside, Doyle D. Durkee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trim press is provided with a remotely controlled adjustment by means of which the end limit of the feeding stroke of the feeding mechanism may be precisely adjusted relative to the die of the trim press while the machine is in operation. Oscillating and reciprocating members of the prior art trim presses are replaced by continuously rotating members to enable a higher rate of operation.
Claims21
In a trim press for trimming articles integrally formed in uniformly spaced succession in a sheet of thermoplastic material from said sheet, said press comprising a frame, cyclically actuated die means for trimming said articles from said sheet, said sheet having uniformly spaced feed tabs thereon, and cyclically operable feed means engageable with said tabs for feeding said sheet in step-by-step movement to said die means in synchronism with the actuation of said die means;
- the improvement wherein said feed means comprises treadle means mounted adjacent its upper end upon said frame for pivotal movement about a first horizontal axis, slide means mounted on said treadle means adjacent the lower end thereof for reciprocation along a first path normal to said first axis, feed finger means mounted on said slide means, a first rotary member, mounting means mounting said first rotary member on said frame for rotation about a second axis parallel to said first axis, first link means pivotally connected at one end to said first rotary member at a location offset from said second axis and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said slide means to cyclically reciprocate said slide means along said first path in response to rotation of said first rotary member, a second rotary member mounted on said frame for rotation about a third axis parallel to said first axis, second link means pivotally connected at one end to said second rotary member at a location offset from said third axis and pivotally connected at its opposite end to said treadle means adjacent the lower end thereof for pivotally oscillating said treadle means about said first axis upon rotation of said second rotary member, and first drive means for driving said first and second rotary members in continuous rotation synchronized with the actuation of said die means.
In a trim press for trimming articles integrally formed in uniformly spaced succession in a sheet of thermoplastic material from the sheet, said press comprising a frame, cyclically actuated die means on said frame for trimming articles from said sheet, said sheet having uniformly spaced feed tabs thereon, and cyclically actuated feed means engageable with said tabs for feeding said sheet in step-by-step movement along a feed path to said die means in synchronism with the actuation of said die means;
- the improvement wherein said feed means comprises treadle means, feed finger means mounted on said treadle means for reciprocation parallel to said feed path, a first rotary member mounted on said frame for rotation about a first axis, link means pivotally connected at one end by a first pivot means to said rotary member and pivotally connected at its opposite end by a second pivot means to said feed finger means to drive said feed finger means in reciprocation upon rotation of said rotary member, drive means for driving said rotary member in continuous unidirectional rotation, and adjustment means for adjusting the location of said first axis relative to said frame while said rotary member is driven in rotation by said drive means to thereby adjust the location of one end limit of the reciprocatory stroke of said feed finger means relative to said die means.
In a trim press for trimming articles integrally formed in uniformly spaced succession in a sheet of thermoplastic material from said sheet, said press comprising a frame, cyclically actuated die means for trimming said articles from said sheet, and cyclically operable feed means engageable with said sheet for feeding said sheet in step-by-step path of movement to said die means in synchronism with the actuation of said die means;
- said feed means including cyclically operable treadle means mounted upon said frame for movement in an oscillating path generally normal to the sheet feed path, and feed finger means mounted on said treadle means;
- the improvement wherein a rotary member is provided, and mounting means mounts said rotary member on said frame for rotation about an axis, link means is connected at one end to said first rotary member at a location offset from said axis and is connected at its opposite end to said feed finger means to cyclically reciprocate said feed finger means in response to rotation of said rotary member;
- drive transmission means is connected to said treadle means for oscillating said treadle means;
- and drive means for driving said rotary member in continuous rotation, and driving said drive transmission means for said treadle means, both in synchronization with the actuation of said die means.
In a trim press for trimming articles integrally formed in uniformly spaced succession in a sheet of thermoplastic material from said sheet, said press comprising a frame, cyclically actuated die means for trimming said articles from said sheet, and cyclically operable feed means engageable with said sheet for feeding said sheet in step-by-step path of movement to said die means in synchronism with the actuation of said die means;
- said feed means including cyclically operable treadle means mounted upon said frame for movement in an oscillating path generally normal to the sheet feed path, and feed finger means mounted on said treadle means;
- a drive member connected to said feed finger means to cyclically reciprocate said feed finger means in response to rotation of said drive member;
- drive transmission means connected to said treadle means for oscillating said treadle means;
- means for driving said drive member and said drive transmission means for said treadle means in synchronization with the actuation of said die means;
- said feed finger means comprising feed fingers mounted for pivotal movement, means on said treadle means for pivoting said feed fingers between a feeding position engageable with the feed tabs on said sheet, and a retracted position clear of the path of movement of said tabs;
- and clamp means mounted on said treadle means operable in response to movement of said feed fingers to said retracted position for clamping said sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.