US 4,430,879 AGranted

Apparatus for controlling a press brake

AssigneeHurco Manufacturing Company, Inc.

InventorBurton A. Rolland

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A controller for a press brake, which provides for the accurate sequential bending of sheet metal by a press brake. The controller includes a microprocessor arrangement for operating a press brake in response to manually entered input to control a gauge stop and to produce output control signals relating to the relative positioning of the ram and die which positioning causes an angle of bend in a workpiece. Included is a sensing device for sensing the actual angle of bend in the workpiece and means for comparing the actual angle of bend to a desired angle. By such a comparison, the manual inputting of complex variables which are required to predetermine the precise relative positioning of the ram and die are made unnecessary. Further, feedback relating to the springback of the workpiece material causes sequential re-cycling of the press brake thereby improving the accuracy of the resulting angles produced. Also provided in conjunction with the optical digitizer is a safety zone detection arrangement which automatically shuts off the operation of the press brake in the event that either a worker or an undesired object comes within a predetermined range of the operational area.

Claims3

Dependent claims

Apparatus for controlling a press brake during a series of bends in a workpiece, the press brake including a gauge, a ram, and a die, said apparatus comprising:

(a) input means for providing for the input of data indicating desired angles of bend and gauge positions and for the input of instructions for processing said data;
(b) operation sequence processing means for processing said data according to said instructions to produce output control signals, said control signals including gauge position signals and angle of bend signals;
(c) means for positioning said gauge in response to said gauge position signals produced by said processing means;
and
(d) bending operation means for causing angles of bend in the workpiece in response to said angle of bend signals produced by said operation sequence processing means, said bending operation means including
(i) sensing means for sensing the actual angle of bend of the workpiece,
(ii) comparator means for comparing the actual angle of bend of the workpiece with a comparison angle, the comparison angle bearing a relationship to the angle of bend signal produced by said operation sequence processing means,
(iii) command means for producing ram and die relative position output signals in response to the comparison between the actual angle of bend of said workpiece and the comparison angle;
and
(iv) means for positioning said ram relative to said die in response to said relative ram and die relative position output signals.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/273,231Filed 12 Jun 1981
Granted: 14 Feb 1984
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B30B 15/285
Arrangements for preventing distortion of, or damage to, presses or parts thereof: preventing a full press stroke if there is an obstruction in…
B21D 5/004
Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves: with program control
B21D 5/006
Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves: combined with measuring of bends
B21D 5/02
Bending sheet metal along straight lines, e.g. to form simple curves: on press brakes without making use of clamping means