Die forming method and machine

The method of forming a complete die from a blank and a die set having an upper shoe, a metal 1ower shoe, and guide means mounting the upper shoe on the lower shoe whereby the upper shoe can be moved toward and away from the lower shoe in a linear direction comprising the steps of:

• severing a single metal blank to form a rough-cut female die block having an opening therethrough whereby the portion of the blank defined within the opening forms a rough-cut male die punch block complementary thereto and peripherally spaced from the female block when centered therein, said severing forming adjacent rough-cut side walls on said female die block opening and said male punch block that are substantially parallel at any point therearound and tapered convergingly in the direction of intended die draft to define respectively smaller and larger openings on said female block and end surfaces on said male block on either side thereof with the larger end surface of said male block greater in size than the smaller opening of the female block, said taper of the rough-cut walls being greater than the taper of the intended die draft covering the surface of the large end of the male punch block with conductive material, covering the surface of the small end of the opening of the female die block with conductive material, securing said male block to an upper die set shoe with the larger end surface of the block spaced downwardly therefrom, securing said female die block to a lower die set shoe with the smaller block opening spaced upwardly therefrom and said female block in surrounding relation to said male block, aligning said die set shoes with said guide means for vertical relative movement in said linear direction so as to center the male block within the female block opening and with said male and female block walls in laterally spaced relation, securing said upper die set shoe to an extractor, securing said lower die shoe to a bed, moving the male punch block and female die block relative to each other in a direction in opposition to the taper of the side walls of the punch block and die opening while simultaneously effecting material-removing erosion between the male die punch block and the female die block to generate preselected die clearance and die draft, and removing said conductive material from said surfaces of the male punch block and female die block after the material removing erosion has been completed.

The method of forming a complete die from at least one metal blank and a die set having an upper shoe, a lower shoe, and guide means aligning the upper shoe with the lower shoe whereby the one shoe can be moved toward and away from the second shoe in a linear direction normal to the parallel surfaces of said shoes, comprising the steps of:

• severing a metal blank to form a rough-cut female die block having an opening therethrough, said severing forming adjacent rough-cut side wall on said female die block opening, providing a rough-cut male punch block having a side wall complementary to the opening in the female die block and peripherally spaced from the female die block when centered therein, and said male punch block and female die block being tapered in the direction of intended die draft, thereby providing respectively smaller and larger openings on said female die block and proportionate surfaces on said male block, said taper of the rough-cut side walls being greater than the taper of the intended die draft, covering the surface of the large end of the male punch block with conductive material, covering the surface of the small end of the opening of the female die block with conductive material, securing said male punch block to one die set shoe with the larger end surface of said male punch block farthest from said shoe, securing said female die block to the second die set shoe with the smaller female die block opening farthermost from said second shoe and said female die block in surrounding relation to said male punch block, thus, aligning said blocks and said die set shoes parallel to said guide means resulting in centering the aforesaid male punch block within the female die block opening, and with said male and female block, said walls in laterally spaced relation to each other, securing said upper die set shoe to an erosion machine tool, securing said lower die shoe to the aforesaid machine tool, moving the male punch block relative to the female die block in the direction of convergence of the aforesai,d taper, while simultaneously effecting material-removal between the male die punch block and the female die block to generate preselected die clearance, registration, and die draft, and removing said conductive material from said surfaces of the male punch block and female die block after the material removing erosion has been completed.

The stxucture for forming a complete die comprising:

• a rough-cut female die block having a rough-cut die qpening, a rough-cut male punch block corresponding in shape to the die opening in the female die block, said punch block being the plug formed in making the rough-cut die opening, said punch block and die opening in the female die block having adjacent rough-cut side walls substantially parallel to each other and convergingly tapered in a direction corresponding to the taper of the intended die draft of the complete die to define respective smaller and larger end surfaces on said male punch block and openings in said female die block, first electrical conductive means attached to the larger end surface of said male punch block and second electrically conductive means attached to a portion of the female die block having the small opening, said taper of the rough-cut side walls being greater than the taper of the intended die draft, a bed, a movable extractor vertically adjustably mounted above the bed, a first die set shoe holding the punch block, said first die shoe being attached to the extractor, a second die shoe being attached to the extractor, a second die set shoe holding the female die block, means for mounting the second die shoe on said bed, locating means adapted to position the female die block in a proper die set alignment with the male die punch block with the male die punch block in registration with the female die block and with respective said side walls thereof in spaced relationship and with the converging taper of the side walls in position to block movement of the extractor away from said bed, said locating means including a plurality of axially aligned registering pins and openings on said first and second die shoes, respectively, with said pins parallel to each other, means moving the extractor away from the bed in a direction parallel to said pins, and means for material-removing erosion cooperatively associated with said blocks and operable to form the complete die set walls in the female and male blocks, said erosion means operable simultaneously with the movement of the punch block out of the opening in the female die block to remove material between the side walls of the female die block opening and the punch block to generate an intended die clearance and die draft.

The structure for forming a complete die comprising:

• a rough-cut metal female die block having a rough-cut die opening, a rough-cut metal male punch block corresponding in shape to the die opening in the female die block, said male punch block and die opening in the female die block having adjacent rough-cut side walls substantially parallel to each other and convergingly tapered in a direction corresponding to the taper of the intended die draft of the complete die to define respective smaller and larger end surfaces on said male punch block and the opening in said female die block, first electrical conductive means attached to the larger end surface of said male punch block and second electrically conductive means attached to said end surface of the female die block having the small opening, said taper of the rough-cut side walls being greater than the taper of the intended die draft, a bed and extractor mounted above the bed, a first die set shoe holding the male punch block, said first die shoe being attached to the extractor, a second die shoe holding the female die block, means for mounting the second die shoe on said bed, said first and second die shoes having cooperating die locating means to movably mount the first shoe on the second shoe for locating the male punch block in registration with the female die block with the respective side walls thereof in laterally spaced relationship and with the converging taper of the side walls in position to block separation movement of the extractor and bed, means for providing relative movement between the extractor and bed in the axial direction of the locating means, and means for material-removing erosion cooperatively associated with said male and female blocks and operable to form the complete die side walls of the female and male blocks, said erosion means operable simultaneously with the relative mcvement of the male die punch block out of the opening of the female die block to move material from between the side walls of the female die block opening and the male punch block to generate an intended die clearance and die draft.

A machine, for forming a complete die from a rough-cut metal female die block with a rough-cut die opening and a rough-cut metal male die punch block generally corresponding in shape to the die opening of the female die block and insertable therein, said male die punch block and the die opening of the female die block having adjacent side surfaces substantially parallel and tapered in a direction corresponding to the taper of the intended correct die draft, said machine comprising:

• a bed, a work table assembly mounted on the bed for mounting a first work piece, controlled means operatively connected to the work table assembly for moving the work piece in controlled selected directions, an extractor, means on the extractor for mounting a second work piece wherein said female die block comprises one of said work pieces and male die punch block comprises the other of said work pieces, means for moving said bed and extractor away from one another, said work table assembly and extractor being relatively positionable with said work pieces mounted thereon so that the male punch block is located in the die opening of the female punch block with said side surfaces orientated in clearing relationship and with the diverging taper of said side surfaces orientated in position in opposition to movement of the extractor away from the work table assembly, means for material removing erosion discharge between the work table assembly and the extractor simultaneously as the work table assembly and extractor are selectively moved away from one another with the work pieces mounted thereon and the work table assembly is moved in the controlled selected directions thereof whereby material is removed between the side surfaces of the female die block opening and the male die punch block to generate an intended die clearance and die draft.

A machine for forming a complete die from a rough-cut metal female die block having a rough-cut die opening, a rough-cut metal male die punch block corresponding in shape to the die opening in the female die block, said punch block being the plug formed in making the rough-cut die opening in said female block, said male die punch block and die opening in the female die block having adjacent rough-cut side walls substantially parallel to each other and convergingly tapered in a direction corresponding to the taper of the intended die draft of the complete die to define respective smaller and larger end surfaces on said male block and the opening in said female block, said taper of the rough-cut side walls being greater than the taper of the intended die draft, a first die set shoe holding the male die punch block, a second die set shoe holding the female die block, said first and second die shoes having cooperating die locating means including a plurality of axial registering pins and openings axially aligned with the pins adapted to receive bushings to movably mount the first shoe on the second shoe for locating the male die punch block in registration with the female die block with the respective side walls thereof in laterally spaced relationship and with the converging taper of the side walls in position to block separation movement between the first and second die shoes comprising:

• a bed, a work table assembly movably mounted on the bed, means for mounting the second die shoe on the work table assembly, controlled means operatively connected to the work table assembly for moving the work table assembly and second die shoe mounted thereon in controlled selected directions, an extractor, means for mounting the first die shoes on the extractor, means for providing relative movement between the extractor and work table assembly in the axial direction of the pins, and means for material-removing erosion cooperatively associated with said extractor and work bed assembly and the male and female blocks mounted thereon and operable to form the complete die side walls of the female and male blocks, said erosion means operable simultaneously with the operation of the means for providing relative movement between the extractor and work table assembly and said controlled means whereby on relative movement of the male die punch block out of the opening of the female die block material from between the side walls of the female die block opening and the male die punch block is removed to generate an intended die clearance and die draft.