Multi-station punch/die press for progressive strip stock operations at variable index length
OwnerMichel E. Lefilsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A press assembly is disclosed with a series of punch/die sets for successive operations on parts connected together in a strip. The punch/die sets are conveniently relocatable anywhere on regularly-spaced fixed stations and the stations can receive more than one punch/die set. The punches and dies in the sets can be mounted on removable base plates or otherwise made movable to any spacing, such that the sets are easily spaced to reflect a length of the parts being manufactured. The increment of strip feed between operations of the press is also adjustable. The press assembly can therefore be inexpensively set up to make parts of any characteristic length.
Claims17
A press assembly for manufacturing a plurality of different parts, comprising:
- means for guiding a continuous strip of stock through the press assembly and means for stepwise advancing the continuous strip of stock in successive steps of an indexing length, said means for advancing being settable for selecting said indexing length from a plurality of indexing lengths, successive portions of the continuous strip stock to be formed as successive parts, the parts remaining connected in the strip;
- upper and lower jaws mounted for relative movement toward and away from one another;
- a bed-plate firmly secured to the upper jaw, the bed-plate having means for receiving at least two of any of a plurality of interchangeable punch holders for punches;
- and,
- a frame firmly secured to the lower jaw, the frame having means for receiving at least two of any of a plurality of interchangeable die holders for dies in alignment with the punch holders, the respective receiving means of the bed-plate and the frame defining at least two fixed work stations at a fixed spacing unrelated to said indexing length, the respective receiving means being so dimensioned that corresponding sets of punches and dies are mountable at a spacing equal to a multiple of said indexing length at any position within each fixed work station as required to place said sets at said spacing equal to said multiple of said indexing length, in respective punch holders and die holders, the sets being easily relocatable in positioning on each said work station to equal said multiple of said indexing length notwithstanding the fixed spacing of the work stations, whereby the press assembly can manufacture parts of any characteristic length by choosing the indexing length, spacing said sets at said multiple and stepwise advancing the continuous strip stock past the successive work stations between relative movement of the upper and lower jaws.
A press assembly for manufacturing parts in at least two successive operations from continuous strip stock fed to the press assembly in successive steps along a path, each successive step of the continuous strip stock defining an indexing length along a feed direction, successive portions of the continuous strip stock defining successive parts having a dimension along the path corresponding to the indexing length, the press assembly comprising:
- means for guiding the continuous strip stock along the path and means for stepwise advancing the continuous strip stock by the indexing length, said means for stepwise advancing being operable at least at two different indexing lengths;
- upper and lower jaws mounted for relative movement toward and away from one another and means for moving the jaws together between advances of the continuous strip stock;
- an upper bed-plate firmly secured to the upper jaw, and a lower bed-plate frame firmly secured to the lower jaw, the upper and lower bed-plates having fixed means defining work stations immovably placed at a spacing independent of said indexing length, the work stations having receiving means for receiving punches and dies in opposed sets on the upper and lower jaws, the sets being spaced at a multiple of the indexing length other than said spacing of the work stations and successive sets along the path successively operating on each successive portion of the continuous strip stock between said advances, each successive portion of the strip stock being progressively formed into a successive part, the respective receiving means being so dimensioned that corresponding sets of punches and dies can be conveniently mounted at least at two selectable different positions within each work station, in respective punch holders and die holders, notwithstanding the fixed positions of the receiving means in the bed-plate,
- whereby the press assembly can manufacture parts of different characteristic lengths including lengths unrelated to the spacing of the work stations as the continuous strip stock is moved past the sets of punches and dies in feed increments corresponding to the characteristic length of the parts being manufactured.
A method for producing an indefinite number of identical successive parts in a continuous strip progressing along a path, the parts having a characteristic length along the path, comprising the steps of:
- providing a press having upper and lower jaws with receiving means disposed immovably at fixed locations along the path, the receiving means defining regularly spaced fixed stations, each of the stations having means for receiving tool holders along the path such that bringing together the jaws brings together the tool holders;
- choosing the characteristic length of the parts independently of a distance between the regularly spaced fixed stations;
- mounting punch and die sets on the tool holders at the characteristic length of the parts, the punch and die sets defining successive operations proceeding toward a finished part, whereby the tools sets are placed irregularly on individual ones of the tool holders but regularly at said characteristic length along the path;
- and,
- repeatedly advancing the strip along the path in an increment equal to the characteristic length and then reciprocating the jaws, whereby parts of any characteristic length can be produced regardless of the fixed regular spacing of the receiving means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.