Combined bending and cutting machine for metal sheet and plate

A combined bending and cutting machine suitable for bending and cutting metal plate comprising a fixed frame, a female bending die holder extending transversely across a lower part of the frame and fixedly supported thereby, said female die holder having a transversely extending upwardly-open recess for receiving a female bending die, a female bending die located in the recess, a male bending die holder mounted on the frame above the female die holder for vertical movement relative to the frame and female die holder, a male bending die mounted on a lower end of the male die holder, means for effecting vertical movement of the male die holder towards and away from the female die holder to bend a metal plate positioned between the male bending die and the female bending die in the recess, clamping means operable separately from said male bending die holder and mounted for movement relative to the frame, means for effecting said movement of the clamping means independently of movement of the male bending die holder, the clamping means having a transversely extending clamping member behind said male bending die holder and above the female die holder and movable by said moving means towards and away from said female die holder, said clamping means being operable to clampingly engage a metal plate mounted on said fixed female die holder when the clamping member has been moved towards said female die holder, shearing means operable separately from the male bending die holder and the clamping means and mounted for movement relative to the frame behind the clamping means, means for effecting said movement of the shearing means independently of movement of the male bending die holder and the clamping means, said shearing means having a transversely extending cutting member with a first cutting edge, said female bending die holder having a second transversely extending cutting edge at the rear thereof, and said shear moving means being operable to move the cutting member downwardly to cause said first cutting edge to engage the metal plate behind the clamping means, when said clamping means is clampingly engaged with themetal plate, and cooperate with said second cutting edge to cut through the metal plate.