Hydraulic press having integrated column clamps and actuators
AssigneeMTS Systems Corporation
InventorDavid A. Hauch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic press has smooth columns that mount relatively movable mold support platens on a base and a ram or cross head. The bed and ram are rigid, low deflection fabricated members mounted on the columns. The clamps that clamp the movable ram in molding position have integrated pressing and stripping cylinders for performing the actual molding operation. The movable ram member is opened and closed with actuators separate from the molding force cylinders. The construction permits making a lighter weight press without a heavy crown at the top of the press.
Claims24
In a hydraulic press having a pair of relatively movable platen members for generating forces therebetween, the improvement comprising at least one of said platen members being supported relative to at least two elongated columns at opposite ends of the one platen member, said one platen member including a main frame extending between said columns, a plurality of spaced load pads mounted on a surface of the main frame at locations facing the other platen member and spaced inwardly from the ends of the main frame, and a flat platen clamped against the side of said main frame facing the other of said platen members and supported on the main frame only through the load pads at the locations, said flat platen having gusset means comprising walls fixed to the flat platen with planes perpendicular the plane of the flat platen to tend to distribute loads across the flat platen, said walls being connected to the main frame only through the load pads supporting the flat platen.
A press having a press bed and movable ram head, said ram head having a side that faces the press bed, and a width extending laterally of said press bed, said width ending in ram head end portions, a plurality of columns having longitudinal axes, at least one column being at each end portion of said ram head;
- first means for connecting first ends of the columns to the ram head, said columns being operably connected to the press bed to carry loads through the columns and including means for urging said ram head toward said press bed when force is applied to the columns to place the columns in tension;
- and
- containment means mounted on each of the ram head end portions spaced along the column longitudinal axes in a direction toward the press bed from the means connecting first ends of the columns to the ram head end portions, for slidably holding each of said columns from excessive movement laterally of the longitudinal axis of the respective column to maintain the longitudinal axis of each such column at a desired, substantially fixed orientation with respect to the ram head until loads beyond a preselected maximum load in direction laterally of the longitudinal axis of the respective column are exerted on the respective column, after which the containment means includes means which permits limited movement between the ram head and the respective column.
A hydraulic press assembly comprising a bed member, said bed member being supported relative to a foundation;
- at least one guidance module fixed at each end of said bed member, and spaced across the lateral width of the bed member;
- a ram assembly for providing compressive forces with respect to said bed member, and movable toward and away from said bed member, said ram assembly comprising a ram head in registry with said bed member, and a plurality of columns having longitudinal axes, one column being mounted for axial sliding movement in each of said guidance modules at the opposite ends of said bed member, first ends of said columns being attached to said ram head through connections for carrying Ioads on said columns to move the ram head relative to the bed member;
- first clamp means in said guidance modules for clamping said columns and retaining the columns from axial movement relative to the guidance modules;
- cylinder means in the guidance modules connected to the first clamp means for exerting forces on the respective column relative to the bed in direction along the longitudinal axis of the respective column when the first clamp means have clamped onto such column;
- and
- separate means for moving said ram head and columns relative to the bed member and the guidance modules when the first clamp means are released from the columns, there being no other frame structures for guiding the ram assembly relative to the bed member other than the columns and guidance modules, and the columns being the only members for generating operating forces between the bed member and ram head through the clamp means and cylinder means.
A fluid power press assembly comprising first and second press members, supported relative to each other with the first press member aligned with the second press member;
- at least one guidance module fixed at each end of the first press member, and spaced across the lateral width thereof;
- means for guiding the second press member for movement toward and away from the first press member comprising a plurality of columns having longitudinal axes, one column being mounted for axial sliding movement in each of said guidance modules at the opposite ends of said first member, first ends of said columns being attached to said second press member through connections for carrying loads on said columns to move the second press member relative to the first press member, said connections permitting limited angular movement of the longitudinal axis of the columns to permit the second press member to move laterally a limited distance relative to the first press member;
- first clamp means in said guidance modules for clamping said columns and retaining the columns from axial movement relative to the guidance modules;
- and
- first pressure cylinder means connected between the first press member and the first clamp means for exerting forces on the respective column relative to the first press member in direction along the longitudinal axis of the respective column when the first clamp means have clamped onto such column, there being no other frame structures for guiding the first and second press members relative to each other, other than the columns and guidance modules, and the columns being the only members for carrying operating forces between the first and second press members through the clamp means and cylinder means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.