Oleopneumatic intensifier cylinder

An apparatus for intensifying a force that is applied to a tool to move said tool first rapidly, then slowly toward a workpiece, said apparatus comprising;

• a master cylinder having a first manifold, a second manifold adjacent said first manifold and a third manifold spaced relative to said first and second manifolds, said first, second and third manifolds each having at least one aperture therein, said first, second and third manifolds being axially aligned and in spaced apart relationship to one another;
• a first cylindrical sleeve attached to said first and said second manifolds to form a first cavity therebetween;
• a second cylindrical sleeve attached to said second and said third manifolds to form a second cavity therebetween;
• an intensifier piston positioned in said first cavity, said intensifier piston defining first and second chambers in said first cavity;
• a reservoir piston positioned in said second cavity, said reservoir piston defining third and fourth chambers in said second cavity, said reservoir piston having a central bore therein;
• an intensifier rod coupled to said intensifier piston, said intensifier rod passing through said at least one aperture in said second manifold and said central bore of said reservoir piston;
• an actuating cylinder having an internal space therein positioned in spaced relationship with respect to said master cylinder;
• an apertured sleeve positioned within said actuating cylinder and bisecting said internal space within said actuating cylinder into third and fourth cavities;
• a first actuating piston positioned in said third cavity of said actuating cylinder, said first actuating piston defining fifth and sixth chambers therein, said fourth chamber adjacent to said reservoir piston and said sixth chamber adjacent said first actuating piston each having hydraulic fluid passage means for placing said fourth and sixth chambers in fluid communication with one another to form a closed hydraulic system, said hydraulic fluid passage means having one end juxtaposed to said third manifold and an opposite end attached to said actuating cylinder;
• a second actuating piston positioned in said fourth cavity of said actuating cylinder, said second actuating piston defining seventh and eight chambers therein;
• a piston rod attached to said first actuating piston, said piston rod passing through said apertured sleeve;
• said piston rod further being attached to said second actuating piston, said piston rod also being cantilevered from said actuating cylinder;
• means located in said second manifold for introducing pressurized pneumatic fluid to said third chamber adjacent said reservoir piston to cause said reservoir piston to force hydraulic fluid from said reservoir piston fourth chamber into said actuating cylinder sixth chamber that is adjacent to said first actuating piston, such that said first actuating piston and said attached piston rod advances at a first predetermined rate toward said workpiece;
• and
• means for introducing pressurized pneumatic fluid to said first chamber adjacent said intensifier piston to cause said intensifier piston to move in association with said coupled intensifier rod into said at least one aperture of said third manifold and act on said hydraulic fluid such that said hydraulic fluid is intensified for introduction to said actuating cylinder sixth chamber that is adjacent said first actuating piston to cause said piston rod attached to said first actuating piston to advance at a second predetermined rate toward said workpiece.

An apparatus for intensifying a force that is applied to a tool to move said tool first rapidly, then slowly towards a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:

• a master cylinder having a first manifold, a second manifold and a third manifold spaced relative to said first and second manifolds, said first, second and third manifolds each having at least one aperture therein, said first, second and third manifolds being axially aligned and in spaced apart relationship to one another;
• a first cylindrical sleeve having a cylindrical bore, said first cylindrical sleeve being attached to said first and second manifolds to form a first cavity therebetween;
• a second cylindrical sleeve having a cylindrical bore, said second cylindrical sleeve being attached to said second and said third manifolds to form a second cavity therebetween;
• an intensifier piston positioned in said first cavity, said intensifier piston defining first and second chambers in said first cavity;
• a reservoir piston positioned in said second cavity, said reservoir piston defining third and fourth chambers in said second cavity, said reservoir piston having a central bore therein;
• an intensifier rod coupled to said intensifier piston, said intensifier rod passing through said at least one aperture in said second manifold and said central bore of said reservoir piston;
• said reservoir piston being adapted for sliding motion along a portion of the axial extent of said intensifier rod, said reservoir piston moving in a direction away from said intensifier piston during its power stroke;
• an end cap with at least one aperture therein, said end cap being juxtaposed said third manifold, said end cap further having passage means therein;
• a plurality of tension studs passing through said first manifold, second manifold and said end cap of bias said first, second and third manifolds against said first and second cylindrical sleeves;
• a bore disposed within said third manifold, said bore having one end in communication with said fourth chamber adjacent said reservoir piston and an opposite end in communication with said at least one aperture in said end cap;
• an actuating cylinder having an internal space therein positioned in spaced relationship with respect to said master cylinder;
• an apertured sleeve positioned within said actuating cylinder and bisecting said internal space within said actuating cylinder into third and fourth cavities;
• a first actuating piston positioned in said third cavity of said actuating cylinder, said first actuating piston defining fifth and sixth chambers therein;
• said fourth chamber adjacent said reservoir piston, said sixth chamber adjacent said first actuating piston and said passage means of said end cap each containing hydraulic fluid and communicating with one another;
• a second actuating piston positioned in said fourth cavity of said actuating cylinder, said second actuating piston defining seventh and eighth chambers therein;
• a piston rod attached to said first actuating piston, said piston rod passing through said apertured sleeve;
• said piston rod further being formed as an integral part of said second actuating piston, said piston rod further being cantilevered from the end of said actuating cylinder;
• pneumatic fluid ingress means within said second manifold for introducing pressurized pneumatic fluid to said third chamber adjacent said reservoir piston to cause said reservoir piston to force hydraulic fluid from said fourth chamber into said actuating cylinder sixth chamber that is adjacent to said first actuating piston, such that said first actuating piston and said attached piston rod advances at a first predetermined rate toward said workpiece;
• and
• pneumatic fluid ingress means positioned in said first manifold for introducing pressurized pneumatic fluid to said first chamber adjacent said intensifier piston to cause said intensifier piston to move and further to move said attached intensifier rod into said at least one aperture of said third manifold and act on said hydraulic fluid such that said hydraulic fluid is intensified for introduction to said actuating cylinder sixth chamber that is adjacent said first actuating piston to cause said piston rod attached to said first actuating piston to advance at a second predetermined rate toward a workpiece.

A method for applying an intensified force to a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of:

• applying a fluid pressure to one side of a reservoir piston located in a master cylinder having a central axis to move said reservoir piston along said master cylinder from a first predetermined position in a first predetermined direction to effect movement of a piston and its associated piston rod located in an actuator cylinder remotely positioned from said master cylinder from a first predetermined position in a direction towards said workpiece whereby a first predetermined force is applied to said workpiece;
• concurrently with applying said fluid pressure to one side of said reservoir piston applying a fluid pressure to one side of an intensifier piston axially aligned with said central axis of said master cylinder to positively constrain said intensifier piston in a first predetermined position from movement;
• concurrently applying a fluid pressure to the other side of said intensifier piston and relieving said fluid pressure applied to said one side of said intensifier piston to move said intensifier piston and its associated piston rod in said first predetermined direction to intensify said first predetermined force applied to said workpiece;
• and
• relieving said fluid pressure applied to said one side of said reservoir piston and simultaneously applying a fluid pressure to a side of said piston most distal from said master cylinder and said one side of said intensifier piston to return said intensifier piston, said reservoir piston and said piston in said actuating cylinder to said first predetermined position.