In a method for punching a workpiece, the steps comprising:
- (a) providing a punch press with
- (i) a frame having a base and a head spaced thereabove with a neck extending therebetween at one end thereof;
- (ii) a ram reciprocatably mounted in said head for reciprocal movement relative to said base along a vertical axis defining a work station, at least the lower portion of said ram being rotatable about said axis;
- (iii) die holding base at said work station;
- (iv) tool mounting means in said lower portion of said ram and in said die holding means for releasably mounting a cooperating punch and die, said mounting means having tool receiving passages at one point about the periphery thereof;
- (v) work support table means about said work station with its upper surface providing a workpiece support;
- (vi) a workpiece guidance system including an elongated rail extending transversely of said base adjacent said neck, said system being supported on said frame for clamping an associated workpiece and effecting its movement on said work table relative to said work station along horizontal, perpendicularly oriented X and Y axes;
- (vii) a multiplicity of tool holders supported on said rail for movement therewith, said tool holders projecting forwardly therefrom and having tool seating portions at the forward end thereof;
- (viii) punch and die sets in at least some of said tool holders;
- (ix) means for moving said rail with said tool holders to cause said tool holders to abut the tool mounting means in said ram and die holding means and transfer a punch and die between said holders and said tool mounting means;
- (x) a tool storage and transfer assembly at the opposite end of said frame including:
- (A) a magazine having its principal dimensions extending in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of reciprocation of said ram and rotatable about a horizontal axis perpendicular thereto, said magazine having a major portion with a periphery circumscribing an arc of a first radial distance from said horizontal axis and a minor portion having a periphery of a second radial distance from said horizontal axis reduced from that of said first radial distance, the peripheries of said major and minor portions being generally continuous and defining a closed geometric figure, said magazine having a multiplicity of tool holders at spaced points about said periphery of said major portion and each adapted to seal releasably a punch and die to seat in the tool mounting means with punch and die sets in at least some of said holders;
- (B) means mounting said magazine for rotation about said horizontal axis which is spaced a distance below the plane of said work support surface, said distance being of a dimension to locate said tool holders in horizontal alignment with said tool mounting means when said magazine is rotated to locate them in the uppermost position, said magazine minor portion reduced radial distance being of a dimension relative to said horizontal axis so that its periphery does not extend above the plane of said work support surface when rotated into the uppermost position;
- (C) means for transferring tooling between the uppermost tool holder of said magazine and the tool mounting means of said punch press;
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- (D) means for rotating said magazine to orient a selected tool mounting receptacle in said uppermost position for tooling transfer by said transferring means and for thereafter rotating said magazine to orient said reduced peripheral portion in said uppermost position so that said plane of said workpiece support surface is not spaced above said magazine to permit free motion of a workpiece thereover on said workpiece support surface;
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- (xi) control means
- (A) for effecting rotation of said lower portion of said ram and of said die holding means;
- (B) for effecting rotation of said magazine and operation of said transferring means;
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- (C) for effecting movement of said rail to effect transfer of tooling to and from its tool holders;
- (b) placing a workpiece on said work table support means and clamping it in said guidance system;
- (c) rotating said lower portion of said ram and said die holding means to orient said tool receiving passages facing said tool storage and transfer assembly;
- (d) activating said guidance system to move said workpiece inwardly of said work station;
- (e) transferring into said tool mounting means a selected set for tools from a tool holder stored in said magazine;
- (f) punching said workpiece with said set of tools;
- (g) activating said guidance system to move said workpiece inwardly of said work station;
- (h) returning the tooling in said tool mounting means into said tool holder of said magazine;
- (i) rotating said lower portion of said ram and said die holding means to orient said rail;
- (j) activating said guidance system to move said workpiece outwardly of said work station;
- (k) activating said guidance system to move said rail and transfer into said tool mounting means a second selected set of tools from a tool holder on said rail;
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- (l) punching said work piece with said second selected set of tools.