Ram feeder carriage system

Abstract

A new carriage system for a ram feeder has been designed and is provided. As in the prior art, the carriage system has a drive cart to which is attached a driving force member at one end thereof and a ram member on the other and opposing end thereof. The drive cart is supported by and travels upon a carriage table. The carriage system of the present invention replaces the prior art wheel and flat rail arrangement under the drive cart. The wheels together with the associated problems have been eliminated. In the present invention, the carriage system has a guide member attached to the carriage table and a travel member attached to the underside of the drive cart. The guide member is longitudinally oriented on the carriage table in the direction of drive cart travel and has at least one upper wear portion. The guide member guides the drive cart and the attached ram member during a reciprocating stoke cycle of the driving force member. The travel member has at least one lower wear portion. When the drive cart is in an installed position, the upper wear portion(s) and the lower wear portion(s) are in slidable contact with each other.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.