System and method for transferring a work piece in a multi-station press

A system for transferring a work piece in a multi-station press having a plurality of associated upper and lower dies, said system comprising:

• first and second opposite transfer rails disposed parallel to said press stations and extending in the transfer direction;
• a plurality of carriages having first and second ends and a top and a bottom, said carriages coupled in associated pairs for reciprocating movement on said opposite transfer rails;
• a cross bar associated with each pair of carriages and extending above the press stations perpendicular to the transfer direction of the press and coupled between an associated pair of carriages;
• a plurality of holding devices coupled to each of said cross bars for removably engaging a work piece to be moved between the press stations;
• and
• said cross bars being operable to rotate on said carriages and move from said first end to said second end and from top to bottom on said carriages for dynamically orienting the work piece for each press station.

A system for transferring a work piece between first and second press stations in a multi-station press having a plurality of associated upper and lower dies, said system comprising:

• at least one cross bar assembly extending above the press stations perpendicular to the transfer direction of the press for removably engaging a work piece;
• each of said upper dies having a top dead center position corresponding to a maximum separation from said associated lower die;
• a transfer mechanism for moving said cross bar assembly to transfer a work piece between adjacent press stations;
• said cross bar assembly having a rest position located on a side of a midpoint between said press stations closer to said second press station;
• said transfer mechanism beginning to move said cross bar assembly from said rest position when said upper and lower dies are separated by less than said maximum separation.

A system for transferring a work piece between first and second press stations in a multi-station press having a plurality of associated upper and lower dies, said system comprising:

• at least one cross bar assembly extending above said first and second press stations perpendicular to the transfer direction of the press for removably engaging a work piece;
• each of said upper dies having a top dead center position corresponding to a maximum separation from said associated lower die;
• a transfer mechanism for moving said cross bar assembly between said first and second press stations;
• said transfer mechanism operable to move said cross bar assembly away from the second press station to a position on a side of a midpoint between the first and second press stations that is closer to the first press station;
• and
• a predetermined portion of said movement from said second press station occurring while said upper die is separated from the lower die by less than a maximum separation.