# US 5,699,688 A · Feed control system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,699,688 A - Document ID: US5699688A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/550,712 - Filed: 1995-10-31 - Granted: 1997-12-23 - Earliest claimed: 1995-10-31 - Assignees: Dynamic Feeds, Inc. - Inventors: Robert T. Allred - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699688A ## CPC - B21D 43/11: for feeding sheet or strip material - B21F 23/00: Feeding wire in wire-working machines or apparatus - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B21F: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF METAL WIRE (rolling of metal wire B21B1/16; by drawing, auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working without essentially removing material B21C) ## Abstract A feed control system for a metal forming machine. The feed control system includes a feed assembly mounted on the metal forming machine. The feed assembly includes a slide assembly and a rotating ball-screw operatively connected to the slide assembly. The slide assembly is linearly movable in response to rotation of the ball-screw which is driven by a servo-motor. A control system is operatively connected to the feed assembly for automatically cycling the feed assembly in synchronization with the press so as to feed the metal stock into the press. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for a metal forming machine having a cycling press and a cycling stock feeding mechanism, the stock feeding mechanism including a motor-driven screw assembly and a feed apparatus that is linearly movable in response to rotation of the screw assembly for engaging and feeding stock into the cycling press, said control system comprising: (a) a microprocessor for controlling cycling of the feed apparatus and for synchronizing the cycling of the feed apparatus with the cycling of the press; (b) a resolver interconnected between said screw assembly and said microprocessor for monitoring rotational position of the screw assembly and for communicating the rotational position of the screw assembly to said microprocessor; (c) a feed control sensor interconnected between said press and said microprocessor for communicating the position of the press in a press cycle to said microprocessor; and (d) wherein the metal forming machine includes a hand wheel for manually cycling the press, and said microprocessor includes a hand mode encoder operatively connected to said hand wheel for determining the position of the press in a manually driven press cycle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a limit switch for establishing an initial zero rotational position of the screw assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resolver divides each rotation of said screw assembly into predetermined increments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor includes means for shutting down the metal forming machine in response to a misfeed signal from the feed control sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor includes means for stopping the press at a top-dead-center point of a press cycle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said microprocessor includes an electronic gear for linking the hand mode encoder to the resolver, thereby synchronizing operation of said screw assembly with manual operation of the press. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the hand mode encoder and the resolver are linked in a 1:1 gear relationship. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a control console having a microprocessor interface for inputting feed cycle parameters of a metal forming operation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microprocessor includes a database for storing feed cycle parameters of a plurality of metal forming operations. ### Claim 10 A feed control system for feeding metal stock into a press of a metal forming machine, said feed control system comprising: (a) a feed assembly mounted on said metal forming machine and including: (i) a slide assembly, (ii) a rotating ball-screw operatively connected to said slide assembly, said slide assembly linearly movable in response to rotation of said ball-screw, and (iii) a servo-motor for driving said ball-screw; and (b) a control system operatively connected to said feed assembly for automatically cycling said press and said feed assembly in synchronization with each other to feed said metal stock into said press, said control system including: (i) a microprocessor for controlling cycling of the feed apparatus and for synchronizing the cycling of the feed apparatus with the cycling of the press; (ii) a resolver interconnected between said ball-screw and said microprocessor for monitoring rotational position of the ball-screw and for communicating the rotational position of the ball-screw to said microprocessor; and (iii) a feed control sensor interconnected between said press and said microprocessor for communicating the position of the press in a press cycle to said microprocessor; (c) a gripping apparatus attached to said slide assembly for engaging and moving the metal stock into the press, wherein said gripping apparatus includes a roller gripper assembly including a roller head, an actuator, and a base plate mounted in a frame, said actuator adapted for moving said roller head towards said base plate to grip the metal stock therebetween; and (d) wherein the metal forming machine includes a hand wheel for manually cycling the press, and said microprocessor includes a hand mode encoder operatively connected to said hand wheel for determining the position of the press in a manually driven press cycle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said roller gripper assembly includes a ball-screw drive gear that engages said ball-screw, said ball-screw drive gear for transferring rotational movement of said ball-screw into linear movement of said roller gripper assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said roller head is disposed within a U-shaped bracket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said roller gripper assembly further includes a pair of friction reducing slide blocks mounted in said frame, one slide block on each side of said U-shaped bracket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said roller gripper assembly further includes a pair of guide rollers for guiding the metal stock in between said roller head and said base plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said guide rollers are adjustable relative to each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said base plate is formed of hardened steel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said roller head is eccentric. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said roller head is formed of hardened steel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said actuator includes a pneumatic cylinder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said feed apparatus further includes a second roller gripper assembly. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said first and second roller gripper assemblies sequentially engage the metal stock to incrementally advance the metal stock towards the press. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said second roller gripper assembly includes a roller head and base plate for gripping the metal stock therebetween. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said second roller gripper assembly further includes an actuator for moving said roller head towards said base plate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said roller head is formed of hardened steel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said base plate is formed of hardened steel. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said roller head is eccentric. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said second roller gripper assembly includes a mounting bracket for stationary attachment to the metal forming machine. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said second roller gripper assembly includes a ball-screw bearing socket, one end of said ball-screw rotatably seated in said ball-screw bearing socket. ### Claim 29 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said metal forming machine includes a hand wheel for manually cycling said press. ### Claim 30 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, further including a straightener mounted on said metal forming machine for straightening the metal stock and for feeding the metal stock into said feed apparatus. ### Claim 31 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said servo-motor is brushless. ### Claim 32 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said slide assembly includes an elongated rail parallel to said ball-screw. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said slide assembly further includes a linear bearing for sliding on said elongated rail. ### Claim 34 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, further including a limit switch for establishing an initial zero rotational position of the screw assembly. ### Claim 35 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said resolver divides each rotation of said screw assembly into predetermined increments. ### Claim 36 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the microprocessor includes means for shutting down the metal forming machine in response to a misfeed signal from the feed control sensor. ### Claim 37 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the microprocessor includes means for stopping the press at a top-dead-center point of a press cycle. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said microprocessor includes an electronic gear for linking the hand mode encoder to the resolver, thereby synchronizing operation of said screw assembly with manual operation of the press. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the hand mode encoder and the resolver are linked in a 1:1 gear relationship. ### Claim 40 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, further including a control console having a microprocessor interface for inputting feed cycle parameters of a metal forming operation. ### Claim 41 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the microprocessor includes a database for storing feed cycle parameters of a plurality of metal forming operations.