US 5,718,145 A · Machine for performing high speed stamping and forming operations

Abstract

A high speed stamping and forming machine (10) is provided having a ram (34) capable of sustained high speed operation. The ram (34) is pivotally attached to a connecting rod (36) which is eccentrically coupled to a drive shaft by means of an eccentric (40) and hydrostatic bearing (50). The drive shaft (30) is journaled in hydrostatic bearings (84, 86) in the frame (12) of the machine. The ram reciprocates toward and away from a bolster plate (20) within a ram bearing (138) having hydrostatic bearings therein. A source of high pressure hydraulic fluid is interconnected to the hydrostatic bearing (50) of the eccentric coupling by means of a fluid coupling (350, 352) consisting of telescoping tubes, one end of which engages a spherically shaped seat (356, 358) in the frame (12) that is in communication with the high pressure fluid source and the other end of which engages a spherical shaped seat (354) in the moving connecting rod (36), which is in communication via a passageway (60) with the hydrostatic bearing (50). A main counterweight (142) is provided on the drive shaft (30) to counterbalance the effects of the reciprocating ram and a two shaft (166), counter-rotating weight system counterbalances lateral loads imposed on the machine (10) by the main counterweight. The bolster plate (20) of the machine is provided with a deep support structure (24) and surrounding concrete (26) to form a stable base (28) to reduce vibrations caused by the impact of the tooling with the strip of material being formed or blanked.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A high speed machine for performing stamping and forming operations on strip material at a speed of up to 6000 strokes per minute, said machine having:

(a) a frame;
(b) a drive shaft journaled in said frame;
(c) a base plate attached to said frame for holding first tooling;
(d) a ram arranged to undergo reciprocating motion within a ram bearing in said frame toward and away from said base plate along a ram axis, and to carry second tooling for mating with said first tooling for performing said stamping and forming operations;
(e) a connecting rod having a first end coupled to said drive shaft by means of an eccentric coupling and a second end pivotally coupled to said ram so that upon rotation of said drive shaft said connecting rod causes said ram to undergo said reciprocating motion;
(f) a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid;
and
(g) an upper hydrostatic bearing and a lower hydrostatic bearing coupling respective upper and lower portions of said ram to said ram bearing and interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid,
wherein said upper and lower hydrostatic bearings include an upper bearing surface and a lower bearing surface, respectively, formed in said ram bearing, both of which are conformably shaped to said respective upper and lower portions of said ram with a first specific amount of clearances space therebetween, each said upper and lower bearing surfaces having a plurality of similar sized spaced return grooves disposed therein parallel to said ram axis thereby forming a plurality of bearing lands, one bearing land between each pair of adjacent return grooves, each bearing land having a recess formed therein and each recess including a port in communication with said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid so that hydraulic fluid under high pressure fills said recesses and said first clearance space.

6 more elements

A high speed machine for performing stamping and forming operations on strip material at a speed of up to 6000 strokes per minute, said machine having:

(a) a frame;
(b) a drive shaft journaled in said frame;
(c) a base plate attached to said frame for holding first tooling;
(d) a ram arranged to undergo reciprocating motion within a ram bearing in said frame toward and away from said base plate along a ram axis, and to carry second tooling for mating with said first tooling for performing said stamping and forming operations;
(e) a connecting rod having a first end coupled to said drive shaft by means of an eccentric coupling and a second end pivotally coupled to said ram so that upon rotation of said drive shaft said connecting rod causes said ram to undergo said reciprocating motion;
(f) a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid;
and
(g) an upper hydrostatic bearing and a lower hydrostatic bearing coupling respective upper and lower portions of said ram to said ram bearing and interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid,
wherein said first end of said connecting rod is coupled to said eccentric by means of a first hydrostatic bearing and said second end of said connecting rod includes a wrist pin attached thereto, said wrist pin being journaled in said ram, said first hydrostatic bearing interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid by means of a fluid coupling, wherein each of said ram and said ram bearing have a clearance opening therethrough and wherein said fluid coupling extends through said clearance openings.

6 more elements

A high speed machine for performing stamping and forming operations on strip material at a speed of up to 6000 strokes per minute, said machine having:

(a) a frame;
(b) a drive shaft journaled in said frame;
(c) a base plate attached to said frame for holding first tooling;
(d) a ram arranged to undergo reciprocating motion within a ram bearing in said frame toward and away from said base plate along a ram axis, and to carry second tooling for mating with said first tooling for performing said stamping and forming operations;
(e) a connecting rod having a first end coupled to said drive shaft by means of an eccentric coupling and a second end pivotally coupled to said ram so that upon rotation of said drive shaft said connecting rod causes said ram to undergo said reciprocating motion;
(f) a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid;
and
(g) an upper hydrostatic bearing and a lower hydrostatic bearing coupling respective upper and lower portions of said ram to said ram bearing and interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid,
wherein said first end of said connecting rod is coupled to said eccentric by means of a first hydrostatic bearing and said second end of said connecting rod includes a wrist pin attached thereto, said wrist pin being journaled in said ram, said first hydrostatic bearing interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid by means of a fluid coupling including a portion having rigid walls, one end of said portion being pivotally attached to said frame and the other end of said portion being pivotally attached to said connecting rod, said first hydrostatic bearing and said fluid coupling arranged so that said drive shaft can rotate said eccentric, with respect to said connecting rod, at a speed of up to 6000 revolutions per minute.

6 more elements

A high speed machine for performing stamping and forming operations on strip material, said machine having:

(a) a frame;
(b) a drive shaft journaled in said frame;
(c) a base plate attached to said frame for holding first tooling;
(d) a ram arranged to undergo reciprocating motion within a ram bearing in said frame toward and away from said base plate along a ram axis, and to carry second tooling for mating with said first tooling for performing said stamping and forming operations;
(e) a connecting rod having a first end coupled to an eccentric on said drive shaft by means of a hydrostatic bearing and a wrist pin attached to a second end of said connecting rod, said wrist pin being journaled in said ram so that upon rotation of said drive shaft said connecting rod causes said ram to undergo said reciprocating motion;
and
(f) a source of high pressure hydraulic fluid,
wherein said hydrostatic bearing is interconnected to said source of high pressure hydraulic fluid by means of a fluid coupling and arranged so that said drive shaft can rotate said eccentric, with respect to said connecting rod, at a speed of up to 6000 revolutions per minute.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Machine for performing high speed stamping and forming operations

Life of this patent

Machine for performing high speed stamping and forming operations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23