Thin sheet forming die assembly including a lower die having plural parallel rotating cylindrical members

A pressing apparatus comprising:

• an upper die and a lower die, said upper die and said lower die being movable relative to one another;
• said lower die including a workpiece support, said lower die further including a plurality of cylindrical members rotatable with respect to said workpiece support about spaced-apart parallel axes of rotation, said cylindrical members having an axially extending groove therein including first forming portions;
• and
• said upper die including a slide cam slidable thereon, said slide cam having second forming portions thereon at locations opposed to said first forming portions,
• whereby displacement of said upper die toward said lower die causes said slide cam and said second forming portions to move toward said first forming portions of said cylindrical members to thereby shape a portion of a workpiece which is located between said first and second forming portions.

A pressing apparatus comprising:

• an upper die and a lower die, said upper die and said lower die being movable relative to one another;
• said lower die including a workpiece support, said lower die further including a plurality of cylindrical members rotatable with respect to said workpiece support, said cylindrical members including a central member rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and a pair of end members rotatable about a second axis of rotation spaced from and parallel to said first axis of rotation, said central member and said end members having an axially extending groove therein including first forming portions;
• a return device for returning the cylindrical members to a position where the workpiece may be removed from the lower die, said return device comprising an air cylinder, said air cylinder including a rod having a distal portion pivotally attached to a connecting member extending from one of said cylindrical members through an opening provided in a lower wall of said lower die;
• said upper die including a slide cam slidable thereon, said slide cam having second forming portions thereon at locations opposed to said first forming portions;
• said cylindrical members further including a slide cam engaging member extending outwardly therefrom which is engagable by said slide cam to cause said cylindrical members to rotate,
• whereby displacement of said upper die toward said lower die causes said slide cam and said second forming portions to move toward said first forming portions of said central member and said end members to thereby shape a portion of a workpiece which is located between said first and second forming portions.