Fully contained self adjusting nitrogen binder plate

A press for drawing an associated raw material, said press comprising:

• die means for drawing said associated raw material into an associated product, said die means having a top portion and a bottom portion, said associated raw material being drawn between said top portion and said bottom portion;
• stamping means for stamping said associated raw material into said die means, said stamping means being located above said die means, said stamping means being movable up and down, said stamping means exerting a downward force on said associated raw material and said die means, said top portion of said die means being attached to said stamping means;
• coarse adjusting means for making coarse adjustments to said die means and said stamping means;
• and,
• fine adjusting means for making fine adjustments to position of said top portion of said die means relative to said bottom portion of said die means, thereby aligning said die means, said die adjusting means comprising a binder ring plate, said binder ring plate being located between said stamping means and said top portion of said die means, said binder ring plate substantially rectangular in shape, said binder ring plate having two long sides and two short sides, said binder ring plate containing a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of pistons, said plurality of cylinders being disposed within said binder ring plate, and said plurality of pistons being disposed within said cylinder and being attached to said top portion of said die means;
• and
• wherein said plurality of cylinders and said plurality of pistons are pressurized by nitrogen gas and are grouped into a plurality of control sets, said control sets being controlled by controlling means for controlling said cylinders and said pistons.

A press adjustment apparatus to be retrofitted to a press for drawing an associated material, said press comprising stamping means for stamping said associated material, die means for drawing said associated material, and coarse adjustment means for making coarse adjustments to position of said die means, said press adjustment apparatus comprising:

• fine adjusting means for making fine adjustments to position of a top portion of said die means relative to a bottom portion of said die means, thereby aligning said top portion and said bottom portion of said die means, said fine adjusting means having a binder ring plate, said binder ring plate being located between said stamping means and said top portion of said die means, said binder ring plate containing twenty-four cylinders and twenty-four pistons, said cylinders being disposed within said binder ring plate, said pistons being disposed within said cylinder and attached to said top portion of said die means,
• retrofitting means for retrofitting said die adjusting means to said press;
• and
• wherein said twenty-four cylinders and said twenty-four pistons are individually controlled by controlling means for controlling said cylinders and said pistons and grouped into five control sets, said control sets being controlled by controlling means for controlling said cylinders and said pistons.

A method of aligning and adjusting a press for drawing an associated material, said press comprising stamping means for stamping said associated material, first and second die means for drawing said associated material, each of said die means having a top portion and a bottom portion, coarse adjustment means for making coarse adjustments to said first and second die means and said stamping means, and fine adjustment means for making fine adjustments to said press, said fine adjustment means comprising a plurality of pistons and cylinders pressurized by nitrogen gas, said plurality of pistons being disposed within said cylinder, said method comprising the steps of:

• stamping said associated material between said top portion and said bottom portion of said first die means to die a product;
• removing said first die means from said press;
• installing said second die means into said press;
• adjusting said top portion of said second die means to abut said bottom portion of said second die means when said stamping means stamps said associated material between said top and bottom portions of said second die means;
• and
• activating said pistons to adjust said top portion of said second die means relative to said bottom portion of said second die means by increasing or decreasing the pressure within said pistons and cylinders, said pistons being controlled by said controlling means.