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US 6,032,505 AGranted
Tooling apparatus and method for high speed production of drawn metal cup-like articles
OwnerRalph P. Stoddinventor
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OwnerRalph P. Stoddinventor
Estimating the term…
The dynamic loading on a double action high speed mechanical cupping press is substantially reduced with multiple stage tooling which forms a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with each stroke of the press. Each tooling stage includes a plurality of annular draw pads each opposing a corresponding annular blank and draw die. An annular cut edge surrounds each of the draw pads, and a corresponding die center punch is located within each of the draw pads. The tooling stages are positioned at predetermined stepped elevations so that they sequentially blank the sheet metal to form a series of circular disk-like blanks between the cut edges and the corresponding blank and draw dies, sequentially hold the blanks between the draw pads and corresponding blank and draw dies, and sequentially draw the blanks into cups with the die center punches extending into the corresponding blank and draw dies. The tooling stages are symmetrically positioned with respect to the press center line, and each set of tooling may also include a bottom panel punch surrounded by a pressure sleeve for sequentially forming a preform boss within the bottom wall of each cup.
A method of forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with each stroke of a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and supporting tooling comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stages each including an annular draw pad, an annular blank and draw die opposing the annular draw pad at each stage, an annular cut edge die surrounding the draw pad at each stage, a die center punch within the draw pad at each stage and defining a cavity, and a pressure sleeve opposing the die center punch at each stage and surrounding a corresponding bottom panel punch, the method comprising the steps of cutting the strip between the annular cut edge dies and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at all of the stages for forming a series of disk-like blanks, holding the metal blanks between the annular draw pads and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at the stages, sequentially engaging the center portions of the blanks at the stages by the corresponding die center punches for sequentially drawing the blanks into cups to reduce the compressive and tensile loading on the press during each stroke of the inner ram, and forming an inwardly projecting boss within the bottom of each cup at each stage by moving the corresponding bottom panel punch into the cavity within the corresponding die center punch.
A method of forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with each stroke of a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and supporting tooling comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stages each including an annular draw pad movable with the outer ram, an annular blank and draw die opposing the annular draw pad at each stage, an annular cut edge die surrounding the draw pad at each stage and movable with the outer ram, a die center punch within the draw pad at each stage and defining a cavity, and a pressure sleeve opposing the die center punch at each stage and surrounding a corresponding bottom panel punch, the method comprising the steps of cutting the strip between the annular cut edge dies and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at the stages for forming a series of disk-like blanks, sequentially holding the metal blanks between the annular draw pads and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at the stages, sequentially engaging the center portions of the blanks at the stages by the corresponding die center punches for sequentially drawing the blanks into cups to reduce the compressive and tensile loading on the press during each stroke of the inner ram, and forming an inwardly projecting boss within the bottom of each cup at each stage by moving the corresponding bottom panel punch into the cavity within the corresponding die center punch.
Tooling apparatus for use on a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and for substantially simultaneously forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with reciprocating strokes of the rams, said tooling apparatus comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stages each having cup-forming tooling components including an annular draw pad connected to move with said outer ram, a corresponding annular blank and draw die opposing each of said draw pads at each of said stages, a corresponding annular cut edge die surrounding each of said draw pads and connected to move with said outer ram, a die center punch within each of said draw pads and connected to move with said inner ram, each said die center punch defining a cavity, a corresponding pressure sleeve opposing said die center punch at each said stage and surrounding a corresponding bottom panel punch, said annular cut edge dies and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages cooperating to form a series of generally circular disk-like blanks with each stroke of said outer ram, the corresponding said blank and draw dies and opposing said draw pads having opposing surfaces cooperating to hold the metal between said draw pads and said blank and draw dies at said stages with each stroke of said outer ram, said die center punches and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages having opposing surfaces with slightly different spacing therebetween at said stages for sequentially drawing the blanks into the cups with each stroke of said inner ram, for significantly reducing the compressive and tensile loading on the press during each stroke of said inner ram, and said bottom panel punch at each stage cooperating with said cavity within the corresponding said die center punch to form an inwardly projective boss within the bottom of each cup.
Tooling apparatus for use on a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and for substantially simultaneously forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with reciprocating strokes of the rams, said tooling apparatus comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stages each having cup-forming tooling components including an annular draw pad connected to move with said outer ram, a corresponding annular blank and draw die opposing each of said drawpads at each of said stages, a corresponding annular cut edge die surrounding each of said draw pads and connected to move with said outer ram, a die center punch within each of said draw pads and connected to move with said inner ram, each said die center punch defining a cavity, a corresponding pressure sleeve opposing said die center punch at each said stage and surrounding a corresponding bottom panel punch, said annular cut edge dies and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages cooperating to form a series of generally circular disk-like blanks with each stroke of said outer ram, the corresponding said blank and draw dies and opposing said draw pads having opposing surfaces cooperating to hold the metal between said draw pads and said blank and draw dies at said stages with each stroke of said outer ram, said die center punches and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages having opposing surfaces for drawing the blanks into cups with each stroke of said inner ram, and said bottom panel punches and the corresponding said die center punches having opposing surfaces with slightly different spacing therebetween at said stages for sequentially drawing inwardly projective bosses within the bottoms of the cups.
Tooling apparatus for use on a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and for substantially simultaneously forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with reciprocating strokes of the rams, said tooling apparatus comprising an upper die shoe and a lower die shoe supporting a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stages each having cup-forming tooling components including an annular draw pad connected to move with said outer ram, a corresponding annular blank and draw die opposing each of said draw pads at each of said stages, a corresponding annular cut edge die surrounding each of said draw pads and connected to move with said outer ram, a die center punch within each of said draw pads and connected to move with said inner ram, each said die center punch defining a cavity, a corresponding pressure sleeve opposing said die center punch at each said stage and surrounding a corresponding bottom panel punch, said annular cut edge dies and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages cooperating to form a series of generally circular disk-like blanks with each stroke of said outer ram, the corresponding said blank and draw dies and opposing said draw pads having opposing surfaces cooperating to hold the metal between said draw pads and said blank and draw dies at said stages with each stroke of said outer ram, said die center punches and the corresponding said blank and draw dies at said stages having opposing surfaces for drawing the blanks into the cups with each stroke of said inner ram, said bottom panel punch at each stage cooperating with said cavity within the corresponding said die center punch to form an inwardly projective boss within the bottom of each cup, and all of said tooling components being removable from said die shoes without removing said die shoes from said press.
A method of forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with each stroke of a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and supporting tooling comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stations each including an annular draw pad, an annular blank and draw die opposing the annular draw pad at each station, an annular cut edge die surrounding the draw pad at each station, a die center punch within the draw pad at each station, the method comprising the steps of cutting the strip between the annular cut edge dies and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at the stations for forming a series of disk-like blanks, sequentially applying holding forces against the metal blanks between the annular draw pads on the outer ram and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies for significantly reducing the compressive and tensile loading on the press during each stroke of the outer ram, and drawing the blanks into cups at the stations by the corresponding die center punches.
A method of forming a batch of cups from a strip of sheet metal with each stroke of a double action mechanical press including an inner ram and an outer ram each supported for reciprocating movement and supporting tooling comprising a series of horizontally spaced and substantially identical cup-forming stations each including an annular draw pad, an annular blank and draw die opposing the annular draw pad at each station, an annular cut edge die surrounding the draw pad at each station, a die center punch within the draw pad at each station, the method comprising the steps of cutting the strip between the annular cut edge dies and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies at the stations for forming a series of disk-like blanks, holding the metal blanks between the annular draw pads on the outer ram and the corresponding annular blank and draw dies, and sequentially applying drawing forces against the center portions of the metal blanks by the corresponding die center punches on the inner ram for drawing the blanks into cups at the stations and for significantly reducing the compressive and tensile loading on the press during each stroke of the inner ram.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.