Mechanical press drive

A mechanically driven press for performing hemming operations comprising:

• a base and a lower platen mounted on the base;
• at least two vertical frame members attached to the base;
• a crown attached to the top of the vertical frame members;
• a drive motor mounted in a fixed position rigidly attached to the crown, the motor having an output shaft;
• a movable platen on the press that is driven in a vertical path between open and closed positions by the drive motor;
• at least two fixed guidance members for the movable platen rigidly attached to the press for guiding the vertical motion of the movable platen between open and closed positions;
• at least two engagement means on the movable platen for engaging the at least two fixed platen guidance members for preventing any horizontal motion of the movable platen;
• a ballscrew apparatus including an elongated screw and a nut threadedly engaging the elongated screw, the ballscrew apparatus being configured to suspend the movable platen from the crown;
• a first coupling connected to the elongated screw and configured to couple the screw to one of the movable platen or the crown of the press;
• a first gimbal joint comprising the first coupling;
• a second coupling connected to the nut and configured to couple the nut to one of the movable platen or the crown of the press;
• and,
• a second gimbal joint comprising the second coupling, the first and second gimbal joints each comprising a mechanical frame containing two mutually perpendicular axes of rotation, wherein one of the gimbal joints transmits rotary motion from the drive motor to one of the elongated screw or the nut of the ballscrew apparatus;
• whereby the drive motor is operably connected to one of the screw or the nut, the drive motor being configured to relatively rotate the elongated screw or the nut to impart reciprocal vertical motion to the movable platen, and whereby the first and second gimbal joints are configured to cooperatively isolate the ballscrew apparatus from offset and moment loading that may occur during press operation.