Folding plunger assembly for blanking system
AssigneeAtlas Die LLC
InventorsRick D. Myers, David J. Coursey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plunger assembly is provided for gripping blanking material or blanking scrap during a blanking operation. The plunger assembly includes a base member; a pivoting gripper or plunger member, and a pair of connecting legs connecting the pivoting gripper member to the base member. The assembly is adapted to pivot with respect to at least one of the base member and the pivoting gripper member through a predetermined pivot angle range for changing a distance between the base member and the pivoting gripper member. By pivoting, a folding and unfolding of the plunger assembly can be effected during a blanking operation.
Claims17
A plunger assembly for gripping blanking material during a blanking operation, said plunger assembly comprising:
- a base member;
- a pivoting gripper member;
- a biasing device;
- and
- at least one pair of connecting legs, said at least one pair of connecting legs including a gripper leg and a base leg pivotally connected to one another, said gripper leg also being pivotably connected to said pivoting gripper member, said base leg also being pivotably connected to said base member, and said pivoting gripper member being pivotable with respect to said gripper leg through a predetermined pivot angle range, said gripped leg and said base leg being pivotable with respect to one another for changing a distance between the pivoting gripper member and the base member, thereby selectively effecting a folding and unfolding of the plunger assembly during a blanking operation, wherein the biasing device biases the pivoting gripper member away from the base member.
A kit including components for forming at least one plunger assembly for gripping blanking material during a blanking operation, said kit comprising at least one base member;
- a pivoting gripper member adapted to be connected to the base member;
- at least one pair of pivotable connecting legs adapted to connect the base member to the pivoting gripper member, said pair of connecting legs adapted to pivot with respect to at least one of the base member and the pivoting gripper member in an assembled state of the plunger assembly through a predetermined pivot angle for changing a distance between the base member and the pivoting gripper member;
- and a biasing device to bias the pivotable connecting legs into a position that maximizes the distance between the base member and the pivoting gripper member.
A system for gripping a blanking sheet, said system including at least one folding presser assembly and at least one plunger assembly,
- said folding presser assembly comprising:
- a support rail, a presser rail connected to the support rail;
- and a connecting rail connecting the presser rail to the support rail and being adapted to pivot with respect to at least one of the support rail and the presser rail through a predetermined pivot angle range for changing the distance between the support rail and the presser rail thereby selectively effecting a folding and unfolding of the presser assembly during the blanking operation, and
- said plunger assembly comprising:
- a base member;
- a pivoting gripper member;
- and at least one pair of connecting legs connecting the base member to the pivoting gripper member, said pair of connecting legs including a gripper leg and a base leg pivotally connected to one another, said gripper leg also being pivotally connected to the pivoting gripper member so as to be pivotable through a predetermined pivot angle range and said base leg being pivotally connected to the base member so as to be pivotable through a predetermined pivot angle range for changing a distance between the pivoting gripper member and the base member to thereby selectively effect a folding and unfolding of the plunger assembly during a blanking operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.