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US 7,080,586 B2Granted
Triple action cam die set for cutting the ends of metal tubes
AssigneeTrim Trends, Inc.
InventorMichael Wayne Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The triple action cam die set has an upper die, lower die and a cam system that works on multiple axes. A feeder delivers tubes sequentially to a loading station from where the tube is moved to a work station where the ends of the tube are cut and then the cut tube is moved to an exit station. The upper die has pairs of first, second and third drivers, each driver having a caming surface thereon. The lower die has a pair of cutter holders with cutters located opposite the ends of the tube when located at the work station. The cutter holders have first, second and third cam surfaces thereon which are sequentially engageable by the cam surfaces provide on the first, second and third drivers when the upper die is cycled.
Claims76
A die set comprising:
- an upper die having a downward stroke and an upward stroke;
- a lower die cooperating with said upper die;
- first, second and third cam drivers which are spaced apart depending from said upper die and extending toward said lower die;
- said second and third cam drivers being spaced inwardly from said first cam driver;
- said cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- a work station in said lower die for receiving a tube;
- a laterally moveable cutter holder and cutter at said work station which are moveable relative to an end of the tube;
- said cutter holder movable in a forward direction and in a rearward direction relative to the tube;
- said movable cutter holder having first, second and third cam surfaces thereon which are engageable respectively by said first, second and third cam drivers during the downward stroke of said upper die;
- the cam surface of said first cam driver when said upper die is moving through a downward stroke, engaging the first cam surface on said cutter holder and thereby moving said cutter holder towards the end of the tube at the work station where said cutter enters the end of the tube;
- said second cam drivers during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die engaging the second cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in the forward direction to cut and thereby form one side of the end of the tube;
- said third cam driver during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die thereafter engaging the third cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in the rearward direction to cut and thereby form the other side of the end of the tube;
- said second cam driver during the upward stroke of said upper die reengaging the second cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in the transverse forward direction without cutting the tube until said second driver clears the second cam surface of said cutter holder.
10 more elements
A die set comprising:
- an upper die having a downward stroke and an upward stroke;
- a lower die cooperating with said upper die;
- said upper die having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular thereto;
- first, second and third cam drivers depending from said upper die and extending toward said lower die;
- said first, second and third cam drivers being located at one side of said transverse;
- said first cam driver intersecting said longitudinal axis;
- said second and third cam drivers being spaced transversely apart on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis;
- said second and third cam drivers being spaced inwardly from said first cam driver;
- said cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- a slideable finger rack on said lower die having a pair of upwardly opening lower fingers with recesses for receiving tubes;
- a cylinder on said lower die attached to said finger rack for moving said rack from a loading station where a tube is gravity fed into a finger recess and for then moving said rack to a work station where one end of the tube is cut and then for moving the cut tube to an exit station where the tube is discharged from the die set;
- said work station having a laterally moveable cutter holder and cutter which are moveable into and out of engagement with one end of the tube;
- said cutter holder also being movable in a transverse forward direction and in a transverse rearward direction relative to the tube;
- said movable cutter holder having first, second and third cam surfaces thereon which are engageable respectively by the cam surfaces of said first, second and third cam drivers during the downward stroke of said upper die;
- the cam surface of said first driver when said upper die is moving through a downward stroke, engaging the first cam surface on said cutter holder and thereby moving said cutter holder towards said one end of the tube at the work station where said cutter enters the tube;
- said second driver during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die engaging the second cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in a transverse forward direction to cut and thereby form one side of the end of the tube;
- said third driver during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die thereafter engaging the third cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in a transverse rearward direction to cut and thereby form the other side of the end of the tube;
- and
- said second driver during the upward stroke of said upper die thereafter reengaging the second cam surface of said cutter holder to drive said cutter holder in a transverse forward direction without cutting the tube until said second driver clears the second cam surface of said cutter holder.
16 more elements
The die set as set forth is claimed 12, wherein said upper die is provided at opposite sides with a pair of guide posts, each post being fixed on one end to said upper die and on the other end to a bearing retainer;
- said lower die being provided at opposite side with upstanding guide bushings;
- and
- said bearing retainer being received in said guide bushing during the downward stroke of said upper die.
A triple action cam die set for cutting the ends of metal tubes comprising:
- an upper die having a downward stroke and an upward stroke;
- a lower die cooperating with said upper die;
- said upper die having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular thereto;
- pairs of first, second and third cam drivers depending from said upper die and extending toward said lower die;
- one of each of said first, second and third cam drivers being located at one side of said transverse axis and the other of each of said first, second and third cam drivers being located on the other side of said transverse axis;
- said first cam drivers being spaced apart and intersecting said longitudinal axis;
- said one second and third cam drivers and said other second and third cam drivers being spaced transversely apart on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis;
- said second and third cam drivers being spaced inwardly from said first cam drivers;
- said first pair of cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- said second pair of cam drivers each having a cam surface;
- said third pair of cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- a slideable finger rack on said lower die having a pair of upwardly opening lower fingers with recesses for receiving tubes;
- a cylinder on said lower die attached to said finger rack for moving said rack from a loading station where a tube is gravity fed into a finger recess and for then moving said rack to a work station where the ends of the tube are cut and then for moving the cut tube to an exit station where the tube is discharged from the die set;
- said work station having a pair of laterally moveable cutter holders and cutters which are moveable into and out of engagement with the ends of the tube;
- said cutter holders also being movable in a transverse forward direction and in a transverse rearward direction relative to the tube;
- each of said movable cutter holders having first, second and third cam surfaces thereon which are engageable respectively by the cam surfaces of said first, second and third cam drivers during the downward stroke of said upper die;
- the cam surfaces of said first drivers when said upper die is moving through a downward stroke, engaging the first cam surfaces on said cutter holders and thereby moving said cutter holders towards the ends of the tube at the work station where said cutters enter the ends of the tube;
- said second drivers during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die engaging the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive said holders in a transverse forward direction to cut from top to bottom and to thereby form one side of the ends of the tube;
- said third drivers during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die thereafter engaging the third cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive said holders in a transverse rearward direction to cut from top to bottom and to thereby form the other side of the ends of the tube;
- and
- said second drivers during the upward stroke of said upper die thereafter reengaging the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive said holders in a transverse forward direction without cutting the tube until said second drivers clear the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders.
18 more elements
A die set comprising:
- an upper die having a downward stroke and an upward stroke;
- a lower die cooperating with said upper die;
- said upper die having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular thereto;
- pairs of first, second and third cam drivers depending from said upper die and extending toward said lower die;
- one of each of said first, second and third cam drivers being located at one side of said transverse axis and the other of each of said first, second and third cam drivers being located on the other side of said transverse axis;
- said first cam drivers being spaced apart and intersecting said longitudinal axis;
- said one second and third cam drivers and said other second and third cam drivers being spaced transversely apart on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis;
- said second and third cam drivers being spaced inwardly from said first cam drivers;
- said first pair of cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- said second pair of cam drivers each having a cam surface;
- said third pair of cam drivers each having on one edge a cam surface;
- a work station in said lower die for receiving a tube;
- a pair of laterally moveable cutter holders and cutters at said work station which are moveable relative to the ends of the tube;
- said cutter holders each movable in a transverse forward direction and in a transverse rearward direction relative to the ends of the tube;
- each of said movable cutter holders having first, second and third cam surfaces thereon which are engageable respectively by said first, second and third cam drivers during the downward stroke of said upper die;
- the cam surfaces of said first cam drivers when said upper die is moving through a downward stroke, engaging the first cam surfaces on said cutter holders and thereby moving said cutter holders towards the ends of the tube at the work station where said cutters enter the ends of the tube;
- said second cam drivers during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die engaging the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive holders in a transverse forward direction to cut from top to bottom and to thereby form one side of the ends of the tube;
- said third drivers during the continuing of the downward stroke of said upper die thereafter engaging the third cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive said holders in a transverse rearward direction to cut from top to bottom and to thereby form the other side of the ends of the tube;
- and
- said second drivers during the upward stroke of said upper die thereafter reengaging the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders to drive said holders in a transverse forward direction without cutting the tube until said second cam drivers clear the second cam surfaces of said cutter holders.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.