Manually operated press having an overload protection

A method for protecting a manually operated press against mechanical overload, said press having a manual actuation member coupled to a shaft, a manual actuation of said actuation member being transformed into a stroke movement of a press ram coupled to said shaft and, accordingly, into a change of a relative displacement position of said press ram, said press ram is configured to press a work piece positioned on a base, and a clutch assembly for interrupting a flow of force between said actuation member and said press ram, wherein said shaft has at least two separated pieces, said at least two separated pieces comprises an input shaft and an output shaft, said input shaft extending as an inner shaft through said output shaft, said output shaft is configured as a hollow shaft, said clutch assembly having a first clutch designed as a stroke stop for immobilizing said input shaft with a housing of said press depending on at least one press parameter of a group of press parameters comprising pressing force and relative displacement position of said press ram, and a second clutch designed as an overload clutch for interrupting a flow of force between said input shaft and said output shaft, the method comprising the steps of:

• closing said first clutch;
• closing said second clutch;
• sensing at least one of said press parameters;
• determining whether said press parameter has reached a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• if said predetermined threshold value has been reached, actuating said second clutch for separating said input and output shafts from each other.