Multi-mode hammering machine

A multi-mode hammering apparatus for shaping a workpiece such as sheet metal, said multi-mode hammering apparatus comprising:

• a die secured to a support structure, said die being adapted to receive the workpiece;
• a ram cyclically movable along a path of travel toward and away from said die between fully extended and fully retracted ram positions that define a stroke length of said ram;
• a ram drive assembly including a motor, a lever drive assembly and a lever, said ram drive assembly being held by said support structure, said motor cyclically driving said lever drive assembly, said lever drive assembly having a control link and said lever having a pivot axis, said lever drive assembly being cyclically movable between a fully extended drive position and a filly retracted drive position, said control link being in-line with other links in said lever drive assembly when in said filly extended drive position and being angled relative to those said other links when in said fully retracted drive position, said lever being pivotable about said pivot axis, joined to said lever drive assembly on one side of said pivot axis and joined to said ram on said second side of said pivot axis, said lever further including a rigid drive and a flexible drive, said rigid drive having at least one load bearing rigid member to rigidly join said lever drive assembly to said ram, and said flexible drive having at least one load bearing flexible member to flexibly join said lever drive assembly to said ram;
• a gap adjustment assembly connected to said lever, said gap adjustment assembly selectively moving said pivot axis of said lever to a position between maximum and minimum pivot positions to selectively set a gap between said die and ram when said ram drive assembly moves said ram to a said fully extended position;
• a stroke length adjustment assembly joined to said lever drive assembly, said stroke length adjustment assembly being operable to selectively set said fully retracted drive position within a continuous range of positions between maximum and minimum fully retracted drive positions, and wherein said stroke length adjustment assembly is operable to correspondingly selectively set said fully retracted ram position within a continuous range of positions between maximum and minimum fully retracted ram positions to selectively adjust said stroke length of said ram;
• and,
• wherein said multi-mode hammering apparatus operates in a rigid metal shaping mode when said rigid drive is engaged and a flexible hammer mode when said flexible drive is engaged, said gap and stroke length being rigidly maintained by said ram drive assembly when in said rigid metal shaping mode, and said gap and stroke length being flexibly maintained when in said flexible hammer mode, said stroke length adjustment assembly and gap adjustment assembly being independently operable while said ram drive assembly cyclically moves said ram.