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US 9,555,456 B2Granted
Dynamic clamp and tool holders therefor
AssigneeWilson Tool International Inc.
InventorsBryan L. Rogers, Brian J. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool holder for locating and seating varieties of differing tools. The tool holder is usable with press brake tools as well as tools for other industrial machines and equipment. The tool holder includes a clamp and a supporting body. The clamp is an assembly and, via collective operation of its components, functions with the supporting body to locate and seat tools of a variety of differing styles, sizes, and geometries.
Claims33
A clamp for a tool holder, comprising:
- a clamp body including a first face and a second face opposing the first face, the clamp body defined with a plurality of apertures spaced across a width of the clamp body, each aperture extending from the first face to the second face;
- one or more spring plates operably coupled to the first face of the clamp body, each of the spring plates having a plurality of legs each correspondingly extending within one of the apertures;
- a plurality of fingers suspended from the second face of the clamp body, the fingers each including a fin protruding from an inner side and including a platform projecting from an outer side at a first end, each fin correspondingly extending within one of the apertures and correspondingly contacting one of the legs of the one or more spring plates therein, each platform sized for engaging a notch or groove of a tool, the fingers defining a slot at a second end;
- a plurality of pins each extending from the second face of the clamp body, the pins correspondingly situated adjacent to one of the apertures, the pins correspondingly extending within the slots of the fingers;
- wherein the fingers are each correspondingly pivotable and vertically displaceable about the pins relative to the clamp body.
2 more elements
A tool holder, comprising:
- a supporting body having a load-delivering surface that is substantially perpendicular to a pressing axis of the tool holder;
- and
- a clamp being operably coupled to the supporting body, the clamp and supporting body defining a tool channel adapted to locate and seat any of a plurality of different tools, the clamp being selectively pivotable relative to the supporting body, a first pivotable configuration of the clamp corresponding to a clamping force being applied to a tool positioned within the channel and a second pivotable configuration of the clamp corresponding to a clamping force being released from a tool positioned within the tool channel;
- wherein the clamp comprises one or more fingers adapted to engage tools inserted within the tool channel, the fingers correspondingly suspended by one or more pins extending between the clamp and the supporting body, the fingers being both pivotable and vertically displaceable about the pins, the fingers pivotable about the pins in the first pivotable configuration of the clamp for retaining a tool within the tool channel, and the fingers vertically displaceable about the pins in the second pivotable configuration of the clamp for seating a load-receiving surface of the tool against the load-delivering surface of the supporting body.
1 more element
A method of locating and seating a tool on a tool holder, the method comprising:
- providing a tool holder, the tool holder comprising a supporting body and a clamp operably coupled to the supporting body, the supporting body having a load-delivering surface that is substantially perpendicular to a pressing axis of the tool holder, the clamp and supporting body defining a tool channel adapted to locate and seat any of a plurality of different tools, the clamp being selectively adjustable between first and second pivotable configurations relative to the supporting body;
- actuating the clamp to the second pivotable configuration, the clamp comprising fingers that are suspended by corresponding pins extending between the clamp and the supporting body, the fingers being biased inward toward the tool channel, wherein when the clamp is actuated to the second pivotable configuration, the fingers are deflectable outward from the tool channel to permit loading or removal of a tool from the channel;
- inserting a shank of a tool within the channel, resulting in initial pivoting of one or more of the fingers about the pins and subsequent retention of the tool shank within the channel via corresponding engagement of the one or more fingers with a notch of the tool shank;
- and
- actuating the clamp to the first pivotable configuration, whereby the fingers are vertically displaced about the pins such that a load-receiving surface of the tool is seated against the load-delivering surface of the supporting body via the engagement between the one or more fingers with the tool notch.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.