GB2134826A

GB2134826A - Transfer device between presses

Info

Publication number: GB2134826A
Application number: GB08400492A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mitsugi Inoue
Original assignee: Aida Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Aida Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 1983-01-28
Filing date: 1984-01-10
Publication date: 1984-08-22
Also published as: JPH0128908Y2; KR840007384A; JPS59120033U; GB8400492D0; DE3402627C2; KR880000613B1; GB2134826B; DE3402627A1

Abstract

A transfer device between presses comprises a main body (7) provided at the mid point between two adjacent presses (1) a guide body (11) which is movable vertically, being guided by guide holes (10) provided in the main body, a transfer bar (4) provided in the guide body and movable longitudinally, having holding means (5) for transferring materials, a pinion (13) provided in the main body and a rack (15) for rotating the pinion, and a link mechanism (16, 17) provided between the pinion and the guide body. The transfer bar and the rack are respectively connected to an adjacent transfer bar and an adjacent rack to be formed as complete bar- shaped bodies, and are both connected to a longitudinal reciprocation drive mechanism (3). An intermediate reception table (6) is provided in front of each main body. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Transfer device between presses The present invention relates to a transfer device in a press line which supplies work materials one after another to a die of a press.

In transfer processing in which a work material is processed successively by a plurality of presses arranged in a row so as to be produced as the final product, two transfer bars are arranged at the front and the rear of dies, and grip fingers for holding the work material are respectively provided at the bars, facing each other. The bars transfer the work materials successively by moving forward and backward as well as in the open/close direction. This mode of material transfer has an advantage that transfer is securely carried out even in the case where the material is large and heavy, as it is gripped by two fingers.

However, since the transfer bars must have the length of the whole press line, their length may be more than 10 m when the line is comprised of 4-5 presses. In such a case the weight of the transfer bars themselves alone becomes quite large, resulting in requiring substantial energy merely to operate the bars alone.

Also, the arrangement that the two transfer bars are moved in the open/close direction to grip the work material, presents a disadvantage that a substantial part of the die space of the bolster is taken by the bars which open/close horizontally, consequently restricting layout of dies. Moreover, there is an inconvenience that when the number of presses in a press line is to be increased or decreased, the transfer bars must be replaced with new ones corresponding to the length of the new press line.

The object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device in which the disadvantages of the conventional transfer devices referred to above are overcome, and in which the die space above the press bolster can be effectively utilized by moving a single transfer bar forward and backward as well as in the up-and-down direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device in which high-speed operation is possible by utilizing a single transfer bar and thus decreasing the weight of the bars.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device in which the length of the transfer bar can be easily changed in accordance with the increase/decrease of the number of presses in a press line by arranging the bar as units between each two presses and connecting these units to form a single transfer bar when a press line is to be set up.

In order to achieve above-mentioned objects, the transfer device of the present invention is comprised of a main body provided, in use, at the mid point between two adjacent presses, a guide body which is movable longitudinally, being guided by guide holes provided above the main body, a transfer bar provided in the guide body in a laterally movable manner, having at its ends material holding means for suctioning at and transferring materials, a pinion provided in the main body and a rack for rotating the pinion, and a link mechanism provided between the pinion and the guide body, characterised in that the said transfer bar and rack are respectively connected to an adjacent transfer bar and an adjacent rack to be formed as complete bar-shapes bodies, and are both connected to a lateral reciprocation drive mechanism, and that an intermediate reception table is provided in front of each main body.

This transfer of materials can be carried out merely by moving the transfer bar laterally as well as longitudinally on the press bolster without having to move it in the horizontal direction. Thus, the space of die plate can be effectively utilized.

Also, by forming the transfer bar as a single barshaped body, and utilizing thin members as rods for connecting units of the transfer bar and those of the rack, the weight of the transfer bar as a whole can be decreased, thereby realizing highspeed operation.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a press line utilizing transfer devices of the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view showing the up-anddown drive unit of the transfer bar from which a part is broken away; Figure 3 is a cross-section along line Ill-Ill of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view showing the lateral drive unit of the transfer bar; Figure 5 is a cross-section along line V-V of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a cross-section along line VI-VI of Figure 4.

A plurality of presses 1, 1 are arranged in a row to form a press line and up-and-down drive units 2, 2 of a transfer bar 4 are provided between each two presses 1, 1, while a lateral drive unit 3 of the transfer bar 4 is provided at one end of the press line. The transfer bar 4 which slides sideways and material holding means 5, 5 which suction at and transfer work materials to the vicinity of right and left ends of each unit of the transfer bar, are provided at the up-and-down drive unit 2, 2.

Intermediate tables 6, 6 for receiving materials to be transferred by the holding means 5, 5, are provided in front of each of the up-and-down drive units 2, 2.

As will be explained below, each feed bar unit is connected to the adjacent one to be formed as a single bar, and the bar connected in this manner moves laterally as well as longitudinally so as to Feed the material on a press die 1 a to the intermediate receiving table 6, and from the table 6 to the next die 1 a. For this purpose, the mounting interval of the material holding means 5, 5 of the transfer bar 4 and the distance between the die 1 a and the intermediate receiving table 6 are made equal. Thus, the distance between two adjacent dies and that between two adjacent intermediate receiving tables are arranged twice the length of the mounting interval of the material holding means.

The up-and-down drive unit 2 is fixed at its both ends to the press bed 1 b, 1 b between the presses 1, 1 (Figure 2), and the intermediate receiving table 6 is provided on the floor in front of the up-and-down drive unit 2.

In Figures 2 and 3, a base plate 8, provided at the lower end of a main body 7 of the up-anddown drive unit 2 of the transfer bar, is fixed to the press beds 1 b, 1 b, and at the upper end of the main body 7 is provided a hollow space 9, which is upwardly open. On both sides of the space 9 guide holes 10, 10 which are also opened at their respective upper ends, are provided. Rods 12, 1 2, provided at the lower end of a guide body 11 in which the transfer bar 4 is housed slidably in the lateral direction, are mounted in the guide holes 10, 10 in the manner to be moved in the longitudinal direction.

A pinion 13 is mounted on a shaft 14 in the hollow space 9 of the main body 7, and a rack 15 which engages with the pinion 13 and which is arranged parallel to the transfer bar 4, is also provided to penetrate through the body and to protrude from it at both ends. A lever 16 is provided on the part of the shaft 14 of the pinion 13 which protrudes from the main body 7, and is connected with the guide body 11 by a link 17.

The transfer bar 4 and the rack 15 are both connected to adjacent bars and racks by rods 1 8, 1 9 respectively and are formed as complete bar-shaped bodies. The ends of these complete bodies are connected to the lateral drive unit 3.

When the rack 15 is reciprocated, the pinion 13 rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise, moving the guide 11 up-and-down through the lever 16 and the link 17, and thus moving the transfer bar 4 up-and-down. The lateral movements of the transfer bar 4 are carried out by directly moving the end of the complete bar sideways.

If thin rods are employed as the connecting rods 18, 19 of the transfer bar 4 and the rack 1 5, their entire weight can be made small, thereby facilitating their drive. The length of the rods is also made adjustable in accordance with the distance between the presses 1, 1 to be set up.

In Figures 4-6 a drive shaft 22 rotated by a flywheel 21 is mounted on a body 20 of the lateral drive unit 3 of the transfer bar, which unit is provided on the floor, and it is controlled by a clutch/brake device 23 provided coaxially with it.

A pinion 24 provided at one end of the drive shaft 22 is engaged with a main gear 26 of a rotation shaft 25 provided in the body 20. A twist disc 27 the position of whose outer periphery is axially varied, is provided on the rotation shaft 25.

Two guide rods 28, 28 are provided in the body 20 at positions parallel to the shafts 22, 25, and a first slider 29 which reciprocates along the rods 28, 28, is attached to them. Two rollers 30, 30 are provided on the lower surface of the first slider 29, and the peripheral edge of the twist disc 27 is inserted between the rollers 30, 30. The slider 29 moves on the guide rods 28, 28 by virtue of the rotation of the twist disc. To the body 20 a first lever 32 provided swingably by a support shaft 31 is mounted through the first slider 29. The lever 32 is connected to the slider 29 by inserting a pin 33 provided on the upper surface of the slider 29 into an elongate hole 34 formed in the lever 32.

Another pair of guide rods 35, 35 are provided parallel to the guide rods 28. 28 at a position opposite to the latter rods, and a second reciprocating slider 36 is mounted on the guide rods 35, 35. The second slider 36 is connected to the lever 32 by engaging a pin 37 on the slider 36 with an engagement leg 38 formed at the end of the lever 32.

The second slider 36 is connected to the end of the rod 18 joined with the transfer bar 4. When the rotation shaft 25 and the twist disc 27 are rotated simultaneously by the rotation of the drive shaft 22, the first slider 29 reciprocates. This causes the lever 32 to rotate around the support shaft 31, and in turn reciprocates the second slider 36 which is connected to the lever 32 at its end, along the guide rods 35, 35. The reciprocation distance of the first slider 29 is transmitted to the second slider 36 in an amplified manner, and the slider 36 reciprocates the distance / which is the adjusted length of the feed stroke of the transfer bar 4.

A cam member 39 is provided on the rotation shaft 25, and is in contact with a cam follower 42 of a second lever 41 provided swingably on the body 20 by a support shaft 40.

The end of the second lever 41 is parallel to the first lever 32 and is connected to a T-shaped lever 44 through a connecting rod 43 extending in the same direction. The T-shaped lever 44 is mounted on the body at the lower position of the second slider 36 and at its center part by a shaft 45 in a rotatable manner in a horizontal plane. A piston rod of a cylinder 46 which presses the cam follower 42 of the second lever 41 is connected to the T-shaped lever 44 on the side opposite to the connecting rod 43. The other end of the T-shaped lever 44 is formed as a connecting arm 44a which protrudes towards the second slider 36, and the end of the rod 1 9 connected to the rack 1 5 of the up-and-down drive unit 2 of the transfer bar is connected to it.

The rotation of the shaft 25 causes one rotation of the twist disc 27 which in turn results in one reciprocating movement of the transfer bar 4.

Since the cam member 39 is provided with two convex parts 39a, 39a and two flat parts 39b, 39b, the transfer bar is moved up and down at the end of the stroke during its reciprocating motion to collect/deposit material and to transfer it between the presses.

Claims

1. A transfer device between presses, comprising a main body provided, in use, at the mid point between two adjacent presses, a guide body which is movable longitudinally, being guided by guide holes provided above the main body, a transfer bar provided in the guide body in a laterally movable manner, having at its ends material holding means for suctioning at and transferring materials, a pinion provided in the main body and a rack for rotating the pinion, and a link mechanism provided between the pinion and the guide body, characterised in that the said transfer bar and rack are respectively connected to an adjacent transfer bar and an adjacent rack to be formed as complete bar-shapes bodies, and are both connected to a lateral reciprocation drive mechanism, and that an intermediate reception table is provided in front of each main body.

2. A transfer device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the mounting interval between a press die and the intermediate reception table is equal to that between two material holding means provided at the transfer bar.

3. A transfer device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the-said transfer bar and the said rack are respectively connected to an adjacent transfer bar and an adjacent rack by rods which are thinner than the respective transfer bars and racks.

4. A transfer device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which rods provided in the vicinity of both ends of the said guide body are slidably mounted in the guide holes open at an upper surface of the main body.

5. A transfer device between presses as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the said pinion is provided in a hollow space provided at the center of the main body.

6. A transfer device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.