US2598427A - Apparatus for controlling die operations - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1952 w. R. PLACE APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DIE OPERATIONS Filed April 15, 1948 we K.s Z W n r en vR J 5% May 27, 1952 w. R. PLACE APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DIE OPERATIONS Filed April 123, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 6 y me n m mm w r a 8 w w T Patented May 27, 1952 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DIE OPERATIONS Walter R. Place, Glen Ridge, N. J.

Application April 13, 1948, Serial No. 20,726

6 Claims. (01. 74-568) dies or associated operative parts which naturally involves a great loss of time and expense for labor. It is a main object of this invention to be able to adjust and control the timing and operation of die members without any appreciable loss of time and without in any way dismantling the machine.

In the operation of dies for performing a series of operations on a blank, it is exceedingly important that the successive operations thereon be timed with exactitude, and it is another object of this invention to be able to adjust the timing operations accurately within a matter of a few minutes.

It is also essential to the efiicient operation of the machine that as soon as the operations on the blank have been completed, the blank-be quickly and efficiently removed from the die so that a fresh blank may be instantly substituted and thereby not interrupt the operation of the machine. It is, therefore, a further object of the invention to provide novel and efficient means connected with the timing operations of the apparatus to rapidly and efficiently kick the blank out of the die at the proper moment.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the detailed specification hereinafter set forth, especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms, the invention relates to a draw press having a frame with an operating head at the top and a base plate at the bottom; a power shaft; a crank arm and a connecting rod related to the crank arm at one end and to a slide block at the other on which a portion of the die member is mounted for cyclical reciprocation in th frame to and from a fixed die member. Preferably the cyclically operated die member is a portion of the female die member and is related to the operation in the matter of forming the blank. Associated with this cyclically operated z female forming die member is an enclosed other section of said die member in the form of a plate whose function is to clamp the blank on the top of the male di member and hold it in position thereon while various forming operations take place. This movable die plate is independently operated by means of linkages connected and associated with the cam mounted on the power shaft at the top of the machine so that the operation of this die plate is timed in its operation with respect to the operation of the other members.

The linkage connecting the cam with the independently operated die plate are so constructed as to be adjustable in a matter of a few minutes to alter the effective length thereof, as desired. The cam is made in sections embracing a cheek of the power shaft and provided with adjusting means whereby in a matter of a few minutes the angularity of the cam sections with respect to the shaft may be altered at will also to control and adjust the timing operations.

The cam is also provided with a special high point in the form of a protuberance which gives the movable die plate a rapid kick at the proper point in the cycle to kick the blank out of the die.

Further advantageous features will be apparent from the consideration of the following specification, especially when taken in connection with the detailed drawings which form part of the specification.

Th present preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings, of which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the press;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, with portions shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the main cam at the point of maximum pressure on the blank;

Fig. 4 is a cross section, enlarged, of the die members in separated condition and showing the blank kicked out of the female die member;

Fig, 5 is a partial enlarged section of the die members engaging the blank just before the lower edge is curled; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the relation of the parts when the edge of the blank has been curled.

Referring now merely to the specific form of the invention shown in the drawings, it is to be seen that the invention is related to a press of standard type having a fram member It], with a lower die II and a head portion I 2. The lower die ll rests on the die plate ll prime. A power shaft I3 is jcurnalled in the head portion I2 and supports a, cam denoted generally by the letter A and a crank pin denoted by the letter B. Conneced to the crank pin B is a connecting rod element I4 which is connected at its lower end to a slide block I5 having side elements I6 with lateral ribs I1 sliding in suitable grooves (not shown) in the frame lo. These side elements I 6 extend down and are connected at their bottom to a movable die block I8 having apertures I9 therein to receive guide posts 20 supported on the die plate II, thereby'guiding the vertical movement of the block I8.

Disposed on the lower die I I is a male die member 2I surrounded by an annlar die member 22- iixed to the plate I I and spaced from the member H, to provide a guide space to permit vertical movement of certain forming elements one of which 23 is in the form of a ring surroundingthe member 2i and has a forming groove 24 on its upper surface. This ring 23 is supported for vertical movement with respect to the die member 2i one series of rods 25 depending through apertures in the plate II and supported on a plate 26.

This plate 25 rests on top of a block of resilient.

material 27 on the bottom of which is also disposed another plate 28. The plate 28 is fixedly connected to the plate II by means of a bolt 23 extending up through a hole in the plate 25. It is seen, therefore, that the plate 26 may be depressed to compress the resilient block 21 and will be sprung up quickly when the pressure on it is released.

Fixed to and dependent from the bottom of the die block I8 is another ring-shaped forming die member 33, the inner lower edge of which is curved as at 3i to cooperate with the groove 24 in the die ring 23 to achieve a forming operation such as a curling operation to be later described and shown. Housed within the die member 38 is a separately movable die plate 32 adapted when in full operative position shown in Fig. 2 to press a blank C against the upper face of the die block 2i. This die plate 32 is separately movable with respect to the forming ring 33 by being supported on a stem 33 which extends up through an aperture in the block I8 and through a cylindrical sleeve 3 2 inte rally formed on the upper surface of said block. In this-sleeve is disposed a sliding hollow cap 35 to which is fastened the upper end of the stem 33, and a spring 3% is coiled Within the sleeve around the stem and tends to hold the cap upwardly in the sleeve 34.

On the iront face of the slide block l5 at the lower portion thereof is fixed a bracket member 33 which acts as a journal for a shaft 39 on one end of which is fixed an arm 49, the end of which contacts the cap 35 by reason or a protuberance BI on its lower face as seen in dotted lines in Fig. l. The other end of the shaft 39 carries a similar arm 42 with a similar protuberance 43 on its upper face.

In order to operate the arm 42 and thereby the movable die plate 32, there is provided a sleeve casing 44 which is fixed to and moves with the slide block I5 as seen in Fig. 2. Within this sleeve casing are disposed a pair of movable links 45 and 45 which by means of well known bolt and slot arrangements are adapted to be adjusted with respect to each other, whereby the effective length of the links as a whole may be altered as desired. At its bottom the link 45 contacts with the protuberance 43 on the arm 42 and at its upper end the other link 46 is widened out at 41 and supports a roller lt adapted ina manner to be described to cooperatewith the, cam member A.- A set screw 49 extends between the upper 4 end of link and the lower face of the widened portion 41 of the link 45 so as to maintain and establish the adjustment between these two links.

The cam A with which the upper end of these links contact is formed as follows:

A rotary check 50 is on the main shaft I3 and has curved opposite edges 5! and 52. The cam element is adapted to be disposed around this cheek and is sectional. One section is numerated 53" and the other is numerated 54 and each has an inner surface conforming to the curvature of the respective faces of the cheek 5B. In the form shown the cam section 54 is much narrower than the section 53, and there may be provided a filler section 55 between it and the surface 52 which may'be'bolted to the cheek 50 as shown. In other forms this. section 54 and the filler 55 may be of one piece.

The respective opposite ends of the sections 53 and 54 are connected by connector pieces or blocks 56 and 57. (Fig. 3)- which are bolted andscrewed to the, respective cam sections at their opposite ends. The connector blocks are spaced from the sideszof the cheek 5d and between them extend set screws 58, which are used for angularl adjusting the cam sections on the cheek 5E1. When thescrews are loosened the cam unit as awhole may be angularly moved around the cheek 50 and then the screws may be tightened to set the parts in theadjusted position. This enables the timing operation of. the cam with respect to the other elements with which it cooperates to be adjusted at will to produce exactly the timing schedule desired.

On the outer surface of the cam section 54 is disposed an integral protuberant portion 59 which as it comes around over the roller 68 will give it a short kick for purposes to be explained later.

The operation of the device will now be briefly set forth beginning with the parts in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this position plate 32 is tightly holding the blank 0 on the die member 2i and the forming ring 30 has cut and formed the sides of the blank C and has pressed the forming member 2 3 downwardly with the reing this curling operation the die plate 32 is tightly holding the blank against the male die member'ZI.

Immediately after the curling operation a point of the cam is-reached where the curve drops off rapidly and allows the spring 33 to push up the stem 33 and thereby pull. up the plate 32 to theposition shown in Fig. 4. After the cam A has moved approximately from the position shown in Fig. l, the protuberance 59 thereon will encounter the roller 48 and give the plate 32 a quick kick downward against the resistance of spring 36 which will force the blank C out of the upper die member as shown in Fig. 4. At this point another blank may be inserted and laid on top of the die member 21 after which the die member 30 descends and cuts the blank in cooperation with the die member 22. Then the plate'32 descends to hold the out blank while further descent of. the die member 30 forms the sides of the out portion and moves the parts to the position shown in Fig. 5 which is the lowermost position assumed thereby.

It seems perfectly clear that by being able to independently adjust the relation of the connector links and #5 by reason of their ball and slot adjustment means and the fine adjustment afiorded by the set screw E9, the effective length of this linkage can be determined very finely. It is also apparent that by means of the set screw 58 shown in Fig. 3, the cam sections may be turned to a fine degree to adjust them on the check 56 so as to accurately determine th timing of the various portions of the cam. It is also clear that these adjustments can be made in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort and without in any way having to dismantle the machine so that a great saving of time and labor results.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is intended to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a draw press having a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed to the shaft and having curved surfaces, a plurality of cam sections disposed around and embracing the periphery of said check, blocks adjustably connecting corresponding opposite ends of said sections to adjust their grip on the cheek, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the blocks and the sections, and means associated with the cheek and the sections to adjust the angular position of the sections on the cheek whereby the timing operations of the cam may be adjusted.

2. In a draw press, a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed thereto and having curved peripheral surfaces, a plurality of cam sections disposed around said check and having inner surfaces curved similarly to curvature of the cheek and outer cam surfaces, blocks adjustably connecting corresponding opposite ends of said sections to adjust the grip of the sections on the cheek, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the blocks and the sections, and set screws on the sections and engaging the cheek to adjust the angularity of the sections with respect to the cheek whereby the timing action of the cam may be varied.

3. In a draw press having a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed to the shaft and having oppositely disposed surfaces, a pair of cam sections disposed around and against the peripheries of said surfaces, connector blocks disposed between corresponding opposite ends of said cam sections, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the blocks and said sections to tighten the contact between the sections and the curved surfaces, and set screws on the blocks engaging the cheek to fix the cam sections in any adjusted position.

4. In a draw press having a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed to the shaft, said check having oppositely disposed curved surfaces and intermediate straight surfaces, a pair of cam sections disposed around and against the peripheries of said curved surfaces, connector blocks disposed between corresponding opposite ends of said cam sections and parallel to and spaced from said straight surfaces, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the blocks and said sections to tighten the contact between the sections and the curved surfaces, and set screws on the blocks adjustable to engage the adjacent straight side of the cheek to fix the cam sections in any adjusted position.

5. In a draw press having a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed to the shaft and having oppositely disposed surfaces, a pair of cam sections disposed around and against the peripheries of said surfaces, connector blocks disposed between corresponding opposite ends of said cam sections, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the blocks and said sections to tighten the contact between the sections and the curved surfaces, and set screws on the blocks engaging the cheek to fix the cam sections in any adjusted position, and a filler section disposed between a cam section and the adjacent curved surface of the check.

5. In a draw press having a power shaft, a rotating cheek fixed to the shaft, said check having oppositely disposed curved surfaces and intermediate straight surfaces, a pair of cam sections disposed around and against the peripheries of said curved surfaces, connector blocks disposed between corresponding opposite ends of said cam sections and parallel to and spaced from said straight surfaces, means for adjustably tightening the connection between the sections and the curved surfaces, and set screws on the blocks adjustable to engage the adjacent straight side of the cheek to fix the cam sections in any adjusted position, and a filler section disposed between a cam section and the adjacent curved surface of the cheek.

WALTER R. PLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 146,193 Mallinckrodt Jan. 6, 1874 970,092 McDonald Sept. 13, 1910 1,353,493 Pierson Sept. 21, 1920 1,464,589 Talbot Aug. 14, 1923 1,500,281 Starnes July 8, 1924 1,553,675 Douglas Sept. 15, 1925 1,876,161 Zazzara Sept. 6, 1932 2,136,933 Calleson Nov. 15, 1938 2,150,890 Franghia Mar. 14, 1939

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