US3077797A

US3077797A - Die making procedure

Info

Publication number: US3077797A
Application number: US853033A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert E Payne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-11-16
Filing date: 1959-11-16
Publication date: 1963-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1963 A. E. PAYNE 3,077,797

DIE MAKING PROCEDURE Filed NOV. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PAYNE ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1963 A. E. PAYNE 3,077,797

DIE MAKING PROCEDURE Filed Nov. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

ALBERT E PAYNE ATTOR NEYS United rates 3,tl77,77 DIE MAKING PRUIIEDIJRE Albert E. Payne, 2750 S. Limestone Sb, Springfield, Ghio Fiied Nov. 16, 195% Ser. No. 8%,033 3 Claims. (Q1. 76-197) This invention relates to the production of punches, dies, molds and the like which give form or origin to materials; such a component is hereinafter termed a matrix. More particularly, the invention relates to the attainment of economy in the production of these matrices by efiectin'g both time and labor cost reductions.

A considerable proportion of the cost involved in the production of dies of even simple contour arises from the extensive and accurate operations normally required, including the laying out of the contour on the die block.

My present invention contemplates the provision of a novel method of achieving on a die block the outline of the matrix to be produced; this outline has utility as a scribe line guide in conventional die making as well as the preferred procedure specifically described hereinafter.

'The invention further contemplates the provision of a novel method of achieving the scribe line and in which method the layout of the scribe line on the blank is accomplished by the die designer himself, the die designer indicating not only the scribe line but the areas in which metal removal is to take place. Thus the usual need for layout Work by a machinist or die sinker is eliminated, while yet the accuracy of most bench layouts is readily attained and economy is achieved.

The-invention further contemplates the provision of a die block having the scribe line of a matrix delineated thereon and which scribed die block may be prepared for completion at a widely different time and place.

In the practice of the invention to form a die, for example, a die blank is first prepared with a ground and blued surface in usual manner. It is to be understood that reference to a die is merely for convenience and that a punch or mold would be formed in similar manner, the term die in this application encompassing punches, molds and like matrices which give form or origin to material.

The ground, blued die blank has superposed thereon drawing paper or the like bearing the outlines of the scribe lines or contours desired. The die designer pricks a plurality of spaced points through the drawing paper suiticiently to indicate the contour desired. The paper is then removed and the prick points are interconnected to form the scribe line.

In addition to indicating on the die blank the desired scribe line, the die designer also indicates on the die blank the areas for metal removal. Thus the blank is provided to the machinist or die sinker completely ready for machining. I

The machining operations involve usually the simple drilling of a plurality of holes with the scribe line serving as a general reference; however, the drilling does not extend to the scribe line and it is not necessary to closely approach the scribe line in drilling. Drilling the holes in close relation leaves a web of metal which is then removed by end milling to break the back of the web. This is followed by pressing the complement of the die to be formedthat is a punch having the contour of the scribe lineonto the die blank in alignment with the scribe line. Sufficient pressure is exerted, on the lip of metal left after 3,077,797 Patented Feb. 19, 1963 ice drilling, and milling, to cause the metal of the lip to shear and flow into the area from which metal has been removed. Thus an exact contour for the die is attained.

The metal which formed the lip simply flattens into the cavity; some metal may fracture in this pressing operation and is easily removed if desired, although such is not necessary in the case of punches and dies. With molds the cavity should be cleared up.

After pressing, clearances may be provided on the die as desired and thereafter the die is heat treated and hard ened in accordance with usual commercial practices.

However, the method of forming the outline by punch pricks, and where desired of connecting the punch marks together to form a complete scribe line, is of utility regardless of the method of metal removal, and is a time saving factor in conventional die making procedures. For example, in many instances metal removal is suitably and quickly achieved with a shaper rather than by drilling and end milling.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first step in the process of the invention showing a sheet of drawing paper having a drawing of the letter P thereon; I

.FIGURE 2 illustrates a step in the process of -invention showing a ground blank with bluing applied thereto;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the step of application of the drawing paper to the ground blued blank;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a step of hand punching through the engineering drawing paper to the ground blued blank;

FIGURE 5 illustrates the step of removal of the drawing paper and shows the blank with punch pricks thereon;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a further step in the layout wherein the metal to be removed in the process of production of a punch for the letter P is illustrated;

FIGURE 7 illustrates a succeeding step wherein metal, after being drilled out, is end milled to remove the web left by the drilling operation;

FIGURE 8 illustrates the blank at the completion of the metal removal operation;

FIGURE 9 illustrates the pressing operation;

FIGURE 10 illustrates a completed punch;

.FIGURE 11 is a view illustrating the manner in which a female die is produced in accordance with the practice of the invention and corresponds to the step in the process illustrated in FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 12 illustrates a completed female die for cooperation with a punch as illustrated in FIGURE 10.

The invention illustrated in FIGURES l-8, inclusive, is described with reference to production of a punch for the letter P.

Referring to the drawings and initially FIGURE 1 the numeral 1 designates a sheet of engineering masking drawing paper having drawn thereon the capital letter P, indicated at 2. Preferably this drawing paper is a relatively heavy paper having an adhesive 2a on one side and normally protected by a strip-off paper. However, any suitable paper and adhesive may be employed.

The numeral 3 (FIGURE 2) refers to a prepared blank which is ground and blued, the bluing being partially shown in FIGURE 2 at 4.

The masking drawing paper 1 (FIGURE 3) is glued into place on the blank 3. Alternatively the drawing peper may begluedno the blank first and the drawing made on the paper while it is glued on the blank Alignment of the drawing on the blank is not critical and may be made in any suitable manner as by reference to straight edges of the blank. The paper, however, should be flat and air should not be trapped between the sheet and blank.

The die designer, utilizing a punch prick (FIGURE 4), follows the outline of the letter, punching through the masking drawing paper to the blank 3. In FIGURE 5, where the drawing paper is shown in the course of removal, the prick point outline is designated at 6 on the blank.

Only sufiicient punch pricks or punch marks need be made to define the contour; in the case of a straight line two well spaced marks are sufiicient, while with complex curves a plurality of closed spaced marks are more satisfactory.

' As illustrated in FIGURE 6 the scribe line 7 is drawn I through the prick points 6. Also in FIGURE 6, as designated by the numeral 8, areas for metal removal are indicated by the die designer. Such indications for metal removal maybe in any form, circles have been chosen for illustration in the drawings, since metal removal is suit: ably effected bydrilling. However, since in FIGURE 6 much of the metal could be removed with a shaper, the indications by the die designer may obviously be by straight, intersecting lines and the like.

As-Will be noted from FIGURE 7 the larger circularlike areas 8 indicate that metal is to be removed from the area outside of the letter P. The numeral 9 designates smaller areas within the letter from which metal is to be removed I by drilling, using a somewhat smaller drill.

Similar drills are more suitable adjacent corners, sharp curves and the like.

However, it is to be noted that uniformity of spacing of drill holes designated at 10 in FIGURE 7 is not required. It is only necessary that the drilled out area extend in proximity to the scribe line. Further where metal is to be removed from the outside of the letter P (FIG- URE 6) .a shaper, as already noted may beemployed since the contour is not complicated and the shaper removes suchmetal quickly.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the metalweb remaining after drilling is end milled to break the web and complete metal removal, leaving only a lip 11 of irregular contolll'xin form of. serrations 12 on the outside of the letter Pas inFIGURE 8 Further, a lip 13 (FIGURES 7 and 8) remains within the, letter after end milling, a serrated edge being indicated, at 14.

As illustrated in FIGURE 9 a female. diemember 15,

having a cavity contour generallydesignated at 16 andcorresponding to, scribe, line 7, ispressed down on the blank 1 with the scribe line 7 aligned-with contour 16. This pressure operation causes the metal ofthe lips 11 and 13 to shear and flow into the areas from which metal has been,removed, the, metal of lip 11 forming (FIGURE 10) the ridge 17/fi11d1l1fl metal of lip 13 forming the ridge 18.

The

ridges

17 and 18 lie wellbelow the punch shearing,

edges at 19 of'punch 20; accordingly do notinterfere with operation of the completed punch. However, if desired such metal may, of course, be removed.

It is thus to be seen that the provision of the. scribe line 7 in the manner described is a material factor in theeconomy, ofithe process, and mostrimportant the scribing does not introduce any error not automatically corrected by the .pressure operation.

The female die may be produced; from the punch formed in the practice of theprocessof invention and pertinent steps are. indicated in FIGURES. 11.and 12. Thus in FIGURE 11 the numeral 22 designates the die blank provided as already described with a scribe line 23. Within the letter. areas for metal removal are indicated by circles 25. The finished productafterthe pressureoperation. is the .die .26 (FIGURE 12 'lhe punch anddie customarily in the practice of the invention are provided with clearances as required and are then heat treated to complete the procedure.

The time saved and the economy achieved by the practice of the invention increase as the complexity of die contour increases, for much less labor is expended relatively in the scribing.

Standard die set materials may be employed in the practice of the invention to attain maximum economy and interchangeability. Similarly standard strippers are employed. m

The method of invention is applicable for molds, dies and punches and particularity is of utility in embossing, cutting, forming, blanking and progressive tape processes relating to operations on sheet metal.

The masking drawing paper is preferred but it is to be understood that material which will accept the drawing configuration and which may be punched through in the hand prick punch operation is generally useful.

' Further the specific method of die production described, while of great benefit in conjunction with the marking process, is not necessary to the utilization of the marking process. Conventional die making procedures for example are speeded by the marking procedure. Also procedures wherein the machinist must remove metalfrom specific areas in the matrix formation are speeded due particularly to the feature of having the metal removal areasdesignated by the die designer himself, for example.

The specific process of die formation, however, in combination with the marking procedure provides for punches and dies with accurate cutting edges, designated at C in FIGURES 10 and 12, and in a most economical manner.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to difierent usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a process for the production of a matrix in the points on the blank to form continuous lines, roughing out the excess metal of the blank to a position close to said continuous lines but leaving a lip of metal of substantial width, pressing said lip of metal with a matrix which is the complement of the matrix to be formed thereby to cause the metal of the lip to shear and flow into the area from which the excess metal is removed in the roughing step, said pressure being sufficient to form a well defined edge on the matrix from which said lip has been removed, and thereafter hardening the matrix.

2. In a process for the production of a matrix in the form of a hardened die, punch, mold or the like, the steps of pricking into a metal blank while in a relatively soft condition and through a drawing of the outline of the die fixed on the blank to form a series of spaced points which can be connected to define said scribed outline, marking out areas on the blank from which metal is to be removed to form the matrix, roughening out the relatively soft metal of the areas to an extent to provide between the scribed line and the marked out areas a lip of metal of substantial width, pressing the lip of metal with a matrix which is the complement of the matrix to be formed thereby to cause the metal of the lip to shear and flow into the area from which metal is removed it! the roughening step, pressuring to an extent sufficient to form a well defined edge on the matrix, and thereafter hardening the matrix.

3. In a process for the production of a hardened metal matrix in the form of a die or punch in planar form, the steps of starting with a matrix in a relatively soft condition, providing an outline of the finished die or punch on the planar surface of the metal, thereafter roughening out the relatively soft metal to a position near but not precisely to the outline whereby an excess of metal is left in the planar direction between the outline and the roughened surface, then removing this excess metal precisely to the outline by a combined precisional pressing and cutting operation which causes the excess metal to shear and flow into the area from which the metal has been removed in the roughening" step whereby to leave a lip at a level below the finished planar surface of the matrix, and thereafter hardening the metal matrix to form a finished die or punch strictly according to said outline.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,527 Merritt Aug. 7, 1888 2,638,019 Stel-lin May 12, 1953 2,703,023 Sarno Mar. 1, 1955 2,743,629 Pellegrino May 1, 1956 2,764,817 Schwartz Oct. 2, 1956 2,862,302 Lucia Dec. 2, 1958 2,898,688 Cottar Aug. 11, 1959

Claims

1. IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A MATRIX IN THE FORM OF A DIE OR PUNCH, AND IN WHICH THE EXCESS METAL IS REMOVED FROM A ROUGH BLANK TO WITHIN A DISTANCE OF AN OUTLINE ON THE BLANK, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF PRICKING INTO THE BLANK THROUGH A DRAWING FIXED ON THE BLANK A SERIES OF SPACED POINTS DEFINING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DIE OR PUNCH, REMOVING THE DRAWING TO EXPOSE THE BLANK WITH THE PRICKED POINTS THEREON CONNECTING SAID POINTS ON THE BLANK TO FORM CONTINUOUS LINES, ROUGHING OUT THE EXCESS METAL OF THE BLANK TO A POSITION CLOSE TO