US3171463A

US3171463A - Strip metal article making machine

Info

Publication number: US3171463A
Application number: US183097A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sidney Z Rehka
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-03-28
Filing date: 1962-03-28
Publication date: 1965-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-02

Description

March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,463

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR' SIDNEY Z. REHK ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3, 71,46

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR.

BY /V MW ATTORNEY I SIDNEY Z. REHKA March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,453

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.

FIG. I48

filth? I ATTORNEY INVENTOR. SIDNEY z. REHKA March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 28, 1962 INVENTOR. SIDNEY Z. REHKA ymgd Zia/2 1 ATTQRNEY March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,463

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. SIDNEY Z. REHKA ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 7 STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. I3

INVENTOR. SIDNEY Z. REHKA (,5 l w I AMTTLDRNEY March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,463

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 X256 W267 W268 INVENTOR. SIDNEY z. REHKA ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,463

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1962 1.0 Sheets-Sheet 9 I 422 FIG. i 9 I63 I80 I64 INVENTOR. SIDNEY Z. REHKA QWLQQMM ATTORNEY 'Filed March 28, 1962 March 2, 1965 s. z. REHKA 3,171,463

STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE 1o Sheets-Sheet 10 FIG. 20

FIGZI ATTORNEY United States Patent C 3,171,463 STRIP METAL ARTICLE MAKING MACHINE Sidney Z. Rehka, Hollywood, Calif. (418 S. California St., Burbank, Calif.) Filed Mar. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 183,097 11 Claims. (Cl. 153-2) This invention relates to the art of producing small parts of intricate and complex design .to close tolerances and more particularly to a machine for mass producing such parts.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine for mass producing small intricate parts which may ordinarily be otherwise produced in quantity only by a number of individual operations on separate machines or by successive operations on the same machine with different tooling for each operation; the machine of the present invention generally comprising a material feeding mechanism, a material receiving and holding mechanism, and a plurality of horizontally and vertically moving tools and operating means therefor; said tools being clustered about said material receiving and holding mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described which employs a novel arrangement of tooling comprising a group of detachably mounted tools for forming a particular part and which are operated by a complementary group of detachably mounted cams and which groups are mounted on the machine by means whereby the said groups can be removed from the machine and stored after completion of a run of the parts for which such groups are designed is completed and, when the next run of the same part is to be made, can be re-installed with a minimum of setup time and yet be in precise adjustment for accurate forming of the said parts.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described which operates on a continuous length of strip-type material or wire to automatically produce small parts of intricate shape in a continuous operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type described employing a polygonal arrangement of cam carrying shafts powered by a single source of power to simultaneously rotate the cams which operate horizontally and vertically disposed tools in accordance with a predetermined sequence of steps.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification disclosing a presently preferred embodiment of the invention; reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specification, in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a machine constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the machine set up and ready for operation;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view on an enlarged scale, partly in section of the area beneath the arrows on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2A is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 2A-2A of FIGURE 2 showing details of construction of means for biasing a cam follower arm toward its cam;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the portion of the machine shown in FIGURE 2 between the line 33 with certain portions being broken away or shown in section for clearness of illustration;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged scale, fragmentary, top plan view of the portion of the machine between the arrows on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of that portion of the machine shown in FIGURE 4 between the arrows along the line 5--5;

FIGURE 5A is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 5A5A of FIGURE 5 showing details of construction of form lifter guide means;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of the machine shown in FIGURE 4 between the arrows of line 66;

FIGURE 7 is a further enlarged scale, fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77 of FIGURE 4 and showing details of the detach-able mounting for an operating cam;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of the cam mounting means as shown along line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 8A is an exploded perspective view of a cam holder and cam of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged detail taken from the area enclosed within the circle 9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a further enlarged, fragmentary top plan sectional view taken along line 1010 of FIG- URE 3;

FIG. 10A is an enlarged scale, cross-sectional view taken along line 10A10A of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional view on the same scale as FIGURE 10 taken along line 1111 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional view on the same scale as FIGURE 10, taken along line 12-42 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view on the same scale as FIGURE 10 taken along the staggered line 13-13 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 13A is a fragmentary, top plan view taken along line 13A-13A of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the staggered line 14-14 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 14A is a fragmentary, top plan view taken along line 14A-14A of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 14B is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 14B14B of FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1515 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURES 16-21 show somewhat schematically and sequentially the various positions of the tools during the steps employed in manufacturing a precision part with a machine of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 22 is a perspective view of one of the elements employed in shaping the strip of material shown in FIG- URES 1621;

FIGURE 23 is a perspective view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 20; and

FIGURE 24 is a perspective view of the finished article produced by the structure and steps shown in'FIGURES 16-21.

Generally, the machine comprises three units mounted in proper relation on a common base; the said three units comprising a material feeding mechanism; a material receiving and holding mechanism, and horizontally and vertically disposed, cam operated tools. These units will be described separately.

As will appear in the detailed description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the general plan of organization of the machine comprises a base plate on which a plurality of rotatable shafts are interconnected for rotation in unison and are arranged in a polygonal configuration around a material feeding and holding instrumentality and in which the specific actuating means for the various tools includes ,.a plurality of cam devices of which at least two of said shafts carry at least one each of said plurality of cam devices.

THE MATERIAL FEEDING MECHANISM adjacent the machine 1 on a spindle 6. The spindle 6 is supported from the machine 1 by means of a plurality of arms 7. As best seen in FIGURE 2, stock from the spool 4. is threaded about a guide post 8 and through aplurality of straightening rollers 9. The straightening rollers 9 are mounted adjacent the base plate 3 by means of a bracket. 10 which is bolted to the base plate 3 with cap screws 11. The stock 5 passes from the straightening, rollers 9 into a movable gripper mechanism 12 and, thence, into a fixed gripper mech anism 13. The movable gripper 12 is slidably mounted on a T-shaped way 14 (see FIGURE 11) which is rigidly aifixed: to base 3. The gripper .12ais reciproeated on way 14 by means of a crank mechanism, indicated generally at 15, which imparts a predetermined stroke to the movable gripper 12. The movable gripper 12 and the fixed gripper .13 are operated through cams which are affixed to a common shaft and are designed to actuate the gripping mechanisms-in alternating sequence so; that fa;171,4es

. The end of cam 29 remote fi'om the. pivot bolt 30 is mounted superjacent a laterally reciprocable track 37, Roller-type cam actuators :38 and 39 are rotatably mounted on the said remote end of cam 29 on opposite sides of the. track 37. 'Lateralrrrovement of track 37 toward the gripper 12 engages cam actuator 38 to swing the cam 29 counter-clockwise, as viewed. in FIGURES 2 and 10 bringing the face 40 thereof into engagement with the cam follower 26 to swing the movable jaw 24 counter-clockwise'as viewed in said figures and into engagement with the stock 5. Lateral movement of the track 37 away fromthe gripper 12v engages the actuator 39 to swing the cam 29 in the opposite direction permitting spring 27 to correspondingly swing the jaw 24 away from the stock 5 asfar' as; permitted by the engagement of the cam follower 26 with the cam face 40. The track 37 is an. integral part of a T-shaped member 41- having aleg 42 slidably mounted; in achannel 43 milled in a stationary block 44 which isafiixed to baseplate 3 by means of bolts 45. A cam'follower. 46 (FIGURE 2) is rotatably mounted in the end of the leg 42 and cooperates with a cam 47 which is rigidly affixed to a rotatable shaft 48. The cam follower 46, is biased against I cam 47 by a compression spring 49 (FIGURE 2A) hav.-

when one. gripper is gripping the material, the other 7 gripper isreleased. The movable gripper 12 i tom wall 19 and a coverplate 20. The sidewall 18 in:

cludes a housing 16 having I end walls 17 and 17a, respectively, a sidewall 18,- a bothousing 16 by means of av bolt 22. A longitudinal pas-1 sageway 23 extends throughthe housing 16 adjacent the sidewall 18 and the, stock 5 is threaded through this passageway in contacts with the sidewall 18 and the ,plate 21s that said plate21 serves as the fixed jawof a'vise cooperating with a movable jaw. 24 to grip the stock 5.

while the movable gripper. 12 is on its. forward stroke.

- An L-shaped bracket 24a is mountedin endwall 17a in s such a manner that the small arm of the bracket extends into passageway 23 at the exit. end thereof-toguide the stock 5" issuing therefrom. The a movable 'jaw. 24 is ing one end bearing against aprotuberance 50'on the leg 42 and its other end bearing against the endwall 51 of of a slot 5.2 milled in theblock 44 belowthe channel 43;

The periphery of the cam 47 is cut in such a manner.

that. a predetermined amount of rotation of the shaft 48 causes the cam follower 46to move the track :37 into engagementwith. the cam actuator 38- closing the movable. jaw 24,onto the stock 5 just as the gripper 12 is ready tostart its forward stroke and continued rotation abut the stop member 54 and prevent over-travel of'the movable gripper 12 on its forward stroke. The other end of the rod 53 adjacent the gripper 12 carries a second set of adjusting nuts 56 which may be adjusted to abut the stop member 54 andpreventover-travel of thegripper' 12 on its rearward-stroke. The stop member 54 is rigidly pivotally mounted on the bottom wall 19 by means of a a bolt 25which passes through one corner of the jaw 24. A roller-type cam follower 26 is rotatably mounted on the corner of jaw 24 transversely opposite bolt 25' and a compression spring 27 is mounted ina recess '28 in the jaw 25 atthe end thereof opposite the bolt25. The spring 27 reacts between the sidewall 18* and jaw 24 and biases saidopposite .end of the movable 'j3W';24-:

away from the sidewall 18.; A cam 29 iis 'pivotally mounted by means of a bolt 3Qon thebottomwall 19 adjacent the movable jaw 24 and is operated through means to be hereinafter described'to engage the cam follower 26 and swing the movable" jaw 24 into engagement with the stock 5 pressing itagainst the insertable plate 21 while the gripper 12 is on its forward stroke. a

The cam 29 moves away from cam follower .26 permitting the spring 2 7 to release the movable jaw 24 from the stock 5 when thegripper 12 is on its rearward stroke.

The underside of the movable jaw 24'include's a U-shaped recess 31 in which a U-shaped blockl32 ismounted, 'A

bolt 33 extends through a slot '34; in the, jaw 24 and threadedly engages th'e block 32. Acap screw 35*carries a locknut 36 and'isthreadedly mounted in'the b ight portion of the U-shaped recess 31--insuch'a manr ier that theend of thecap screw35 abutsthe block 32. The cap screw 35 is employed to adjust the bl'ock32 relativetol the jaw 24 to;accommodate stock 5 of-various thicknesses;

aflixed totthe base plate 3 by means of bolts 57." The gripper 12 is reciprocated by means of theprevi- .ously mentioned crank mechanism 15 which includes arotatable, crankdisc 58 having a diametrically extending slot 59-which is dovetailed in cross section and in which the head60 of a crank pin 61 is slidably mounted. The

head 60 of the crank pin 61 may beslid back and forth in the slot 59'by means of an adjusting screw 62 which threadedly engages the head 60 an'd'which is rotatably mountedin bore The-end of-theadjusting screw .62 7 remote from the crank pin61 includesascrewdriver slot 64 and aknurled disc 65 to facilitate turning the adjusting screw'f62 to move-the crank pin 61. A pitman rod 66 includes oppositely threaded halves .67 and 68' which are joined together" by means of a turnbuckle 69 and 'con- 'nects the gripper 12 to the-crank pin 61. One end of thezpitman'rod66 is' pivotally connected to the gripper 12 by means of a pin 70 andthef-otherend of the pitman rod 66 is pivotallyqconnected tothe crank pin 61 by meansof. bushing71. ,The crank disc 58 is rigidly affixed to a shaft 72. by means of-a set screw,73'.- The shaft 72 is journalled in'bushings 74 and has a driven gear 75 keyed thereto-at its end remote from the crank'disc 58.

Adriving gear 76 is afiixedfto shaft 48 and drivingly engages the'driven'gearf75. The gears 75 and 76 may be mounted in a housing 77. The shaft -48 extends along one edge o r' thebase plate 3' and is journalled in bearings 78,79 and 80,v respectively- The end of the shaft 48 adjacent the gear 76 carriesa disc, -.81-which drivesacounting mechanism 82 through suitable linkage; it being noted that each revolution of the shaft 48 completes one cycle of operation of the machine 1 wherefore the counting of revolutions of the shaft 48 gives a count of the number of parts produced. A gear 83 (FIGURE 4) is rigidly aifixed to the shaft 48 at its end remote from the disc 81 and is driven through means to be hereinafter described to rotate the shaft 48.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 12, the stationary gripper 13 comprises a base portion 85 which is rigidly affixed to the base plate 3 by means of cap screws 86 and dowel pins 87, only one each of which is shown, but which are similar in size and location to the bolts 187 and dowel pins 188 shown in FIGURE 13A. The base portion 85 has a bottom wall 88, one upstanding endwall 89, upstanding sidewalls 90 and 91, an open top and one open end. The structure thus defined comprises a solid block of material having a U-shaped channel milled therein. The endwall 89 has a cylindrical bore 92 extending therethrough. A movable jaw 93 is slidably mounted on the bottom wall 88 between the sidewalls 90 and 91 and includes an upstanding portion 94 having a first bore 95 axially aligned with the bore 92. A rod 96 is slidably mounted in the bores 92 and 95, but has one end rigidly affixed within the bore 95 by means of a set screw 97 and includes a head 98 on its other end. The head 98 is disposed outside the endwall 89. A compression spring 99 encircles the rod 96 with one end bearing against the upstanding member 94 and its other end against the endwall 89 so that the movable jaw 93 is biased away from the endwall 89.

The upstanding member 94 of the movable jaw 93 includes a second bore 100 which is interiorly threaded to receive an adjusting screw 101 having a flat head 102. A cam follower arm 103, having a roller-type cam follower 104 rotatably mounted at one end, is affixed by means of bolts 105 to the movable jaw 93 in such a manner that its other end abuts the head 102 of the adjusting screw 101. The bolt holes 106 in arm 103 are slotted so that-the arm 103 may be adjusted horizontally by means of the adjusting screw 101.

The gripper 13 is covered with a coverplate 107 having a U-shaped opening cut in one end thereof permitting the bolts 105 to move without obstruction when the cam follower arm 103 reciprocates. The coverplate 107 may be aflixed to the gripper 13 by means of bolts 108 threadedly engaging the sidewalls 90 and 91. The movable jaw 93 is lubricated through an oiler 109 which is placed in hydraulic communication therewith through passageways 110 and 111. The rod 96 is lubricated through an oiler 112 which is placed in hydraulic communication therewith through a passageway 113.

A set of shims 114 and an endplate 115 are affixed to the endwall 89 by means of cap screws 116. The shims 114 define a space between the endwall 89 and the endplate 115 in which the head 98 of rod 96 is free to move and in which the stock 5 may be disposed between the head 98 and the end plate 115 in such a manner that it will serve as a fixed jaw against which the head 98 may force the stock 5 to grip it.

The gripper 13 is mounted on the base plate 3 with its longitudinal axis lying normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 48 and with the cam follower 104 contacting a cam 117 which is rigidly afiixed to the shaft 48. The spring 99 biases the cam follower 104 against the cam 117 which is cut to a shape and is so positioned on the shaft as to coordinate it with the cam 47 in such a manner that when the movable jaw 24 of the movable gripper 12 is open, a high spot on the cam 117 maintains the head 98 effecting tight engagement of the stock 5 between said head and endplate 115. Conversely, when the movable jaw 24 of gripper 12 is closed, the cam 117 will have rotated until its low spot is reached permitting spring 99 to move the movable jaw 93 and head 98 toward the cam 117 releasing the pressure from stock 5. The ad 6 justing screw 101 absorbs the thrust between the movable jaw 93 and the cam follower arm 103. Also, the rod 96 is bottomed in bore to absorb the thrust imparted to the rod 96 by end plate 115.

THE MATERIAL RECEIVING AND HOLDING MECHANISM Referring now to FIGURES 1, 4-6, 13-16 and 8A, the material receiving and holding mechanism includes, generally, a punch press unit 120, a shaped, stationary post 122 (FIGURE 25) and a combination holding-forming tool mechanism 124.

The stock 5 is threaded through the movable gripper 12, the fixed gripper 13 and into the punch press unit 120. While the movable gripper 12 is on its rearward stroke for more stock 5, the stock 5 already in the machine will be held fast by the fixed gripper 13 so that operations may be performed upon the stock 5 by the punch press unit 120.

The punch press unit is mounted for adjustment to a desired position along a line parallel to the path of travel of the stock 5 thereto on base plate 3 by means of bolts 125 which pass through longitudinally extending slots 126 in a key 127 and base plate 3. The longitudinal axis of the punch ipress unit 120 is disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 48 so that a cam follower 128 on the punch press unit 120 is in contact with a cam 129 aflixed to the shaft 48. The punch press unit 120 includes a base portion 130 having upstanding sidewalls 131 and :a bottom wall 132 forming an open-ended channel 133 (FIGURE 14). A tool carrying slide 134 is slidably mounted in channel 133 and includes an adjustably mounted cam follower arm 135, a male die plate 136 (FIGURE 14A) and a cut-off knife 137. The cam follower arm carries the cam follower 128 at one end and is affixed to the slide 134 by means of screws 138 extending through slots 139 in the cam follower arm 135. The slots 139 permit limited horizontal adjustment of the cam follower arm 135 by means of a threaded abutment screw 140 which engages a threaded bore 141 in the slide 134 and includes a head 142 which contacts the end of arm 135 remote from the cam follower 128 to relieve the screws 138 from having to withstand the working thrust on the slide 134. The knife 137 is adjustably mounted in a U-shaped recess on a boss 143 forming an integral part of one side wall 131 by means of a bolt 144 and an adjusting screw 145. A female die 148 is aflixed to the end of the punch press unit 120 adjacent the male die 136 by means of screws 149.

The apertures 150, 150 are formed by

punches

152, 152, which are seated in the die plate 136 which, in turn, is secured to the distal end of the punch press slide 134 with an interposed backup plate 136A by

screws

146, 146; said punches having heads 152a, 152a seated in complementary recesses in the die plate 136 and engaging said backup plate. The louvre 151 is likewise formed by a similarly mounted punch element 154 which cooperates with a complementary depression formed in the female die 148 which is seated in a recess in the die holding plate 148a. The die holding plate 148a and the interposed stripper plate 148b are secured to the punch press base 130 by screws 149 and dowels 156, 156 hold the dies and punches in alignment.

The

punches

152, 152 are sufficiently long to extend through

complementary holes

153, 153 in the stripper plate, the female die and the die holding plate to provide ejection means for the portions of the material punched out in forming said apertures and the stripper plate retains the material strip during the retracting movement of the punches. A coverplate 157 may be employed to maintain the slide 134 in its proper position in the channel 133 and includes a U-shaped opening 158 at one end to accommodate the screws 138.

The cam follower arm 135 also includes a depending finger 159 which may. be engaged by a similar upstanding finger rocker member 161 and is piv'otally mounted on a pin'162 for rocking movement about an axis parallel to the axis of shaft 48. The pin 162 is mounted in bosses 163 forming an integral part of base plate 3. T he rocker member 161 includes a cam follower 1 64, which is controlled by a cam 165 afilxed to shaft 48 adjacent the-cam 129. The rocker member 161 is fixed in position on pin 162 relative to the cam 165 by means of spacers 166 which the rockermernber 161 along the pin 162. The high spot of cam 12 9 first contacts the cam follower 128 on the cam follower arm 135 and moves the slide 134 and the tools. carried thereby toward the stock and female die 148 to punch the two apertures i150 and the louvre 151 and to sever the stock 5. As the

cams

129 and 165 continue their revolution,-the high spot on cam 165 engages the cam follower 164 on the rocker member 161 causing the upstanding direction, as viewed in FIGURE 14, and engage the depending finger 159 to return the slide 134 to its inactive 160. The finger160 is formed integrally with a I finger 160 to move in a counterclockwise may be rearranged in any suitable'manner to re-position position. By the time the punch press unit has completed this operation, the movable gripper 12 will be ready to start its next forward stroke to bring new stock into the punch press unit 120 and push the preceding portion of stock whichhas been severed as a step in the'formation of a part 167, into the next portion of the mate- I rial receiving and holding mechanism. The part 167 will arrive at the' next portion of .the material receiving and holding mechanism with the two apertures and the louvre 151 punched therein and is there held in position by the shaped, stationary post 122 and the holding-fornu f ing tool mechanism. 124;

Referring now to FIGURES l, 4 6, 16-20 and 2 5 a. U-shaped bracket 170 includes horizontal arms 1 71 and a bight portion 172- and has a plate 173 rigidly aifixed to each arm.171., The bracket 170 is mounted above the base plate 3 on blocks 174 (FIGURE 1) which are rigidly aflixed, thereto. A key 175 is mounted in suitable slots in each plate 173 and each block174. The keys 1 75 cooperate with a plurality of cap screws 176 to maintain the br-acket 170 in a position which is parallel to the transverse axis of the base plate 3. The bracket 170 may be adjusted in the plane of the top surface of the base plate and with respect to the longitudinal axis.

of the'base pl ate'3 by loosening screws 176 and turning adjusting screws 177 which are mounted in brackets 178;

and bear against blocks 174. The post 122 is'mounted pression spring 192. A camfollower arm 193 includes a T-shaped base 194 which is slidably received in the ways 190a, 190a and includes a roller-type cam follower 195 rotatably mounted at one end of said arm, a tool holder 196 adjustably mounted at its opposite end and a stop-pin 197 depending'into'the spring receiving slot 189. The compression spring 192,.which is mounted in the slot 189, reacts against the pin, 197 to bias the cam follower arm 193' toward the shaft 48. The tool holder I 196 is secured to the cam follower arm .193 by means of a bolt 199 which extends through a slot 200 in the tool holder 196 and threadedlyfengages the cam follower arm-193. The cam follower arm 193 also includes an upstanding boss 201 having an internally threaded bore 202 which carries a set screw 203 which, in turn; is

a locked against the toolholder 196 by means of a lock nut ,204. The setscrew 203 is employed to provide a longitudinally, adaptable abutment for the tool holder 196 ef re is 1 secured by the bolt 199. to,ol'205 is rigidly affixed'to the tool holder 196 by means of 'a bolt 206 as shown, and; in addition to theram 185, ihclndes a pair of sl1aped, sidef onrning members 207 andf208, respectively, (FIGURES l 6- 19), and a lower-levelshaping tool 209 having a" bifurcated end 210 (FIGURE 21). The holding-forming tool mechanism'124 is operated through a cam 21 1 forming a component part of a cam device .211 which is rigidly mounted on the shaft 48; said'device to be hereinafter described in detail. The tool unit124 is mounted on the, base plate 3 in sucha manner that the roller-type, cam follower 195 is in contactwith the cam 2 11. The cam 211 is, so shaped that rotation of it, against'carn follower 195 will force the cam follower arm 193 to the right, as viewed in FIG- URE- l3, forcinggthe ram 185 into contact withthe part 167 before the

members

207 and 208; contact the part 167; The ram 185 forces' th'e part 167 into a suitably shaped recess; in the mid-portion rofjthe' post 122'. Further rotatiion of the cam. 2.11 brings the shaped members 207 and"20 8 of the tool 205 into contact with the part Referring to. FIGURES 16-19, the tool 205 is viewed 5 somewhat schematically in plan as comprising the ram in a slot in the bightv portion 172 of bracket: 170 by means of capscrews 179 (FIGURE 5A), r

The upper portion of the post 12.;2has the transverse,

cross-sectional shape shown. in FIGURE 5A;its midpor tion the shape shown in FIGURE 16; and its lower por-' tion the shape shown in FIGURE 20. The lower. portion of the post 122 includes, a depending protuberance 180 which is surrounded bya shoe l81having au-shaped opening 182 and dished

portions

183 and 184. The part 167 is forced against the upper portion'of post 122 by a ram 185'constituting one element of the holding-forming toolrnechanism 124;

/ Referring now t FIGURES 4, 13, 13A and 15521,-

the holding-forming tool unit 124comprises an elongated base member-186 attached to thebase plate 3 offrnachine 5 -1 at right angles to the shaft 48 ,by means of screws, 187 and dowel pins 188. The base member 186 is pro-- vided with a slot 189'on the upper surface extendingv from end to end thereof and the upper surface of said base;

member. 186 carries plates 190, 190'fixed thereto by screws 191'; said plates overhanging the sides of said slot to form ways 190a, 190a for a purpose to which ref; erence willpresently be made. The bottom portion of said slot is closed at each end for-reception of a com 1185 which is urg d forwar ly beyond e a ed Sideforming members 207 and 2 08 by means of a'compression spring 212 which permits the ;ra rn 185'to hold the part167 against the post 122 eventhough the earn 211 is on its way towards its low spot and the compression spring 212;h as returned the camfollower arm 193, enough 7 to bring the side-forming, members 207- and 208jout' of contact with post" 122; I

Referring to FIGURES 7-9, the scam device 211," is typicaloffall of the cam devices employed in the presently preferredembodirnent of the invention and includesa cam holder 21-5 on which the cam 211 is.detachably.mounted by means ofscrews2 l6. The cam holder 2-15includes J a hub 217 and a gauge 218. w hich is marked off indegrees.

An adaptor unit 219. has an arcuate recess adapted to partiallyencircle the hub'2'17- and is attached; to the cam holder 215, by means'of acap screw 220; The adaptor unit 219' also hasparallel sides .and. a cam face 221; The cam 211 has'a .U-shapedopening .2221which.en-gages 'the parallel sides of theffadaptor unit. 219=with close .tolerance. The cam face'221 constitutes the low spot for thewcam, 211 and the two parts are machined'with precision to fitv ;tightly together,,so that a' continuous surface is formedby their peripheries. ,The inner Wall of the hub .217, includes keyways 223"in wh ich keys 224 are mounted." The hub 217 may be locked to the shaft 48hr h e ng t e k y 4W m ans. su table set screws .225; ii 'Th fcalm. holdergzfi; may be; permanently mounted ongthe 'shaftfis andf once-the cam 21f1 is ad-' justed along vvith the holding forrning toolrnechanism124 to performthe steps shown in FIGURES 16-19; the set screws 225"may be tightened' to lock the hub 217 to the V 9 shaft 48. The shaft 48 is scribed with a longitudinal datum line 226 which will be aligned with one of the degree markings on the gauge 218. The degree marking may then be stamped on the side of the cam 211. After the required quantity of the items shown in FIGURE 24 have been produced, the cam 211 may be removed leaving the cam holder 215 and adaptor unit 219 on the shaft 48 where they may be used with a different cam. 'Ihe cam 211 may then be stored together with the tool 205. The next time the same parts are to be made, it is a simple matter to affix the tool 205 to the tool holder mechanism 124, mount the cam 211 on the cam holder 215, note the degree marking stamped on the cam 211, rotate the cam holder 215 until the noted degree marking is aligned with the datum line 226 and tighten set screws 225 to lock the cam holder 215 to the shaft 48. Thus, the machine 1 may be readily tooled for a subsequent running of a specified part. This is an important feature of the invention. Once the cam 211 and the tool 205 have been laboriously tooled and adjusted for a particular job, the machine 1 need not be permanently devoted to producing parts for that job, but can be economically stripped at the end of a run and re-tooled for a subsequent run of some other part with different tooling and earns. It will be noted in FIGURE 4 that the shaft 48 is but one of four shafts forming a quadrangle about the work holding and receiving units with a datum line 226 scribed on each shaft. The tool units described above in detail and the horizontally and vertically disposed tools to be hereinafter described are all operated with precision from cams mounted on these four shafts. The cam holders 215 are the same for all shafts and may be rotated to any position about the shaft or slide longitudinally along the shaft and then secured in position by tightening set screws 225. This feature of the invention permits directing a tool, such as a tool camrned by tool unit 124, into the Work receiving and holding center from any angle as long as its cam follower can make contact with its associated cam. The term cam device as hereinafter employed in the specification and claims will be understood to embody the same general principles of construction as the specifically described cam device 211'.

THE HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY DISPOSED TOOL UNITS Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 16-18, a first set of horizontally disposed tool units 230 and 231 is designed to operate off of

cam devices

232 and 233, respectively. The

cam devices

232 and 233 are afiixed to shafts 234 and 235, respectively, which are scribed with the datum line 226 and are rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the work holding and receiving center. The tool units 230 and 231 have the basic construction of the tool unit .124 described in detail in connection with FIGURE 13; however, the shaped

tools

236 and 237, which are attached to tool holders 238 and 239 (FIGURE 4) have the general shape shown schematically in FIGURES 16-18 and are arranged in such a manner that, with the

side forming members

207 and 208 of the tool 205 still in .position, the tips of the

tools

236 and 237 can force the part 167 about the shaped

Wings

240 and 241 forming a part of the intermediate portion of the post 122. As the

cam devices

211, 232 and 233 continue to rotate, the

-

members

207 and 208 of tool 205 and the shaped

tools

236 and 237 will retract together leaving the ram 185 in position holding the part 167 against the post 122. The tool units 230 and 231 do not lie at right angles to their respective shafts and therefore, the faces of the

cams

232 and 233 are cut on a suitable angle to assure uniform contact of the cam followers of tool units 230 and 231 therewith.

Referring now to FIGURES 4-6, 18-19 and 22, cam operated, vertically disposed tool units comprising

form lifters

245 and 246 move vertically downwardly into posiam ss 10 tion in the space vacated by the shaped

tools

236 and 237 to serve as a foundation about which the part 167 may be formed by other tools. The form lifters 245 and 246 have the shape shown in FIGURE 22 and are rigidly afiixed to the lower ends of

rods

247 and 248 respectively. The

rods

247 and 248 are disposed in notches cut in the front corners of post 122 (FIGURE 5A) and are maintained therein by means of a plate 249 which is secured to the bight portion 172 .of the bracket 170 by means of cap screws 250. The

rods

247 and 248 are moved up and down by means of a set of rocker arms 252 and 253 and cam devices 254 and 255, respectively. The cam devices 254 and 255 are mounted on a shaft 256 which is scribed with the datum line 226 and is rotatably mounted along the side of the machine 1 opposite the shaft 48. The

rocker arms

257 and 253 are aflixed to tubular sleeves 256 and 258 which are mounted to oscillate on a rod 259 which, in turn, is mounted in

sleeves

260 and 261. The

sleeves

260 and 261 are rigidly aflixed to the arms 171 of bracket 170 and the rod 259 is prevented from rotating by means of set screws 262. The rocker arms are operated through the cam devices 254 and 255 to impart vertical reciprocation to the

rods

247 and 248, through means to be hereinafter described.

While the

form lifters

245 and 246 are still in position, a pair of horizontally mounted tool units 265 and 266 having shaped

tools

267 and 268, respectively (FIG- URES 16-19) which are operated by cam devices 269 and 269a and which straddle the post 122, are operative to bend the part 167 about the

form lifters

245 and 246. The shaped

tools

267 and 268 remain in position while a pair of horizontally disposed, cam operated tool units 270 and 271 having the shaped

tools

272 and 273, shown schematically in FIGURES 16-19, are moved by their

cam devices

274 and 275, respectively, into position to bend the tips of the part 167 about the

form lifters

245 and 246. The various cam devices are synchronized with the ram 185, the horizontally mounted tool units 265, 266, 270 and 271 and the

form lifters

245 and 246 to simultaneously return to their original positions.

A further tool unit comprising a stripper 280, shown in perspective in FIGURE 23 and schematically in FIG- URE 20 is moved vertically downwardly to push the part 167 from its intermediate level on post 122 to its lower level thereon where it is held in position relative to the protuberance by dished

portions

183 and 184. Referring to FIGURES 4-6, the stripper 280 is mounted on a rod 281 and is operated by a cam device 282 and a rocker arm 283 in substantially the same manner as the

form lifters

245 and 246. The rod 281 is received in a notch cut in the plate 249 and is maintained in position therein by the post 122.

The

rods

247, 248 and 281 are reciprocated by their respective rocker arms through a systemincluding links 285, 286, and 287, respectively, which have one end connected to the upper end of each rod by means of pins 288, 289 and 290, respectively. The links 285, 286 and 287 have apertures at their other ends which encompass the

upstanding rods

291, 297 and 293, respectively. The rods 291, 292 and 293 are slidably mounted in suitable bores in the bracket 170 and include

lands

294, 295 and 296, respectively, upon which the apertured ends of the links bear. A nut 297 serves to tighten each link against its land. Compression springs 298, 299 and 300, respectively, encompass the upstanding rods 291, 292, and 293 below their lands and exert a force between the lands and the bracket 170 to bias the upper ends of the upstanding rods against adjusting

screws

305, 306 and 307 which threadedly engage the ends of

rocker arms

252, 253 and 283, respectively.

The various cam devices and toolsare coordinated in such a manner that a first part 167 will be in position on the depending protuberance 180 at the lower level of post 122 at the same time another part 167 is in position on the post 122 at its intermediate level so that one stroke of the tool 205 will perform its operations at the intermediate level through ram 185 and the side-forming members 207' and 208,while the bifurcated portion 210 of the tool' 205 bends another part 167 about the protuberance 180. v The bifurcatedporti'on 210 of the tool 205 is retractedsimultaneously with the ram 185' andthe finished part 167 drops from the depending protuberance 180 through the opening 182 in shoe 181. V V

The shaft 2 3,4. is a powered shaft and supplies

power to'the shafts

256, 235 and 48. The shaft 234 is rotatably mounted in bearings. 310' and 311 and has a driving gear 312 and a sprocket 313 rigidly attached thereto. The sprocket 313 is drivingly connected to a motor 314 by means of a chain 315. The driving gear 312 engages a driven gear 318 which is rigidly aflixed to shaft 256 to drive same. The shaft. 256v also carries a driving gear 320- which meshes in driving engagement with a driven gear 322 which is rigidly affixed to the, shaft 235. The shaft- 235 also carries a driving gear 324 which meshes in driving engagement with the driven gear 83 on shaft 48. A fiywheel 326 is rigidly 'affixed to one end of the shaft 235. The shaft 256' is mounted in bearings 328 and 330 and the shaft 235 is mounted in

bearings

332 and 334; The motor 314' is controlled through stop-start switches 336 mounted on the front of cabinet 2. A switch 338 is also mounted on the cabinet 2 to control operation of a'lamp 339 which is mounted on bracket 170.

OPERATION OF THE MACHINE Assuming that the machine 1 is to be set up to produce the parts shown in FIGURE 24, and bearing in mind that the

shafts

48, 234, 235, and 256 rotate continuously during operation-ofthe machine, the various cam devices 'will be designed toimpart the proper stroke to their respective tools upon each complete" revolution of the shafts. The carncomponents' of the cam devices 211', 232,233, 269, 274; and 275 will be atfiXed to-their rewill move the. ram 185 into contact with the part 167 forcing it'into the, recess in the post 122.v The part 167' will befirmly held while the knife 134 is making 7 its cut,:the cam 211, will have advanced far enough to bring

theside forming members

207, and 208 into en,- gagement with the part 167' forcing it about the post 122 and; the

Wings

240 and 241. The cam 129 driving the 'punch'press unit 120; and the cam 211 driving the formingtool mechanism 124 will now be moving to their low spots. I This permits the side forming tools 207 and 208 'to withdraw from engagement with the part 167 while the compression spring 212-maintainsthe ram 185 in engagement therewith. However, before the low spot is reachedyand while the side forming tools, 207 and 208- are still in engagement with, the part 167, the camdevices

232and 233'operating tools

236 and 237, respectively,*will*have moved these tools into position forcing the part 167 behind the

wings

240 and 241. The tools 2-36 and 237' will be withdrawn simultaneously with the knife 137 and

side forming tools

207 and 208.

1 B y the time these tools have withdrawn, the form lifters spective cam holders andthe cam-holders will be loosely.

mounted on their respective shafts so that they maybe adjusted before locking them to the shaft with their respective-set screws. 'The stock 5 may then be fed through the movable gripper 12, the fixed gripper 13,

the punch press 120 and past the post 122. The; crank mechanism IS-may" then be adjusted so that the movable. gripper 12 will feed just enough stock 5 for one part 1.67 each time the gripper 12 makes a forward stroke. The stop nuts and56-may be adjusted to prevent'overtravel of the movable gripper 12 and the cam 47 maybe adjusted insuch a manner that its high spot will'bein contact with the cam follower 46- forcing the movable jawa24 againstthe' stock 5 through the T-shaped member 41, earn 29 and movable jaw 24 just as the'movable gripper 12 is'aboutv to commence its forward stroke. The cam 47;, of course will be designed so that its low spot will bein contact with the. cam follower 46perthree pieces. ofmaterial simultaneously.

245 and 246 will have moved downwardly, into position filling the spaceleft by the

tools

236 and 237. The cam devices 269 and 26911 then move tools 267- and 268' in toward post'122 While-the form lifters are, still in position and shapes the part 167 therearound. Before the tools 267uand'268 retract, the

tools

272 and 273 move in to crimp the outer ends of the part '167 about the

form lifters

245 and 246.

The form lifters 245 and 24 6;[the ram- 185; and the

tools

267, 268, 272 and 273 will then retract simultaneously leaving-the part 167 on the post 122. The stripper 280' then moves down vertically and pushes'the part 167 from the upper portion ofthe post down to the-protuberahcelSO. The part 167 is maintained in a proper position relative totheprotuberance 180 by the dished portions 183 and 184-. As the holding-forming tool mechanism 124 makes its next stroke, its bifurcated portion 210-will contact the-part167 and bendit about 40 the protuberance 180 imparting'the final shape to the part 167. The machine 1 actually performs work on The punch press unit 120 performs its operations on the stock 5 mitting therspring 49 to withdraw the cam 29 from contact with the movable-jaw cam follower 26 thereby permitting' the -spring;27 on movable jaw 24 tomove it away from the stock 5" just as themovable gripper: 12

is-about to'startits rearward stroke. The cam 117 which operates the fixed gripper 1-3 will be adjusted so that the fixed gripper 13will begripping, the stock1 5 when before it is cut to length. while a first. part 167 is being formed about the intermediate portion=of post 122 and a second part 167Tis being bent about the protuberance 180 at. the lower level ofpost 122.

The tool 205 forming apart of the holding-forming tool mechanism 124'has a first increment oftravel equalling 0.250- inch which-is enough to seat the ram 185 into 'therecess on post 122 and bring the sideforming tools 207*and 208 into contact with the part 167. As soon as. the part 167. is severed by the cut-off tool 137, the

side forming tools 207 and 208- will start bending the part 167 about the wings 240; and 241. 'This is accomplished by having the cam 211 force the tool 205. to travelnan additional 0.350 'inch after the ram 185: has seated'in the recess in the post 122'. The spring 212 permits the-side: forming

tools

207 and 208 tfo travel this .additionaldistance relative to the .ram- 185. It is during thiss'econd incrementof travel of the side form- "ing'

tools

207 and 208 that the bifurcated member 210 the: movablegripper; 121 is on its rearward stroke for more I i V the lower level of post- 122'; I The tools- 236 and 237 stock 5. The cam 129 which, controls operation of the punch press unit will, be adjusted .so that the punch press unit 120.completes; one'forward stroke during. the interval that the; stock 5 is being gripped by the fixed gripper 13. During itsrforward stroke, the punchfpress unit'120 punches the two apertures and the louvre 151 and severs the stock 5 adjacent the post-122; The

next forward stroke of the movable gripper 12 will-move the stock 5*from the punch press into position on the post 122.. Then as the 'movablefgripper 12 ison a reperforms its operation; upon the part1167- disposed at travel'atotal' distance of 1.125 inches-and their cams are de signed: accordingly. As the bending operations continue,'the side forming tools-207 and208 travel back I 0.350 inch. Tools? 267* and 268 have atotal travel of 0.812 inch: and the

tools

272 and 273 travel-Q1875 inch.

: While the specification discloses a. presently preferred .fo'r'rn ofigthe'inve ntio'n,it"is not to be inferred there'- from that the invention is limited to the exact form .thereof. above disclosed by. way of example, and it will boundrstoodthat the invention embraces all such changesand modifications in the parts, and in the con- 13 struction, combination of parts as shall 'come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for producing parts of intricate configuration from a continuous strip of material, the combination of: a base plate, a material receiving and holding means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts connected for rotation in unison mounted in bearings on said base plate and disposed in a polygonal configuration about said material receiving and holding means, means for connecting one of said shafts to a power source for rotating said shafts, a plurality of cam devices mounted .on said shafts for rotation therewith and including at least two of said cam devices mounted one each on each of two of said shafts and separately associated operatively .with an equal number of reciprocable, tool units mounted .on a surface of said base plate and interposed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding means; each of said tool units including a base member, a reciprocable slide mounted on and guided by said base member, a cam follower portion at one end of said slide having operative engagement with the cam face of the associated one of said cam devices, yieldable means housed within the tool unit and maintaining said cam follower portion of said slide in engagement with the cam surface of the associated one of said cam devices, and a material shaping tool rigidly fixed to the opposite end of said slide; said tool units being so arranged on said base plate that said material shaping tools cooperate with complementary portions of said material receiving and holding means to impart a predetermined configuration ;to a predetermined length of the strip of material; the slide of at least one of said tool units being disposed for reciprocable action in a line disposed at an acute angle to the axial lineof the one of said shafts carrying the operating cam device for said one tool unit.

2. Ina machine for producing parts of intricate configuration from a continuous strip of material, the combination of: a base plate, a material receiving and holding means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts connected for rotation in unison mounted in bearings on I said base plate and disposed in a polygonal configuration about said material receiving and'holding means, means "for connecting one of said shafts to a power source for rotating said shafts, a plurality of cam devices mounted on said shafts for rotation therewith and including at least I two of said cam devices mounted one each on each of two of said shafts and associated operatively with an equal number of reciprocable tool units mounted on a surface of said base plate and interposed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding means;

each of said tool units including a base member, a reciprocable slide mounted on and guided by said base member, a

vcam follower portion at one end of said slide having operative engagement with the cam face of the associated one ,of said cam devices, yieldable means housed within the ,tool unit and maintaining said cam follower portion of said slide in engagement withthe actuating cam face of }the associatedcam device, and a material shaping tool ,rigidly fixed to the opposite end of said slide; said tool .units being so arranged on said base plate that said material shaping tools cooperate with said material receiving and holding means toimpart a predetermined configuration to a predetermined length of the strip of material;

the slide of at least one of said tool units being disposed for reciprocation in a plane parallel to the surface of said base plate on-which said one tool unit is mounted and in which the slide of another of said tool units is disposed "for reciprocation in a plane normal to said plane of said base plate, and in which a rocker arm is interposed be- .tweenthe. slide component of said other of said tool units and the operating cam means therefor and in which a supporting bracket for said rocker arm is mounted on a surface of said base plate for adjustment in a plane parallel 14 to the plane of the surface of said base plate on which said bracket means is mounted.

3. In a machine for producing parts of intricate configuration from a continuous strip of material, the combination of: a base plate, a material receiving and holding means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts two of said shafts and associated operatively with an equal number of reciprocable tool units mounted on a surface of said base plate and interposed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding means; each of said tool units including a base member, a reciprocable slide mounted on and guided by said base member, a cam follower portion at one end of said slide having operative engagement with the cam face of .the associated one of said cam devices, yieldable means housed within the tool unit and maintaining said cam follower portion of said slide in engagement with the actuating cam face of the associated cam device, and a ma- ,terial shaping tool rigidly fixed to the opposite end of said slide; said tool units being so arranged on said base plate that said material shaping tools cooperate with said material receiving and holding means to impart a predetermined configuration to a predetermined length of the strip of material; each of said shafts being provided with a longitudinally extending datum line and in which a component of each of said cam devices carry indicia means registrable with said datum line for determining the rotative position of each cam on each of said shafts incident to adapting the machine for production of different parts from strip material.

4. In a machine for producing parts of intricate configuration from a continuous strip of material, the combination of: a base plate, a material receiving and holding means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts connected for rotation in unison mounted in hearings on said base plate and disposed in a polygonal configuration about said material receiving and holding means, means for connecting one of said shafts to a power source for rotating said shafts, a plurality of cam devices mounted on said shafts for rotation therewith and including at least two of said cam devices mounted one each on each of two of said shafts and associated operatively with an equal number of reciprocable tool units mounted on a surface of said base plate and interposed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding means; each of said tool units including a base member,

a reciprocable slide mounted on and guided by said base member, a cam follower portion at one end of said slide having operative engagement with the cam face of the associated one of said cam devices, yieldable means housed within the tool unit and maintaining said cam follower portion of said slide in engagement with the actuating cam face of the associated cam device, a material shaping tool rigidly fixed to the opposite end of said slide; said tool units being so arranged on said base plate that said material shaping tools cooperate with said material receiving and holding means to impart a predetermined configuration to a predetermined length of the strip of material,

reciprocable devices for delivering thestrip material to said material receiving and holding means in predetermined lengths at predetermined time intervals, other means operating in synchronism with said material delivering means operative to-sever the strip material into said predetermined lengths, an adjustable means for determining the longitudinal position at which said predetermined lengths of the strip material are delivered; said devices for delivering the strip material to said material receiving and holding means including a reciprocable member movable adjacent and parallel to the path of travel of the material strip toward, said material receiving and holding means,

actuating means for reciprocating said member including a rotatable shaft, driven by one of said cam device carrying-shafts, and in which said one of said shafts additionally actuates a member reciprocable with said first named with the cam face' of the associated oneof said cam devices, yieldable meanshoused within the tool' unit and member and disposed at the opposite side'of the material 1 strip from said first named member in timedrelation with the reciprocations' of said members to causefsaid second member to grip the material strip against saidfirst named and holding means.

5. In a machine forproducingparts of intricate configuration from a continuous strip of material, the combination of: a base plate, a material receiving and holding.

means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts connected for rotation in unison mounted in hearings on said base plate anddisposed in-a polygonalconfiguration about said material receiving and'holding means, means for connecting one of said shafts to a power source for rotating said shafts, a plurality of cam devices mounted.

on said shaftsforrotation therewith and including at' least twoof said cam devices mounted one each on each of two 'of said shafts and associated operatively' with an equal number of reciprocable tool units mounted on a surface of said base plate and interposed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding'means; each of said tool units including a base member, a reciprocable slide mounted on and; guided by said base member, a cam follower portion at one end of said slide having rigidly fixed to the opposite end of said. slide; said tool operative engagement with'the cam face of the associated one of said cam devices, yieldable means housed within units being so arranged on said base plate that said ma- 1 terial' shaping tools cooperate with said material receiving and. holding means to impart a predetermined configuration to a predetermined length of'the strip of material;

'each of, said shaftsbeing' providedlwith a longitudinally extending datum line and a component of each of said cam devices being provided with indicia variably" registrable with said datum' line for determining the rotative position of each. cam device on each of said shafts incident to adapting the machine for'production of different parts from strip material, and in which: each of said device comprises a two-piece camcqmponentdetachably mounted on the end face of a hub component carried by the shaft with which that cam device is associated and in which said indiciameans' registrable with the datum line of that shaft is carried by the said hub component where by differently shaped cams may be interchangeably mounted oneach of the hub components for the producv tion of parts of different configuration.

6. In a. machine for producing parts of intricate configuration from a continuousstrip of material thecommaintaining said cam follower portionof said' slide in engagement with the actuating cam face of the associated cam device, and a material shaping tool-rigidly fixed: to the opposite end of said slide; said tool units being so arranged on said base plate that said material shaping tools cooperate with said material receiving and holding means to impart a predetermined configuration to a predetermined length of the strippf material, said toolunits includes a reciprocable'tool slide, a first cam on the associated one of saidv cam carrying shafts and devices operated thereby for-movingsaid tool slide toward the material, a second cam on said shaft and devices actuated by said second cam operative to positively move said tool slide'in' the opposite direction.

7. A machine for precision shaping of parts from predetermined. lengths of strip material; said machine comprisingin combination,- a basepl-ate,,a material receiving and supporting post mounted on said base plate, a plurality of' shafts' connected for'rotation in synchronism mounted in bearings and disposed in a'planespaced from and parallel to a surface of said base plate and in a polygonal configuration about said post, a plurality ofcam devices mounted on' said shafts for rotation therewith and including at least one ofsaid cam devices, mounted on' one of. said shafts and another of' said cam devices mounted on another of said shafts, a plurality'ofmaterial shaping and forming tool units mounted on a surface ofsaid base plate and associated: one each with each of" said cam. devices, said units being disposed between: the operating cam and shaft associated therewith'and said post and each of said" units including a'tool element :operable in! cooperation with 'a complementary" surface of said post to impart a predetermined portion of the shape of the part to a strip" of material interposed therebetween, means for rotating said shafts with resultant into 'said'. predetermined lengths;

8. A machine as' claimedin claim 7"in" which said means for feeding the material strip toward said p'jost includes a reciprocabl'e 'member movable in" a path adjacent. and parallel :to the path of travel of the. material strip toward said post, a shaft ioper'atively connected to said plurality offsha'fts and devices actuated by said last named shaft for reciprocating said member, at second 7 :member reciprocablewith said first member andldisp'o'sed bination of; a base plate, a material receiving and hold- 7 ing means mounted on said base plate, a plurality of shafts connected for rotation in unison mountedin bearings on said base plate and disposed in a polygonal con- "figuration about said material receiving and holding means,

means for connecting one of said shafts to' a power source I for rotating said shafts, a plurality of cam devices mounted on said" shafts for rotation therewith and including at least two of said cam devices mounted one each on each of two of said. shafts and associated operatively. withan equal number of reciprocable tool units mounted on -'a surface of said base platefandinterpbsed between the associated cam device and said material receiving and holding means; each of saidftool units includingia base membena'reciprocable slide mounted on, and guided by saidjbase member, acam follower portion at'one endof' saidislide having operativeiengagement "plane parallel 'said 1 post.

at the opposite-side of 'the materi al strip from said" first member, means carried by one of said shafts effective to. cause said second member to grip the material strip against" said first, memhef'only while sa'id members are moving toward} said predetermined length of; material toward said pos'tand anothercam operated device effective to grip the materiali'st rip and;hold it against" movement when said memberormovi'ngi away from said post.

91 A machine as claimed in claim 7"inc ludingfa punch press mechanism mounted on said-base plate and o'perated 'by "one of l'said shaft's; said punch" press mechanism being interposed between said material} feeding means and said post and including means operativeto sever the strip material into said predetermined lengths;

101A machine as claimed-n claim-7 in" which said post ismounted on bracket'means overhanging said base plate and in which said bracket; means isgadjustable- -in a to the surfaceof,.said baseplate :beneath 7 IL'A machine-as cl'aimed in-claim .7 in which the; tool 0st with'resultant delivery of a 1 7 l 8 Components of certain of said tool units reciprocate in 355,304 1/87 Dow 153-34 planes parallel to the surface of said base plate on which 651,828 6/00 Copland 74568 said tool units are mounted and in which at least one 992,890 5/11 Lewis 15333 other of said tool units is mounted for reciprocation in 1,426,165 8/22 Evans. a line normal to said plane of said base plate. 1,586,627 6/26 Kominsky 15334 1,640,996 8/27 Hoff 74568 References Qited by the Examiner 1 333,513 9 31 Bottom 153 34 UNITED STATES A N 2,839,948 12/52 Paul 74-568 197,357 11/77 Hale 153- 261,977 8/82 Adt 153 34 10 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Przmary Exammer.

Claims

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PRODUCING PARTS OF INTRICATE CONFIGURATION FROM A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF MATERIAL, THE COMBINATION OF: A BASE PLATE, A MATERIAL RECEIVING AND HOLDING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE PLATE, A PLURALITY OF SHAFTS CONNECTED FOR ROTATION IN UNISON MOUNTED IN BEARINGS ON SAID BASE PLATE AND DISPOSED IN A POLYGONAL CONFIGURATION ABOUT SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING AND HOLDING MEANS, MEANS FOR CONNECTING ONE OF SAID SHAFTS TO A POWER SOURCE FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFTS, A PLURALITY OF CAM DEVICES MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFTS FOR ROTATION THEREWITH AND INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO OF SAID CAM DEVICES MOUNTED ONE EACH ON EACH OF TWO OF SAID SHAFTS AND SEPARATELY ASSOCIATED OPERATIVELY WITH AN EQUAL NUMBER OF RECIPROCABLE, TOOL UNITS MOUNTED ON A SURFACE OF SAID BASE PLATE AND INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED CAM DEVICE AND SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING AND HOLDING MEANS; EACH OF SAID TOOL UNITS INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER, A RECIPROCABLE SLIDE MOUNTED ON AND GUIDED BY SAID BASE MEMBER, A CAM FOLLOWER PORTION AT ONE END OF SAID SLIDE HAVING OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CAM FACE OF THE ASSOCIATED ONE OF SAID CAM DEVICES, YIELDABLE MEANS HOUSED WITHIN THE TOOL UNIT AND MAINTAINING SAID CAM FOLLOWER PORTION OF SAID SLIDE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CAM SURFACE OF THE ASSOCIATED ONE OF SAID CAM DEVICES, AND A MATERIAL SHAPING TOOL RIGIDLY FIXED TO THE OPPOISTE END OF SAID SLIDE; SAID TOOL UNITS BEING SO ARRANGED ON SAID BASE PLATE THAT SAID MATERIAL SHAPING TOOLS COOPERATE WITH COMPLEMENTARY PORTIONS OF SAID MATERIAL RECEIVING AND HOLDING MEANS TO IMPART A PREDETERMINED CONFIGURATION TO A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF THE STRIP OF MATERIAL; THE SLIDE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TOOL UNITS BEING DISPOSED FOR RECIPROCABLE ACTION IN A LINE DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE AXIAL LINE OF THE ONE OF SAID SHAFTS CARRYING THE OPERATING CAM DEVICE FOR SAID ONE TOOL UNIT.