GUIDED KEEPER AND METHOD FOR METAL FORMING DIES
First Claim
1. In a metal forming die having first and second die members mounted a spaced apart distance for reciprocation between converged and diverged positions, the improvement of a guided keeper assembly, comprising:
- a base having;
a generally cylindrically shaped, rigid body with a central aperture extending axially through a central portion of said base;
a head portion with a plurality of tool engaging flats disposed about the margin of said head portion and configured for axially rotating said base relative to said first die member;
a mounting portion disposed opposite said head portion and having an external thread detachably received and securely retained in a first threaded aperture in said first die member;
a scalloped shoulder portion disposed axially between said head portion and said mounting portion, and including a plurality of arc-shaped, radially outwardly opening notches disposed about the margin of said scalloped shoulder portion;
a retainer ring groove disposed axially between said scalloped shoulder portion and said head portion;
a guide pin having;
a cylindrically shaped central portion closely received in said central aperture in said base for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between said first and second die members;
a first end having an enlarged head shaped to abut said base to positively limit travel between said first and second die members; and
a second end, positioned opposite said first end, and having a locator portion that engages said second die member, and precisely locates said second end of said guide pin on said second die member;
a socket head cap screw having a threaded shank portion detachably received and securely retained in a second threaded aperture in said first die member at a location adjacent to said first threaded aperture, and a generally cylindrically shaped head portion with an exterior end face and an outside peripheral surface which mates with said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base;
a retainer ring detachably received and securely retained in said retainer ring groove in said base, and having an interior face disposed over at least a portion of said exterior end face of said head portion of said cap screw, whereby engagement between said outside peripheral surface of said head portion of said cap screw and an associated one of said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base in which the same is received positively prevents said base from unintentionally unfastening from said first threaded aperture in said first die member, and engagement between said exterior end face of said head portion of said of said cap screw and said interior face of said retainer ring positively prevents said cap screw from unintentionally unfastening from said second threaded aperture in said first die member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A guided keeper and method for metal forming dies includes a base with a head portion and an opposite externally threaded mounting portion received in a mating die aperture. A scalloped shoulder portion with arc-shaped notches is located axially between the head and the mounting portions of the base, and a retainer ring groove is located axially between the head and the scalloped shoulder portion of the base. A cap screw is retained in the die, and has a cylindrical head received in one of the arc-shaped notches in the base to retain the base in place. A retainer ring is mounted in the ring groove in the base and retains the cap screw in place.
9 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a metal forming die having first and second die members mounted a spaced apart distance for reciprocation between converged and diverged positions, the improvement of a guided keeper assembly, comprising:
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a base having; a generally cylindrically shaped, rigid body with a central aperture extending axially through a central portion of said base; a head portion with a plurality of tool engaging flats disposed about the margin of said head portion and configured for axially rotating said base relative to said first die member; a mounting portion disposed opposite said head portion and having an external thread detachably received and securely retained in a first threaded aperture in said first die member; a scalloped shoulder portion disposed axially between said head portion and said mounting portion, and including a plurality of arc-shaped, radially outwardly opening notches disposed about the margin of said scalloped shoulder portion; a retainer ring groove disposed axially between said scalloped shoulder portion and said head portion; a guide pin having; a cylindrically shaped central portion closely received in said central aperture in said base for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between said first and second die members; a first end having an enlarged head shaped to abut said base to positively limit travel between said first and second die members; and a second end, positioned opposite said first end, and having a locator portion that engages said second die member, and precisely locates said second end of said guide pin on said second die member; a socket head cap screw having a threaded shank portion detachably received and securely retained in a second threaded aperture in said first die member at a location adjacent to said first threaded aperture, and a generally cylindrically shaped head portion with an exterior end face and an outside peripheral surface which mates with said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base; a retainer ring detachably received and securely retained in said retainer ring groove in said base, and having an interior face disposed over at least a portion of said exterior end face of said head portion of said cap screw, whereby engagement between said outside peripheral surface of said head portion of said cap screw and an associated one of said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base in which the same is received positively prevents said base from unintentionally unfastening from said first threaded aperture in said first die member, and engagement between said exterior end face of said head portion of said of said cap screw and said interior face of said retainer ring positively prevents said cap screw from unintentionally unfastening from said second threaded aperture in said first die member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A guided keeper for metal forming die of the type having first and second die members mounted a spaced apart distance for reciprocation between converged and diverged positions, comprising:
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a base having; a generally cylindrically shaped, rigid body with a central aperture extending axially through a central portion of said base; a head portion with a plurality of tool engaging flats disposed about the margin of said head portion and configured for axially rotating said base relative to the first die member; a mounting portion disposed opposite said head portion and having an external thread detachably received and securely retained in a first threaded aperture in the first die member; a scalloped shoulder portion disposed axially between said head portion and said mounting portion, and including a plurality of arc-shaped, radially outwardly opening notches disposed about the margin of said scalloped shoulder portion; a retainer ring groove disposed axially between said scalloped shoulder portion and said head portion; a guide pin having; a cylindrically shaped central portion closely received in said central aperture in said base for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the first and second die members; a first end having an enlarged head shaped to abut said base to positively limit travel between the first and second die members; and a second end, positioned opposite said first end, and having a locator portion shaped for engagement with the second die member, and precise location of the second end of the guide pin on the second die member; a socket head cap screw having a threaded shank portion shaped for detachable reception and secure retention in a second threaded aperture in the first die member at a location adjacent to the first threaded aperture, and a generally cylindrically shaped head portion with an exterior end face and an outside peripheral surface which mates with said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base; a retainer ring detachably received and securely retained in said retainer ring groove in said base, and having an interior face disposed over at least a portion of said exterior end face of said head portion of said cap screw, whereby engagement between said outside peripheral surface of said head portion of said cap screw and an associated one of said arc-shaped notches in said scalloped shoulder portion of said base in which the same is received positively prevents said base from unintentionally unfastening from the first threaded aperture in the first die member, and engagement between said exterior end face of said head portion of said of said cap screw and said interior face of said retainer ring positively prevents said cap screw from unintentionally unfastening from the second threaded aperture in the first die member. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for making a metal forming die of the type having first and second die members mounted a spaced apart distance for reciprocation between converged and diverged positions, comprising:
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forming a base with a generally cylindrically shaped, rigid body and a central aperture extending axially through a central portion of the base, including; forming a head portion with a plurality of tool engaging flats disposed about the margin of the head portion and configured for axially rotating the base relative to the first die shoe; forming a mounting portion disposed opposite said head portion with an external thread; forming a scalloped shoulder portion axially between the head portion and the mounting portion, with a plurality of arc shaped, radially outwardly opening notches disposed about the margin of the scalloped shoulder portion; forming a retainer ring groove axially between the scalloped shoulder portion and the head portion; forming a guide pin with a cylindrically shaped central portion shaped for close reception in the central aperture in the base for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the first and second die members, a first end with an enlarged head shaped to abut the base to positively limit travel between the first and second die members, and a second end positioned opposite the first end with a locator portion configured to engage the second die member; forming a first threaded aperture in the first die member shaped to threadedly receive and retain the mounting portion of the base therein; forming a second threaded aperture in the first die shoe at a location adjacent to the first threaded aperture in the first die member; providing a socket head cap screw with a threaded shank portion shaped for threaded reception in the second threaded aperture in the first die member, and a generally cylindrically shaped head portion with an exterior end face, and an outside peripheral surface which mates with the arc shaped notches in the scalloped shoulder portion of the base; providing a retainer ring shaped for reception in the retainer ring groove in said base; screwing the base into the first threaded aperture in the first die member to a tightened condition; screwing the threaded shank portion of the cap screw into the second threaded aperture in the first die member, locating the outside peripheral surface of the head portion of the cap screw in an adjacent one of the arc shaped notches in the scalloped shoulder portion of the base, and tightening the cap screw to a tightened condition, whereby engagement between the cap screw and the one of the arc shaped notches in the scalloped shoulder positively prevents the base from unintentionally unfastening from the first threaded aperture in the first die member; inserting the retainer ring into the retainer ring groove in the base with the interior face of the retainer ring disposed over at least a portion of the exterior end face of the head of the cap screw, whereby engagement between the interior face of the retainer ring and the exterior end face of the cap screw positively prevents the cap screw from unintentionally unfastening from the second threaded aperture in the first die member; and inserting the central portion of the guide pin into the central aperture of the base for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the first and second die members. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification