Punch press with means for rotating the workpiece and method of using same and tooling therefor
First Claim
1. In a method for punching cutouts in a sheet-like workpiece, the steps comprising:
- A. providing a punch press having a frame with a base and a head spaced thereabove supporting a ram assembly, workpiece clamping and moving means for moving a workpiece between said base and head along X and Y axes, tool mounting means mounted on said head for reciprocal movement along a vertical axis and rotatable about said axis, and a die assembly in said base in alignment with said ram assembly;
B. mounting in said tool mounting means workpiece gripping tooling adapted to engage a workpiece when brought into contact therewith;
C. supporting a sheet-like workpiece on said base between said die assembly and said head;
D. gripping said workpiece in said workpiece clamping and moving means;
E. moving said tool mounting means along said vertical axis to bring said workpiece gripping tooling into contact with said workpiece and to clamp said workpiece between said gripping tooling and said base;
F. releasing said workpiece from said workpiece clamping and moving means;
G. rotating said tool mounting means about said vertical axis and thereby rotating said workpiece on said base to effect reorientation thereof relative to said X and Y axes;
H. reengaging said workpiece in the reoriented position in said workpiece clamping and moving means; and
I. moving said tool mounting means away from said workpiece to release it from said workpiece gripping tooling.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A punch press which has an X-Y guidance system for moving the workpiece relative to the workstation also includes means for rotating the workpiece on the worktable upon release of the workpiece from the X-Y guidance system. In this fashion, the workpiece may be rotated into a reoriented position and then reclamped in that position within the X-Y guidance system. This press includes a tool mounting means on the head of the press and means for effecting reciprocal motion of the tool mounting means along a vertical axis and rotation of the tool mounting means about that axis. Generally, the press will also include a die assembly in the base which includes at least a portion which is rotatable about the same vertical axis so that the workpiece when gripped therebetween may be freely rotated in a fixed clamped position to effect the desired reorientation. The tool mounting means may comprise the punch mounting mechanism, or the stripper mounting mechanism, and the entire lower portion of the ram assembly may be rotatable, or only the stripper assembly.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a method for punching cutouts in a sheet-like workpiece, the steps comprising:
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A. providing a punch press having a frame with a base and a head spaced thereabove supporting a ram assembly, workpiece clamping and moving means for moving a workpiece between said base and head along X and Y axes, tool mounting means mounted on said head for reciprocal movement along a vertical axis and rotatable about said axis, and a die assembly in said base in alignment with said ram assembly; B. mounting in said tool mounting means workpiece gripping tooling adapted to engage a workpiece when brought into contact therewith; C. supporting a sheet-like workpiece on said base between said die assembly and said head; D. gripping said workpiece in said workpiece clamping and moving means; E. moving said tool mounting means along said vertical axis to bring said workpiece gripping tooling into contact with said workpiece and to clamp said workpiece between said gripping tooling and said base; F. releasing said workpiece from said workpiece clamping and moving means; G. rotating said tool mounting means about said vertical axis and thereby rotating said workpiece on said base to effect reorientation thereof relative to said X and Y axes; H. reengaging said workpiece in the reoriented position in said workpiece clamping and moving means; and I. moving said tool mounting means away from said workpiece to release it from said workpiece gripping tooling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a punch press, the combination comprising:
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A. a frame providing a base and a head spaced thereabove; B. tool mounting means mounted on said head for movement along a vertical axis towards and away from said base and for rotation about said axis; C. first drive means for rotating said tool mounting means; D. second drive means for effecting controlled reciprocal movement of said tool mounting means along said vertical axis; E. workpiece clamping and moving means for moving a workpiece between said base and said head along X and Y axes; F. workpiece gripping tooling in said tool mounting means adapted to engage a workpiece on said base when brought into contact therewith; and G. control means for controlling the operation of said first and second drive means and said workpiece clamping and moving means, said control means being operable (i) to operate said second drive means to move said tool mounting means along said vertical axis a controlled distance to clamp an associated workpiece against said base, (ii) to release the associated workpiece from said workpiece clamping and moving means, (iii) to operate said first drive means and rotate said tool mounting means and thereby the associated workpiece a predetermined amount, (iv) to reengage the associated workpiece in said workpiece clamping and moving means, and (v) to operate said second drive means to move said tool mounting means away from said base and release the clamping force on the associated workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification