VERTICAL PRESS

PRESSE VERTICALE

English Abstract

A B S T R A C T
A vertical press having a main frame of generally
C-shaped configuration with a vertical main part and two
vertical spaced horizontal arms, a mandrel extending
between the two arms so as to be supported thereby, a
movable member located between the main part and the
mandrel, and a wedge arrangement to move the movable
member toward the mandrel in a pressing action.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A vertical press comprising a frame of generally C-shaped
configuration having a vertically extending main part and two vertically
spaced generally co-extensive horizontally extending arms; a vertical
mandrel supported by and extending between the two arms and spaced from
said main part; a movable member extending between said arms and located
between said main part and said mandrel, said member being movably
supported by said arms so as to be horizontally movable toward said
mandrel, means to move said member in a pressing action toward said
mandrel, said mandrel being rotatably supported by said arms and said
means including two pairs of vertically spaced opposing reaction surfaces,
one of each pair being fixed to said main part and with the other surfaces
being fixed to said movable member, a movable wedge located between each
pair of said surfaces and adapted to engage same to cause simultaneous
movement of the surfaces fixed to said movable member upon movement of
said wedge, the surfaces of each pair being inclined so that they define
a predetermined acute angle relative to the vertical and each wedge has
converging sides adapted to engage said surfaces, and said sides are
inclined so as to also define said predetermined angle.
2. The press of claim 1 further including hydraulic motor means
adapted to move the wedges, and linkage means coupling said wedges so as
to ensure there is no relative movement therebetween.

Description

The present invention relate~ to presses and more
particularly but not exclusively to vertical presses to deform
metal sheet.
These are illustrated in ~.S. Patents No's. 509,265;
936,481; 2,0g5,331; 1,4~2,779 and 2,685,322. These presses
are unduly complex and do not lend themselves to the easy
manufacture of curved metal sheet.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome
or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.
There is disclosed herein a vertical press comprising
a frame of generally C-shaped configuration, having a vertical-
ly extending main part and two vertically spaced generally
horizontally extending arms; a vertical mandrel supported by
and exterding between the two arms and spaced from said main
part; a movable member extending between said arms and located
between said main part and said mandrel, said member being
movably supported by said arms so as to be horizontally movable
toward said mandrel, and means to move said member in a pressing
action toward said mandrel, said means including at least two
~0 opposing reaction surfaces, one fixed to said main part, and
one to said movable member, and a movable wedge located between
said surfaces and adapted to operatively engage same to cause
movement thereof upon movement of said wedge to thereby cause
said movable member to move toward said mandrel in a pressing
action.
A preferred form of the present invention will now be
described by way Oc example with reference to the accompaniir.
drawings, wherein:
Fiauxe 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vertical
press;
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Figure 2A is a schematic side elevation of the top
portion of the press of Figure l;
Figure 2B is a schematic side elevation of the
bottom portion of the press of Figure l; and
Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a sheet being
deformed in the press of Figure 1.
The press depicted includes a main frame 10 of
generally C-shaped configuration having a main portion 11
which extends generally vertically and two transverse arms 12
and 13, which extend outwardly from the main portion 11. The
arms 12 and 13 provide supports for a movable member 14 which
is slidably guided by the transverse arms 12 and 13. Fixed to
the extremities of the arms 12 and 13 is a stationary mandrel
15 rotatably supported by the arms 12 and 13 so as to be
rotatable about its longitudinal axis by means of a pump and
hydraulic motor of which the motor is designated by the numeral
16. Located between the main frame portion 11 and the movable
member 14 is an arrangement to move the movable member 14
toward the mandrel 15. This arrangement includes opposing cam
faces I7 an~ 18 which are slidably engaged by faces 19 and 20
- of w~dges 21 and 23. The wedge 21 is driven upwardly by
hydraulic rams 22 while the wedge 23 is moved upwardly by
connecting member 24, which extends between the wedges 21 and
23. The hydraulic rams 22 are connected to the wedge 21 by
means of a pivotable joint 25 while the member 24 abuts the
wedges 21 and 23 by pivotable joints 26. To retract the
movable member 14 there is provided hydraulic rams 27 which
abut the wedse 23 also by a pivotable joint 2~.
Attached to the leading face of the movable member 14
is a former 29 which is adapted to engage a sheet of metal
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1170116
located in the space 30 defined between the former 29 and
mandrel 15. The former 29 in combination with the mandrel 15
determines the shape into which the metal sheet will be de-
formed. For example, if the mandrel 15 is of constant
circular cross-section and the formex of uniform cross-section
then the metal will be deformed so as to form a cylinder.
This can be best seen from Fi~lre 3 wherein the mandrel lS is
depicted of a circular cross-section and the former 29 of U-
shaped cross-section having leading lugs 31 and 32 depress
the metal sheet 33 against the mandrel 15. There could be
additionally provided means to retain the sheet 33 against the
mandrel 15 when the former 29 is retracted as the mandrel 15
is rotated to locate a further ~ortion of the sheet 33 in a
position to be deformed. The member 27 is retracted by a ram
not depicted. This not depicted ram is coupled to the
hydraulic circuit by an accumulator.
Preferably, the press is provided with a hydraulic
control means which incrementally rotates the mandrel 15 in
synchronism with the reciprocating motion of the movable member
14. It should be appreciated that the hydraulic controls could
be replaced with electronic controls.
It should further be appreciated that the shape of
the mandrel 15 and former 29 may be altered to form objects of
different shapes rather than a cylinder, for example conical
shapes, and angled shapes such as squares and rectangles.
The above described embodiment may be altered to
eliminate the need for rams 27 by havin~ rams 22 double actina.
To aid in the replacement of the mandrel 15 the support 34 is
pivotally attached to arm 13 by means of pin 35.
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