Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Thi.s in~e,ntion rel.ates t;o a rotary cutting ancl
foLming apparatus for high .speed continuous punching,
formi.ng or shearing ot' shee-t metal.
,B~A,r~K(-~R-o-tlJ~l-r~ r-H-E-~-N-E-NrrIO,~N
Conve}l-tiorl.ll sheet metal cutti,n~ and forrlling
clev1.ces are reciprocating presses. Material -to be worked
i.~ placed ~ith.in a press, positioned station~lry ove.r a
di.e~. The pres.s, usual:Ly mecharlically operal;ed, i.s closed,
thus forcin~ a second die ,into co:n-tact wit'h the wor'~piece.
1'he force exerted on the workpiece by -the dies will deform
the piece or punch holes in the piece as requird. W}-~en
the operation is complete, the press opens, the workpiece
i.5 removed and a new workpiece inserted. Because of -the
reciprocating motion inherent in such devices, the sPeed
~ith which they may work i3 lilnited. Two sollltions have
been used. In one sy.stem the strip material i.s moved
:intermit-tently, step-wi.se through -the pres3. In another
system a so-called flyin~ shear or die is u.sed with a
strlp moving cont,inuously. In this system -the dif,-.' i5
~ acce.lerated to the speed of the strip and the pres.C,;
c'.l.oses, wh.tle -the die and strip are movirlg in un:Lson. The
cll~.3 t}-le~l opens, and returrls to its .st~rtlrl6~ positic)rl.
'I'ypically, the purlohin~, ~ormirlg or .shea:ring o~ a
cc~llt:inuous mat.er.ial, .such as .sheet metal,.:ls limited to a
lirle specd of about 260 feeti per minute.
However, a roll formin~ line without a punchin~,
forming or shearin~ d.evice oould handle strip metal at
speeds up to about 1,OOO feet per minute.
It i~ evident -that the output of an assembly or
nlanufactul^i,n~ line i.s only as fast as the slowest element
4~6
i~l t,he li.ne. In theory, a rotary press could be operatecl
at much higher line cspeeds than a flyirlg shear or lie, and
thus lead to consiclerable economies i.n operation.
Existirlg ro-tary material-workin~ devices rnay
suffer from varl.ous disadvantages, Some may ~e limited to
specific operatioTls such as cu-tting (see Unitecl State.s
Pat;en-t No~. 2,951,410, 3,274,873, 3,43~,~35, 3,709,077 and
3"32~,636); per~oratin~ ~.see IJrlited States Patent No.
3,2~l5,7~); e~lbossing (see UTlited S-ta-tes Paten-t Nos.
~04,51.2 and 4,CJ59,0C)0, and United Kingdom Paten-t Nos.
~37,6~0 ~nd 1,456,5.30~; cr;.mpirlg (see United 5tates Pa-tent
Nos. 3,123,905 and 3,367,161); and stretch forming (see
Unlted States Patent No. 3,394,673).
Such de~ices are generally desi~ned to perform a
specific one of -the above operations and may not be able
to F.)erform other opera-tions. In particular, they are
unable to meet all the requiremen-ts for a full range of
d.ie forming operations, or for shearing a str.ip al:ready
fo:rmed into a complex section.
In such existing rota:ry machines shea:rln~ is
-.t'easible on flat, unformed strip. Die formin~ was
aciliev~d by us.in~ specially desi~ned die.s sometimes ~ormed
round an arc, wh.tch severely restr1cted the shape that
could be ~ormed. C~enerally it was not possible to use
corl~f3Tltiorlal flat dies as used in con~en-tional
.reciprocati~l~ presses. Dic;s formf3d around an arc or
radius, such as in U,~. Patent 3,394,57~, posed
considerable problems. The ~uncti.on of a curved die as it
contacts the workpiece is diffe,rerl-t from that of a flat
die. The curved di will commence working -the material on
1~9~
ooe slcle o~` the die. As the curved die ro-tates,
cleformation o:E the workpie-.e will proceed. along tlle
orkpiece until the operation is comple-te. This often
resultecl in distortiorl. In a flat die as ~ound in
corlventional die presses, the worl.~piece is cut or worked
.simul-taneously across the die. In certain applicatic)~ls,
suc,h di~ererlcec, betweerl standard and rotary clev:ices may
rlot be d.e.si.rablc.
Anot'her approclch to thc: prOb~ lll i5 shown :in
1) United S-tates Patent Nos. 1,333,704, 1,581,2~6 and
,3,066,S42. In these patents the dies rotate around a
circular orbit. In United States Patent No. 1,5~1,236,
the individual dies are guided and controlled by an
annular cam track, and cam followers riding in the trac~.
:[n t.his arrangement the dies are difficult to control.
Th.e cam Eollowers cannot make a per-Eect fit i.n the annular
track. '5Ome clearance is needed in order tha-t tlle
.Eollowers can roll in the track. ~s a l-esul-t, the dies
.Jre never held secl.lrely. When they meet they may ~ail to
.reg:L.ster per~ectly, and damage may resul-t.
With a view to overcomlng these pro~le~s, the
inventJiorl provic-les JEor a high speed rotary CU~ttillg ancl
l'vrmi.ng apparatus which ma'kes uC;e, o~' flat die.s an.d pe~rm.its
-L,he accuracy o:~ conven-tional die presse,s.
~RIC',-F 5UM~MARY OF TEIE,_NVF..N'rI~
The inver1tion pro~ides a rota.ry cuttirlg and
for~ g apearatus for use in association with material
~orming dies for the formillg strip ma-terial, comprising a
.rotatable upper roll unit and a corresponding rotatable
lower roll uni-t, the urlits being conne~ted for synchronous
~;~9~L4~6
rot;ation, each of said urlit.s compri.sing a rol;stable
cal~rier member defining a cen-tral axis, and a
semi-cylindrical recess, and at least one die support
bloc~ aclapted -to be swingably mounted on said corner
mqmber, and de-fillin.g two ends and a surface -to ~lich ~
s~id die may be afixed, and guide pin means extending
from qach o~ the said twv ends, said roll units bein~
spaced apart whereby sai.d material may pass the~ebe-tweerl
for :f.ormati.on by said dies, path deinition mearls adapted
to receive said guide pins ~nd guide said die suE~port
blocks during a portion of the rotary cycle whereby a die
af:fixed to said die suppor-t member on said upper unit arld
a die affixed to said die support member on said lower
unit may reg:ister with each other and cooperate toge-the.r
-for the deformation of the material, and retaini.ng means
whexeby said die suppor-t block is retained on said carrier
member.
The advantages o~ the invention include the
following: the device can be operated continuously or
intermittently at high speed, -l;hus allowing a
manufacturing line, in which -the device may be a
comporlent, to operate at hi~h line speed. The d~ice ls
~s accurate as conventional, reciproca-ting die prosses.
us~ ,.,e a :elat. die se-t ~llows standard die tool-making
procedures to be used. The device may have as much
.elexibility in i-ts use, or orming holes, indent.ltions
and the like in a workpiece, as has a conventional die
press.
Accordingly, it is an objec-tive of the in~enti.on
to provide a rotar~ spparatus fo~ cu-tting or orming strip
416
sheet rnaterial at hi~h speed.
It is a further objectlve of the inventiorl to
provide SUC]:l a rotary apparatus incorporating a ~lat die.
It is a further objective of t,h0 inven-tiorl to
provide such a rotary appara-tus which may operate with at
least the accuracy o~ converltiioncLl die presses.
L-t is a further objective o~ the invention to
provlde such a rot;ary apparatus wherein the die blocks
include additional guide means, int~rengagirlg be-tween
respective die blocks orl upper and lower units, and
fuIther controlling the position of said die blocks as
they close and open relative to said workpiece.
It is a ~urther objective of the invention to
provide such a rotary apparatus in which means may be
provided for controlled intermittent operation whereby
portiorLs of the workpiece may pass through the rotary
apparatus without being formed or cut.
The~various feature of novelty which
characteriz0 the invention are pointed out with
partiiclllari-ty in the cla.ims annexed to and formingS a part
o~ t~lis disclosure. For a better unders-tandirlg of the
i.nverLtic)rl, its operal;ing advantag06 and speci~ic o'b,jec-tis
at;t;ained by i.ts use, xe:ee:rence should be had to the
accompanyin~,; dx.lwings and descriptive mat-ter in which
t'he:re are illustrated arld described pre~'erred embod:iments
o:t.! the invenl;ion.
lN THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration in
perspective of a manu~acturin~ line incorporating a rotary
apparatus according to the inv0ntion.
-E~-
~9~6
Figure 2 i5 an exploded schemAti.c drawirlg in
pe.rspec-tive oi` a rotary apparatu.s accordln~ to the
i.nvention;
Fiffllre .3 is a cross-section along the line 3-3
of Fi~ure 2;
Figure 4 is a detail ~iew in cross-section of a
po:rtion of the rotary appaxatus of the invention;
Figure 5 .is a d.etail view in perspective of a
:portion of -the rotary appclratus accordin~ to -the i.nvention
abou.t to contact the workpiece;
Figure 6 i5 a view correponding to Figure 2 but
o~! an alternate embodiment;
Figure 7 i.s a cross-section similar -to that of
Figure 3, but illustratin~ the etnbodiment of ~igure 6 in a
differen-t position;
E'ig~re 8 represents a cross-sectional vi.ew along
line 8-8 o E'igure G, illustrating the operation o~ -the
embodiment of Figure 6;
Figure 9 is an exploded view o~ a de-t,ail of -the
embodiment o~ Figure B;
Figure 10 is a sec-tional sicle elevati.on. o~` an
ultimate embodiment;
Figure 11 is a sectiorl along the li.ne 11-1l. of
Fi.~ure 10;
Fi~llre 12 is a schemat1.c top plan view o~ an
al.texnate embodi.ment of the rotary apparatus, .for
i.ntermittent operation; and,
Fi~ure 13 is a section along the line 13-13 of
Fi~ure 12.
DTi''~CRIPTION OF AW EMBO:DI~ F THE IN_~NTION
~ e~erring to iii~ure 1, there is illustratecl a
roll 10 of s-trip sheet material 12 upon which it is
de3i:red to per~orm various forming operatlons. Ma-te~rial
L2 may often be sheet ~netal. Such operations may
typically be performed in a manufac-turir~.~ line 14
~laterial 12 is unwound from roll 10 and passed
continuously along line 14, .in the di.rection indica-t~d by
ar.row A. The varlous formin~ opera-tions are performed on
rn~t.erial 12 as i-t passes di~eren-t points alon~ line 14.
As material 12 is unwound from roll 10, typical -first
operations may be die 'corming operations, performed by a
rotary apparatus 20 according to the in.~ention.
Apparatus 20 may punch holes, or ~orm complex indentations
22, or both, in material 12 as it passes through apparatus
~0. Nip rollers 21, both above and below matexial 12,
guide material 12 through rotary appara-tus 20.
Su~sequerl-t operations may typically include roll-~orming
operations at sta-tion 23. Further operations as d~sired
may be carricl out a-t s-ta-tion 24. The final opera-tion is
-typically the cut-ting of material 12 in cutting ~ta-tion 26
i.nto startdard lengths 28 convenieo.-t for further
manu~tc-turint$ or assembl~ processes and for storat$e.
Further nip rollers (rlot sllowrl) may be usecl to
gui.cle ma-teri.al 12 throut~h s-tations 23, 24 and 26. 0~
course, any number of stations 20, 23, 2~ ancl 26 may be
u.sed in sequence, a.s desired.
The above description o a typical manufacturing
line is provided herein in order -to ~acilitate the
clescription of the in~ention~ The description of the
manufacturirlg line is not intended to limit the invention
.~ .
-7
~29~ 6
irJ a~ly way, R,athel the appAratus accordirl~ to the
invelltion may be used in any manll~acttlring line or irl any
sit;uatiorl requiring high speed, continuous, accurate lie
~orMing of strip material.
Re~erring to Figllre 2, -there is schematically
illustrated a ro-tary apparatus 20 according to the
in~ention, Motor 30 drives uppex roll unit 32 ln uniso:rL
with and, a-t the same speed, as lower roll unlt 34 throu~h
-transmission 35 and sh.,t~ts 36. Ma-terictl 12 passes ~etween
and is contacted by upper and lower units 32 and 34.
Upper and lower units 32 and 34 may be supported hy
stti-tahle bearing mean~ 37, In this embodimen-t motor 30
arLd -transmissiorl 35 are such as to provide the outer
surfaces of upper and lowf3r units 32 and 3~ at the point
of contact with material 12 with essentially the s~me
speed as ma-terial 12, so that there is no slippage or
relative motion be-tweerl the ma-terial 12 and either or both
o:f uppbr unit 32 and lower unit 34,
However in an alterna-te embodiment descri'bed
bel.ow, relative rnotion is provided ~or.
'r.rartsmission 35 ancl bearings 37 may be
ad~istable to ~ary the m~xlmum distance between uppel and
:lowf3r ur.tits 32 and 34 ln order to accommodate sheet
material 12 of varyirlg thicknesses or to increa.se the
pr~53ure applied to material 12. Hydraulic pi.~ton3 40 may
be at-taclled -to shafts 3~ 50 -t'hat upper unit 32 may be
~Luic~ y removed~rom contact with material 12. Such
capability allows -the appara-tus 20 to leave linear
portions o~ material 12 un~ormed, if desired.
Motor 30, transmission 35, bearings 37 and
~291416
pl.storls 40 m~y all be stclndard components as are
well-:knowrl in the machine toolin~ industrY.
Figure 3 il:lus-trates in cross-section ~Ipper die
uni1; 32 and lower die unit 34 in position -to clie form
s~leot material 12. Upper unit 32 rotates
eounter-clockwise in the direction i.ndicate-1 by arrow B.
I.,ower unit 34 rotates. Lower uni-t 34 ro-tates cl.ockwise in
-l;he direc-tion inclica1;ed by arrow C. Ma-terial 12 moves
from left to right in the direction indica-ted by arrow A.
It will be appreciated that the designations
"upper", "lower", `'left", "right", "clockwise", and
counter-clockwise" ~re for convenience of descrip-tion only
and are not intended to limi-t the invention, whicll will
operate equally effectively in any direction or
orien-tation. Similarly, references to an "upper die"
located in a certain position and to a correspon-.ling
"lower die" in a ~ertain corresponding position are not
intended to limit -the in~ention. Two dies operate as a
pair and the individual location of each is irrelevant to
the inven-tion so long a.s the pair operates toge-ther a-t the
r-cluired location and time.
Upper unit., .32 ~ e.ssentially i.denticfi~.l -t.o lowe:r
url:LI; 3~. Referrin~ to F.lgures 3 Glnd 4, upper unit 32
;.ncludes upper ca:rrier member 41, which de~.ines a
lon~itudinal axis L1 about which upper unit 32 rotal;es.
Men~ber 41 defirles at least one (in the illu~tratecl
e~bodiment, there are four) generally semi-circular
cylindrical recesses on opening 42, defining central axes
(Figure 5) extending longitudinally parallel to the axis
Ll o member 42. Member 41 further defines abutments 43
~9~4~6
'bet;wee:n o:pen:irlgs 42. The outer surface o:~ abutmerL-ts ~3
def.ine a notional ci.rcular cylindri.cal surface 44 (shown
ir~ cl~oss-section as pharltom circle 44). The a~es L2 of
cylindrical openings 42 may li,e on notional surface 44
parall.el to axis Ll. However in an alternate embodinlent
described below this is modified.
Referring to Figure 6, upper die suppor-t'blocks
~(; are re-ta.ined within openings 42 by the semi--circula.r
retainin~ -~langes 47~ Each bloc~ 46 is semi-cylindrical
in shape having a cros.s-section that is segment-shaped --
namel.y, that shape bounded between the perime-ter oP a
circle and a chord of the circle. 'I'hus block 46 defincs
two sur~ace portions: a semi-cylindrical portion 46a and
a planar portion 46b. Semi cylindrical portiorl 46a is
fitted within opening 4~, so -that block 46 is freely
ro-tatable within i-ts associa.ted opening 42~ As descri'bed
belo~, a ~irst guide pin means 48 extending from one end
o:~ blocks 46 and a second guide pin mean.s 49 extendlng
from the outer end ~uide blocks 46 as they ro-ta-te into
E~c~sltion~ so tha-t semi-c~lindrical surface portions 4Ba
remai.n in contact with the sur~aces o~ recesses on
operl:Ln~s 42 ancl the planax portions 46b axe locatecl iïl
t'he de~ired position. On a block 46 pin means 48 and 49
deeine and.:lie on di~ferent ax.es :eor reason~ rlescr.Lbed
below.
IJpper dies 50 are moun-ted on planar portions 46b
of bloc~s 46 in any conventionRl manner. The die sur~ace
of a clie 50 defines a forming plane P2 (E'igure 5). ~ie 50
is mounted on block 46 so that the plane P2 is essentlally
parallel to the planar por-tion 46b of block 46 and so that
-10-
~.X91~
t~le plane P2 includes ~he axis of openlng 42, in -this
embodiment.
Lower unit 34 comprises lo~er carrier Member 52
definirlg semi-cylindrical openlngs 54, abutments 55 and
semi-cylindrical sur~ace 56, lower support blocks 58, and
fl.at lower dies 60. Guide pin means 62 and 63 are
pro~ided in a ~a~hion o~fset a.-t opposite ends o~ the block
simllax to th.e equivalellt componen-ts o~ upper unit 32.
Retainir:lg flanges 47 are also provicded.
Each o-~ pin.s 4~, ~9, 62 and 63 defines a cam
follower means (not shown) at its free end. Pins 48 are
guided by cam means ~uch as R cam groove 64 clefined in
fixed end plate 38, at one end. Pins 49 are guided ~y cam
means such as a cam groove 66 in fixed end plate 39, at
the opposite end.
Similarly, OIl lower unit 34, guide pins 62 and
63 are guided by corresponding cam means; e.~., cam
~rooves 70 and 72, respec-ti.vely, in ~ixed end plates 33
and 39, at opposite ends.
Z0 Fi.xed end plate 38 is cl.ivided between grooves 64
and 70 into upper and lower end plates, 38a and 38b
repeetlve:Ly. ~lmllarly, end plclte 39 is split between
~;.ro(jve~ 66 arld 72 into upper and lo~ler encl plates, 39a and
39b. Bo-th end plates 33a and 39a are fixed by suitable
: mearl.s (not shown) relative to the axis Ll o-~ upper unit
:~ 32. Such suitable means may, for example, comprise a
~uide track, preventing -the rotation of plates 38a and 39a
relative -to axis Ll, and a bearing means fol sha~t 36 in
plates 38a and 39a.
Similarly, end plates 38b and 39b are fixed
;.
~29~4~L6
el.ative -to the axis L1 oi` lower unit 34.
The provision of spli-t end pla-l;es 3~a~ 3~b, 3~a
arlcl 39b, fixed as described a~ove, allows -the dis-tance
bet~een upper unit 32 and lower unlt 34 to be vclried as
desired ~7ithout interfering with the opera-tion o~ die
~orming appara-tus 20. As hydraulic cylinders 40 a~e
c,pel^a-ted, such distance be-tween units 32 and 34 varies.
Mpper end plates ~a and 39a move up ancl down in unison
~itll upper unit 32, yet cam groo~es 64 and 66 continue to
lC) support pins 48 and 49.
Gaîn grooves 64 and 66 are shaped and pins 48 and
49 are posi-tioned relative to blocks 46 whereby the
forming planes P2 of dies 50 are essentially parallel to
ma-terial 12 immediately prior to, during and subse~uent to
closing. Similarly, cam grooves 70 and 72 are shaped,
and pins 62 and 63 are positioned relative -to blocks 58
~7ht-~reby -the forming planes P2 of dies 6~ are essentially
E~arallel to material 12 immedia-tely prior to, during and
subsequent to closirlg.
Because a block 46 and a block 58 m~y each be
supporte~ by two pins on diPEerent axes -the blocks are
:lcss prone to rock or o-therwi.~e move within their ~it-tings
t;han are thosc fourld 1rL standard rotary ~orming devices.
Thl.l.s, in compari~on to prev.iollsly used rotarv devices,
the clearances re~uird by the cam follower mechanism do
no-t have as great an e~fec;t on the accuracy of the
forming operation. In Eact, the double cam cons-truction .
o:E the invention results in substantially improYed Eorming
accuracy, and thus, longer useul die life.
To ~urther ensure accuracy, upper support block
4~6
~6 ~nay be provided wi.th locatlnfg dowels 78 on either side
O e (~ie 50 (see Figllre 5). Lower support block 53 may be
provided with corresponding dowel receiving bores 79 on
either ~ide of die 60. Dowels 78 and 'bores '79 are shape(3.,
sized and loca-ted on ei-theI side of strip material 12 so
tha-t they may cooperate and register ~ith each other
without in-terference with material 12. As upper and lower
unii;s 32 and 3~ rotate, dowels 78 extend towarrl arld are
partlally inserted into bores 79 p;r:ior to contact with
materlal 12. .As a die 50 ancl a die 60 come into contact
with matelial 12, the dowels 78 are fully inser-ted into
the bore 79, thus 0nsuring that die 50 and die 60 corltact
r~laterial 12 in proper registration with each other.
Although accuracy is ensured by the use of dowels 7S and
bores 79, such dowels 78 and boxes 79 may not always be
necessary for the accurate functioning of the deYice
according to the invention. The device as descri~ed above
has been ~ound to operate with .satisfactory accuracy
~7ithout such dowels and bores.
Referring to Figure 3, in operation, upper and
lower units .32 and 34 rotate. Each die 50 rotates through
t.he .r,uccessive illustrated positions of upper unit 32.
Sucll pos,iti.orls have been labell.ecl in Figure 3 as positions
S, U, W, ancl Y. The closed position of apparatus 20,
wh:i.ch is the position a-t which material 12 i.5 formed, is
~ defined a.s po.sition S . Positlon S is treatecl as clefinirlg
'~ the s-tarting point o~ the rotary cycle. P~otation
continue.s, counter--clockwi.se as indicated by direction
arrow B, through each o~ the other posi-tions U, W and Y
and returns -to starting posi-tion S. Simila,rly, each die
91416
60 rotates -through the illustrated posit,ions of klwer unit
3~. The movement o any dle 60 is t,he mirror image o-P the
movement o:F its corresponding die 50. It will, of course,
be appreciated tha-t all dies rotate simultaneou~ly and, at
any particular time, are at different positions in the
rotar~ cycle.
At position S material 12 is Eormed by d:ie 50
and die 60. As rotation continues to position U, die 60
alld die 60 are separatecl from ma-terial 12. Becal,lcie pins
48, 49, 62 and 63 follow -their respec-tive cam gxooves 64,
66, 70 or 72, die 50 and die 60 ini-tially remain
essen-tially p~rallel to each other and to material 12.
Abutments 43 and 55 come into contact wlth ma~erial 12.
Thus, if there has been any adhesion between material 12
and ei-ther die 50 or die 60, material 12 will ~e pu.shed
away from such dies 50 or 60 and will continue to pass
smoothly through rotary apparatus 20.
As rotation continues, the cam ~'ollowers cause
block 46 to rotate -throu~h the po.sitions U, W and Y.
Following position Y, dies 50 and 60 are ~rough-t into
e.ssentially parallel position for the forming operation at
positiorl S.
:[n an ~lterrlate embodimenl;, cam ~rooves clefined
in the fi~ted end plate~ 38 and 39 axe not n~cessary.
In.stead t'he cam followers o:E pin.ci 48, 49, 62 and 63 may be
constrained to follow curved ramps during certain
~re-determined positiorls in the ro-tary ey~le. Referring
to Figure 6, ramp 80 is affixed to fixed end plate 38a and
ram,p 82 to fixed encl pla-te 39a~ Similarly associated with
,~o lower unit 34, ramps 84 and 86 are also affixed to fixed
-14-
~2~14~6
erld plates 38b and 3gb, respectively. ~amps 80, 82, 84
and 86 define curved surfaces 8~, 90j 92 and 94,
respectively.
Surfaces as ~ 9o ~ 92 and 94 are shaped whereby
th~ forming planes P2 of dies 50 and 60 are essentially
parallel to material 12 and to each other immecliately
prior to, during and subsequent to closing. ~uring o-ther
parts o~ -the rotary c:ycle, the preci.se position.irL~ o~
blocks 46 and 58 relative to members 41 and 5~,
respec-tively, are unimportarlt as long as blocks 46 and 58
may again be brought parallel prior to closing.
Conse~uently, when the cam ~ollowers are no-t in
contact with r~mps 80, 82, 84 and 86, blocks 46 and 58 may
be biased into a suitable ~ixed position by an appropriate
biasing means. One such possible biasing means i5
illustrated in Figure 9. ~lock 46 defines a
circu~nferential channel 96. Member 40 has a post 98,
a~lapted to fi-t withln channel 96 so that block 46 may
still orbit within opening 42. Spring 100 is fit-ted
within chanrlel 96 and attac:hed a-t one end to a wall of
channel 96 (or to a post inser-ted in channel 96) and a-t
the other end to post ~8. In such a coni~llratiorl, spring
l00 t,erlcls to hold block 46 in the position indic:ated as J
o:r K in Figure 8 relatiYe to member 41. In -thls posi-tion,
pi.rl 48 is extended radially away ~rom axis L1 whereby it
may come irl-to contac-t with its respective ramp 80 at a
predetermined position in the rot~ry cycle.
I'he operation of this embodimen-t is best
understood by referring -to Figures 7 and 8. Figul-e 7
illustrates upper and lower units .32 and 34 in a position
-15-
~29~
knmedi.ately after one palr of dles 50 and 60 ha~e clos~d
and immediately beeore a second pair o e dles 50 and fiO
have closed. Figure 8 illustrates one block 46 in member
41 shown at various positions in the rotary cycle.
Su-cessive positions are indicated by the labels J, K, ~1,
M, N and 0. One ramp 80 and its assoc.iated pin 48 are
dr1wn in sold line. The other ramp 82 and its associated
p.irl 49 are showII in E)hantom.
While only o.ne block 46 i5 illustra-ted, i.-t, will
be appreciat,ed tha-t o-ther blocks 46 attached to member 41
will travel through corresponding positions o the ro1;ary
cycle at different times. It will be fur-ther appxeciated
that while only upper unit 32 is illustra-ted, similar
ac-tion is occurring in lowex unit 34.
Con~encing a:rbitrarily with positior, J in the
:rotary cycle, spring lO0 holds block 46 so that pin 48 is
e~tended away from the axis Ll of member ~ll. As xota-tior
occurs block 46 passes through position K to position H.
There is no relative motion between block 46 and member 41
.~rom position J to position H. At positio}L H, the forming
plarle P2 (F.igure 5) Oe d.ie 50 iB essentiially parallel -to
m.1lieLial 12.
At E~ositioI:L H pin 48 contacts -the sur.eace 88 o
xamp 80. .Also, pin 4g contac-ts the sur~ace ~0 of ramp 82
As rotation continue.s block 46 now commences to orbit
within opening 44. Spring lO0 commences to stretch. Pin
48 moves along sureace 88. Pin 49 moves along sur~ace 90
Such motion continues to position M. The surfaces 88 and
90 are shaped to ensure that plarle P2 remains parallel to
material 12.
-16
~L~9~
On lower uni-t 34 (not shown in Figur~ 8) a
corresporldin~ plane P2 o~ die 60 is also essential].~
parallel to material 12 and thus to the plane P2 of die
50.
As rotation contin.ues -to positlon M, rela.tive
rotation between block 46 and member 41 continue; arld
sl~:ring 100 stretches ~urther. At about positic~rl ~ plane
P2 contacts material 1~ ancl, in cooperation with die 60,
the m~-terial 12 is deformed as recluird.
After dies 50 and 60 have thus closed, rotation
continues. Pins 48 and 49 remain in contact with
respective ramps 80 and 82. Plane P2 remains parallel to
material 12. ~elative rotation between block 46 and
member 41 continues and spring 100 stretches further.
At about posi-tion N, pin 49 is removed from ramp
A-t about position O, pin 4~ reaches the end of
ramp 80. Spring 100, which has been urging block 4B to
rotate clockwise~, may now act -to return block 46 -to its
illi.1;i.al position wi-th respect to member 41, for example,
as shown at po.si-tion J.
Sult,able limit means (not ~hown) allow ~pr.ing
10() to hold ~lloc~ 46 within opening 42 during rotation
~rom po~il;ion J to po~itiorl L. For example, the pre~,ence
of an abutmen-t means (not .~hown) extending into openi.ng 42
from member 41 ~ould allow spring 100 -to hold block 46
securely against the abutment. Block 46 would thus be
prevented from moving out of opening 42 under the
influence of centrifugal force as uni-t 32 rotates.
Becau~e, in -this embodiment, block 46 i.s pressed
-17-
4~6
inlJc> pLace against the ramps by the rotation Oe membex 41
prlor -to closing a .solid and accurat~ punch is pos~:ible.
Spr~ g 100 opera-tes to keep pins 48 and 49 in corltact wi-th
t~leir respective ramps 8n and 82 -thus further enC;urin~
punclling accuracy.
In other embodiments it may be possible -to use
a ramp or cam groove on only one side of a die unit in
conjunctlon wi.th such a spring urging a die support block
lnto contact with such ramp or groove. It may also be
possible to use a ramp on one side o~ a die unit Ind a cam
groove on the other side of the same unit. Use o-f a
biasing spring may be avoided in such an embodiment.
It will be appreciatqd that a die apparatus
accordin~ to -the invention may be used in any situation
requiring the use o~ high speed accurate cutting or
formin~. Apart ~rom the standard hole punching or
indentation forming operation described above -the
apparatus o~ the inv~ntion may for instance be used with
a shearing die to cut roll ormed strip materia:L wlth a
complex shaped edge.
Several die units may be placed in line for
:formin~ complicatecl hole~ or shapes. For ins-tance a
~;rst rotary apparatus may punctl a hole. A secon-l.rotclry
a~pE~al^atus may ~orm ~hapes around the hole. A third rotary
clpparatus may perorm ~urther operations and so on as
re~ui.red. ';uch opera-tion would be very similar -to -the
operatiorl of existing pro~ressive die presse~
The appara-tus o~ the invention may be used to
leave urrtormed areas at spaced intervals along -the strip
3~ material. The upper and lower units 32 and 34 are simply
-18-
1~93L4~;
se~:)axated so t,ha-t they do not contact materia:l 12 over
5 uch intervals.
In accord.a.nce with a fur~her embodime:rlt of the
inverltion a.s shown in Figures 10 and 11, provisions may be
made for still fllrther stabili~ing the d.ie support blocks
46 and 58, so that -they are forced to adopt precisely
:paral].el planes prior -to the enga~ement of -the two dies on
the b:locks.
It will of cou.rse be aF)precia-tecl t.hat if' the -two
cdie suppor-t bLocks are not prec:isely parallel, and
parallel Wi th -the workpiece, pri.or to the en~agement of
the dies on the workpiece, the workpiece will no-t be
formed precisely, and conceivably damage may result to the
dles themselres.
In the embodiment showrl in Figures 1 -to 9, the
pins 78 and openin~s 79 will normally provide a sufficien-t
degree o~ guidance to ensure that the two blocks are
ecisely parallel to one another before the dies clo.~e.
However, since some degree o~ wear is
inevitable, it is con.si.dered desirable to make pro~.ision
fo~ a still greater degree of guidance.
Accordingly, as shown i.n Figures 10 and 11, -the
u~per die block 4~ is show:n with -the die guidance ~in '78
received in a bore 102, and belng retained therein by any
su.itable means (not shown).
A die block guide chclnnel 104 is macllirled in
ei-ther end of the block 46, 50 ~s to repl.ace -the unction
of -the retain.in~ flanges 47.
This feature lllwollld also be used in the block
58in -this embodiment.
--lg--
4~6
In order to further assist in guiding ancl
corltrolling the b:locks 46 and 58, a furt}ler guide bore 108
i.s ~'ormed in, :eor example, the upper die block 46,
parallel to the bore 102.
Bore 10~ communica-tes with a longltudinal
channel 110 of generally rectangular shape, exterlding front
side to side Oe the block ~6 traIIsverse -to its
:lon~.~itudinal ax.i.s.
Each o~ the die blocks 46 arld 58 may be pro~ided
with two such guidance bores 108, one at each end, and
-two such channels 110.
An elonga-ted rectangl1lar contact bar 112 is
received in channel 110, and is mounted on a cylindrical
guide shaft 114 extendin~ into guide bore 108. A
coun-ter-bore 116 is Pormed in shaft 114, and receives a
spring 118 therein. The spring 118 will prefera~:Ly be a
heavy duty compression spring~
Any suitable retaini.ng means (not shown) will be
~?rovided for retaining the shaft 114 in the bore 108.
The four bars 112 on the upper and lower die
melrlbers 26 and 58 re~ister with one another in pairs, as
the dies are clos.ing, but prior to contac-t Wi. th the
~70rkpiece.
The heavy dut~y ~prin~s 118 ~7ill yield ancl allow
the bars 112 to mov~ inwardly into the channel~ 110, bu-t
wlll, a-t the same ti.me~ force -the Eac~s oE the bars 11.2
~irmly into contact with one another along their lergth.
This functioII will thus ensu.re -tha-t the blocks
46 and 58 are located in parallel spaced-apart planes
parallel to the workpiece prior to con-tact of the dies
-20-
~.29~4~
with the workpiece, thus enswring accurclte repetitive
fc~rming of the workpiece, without damage to the dies.
I-t will be apprecia-ted that in the form
illustrated bc~th the upper and lower die blocks 4f., and 58
are provided with the same guidance bars 112 and shafts
1 l ~ .
The purpose of this is to reduce the distallce of
travel of each of the guide bars 112, and yet ensure -that
they meet and contact one ano-ther at a point earl.y enough
in the closing of the dies, that they can achieve a secure
and accurate ~uidance function before the die is closed.
It will, of'course, be appreciated however th~t
where dies of a different na-ture are in use, such that a
lesser deglee of travel would be acceptable, it may be
permissible to provide such guidance bars 11~ ~n only -th0
upper or the lower of the two die bloc~s. If only one
pair o e such guidance bars 112 were use,d -then, of co~lrse,
the guidance bars would simply contact the face of the
other 'block and provide -the same guidarlce function as
described above.
It will be appreciated, therefox, ~hat w'hile
th:is em'bodimerlt of the invention is illu,strated as
proviled on both upper and lower die bloc'ks and a-t e~ch
en~, some degree of guidance function and security will be
ac:hiev~d by provlding only one pai.r of suc,h guidance bars.
Conceivably also soDle limited degree of ~uidance can be
ac'hieved merely by -t'he provision of one of such ~uldancs
bars at one end of one block.
The inven-tion is not, therefore, limited to any
specific number of such guidance bars.
~L~9~L4~L~
In accordance with a fllrt,her embodl~llent o~ the
invention as illustra-ted in Figures 12 and 13, provLsio~
may be made ~'or intermi-ttent operation of the rotary
a~paratus.
Intermittent operation may b~ desirable where it
is intended to produce from -the strip sheet material, ans
end produc1; ~hich is cut -to a predetermined lerLgth. r['llus,
~or example, i e it is desired to produce sheet metal strip
having a series of formatiorls, along predetermlned lengths
of the strip, and intermittent discontirluities in the
formations, then, as has been described a~ove, one
solution would be to simply move one of the roll units
away from -the other.
Another solution to -the problem is, h~wever, to
simply stop the upper and l~wer units momentarily and
allow the strip sheet material to pass between them,
without bein~ formed or punched, ~or a predetermined
length.
As shown schematically in Figure 12, a -typical
strip sheet material line for functioning in -this way
would comprise a rotary cutting or forming apparatus 120,
upstream and downstream pinch rolls 122 and 12~, afld an
uncoi:]er l2~ The strip sheet ma-terlal is inr.li~,ated as
12, and in this embodlment is shown simply as heing formed
with ~enerally triarlgular per~orat:lons or openin~.s 12a. A
disconti.rluity indica-ted gerierally as 12b is indicated
between t;wo of -the perforations l2a~
In this embcdiment the rotary apparatus l20 is
driven by means of a motor 128, drivirrg -through a clu-tch
130. Clutch 130 drives the rotary apparatus 120, and the
-22-
~2~4~
dri.ve i5 con-t:rolled by means of a brake 132.
A line speed indicator 134 may be used 1.~
desired, for contacting the strip sheet matexial 12.
~lowever this information can equally well be obtained irl
other ways, and it is illustrated here merely for the sake
of clarity.
A central data processing unit 136 provi~led with
typical corltro:ls and displays i5 connec-ted to the line
speed indic~ltor 134, and to the clutch 130 and to the
brake 132.
It may also be connected to all of the rolls,
and to the motor 128 if desired for capturing ~urther
in~ormation.
Referring now to Figure 13, -the rotary apparatus
120 is essentially similar to that described in the
precedin~ description. Accordin~ly the various features
are described in only general terms herein, where -they are
t,he same. Thus the rotary apparatus 120 comprises carrier
members 1.38 and 140 having die suppor-t blocks 142 and 144,
guided ancl controllecl in the manner described above.
The central axis of the die blocks 142 and 144
move aro~lnd a circular r~ath, indicated in phantom as 1~6.
Howe~er, the sur~ace portions 148 and 150 Oe the
carrier members 13~ and 140 lie on the perimeter oP a
cil:cle Oe a somewhat smaller radius than -the circle 146.
In this way, when the two carrier members 138
ancl 1~0 are in the position illustrated in Figure 13, the
surfaces 148 and 150 are out of contact with the workpiece
12.
The workpiece is held in any event between the
--~3-
~.Z9~4~
p:inch rolls 122 and 124, arld is therefore at a:Ll tlmes
cosltxolled.
By suitably programming -the processor 136 to
operate the clutch 130 and brake 132 in the correct tirne
sequence, it is possible to stop the upper a:nd lower
carrie.r rnember.s 138 and 140 in the position shown in
E'igure 13, for a p:redetermined dwell -time, suf:eiclent,-t~
a:Llow an unformed poltion 12'b of the workpiece 12 to pass
between them.
The processor 136 will then again signal -the
'brake 1.32 to release and the clutch 130 to re-engage, and
rotation of the carrier member,s 138 and 140 will be
resumed.
The foregoing is a description of a preferre~
ernbodiment of the inven-tion which is given here by way of
e.xample only. The i.nvention is not to be ta.ken as limited
to any of the specific features as described, but
comprehends all such varia-tions thereof as come wi-thin the
scope of the appended claims.
, -24-
