Metal deforming – By relatively movable offset tool-faces – With tool motion in fixed path
Patent
1996-06-18
1998-03-17
Jones, David
Metal deforming
By relatively movable offset tool-faces
With tool motion in fixed path
72420, 72446, 72422, 901 50, 483 28, B21D 4311, B21J 1308
Patent
active
057274150
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a folding press.
In prior art folding presses are known comprising a frame; a fixed beam, fixedly connected to the frame; a ram beam supported on the frame to be movable relative to the fixed beam; a force member, disposed between the ram beam and the frame for moving the ram beam relative to the fixed beam in order to accomplish the folding working stroke; a counterblade, attached to the fixed beam; a thrust blade, attached to the ram beam parallelly relative to the counterblade, said counterblade and thrust blade constituting a pair of folding blades between which a piece of metal sheet can be folded; and a multi-articulate manipulation arm such as a robot or the like, comprising a clamping member for grasping the piece of sheet material which is to be folded and inserting it between the pair of folding blades in predetermined manner. In a typical folding press of this type the working stroke of the ram beam is usually vertical, the throat between the blades thus being horizontal.
The problem in the folding press of prior art is that the piece of sheet material to be folded has to be handled and introduced between the pair of folding blades in horizontal position. When the metal sheet is grasped with the clamping member on the manipulation arm and carried in horizontal position into the folding gap between the folding blades, the sheet will bend downward, giving rise to folding errors. The bending of the sheet during the handling step is also problematic for the reason that when programming of the work, i.e., of the functions of folding press and manipulation arm, takes place with the aid of a computer, calculation of the way in which the sheet bends is exceedingly difficult because air resistance, and other circumstances, must be taken into account.
The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned.
Specifically, the object of the invention is to disclose a folding press in which the piece of sheet metal which is to be folded can be handled with a manipulation arm in such manner that the sheet will not bend down and that folding errors due to this phenomenon will be avoided.
As taught by the invention, the fixed beam and ram beam have been disposed horizontally side by side, the ram beam is guided to be movable substantially in horizontal direction, and the force member is arranged to produce a horizontal working stroke of the ram beam, whereby the piece of sheet material to be folded can be folded while in substantially vertical position between the counterblade and the thrust blade.
The invention affords the advantage that it enables a piece of sheet material to be folded in vertical position, whereby the piece of sheet material will retain its straight vertical position and will not bend, and the folding errors caused hereby are avoided.
In an advantageous embodiment of the folding press the fixed beam with its counterblade and the ram beam with its thrust blade are substantially vertical. The fixed beam and the ram beam are located in a vertical plane and the folding throat, or the gap between the pairs of folding blades, is vertical and opens in lateral direction.
In an advantageous embodiment of the folding press the fixed beam with its counterblade and the ram beam with its thrust blade are substantially horizontal. The fixed beam and ram beam are then in lying position, whereby in one embodiment the folding press may be carried in horizontal position on the structures of the building in which the folding press has been installed, in the height direction at such a distance h from the plane of the floor base that a free space is left below the folding press where one may provide storage space for goods, sojourn and moving spaces for persons, installation space for machines and/or space where vehicles can move. The folding press may in that case constitute a roof-like structure in the upper part of the building, the folding throat opening downward. A folding press in horizontal position may equally be carried on supports close to the floor base of th
REFERENCES:
patent: 4991422 (1991-02-01), Sartorio
patent: 5182936 (1993-02-01), Sartorio
patent: 5187958 (1993-02-01), Prunotto et al.
patent: 5345806 (1994-09-01), Sartorio et al.
patent: 5366431 (1994-11-01), Smith et al.
Aliko Automation Oy
Jones David
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