Machine for selectively positioning a work member at a work...

Conveyors: power-driven – With means to facilitate working – treating – or inspecting... – Means to convey a palleted load back and forth between an...

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C198S369100, C198S369400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213279

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to machines and, more particularly, to a machine to selectively position work members, such as a die set, at a work station in the machine.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are many different types of machines in which a work member is positioned at a work station. For example, if the machine is a stamping press, the work member comprises a die set which is positioned at the work station. The dies in the die set are movable between an open position, in which the dies are spaced apart from each other, and a closed position, in which the dies press against each other to form the desired parts therebetween.
In many stamping presses, the stamping press is used to form a single part. In this case, the dies are positioned at a work station in the press and secured to the press in any conventional fashion. Actuation of the press then causes the stamping dies to move between their open and closed positions during the stamping operation.
While these previously known stamping presses have proven satisfactory where only a single type of part is produced by the press, in many different situations, it is necessary to change the dies at the work station in order to stamp different types of parts. Furthermore, in a production facility, the cycle time for the stamped parts forms a critical part of the overall manufacturing operation. Consequently, where it is necessary to change the dies in the press in order to stamp different types of parts, it is desirable that the time necessary to change the dies at the work station be as short as possible.
There have been previously known stamping presses in which one die set is positioned on one side of the press work station while, similarly, a second die set is positioned on the opposite side of the press work station. Each pair of dies in each die set forms a single type of part during operation of the press.
In order to selectively move one of the die pairs into the work station, it has been the previous practice to provide a conveyor section on each side of the press work station wherein each conveyor section supports one die set. A pusher is then associated with each die set in order to selectively move its associated die set between a standby position in which the die set is positioned away from the work station, and an operable position in which the die set is positioned at the work station. Conventional clamping means are then used to secure the die set at the work station to move the dies at the work station between an open and closed position.
While these previously known stamping presses with two die sets have proven successful in operation, in some situations three or even four different die sets are required to be used and rapidly changed in a single stamping press. The previously known presses have been unable to accommodate more than two die sets.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for use with a machine, such as a stamping press, molding machine or the like, having at least two and up to four different work members, e.g. four different die sets.
In brief, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame which defines a work station and at least two separate work members, such as die sets, molds or the like.
A turntable is pivotally mounted to the frame at a position spaced from the work station. A first and second linear conveyor section are mounted to the turntable and each conveyor section has a first and second end. The second ends of the conveyor sections are adjacent each other on the turntable and the conveyor sections extend in a direction generally perpendicular to each other.
An actuator is provided for selectively pivoting the turntable between a first position in which the first end of the first conveyor section is aligned with the work station, and a second position in which the first end of the second conveyor section is aligned with the work station. Furthermore, each conveyor section supports one work member.
A pusher, such as a hydraulic actuator, selectively engages the work member on its respective conveyor section to move the work member between a standby position in which the work member is laterally spaced from the work station, and an operable position, in which the work member is positioned at the work station. Consequently, with the first conveyor section aligned with the work station, the pusher assembly selectively moves the work member on the first conveyor section between its operable and standby positions. With the work member in the standby position, actuation of the turntable to pivot the turntable to its second position aligns the second conveyor section with the work station. Thereafter, the work member supported on the conveyor section is selectively moved by the pusher between its standby and operable position.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the turntable supports two conveyor sections. However, three or even four conveyor sections can be supported by the turntable thus allowing a single turntable to support up to four work members, any one of which can be selectively moved to the work station. Furthermore, with one turntable positioned on each side of the work station, up to eight different work members may be selectively positioned at the work station.
With the work member positioned at the work station, conventional clamping means are employed to clamp the work members to the machine to enable the work members to be employed in their conventional fashion at the work station.
In the case of a stamping press, the work members comprise a die set having two dies. In the case that the machine is a molding machine, the work member comprises a pair of mold halves.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4326624 (1982-04-01), Ewertowski et al.
patent: 4589467 (1986-05-01), Hunter
patent: 5062190 (1991-11-01), Kitamura
patent: 5992608 (1999-11-01), Ahn

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