Metal deforming – By three or more coacting relatively movable tools – Concurrently actuated tools
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2001-07-10
Crane, Daniel C. (Department: 3725)
Metal deforming
By three or more coacting relatively movable tools
Concurrently actuated tools
C029S237000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257042
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to crimping and swaging machines and more particularly to a crimping machine that has an open channel through which a to be crimped workpiece could pass between two sets of crimp dies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional “open throat” crimping machine is usually no more than a converted C-frame hydraulic press. Such crimping machine uses a straight up and down pressing motion, and the tool that performs the crimping converts the straight motion into a radial pressing movement. The tool is mechanical in the sense that each segment of the tool is pressed more or less, depending upon its radial position. To achieve the open throat configuration, the tool essentially is considered to have been cut in half so that a number of die segments of the tools are secured to the top of a die cage while a corresponding number of die segments are secured to the bottom of the die cage. To operate, the upper die segments are lifted up so as to create an opened position to allow a workpiece to be loaded from the side of the machine. Once the workpiece is loaded, the upper die segments are driven downwards to thereby work cooperatively with the lower die segments to crimp the workpiece.
Thus, such conventional open throat crimping machine can only operate in two cycles, i.e., an upward movement to move the upper die segments to an opened positioned, and a punch cycle in which the upper dies are lowered to press the workpiece. Accordingly, for every pressing operation, the upper die segments have to be opened to its full opened position, irrespective of how big or small the to be crimped workpiece is.
Moreover, insofar as each of the upper and lower die segments for a conventional open throat crimping machine has to be individually mounted to the die cage, each die segment must be laboriously removed from the cage assembly in order that the dies be changed. Otherwise, a completely new cage assembly must be used for each different crimping operation.
Another type of prior art open throat machine uses mechanical linkage, applied horizontally, to the tapered surfaces of the crimp dies for crimping. This type of machine can only be top loaded and the replacement of the crimp dies necessitate a great deal of disassembly and assembly time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention open throat crimping machine is configured to a C-frame in which respective sub-frames are mounted to each end of the C-frame. Permanently coupled to each of the sub-frames are a plurality of master dies that are positioned opposed to each other and are movable either towards or away from each other. The movement of the master dies are controlled by a hydraulic drive mechanism, with feedback being provided by a linear potentiometer. The distance separating the opposed sets of master dies therefore can be determined and controlled accurately.
Removably mounted to each set of the master dies are corresponding sets of crimp dies. Each set of crimp dies is formed of a number of crimp die segments, and each crimp die segment is removably coupled to a corresponding master die segment by coacting pin members integrated to the pair of crimp die and master die segments. And when the master dies are driven to its closed position, the crimp die segments from both sets of master dies likewise are driven to the closed position to thereby effect a crimping, forming, or other types of pressing operations to a workpiece that is placed therebetween.
By being removably mounted to the respective sets of master dies, the corresponding sets of crimp die segments can be readily replaced so that a different type of crimping/forming operation could take place. Insofar as the crimp die segments are not permanently secured to the moving mechanism, for example the hydraulic drive, that moves the master dies relative to each other, the replacement of the crimp die segments is easily done. Indeed, such replacement can be accomplished by using a quick change tool specially designed for the crimping machine of the instant invention that could remove the whole set of crimp dies from the master dies in a single movement.
By controlling the distance or the open channel that separates the opposed sets of master dies, the opposed master die segments do not have to be moved to their fully opened position for the crimping of all workpeices. Accordingly, if the to be crimped workpieces are of dimensions that do not require the sub-frames to move to their fully opened position, valuable time could be saved for the crimping operation.
Another feature of the crimping machine of the instant invention resides in the fact that workpeices could be placed between the crimp dies a number of ways from a number of directions. These include passing the workpeices via the open channel, or inserting the workpeices between the opposed sets of crimp dies. Moreover, the C-frame of the crimping machine of the instant invention could be oriented in a number of positions for accommodating easy placement of workpeices between the crimp dies.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a crimping machine that has crimp dies that could be readily exchanged with other crimp dies.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a crimping machine that can accurately determine and control the distance that separates its opposed sets of crimp dies.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an open throat crimping machine which crimping head could be positioned in a number of different orientations for accommodating the insertion of to be pressed workpeices.
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Hakonen Jari
Välimäki Jorma
Crane Daniel C.
Lillbacka Oy
Woo Louis
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