Brakes – Wheel – Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-02
2002-05-14
Graham, Matthew C. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Wheel
Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
C188S071500, C192S01800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06386332
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a braking system for use with a flywheel of a mechanical press and, more particularly, to a wet-type flywheel brake assembly integrated into the quill assembly and which uses oil provided to the flywheel bushing assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mechanical presses of the type performing industrial activity such as stamping and drawing operations have a conventional configuration including a frame structure with a crown and bed portion and a slide supported within the frame for reciprocating movement toward and away from the bed. A crankshaft rotatably disposed within the crown is arranged in driving connection with the slide using a connecting arm assembly. A flywheel assembly rotatably driven by a drive mechanism is selectively connectable with the crankshaft for driving rotation thereof, utilizing a clutch/brake combination to make the driving connection. These mechanical presses are used in a wide variety of workpiece operations employing a large selection of die sets, with the press machine varying substantially in size and available tonnage depending upon the intended use.
The primary source for stored mechanical energy in mechanical presses is the flywheel, which is conventionally located between the main drive motor and the clutch. The flywheel and its associated bearing are mounted on either the driveshaft, crankshaft, or the press frame by use of a quill. The main drive motor replenishes the energy lost from the flywheel during press stamping operations when the clutch couples the flywheel to the press driven parts. During engagement of the clutch, the flywheel drops in speed as the press driven parts are brought up to press running speed. The flywheel rotates in unison with the engaged clutch while the flywheel bearings have no relative rotation, except for the case of a quill arrangement whereby relative rotation is always present.
Prior art flywheel brakes are usually pneumatically-applied dry-friction brakes subject to considerable wear due to their design and must be serviced and replaced frequently. The flywheel brake is typically mounted in or on the press crown, so if it must be serviced, the press must be shut down while maintenance personnel gain access to and repair the flywheel brake and/or renew the linings. Press down time leads to lost production, adding to the expense of flywheel brake service. In addition, due to the many different flywheel and press structures, multiple costly flywheel brake mounting configurations are used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention to reduce the necessity to replace flywheel brake linings, to considerably extend the time interval between lining replacements, and to simplify the attachment of such a flywheel brake to the press structure.
According to the present invention there is disclosed a wet-type flywheel brake system integrated into an oil film quill for use in a mechanical press. The brake system includes a first and second brake assembly each installably mounted within a respective brake housing space defined in a quill, which is non-rotationally connected to the press. Each of the brake assemblies preferably includes a flywheel engaging member in the form of a brake lining element that is arranged in facing relationship with the flywheel at a respective side thereof, and further includes an associated hydraulic piston member in the form of an annular seal. Activation of the hydraulic seal-type piston selectively moves the facing brake lining element into a friction-type braking engagement with the flywheel to effect the desired flywheel braking activity. The quill-located brake housing spaces are flooded with oil to fully immerse at least the brake lining elements and thereby develop the wet-type feature associated with the flywheel braking device. The action of the oil between the frictional surfaces prevents or reduces lining wear to an insignificant level, thus extending lining life indefinitely. The oil also removes the heat of engagement which is destructive to the lining and its contact surface. Oil is preferably communicated from the flywheel bearing assembly, which is preferably provided in the form of a hydrostatic bearing pad assembly integrally associated with the quill assembly and arranged for fluid communication with the brake housing spaces. Alternative bearings, for example, hydrodynamic bushings or tapered roller bearings could be used to support the flywheel and the oil coming off these bearing types could be used to flood the flywheel brake linings.
The invention, in one form thereof, relates to a mechanical press comprising, in combination, a frame structure with a crown and a bed; a slide guided by the frame structure for reciprocating movement in opposed relation to the bed; a drive mechanism attached to the frame structure; a quill assembly having a quill non-rotationally connected to the press; a flywheel assembly rotatably driven by the drive mechanism, the flywheel assembly including a flywheel rotatable relative to the frame structure and axially mounted to the quill; a crankshaft rotatably disposed within the crown and in driving connection with the slide, the crankshaft selectively connectable with the flywheel for driving rotation thereby; the quill including a first recess formed therein and disposed adjacent the flywheel at one side thereof, the first quill recess defining a first chamber; the quill further including a second recess formed therein and disposed adjacent the flywheel at another side thereof, the second quill recess defining a second chamber; and a brake system operatively associated with the flywheel. The brake system comprises, in combination, a first brake assembly, which is disposed at least in part within the first quill recess, for selectively applying a braking action to the flywheel; and a second brake assembly, which is disposed at least in part within the second quill recess, for selectively applying a braking action to the flywheel.
Each one of the first and second brake assemblies, in one form thereof, further comprises a respective flywheel engaging member arranged in facing relationship with the flywheel at the respective side thereof; and an associated hydraulic piston means for selectively reversibly moving the flywheel engaging member into braking engagement with the flywheel in response to the hydraulic activation thereof. A means is provided for supplying fluid to at least one of the first quill recess and the second quill recess to enable hydraulic contact with at least the flywheel engaging member associated therewith.
The mechanical press, in another form thereof, further comprises a flywheel bearing supporting the flywheel assembly, the flywheel bearing including at least one bearing assembly disposed between the quill and the flywheel. The at least one bearing assembly comprises a hydrostatic bearing pad means that is arranged, at least in part, for fluid communication with each one of the first quill recess and the second quill recess to enable hydraulic contact (e.g., immersion) with the flywheel engaging member associated therewith. There is included a means to provide pressurized fluid to the hydrostatic bearing pad means. The hydrostatic bearing pad means comprise, in one form thereof, a plurality of hydrostatic bearing pads formed in the quill and disposed in opposing facing relationship to a bushing connected to the flywheel and annularly disposed about the quill. A clearance space defined between the plurality of hydrostatic bearing pads and the bushing is arranged for fluid communication with each one of the first quill recess and the second quill recess.
The mechanical press, in another form thereof, further comprises a pump for supplying a pressurized fluid flow and a fluid channel formed in the quill and adapted for coupling to the pump, the fluid channel being arranged at one section thereof for fluid communication with the first quill recess and being arranged at another section thereof for fluid communication
Graham Matthew C.
Knuth Randall J.
The Minster Machine Company
Torres Melanie
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