AU2012101738A4 - Shearing Machine with automatic dropping platform - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shearing machine comprising a bed assembly having a front platform for supporting a workpiece for cutting; a top beam body fixed with an upper blade for shearing the workpiece; and a rear platform located behind the upper blade, wherein the rear platform is pivotally associated with the top beam body for supporting the workpiece when cutting the workpiece, such that the rear platform is adapted to pivot downwardly for disposing the workpiece after cutting the workpiece. Figure 3

Description

1 Shearing Machine with automatic dropping platform Technical Field The present invention relates to a guillotine or shearing machine with a dropping platform. In particular the present invention relates to a guillotine or shearing machine which 5 has an automatic dropping platform at the rear end for supporting metal sheets when cutting and automatically dropping the cut piece after the cutting action. Background Previously, shearing machines or guillotines for metal sheets, bars and other metal objects do not provide a platform for supporting a workpiece at the rear end of the shearing .0 blade. This is to facilitate the dropping of the cut workpiece after the cutting action. However, without a supporting platform at the rear end of the cutting blade, part of the workpiece will be hanging in space without any support when cutting. When the hanging portion of the cut piece becomes heavier, the weight of the hanging portion induces a curvature over the length of the workpiece. When the cutting blade hits the curved workpiece at the time of the .5 cutting action, the cutting point may not be located at the desired position. However, when a platform is provided at the rear end of the cutting blade for supporting the workpiece, the platform will obstruct the dropping of the workpiece after the cutting action. Hence, the cut portion of the workpiece will remain on the platform afterward and additional cleaning procedure is required to clear the platform for the next workpiece. For 0 this reason, many guillotines are deliberately designed without a rear platform. With no rear platform, it is difficult to ensure the stability of the workpiece when cutting and hence adversely affect the accuracy of the severed point. It then depends on the experience of the worker to estimate how long the hanging portion can be, in order to minimize inaccurate cutting. 25 US Patent No. 2982164 is an example of a shearing machine without a supporting platform at the rear end. It discloses a shearing machine comprising a stationary frame supporting an anvil connected to the lower part of the vertical edges of the frame. The shearing machine has a fixed shearing blade on the anvil, a rectangular frame slidably mounted on the upper part of the unconnected vertical edges of the frame. One 30 disadvantage of this shearing machine is that there is supporting platform at the rear of end for the workpiece. It is an object of the present invention to provide a shearing machine or guillotine with an automatic dropping platform.

2 Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shearing machine comprising 5 a bed assembly having a front platform for supporting a workpiece for cutting; a top beam body fixed with an upper blade for shearing the workpiece; and a rear platform located behind the upper blade, wherein the rear platform is pivotally associated with the top beam body for supporting the workpiece when cutting the workpiece, such that the rear platform is adapted to pivot downwardly for disposing .0 the workpiece after cutting the workpiece. Preferably the shearing machine further comprises a lower hydraulic actuator fixed to the bed assembly, wherein the lower hydraulic actuator moves the top beam body upwardly and downwardly relatively to the front platform. Preferably, the shearing machine further comprises an upper hydraulic actuator fixed to .5 the top beam body, wherein the upper hydraulic actuator controls the pivotal movement of the rear platform. Preferably, at the time of cutting, the top beam body, the rear platform and the upper blade are moved downwardly from an initial position to a cutting position where the rear platform is below the front platform. 20 Preferably, at the time when the lower actuator moves the top beam body upwardly from the cutting position, the upper hydraulic actuator releases the rear platform such that the rear platform can pivot downwardly for disposing the workpiece. Preferably, after the top assembly body moves back to the initiate position from the cutting position, the upper actuator pulls the rear platform back to the initial position. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 3 Figure 1 is a side section view of a shearing machine at an initial position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side section view of a shearing machine in a cutting position according to an embodiment of Figure 1. 5 Figure 3 is a side section view of a shearing machine in a dropping position according to an embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side section view of a top beam assembly of the shearing machine according to an embodiment of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a top view of a rear platform of the shearing machine according to Figure 1. .0 Figure 6 is a side view of the rear platform of according to Figure 5. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Reference is now made to Figures 1 to 6, there is provided a shearing machine 10 having a frame 12 for supporting a top beam assembly 14 and a bed assembly 20. The top beam assembly comprises a top beam body 16 connecting to an upper blade 18 for cutting .5 workpieces such as metal sheets, bars or similar. In one embodiment, the shearing blade is in a form of punching die for punching holes on the workpieces. The bed assembly 20 provides a supporting structure 22 to support a front platform 24 for accommodating the workpieces. In one embodiment, the front platform 24 comprises a lower blade 26 fixed on an edge 28 of the front platform. The supporting structure 22 also 20 accommodates a lower hydraulic actuator 30 for controlling the top beam body 16 and the upper blade 18 such that the top beam body and the upper blade can move up and down relatively to the front platform and vertically along the edge 28 where the cutting action occurs. According to an embodiment of this invention, the top beam assembly 14 further 25 comprises a fringe member 40 underneath the upper blade 18. A rear platform 42 is pivotally connected to the fringe member 40 to support a workpiece for cutting. In another embodiment, the rear platform 42 is pivotally connected to the top beam body 16. Referring to Figure 4, the top beam body 16 accommodates an upper hydraulic actuator 44 for controlling the pivotal movement of the rear platform 42.

4 The shearing machine 10 further comprises a back gauge assembly 32 associated with the top beam assembly 14. The back gauge assembly 32 can be used for accurately positioning the workpieces so that the upper blade 18 can cut workpieces in a predefined position. 5 Below the front platform 20, there is provide a slide tray 50 for receiving and collecting cut workpieces dropping from a rear platform 42. The operation of the shearing machine of an embodiment of the present invention is now described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 shows the initial position of the shearing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the initial position, a .0 workpiece can be placed on the front platform 24 of the bed assembly 20 and pushed towards an edge 28 thereof where the upper blade 18 of the top beam assembly 14 is dropped vertically to cut the workpiece. The workpiece is pushed pass the edge 28 towards the rear platform 42. In this initial position, both the front platform 24 and the rear platform 42 are rested on the same horizontal plane. The workpiece is simultaneously being .5 supported by the front platform 24 and the rear platform 42. As the rear platform provides the support of the workpiece, no portion of the workpiece is left hanging in space. Hence, the workpiece will not bend by its own hanging weight. The front platform 24 and the rear platform 42 together provide a stable support for the cutting the workpiece. After the workpiece is settled on the front platform 24 and the rear platform 42, the lower '0 hydraulic actuator 30 will bring down the top beam assembly 14 for cutting the workpiece. The entire top beam assembly 14 including the upper blade 18 and the rear platform 42 will be lowered to a cutting position where the rear platform is below the front platform 24 as shown in Figure 2. As the upper blade 18 moves down, the workpiece will be severed into two pieces - one piece is remained on the front platform 24 and the other moves with the 25 rear platform 42. In the next phase, when the top beam assembly 14 reaches the cutting position, the lower hydraulic actuator will push the top beam body 16 back to the initial position. When the top beam body 16 starts to move upwardly, the upper hydraulic actuator 44 will release. Hence, instead of following the top beam body 16 moving upwardly to the initial position, the 30 rear platform 42 will pivot downwardly towards the ground to a dropping position as shown in Figure 3. When the rear platform 42 pivots downwardly, the severed workpiece thereon will drop to the slide tray 50 for collection.

5 When the top beam body 16 reaches the initial position, the upper hydraulic actuator 44 will start to pull the rear platform 42 back to its initial position as shown in Figure 1 for the next cycle of the cutting sequence. In this way, the configuration of present invention is capable of providing a rear platform 5 for supporting a workpiece and at the same time provides a mechanism for disposing the severed workpiece to prevent obstruction. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present .0 embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any reference to prior art contained herein is not to be taken as an admission that the information is common general knowledge, unless otherwise indicated.

Claims (6)

1. A shearing machine comprising a bed assembly having a front platform for supporting a workpiece for cutting; a top beam body fixed with an upper blade for shearing the workpiece; and 5 a rear platform located behind the upper blade, wherein the rear platform is pivotally associated with the top beam body for supporting the workpiece when cutting the workpiece, such that the rear platform is adapted to pivot downwardly for disposing the workpiece after cutting the workpiece.

2. A shearing machine according to claim 1 further comprises a lower hydraulic actuator .0 fixed the bed assembly, wherein the lower hydraulic actuator moves the top beam body upwardly and downwardly relatively to front platform.

3. A shearing machine according to claim 2 further comprises an upper hydraulic actuator fixed the top beam body, wherein the upper hydraulic actuator controls the pivotal movement of the rear platform. .5

4. A shearing machine according to claim 3, wherein at the time of cutting, the top beam body, the rear platform and the upper blade are moved downwardly from an initial position to a cutting position where the rear platform is below the front platform.

5. A shearing machine according to claim 4, wherein at the time when the lower actuator moves the top beam body upwardly from the cutting position, the upper 20 hydraulic actuator releases the rear platform such that the rear platform can pivot downwardly for disposing the workpiece.

6. A shearing machine according to claim 5, wherein after the top beam body moves back to the initiate position, the upper actuator pulls the rear platform back to the initial position. 25