CA1170116A

CA1170116A - Vertical press

Info

Publication number: CA1170116A
Application number: CA000388154A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Thomas W. Woods
Original assignee: Woods (tw) Construction Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Woods (tw) Construction Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1981-10-16
Filing date: 1981-10-16
Publication date: 1984-07-03

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

A vertical press having a main frame of generally C-shaped configuration with a vertical main part and two vertical spaced horizontal arms, a mandrel extending between the two arms so as to be supported thereby, a movable member located between the main part and the mandrel, and a wedge arrangement to move the movable member toward the mandrel in a pressing action.

Description

The present invention relate~ to presses and more particularly but not exclusively to vertical presses to deform metal sheet.
These are illustrated in ~.S. Patents No's. 509,265;
936,481; 2,0g5,331; 1,4~2,779 and 2,685,322. These presses are unduly complex and do not lend themselves to the easy manufacture of curved metal sheet.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.
There is disclosed herein a vertical press comprising a frame of generally C-shaped configuration, having a vertical-ly extending main part and two vertically spaced generally horizontally extending arms; a vertical mandrel supported by and exterding between the two arms and spaced from said main part; a movable member extending between said arms and located between said main part and said mandrel, said member being movably supported by said arms so as to be horizontally movable toward said mandrel, and means to move said member in a pressing action toward said mandrel, said means including at least two ~0 opposing reaction surfaces, one fixed to said main part, and one to said movable member, and a movable wedge located between said surfaces and adapted to operatively engage same to cause movement thereof upon movement of said wedge to thereby cause said movable member to move toward said mandrel in a pressing action.
A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way Oc example with reference to the accompaniir.
drawings, wherein:
Fiauxe 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vertical press;
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` 1170116 Figure 2A is a schematic side elevation of the top portion of the press of Figure l;
Figure 2B is a schematic side elevation of the bottom portion of the press of Figure l; and Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a sheet being deformed in the press of Figure 1.
The press depicted includes a main frame 10 of generally C-shaped configuration having a main portion 11 which extends generally vertically and two transverse arms 12 and 13, which extend outwardly from the main portion 11. The arms 12 and 13 provide supports for a movable member 14 which is slidably guided by the transverse arms 12 and 13. Fixed to the extremities of the arms 12 and 13 is a stationary mandrel 15 rotatably supported by the arms 12 and 13 so as to be rotatable about its longitudinal axis by means of a pump and hydraulic motor of which the motor is designated by the numeral 16. Located between the main frame portion 11 and the movable member 14 is an arrangement to move the movable member 14 toward the mandrel 15. This arrangement includes opposing cam faces I7 an~ 18 which are slidably engaged by faces 19 and 20 - of w~dges 21 and 23. The wedge 21 is driven upwardly by hydraulic rams 22 while the wedge 23 is moved upwardly by connecting member 24, which extends between the wedges 21 and 23. The hydraulic rams 22 are connected to the wedge 21 by means of a pivotable joint 25 while the member 24 abuts the wedges 21 and 23 by pivotable joints 26. To retract the movable member 14 there is provided hydraulic rams 27 which abut the wedse 23 also by a pivotable joint 2~.
Attached to the leading face of the movable member 14 is a former 29 which is adapted to engage a sheet of metal ', ~ - : :
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located in the space 30 defined between the former 29 and mandrel 15. The former 29 in combination with the mandrel 15 determines the shape into which the metal sheet will be de-formed. For example, if the mandrel 15 is of constant circular cross-section and the formex of uniform cross-section then the metal will be deformed so as to form a cylinder.
This can be best seen from Fi~lre 3 wherein the mandrel lS is depicted of a circular cross-section and the former 29 of U-shaped cross-section having leading lugs 31 and 32 depress the metal sheet 33 against the mandrel 15. There could be additionally provided means to retain the sheet 33 against the mandrel 15 when the former 29 is retracted as the mandrel 15 is rotated to locate a further ~ortion of the sheet 33 in a position to be deformed. The member 27 is retracted by a ram not depicted. This not depicted ram is coupled to the hydraulic circuit by an accumulator.
Preferably, the press is provided with a hydraulic control means which incrementally rotates the mandrel 15 in synchronism with the reciprocating motion of the movable member 14. It should be appreciated that the hydraulic controls could be replaced with electronic controls.
It should further be appreciated that the shape of the mandrel 15 and former 29 may be altered to form objects of different shapes rather than a cylinder, for example conical shapes, and angled shapes such as squares and rectangles.
The above described embodiment may be altered to eliminate the need for rams 27 by havin~ rams 22 double actina.
To aid in the replacement of the mandrel 15 the support 34 is pivotally attached to arm 13 by means of pin 35.

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Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A vertical press comprising a frame of generally C-shaped configuration having a vertically extending main part and two vertically spaced generally co-extensive horizontally extending arms; a vertical mandrel supported by and extending between the two arms and spaced from said main part; a movable member extending between said arms and located between said main part and said mandrel, said member being movably supported by said arms so as to be horizontally movable toward said mandrel, means to move said member in a pressing action toward said mandrel, said mandrel being rotatably supported by said arms and said means including two pairs of vertically spaced opposing reaction surfaces, one of each pair being fixed to said main part and with the other surfaces being fixed to said movable member, a movable wedge located between each pair of said surfaces and adapted to engage same to cause simultaneous movement of the surfaces fixed to said movable member upon movement of said wedge, the surfaces of each pair being inclined so that they define a predetermined acute angle relative to the vertical and each wedge has converging sides adapted to engage said surfaces, and said sides are inclined so as to also define said predetermined angle.

2. The press of claim 1 further including hydraulic motor means adapted to move the wedges, and linkage means coupling said wedges so as to ensure there is no relative movement therebetween.