FR2609418A1 - METHOD FOR CHANGING MATRIX GAMES IN A PRESS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE METHOD IS APPLIED TO A PRESS WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE MOBILE BLOCK THAT CAN BE MOVED IN RELATION TO THE MACHINE, A PLURALITY OF SETS OF DIES MOUNTED IN ROWS ON THIS BLOCK, A PLURALITY OF MANIPULATION BARS 40A TO 40E OCCUPYING RETREAT POSITIONS THE SETS AND MOVABLE, WHEN A PRESSING OPERATION IS COMPLETED, TO ENTER AND TRANSFER A PLURALITY OF WORKPIECES W SUCCESSIVELY TO SETS OF DIES, AND A PLURALITY OF PREHENSION DEVICES 52 PLACED NEAR THE ENDS OF BARS 40A TO 40E. ONE METHOD INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING PHASES: REMOVING THE MOBILE BLOCK FROM THE MACHINE, SWITCHING THE PREHENSION MEANS 52 AWAY FROM THE SETS OF DIES, REMOVE THE SAID GAMES FROM THE MOBILE BLOCK, SET UP NEW SETS IN THE REVERSE ORDER OF WITHDRAWAL , AND MAKE THE GRIPPING DEVICES BACK TO THEIR STANDING POSITION 52.

Description

Method to change games: dice in a press This

  The invention relates to a method for

  change the die sets in a press.

  In Japanese Patent Application No. 62-2876 filed in the name of the present applicant, there is disclosed a press having a plurality of movable supports which move in a direction normal to the transfer direction of the workpieces. One or more sets of dies each comprise a lower die mounted on the upper face of the movable supports and are arranged

  row in the direction of transfer of parts.

  Said pieces are placed on the lower dies and pressed simultaneously, for example stretched, deburred and cut by upper dies, mounted on respective die holders which are lowered on the lower dies. Then the pieces are flushed simultaneously onto the following lower dies by

  a transfer device, and then pressed again.

  The coin transfer device includes a plurality of hydraulic lifting and lowering units located on the sides of the die sets, bars carried and moved vertically by the lifting and lowering units, and driving bars. movable forward and backward by suitable means on the vertically movable bars. Between the drive bars are coupled a plurality of handling bars each carrying a plurality of elements

  retainer for holding workpieces by suction.

  During a pressing operation, the handling bars are placed in withdrawal positions between the sets of dies. Each time a pressing operation is performed, the vertically moving bars and the drive bars are actuated together to transfer the pressed pieces to the next die sets, respectively. Handling bar grippers are mounted on each movable support on each side. When the die sets are replaced, the handling bars are separated from the drive bars, and their two ends are grasped by the grippers. Mobile stands with die sets and grippers

  Handling bar are out of the machine.

  In the press, so that the latter is small and parts transfer times are short, the sets of dies are close to each other. However, since the manipulator bar grippers are placed between the die sets, portions of the die sets and the coin retainers are in the field of movement of the die sets when they are placed in the die field.

  place in the machine or remove them.

  A major object of the present invention is to provide a method for changing sets of dies in a press, in which the handling bar grippers are tilted away from the dies, so that they can be changed.

easily in a short time.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a method for changing sets of dies in a press, said press comprising at least one movable block displaceable with respect to the machine, a plurality of sets of dies mounted on the movable body and arranged in a row a plurality of handling bars for gripping and transferring a plurality of workpieces successively to the sets of dies, a plurality of grippers for gripping the handling bars, tilting means for tilting the handling bar grippers , and means for setting and removing the sets of dies on the moving block, the method comprising the following phases: taking the machine out of the machine, the sets of dies -3- and the gripping devices holding the - Handling bars, switch the gripping devices away from the dice sets with the tilting means, remove the games from my movable with the means of placement and removal, place new sets of dies on the moving block in the reverse order of removal of the old sets of dies, and return to the handling bar grippers their standing once the new games of

  dies are in place on the moving block.

  The features of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly

  on reading the following description of an example of

  réalisatior. preferred, said description being made er.

  relationship with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a press, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view along line II-II of FIG. 1, showing the structure by which a drive bar and a handling bar are interconnected, FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line III-III of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a front view, in elevation, of a handling bar gripping device in the press of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the gripping device of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line VI-VI of FIG. 4, FIG. Fig. 7 is a partial elevational view showing how a set of dies is removed from a movable support; 8 is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a partial elevational view showing

  how urn dice game is placed on a mobile support.

  In FIG. 1, the press 1 comprises four corner columns 3, 4 and two central columns 5 each placed between two corner columns 3, 4. A pair of guide rails 7 is placed between the corner columns 3 and the central columns 5, in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the press 1, that is to say to the direction of transfer of a workpiece W. A pair of guide rails 9 is placed between the corner columns 4 and the central columns 5, in a direction normal to the longitudinal direction of the press 1, that is to say to the direction of transfer of a workpiece W. First and second supports 11, 13 are movable along the pairs of respective guide rails 7, 9, inside and outside the machine, by means of entrainemer.t appropriate. A loading station 15 is located upstream (on the left in Fig. 1) of the first movable support 11 with respect to the coin transfer direction. A press piece W is delivered to the loading station 15. An unloading station 17 is located downstream (on the right in Fig. 1) of the second movable support 13 with respect to the direction of transfer of the workpieces. A piece W that was

  pressed is unloaded at station 17.

  A lower draw die 20a is mounted on the upper face of the first movable support 11. A lower deburring die 22a and a lower die adjacent die 24a are mounted on the upper face of the second movable support 13. These lower die , 22a, 24a are arranged in a row in the part transfer direction. A transit station 26, to which a room W temporarily remains, is placed between the first and second movable supports 11, 13, and also between the central columns 5. The longitudinal center lines of the stations 15, 17, 26 and the longitudinal center lines lower dies 20a, 22a, 24a on the first and second movable supports 11, 13 placed near the respective stations are regularly spaced at intervals or distances P. An upper drawing die, not shown, is mounted on a a die holder, not shown, which is movable vertically along the corner columns 3, 4 and central columns 5, and an upper deburring die, not shown, and a top cutting die 24b, FIG. 7, are mounted on respective die holders which are vertically movable along the corner columns 3, 4 and

central columns 5.

  A coin transfer device 29 has two vertically movable bars 30 oriented in the coin transfer direction and placed between the corner columns 3, 4 and the central columns 5 and above the first and second movable supports 11, The bars 30 are carried and moved vertically by means of a plurality of lifting and lowering elements 32. The driving bars 34 are respectively mounted on the bars 30 and can slide axially on them. The vertical movement of the bars 30 and the sliding movement of the drive bars 34 are dependent on the vertical movement of the upper dies by means of a link mechanism.

and cams, not shown.

  A plurality of handling bars 40a to 40e are located between the drive bars 34 and are joined thereto so as to form a ladder-like mount. Between neighbors, the bars a at 40e are spaced apart by a distance D which is equal to the distance P between neighbors of the stations 15, 17, 26 and the lower matrices 20a, 22a and 24a. A plurality of suction elements or suction cups 44 for retaining the workpieces are carried by each of the handling bars 40a to 40e via removable supports 42. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a total of eight suction cups 44 are mounted on each

manipulation bar.

  When the pieces W are pressed, the handling bars 40a to 40e are in respective recessed positions A on both sides of the lower dies 20a, 22a, 24a, so that they can not hinder the operation. pressing. Once the pressing operation has been performed, the upper dies are raised by the die carriers, and then the vertically movable drive bars 34 and bars 30 are raised by the lifting and lowering units.

32.

  The drive bars 34 are moved to the left, Fig. 1, by the drive units 38, by a distance (1 / 2P) which is half the distance P between the center line of the loading station 15 and the center line of the first movable support 11. The movement towards the left of the bars 34 is followed by a downward movement, obtained by means of the lifting and lowering units 32, bars 30 and bars 34, to a determined position. Then, the suction cups 44 mounted on the handling bar 40a attract and hold a press piece W which is placed at the loading station, and the suction cups 44 mounted on the bar 40b attract and hold a workpiece W on the lower drawing die. 20a. Simultaneously, the suction cups 44 mounted on the bar 40c attract and retain a workpiece W at the transit station 26, and the suction cups 44 mounted on the bars 40d and 40e attract and hold parts W respectively on the lower deburring die 22a.

  and the lower cutting die 24a.

  Then, all the bars 40a to 40e, with the respective pieces W that they hold, are lifted by the lifting and lowering units 32. The driving bars 34 are moved downstream of the distance P by the drive units. 38. When the handling bars 40a to 40e have been moved to respective positions directly above the lower die 20a, the transit station 26, the lower matrices 22a, 24a, and the station 17, the vertically movable bars 30 are lowered to arrange the pieces W on the lower die 20a, the transit station 26, the lower dies 22a, 24a, and the unloading station 17, respectively. Then, the handling bars 40a to 40e are returned to their recessed position A by the lifting and lowering units 32 and the driving units 38 of the driving bars. The upper dies are then lowered with their die holder to press said pieces W placed on the respective lower dies.

a, 22a, 24a.

  As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the drive bar 34 is movably movable on the movable bar 30 vertically, by means of three rollers 48, and has on its inside a plurality of connectors 34a, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the connector 34a is mounted a cylinder 34b with a rod 34c axially movable. Handling bar 40e, for example, has a hole 50 in each of its opposite ends. When the rod 34c is out, the end of its free end is engaged in the corresponding hole 50, in order to couple together the connector 34a and the bar 40e. The connector 34a has a tab 34d projecting at its free end, which serves as a stop for the bar 40a to limit its

height and its rotation.

  A total of ten handling bar grippers, generally designated 52, specifically 52a-52b, are provided in FIG. 1. Four of these devices are associated with the first mobile support 11, while the other six are associated with the second mobile support 13. The gripping devices 52a to 52e have identical structures. Thus, one of the devices 52e will be described in detail by way of example. As illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, the device 52e comprises a body 54 and an oscillating arm 56 mounted angularly displaceable on the body 54 by means of a support shaft 58 and gripping one end of the handling bar 40e, for example. More specifically, the body 54 of the device 52e comprises two side plates of generally V-shaped, spaced apart from one another and parallel, a bearing 54b connecting the upper sides of the side plates 54a and carrying the opposite ends of the shaft 58, and a base plate 54c connecting the lower sides of the side plates 54a. The plates 54a respectively have inclined upper edges, to which is fixed a fixing plate 54d o is fixed mount

a drive unit 60.

  The swing arm 56 comprises two spaced side plates 56a and is generally V-shaped, slightly smaller than that of the block 54. Its lower end is coupled to the shaft 58. As indicated by the broken lines in FIG. 5, the arm 56 can fit between the side plates 54a of the body 54 during a pressing operation. To separate the handling bar 40e from the drive bar 34, the swing arm 56 is rotated counterclockwise, FIG. 5, around the shaft 58, towards the position shown in continuous lines, so that it supports the bar 40e. The arm 56 is driven by the drive unit 60 which produces a rotational torque which is transmitted to the shaft 58 by means of a transmission device. The latter comprises a pinion 62 fixed to an output shaft 60a of the drive unit 60, a pinion 64 fixed to one end of the shaft 58, and a chain 66 engaged on the pinions 62 and 64. rotation produced by the unit 60 is transmitted from the pinion 62 to the pinion 64 by the chain 66, to rotate the shaft 58 and,

therefore, the arm 56.

  Two fixing plates 56b are located between the upper parts of the side plates 56a, to which they are connected. A hydraulic jack 70 is placed between the fixing plates 56b and carried by them by means of a plurality of support members 56c. The hydraulic jack 70 comprises an axially movable rod 72, whose outer end is articulated on a tab 74 fixed to a pivot 76. The pivot 76 has its ends free to rotate on the side plates 56a, and coupled to the fingertips 78. A support plate 80 is fixed to the upper end of the arm 56. When the arm 56 is rotated upwards, the support plate 80 comes into contact with one of two support plates 82 attached respectively to the opposite ends of the 40th handling bar. At the same time, two positior.nement pins 84 on the support plate 80 enter respective holes defined in the plate 82 so that

  to position the arm 56 relative to the bar 40e.

  The hydraulic cylinder 70 is again actuated to retract the rod 72 to rotate the fingers 78 so that they press against the upper face of the plate 82, to press it down against the support plate 80. 40th bar is so firmly grasped

  and held in position by the oscillating arm 56.

  A tilting device, generally referred to as 90, serves to support and tilt each of the bar grippers 52 downward, FIG. 7, away from the dice, when we have to change them. We will now describe one of the tilting devices 90, which is associated with the second mobile support 13 and the bar gripping device 52e. The tilting device 90 comprises a fixing plate 94 fixed to one side of the second movable support 13, a support shaft 92 with one end carried free to rotate in a bearing in the fixing plate 94 and the other end carried free to rotate in a bearing in a vertical plate 96 connected to the fixing plate 94 by a horizontal plate 98, and a hydraulic cylinder 100 mounted on the vertical plate 96. The hydraulic cylinder comprises a rod 102 which moves axially, coupled to the shaft 92 to the mover of a swing arm 104. The shaft 92 is provided with a connecting member 106 to which the base plate 54c of the body 54 of the bar gripping device 52e is fixed. The shaft 92 is connected to one end of a transmission rod 108 by a connecting mechanism 110. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the transmission rod 108 is rotatably carried in a bearing 112 mounted on the lower face of the second movable support 13. The other end of the transmission rod 108 is coupled, via a connecting mechanism not shown, to the support shaft, not shown, of the gripping device

opposite bar 52nd.

  When the rod 102 is retracted from the position of FIG. 4, the oscillating shaft 104 rotates clockwise, as does the support shaft 92 about its own axis. As the shaft 92 rotates clockwise, the bar gripper 52e is tilted to the right, FIG. 4, away from the dies, as illustrated by broken lines. At the same time, the rotation of the shaft 92 is transmitted, via the connecting mechanism 110, to the support shaft of the opposite bar gripping device 52e, which therefore switches over.

also in the same direction.

  We will now describe the operation. The handling bars 40a to 40e which are in their respective withdrawal positions A after a pressing operation are lowered by a height determined by the lifting and lowering units 32. Then the die holders on which are mounted the matrices

  higher are lowered, and the higher matrices.

  and lower are aligned and coupled together.

  Then the upper matrices are detached from their

  matrix holder and placed on the lower dies.

  Each bar gripper 52e operates as previously described, the boom 56 rotating from the position shown in dashed lines to the position shown in solid lines, -11to enter the handling bar 40e, as shown in FIG. 5. Then, the rod 34c of the cylinder 34b is retracted to uncouple the connector 34a on the drive bar 34 of the handling bar 40e. The bar 40e is now detached from the drive bar 34, and only held by the bar gripper 52e. The vertically movable bar 30 is raised to a position outside the field of movement of the handling bar 40 and / or the matrices 24a, 24b, and the second movable support 13 is moved along the guide rails 9 to clear the upper and lower dies 24a, 24b, the handling bar 40e, and the rod gripping device 52e of the machine 1. The other dies 20a, 20b, 22a, 22b, with the parts associated therewith, are also clear of the machine

1, in the same way.

  We will now describe a method for removing a set of dies in place on a mobile support and

  lay a new one, referring to Figs. 7 to 9.

  The connector 102 of the hydraulic cylinder 100 retracts to drive the shaft 92 clockwise and tilt the gripping device 52e so as to move the work holding members or suction cups 44 out of the range of the housing. lower die 24a of the cutting die set 24. Thus, the die set 24 will be easily released, without hindrance from the suction cups 44. As best shown in FIG. 8, the lower die 24a has a plurality of grooves 104 in one side of its base (a single groove being shown). During the pressing operation, a plurality of positioning pins 106 mounted on the upper face of the second movable support 13 (only one spindle being shown) enter the respective grooves 104 to position the set of dies 24 on said support

13.

  The gripping devices 52e are thus tilted, a gripping unit 110, FIG. 9, moves on a guide rail 112 to a position substantially in line with the die set 24, and the upper ends of a plurality of cables 118 are engaged on a hook 116 mounted to the lower end of a support cable 114 of the attachment unit 110, while the lower ends of the cables 118 are fixed by pins 120 to the lower die 24a. Then the attachment unit 110 is moved to the right, FIG. 7, to clear the positioning pins 106 of the grooves 104. As the gripping devices 52e are already tilted to the right, they do not interfere

  not moving to the right of the matrix set 24.

  Then, the cable 114 is wound up to lift off

  the set of dies 24 of the second mobile support 13.

  The set of deburring dies, consisting of the lower die 22a and the upper deburring die, is removed in the same manner. More specifically, the gripping device 52d placed on the right side, FIG. 9, the die set is swung to the right, and the catch unit 110 is moved to ur = position just above the die set. Once the unit 110 is coupled to the die set, it is shifted slightly to the right to disengage the positioning pins 106 from the grooves 104. Next, the cable 114 is wound up to lift the die set from the second movable support 13 Finally, the stretch die set is removed from the first movable support 11 of the

same way.

  New sets of dies are successively placed on the first and second movable supports 11, 13 in the reverse order of removal of sets of die cutting, deburring and drawing. In the interest of being brief, we will describe a single process of setting up a new set of matrices on the mobile support

  13, the other games being mounted in the same way.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a new set of deburring dies 122 is placed and fixed on the second movable support 13, and the grippers 52d return to their upright position. Then, a new set of die cutters 124 is hooked to the unit 110 through the cables 114, 118 and placed above the second movable support 13, just above the position

  occupied by the old die matrix game 24.

  The cable 114 is unwound to lower the new set 124 on the second movable support 13. Next, the unit is moved slightly to the left, FIG. 9, to engage the positioning pins 106 in the corresponding grooves of the game 124, to position the latter on the support 13. The game 124 is firmly attached to the second movable support 13 by appropriate means such as bolts. The rod 102 of the hydraulic cylinder 100 then relaxes to turn the arm 104 counterclockwise in order to replace the devices.

  52th in the standing position.

  Although what is currently considered to be Corsican the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, it is clear that variants may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The described exemplary embodiment should therefore be considered for illustrative purposes only, but not restrictive. Field

  of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

-14-

Claims (2)

  1) Method for changing sets of dies in a press, said press comprising at least one movable block displaceable with respect to the machine, a plurality of sets of dies (20, 22, 24) mounted on said movable block and arranged in a row a plurality of manipulation bars (40a-40e) for gripping and transferring a plurality of workpieces (w) successively to the sets of dies, a plurality of grippers (52) for gripping the handling bars, means for tilting (90) for tilting the grippers (52), and means for setting and removing said sets of dies on said moving block, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) exiting the machine said moving block, the die sets (20, 22, 24) and the gripping devices (52) retaining the handling bars (40a to 40e), b) tilting the gripping devices (52) away from the sets of dies (20, 22, 24) with ec the tilting means (90), c) removing the sets of dies (20, 22, 24) of said movable block with said setting and retracting means, and d) setting up new sets of dies (122). , 124) on said movable block, in reverse order of removal of the old games, and return to the gripping devices (52) their standing position once the new games are in place on said moving block.   2) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said sets of dies (20, 22, 24) are raised by said setting and withdrawal means when they must be removed from said moving block and lowered by said means when they must be put in place on said moving block.