FR2791590A1 - Punch tool mounting for press has magnets to hold tool and tool head together - Google Patents

Abstract

The punch tool mounting for a press uses magnets (3) to retain the tool in the mounting. The magnets can be permanent or electro-magnets positioned in the tool head and tool support surface. The magnets can be glued or screwed into the receiving seatings.

Description

The present invention relates to a positioning device

  and holding for tools working by applying pressure and holder

  corresponding tools, on all tool attachment configurations. This device is applicable to machines for deformation of sheet or plate materials, typically sheets, such as press brakes, vertical or horizontal presses, stamping presses, punching machines and planing presses, which can receive forming tools. and punching, to be fixed directly or using intermediate parts called tool holders. The device which is the subject of the invention can be

  used as original equipment, or on existing machines.

  Forming tools, especially bending tools, such as those mounted on press brakes, are in most cases split lengthwise of the machine, so as to be adjusted to the

  length of products to be folded or adapted to work in "multi-station".

  Taking here as an example the upper tools of a press brake, to be mounted on the upper apron called "slide" of such a machine, the positioning of the tools is currently carried out in the following manner: Firstly , the tools are put into position by mechanical hooking on the "slide", which may include a nose

  hooking reported or not. The tools are then suspended.

  In a second step, the tools are held in position, by clamping the flanges, carried out manually or on a controlled basis. According to another known configuration of attachment and tooling, the tools are kept in position simultaneously with

their positioning.

  In all cases, the current devices for positioning and holding such forming tools remain mechanical devices, which require particular shapes and relatively complex parts, therefore costly to manufacture. The assembly or disassembly of these tools on the machines remains a relatively long and delicate operation, in particular in the case of front loading or unloading of tools located in any intermediate position along the length of the machine, and in some cases it is only possible to load and unload sideways. This is in particular a drawback in the

  case of split tools, and to be exchanged frequently.

  The present invention aims to eliminate these drawbacks, by providing for the tools in question a positioning device and

  simpler, more economical and easier to use.

  To this end, the invention essentially relates to a positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting a pressure and corresponding tool holder, of the kind here concerned, in which the positioning and / or maintaining of the tools or tool holders for forming and / or punching is ensured by the magnetic attraction of magnets, which are provided with the tools or tool holders and / or the machine parts provided

  to receive these tools or tool holders.

  Thus, the invention consists, in principle, of using magnets which can be of all types, such as permanent magnets or controlled magnets (electromagnets for example), which can also be generically designated as "magnetic suction cups", for ensure the positioning and / or maintenance of the forming and / or punching tools, or if necessary their tool holders. According to the embodiments, the magnets are carried by the tools or their tool holders, or are carried by machine parts, such as upper aprons or

  lower press brake tables, receiving these tools.

  Advantageously, the magnets are fixed by gluing or screwing in

  corresponding housings, arranged as appropriate in tools or holders

  forming and / or punching tools, and / or in the machine parts intended to receive these tools or tool holders. In all cases, the device which is the subject of the invention has the following advantages: - the device allows savings in the manufacture of attachments and tools; - This device provides great ease and speed of assembly and disassembly of the forming tools and / or punching, especially in front loading and unloading, regardless of the length of the machine; - lateral loading or unloading of these tools remains possible. In addition, the device which is the subject of the invention has "upward" and "downward" compatibility, that is to say that - on the one hand, an existing machine such as a press brake can easily receive forming tools equipped, according to the invention, with "magnetic suction cups"; - On the other hand, the existing forming and punching tools can be easily modified to receive such "magnetic suction cups". According to one embodiment of the invention, the device which it relates to is associated with an attachment with clamping, the magnetic attraction of the magnets putting a part of the tool in reference on a bearing face of the machine part designed to receive this tool, and the actuation of the clamping system ensuring the referencing of said part of the tool on another bearing face of the same part of the machine. Thus, the device which is the subject of the invention remains compatible with

  known clamping systems, of mechanical or hydraulic type.

  However, according to another possible configuration, the device which is the subject of the invention is associated with an attachment without clamping, the magnetic attraction of the magnets placing part of the tool in reference on two

  bearing faces of the part of the machine designed to receive this tool.

  In the case of magnets carried by the forming or punching tool, these magnets can in particular be arranged: - either in a single row, in the part of the tool coming into reference on the bearing faces of the part of machine receiving this tool; - or, as a variant, along two parallel rows of magnets, located on either side of the part of the tool coming into reference on the

  bearing faces of the part of the machine receiving this tool.

  Given its advantages and possibilities, the device that is the subject of the invention is applicable, more particularly, to the mounting of the upper tools of a press brake on the upper deck or "slide" thereof, and / or to the mounting lower press brake tools on the

  lower table or lower tool holder thereof.

  The invention will in any case be better understood using the

  description which follows, with reference to the attached schematic drawing

  representing, by way of example, some embodiments of this positioning and holding device for forming tools and tool holders: Figure 1 is a partial front view of the work station of a machine, of which the forming tools are mounted by means of the device which is the subject of the invention; Figure 2 is a top view of all of the forming tools of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a first device according to the invention, associated with an attachment with clamping; Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a variant of the device of Figure 3, always associated with an attachment with clamping; Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view showing another device according to the invention, associated with an attachment without clamping; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view showing a variant of the device of Figure 5, always associated with an attachment without clamping; Figures 7 and 8 are side views, with partial sections, illustrating the application of the device object of the invention to other types

forming tools.

  Figures 1 and 2 partially show a press brake, with its movable upper deck 1 also called a "slide", on which are mounted detachably upper forming tools 2 or "punches" of the press brake, here produced under the shape of split tools in the direction of the length of the machine. The present invention relates to a device for positioning and holding these forming tools 2 on the deck 1, the device in question comprising

  magnets 3, the distribution of which is clearly visible in FIG. 2.

  Referring now to Figure 3, there is described a first embodiment of the device, for a forming tool 2 to be mounted on the upper deck 1 of a press brake. The forming tool 2 is provided, in its upper part 2a, with two or more magnets 3, which can be glued or screwed into corresponding housings formed in said upper part 2a. These are permanent magnets, or controlled magnets such as electromagnets, arranged in a single row. In the example of FIG. 3, the upper deck 1 retains a tool attachment with clamping, a flange of which is indicated in 4, the lower part of the flange 4 being located opposite a first vertical bearing face the one of the apron 1, this one having a second face

  of support lb, horizontal and directed downwards.

  The use of the device described above, for mounting a forming tool 2, is as follows: The clamping system being initially in the "loose" position, the operator presents the upper part 2a of the tool 2 under the apron 1. By the effect of the magnetic attraction of the magnets 3, the upper part 2a of the tool 2 is automatically referenced on the face

  support 1 b of the deck 1, and remains in position.

  The operator then actuates the clamping system, so as to bring the flange (s) 4, located opposite the tool 2, in the "tight" position. This keeps tool 2 in position, with setting

  with reference to the other support face 1a.

  Detachment of the forming tool 2 is carried out, after loosening the flanges 4, by a simple manual action of the operator grasping the lower part of the tool 2. The functional clearances, and the leverage effect, allow then to the tool 2 to "take off" and to separate from the apron 1, despite the magnetic attraction force (if they are magnets 3 of the permanent type). Of course, in the case of magnets 3 ordered, the

  disabling these magnets can make it easier to detach the tool 2.

  Figure 4 shows a variant of the device of Figure 3, the corresponding elements being designated by the same reference numerals. The upper part 2a of the forming tool 2 is here devoid of magnets, and the magnets 3 are carried by the upper deck 1. More particularly, the magnets 3 are placed in corresponding housings, formed in the deck 1 and opening out in the horizontal bearing face lb of this deck. Insofar as a clamping system, with flanges 4, is also provided here, the operating modes for mounting the tool 2, and for detaching this tool, are not

  modified from the previous description, made with reference to the

figure 3.

  FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the device,

  for a forming tool 2 to be mounted on the upper deck 1 of a press

  folder, here devoid of clamping system. The tool 2 is, here again, provided in its upper part 2a with magnets 3, such as permanent magnets or electromagnets. The upper part 2a of the tool 2 is received in a corresponding housing of the deck 1, having at least one bearing face and vertical reference 1a, and a bearing face and horizontal reference 1b. By the effect of the magnetic attraction of the magnets 3, the upper part 2a of the tool 2 is automatically put in reference on the bearing faces la and lb, and remains in position. The dimensional adjustment of the housing formed in the deck 1, and of the tool 2, allows a

precise hold.

  Detachment of tool 2 is carried out by a simple action,

  manual or controlled, between tool 2 and deck 1, aiming to separate them.

  This action has the effect of "taking off" the tool 2, against the force

of magnetic attraction.

  In a variant, illustrated in FIG. 6, the permanent magnets still carried by the forming tool 2 are arranged, in two parallel rows of magnets 3a and 3b, on either side of the projecting upper part 2a of the 'tool 2. While this part 2a is engaged in the corresponding housing provided in the upper deck 1, the magnets 3a and 3b are applied, and exert their force of attraction, against the horizontal lower face 1lc of the deck 1, which here constitutes

a support and reference face.

  Still within the framework of the application of the invention to a press brake, FIGS. 7 and 8 show how the positioning and holding device is adaptable to lower forming tools 2 'or 2 ", to be mounted on a lower table 5, or a suitable tool holder, these lower forming tools cooperating with the upper tools 2

previously considered.

  In the case of FIG. 7, the forming tool 2 ′ is a “multi-vee” type tool. Table 5 has a horizontal upper face 5a,

  in which are inserted the magnets 3, here arranged in two rows.

  The tool 2 ', placed on the table 5, is held magnetically on the latter by the force of attraction of the magnets 3. On the basis of this embodiment, one can easily conceive of other equivalent distributions of the magnets, in particular by inserting these magnets, or part of them, into the tool

2 'lower forming.

  In the case of FIG. 8, the forming tool 2 "is a" self-centered "type tool, the projecting lower part of which can be engaged in a groove 5b of the table 5. This forming tool 2" carries two parallel rows of magnets 3a and 3b, arranged on either side of said projecting part, these magnets coming to "stick" on the upper face 5a of the table 5. As a variant or in addition, the magnets 3 can be worn

  also by the table 5, in particular by flush with the bottom of the groove 5b.

  As is obvious, and as is clear from the above, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this positioning and holding device for forming tools and tool holders, which have been described above by way of examples, all the variant embodiments and applications respecting the same principle. In particular, one would not depart from the scope of the invention: - by using magnets or "magnetic suction cups" of all types, and of all shapes, in variable number and arrangement; - by adopting these magnets to tools for forming or punching and tool attachments of all kinds and configurations, or to the tool holders associated with such tools; - by using the device in question for machines, in particular presses or punching machines, of all types, including press brakes

  are just one example among many.

Claims (9)

  1. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, applicable to machines for deformation and punching of sheet or plate materials, characterized in that the positioning and / or tools (2) or tool holders are held in place by the magnetic attraction of magnets (3), which are provided with tools (2) or tool holders and / or   machine parts (1; 5) designed to receive these tools (2) or holder   tools. 2. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to claim 1, characterized in that it uses magnetic attraction permanent magnets (3).   3. Device for positioning and holding tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to claim 1, characterized in that it uses magnetic attraction   magnets (3) controlled, for example electromagnets.   4. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to   Any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the   magnets (3) are fixed by gluing or screwing in corresponding housings, formed in the tools (2) or tool holders for forming and / or punching, and / or in the machine parts (1; 5) provided for   receive these tools (2) or forming tool holders.   5. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to   any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is   associated with an attachment with clamping (4), the magnetic attraction of the magnets (3) putting a part (2a) of the tool (2) in reference on a bearing face (lb) of the machine part (1 ) provided to receive this tool (2), the actuation of the clamping system (4) ensuring the referencing of said part (2a) of the tool (2) on another bearing face (la) of the even machine part (1).   6. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to   any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is   associated with an attachment without clamping, the magnetic attraction of the magnets (3) putting a part (2a) of the tool (2) in reference on two bearing faces (la, lb) of the machine part (1) scheduled to receive this tool (2).   7. Device for positioning and holding tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, in the case of magnets (3) carried by the tool ( 2), these magnets (3) are arranged, in a single row, in the part (2a) of the tool coming into reference on the faces   support (la, lb) of the machine part (1).   8. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, in the case of magnets (3) carried by the tool ( 2), these magnets are arranged in two parallel rows of magnets (3a, 3b), located on either side of the part (2a) of the tool coming into reference on the bearing faces (la, lb , lc) of the part of machine (1).   9. Positioning and holding device for tools working by exerting pressure and corresponding tool holder, according to   Any of claims 1 to 8, characterized by its application   mounting the upper tools (2) of a press brake on the upper deck or "slide" (1) thereof, and / or mounting the tools   lower (2 '; 2 ") of the press brake on the lower table (5) or holder lower tool thereof.