GB2157214A

GB2157214A - Punch press carriage arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2157214A
Application number: GB08406873A
Authority: GB
Inventors: R F Gardner
Original assignee: SEAGAR CONTROL SYSTEMS Ltd
Current assignee: SEAGAR CONTROL SYSTEMS Ltd
Priority date: 1984-03-16
Filing date: 1984-03-16
Publication date: 1985-10-23
Also published as: GB2157214B; GB8406873D0

Abstract

A carriage arrangement for a punch press comprises a beam 10 slidably mounting a carriage which has clamps 28 for gripping a workpiece. The carriage comprises a metal rod 12 slidably mounted in bearing blocks 14 which are fixed to the beam and each have a gap to accommodate a flat metal bar 16 fixed along one of its edges to the rod 12 and supported adjacent its other edge by sets of rollers 18, 20. The clamps are mounted to the carriage by way of the flat bar 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Punch press carriage arrangement This invention relates to a punch press and in particular to its carriage arrangement.

A known punch press comprises a carriage which mounts say two workpiece clamps for gripping the rear edge of a workpiece (typically a sheet of metal): the carriage is movable along a horizontal beam which is disposed transverse of the press, and the beam is movable along a horizontal axis perpendicular to itself (i.e. lengthwise of the press).

The movements may be controlled by computer numerical control and serve to position the workpiece accurately at successive required locations relative to a punch (and its aligned die) of the machine prior to actuation of the punch at each such location, by its ram Hitherto the arrangements of the carriage and transverse beam have been variously complex and expensive, for example requiring special slide rails, in order to provide for adequate structural rigidity and ensure that the carriage (and hence the workpiece) will not be deflected from their intended positions, for example at different positions of the carriage along its beam.

We have now devised a carriage arrangement which is simple and reliable and in particular is formed only from standard and widely available metal stock such as rods and bars.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a cross-section through a transverse beam and carriage arrangement of a punch press in accordance with this invention.

In the example shown, the punch press comprises a metal beam 10 of upturned U-section. A carriage is slidably mounted with the beam and projects forwardly from the open lower side of the beam. This carriage comprises a circular-section metal rod 12 which is slidably mounted in say two bearing blocks 14 which are spaced apart along the beam and fixed to the inside surface of the rear limb of the U-section beam. Each bearing block incorporates recirculating ball bearings which run on the rod 12 and each block is formed with a gap to its front side to acommodate a flat metal bar 16 which is fixed horizontally along the rod 12. Towards its outer edge, the bar 16 is supported and guided by two sets of rollers 18, 20 which are jour nalled in the front limb of the U- section beam.

Each set of rollers comprises say two rollers spaced apart along the beam 10, set 18 supporting the lower surface of the bar 16 and preventing it deflecting upwards. The roller axles are preferably mounted to the beam by an eccentric arrangement allowing for adjustment of the precise positions of their axes The carriage further comprises a second circularsection rod 22 with a second flat bar 24 fixed horizontally along it. This assembly of rod 22 and bar 24 is mounted rigidly to the first assembly of rod 12 and bar 16 by link member 26 (one shown) projecting downwards from bar 16 and mounting bar 24 at their lower ends. The bar 24 projects forwardly of the beam 10 below its open bottom to mount the rod 22 forwardly of the beam.Workpiece clamps 28, say two in number, are each mounted to the rod 22 and may be slid along the latter rod and secured in position at any desired point along its length.

A drive belt 30 is housed within the beam 10 and is journalled around pulleys (not shown) towards the opposite ends of the beam. The lower run of the belt is coupled by a link 32 to the upper side of the bar 16 and a drive motor is provided for driving the belt and hence displacing the carriage along the beam. In place of the belt 30, a lead screw may be provided, engaged with a threaded nut replacing link 32.

The beam 10 is mounted for movement along a horizontal axis Y perpendicular to its own length.

For this purpose, two horizontally spaced-apart rails are provided, extending parallel to the Y-axis.

The beam 10 is slung below these rails and slidably coupled to each of them. The drawing shows one rail 34 and a plate 36 projecting from the top of the beam is provided with rollers 38, 40 running on the top and bottom edges of the rails 34. The other rail (not shown may comprise a cylindrical guide rod extending through two bearings which are mounted to the top of the beam and spaced apart along the length of that rod to provide rigidity.

1. In or for a punch press, a carriage arrangement comprising a beam and a carriage mounted for sliding movement along the beam, the carriage comprising a metal rod slidably mounted in bearing blocks which are fixed to and spaced apart along the beam, and a flat metal bar extending along the length of the rod and fixed thereto by one of its edges, the bearing blocks being formed with gaps to accomodate the flat bar, the beam being provided with rollers for supporting the flat bar adjacent its other edge, and workpiece clamps being mounted to the carriage by way of the flat bar.

2. A carriage arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which the beam is provided with two sets of said-rollers, which run respectively on the opposite sides of the bar.

3. A carriage arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the rollers have axles which are mounted to the beam by an eccentric arrangement enabling adjustment of the precise positions of their axes.

4. A carriage arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a drive belt coupled to said flat bar of the carriage and to a drive motor, serving to displace the carriage along the beam.

5. A carriage arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a lead screw coupled to said flat bar of the carriage and driven by a drive motor to displace the carriage

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Punch press carriage arrangement This invention relates to a punch press and in particular to its carriage arrangement. A known punch press comprises a carriage which mounts say two workpiece clamps for gripping the rear edge of a workpiece (typically a sheet of metal): the carriage is movable along a horizontal beam which is disposed transverse of the press, and the beam is movable along a horizontal axis perpendicular to itself (i.e. lengthwise of the press). The movements may be controlled by computer numerical control and serve to position the workpiece accurately at successive required locations relative to a punch (and its aligned die) of the machine prior to actuation of the punch at each such location, by its ram Hitherto the arrangements of the carriage and transverse beam have been variously complex and expensive, for example requiring special slide rails, in order to provide for adequate structural rigidity and ensure that the carriage (and hence the workpiece) will not be deflected from their intended positions, for example at different positions of the carriage along its beam. We have now devised a carriage arrangement which is simple and reliable and in particular is formed only from standard and widely available metal stock such as rods and bars. An embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a cross-section through a transverse beam and carriage arrangement of a punch press in accordance with this invention. In the example shown, the punch press comprises a metal beam 10 of upturned U-section. A carriage is slidably mounted with the beam and projects forwardly from the open lower side of the beam. This carriage comprises a circular-section metal rod 12 which is slidably mounted in say two bearing blocks 14 which are spaced apart along the beam and fixed to the inside surface of the rear limb of the U-section beam. Each bearing block incorporates recirculating ball bearings which run on the rod 12 and each block is formed with a gap to its front side to acommodate a flat metal bar 16 which is fixed horizontally along the rod 12. Towards its outer edge, the bar 16 is supported and guided by two sets of rollers 18, 20 which are jour nalled in the front limb of the U- section beam. Each set of rollers comprises say two rollers spaced apart along the beam 10, set 18 supporting the lower surface of the bar 16 and preventing it deflecting upwards. The roller axles are preferably mounted to the beam by an eccentric arrangement allowing for adjustment of the precise positions of their axes The carriage further comprises a second circularsection rod 22 with a second flat bar 24 fixed horizontally along it. This assembly of rod 22 and bar 24 is mounted rigidly to the first assembly of rod 12 and bar 16 by link member 26 (one shown) projecting downwards from bar 16 and mounting bar 24 at their lower ends. The bar 24 projects forwardly of the beam 10 below its open bottom to mount the rod 22 forwardly of the beam.Workpiece clamps 28, say two in number, are each mounted to the rod 22 and may be slid along the latter rod and secured in position at any desired point along its length. A drive belt 30 is housed within the beam 10 and is journalled around pulleys (not shown) towards the opposite ends of the beam. The lower run of the belt is coupled by a link 32 to the upper side of the bar 16 and a drive motor is provided for driving the belt and hence displacing the carriage along the beam. In place of the belt 30, a lead screw may be provided, engaged with a threaded nut replacing link 32. The beam 10 is mounted for movement along a horizontal axis Y perpendicular to its own length. For this purpose, two horizontally spaced-apart rails are provided, extending parallel to the Y-axis. The beam 10 is slung below these rails and slidably coupled to each of them. The drawing shows one rail 34 and a plate 36 projecting from the top of the beam is provided with rollers 38, 40 running on the top and bottom edges of the rails 34. The other rail (not shown may comprise a cylindrical guide rod extending through two bearings which are mounted to the top of the beam and spaced apart along the length of that rod to provide rigidity. CLAIMS

5. A carriage arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a lead screw coupled to said flat bar of the carriage and driven by a drive motor to displace the carriage along the beam.

6. A carriage arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a second metal rod to which the workpiece clamps are mounted, and a second flat metal bar extending along the second metal rod and fixed thereto by one of its edges, the second flat metal bar being mounted to the first flat bar by way of link elements.

7. In or for a punch press, a carriage arrangement substantially as herein described with refer ence to the accompanying drawing.