US2098022A - Nibbling machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1937.

H, w. WILLIAMS NIBBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1935 Harry Ill //////4V/// A1 His (Ittomeg desired shape of the part.

Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NIBBLIN G MACHINE Application September 12, 1935, Serial No. 40,215

3 Claims.

This invention relates to nibbling machines and the like, and is particularly directed to punches and dies for use in such machines.

There are several known types of nibbling machines used principally for roughing out irregularly shaped parts from flat material of the desired thickness. These machines generally have a stationary die plate and an associated reciprocating punch, which nibbles away superfluous material to form the desired shaped part as said material is hand-fed into the machine.

There are two popular methods of obtaining the One is to outline the shape of the part on the surface of the material being used and the other, and probably the most popular method, is to use a template having the desired shape, said template being secured to the top surface of the material out of which the parts are to be made. In operation, the outline is followed as closely as possible, or when a template is used the metal is nibbled away until the punch of the nibbling machine contacts the edge of the template. The nibbling machine provides a means for quickly making experimental parts out of flat material, such parts be ing used for example in adding machines, cash registers, typewriters and the like.

In one type of nibbling machine the front of the round punch is cut away to form a cutting edge and a downwardly extending heel of said punch extends within the opening in the die to form a guide and support for said punch. This type of nibbling apparatus has proven unsatisfactory because the small cutting area of the punch quickly dulls when used upon comparatively thick material and the excessive friction created between the heel of the punch and the die when cutting thick material in a comparatively short time, galls said heel to such an extent that the efliciency of the nibbling apparatus is greatly impaired. Moreover the -heel of the punch, in cooperation with the opening in the die, does not form a sufficiently rigid support for the punch to prevent the cutting edge thereof from coming into contact with the cutting edge of the die, thus further impairing the efliciency of the apparatus.

In another type of nibbling machine the entire circumference of the round nibbling punch forms a cutting edge, and this in itself materially increases the efliciency of the apparatus by making it possible to present work to the nibbling apparatus from any angle or direction and likewise the increased. cutting surface of the punch prolongs the life of said punch and renders frequent sharpening thereof unnecessary. However, the advantages of this apparatus are overcome by failure to properly support the lower end of the punch, whereupon the cutting of thick material together with any looseness in the reciprocating head that operates the nibbling punch springs said punch out of alinement with the opening in the die and causes said punch to nibble on said die and thus spoil the cutting edges of both punch and die.

The device comprising the instant invention includes a nibbling punch in which the entire circumference forms a cutting edge and naturally embodies all the advantages outlinedabove. In addition means have been provided to rigidly support the lower end of the punch embodied in the present invention, so that accurate alinement of said punch with the opening in the nibbling die is maintained at all times regardless of the thickness of stock being cut or. regardless of looseness in the reciprocating head of the nibbling machine. Rigidly supporting the lower end of the nibbling punch prevents said punch from springing out of alinement with the opening in the die and thus materially prolongs the life of the punch and die by making it unnecessary to sharpen or replace them as often as is necessary in the types of devices outlined above.

It is therefore broadly an object of this invention to provide means to prolong the life and increase the efliciency of the punches and dies for nibbling machines. thereby decreasing the upkeep of such machines and improving the quality of their work.

A more specific object is to provide means to maintain the punches of nibbling machines in alinement with the openings in the dies, thereby preventing the dulling of the punches and dies, caused by the punches being sprung into contact with the dies when cutting heavy material or caused by looseness in the reciprocating head of the nibbling machines.

Another object is to provide means to support the lower end of the reciprocating punches for nibbling machines to maintain said punches in alinement with the openings in the dies to prevent dulling of the punches and the dies and to obtain a better quality of work.

A further object is to supply means to rigidly support the punches of nibbling machines against lateral thrust when cutting heavy material, said supporting means likewise adapted to maintain accurate alinement of the cutting surfaces of the punches and the openings in the dies at all times.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment .of which is hereinafter described with'reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front view, partially sectioned, of a typical nibbling machine and illustrates the method of maintaining the nibbling punch in-alinement with the opening in the die.

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken along line 2-2 (Fig. 1) looking in the direction of the arrows, and shows in particular the nibbling die and its holder.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of thedle holder showing in particular the web or bridge that supports the lower end of the nibbling punch.

Description The present invention, which relates particularly to punches and dies for nibbling machines may be embodied in any suitable type of nibbling machine, one type of which is indicated by the reference numeral In in Fig. 1. The nibbling machine has a head II which vertically supports a reciprocating rod or ram l2, which may be reciprocated in any convenient manner to operate the punch of the nibbling machine. The lower end of the ram l2 has a boring adapted to-receive the tenon of a punch holder or chuck H, which is secured in place in the boring by means of a set screw i4 threaded in the ram l2. A central hole in the chuck I3 is adapted to I loosely receive a nibbling punch l5, which is die holder 20 is secured on the top surface of a table 20 of the nibbling machine Ill.

. modate different thicknesses of material.

The lower end of the punch l5 terminates in a tenon or pilot 22, which cooperates with the hole in a bushing 23 fast in a web or bridge 24 which spans a hole'in the shoe 20, said hole registering with the opening I! in the die 19. Threads in the upper end of the hole in the chuck [3 in cooperation with the threaded upper end of said punch provide a means of adjusting the cutting edge H5 in relation to the top surface of the die plate I9. A set screw 25 threaded in the chuck l3 retains the nibbling punch I! in adjusted position. I

Material to be shaped by the nibbling machine is advanced between the top surface of the die I9 and the bottom surface of a guard or stripper- 26 to the nibbling punch I5 Two symmetrical upwardly extending arms of the guard 26 are adjustably attached to the head ll of the nihbling machine, thus providing ameans of adjusting the bottom surface of the guard in relation to the top surface of the die I9 to accom- It will be noted that the opening [1 in the die plate I9 is countersunk from the bottom surface of the die upwardly to within about one-half the thickness of said die. This is to provide clearance for the chips that accumulate between the opening I! and the pilot 22 of the punch Ii as the su-' perfluous metal is nibbied away. The chips drop through the opening in the holder 2. and through a similar opening in the table 2|, into a receptacle 21 removably attached to the bottom surface of the table 2 I. It will be noted that a the pp r surface of the bridge 24 is A or wedgeshaped. to form inclined surfaces upon which it is impossible for the chips to accumulate.

Operation of the material when the ram I2 is in its highest position. While the machine is operating, sufficient pressure is placed upon the material, by

the operator, to maintain said material in contact with the pilot 22, which obviously determines the bite of the nibbling punch ii. The pilot 22 in cooperation with the bushing 28 in the bridge 24 rigidly supports the lower end of the nibbling punch l5 and maintains the cutting edge I8 01' said punch in accurate alinement with the opening I! in the die is.

The advantages of supporting the nibbling punch in this manner are readily seen and appreciated. For example, the resistance created when shaping thick material is sometimes sufiicient to crowd or spring an unsupported punch out of alinement with the opening in the die, causing said punch to strike the die and ruin the cutting edges of both punch and die. Likewise, any looseness between the ram l2 and the head ll permits an improperly supported or an unsupported punch to be forced out of alinement with the opening in the die and results in the spoiling or dulling of the punch and die. Eupporting the-lower end of the nibbling punch in the manner described above maintains the proper clearance between the punch and die at all times, thus making it possible to satisfactorily shape much heavier material than is possible with an unsupported punch. Moreover, supporting the lower end of the punch causes the nibbling apparatus to out clean without any pulling or tearing of the material being out, which improvesto a marked degree the quality of the work turned out by said apparatus.

It is obvious that the pilot 22 and the body of the punch l5 may be increased or decreased in size respectively, to regulate the bite of the nibpling punch and to govern the strength of said pilot and punch in relation to the thickness of the material being shaped.

The method of using a nibbling machine to shape pieces to the form of a template is generally as follows: A template having the outline of the pieces to be shaped is secured to the top surface of the material out of which the pieces are to be made. The stripper 2B is then adjusted to freely admit the template and the material between the top surface of the die l9 and the bottom surface of said stripper. Next the nibbling punch 15 is adjusted in relation to the top surface of the die l9 so that the cutting edge ii of said punch is above the top surface of the material out of which the parts are to be shaped but not above the top surface of the template, when the ram I2 is in its highest position. The material is' fed to the nibbling punch until the body or largest diameter of the punch contacts the template. The template is then maintained in contact with the body of the punch while the superfluous metal is nibbled away to form a part having the outline of the template. It is obvious regardless oi the direction from which the work is presented to the punch.

2. In a nibbling machine of the character described, the combination of a reciprocating punch 5 that a nibbling punch supported in the manner having a circular cutting edge to which material 5 described above has many advantages over an may be presented from any angle; a die having unsupported nibbling punch, and it is believed an opening to receive the punch; a holder for the that these advantages will be realized from the die, said holder having an opening that registers foregoing specification. with the opening in the die; aweb spanning the While the form of mechanism herein shown opening in the holder; and a work feed guiding 10 and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the pilot integral with the punch and extending objects primarily stated, it is to be understood downwardly from the cutting edge thereof into an that it is not intended to confine the convention opening in the web to maintain the punch in to the one form or embodiment h'erein disclosed, alinement with the die at all times irrespective for it is susceptible of embodiment in various oi the thickness of the material being cut and 15- forms all coming within the scope of the claims irrespective of the angle from which the material which follow. is presented to the punch.

What is claimed is: 3. In a machine of the class described, the 1. In a nibbling machine of the character decombination of a reciprocating punch having a scribed, the combination of areciprocating punch cutting edge on all sides thereof to which ma- 20 having .a cutting edge on all sides thereof to terial may be fed from any direction, a die havwhich work may be presented from any direction; ing an opening cooperable with the punch, a work a work feed limiting pilot integral with the punch feed limiting means integral with said punch and and adjacent the cutting edge thereof; a die havoperable to limit the feed of work when it is fed ing an opening to receive the punch; a holder for from any direction, said work feeding means ex- 25 the die, said holder having an opening registering tending downwardly into the opening in the die, with the opening in the die; and a web within and means mounted below the die and cooperable the opening in the holder, said web having a guidwith said work feed limiting means to prevent ing surface cooperating with the work feed limlateral displacement of the punch in any direcao iting pilot to maintain the cutting edge of the tion.

punch in alinement with the opening in the die Patent No. 2 ,098,022.

HARRY W. WILLIAMS.

HARRY W. WILLIAMS.

November 2 1937 It is hereby certified-that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows column, line 15, 011111112, after the word ."web" insert'to control the work feed and; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of February, A. D- 1958.

Page 3, second Henry Van -Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal) the template. The template is then maintained in contact with the body of the punch while the superfluous metal is nibbled away to form a part having the outline of the template. It is obvious regardless oi the direction from which the work is presented to the punch.

2. In a nibbling machine of the character described, the combination of a reciprocating punch 5 that a nibbling punch supported in the manner having a circular cutting edge to which material 5 described above has many advantages over an may be presented from any angle; a die having unsupported nibbling punch, and it is believed an opening to receive the punch; a holder for the that these advantages will be realized from the die, said holder having an opening that registers foregoing specification. with the opening in the die; aweb spanning the While the form of mechanism herein shown opening in the holder; and a work feed guiding 10 and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the pilot integral with the punch and extending objects primarily stated, it is to be understood downwardly from the cutting edge thereof into an that it is not intended to confine the convention opening in the web to maintain the punch in to the one form or embodiment h'erein disclosed, alinement with the die at all times irrespective for it is susceptible of embodiment in various oi the thickness of the material being cut and 15- forms all coming within the scope of the claims irrespective of the angle from which the material which follow. is presented to the punch.

What is claimed is: 3. In a machine of the class described, the 1. In a nibbling machine of the character decombination of a reciprocating punch having a scribed, the combination of areciprocating punch cutting edge on all sides thereof to which ma- 20 having .a cutting edge on all sides thereof to terial may be fed from any direction, a die havwhich work may be presented from any direction; ing an opening cooperable with the punch, a work a work feed limiting pilot integral with the punch feed limiting means integral with said punch and and adjacent the cutting edge thereof; a die havoperable to limit the feed of work when it is fed ing an opening to receive the punch; a holder for from any direction, said work feeding means ex- 25 the die, said holder having an opening registering tending downwardly into the opening in the die, with the opening in the die; and a web within and means mounted below the die and cooperable the opening in the holder, said web having a guidwith said work feed limiting means to prevent ing surface cooperating with the work feed limlateral displacement of the punch in any direcao iting pilot to maintain the cutting edge of the tion.

punch in alinement with the opening in the die Patent No. 2 ,098,022.

HARRY W. WILLIAMS.

HARRY W. WILLIAMS.

November 2 1937 It is hereby certified-that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows column, line 15, 011111112, after the word ."web" insert'to control the work feed and; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of February, A. D- 1958.

Page 3, second Henry Van -Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

(Seal)

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