US2258346A - Forging press - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1941.

D. s. BELL ET AL FORGING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13, 1938 m m WM 4 e wB mi W Hn ML {QM/7 T L NN Q u \J Oct. 7, 1941. BELL AL 2,258,346

FORGING PRESS Filed June 13, 1938 5 SheerLs-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Dav/'H 5. Bell' and Byron W. Dunham Oct. 7, 1941. D, s. BELL ET AL FORGING PRESS Filed June 13, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Davif-f 5.. Bell and Byron W. Dunham Oct. 7, 1941. D. s. BELL ETAL FORGING PRES 5 Filed June 13, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ma/M Dav/ff 5. Bell and Byron W. Dunham Patented Oct. 7, 1941 FORGIN G PRESS Davitt S. Bell, Pittsburgh, and Byron W. Dunham, Oakmont, Pa., assignors to Edgewater Steel Company, Oakmont, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 13, 1938, Serial No. 213,462

13 Claims.

This invention relates to presses for the forging of metal objects and has particular utility for presses used in the preparation of blooms which are subsequently to be rolled into other forms, but its utility is not confined to such field of use.

The present invention provides a press wherein a succession of steps can be performed in rapid sequence and which facilitates the forging of metal shapes where a. number of different dies are required. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the press is provided with a bed and a reciprocable head movable up and down with respect to the bed. There are a plurality of dies on the bed which can be selectively moved relatively to the bed into operative position, and a plurality of dies on the head which can also be selectively moved relatively to the head into operative position. It is further contemplated in the preferred embodiment of the invention that there be cooperating dies on the head and on the bed of the press so positioned as to provide different pressing stations in a direction fore and aft of the press.

According to the present invention there is provided, in combination with the press for such arrangement of dies, work handling means by means of which the work can be lifted off the dies on the bed of the machine and held in suspension while the dies are being shifted and which also is preferably operative for moving the work piece horizontally in a fore and aft direction to certain of the different working positions or stations. By reason. of this arrangement, a number of different forging operations with different combinations of dies can be performed in a single press unit in relatively rapid sequence and with a single heating of the blank, greatly increasing the utility and flexibility of a single press unit and effecting considerable economy in the forging of metal blanks.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a horizontal section through a press embodying our invention, the section being in a plane above the bed of the press;

Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section through the press, the view being substantially in the plane of line IL-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section through the press in a plane at right angles to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the lower portion of the rear of the press showing one form of manipulator mechanism;

Figure 5 is a detailed view partly in side elevation and partly in section of one of the manipulators;

Figure 6 is a transverse section in the plane of line VI-VI or Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view generally similar to Figure 1,

but showing the manipulator replaced with a.

ring die which ring die may be employed in certain pressing operations;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view, being a section through a portion of a ring die which is used in place of the manipulator, the section being taken in the same plane as Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a more or less schematic view illustrating an initial forging operation at the front or forwardmost station of the three pressing positions from the front to the back of the press;

- position;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11, but wherein the slide on the head of the press has been shifted to its other operative position and the slide on the bed of the press has been shifted to bring its third die into operative position;

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9, but

" wherein the blank is at the rearmost of the three have not been shown. The bed 2 of the press 7 is provided with a channel 6 which runs crosswise of the press from one side toward the other, and in this channel is a slide or carrier 7 having a plurality of forming dies thereon, three such dies being shown. They are indicated in Figure 2 and in Figures 10, 11 and 12 as la, lb, and 1c. The slide 1 may be reciprocated back and forth by any suitable mechanism to bring any one of the three dies la, lb, or lc in a central position or at a central station under the reciprocating head 4.

As one means of reciprocating the slide 1, we have shown a hydraulic cylinder 8 having a piston rod 9 connected to one end of the slide 1. The travel of the slide is limited at the right hand end by upright stops or abutments I against which the end of the slide contacts when the slide is pulled over to the extreme end limit of its travel as viewed in Figure 2. At the opposite limit of its travel, the movement of the slide is stopped by a transverse abutment II. The abutments I0 and II are so positioned that when the slide is. at one limit orthe other of its travel, the corresponding die Ia or 'Ic, as the case may be, will be accurately positioned in the pressing position under the vertical reciprocable head of the press. For stopping the slide 1 at a midposition to bring the middle die 11) into operative position, there is provided an abutment or stop I2 best shown in Figure 2 which normally lies in a position below the path of travel of the slide 1. By means of a lever I3 and a hydraulic cylinder I4, this abutment may be projected upwardly at the proper time into the path of travel of the slide I as it moves from the position shown in Figure 2 toward the position reached when the slide contacts the retractable abutment I2.

.The cylinder 8 for operating the slide 1 and the cylinder I4 for operating the abutment I2 may be controlled through any suitable fluid pressure valve system, not shown, and forming no part of the present invention.

Carried on the reciprocable head 4 is a transversely reciprocable slide I5 having means I6 at two positions thereon for holding dies I5a and I5b. These dies are illustrated as being pot dies. The slide I5 is provided with an internal cylinder I1 havinga packing gland I8 at one end and a packing gland I9 at the other end. Extending through the gland I8 is pipe (see Figure 2) and passing through the gland I9 is a pipe 2! having a piston 22 on that end which terminates within the cylinder II. Secured to the reciprocable head of the press are fixed abutments 23 and 24 which are in the path of travel of the slide and which limit its movement. In Figure 2 the slide is shown at the right hand limit of its movement as viewed in this figure, and the die I5a is in the central pressing position. By injecting fluid under pressure through the pipe 2I, the slide l5 may be moved to the left as viewed in Figure 2 until the end of the slide hits the fixed abutment 23 at which time the die I5b will be in the central operating posi ion. When the slide is in the left-hand posilion, fluid under pressure may be forced through pipe 20 into the cylinder to bring the slide back to the position shown in Figure 2, the abutment 2d limiting the movement of the slide in this direction. The slide I5 is positioned directly over the slide '5 so that the dies I5a and I5b may be selectively used with the dies Ia, 'Ib, and 1c in any desired sequence. The control of the fluid pressure through the pipes 20 and 2| to operate the slide I5 may be under any suitable valve arrangement, not shown. Fluid under pressure may, for example, be constantly applied through the pipe 20 to exert a biasing force tending to always urge the slide l5 to the position shown in Figure 2, and it is moved from this position only when a higher pressure is applied through the pipe 2! to the opposite end of the cylinder. In order to provide this biasing pressure, the pipe 20 may connect with vertically extending pipe 25 which passes through gland 26 into a vertical cylinder or chamber 27 into which the fluid is expelled under pressure when a higher fluid pressure is applied to the opposite end of the cylinder through pipe 2I and from which the fluid flows back into the cylinder when the pressure is relieved by pipe 2 I.

On the reciprocable head 4 directly in front of the center there is a die 28. On the stationary bed of the press directly under the die 28 is a cooperating die 28. On the upper head 4 directly back of thecenter and in line with the die 28 is a die 29 which is preferably a punching die. This cooperates with a die 29' on the bed 2 of the machine. The die 29 has an opening therethrough through which the punch of the die 29 may pass. There is a channel 30 provided through the die 29. and the bed of the machine through which punched out material may fall.

In the operation of the press it is contemplated that an elongated billet of cylindrical form, for example, may be placed end up on the die 28. The head.of the press is then lowered so that die 28 engages the upper end of the heated billet and bows out the sides of itto any desired degree. This is indicated in Figure 3 where the billet which has been operated upon is designated X. The pressing of the billet in this way imparts a preliminary shape and also causes scale on the surface of the billet to crack off. After the billet has been pressed in this position, it is moved back to the center position where it is subjected to a sequence of operations employing the dies Ia, lb, 76, I541 and I 5?). Either before or after or at any intermediate stage in this sequence of operations in the center series of dies has been completed, the piece is transferred to the die 29 and operated upon by the die 29. As previously stated, this may be a punching operation.

For transferring the piece from the initial position to the center position and from the center position to the rear position on the die 29 and accurately positioning it in the station to which it is moved, there is provided a manipulator mechanism which is capable of lifting the work and moving it in a direction from the front to the rear or from the rear toward the front as may be required. One form of manipulator for accomplishing this purpose is illustrated. While one specific form of mechanism is particularly described, it will be understood that this is merely by way of illustration and that the manipulator may be otherwise constructed. At the rear of the press there is a cross frame 35 having a depending center guide post 36 attached thereto. At each end of the cross frame is a piston 31, these pistons cooperating with hydraulic cylinders 38. The cylinders 38 may be controlled from a fluid pressure source, not shown, by any known system of valves, causing the pistons 37 to be raised and lowered for raising or lowering the frame 35. Carried on the frame 35 are two transversely movable slides 39, one at each side of the center of the frame. At each end of the frame 35 there is a hydraulic cylinder 40. Each cylinder operates a piston 4| which is connected at 42 with one of the slides 39. By means of these, cylinders 40 and their pistons 4|, the two slide members 39 can be moved toward and away from the longitudinal center of the press. In order that they may both move to the same extent and be at all times equi-distant from the longitudinal center line, there is a link 43 connected to each of the slidable members 39. These links 43 are pivotally connected to a vertically movable member 44 on the guide post 36. As the members 39 move toward and away from each other, links 43 cause the slide member 44 to move up anddown on the guide post 36. By reason of this linkage, the two members 39 must move toward and away from each other at the same rate and to the same extent.

On each of the slide members 39 is a bracket 45 shown in detail in Figure 5 into which is set a rigid arm 46 which extends horizontally in a fore and aft direction through the press between the bed 2 and the reciprocable head 4. There are two of these rigid arms 46, one on each of the members 39 and they are parallel. Each of these arms 46 is preferably non-circular in cross section. They are illustrated in Figure 6 as being square and having a trough-shaped longitudinal recess 41 in the bottom thereof. This trough shaped recess accommodates a jaw-operating rod 48. The rod 48 passes through the bracket 45 and is provided at its rear end with a piston 49 in a hydraulic cylinder 50. Each of the members39 is provided with one of these cylinders 50, which cylinders are in longitudinal alinement with the horizontal arms 46. By controlling the fluid pressure on opposite sides of the pistons 49, rods 48 can be moved back and forth relatively to the arms 46. Removably carried on each of the arms 46 is a slidable jaw member formed with a bearing portion 5| that fits about the arm 46 and is slidable along the arm, but is non-rotatable thereon and having jaw portions 52 which may merely comprise a laterally extending projection in which is a substantially V-shaped notch, best shown in Figure 1. On the outer end of each of the arms 46 is a fixed abutment member 53 having a flanged portion 54 to limit the travel of the jaw in one direction while the bracket 45 limits the travel of the jaw in the opposite direction. For more accurately positioning the exact length of travel of the jaws along the arms 46, shims may be employed at 55 and 56 (see Figure 5). The abutment member 53 on the outer end of each of the arms may be held in place by a transverse key or pin 51.

In the operation of the manipulator, the frame 35 is moved up and down through the operation of hydraulic cylinders 36. The jaws are moved back and forth in a fore and aft direction by the operation of the hydraulic cylinders 50. The jaws are moved toward and away from each other into and out of position to engage the work piece through the operation of the cylinders 40. There is thus provided a manipulator having two jaws which can move toward and away from each other into and out of gripping position and which can be moved in a fore and aft direction to transfer-the work piece from one position in the press to another and which can be raised up and down while engaging the work piece as well as at other times to lift the work piece off one die and set it down on another. The slide 44 and links 43 require the jaws to move equally toward and away from each other so that the work piece is always kept in a proper position with respect to a center fore and aft line midway between the jaws. The jaws raise and lower as. a unit, and their travel in a fore and aft direction is equalized and limited by shims 55 and 56, so that the work piece, when it is engaged by the manipulator is set down in an exact position to be engaged by the next dies which operate upon it.

The manipulator illustrated in the drawings operates in a fore and aft direction only from the center position to the rear position as in many cases the work piece is transferred from the forward die block 28 to the center position by the same tongs that bring the billet to the press. To extend the range of the operation of the manipulator, however, it will merely be necessary to increase the length of the arms 46.

A typical operation of the press may be followed by reference to Figures 9 to 13 inclusive. In Figure 9 the work piece designated X has just been subjected to th initial squeezing operation between the die blocks 28 and 28. In the next stage of the operation the slide 1 in the bed of the machin is shifted to move the die 1a into the central operating position; i. e., to the extreme left-hand limit of its travel as viewed in Figure 2, and the upper slide 15 is in the position shown in Figure 2 at th right-hand limit of its travel so that the pot die |5a is over the die la. In Figure 10 the secondstage of the pressing operation has been illustrated Where the work piece X has been forced into the pot die I5a. Its height has been reduced in this operation and its diameter has been increased. Following this forging operation, the press opens and the pot die lifts. The jaws of the manipulator may then be brought into position to engage and lift the work piece. The slide 1 is then shifted to bring the die 7b into position under the pot die 15a after which the manipulator lowers the piece centrally onto the punch of die lb and the press is again operated to lower the pot die l5a to engage the die lb. The manipulator is, of course, retracted at the proper time, and in this operation which is illustrated in Figure 11, a hole is forged part way through the blank. With the next opening of the press the manipulator is operated to grip the work piece, lift it vertically oil the die lb. When the work piece has been lifted clear of the die 1b and while it is held in suspension by the manipulator, the slide 1 is again operated to bring the die 10 into operating position and the upper slide I5 is also operated to bring the die I5b into working position. The manipulator then is operated to lower the work piece into the die 10 and after the manipulator has been retracted, the press is operated to perform the forging operation illustrated in Figure 12. When this operation has been completed, the press is opened, the manipulator jaws are brought together to grip the work piece, lift it from the die 1c, carry it rearwardly to a position over the punching die block 29' and set it down onto this block. The press is then operated as illustrated in Figure 13 whereupon the forging of th blank in the press is completed. v

The invention provides a forging press in which a number of operations can be performed in sequence with a single heating of the blank. By providing a slide on the bed of the press carrying a plurality of dies and a slide on the head of the press carrying a plurality of dies, in conjunction with a manipulator which enables the work piece to be picked up and held in suspension between the upper and lowerdies while they are being shifted and also which is adapted to move the work piec in a fore and aft direction,

' there is provided an extremely flexible forging unit in which a predetermined sequence of operations can be rapidly carried out, and since the several hydraulic cylinders which control the operations can be remotely controlled, it is unnecessary for the workmen to stand in close proximity to the machine or to enter their hands between the press while it is operating. In the forging of a work piece, its length may be reduced and its diameter increased. The manipulator herein described will grasp the work piece whatever its diameter within the range of pieces of the size on which the press is intended to operate, and keep it centered.

In some cases it is desirable to replace the manipulator jaws with a ring die. This may be readily done in the apparatus illustrated as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. The jaws and 52 may be removed and in place of them the ring die carrier 60 is substituted. This ring die carrier 60 comprises a frame having a bearing portion 6| at each end which slides on the rigid arms 46 and which is attached to the rods 48. The detailed construction of the parts, which forms no part of the present invention per se is such that certain portions of the bearing for the jaws are used to provide the slide bearing for the ring die carrier. The ring die carrier has a central opening 62 therein into which is set a ring die 63 held in place by pins 64. Where a ring die is employed in place of a manipulator, the arms 46 do not need to move toward and away from each other so that in place of abutments 53 on the outer ends of the arms 46, elements 65 may be applied having portions 66 to engage in vertical slideways 61 on the frame of the press. This serves to brace the arms 46 under the added weight imposed by the ring die and its carrier. With this arrangement the ring die can be raised and lowered and can be shifted in a fore and aft direction according to the requirements of the particular forging operation being carried out and the piece can be raised and lowered by operation of the ring die and ring die carrier while the upper and lower dies are shifting in the same manner as where the work piece is being held in a manipulator.

While we have illustrated and described certain particular embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made in the construction and ar-- rangement of the parts and in the particular sequence of operation and in the shapes of the various dies.

We claim:

1. A forging press having relatively movable head and bed members, a reciprocable slide on each member, a plurality of dies on each slide movable by reciprocation of the respective slides into and out of position to cooperate with a selected die on the opposite slide, and a manipulator between the head and bed members movable crosswise and up and down with respect to the slides for engaging the work piece being operated upon and holding it in a position clear of the dies while either of the slides is being shifted and for shifting it crosswise of the slides.

2. A forging press having relatively movable head and bed members, a reciprocable slide on each member, a plurality of dieson each slide movable by reciprocation of the respective slides into and out of position to cooperate with a selected die on the opposite slide, and a manipulator between the head and bed members having jaws thereon, said jaws being movable toward and away from the work piece being operated upon in the press, the manipulator being movable crosswise to move a work piece horizontally and up and down with respect to the slides to thereby lift the work piece clear of the dies.

3. A forging press having relatively movable head and bed members, each having a series of dies thereon arranged in a line in a fore and aft direction, each having a series of dies arranged in a line in a crosswise direction, the

dies in the crosswise line being shiftabie to se lectively bring any one of such dies into position in the fore and aft line, and means operable between the head and bed members for raising and lowering the work piece, said means being also movable in a fore and aft direction to shift the work piece in such direction.

4. The combination with a forging press hav ing Head and bed members which are relatively movable and which carry a plurality of dies some of which are selectively movable into and out of operating position in addition to having the relative movement of the head and bed member, of means for moving a work piece being operated upon in the press up and down with respect to the dies and also in a fore and aft direction, and actuating means for said first means.

5. The combination with a forging press having relatively movable upper and lower members which members have cooperating dies thereon some of which dies are shiftable with respect to others into and out of operating position. said press also having a plurality of work engaging stations at different positions between the upper and lower members, of a manipulator having work holding means thereon, said manipulator being movable up and down to hold the work piece being operated upon clear of the dies while any shifting thereof is occurring, lator also being movable horizontally to transfer the work piece from one station to another, and power means for operating the manipulator.

6. The combination witha forging press hav ing relatively movable head and bed members and provided with cooperating die elements in different working stations, of a work piece handling means comprising spaced horizontally extending supporting bars located between the head and bed of the press, means for raising and lowering said bars, work engaging and holding means slidably mounted on said bars, and means for reciprocating the work holding means along the bars to enable the work piece to be transferred from one station to another.

7. The combination with a forging press having relatively movable head and bed members having cooperating die elements in different Working stations, of a manipulator comprising parallel arms extending horizontally between the head and bed members, jaws on said arms mounted for sliding movement therealong, means for moving the arms toward and away from each other, means for raising and lowering the arms, and means connected with the jaws and movable with the arms for moving the jaws along the arms to enable the work piece to be transferred from one station to another.

8. The combination with a forging press having relatively movable head and bed members having cooperating die elements in different working stations, of a manipulator comprising parallel arms extending horizontally between the head and bed members, jaws on said arms mounted for sliding movement therealong, means for moving the arms toward and away from each other, means for raising and lowering the arms, a means movable with each arm for moving the jaw carried by said arm back and forth along the arm, and means on the arms providing abutments for limiting the range of movement of the jaws along the arms to enable the work piece to be transferred from one station to another.

9. The combination with a forging press having a bed and a vertically reciprocable head, the

the said manipubed and the head both having cooperating die elements in different working stations, of a manipulator mounted at the rear of the press and having rigid arms which extend forwardly in a horizontal direction between the head and the bed of the press, slides movable along the arms, work gripping jaws carried on the slides, means for reciprocating the slides, means for raising and lowering the arms and means for moving the arms toward and away from each other to bring the jaws into and out of work gripping relation, whereby a piece being forged may be lifted and supported clear of the dies on the bed of the press and whereby the work piece may be moved horizontally from a position between the said movable dies to a position between said other dies.

10. A forging press having a bed and having a head which reciprocates up and down with respect to the bed, a die-carrier slidably mounted in the bed for movement across the bed in a transverse direction, a plurality of dies on the die-carrier, means for reciprocating the carrier, fixed abutments for limiting the movement of the die-carrier at each end of its path of travel, and a retractable abutment movable into and out of the path of the die-carrier to effect the stopping of said die-carrier at an intermediate point between the two fixed abutments, and means for operating the said retractable abutment.

11. The combination with a forging press having relatively movable head and bed members each of said members having cooperating die elements thereon in a plurality of working positions separated from one another in a fore and aft direction, of work holding and moving means comprising supporting arms extending horizontally between the head and bed members in a fore and aft direction, a slidable carrier on said arms movable in a fore and aft direction along the arms, a ring die in said carrier, means for operating the carrier, and means for raising and lowering the arms.

12. A forging press having relatively movable head and bed members, having a plurality of cooperating dies at different positions in a fore and aft direction of a manipulator for engaging and holding a work piece clear of the selectively movable dies and for transferring it in a fore and aft direction between said first dies and said second dies, said manipulator including jaws movable toward and away from each other and movable up and down and movable in a fore and aft direction, means for equalizing the extent of movement of the jaws whereby the work piece will be kept accurately centered between the jaws and will not be shifted to one side or the other of a center line running in a fore and aft direction, and means for limiting the movement of the jaws in a fore and aft direction according to the spacing of the said first and second dies whereby the work piece will be accurately positioned after it has been transferred in a fore and aft direction.

13. The combination of a forging press having relatively movable head and bed members, each member having two dies thereon spaced from each other in a fore and aft direction, the dies of one member positioned to cooperate with the corresponding dies of the other member, and amanipulator movable into and out of engagement with a work piece engaged between either of the two sets of cooperating dies and movable in a direction to transfer the piece from one set of cooperating dies to the other, said manipulator having movable jaws, said jaws being connected to move in unison toward and away from the work piece at the same rate, and means for limiting the movement of the manipulator to confine its travel in a fore and aft direction a distance corresponding to the distance between the two sets of dies whereby the work piece will be accurately positioned when being transferred from one set of dies to the other.

DAVIT'I S. BELL. BYRON W. DUNHAM.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,258,346. October 7, 1941.

DAVITT S. BELL ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 1, strike out A before forging and insert instead The combination with a; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of December, A. D. 1947.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

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