US2405738A - Die machine for progressive sheet metal forming - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 13, 1946. M N 2,405,738

DIE MACHINE FOR PROGRESSIVE SHEET METAL FORMING Filed OQt. 28, 1942 Sheets-Sheet l A M w w NV 0 w v Q 1. mm M o I J ll 9 2 F O l 1 III. M #1-. VH4 I O O Aug. 13, 1946.

v. DETTMAN DIE MACHINE FOR PROGRESSIVE SHEET METAL FORMING 4 sheets-sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1942 INVENTOR HAROLD V.DETTMAN AT TORNEYS DIE MACHINE FOR PROIGRESS-IVEYSHEET METAL FORMING Filed oct. 28, 1942 NTOR HVYEbiE-TTMAN 2,405,738

4 Sheets-sheaf Patented Aug. 13,1946

DIE MACHINE FOR PROGRESSIVE SHEET METAL FORMING.

Harold v. Dettman, Riverside, 111. Application October 28, 1942, Serial No.463,586

My invention has for its object to provide a simple, economical and effective machine for folding sheet metal or the edges of sheet metal plates, whereby the same may be utilized for interlocking seam units between the plates.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine having reciprocative jaws carrying male and female articulated dies, whereby a fold or seam element is progressively developed through a series of biting or stamping movements of the jaws, combined with a relative movement between the sheet to be stamped and said machine, whereby the successive steps to complete the seam element are effected.

Another important object of my invention is to provide the die carrying stamping jaws with eccentric power means, whereby the jaws will progressively form a seam element on the edge of a sheet and provide a relative feed movement, between the jaws and sheet following each stamping movement.

A further object of my invention is to provide eccentric actuating means fOr the stamping jaws, whereby said eccentrics will impart a combined stamping and feeding movement for the sheet metal Worked upon.

A further object of my invention is to provide the relative reciprocative jaws with a lineal die for each jaw of the male and female type, wherein the lineal dies are gradually formed in a plurality of changing contours from the initial Or first die unit, to the completing or last die unit, whereby the sheet of metal, a it travels between the dies in a succession of stamping movements, will progressively complete the seam element.

With the above and other minor objects in view, the invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts as will be fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a forming machine embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional end view of said machine, the section being indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation with parts in section illustrating a modified form of machine for folding the edges of sheet metal.

Figure 5 is another modified form of the machinewherein independent means is utilized for 2 Claims. (01. 153-41) die step to its final the stamping movement of the jaws and for feeding the metal sheet in step by step time movemen Figure 6 is a still furthermodified form of my forming machine wherein companion pairs of cranks impart reciprocative movement to the jaws followed by a horizontal feed movement of said aws.

Figure "7 same.

FiguresB to 13 inclusive illustrate modified sectional views of the seam forming dies wherein the metal is shown progressively from itsinitial die forming step.

Figure 14 is a sectional view through a completed double seam between sheets of metal which may be formed by my apparatus. I

Figure 15 i a sectional view of another possible form of seam wherein theinterlocking edges are simply in U form.

Figure 16 is another sectional view of a possible seam wherein the sheet metal plates are positioned at right angles to each other and locked by a seam.

is a fragmentary plan view of the Figure 17 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of fold or crimp at the edge of a sheet metal plate.

Figure 18 is a plan View of the same.

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic modified form of my invention wherein a sheet of metal curved or in drum formation may be provided, with edge seams in accordance with my invention.

Referring by characters to the drawings i and 2 represent upper and lower companion drive shafts geared to a power shaft 3 whereby the companion shafts are rotated in synchrony. The drive shafts are mounted in a suitable frame and a best shown in Figures 1 and 2 they terminate with eccentric ends 4-4 and 5-5 respectively. Mounted upon the companion eccentrics is an upper die bed 6 and a lower die bed i which die beds carry a series of male and female dies 8 and 9 progressively developing a seam element from the first die to the finishing die in the series. The frame, as shown, may be provided witha table 8' for the support of a sheet of metal A, the edges of which are adapted to be folded to effeet a eam element as said edges pass through the stamping machine.

As indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the metal sheet A may in some instances be guided top and bottom by rollers B extending from the frame of the machine. I

The above described simple exemplification of my machine will operate as follows and may be best understood by referring to the diagrammatic views Figures 8 to 13.

The thin metal sheet is first fed under the initial die element in straight form at the time when the eccentrics have opened up the die beds, as the eccentrics close the die beds, a short section of the sheet edge will be stamped with slight offsets which are primary and initially intended to form a seam and hence as the die beds are rapidly rotated by the eccentrics in the direction of the arrows, this vibratory movement causes a sheet of metal to be fed forward slightly at the point of biting of the dies and when the dies are opened they will vibrate backwardly and take another bite of the material and so forth until the complete fold is affected, by the movable series of progressive male and female dies as shown in the Figures 8 to 13 referred to.

In these diagrams the fold is shown, as what might be termed a double lock seam, and when completed the other sheet seam element, will be interlocked as shown in Figure 14. In other words, the interlocked sheet may be a seam wherein two sheets of metal are secured upon a fiat plane or one of the sheets maybe at a right angle to its companion sheet. Referring to Figures 15 and 16 of the drawings a single seam is shown completed, which can be readily formed by providing the proper movable die bed.

Figures 17 and sheet of metal subjected to dies to produce a corrugated edge, it being understood that these progressive dies may be formed in a single sheet or in blocks suitably attachedto the die beds.

While I have shown and described th sheets and dies arranged to be mounted in fiat formation, it is understood that the edges of such sheets may be curved or in cylindrical form in place of the flat, in which case the die beds and dies would be curved to conform to the drum metal operated upon as indicated in Figure 19.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that the slight eccentrics are to be driven at a very high speed and the same will cause a rapid vibration in a forward direction to feed the material and said feeding stroke is quite short, hence the progressive die formation, from end to end of the series, would increase in a flowing manner or progressively corresponding to the short feed distance of the dies.

In some instances it may be desirable to increase the speed of the seaming operation and this can be done by increasing the distance of the feed of the sheet between each die stamping operation, illustrates upper and lower die beds l and H.

The lower die bed I I is reciprocatively mounted upon guide rollers l2 extending from the frame and said bed is provided with dowels l3 which extend through apertures in the upper die bed l0 whereby said companion sets of beds are reciprocated in unison. The upper die bed H) is formed with ears l4 having cam tracks l5 therein, adapted to be engaged by rollers l6 carried by rotating cranks H, which are formed at the end of thedrive shafts l-l, which shafts are actuated by any means for imparting timed rotation there to.

From the foregoing description with reference to Figure tween the dies the initial formation of the seam will be of greater length or of the same length as the initial die bite. Hence, when the cranks are in the position shown in Figure 4, the die beds have been fed to their extreme position rear- 18 show a modified form of a for example Figure '4' of the drawings 4, when the sheet of metal is fed bewardly and upon the next quarter of the revolution of the cranks said die beds will be caused to articulate and form the first step in the seam. The next quarter of the revolution of the cranks will cause the beds, in their biting union to move and feed the sheet forward the length of the die operation, th next quarter movement of the cranks will cause the upper die beds to lift and disengage the metal worked upon and upon such disengagement, the cranks I! will complete the cycle by a rearward reciprocative final movement, for the next bite of the sheet metal edge.

The above exemplification of my invention i1- lustrates simply another form of utilizing the bite between the male and female die members for feeding the sheet, step by step to be seamed.

Referring now to Figure 5 of the drawings a still further modified form of my invention is exemplified, wherein I employ one cam controlled means for causing the bite or stamping action between the mold members and an independent means for feeding the sheet of metal step by step as it is worked upon by the reciprocative mold. In this instance, the upper pair of drive shafts l-| have mounted thereon armed eccentrics 18 connected by a link l9. A roller extending from the front end of the link 19, engages a double track cam 20 suitably mounted upon the drive shaft 2| revolvable in bearing with which the frame is provided. The upper bed 22, carrying the die formations is held in its open position by counter balance springs 23 engaging guide dowels 24 which serve to hold the die bed in a vertical reciprocative action, The lower die bed 25 is fixed and may constitut part of the machine frame. I

The sheet of metal A in this instance is fed between upper and lower gripping jaws 26, linked to an oscillating lever 21, The lower end of the lever 21 is connected to a similar lever 28 pivoted at the opposite end of the machine frame and the upper end of this last mentioned lever has a roller 29 which also engages the double cam track 20. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5, upon further, rotation of the cam wheel the sheet feed mechanism will move the sheet A one step forward followed by a die stamping operation through movement of the lever cams l8, caused by outward travel of the roller l9 carried by the link i9 to the outer surface of said cam wheel 20. Hence, we have demonstrated that means may be provided for independently feeding the sheet of metal to be worked upon, It will also be apparent that I may utilize stripper fingers X, which will extend through the lower bed, and are carried by the reciprocative upper bed 22, whereby the sheet of metal after each forming operation may be positively stripped from the bite between the male and female dies.

Referring to Figure 6 of the drawings, I have illustrated a mechanism similar to that shown in the upper reciprocative die bed in Figure 4 of the drawings. In this form of my invention I provide a reciprocative lower die bed H with companion cams 15' similar to the upper cams in all respects. In this exemplification of the invention, with the synchronized crank shafts put into operation, the dies will first be brought together for stamping, followed by a forward feed movement for'the sheet during the biting action of the dies. When the forward feed movement is completed the cams will cause the'dies to open vertically, whereby the metal is freed from the bite and said beds will now move rearwardly preparatory to a second in the direction of th arrows,

an eccentric shaft engaging the ear apertures of at least one of the jaws, and vertical guide means connecting the jaws.

2. A machine for feeding and folding the edges f sheet metal, a pair of superimposed elongated jaws, apertured ears extending therefrom, a complementary series of equi-distant spaced die units of difierent character extending from each jaw, an eccentric shaft engaging the ear apertures of at least one of the jaws, and guide pins extending from one jaw in slidable engagement with the companion jaw.

HAROLD V. DETTMAN.

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