US2805866A

US2805866A - Tool-locking device

Info

Publication number: US2805866A
Application number: US477097A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur L Amend
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-12-22
Filing date: 1954-12-22
Publication date: 1957-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1974-09-10

Description

2 Sheets-s 2 a IIII |w-ll|li Sept 10, 1957 A. L. AMEND TOOL-LOCKING DEVICE FiledDec; 22, 1954 wwix M M, M// f United States Patent TOOL-LOCKING DEVICE Arthur L. Amend, Oakford, near Langliorne, Pa.

Application December 22, 1954, Serial No. 47 7 ,097

2 Claims. (Cl. 279-77) The present invention relates to tool-locking devices of the character which may be employed to lock punches, dies and other tool elements in tool retainers such as retaining blocks.

A purpose of the invention is to obtain a positive locking by engagement of the end of a rocker in abutting relation with a tapered side surface of the tool.

A further purpose is to manipulate the rocker by screw means preferably acting on the rocker between its pivot and the tool. 7

A further purpose is to use a flat tapered surface on the side of the tool abutting the end of the rocker to prevent withdrawal of the tool and also to prevent rotation.

A further purpose is to retract the rocker by an opposed screw acting on the side of the rocker which is on the side of the pivot remote from the tool.

A further purpose is to taper the rocker where it engages the screw means in both operating positions so as to provide a convenient component to shift the rocker.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to select two only of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoint of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure l is an inverted fragmentary vertical section through the tool retainer, tool and locking device of the invention, as taken on the line 1'-1 of Figure 5.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but whereas Figure 1 shows the locking device retracted, Figure 3 shows the locking device in tool-locking position.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a reduced-scale plan view of the tool of the invention.

Figure 6 is a reduced-scale side elevation of a modified form of tool useful in the invention.

Described in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings.

Difiiculty has been encountered in metal-forming operations including punching, through the delay incident to replacing an individual tool or removing it for inspection.

In some tool setups the entire retaining block must be taken off and the tool must be removed after the retaining block has been detached. Where efforts have been made in the past to permit detachment of an individual tool, difiiculty has at some times been caused by the fact that the tool is not positively held but is loose in the tool-retaining socket.

The present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive mechanism to lock a tool in place, whether it be a punch or a die. In particular, the mechanism of the invention permits removing any individual tool without removing the retainer, while at the same time it pro- 2,805,865 Patented Sept. 10, 1957 vides adequate locking of the tool both against axial withdrawal and, where desired, against turning.

In accordance with the invention, the locking element is a rocker and one end of the rocker is brought into abutting relation with the tapered side surface of the tool. This result is accomplished by locking the rocker about its pivots desirably under the action of a screw. The rocker is retracted to release the tool, preferably by a counterscrew.

Where the tapered surface on the side of the tool is intended to locate the tool circumferentially as well as to hold it axially, the surface is desirably a fiat surface but otherwise it may be a conical surface.

Considering now the drawings in detail, a tool-retaining block of any well-known character is supported on a die plate 21 of a suitable forming press, punch press or the like, as for example by guiding means 22, suitably guide pins. The tool retainer has a tool-receiving socket 23 which receives the shank 24 of a tool 25, which in the illustration may suitably be a punch, but can equally well be a die or other tool.

At one side the shank has a tapered surface 26 which in the form of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive is suitably a flat surface, but in a tool 25' of Figure 6 is a tapered surface 26. Unless location of the tool in circumferential position is important the tapered or flat surface may equally well be used, but where orientation of the tool circumferentiall y is desired it is preferred to use the flat surface rather than a conical surface. I

In either case the wedge surface or tapered surface tapers from a position 27 toward the rear which is relatively far from the axis to a position 28 toward the front which is relatively closer to the axis, desirably forming a notch at the forward end. Aside from the tapered surface, the tool desirably fits firmly into the socket, and the rearward end 30 engages the die plate when the tool is locked in place. Alongside the socket 23 and communicating with it the tool retainer has a recess 31, the back of the recess being defined by a saddle plate 32, the back of which bears against the die plate 21, and the recess 31 suitably extends from the socket 23 at one end to a wall 33 at the opposite end. The plate 32 carries a forwardly directed cylindrical pivot head or saddle 34, the pivot axis of which is spaced from, and lies transverse to, the axis of the tool. The pivot head or saddle 34 pivots a rocker 35 by engaging a pivot socket 36 extending across the rocker 35 intermediate its ends.

The rocker has at that end adjoining the tool a locking surface 37 which in the, retracted position of Figure 1 extends alongside the socket 23 and parallels its axis, but in the locking position of Figure 3 abuts firmly against the tapered surface 26 and locks the tool.

The rocker is manipulated to the locked position and held in the locking position by an-adjusting screw 38 which is threaded at 40 into the retainer and which, at its inner end, contacts between the rocking axis and the tool. The screw desirably extends in a direction parallel to the tool axis as shown, and on its inner end desirably has a hemisphere 41 which engages a sloping surface 42 on the rocker, so that there will be a slight wedge action by the screw on the rocker in both retracted and locking position.

A surface 43, opposite to the surface 42, is desirably relieved so that there will be adequate clearance in locking position.

The rocker is permitted to release when the screw 38 is backed oif. The releasing action is accomplished conveniently by inserting a drift through hole 44 which extends desirably parallel with the tool axis and is located on that side of the rocker pivot remote from the tool. More conveniently, however, as shown in the drawings,

the hole 44 is threaded and receives a screw 45 which is desirably provided with a hemispherical forward end 46 which engagesa surface 47 on the rocker which desirably slopes slightly whether the rocker 'is disposed in either locking or retracted position so that the force exerted by thescrew will always have a wedge component. The opposite side 48 of the rocker'is relieved so that it will not jam against the wall in either position. Likewise that end 50 of the rocker remote from the locking end is relieved to provide clearance.

It'will be evident that the angle-of the taper on the tool will vary widely from a fraction of a degree -to theaxis to a muchgreater angle which maybe of the'ord er of 45 degrees to the axis of the tool in some cases.

When the device is nctg'being used, the rocker will normally be in the position of Figure l as when the tool is removed from the retaining block. In order to lock the tool in position, it is first inserted in the socke t 23, and the; tapered surface 26 is placed on the side abutting the loc king'rocker if a'fiat surface is used; If a conical surface 26' isused it is 'not necessary to turn the tool.

The screw 45 is then backed off and the screw 38 is advanced until the rocker reaches locking position as shown in Figure 3 with the locking end abutting firmly against the tapered surface '26 or 26'. The screw 45 can then be tightened if desired or-itIcan beleftretracted as shown in Figure 3.

In view of my disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident "to others'skilled in the art, so that they may desire to obtainall or part of the benefits of my invention Without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such modifications that have a similar function and that fall within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Tue socketed tool retainer for locking a tool that has a shank which defines a tool axis, the shank having a side-locking surface which tapers with respect to the toolaxis, diverging from the axis near the base of the shank and being closer to the axis at a forward position of the shank, the locking surface being straight as viewed in projection from the side, a tool retainer having a socket on an axis in line with the axis of the shank and adapted to receive the shank, a saddle plate secured in a recess in the tool retainer and having a pivot head defining a pivot axis transverse to the axis of the shank, the pivot head of the saddle being disposed in the direction toward the front of the tool retainer remote from the base of the shank when the shank is seated in the tool retainer, a locking element having a socket intermediate its ends engaging the pivot head of the saddle'and rockable thereon, the locking element having its major dimension extending generally transverse to the axis of the shank, the locking element having at that end adjoining the shank-receiving socket a generally flat locking surface which in one position rests beside the shankreceiving socket and out of the path of the shank and in another position abuts against the tapered surface of the shank and locks the shank against the remote wall of the shank-receiving socket and holds the base of the shank in rearward position, and screw means accessible at the front of the retainer, acting on the locking element for rocking the locking element around the pivot head of the saddle to bring the flat locking surface into and out of abutting engagement with the tapered surface of the shank.

2. A device of claim 1, 'in which the locking element has two opposed tapered surfaces-against which the screw 'means may react.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,783,541 Hogg et al. Dec. 2, 1930 1,783,654 Kelsey Dec. 2, 1930 1,806,694 Markson May 26, 1931 2,207,359 Shaw July 9, 1940 2,500,420 Koning Mar. 14, 1950 2,713,386 Holtz July 19, 1955