US2933966A - Hydraulically operated work disposing table - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1960 R. F. DEHN 2,933,966

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED WORK DISPOSING TABLE Filed March 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. For E DEHN BY April 26, 1960 R. F. DEHN HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED WORK DISPOSING TABLE Filed March 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR Roy F. DEH/v v April 26, 1960 R. F. DEHN 2,933,956

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED WORK DISPOSING TABLE I Filed March 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /06 v I 95 I03 me I L l l mmmlmnlmnm A4 vhlnummflu ($2 IffViINTOR.

Ray OEHN ATMNeYS April 26, 1960 R. F. DEHN 2,933,965

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED WORK DISPOSING TABLE Filed March 29, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR. For E OEHN Arm/vs s United States Patent HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED WORK DISPOS- ING TABLE Roy F. Dehn, Wickiilfe, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Crane 8: Engineering Company, Wicklifie, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 29, 1957, Serial No. 649,555 2 Claims. (Cl. 83-373) The present invention relates'to a sheet cutting apparatus and, more particularly, to a shear press having a table for supporting a section of the sheet material.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved shear press having a movable knife, a gauge member displaced to one side of the knife and against which the length of material to be severed is measured, and a table for supporting the material extending from the knife to the gauge member to facilitate the accurate gauging and shearing of sheet material to be severed into sections, particularly sheet material sufliciently thin as to bend or flex if not supported substantially throughout its length, the shear being so constructed and arranged that the table is moved with the knife, when a severing operation occurs, to prevent un-. due distortion of sheet material from a gauging position to a position where the severed material thereon is dischargeable past the gauge member and is maintained in this position for a length of time suflicient to permit the severed material to be discharged past the gauge member.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved shear press having a fixed knife and a cooperating movable knife displaced to one side of the fixed knife, a table for supporting sheet material on the one side of the fixed knife, and fluid pressure responsive means for holding the table in a position for supporting material level with the fixed knife and for moving the table, upon actuation of the movable knife, to a deflected position to prevent undue distortion of the sheet material.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved shear press having a movable,

knife actuatable to perform a severing operation, a table for supporting material extending to one side of the knife,

and a gauge member adjacent the top of the table against which the extending material is abutted to gauge the length of material to be severed, the press being so constructed and arranged that the portion of the table supporting the material during the gauging operation is movable and is normally held in a gauging position and upon actuation of the severing mechanism is moved to a position where the severed material thereon is dischargeable past the gauge member and is returned to gauging position after a predetermined time, the movements of the table being controlled by fluid pressure actuated mechanism and the table preferably including power driven rollers actuated when a severing operation occurs to discharge the severed material past the gauge member and from the table.

The invention resides in certain constructions, combinations and arrangement of parts and further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of'a shear press embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the press of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view taken approximately along line 33 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 55.of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a simplified electrical diagram showing a portion of the control circuit for the press.

While the present invention is susceptible of various modifications and constructions and of uses with various types of sheet cutting apparatus, it is herein shown and embodied in a shear press of the type shown in Patent 2,759,582 to Roy F. Dehn. Since the shear shown herein is similar to the shear shown and described in the aforesaid patent, only those parts of-the shear which are necessary to a complete understanding of the present invention are herein shown and described in detail and reference is made to the aforesaid patent for a complete showing and description of the other parts of the shear.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character A designates a frame comprising stress-resisting, plate-like end members or side housings 10, 11 having aligned openings 12, in their front edges, a crown 14, and a bed comprising plate-like members 15, 1 6, 17, the latter of which forms a scrap chute. The vertical plate-like member 15 is located immediately to the rear of and welded to the horizontal plate-like member 16, which member in addition to reinforcing the upper edge of the member 5, forms a support or work table for the work. The upper member or crown 14 is generally box-shaped in cross section and has its oppositeends welded to the side housings 10, 11 adjacent to their front upper edges. Web members 20, 21, 22 welded to the interior of the member 14 reinforce the same and the lower ends of the members 20, 21 which extend below the rear side of the member 14 form supports for suitable bearings within which a crankshaft 23 is rotatably supported.

The shearing operation is performed by a stationary shearing knife 24 located in a cut-out portion at the upper rear corner of the bed and a movable shearing knife 25 connected to the lower front edge of a movable ram or blade, designated generally by the reference character B. The movable ram or upper blade B which extends substantially from one side of the housing to the other is of built-up construction and comprises a longitudinally extending front plate 26 welded to the front ends of rearwardly extending end members 27, 28, the rear ends of which are rotatably connected to short, shaft- like members 30, 31 rotatably supported in suitable apertures in the side housings 10, 11 respectively, for rotation about an axis eccentric to the axis about which the end members 27, 28 are rotatable. The axis about which the ram or blade B is pivoted is preferably slightly above the plane of the work supporting surface of the bed.

In addition to the front plate 26 and the end members or plates 27, 28, the upper blade or ram B comprises a plate 32 extending between and welded to the end members 27, 28 and a bottom plate 33 having an upwardly extending rear flange 34. The front edge of the bottom plate 33 abuts against and is welded to the rear side of the plate 32 adjacent to the lower edge thereof and the ends of the bottom plate are welded to the end members- 3 of the plate 26 is inclined lengthwise so that the knives will effect a true shearing action.

The front end of the ram or movable blade B is supported and the entire blade assembly is adapted to be oscillated aboutthe shafts 30, 31 by pitrnans 46, v47,

the upper ends of which are operatively connected to eccentrics on the crankshaft 23. "The lower ends of the pitmans are connected to short shafts fixed in opposite ends 'of the bladeB. The rotation of the crankshaft 23""is effected and controlled to reciprocate the fa n' or blade B in one' or more complete shearing strokes by an electric motor'48 adjustably secured to the back of the crown 14 and'operatively'connected to "the crankshaft by means including a clutch which is controlled in 'syn chronism with a brake mechanism in such a. manner, as will be presently described, that when the operating pedal of an electric control switch 51 isdepressed arid immediately released, the crankshaft makes one. complete revolution but will continue to rotate as long as the pedal.

is depressed. As shown, the weight of the movable blade Biscounterbalanced by adjustable compression.sprihgs,' 'one at either end of the ram, located within tubular hous-' ings 52, 53 fixed to the crown member 14.

The shears shown lower edge of a hold-down plate 55 suspended from the forward arms of bell crank levers 56,0nly one of which. appears in the drawings, the rear arms of which levers are provided with rollers adapted to engage cams on the crankshaft 23. The levers 56 are continuously: urgedlin' a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, to engage the rollers thereon with the camson the crankshaft by suit able compression springs 58"interposed ther'ebetween and the top of the crown member 14.

, V motor 43 is connected by ajv flexible drive jconnection'desig'nated generally as 61 to" a grooved pulleyor flywheel 63 rotatably supported on a shaft 64, which shaft is in turn rotatably supported in The rotor shaft ofth motor 48, is journalled'onshaft 64 by'anti riction beaij ings 69 which provide free relative rotatijc'qri between: the

flywheel and shaft, and the flywheel is adapted to be] connected and disconnected with the shaft 64 from which the crankshaft 23 is rotated and the movable blade l3 oscillated by a power. friction disk clutch designated generally by the reference character 70.

The clutch'70 is a spring released, fluid pressureactuated clutch with the pressure fluid being supplied thereto through a conduit 71 connected to a bore in the shaft 64 which'leads to a piston member actuated to engage the clutch when fluid pressure is. supplied thereto. The pressure fluid supplied through the conduit 71 also actuates a brake mechanism-72 for holding the shaft 64 against rotation to a released position. The brake mechanism 72 is located on the shaft 64 outwardly' of the end member and is spring 'biased to an engaged po "-f tion to prevent rotation: of the shaft andjis'actuate'c'l to also include a plurality of splingloaded, hold-down devices 54 detachably bolted to the.

assesses to theclutch and brake mechanism untilthe switch 75 V is opened. The switch 75 is opened once during each revolution of the crankshaft 23 and therefore theclutch will be disengaged and the brake engaged after the crankshaft has made one complete revolution unless the pedal is maintained depressed. The control circuit'will bedescribed in more detail hereinafter. The material to be severedis fed between the knives 24, and the portion of the material in front of the knives is supported on the member 16 of the press bed while the portion extending rearwardly. of the knives and between the'end plates 10, 11 is supported by a tabie 77. The table 77 is disposed between the'end members 10, 11 and extendsfrom a point adjacent the movable knives 25 to the rear of the press, the top of the table being disposed at the level of the bed member 16.

,LA gauge mechanism C for gauging the section of material to be severed is carried by the flange 34 of the plate 7 .33 of the. ram and is disposed immediately above the table 77. The gauge mechanism includes a gauge mem ber 81 extending parallel to the knife and is'adjustable toward and away from the knives 24, 25 by the operation of a'hand crank 82 fixed to one end of a shaft 83 supported a: disengaged position to allow rotationof shaftj64iand, in turn, the rotation of crankshaft '23, when pressure fluid is supplied through, the conduit. 71.- 'The' supply of fluid pressure is'under the control of the operating, pedal 50 of the electric control switch 51, and when the pedal is depressed, pressure fluid is supplied, to the brake and clutch mechanism to respectively'releaseahd 51 E585? the mechanisms. when the pedal is depressed'and re leased, a circuit is completed through a man; switch to operate a solenoid valve 76 to supply pressure by the ram B and extending transversely of .the press. The shaft 83 is operatively connected to a pair of parallel'le ad screws 84, see Fig. 5, to rotate the latter upon rotation offthe shaft 83 by the handcrank. The lead Screws 8 e te d pe pendi ul r y to the kn ves, 24, 2S l'd' rot t e of c us th m v ent of. carri ge. 131901.635 wh c upp r h gauge membe .1-. The carriage blocks move toward or t' r rd ends o he s af .2 for ngular move;

rrient with respect thereto and at their rearward. ends by.

the. same as that shownfand described in, Doha Patent. 2,520,495 and reference is made thereto} for those de,-.

tails of construction' and operation not shown or described herein. Suffice it to say that'the gauge member .1 d s a l qw td. and aw yj romy he kniv s ,.v

5 de ermin the en h of. the. evrd. s :.tion, the. 1

er a tcfheis s eing, e fr m he. b m mber. Pit and b een. i i ss' 2. 5.: an against he gaugemember 81 prior to the severing stroke. The

b e supno s th c pns matsr alfb w enthe stationaijy knife 24 and the gauge 81 and facilitates the.

gauging of material which would inorrnally flex or bend undet'j its own weight. The table 77 is comprised of aplurality of transverse rollers 9ll supported between spaced side plates 91, 92. The upper peripheries of the rollers define a horizontal tablejjsurface at the level of the upper edge of "the station. ary knife 24 and eachof the rollers is;pro.vided with. a shaft 93'which. is journalled at its opposite endsin the side plates 91, 92 and which extends "outwardly of the side plate"91.- The outer end of each of the shafts 93v has asprocket 3'4. fixed thereto, the sprockets 9.4 meshing with a drivech'ain 9S'driven in a, manner described; hereinafter. Theside plates191;QZaresupportedfat theirends rea rnovable standthat comprises spaced vertical plates97,

98 which support the shaft 96 and which aredisposed outwardly of thesideplates. 91, 92 respectivelyand are ;a :fluid coupling mounted'on a base' 'plate 100 Thebasc plate, 10 is,

nd supports. a motor lol'for. driv mounted on, wheels a 101: has, its. ro o output shaft 103 operatlvely connected by a belt: drive 105'. to drive asleeve 106, rotata V away from the knives, and are guided in the r movement by slides 86 supportedv bly supported. 0. t e; shaft. 96

.the movable ram B jacent the knife 24 to deflect the same as the blade moves a outwardly of the vertical plate 97. The sleeve 106, in turn, is connected by a belt drive 108 to drive the shaft 93 of the end roller 90 adjacent the shaft 96. The described drive to the rollers 90 permits the rollers and the side plates 91, 92 to be moved about the axis of shaft 96 without interfering with the drive to the chain 95 since the sleeve 106 which functions as the driven member of the belt drive 108 also rotates about the axis of shaft 96.

The rollers 99 are normally held in a gauging position where the tops thereof define a table level with the knife 24 by a fluid pressure cylinder element 110 having a cylinder chamber member 111 pivotally connected to a lug 112 on the base plate 163 and a piston rod 113 pivotally connected at its outer end to the movable table. The cylinder element 110 isof the double acting type and has a conduit 115 for communicating with the cylinder chamber on one side of the piston, the upper side thereof as the cylinder is viewed in Fig. 3, and a conduit 116 communicating with the cylinder chamber on the other side of the piston. When pressure fluid is supplied to the cylinder through conduit 116 and the conduit 115 connected to drain, the piston therein moves upwardly to raise the table to its position for supporting material being gauged against the gauge member 81 and when the conduit 116 is connected to drain the end of the table adjacent the knife 24 will drop and the table will angularly move around the axis of shaft 96. The dropping of the table may be effected by the weight thereof but preferably fluid pressure is supplied through the conduit 115. In addition to fluid pressure and the weight of the table,

may engage the end of the table addownwardly.

The deflecting position of the table is shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 3 and the table is in one mode of operation of the illustrated machine, maintained in this position, after a severing operation has occurred a period of time sufficient to permit the section of severed material thereon to move past the auge member 81.

The connection of the cylinder 110 to the source of pressure fluid and to drain and the energization of motor 161 to rotate the rollers 99 are effected in a predetermined relationship to the movement of the knife 25 through its shearing structure.

The operation of the table 77 is under the control of the pedal 59 and a selector switch 120 located on the machine in an accessible spot and shown on the circuit diagram of Fig. 6. The selector switch 128 is, in the illustrated machine, a four-position switch having the following position: Off, Automatic Discharge, Trim and Return Feed, designated respectively by the reference charcters O, D, E, and F. When the selector switch is in the Automatic Discharge D position, depression of the pedal 54) will cause the movable knife 25 to be actuated through a single stroke and simultaneously with the actuation of the knife, fluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder chamber member 111 through the conduit 115 and the conduit 116 is connected to drain, causing the cylinder element to operate to drop the table 77 to its discharge position. The circuit for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder element 113 includes a time delay relay shown in the circuit diagram of Fig. 6 which functions to maintain the table 77 in a depressed position for a predetermined length-of time after its de-energization to enable the rollers 7t) to discharge the severed section of material thereon past the gauge member 81. After this period of time, fluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder element 11% through the conduit 116 to cause the table to return to its horizontal gauging position where it is level with the bed member 116. Interlocking means is preferably provided to prevent a subsequent actuation of the shear prior to the return of the table 77.

When the selector switch is set in its Trim position E, depression of the pedal 59 will actuate the movable blade 25 through a single stroke, simultaneously drop the table and start the rollers 98, and return the table immediately upon the completion of the severing stroke. In the Return Feed position F of the selector switch, the table is dropped with each shearing stroke and immediately returned and the power driven rollers are operable in a reverse direction to move material thereon toward the knives 24, 25 when the table is in its horizontal position by the actuation of a switch 123. With the selector in its F position and with the back gauge disposed in a rearward position and lifted, material may be fed by power from the back of the press against a front stop.

A simplified control circuit for the shear is shown in Fig. 5 and the pedal operated switch 51, the limit switch 75, the selector switch 120, and the roller reversing switch 123 are shown schematically therein. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that when the selector switch 120 is in its automatic discharge position D, the actuation of the foot pedal switch 51 completes a circuit to energize a relay FF having normally open contacts FPl, FP2, FP3, FP4.

The contacts Fll complete a holding circuit through the limit switch 75 to maintain the relay FP energized until the limit switch 75 is opened upon the completion of a single revolution of the crankshaft in response to the actuation of the switch 51. The contacts FPZ, FP3, FP4,

of the relay PP are respectively in circuit for energizing relays AD, T, and LG, and when closed complete a circuit to the respective relay provided the selector switch 120 is set in a position conditioning the relay for energization. Assuming that the selector switchis set in its,

Automatic Discharge position, the actuation of relay FP energizes the AD relay to close its normally open contacts ADl, AD2. The contacts AD1 complete a circuit for energizing the solenoid valve 76 for supplying pressure fluid to engage the clutch mechanism of the press.

and maintains the supply of pressure fluid as long as the relay AD is energized. The closing of the contacts AD2 upon actuation of the relay AD completes a circuit for energizing a relay TD which picks up immediately upon energization but which drops out only after a predetermined time after de-energization. The relay TD has normally open contacts TDl, TDZ, which are closed when the relay is actuated, and which respectively complete circuits for causing the operation of the table 77 and of the rollers 9% in a forward direction. The contacts TD1 are in series with a solenoid valve 125 for controlling the supply of air to the cylinder element and when the latter is energized fluid pressure is supplied to the element through conduit and the conduit 116 connected to drain While, when the solenoid valve is tie-energized, the connections are reversed. The solenoid valve may be one of any of the commercially available valves which will operate in the manner described and therefore is not herein shown or described in detail. The contacts TD2 of the relay TD are in series with and complete a circuit upon their closing for energizing a motor control relay 126 which effects operation of the motor 191 in a forward direction.

From the circuit as thus far described, it may be seen that when the selector switch is in its Automatic Discharge position D and the foot pedal switch 51 actuated, the movable blade 25 is actuated through a severing stroke, the motor 161 is started and rotates the rollers 9b in a forward direction to discharge severed material, and the table 77 is dropped to a discharge position and returned with a predetermined time delay. It will be noted that a holding circuit is completed as soon as the crankshaft moves sufliciently to actuate the limit switch 75 to a closed position and at this time the foot pedal switch 51 can be released. Upon release of the foot pedal switch 51 the operation of the shear is under the control of the limit switch 75 and when the latter is sub sequently again opened the crankshaft is disconnected from the movable blade and the relay TD is de-energized and opens after a predetermined time delay to break the circuits for energizing the forward relay 126 for the motor 101-and the solenoid valve for supplying pressure fluid to the eylinder element 111 through the conduit 115. The.

time'd'ela'y in the operation of the relay ID is such that the rollers 90 will have sufficient time to cause the discharge ofsevered material-thereon p'astthe'gauge member :81 before the table 77 is returned to it's horizontal ing circuit for the relay FF is broken the solenoid valve for the table 77 and the solenoid for the shear will be immediately moved to the de-energizedposition to stop the crankshaft rotation after one revolution and to return the'table77 to its horizontal gaugingposition. I

When the selector switch .121); is'in its Return Feed position F, the closing of relay FP in response'to actuation of the pedal switch 51 causes closing of the normally open contacts LGl energizes the solenoid valve 76 for actuating the shear, and the closing of the contacts L62 causes the energization of the solenoid valve 125 to. drop the table. When the selector switch is in its Return Feed position, the circuit is arranged so that the rollers 90 may be operated in arev'erse direction whenever the table 77 is in its horizontal gauging position. The control for actuating the motor 101 in its reverse direction includes a reverse relay 130 and a circuit for energizing the latter, including a table energization of relay LG. having normally, open contacts L61, L62 and LG3. The

' gauge member.

the shear may be selectively operated as a back feedwhere the material thereon may be discharged past the The table is maintained in the discharge position for a sufiicient length of time to permit the material to be-discharged and is then returned to a gauging position where, in-the illustrated embodimennit is on a level with the bedof the shear. The 'con'trol circuit for the illustrated shear is so arranged that the shear cannot be actuated, when" the circuit is conditioned for operation in an automatic manner, until the table has been returned. Furthermore, the circuit is so arranged-that shear orto the trim severed sheets;

While the preferred form of described in considerable detail, it'will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the jconstructions shown or the uses referred to and it is my intention to cover hereby .all adaptations, modifications, and changes which I come within the practice of those skilled in the art to limit switch 131 which is closed when the table-is in its a horizontal gauging position, the push button switch 123 and the normally open contacts L63, connected in series.

It can be seen from the circuit that if the'relay LG is energized to close the contacts LG3 and the 'table77' is ina horizontal position wherein the limit switch 131 is closed, the switch 123 may be actuated to energize the motor 161 to operate the rollers in a reverse direc-' tion.

Preferably the control circuit is arranged in such a manner that the movable knife cannot be actuated a second time, when the selector switch is in its Automatic Discharge position, until the table 77 is returned. To this end, the relay TD is provided with normally closed contacts TDS which are connected in series with the pedal switch 51. The contacts TDS render the switch 51 ineffective as long as the TD relay is in an actuated position.

It is also to be noted that the table 77 extends to a point where it is in the path of the blade B and that it is necessary to deflect the table to permit the severing operation, regardless of whether or not the severed material is to be discharged past the gauge member 81.

It can now be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved shear press which is extremely flexible and which includes a table for. supporting material extending between the knives of the shear on one hand and a gauge member on the other,'and which supports the material being gauged'to prevent theflexing thereof. The table is so constructed and arranged that when the shear is actuated to sever the gauged-section of material, the table is moved with the movable knife to support the material during the cut and is dropped to a discharge position which the invention rel'ates an'd the scope of the appended claims.

' Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim:

1. In a shear'press having a fixed knife and a cooperating movable knife displaced to one side of said fixed knife, power means for actuating said movable knife through a shearing stroke to sever sheet material, a material supporting table at said one side of said fixed knife, said table having one end disposed adjacent to said knives, pivot means for supporting the end of said table a remote from the fixed knifefor angularmovement about an axis generally parallel with thejfixed knife, means for normally maintaining said one end of saidptable' substantially level with said fixed knife to support the material,

and means operable to control said power means to effect a shearing stroke and for automatically controlling the last named means to cause said "oneend of said table to drop below said fixedknife to permitcompletion of t the shearing strokewith a minimum distortion of said material. f 7 7 2. In a shear press having a fixed knife and a cooperating movable knife displaced to one side of said fixed knife and connected to a ram or blade member oscillatable about an axis generally parallel with the length of the fixed knife and displaced to said one sided said fixed knife, power means for actuating said movable knife through a shearing stroke to sever sheet material,

a gauge member disposed to said one side of said stationary knife and against which the material to be severed may be abutted to determine the length of the section severed upon actuation of said movable knife, a material supporting table at said one side of said fixed knife, said table having one end disposed adjacent to said knives, pivot means for supporting the end of said table remote from said fixed knife for angular movement about an axis generally parallel with said fixed knife, means for normally maintaining said one end of said table substantially level with said fixed knife to support the material, and means operable to control said power means to effect a shearing stroke and for automatically controlling the last named means to cause said one end of said table to drop below said fixed knife to permit completion of the shearing stroke'with a minimum distortion of said material.

v 471,324 Naylor Mar. 29, 1892 the invention has been

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