US3063349A

US3063349A - Die and method of making same

Info

Publication number: US3063349A
Application number: US58774A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry L Phillips; Lytton S Fain
Original assignee: Floseal Corp
Current assignee: Floseal Corp
Priority date: 1960-09-27
Filing date: 1960-09-27
Publication date: 1962-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1979-11-13

Description

H. PHILLIPS ET AL 3,063,349

DIE AND METHOD MAKING SAME Nov. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1960 FIG 7 K) J|\ A-k/ 1 Q L Ff FT 1 A J-k i I T I A; I

W J-k ,5 ,8 I

6 II I F |r w I I L [TL I L {/N 6 4 /6 INVENTORS.

HARP) L. PH/LL/PS LYTTON S. FA/N WWW H. L. PHILLIPS ET AL 3,063,349

DIE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Nov. 13, 1962 Filed Sept. 27, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5. HARRY L. PH/LL/PS LYTTON s. FA/N BY W I WX' n TI'ORN/EVS 3,63,349 Patented Nov. 13, 1952 ice This invention is a continuation in part of copending application Serial No. 9,545 filed February 18, 1960, and relates to a die for cutting blanks from sheet material.

' One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a die of the flat bed type in which the rules are adapted to be removed and replaced after the die is locked in the chase and has been used or has been readied for use, without disturbing the positions of the other rules relative to each other and which rules, when so replaced, are frictionally held rigid relative to the other rules and to the case.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a die for cutting and creasing carton blanks from a sheet of cardboard, which die includes steel cutting and creasing rules that are frictionally held in cutting and creasing positions against movement relative to each other irrespective of whether the die is held in a press with the cutting and creasing edges directed upwardly or downwardly, and irrespective of the size of the die or the number of rules, and in which die any of the rules may be removed and replaced by others that will be frictionally held rigid in precisely the same positions as those that were removed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a main die that is made up of a plurality of sub-dies, each including cutting rules, or cutting and creasing rules that are adapted to simultaneously form blanks from a sheet of material, such for example, as cardboard, and which rules may be withdrawn from any one or several of the sub-dies and replaced, without displacing or changing" the positions of, or loosening any of the other rules in any of the sub-dies.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a main die having rules adapted to simultaneously form a plurality of corresponding blanks and which rules are releasably and rigidly held together in a plurality of groups, each group relating to one of the blanks adapted to be formed, and each group being releasably held as a unit relative to the other groups, and which groups releasably support other blank cutting rules between them that are adapted to cut along lines common to adjacent blanks.

An additional object is the provision of a method of making a single die that is adapted to simultaneously form a plurality of blanks that are identical to each other, and in which die predetermined multiples of the rules may be changed as a unit, and also in which die individual rules of any of the said multiples may be replaced without changing the relative positions between the other rules or between the replaced rules and the others.

In explanation of the foregoing, in the carton making industry, as an example, the dies employed for making blanks in which a very high degree of accuracy is required, are flat bed dies, or dies adapted to be used only on flat-bed presses, and each die is adapted to cut and to crease a plurality of carton blanks of corresponding shape and size. The conventional Miehle and Mercury presses are examples of several types of presses using flat bed dies.

Thus, it may be said that each die is a main die made up of a plurality of sub-dies, each sub-die being adapted to cut and to crease a carton blank. One of such main dies may be called a IO-on die where it is adapted to form ten carton blanks. Usually the smaller the size of carton blanks to be cut the greater the number of subdies, and the larger the size of the carton blanks, the smaller the number of sub-dies. The capacity of the press or the number of blanks to be cut may determine the size of the main die. A 10-on die will be referred to hereinafter merely as a definite example of one of such main dies.

The conventional method practiced for many years in making a 10-on die has been to cut wooden pieces, one at a time, to shapes that will support, between adjacent pairs thereof, the rules of the die when the wooden pieces and the rules are locked in a conventional chase. Since there are ten sub-dies in a 10-on die, each of which is intended to cut and to crease a blank that is substantially the same as the other nine blanks, it is obvious that many of the wooden pieces that are cut for the difierent subdies should be of exactly the same size and contour. However, this is not true, since it is not humanly possible for a workman to separately cut pieces that will be identi cal, and when the many sub-dies are placed in a chase in rule supporting positions and the chase is tightened against the pieces to draw them into tight engagement with the rules, the variations in the wooden pieces and in the shapes of the rules that have been separately and individually cut and bent usually makes necessary a long and costly lock-up period. During this period the workmen must use shims and other means to rectify the variations so that the rules will come within certain permissible tolerances. This lock-up period or time may take as long as several days.

In actual practice, some rules in a main die usually require replacement from time to time. In a conventional wooden fixture die, as above described, the chase must be loosened in order to etfect the replacement. Once the chase is loosened, the adjustment originally made to insure the correct cutting and creasing of the blanks is no longer maintained, and the lengthy lock-up time must be repeated. In some instances this time may also extend to a day and more.

Also, heretofore, when a run of blanks has been finished, but there is likelihood of more being ordered within the reasonably near future, the chase including the wooden fixture dies remains locked in order to avoid or reduce the necessity for the costly lock up time. The chase and dies are then stored away, with the result of tying up a fairly costly chase and valuable storage space, to say nothing of the possibility of the rules and wooden blocks being accidently displaced.

With the present invention, the original lock-up time is negligible, normally being substantially less than an hour, and rules may be changed in groups or singly, in substantially the same time without altering the positions of the other rules or their supports, and usually without loosening the chase where only individual rules are replaced. When a run of blanks is completed, the subdies can be quickly removed and stored in a compact space and the chase used for other dies since the lock-up time in replacing the sub-dies and rules is negligible.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a 10-on die in a chase.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of one of the ten subdies of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2.

In detail, in FIG. 1 the rigid chase is generally designated 1, and includes four side members.

Disposed within the chase and on a flat bed is the rectangular 10-011 die, generally designated 2.. Each of the,

ten sub-dies forming the main die 2 is generally designated 3. FIG. 2 shows one of such sub-dies in a bottom plan view.

Between two of the adjacent rigid sides of the rectangular chase 1 are movable rails 4, 5 that are parallel with the sides of the chase adjacent respectively thereto, and the IO-on die is disposed between said rails and the other two rigid adjacent sides of the chase. Conventional quoins 6 disposed between the movable rails 4, 5 and the rigid sides of the chase that are parallel thereto. The quoins are adapted to tighten the rails against the die 2 for rigidly holding the die in the chase and against the two rigid sides of the chase that are at the opposite sides of the die from the rails 4, 5. The chase, which includes the chase mem bers 1, rails 4, 5 and the quoins, is conventional.

The bed on which the chase and die are assembled is not part of the chase, the latter being the open frame between the sides of which the die is locked.

Except for the rules, each sub-die 3 may be substantially a unitary block of an epoxy compound slotted to frictionally, but firmly, hold the rules in their correct positions, substantially as described in said copending application. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the cutting rules are indicated at 7 and the creasing rules at 8.

In forming the sub-die, the cutting and creasing rules are supported along hteir cutting and creasing edges in highly accurate positions, and within a rectangular frame having inner surfaces that are positioned with extreme accuracy at right angles to each other. Certain of the rules are formed with aligned recesses 9 opening outwardly of the base edges thereof that are opposite to their cutting and creasing edges, and tie bars or dowels 10 are disposed in these aligned recesses, some of the tie rods crossing others as indicated in FIG. 2 and others, as at 11, being relatively short. The arrangement is such that the epoxy compound that is to be poured into said frame and at opposite sides of the rules, will be rigidly connected by the tie bars to which the epoxy compound will bond or adhere. This compound will also fiow through the recesses 9' in which the rods 10 are positioned, and were the rods omitted, the compound would fill the recesses 9. Thus it is seen that the compound at opposite sides of the rules is integrally connected irrespective of the rules, but nevertheless reinforcing rods are usually desirable. The rules are coated with a parting wax and therefore they will not adhere to the epoxy compound. Nor will the epoxy compound adhere to the rectangular frame, since it also is coated with a parting wax.

After the compound is poured to substantially the level of the base edges (but preferably slightly below said edges) and is cured, the frame or rails defining the outline of the sub-die may be removed and the epoxy compound and rules will form a sub-die, and the marginal portions of the rules along their working edges will project from the epoxy compound exactly the desired distance. The use of the term working edges refers to the cutting or creasing edges or both.

In this sub-die, any of the rules may be withdrawn by use of a proper instrument such as a rule puller, but they so snugly fit the slots formed in the epoxy compound that they will be rigidly held in place during all cutting and creasing operations in a press independently of any pressure from the chase in which the sub-dies are locked.

FIG. 2 being a bottom plan view of a sub-die, the open ends of the recesses in the rules are indicated. The dowels or tie rods 10 are fully enlosed within the epoxy compound as seen in FIG. 3.

Since the base edges of the rules, which are in full line in FIG. 2, are coplanar, all pressure against the cutting and creasing edges of the rules in a blank forming operation will be transmitted to the bed through the rules. The epoxy compound merely holds the rules rigidly in their accurately arranged positions.

1 In the fabricating of the main die 2, the sub-dies 3 are positioned (in the example shown) in two rows of five each with the rows extending longitudinally of the chase. The group of ten sub-dies are positioned against two of the rigid adjacent sides of the chase, except for a cutting rule 15 that is between one of said adjacent sides and a cutting rule 16 that is against the other side of said adjacent sides. Opposed to and parallel with rule 15 is a second rule 15 disposed between the side chase rail 5 and the group of sub-dies, while a second rule 16 that is opposed to and parallel with the rule 16, already described, is between the end chase rail 4 and the group of sub-dies.

The quoins 6 between the side chase rail 5 and the main chase side 1, and between end chase rail 4 and said chase end function to hold the sub-dies and the

rules

15, 16, 17 and 18 tightly together, but no pressure from the operation of the quoins is transmitted to the rules 7, 8 within the sub-dies.

Each of the sub-dies is in a position corresponding to that of the others, and since the sub-dies are exactly rectangular and of exactly the same size, it will be apparent that when the chase is locked around the sub-dies, the

rules

15, 16, 17 and 18 are the only rules that receive any pressure from the locking operation, and rules 15, 16 are frictionally held between the chase and the sub-dies, while

rules

17, 18 are frictionally held between the sub-dies.

The sub-dies cannot possibly be misaligned nor can the rules in the sub-dies or the cutting rules 15-18 be misaligned during the locking of the chase and thereafter. Thus the heretofore existing problem of adjusting the rules during the lock-up step has been eliminated.

Any of the rules 7, 8 may be withdrawn and replaced without altering the positions of the other rules and without loosening the chase, since the body of the die is not in separate movable pieces as in the case of the wooden fixture dies. The replaced rules are frictionally, but rigidly, held in exactly the same positions of the rules that were replaced. This frictional fit is such that a die may be successfully re-ruled an infinite number of times, and after many millions of cartonblanks have been cut by a die it has been impossible to discover any variation between the first and last of such blanks.

There are instances in which it may be found desirable to replace one or more of the sub-dies as a unit. This can be readily accomplished by loosening the chase and replacing one or more entire sub-dies without disturbing the positions of the other sub-dies and rules. After the sub-die or sub-dies are replaced and the chase is locked, the rules will be in their exact desired positions.

As pointed out in said copending application, the accuracy of the outlines of the plastic bodies of the subdies is essential to the foregoing results, and in said application, one method of making all of the sub-dies exactly alike is described in detail.

It should be noted here that the cutting rules 1518 do not necessarily form the contours or outlines of the finished blanks, although in the particular sub-dies illustrated, the rules 17 form two edges of each blank that are common to adjacent pairs of the blanks at opposite sides of said rule. The cutting rules 7 form the outlines of the other two edges of each blank and the material between rules 7 and rules 17 may be stripped from the blanks, although the rules 17 define the maximum width.

From the foregoing explanation and drawings, it is seen that the working edges of the rules, i.e., the cutting and creasing edges, are parallel to the base edges. The flat sides of the rules will be perpendicular to the flat bed on which the base edges will be positioned. The outer edges or sides of each sub-die is exactly at right angles to the bed that supports the rules, and they are exactly at right angles to each other. Each sub-die, being formed from a mold as described in said copending application, is exactly of the same size as the others. The recesses in the rules in which the tie rods are received open outwardly of the base edges of the rules, hence each rule can be withdrawn from the working side of the sub-die and a correspondingly recessed rule may be substituted for the rule that has been withdrawn. No screws, clamps, or auxiliary means is required to firmly but releasably hold the rules in the sub-dies, whether the working edges are directed upwardly or downwardly.

The epoxy compound of each sub-die is unaffected by humidity or changes in temperature Within the range of temperatures encountered in actual working conditions.

1 Hence there is no popping of dies, such as occurs in the case of wooden fixture dies at relatively high atmospheric temperatures and relatively high humidity.

The epoxy compound used is of approximately the weight of the plywood used in the conventional wooden fixture dies, hence large sub-dies may be used in a commercial operation free from objectionable weight.

Each sub-die may be described as being a rectangular block or slab of plastic material having slots cast therein conforming to the linear contours of the working edges of the rules for forming a blank, and which slots have a uniform width equal to the thickness of the rules whereby the rules are frictionally held thereon rigid relative to each other. The widths of the slots is such that the rules are tightly held in the slots.

The block or slab itself is of substantially uniform thickness that is equal to the major height of the rules, and steel rules are rigidly but releasably held in said slots with their working edges spaced from one side of said slab and with said base edges free from obstruction for seating along their entire lengths on the planar surface of a flat supporting bed.

Each block or slab is formed of smaller blocks spaced from each other by the slots and substantially integrally held together at spaced points by bridges or ties between the blocks extending across the slots. In some instances some of the outside blocks in a slab may not necessarily be tied to the others by rods, particularly where an intricate arrangement of rules may exist, but this does not alter the fact that each sub-die is substantially a unit adapted to be handled as such.

' The method of forming the main die may be said to comprise the steps of releasably holding a plurality of rigid rule carrying supports together by variable pressure applied thereto and frictionally holding separate blank forming rules between said supports by said pressure and frictionally and releasably holding corresponding groups of blank forming rules in said supports, respectively, free from said pressure and free for independent removal of the rules in each group from others in the same group without in any manner altering the degree of pressure applied to said supports and to said separate blank forming rules.

The variable pressure mentioned comes from driving the quoins in the lock-up procedure, while a constant frictional resistance is maintained between the sides of the rules and the sides of the slots in each slab. The rules between the supports are obviously subject to the pressure from the quoins as is applied to the supports.

Earlier note has been made that the lock-up time having been reduced from hours and sometimes days to a matter of minutes, there is no necessity in the present instance for retaining the main die 2 in a chase in order to save the lock-up time. Previously, many valuable chases, representing a considerable investment, had been stored with the sub-dies locked therein, because of the fact that any loosening of the chase would result in loosening all the rules and wooden fixtures so that reassembly and readjusting of the dies would not be necessary. How ever, with the present invention the sub-dies can be removed and stored without altering the positions of the rules therein. The

straight rules

15, 16, 17 and 18 need no time for adjustment when replaced after removal, and the sub-dies can be repositioned in a chase in association with said rules -18 without the slightest adjustment being necessary.

It is to be understood that the claims appended hereto 6. are intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purposes of disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A die for forming a plurality of blanks from sheet material comprising: a plurality of separate corresponding groups of blank forming rules each group having working edges for engaging such sheet material and exposed coplanar base edges opposite to said working edges for engagement wtih a common planar bed, separate rigid, unitary rule holding means frictionally but releasably holding the rules in each group together for removal of each group as a unit from the other groups, and a chase enclosing said rule supporting means actuatable for transmitting pressure to said rule supporting means for frictiona-lly holding said rule supporting means stationary .relative to each other within said chase, said rule supporting means each including rigid means thereon extending through the rules of the group frictionally held therein between the base and working edges of the rules of such group for transmitting said pressure across each of said rule supporting means independently of the rules of said groups whereby said rules may be withdrawn from said rule supporting means for replacement thereof while said rule supporting means are frictionally held in said chase by pressure from said chase, separate blank form'- ing rules between said rule supporting means spacing and separating said rule supporting means from each other thereby enabling removal of any of said rule supporting means including the group of rules held therein from the others of said rule supporting means free from direct frictional engagement with the rule supporting means adjacent thereto, said separate blank forming rules being frictionally held between said rule supporting means by pressure from said chase upon the latter being actuated to hold said rule supporting means in said chase.

2. A die for forming a plurality of blanks from sheet material comprising: a plurality of separate corresponding groups of blank forming rules each group having Working edges for engaging such sheet material and exposed coplanar base edges opposite to said working edges for engagement with a common planar bed, separate rigid, unitary rule holding means frictionally but releasably holding the rules in each group together for removal of each group as a unit from the other groups, and a chase enclosing said rule supporting means actuatable for trans mitting pressure to said rule supporting means for frictionally holding said rule supporting means stationary relative to each other within said chase, said rule sup-. porting means each including rigid means thereon extending through the rules of the group frictionally held therein between the base and working edges of the rules of such group for transmitting said pressure across each of said rule supporting means independently of the rules of said groups whereby said rules may be withdrawn from said rule supporting means for replacement thereof while said rule supporting means are frictionally held in said chase by pressure from said chase, separate blank forming rules between said rule supporting means spacing and separating said rule supporting means from each other thereby enabling removal of any of said rule supporting means including the group of rules held therein from the others of said rule supporting means free from direct frictional engagement with the rule supporting means adjacent thereto, said separate blank forming rules being frictionally held between said rule supporting means by pressure from said chase upon the latter being actuated to lock said rule supporting means in said chase, and other blank forming rules between said chase and said rule supporting means frictionally held by pressure from said chase against the rule supporting means that are next to said chase upon said chase being actuated to hold said rule supporting means in said chase.

3. A die for forming a plurality of blanks from sheet 7 material comprising: a plurality of separate corresponding groups of blank forming rules each group having working edges for engaging such sheet material and coplanar base edges opposite to said working edges for engagement with a common bed, separate rigid, unitary rule holding means frictionally but releasably holding the rules in each group together for removal of each group as a unit, and a rectangular chase having four sides enclosing said rule supporting means actuatable for transmitting pressure along lines at right angles to each other and to the sides of said chase across the latter to said rule supporting means for frictionally locking them within said chase, said rule supporting means each including rigid means thereon for transmitting said pressure across each of said rule supporting means independently of the rules of the group frictionally held therein whereby any of the said rules of each group may be withdrawn from any of said rule supporting means for replacement thereof while said rule supporting means are locked in said chase, said rule supporting means being rigid rectangular slabs of plastic material formed with slots therein, and the rules of said groups being disposed within said slots in frictional engagement with the sides thereof with their said working edges and said base edges projecting from opposite sides of said slabs, said rigid means on said supporting means respectively, being wholly within each slab of plastic material and said rigid means on the separate rule supporting means being aligned with each other on lines extending across said chase perpendicular to the sides of said chase.

4. A die for forming a plurality of blanks from sheet material comprising: a plurality of separate corresponding groups of blank forming rules each group having working edges for engaging such sheet material and coplanar base edges opposite to said working edges for engagement against a common bed, separate rigid, unitary rule holding means frictionally but releasably holding the rules in each group together for removal of each group as a unit, and a rectangular chase having four sides enclosing said rule supporting means actuatable for transmitting pressure along lines at right angles to each other and to the sides of said chase across the latter to said rule supporting means for frictionally locking them within said chase, said rule supporting means each including rigid means thereon for transmitting said pressure across each of said rule supporting means independently of the rules of the group frictionally held therein whereby any of the said rules of each group may be withdrawn from any of said rule supporting means for replacement thereof while said rule supporting means are locked in said chase, separate blank forming rules between said rule supporting means spacing and separating said rule supporting means from each other thereby enabling removal of any of said rule supporting means including the group of rules held therein from the others of said rule supporting means free from engagement with the rule supporting means adjacent thereto, said blank forming rules being, frictionally held between said rule supporting means by pressure from said chase upon the latter being actuated to lock said rule supporting means in said chase, and other blank forming rules between said chase and said rule supporting means frictionally held by pressure from said chase upon said chase being actuated to lock said rule supporting means in said chase, said rigid means being tie elements extending across said recesses and said rules being formed with slots opening outwardly of said base edges of said rules through which last mentioned slots said elements extend, said rigid means on said supporting means respectively, being wholly within each slab of plastic material and said rigid means on the separate rule supporting means being aligned with each other on lines extending across said chase perpendicular to the sides of said chase, said rigid means respectively being wholly disposed within each of said rule supporting means and the said rigid means within the rule supporting means enclosed by said chase being aligned with each other along lines extending perpendicular to said sides of said chase.

5. The method of fabricating a multiple blank forming die that includes the steps of: frictionally holding a plurality of blank cutting rules together between a plurality of separate rule carrying supports by pressure applied against said supports toward said cutting rules, frictionally holding corresponding separate groups of blank forming rules in said supports, respectively, at a substantially uniform degree of frictional resistance against removal of the rules in said groups from said supports, independently of said pressure, whereby the rules of each of said groups may be separately withdrawn from said supports and replaced while said supports and said blank cutting rules are held together by said pressure and whereby each of said supports and the group of rules frictionally held therein may be removed as a unit from said cutting rules for replacement upon release of said pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,191 Toland Oct. 20, 1942