US3656390A

US3656390A - Locating table

Info

Publication number: US3656390A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter C Hochstatter
Original assignee: Roper Whitney Inc
Current assignee: Roper Whitney Co
Priority date: 1970-10-12
Filing date: 1970-10-12
Publication date: 1972-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-18

Abstract

A punch press is provided with a locating table having a back gage with a plurality of drop stops mounted thereon. The back gage is adjustably mounted on the table by an endless cable arrangement which is clamped to opposite ends of the back gage. A handle is secured to the cable at the front of the table and carries a detent which selectively engages a plurality of adjustable stops. The back gage is repositioned by raising the detent and moving the handle and detent into engagement with another stop.

Description

United States Patent Hochstatter [54] LOCATING TABLE I [72] Inventor: Peter C. Hochstatter, Rockford, Ill. [73] Assignee: Roper Whitney, Inc., Rockford, Ill. 22 Filed: on. 12, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 79,749

[52] U.S. Cl .;.83/468, 2l4/l.6, 269/59 [51] Int. Cl [58] Field of Search ..83/467, 468, 207, 276, 391,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS.

414,770 11/1889 Hanika ..269/59X 2,176,512 10/1939 Schwarcz.... ..214/1.6X

2,628,680 2/1953 Seybold ..83/437X [15] 3,656,390 451 Apr. 18,1972

2,673,611 3/1954 Seybold ..83/437 3,187,613 6/1965 Behling ..83/437 X 3,225,636 12/1965 Schott ..2l4/l.6 X

Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney-McCanna, Morsbach, Pillote & Muir 57] ABSTRACT A punch press'is provided with a locating table having a back gage with a plurality of drop stops mounted thereon. The back gage is adjustably mounted on the table by an endless cable arrangement which is clamped to opposite ends of the back gage. A handle is secured to the cable at the front of the table and carries a detent which selectively engages a plurality of adjustable stops. The back gage is repositioned by raising the detent and moving the handle and detent into engagement with another stop.

15 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Em? AVAILABLE C'QPY PATENTEmPn 18 I972 6 56, 3 9 0 sum 2 [IF 3 WZM Pa W M 7 71PM 771 d l Evil-LIABLE COPY PATENTEDAPR 18 m2 SHEETS CF 3 BACKGROUND The invention pertains to machines having a locating table including a movable gage which operates as a workstop abutment.

Locating tables having a movable back gage with drop stops thereon are well known. Accurately positioning and repositioning the back gage has been a problem in the art. U.S. Pat.

, No. 1,099,174 issued June 9,. 1914 to Gray, Jr. discloses a fine adjustment. Another mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No.

2,673,61 l issued Mar. 30, 1954 to Seybold in which the back gage is driven by a hydraulic system- A follower system is provided to indicate the position of the back gage. These latter two patents have rather complex driving arrangements. However, positioning the back gage to preselected positions is not easily accomplished.

SUMMARY The present invention relates to an improved locating table for use on a machine and more particularly to a locating table having a movable gage and means for repositioning the gage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a'locating table with a movable gage which is easily and accurately repositioned.

Another object is to provide a new locating table in which preselected positions of a gage may be arranged so that repeat operations can be performed.

Still another object is to provide a locating table with a gage which is movable from the front of the table.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a locating table with a movable gage the position of which is determined by a series of adjustable stops.

These, and other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become apparent as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ing table mounted thereon; 7

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the locating table;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the locating table;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the locating table as seen from the left of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 ofFIG. 5.

punch press having alocat- DESCRIPTION Reference is.now-made more particularly to the drawings which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a punch press, generally designated 10, mounted on a frame 11 which carries a locating table, generally designated 12. The punch press includes a punch 14 which is reciprocally operated by a motor 15 through suitable gearing enclosed in housing 16. The operation is conveniently under the control of a foot switch 17 which is wired to the motor by wires 18 and 19. While the locating table is herein described as being utilized with a punch press, it is contemplated that it may be also utilized with other similar machines for performing an operation on a workpiece.

The locating table 12 has a generally planar upper surface 21 across which a back gage 22 can move. The back gage carries a locating bar 23 upon which are mounted drop stops l-5. The locating bar 23 also carries a scale 23a (see FIG. 2 or 3) to enable proper location or relocation of the drop stops. The drop stops may be of any usual construction well known in the art and further description is deemed unnecessary. Preferably, the drop stops carry indicia such as the numerals indicated (see FIG. 2) for a purpose which will hereafter become apparent.

The back gage 22 is mounted for movement crosswise of the supporting surface 21 of the locating table 12. The mounting assembly is best shown in FIG. 7. A bearing block 24 is mounted at one side of the locating table. Roller bearings 29 move along the block 24 and are connected to the back gage 22 to support the same. Preferably, the back gage 22 is spaced slightly above the surface 21 as shown in FIG. 7. A follower 30 engages the lateral side edge of the locating table as the back gage moves crosswise of the table. The follower 30 is adjustable to take outside play and, in the preferred embodiment, is adjustably mounted on an eccentric axis. The arrangement is repeated at the opposite side of the locating table and allows theback gage to be quickly and easily moved across the surface 21.

The back gage 22 is secured to a cable 38 by means of a clamp 36. The cable 38 is entrained over a plurality of pulleys in an endless'manner. The pulleys include single pulleys 41, 41' mounted for rotation about generally horizontal axes at the rear comers of the locating table (see FIG. 3). Pairs of pul- I'eys 42, 43 and 42', 43' are each mounted for rotation about a generally upright axis at the front comers of the table. A pair of reversing

pulleys

44 and 45 are mounted at the right front side of the locating table. The cable 38 is passed over the reversing pulleys so that the upper run of the cable at the right side of the table moves in the same direction as the upper run at the left side of the table. The back gage is clamped to the upper run at either side of the table, in the manner described above, and this allows the back gage to move to various parallel positions across the locating table. Referring to FIG. 3, it will be noted that reversing pulley 45 is canted with reference to reversing pulley 44. This allows the runs of the cable to pass each other without interference as they cross over between the two pulleys as shown in FIG. 4. This preferred arrangement aids considerably in the ease of operation of the apparatus.

Mounted at the left front side of the locating table are a circular rail 52 and an L-shaped rail 54 (see FIG. 6). A plurality v of stops A-E, hereinafter referred to as gage stops, are adjustably mounted on the rail 54. Each gage stop includes a wedging clamp57 which can be tightened by a screw 58 to adjustably mount the gage stop in position. A templet pin 59 is arranged at the front of the gage stop for a purpose which will hereafter become apparent. Each gage stop has a stop face at the upper right-hand portion thereof and a recess at the upper left-hand portion for a purpose which will hereafter become apparent.

An elongate body 62, including a bushing 64, is slidably mounted on rail 52. A detent 66 depends from the body 62 for engaging the stop faces of the gage stops. The recess in the gage stops accommodates the detent when it is engaging a closely adjacent gage stop, for example gage stops C and D in FIG. 2. A handle 68 on the body 62 permits the detent to be raised out of engagement with the stop face and the body to be manually moved along the rail until the detent engages a subsequent stop face. The rail 52 has a groove 52a which cooperates with a pin 72 carried by the body 62 to prevent excessive drop of the detent 66. Pin 72 retracts slightly when the handle 68 is lifted. The weight of the handle 68 causes the body 62 and pin 72 to assume the positionshown in FIG. 6 and thereby properly position the detent 66 for engaging a successive stop face. The body 62 is attached to the two ends of the cable 38 by means of clamps 74, 74', and an adjustment 76 (see FIG. 4) is provided to maintain proper tension in the cable 38. With this arrangement, movement of the body 62 and detent 66 by movement of the handle 68 causes the cable to move and thus the back gage 22 to move. Positioning of the gage stops A-E thereby establishes stop positions for the back gage 22.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the abovedescribed apparatus is utilized to economically locate a workpiece (not shown) in a multiplicity of positions for punching holes in the workpiece which may be a sheet metal part. When utilized with the punch press illustrated in FIG. 1, the arrangement can handle sheets of up to three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness, 20 inches in width, and 30 inches in length. The gage stops A-E locate the back gage 22 for front to back spacing and the drop stops 1-5 locate the workpiece for left to right spacing. The cable and pulley arrangement accurately locates the back gage within suitable tolerances for this type of work.

In utilizing the apparatus, the front edge of the back gage 22 can be moved to the appropriate locations on the Y-axis where holes are to be punched. This would be the dimension from the rear or gage edge of the workpiece to the first row of holes to be punched. The gage bar can be clamped in this position with a thumb screw (not shown) at the left end of the gage bar. Gage stop A is then moved to engagement with the detent 66 and clamped in position by the screw 58. The gage bar is then unclamped and the above procedure is repeated for all the rows of holes on the Y-axis.

For right to left gaging on the X-axis, the scale 23a on the gage bar is utilized. The drop stops lare clamped in position corresponding to the X-axis location of the hole. For very accurate positioning of the workpiece, measuring instruments such as inside micrometers can be used for making the first run parts. In this manner, the co-ordinates of the various holes have been located so that the operation can be repeated quickly and easily on succeeding workpieces.

If desired, a templet (not shown) can be made to quickly and accurately locate the gage stops and drop stops when a particular part is to be run more than once. Openings in the templet can be used to engage the pins 59 on the gage stops or pins 60 on the drop stops, for example.

It has been found that the above-described apparatus is capable of repeating the position of the back gage within 0.002 inch accuracy. The drop stops and gage stops can be located within 0.003 inch of true position. Thus, parts can be produced with hole locations having an accuracy of 0.005 inch.

In use, the detent 66 is brought into position against the stop face of engaged stop A which has been positioned as described above. The workpiece is nested against the gage bar with the left-hand edge of the workpiece nested against the drop stop furthest to the left on the gage bar. The appropriate hole is punched. The workpiece is then moved to the right to nest against the next drop stop and the next hole punched. This operation is repeated until all holes in this row requiring the same punch and die have been punched. Then the gage bar is repositioned to the remaining Y-axis gage stops, as required, for the same punch and die with the workpiece being nested against the appropriate drop stops. There is no repeated set up necessary of the gage bar. This eliminates a great amount of scrap parts caused whenever a back gage is improperly located. This is because the stops have been preset for the part being run.

After all holes of a given size have been punched, the punch and die, and die adaptor and stripper plate, if necessary, are changed as required.

It is now deemed obvious that the present invention provides a new and useful locating table in which the back gage is quickly and accurately moved to preselected positions by means of the unique pulley and cable arrangement in cooperation with the detent and gage stops.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has herein been illustrated and described, this has been done by way of illustration and not limitation, and the invention should not be limited except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination with a metal working machine for performing a series of operations on a workpiece, a supporting surface on the machine for receiving the workpiece, a locating bar on the supporting surface for engagement by the workpiece to position the same, a plurality of pulleys including at least one pulley adjacent each comer of the supporting surface, a cable entrained over the pulleys in an endless manner and having a run of the cable at the front of the supporting surface, clamping means at either end of the locating bar for securing the locating bar to the cable for movement therewith so that the locating bar moves along the supporting surface to a plurality of positions parallel to each other, a plurality of stops mounted in fixed position at the front of the supporting surface, and means fixed to the cable at the front run thereof for selectively engaging the stops and thereby positioning the locating bar at preselected parallel positions on the supporting surface.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the plurality of pulleys includes a pulley mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis at each rear corner of the table, and a pair of pulleys mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis at each front comer of the table.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the clamping means secures the locating bar to the upper run of the cable at each side of the table,.and the plurality of pulleys includes two pulleys at the front of the table, the cable being crossed at these front pulleys to reverse the positions of the upper and lower runs of the cable so that the upper runs at the sides move in the same direction.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein one of the front pulleys is mounted for rotation on an axis canted from the other front pulley so that said cable crossing is accomplished without interference.

5. The combination of claim 4 including rail means at the front of the table for supporting the stops and the means for engaging the stops.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the means for engaging the stops includes a body slidable along the rail means, a detent on the body, and a handle on the body for manually sliding the body along the rail means.

7. In a locating table for use with a machine for performing a series of operations on a workpiece, the combination of: a locating bar on the table and movable crosswise thereof, a plurality of stops at the front of the table, a detent selectively engageable with the stops, and means including a cable secured to the detent and to both ends of the locating bar for transferring movement of the detent to the locating bar, whereby the locating bar is movable to several preselected positions as established by the stops by bringing the detent into successive engagement with the stops.

8. A locating table as set forth in claim 7 including means for releasably mounting the stops at the front of the table so that their positions may be selectively changed.

9. A locating table as set forth in claim 8 including two rails at the front of the table parallel to each other, one rail for supporting the stops, the other rail for slidably supporting the detent, and a handle on the detent for manually sliding the same along the rail until it engages one of the stops.

10. A locating table as set forth in claim 9 wherein said other rail has means for positioning the detent for engaging the stops, the detent being movable from said position for movement along said other rail.

11. In a locating table for use with a punch press or the like the combination of: a back gage movable crosswise of the locating table for establishing the crosswise position of a workpiece, a plurality of drop stops spaced longitudinally on the back gage for establishing the longitudinal position of the workpiece, pulley means at each comer of the locating table and a cable entrained over the pulley means in an endless manner, means at the longitudinal ends of the back gage for securing the back gage to the cable for movement of the back gage with the cable in a direction crosswise of the locating table to positions parallel to each other, cooperating means on the cable and on the locating table for establishing the parallel positions and including a plurality of stops and a detent selectively engageable with the stops, and means for moving the cable until the detent engages a stop to thereby move the back gage to a preselected position.

12. A locating table as set forth in claim 11 including bearings at each end of the back gage, the bearings comprising at least two bearings at each end for supporting the back gage spaced slightly above the table, and at least one bearing engaged with the edge of the table.

13. A locating table as set forth in claim 11 wherein the stops and the drop stops have means for releasably mounting them so that the crosswise and longitudinal positions of the workpiece may be selectively changed.

- 14. A locating table as set forth in claim 11 including rail means at the front of the table for supporting the stops and the detent.

15. A locating table as set forth in claim 14 wherein the means for moving the cable includes a body slidably mounted on the rail means and carrying the detent, a handle on the body for manually sliding the body along the rail means, and means connecting the cable to the body.

Claims

1. In combination with a metal working machine for performing a series of operations on a workpiece, a supporting surface on the machine for receiving the workpiece, a locating bar on the supporting surface for engagement by the workpiece to position the same, a plurality of pulleys including at least one pulley adjacent each corner of the supporting surface, a cable entrained over the pulleys in an endless manner and having a run of the cable at the front of the supporting surface, clamping means at either end of the locating bar for securing the locating bar to the cable for movement therewith so that the locating bar moves along the supporting surface to a plurality of positions parallel to each other, a plurality of stops mounted in fixed position at the front of the supporting surface, and means fixed to the cable at the front run thereof for selectively engaging the stops and thereby positioning the locating bar at preselected parallel positions on the supporting surface.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the plurality of pulleys includes a pulley mounted for rotation about a generally horizontal axis at each rear corner of the table, and a pair of pulleys mounted for rotation about a generally vertical axis at each front corner of the table.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the clamping means secures the locating bar to the upper run of the cable at each side of the table, and the plurality of pulleys includes two pulleys at the front of the table, the cable being crossed at these front pulleys to reverse the positions of the upper and lower runs of the cable so that the upper runs at the sides move in the same direction.

11. In a locating table for use with a punch press or the like the combination of: a back gage movable crosswise of the locating table for establishing the crosswise position of a workpiece, a plurality of drop stops spaced longitudinally on the back gage for establishing the longitudinal position of the workpiece, pulley means at each corner of the locating table and a cable entrained over the pulley means in an endless manner, means at the longitudinal ends of the back gage for securing the back gage to the cable for movement of the back gage with the cable in a direction crosswise of the locating table to positions parallel to each other, cooperating means on the cable and on the locating table for establishing the parallel positions and including a plurality of stops and a detent selectively engageable with the stops, and means for moving the cable until the detent engages a stop to thereby move the back gage to a preselected position.

14. A locating table as set forth in claim 11 including rail means at the front of the table for supporting the stops and the detent.