WO2000015398A2

WO2000015398A2 - Apparatus for stamping profiled bars

Info

Publication number: WO2000015398A2
Application number: PCT/IL1999/000439
Authority: WO
Inventors: Asher Schusheim
Original assignee: Shoham Machines And Dies Ltd.
Priority date: 1998-09-16
Filing date: 1999-08-12
Publication date: 2000-03-23
Also published as: AU5191399A; WO2000015398A3; IL126240A0; IL126240A

Abstract

A press punching apparatus for stamping off marginal sections of U-shaped profiled bars (B) used in the construction of curtain walls. The apparatus (10) comprises a single pneumatic cylinder and piston system (58) for operating a pair of stamping dies (38, 40) each adapted to stamp off a section (c) out of one of the opposite legs (L) of the bar (B).

Description

APPARATUS FOR STAMPING PROFILED BARS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to punching apparatus, and

more particularly to apparatus for stamping marginal pieces or the like plates out of generally U-shaped profiled bars.

The invention particularly concerns stamping of profiled bars used in the industry of constructing curtain walls or outer framework structure around

buildings for supporting external protective glass panes, as now dominant in modern office buildings all over the world.

A typical curtain walls bar B (see Fig. 1 ) generally comprises a web portion denoted W, a pair of up-right legs _L, and a central up-right rib R.

These bars have to be processed in such a way that a plurality of cut-outs C

have to be removed at predertemined distances, usually at both sides, but

sometimes only at one side thereof. The length of the processed bars is

considerably large, usually about 5 to 8 meters.

Punching apparatus for this purpose has already been designed.

Hence, in Fig. 2 there is schematically shown a prior art apparatus 10 which

essentially comprises a supporting guide rail 12 on which profiled bar 14 is

supported during punching, as well as for sliding it along the predetermined

distances between successive punching operations. The profiled bar 14 is pressed against the guide rail 12 during the

punching operation by a pneumatic cylinder unit 16.

A pair of stamping dies 17 and 18 are provided, operable in the outward direction by pneumatic cylinder units denoted 20 and 22, respectively. As

further schematically shown, the stamping is performed against matrixes

24, 26 as customary in the art. A pneumatic control panel is provided (not

shown) whereby the operator can actuate either or both of the pneumatic

cylinders 20 and 22, as required for the particular job at hand.

These prior art apparatus, although almost exclusively used around

the world are inefficient or otherwise disadvantageous in any or all of the

following respects: First - the need for a pair of cylinders and auxiliary controls is cumbersome, expensive and space-consuming; secondly - due to the particular construction of the apparatus, the maneuverability of the

processed profiled bars 14 is inconvenient; and thirdly, due to the inherent

structure, the vision field of the operator is partly obstructed, presenting

certain difficulty in placing bars at the exact position for punching the cut-out

pieces C at the precise selected location.

It is thus the general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that will be less expensive and more convenient to operate.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus employing

only one pneumatic (or hydraulic) piston for operating one, the other, or both

of the stamping dies. It is a still further object of the invention to obtain an amplification of the

piston force, thereby saving on measurements and/or pressure needed for

their effective operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus provided according to the present invention is a press

punching apparatus particularly for stamping marginal sections off U-shaped profiled elongated bars having a web and two upright legs, comprising

support means for firmly supporting the bar by its web during the stamping

operation, at least one stamping die located within the bar opposite the leg

portion which is to be stamped, slidable mounting means for the stamping

die, enabling the displacement of the die for effecting the stamping operation

of the section of the respective bar leg, means for the displacement of the

stamping die, which comprise a cylinder and piston unit operating piston rod,

wedge lever means operatively associated with the stamping means, and

means for coupling the piston rod to the wedge lever means so that by

operating the cylinder and piston unit, the stamping die becomes displaced to complete the stamping of a respective section of the bar leg.

Preferably the apparatus will comprise an additional stamping die located

within the bar opposite to the other leg portion, and with associated displacing means operable by the cylinder and piston unit. The wedge lever means preferably comprise a block operatively

connected to the piston rod, to reciprocate in a direction normal to that of

stamping die, a slot formed in the block, extending at an angle relatively to

the said direction, and a bolt pin selectively insertable through the slot to — establish the transforming of the piston rod reciprocating movement to

movement of the stamping die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and additional features and advantages of the present invention

will be more clearly understood in the light of the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference

to the accompanying drawings, wherein-

Fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a typical profiled curtain wall

construction bar;

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a prior art punching apparatus;

Figs. 3 is a schematic representation of a punching apparatus

according to principles of the present invention in a non-operative

position;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view taken along line V-V of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 shows the apparatus of Fig. 3 in its operating, cutting position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Fig. 3 of the attached drawings it will be noted that, similarly to the prior art apparatus of Fig. 2, a guide rail 30 is provided,

configured to support the processed bar_B, which is also clamped during

punching by pneumatic cylinder and piston unit 32; so are conventionally

provided stamping matrixes 34 and 36 associated with stamping dies 38 and 40, respectively.

Rather then connecting the stamping dies directly to pneumatic pistons as in the prior art apparatus, the following arrangement is applied. The

stamping dies 38 and 40 are respectively mounted to carriage members 42,

44 which are suitably supported for reciprocating sliding movement by housings 46 and 48 (one being shown in cross-section in Fig. 4).

Since the construction is symmetrical, reference shall be made to the

right-hand side of the apparatus only, being understood that the left-hand

side is a mirror-image thereof.

A driving mechanism generally designated 50 is provided, comprising

push-pull rod 52, reciprocally movable by being coupled by bracket 54 to

piston rod 56 of fixedly supported pneumatic cylinder 58. The rod 52 is

connected to a cam block 60, preferably via screw-threaded adjusting

tie-rod 52a. The cam block 60 is slidable vertically within the housing 46, and is formed with an inclined slot 62. The block is selectively coupled to the

carriage member 42 by a pin bolt 64 (legs 42a and 42b). The inclined slot

62 thus constitute wedge-lever means, converting the vertical movement of ^~

the block 60 into a horizontal movement of the carriage member 42.

It will be readily understood in the light of the foregoing description that the operation of the apparatus proceeds as follows:-

Once processed bar_B is placed on the support 30 and press-clamped by the piston 32, at the correct location ready for operation, the piston 58

receives a command to push the piston rod 56 down. Hence, (see Fig. 6) push-pull rod 52 will be pulled down, bringing about a movement of the

carriage member 42 to the right due to the movement of the pin bolt 64

along the slot 62. It will be also appreciated that a certain amplification

factor of the piston force is achieved in proportion to the inclination angle of

the slot 62 (less a certain friction force which is inevitably generated).

The stamping die 38 will thus move to the right thereby performing the

stamping operation.

The same will apply to the left-hand stamping die 40, however in the

opposite direction.

Should a punching operation be completed only at one (the left) side of

the bar B, the pin bolt 64 will be pulled out of slot 62 (using handle 64a as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 4) thereby neutralizing the movement of the

respective carriage 42 and no punching operation will be performed.

It should now be clear that the provision of the screw-threaded

adjusting tie-rod 52a allows to achieve fine adjustments of cutting depth,

dominated by considerations such as the wall thickness of the processed

bar B.

It has thus been established that the novel apparatus design is

superior to the prior art apparatus in the respects hereinabove specified.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should

not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as

exemplification of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will

envision other possible variations that are within its scope. Accordingly, the

scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment

illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A press punching apparatus particularly for stamping marginal sections off U-shaped profiled elongated bars having a web and two upright

legs comprising: support means for firmly supporting the bar by its web during ^~ the stamping operation, at least one stamping die located within the bar

opposite to one leg portion which is to be stamped, slidable mounting means for the stamping die, enabling the displacement of the die for effecting the

stamping operation of the section of the respective bar leg, and means for

the displacing the stamping die, characterized by a cylinder and piston unit

operating a piston rod, wedge lever means operatively associated with the stamping die displacing means, and means for coupling the piston rod to the

wedge lever means so that by operating the cylinder and piston unit, the stamping die becomes displaced to complete the stamping of the respective

section of the bar leg.

2. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 , further comprising an additional

stamping die located within the bar opposite to the other of the bar legs, and

associated displacing means operable by the said cylinder and piston unit.

3. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, comprising selectively dies

engagable locking means associated with the wedge lever means for

disabling the operation of one or the other of the stamping dies.

4. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the wedge lever means

comprise a block operatively connected to the piston rod, to reciprocate in a direction normal to that of stamping die, a cam slot formed in the block,

extending at an angle relatively to the said direction, and a bolt pin selectively

insertable through the cam slot to establish the transformation of the piston

rod reciprocating movement to the movement of stamping die(s).

5. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the bolt pin is

selectively insertable through one or both of the slots.

6. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the slotted block is

mounted to a push-pull rod extending spaced from and in a direction parallel to that of the piston rod, bracket means being connected to the push-pull rod.

7. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the bracket means

connect both push-pull rods to the piston rod.

8. The apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the cylinder is mounted

on a fixed support located between the two push-pull rods.