WO2018185777A1

WO2018185777A1 - Assembly and process for automated manufacturing of rings

Info

Publication number: WO2018185777A1
Application number: PCT/IN2018/050186
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shrikant LOKHANDE
Original assignee: Lokhande Shrikant
Priority date: 2017-04-05
Filing date: 2018-04-03
Publication date: 2018-10-11

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an assembly (10) and a process for the automated manufacturing of rings. The process of the present disclosure, when carried out on the assembly (10) comprising a support mechanism, a conveyor mechanism, an entry regulating mechanism, a ring forging mechanism and a ring ejection mechanism, facilitates the automated manufacture of rings from wound pieces. The movement of and sequence of operation of the components of the assembly (10) and the steps of the present process are efficiently regulated in order to ensure safety and maintain high productivity without compromising on the product specifications.

Description

TITLE: ASSEMBLY AND PROCESS FOR AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING OF RINGS

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an assembly and process for automated manufacturing of rings.

DEFINITIONS

Without departing from the conventional meaning of the word, the term 'ring', for the purpose of the present disclosure, is to be interpreted as a tool for attachment to multifarious articles of utility including but not limited to keys, inhalers, flashlights, compasses, calculators, penknives, discount cards, bottle openers, security tokens and USB flash drives (illustrated in Figure 1).

The term 'wound piece', for the purpose of the present disclosure, is to be interpreted as a unit which is used as precursor for manufacturing rings, which is obtained by winding a cord and cutting the stray ends in accordance with certain preset standards, wherein the cord is made up of any raw material typically used for manufacturing rings.

Without departing from the conventional meaning of the word, the term 'forging', for the purpose of the present disclosure, is to be interpreted as a manufacturing process involving the shaping of metal using localized compressive forces.

Without departing from the conventional meaning of the word, the term 'die', for the purpose of the present disclosure, is to be interpreted as a specialized tool to shape material in a power press.

Without departing from the conventional meaning of the word, the term 'mechanical power press', for the purpose of the present disclosure, is to be

l interpreted as a machine used in the manufacturing industry that gives shape to an article of manufacture by the application of pressure.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, rings have been manufactured by processes that require significant human intervention. This, besides making the whole process time consuming and causing a decrease in the production rate, causes a towering increase in the incidence of accidents among the machine operators. Furthermore, as the dependency on the operators is tremendous, chances of manual errors are on the rise. The inventor of the present disclosure has envisaged an assembly and a process for manufacturing rings that mitigates the afore- stated problems.

OBJECTS

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an assembly for automating the manufacturing of rings.

It is another object of the present disclosure to provide an automated process for manufacturing rings.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide an assembly and a process for manufacturing rings which reduces human intervention.

It is still another object of the present disclosure to provide an assembly and a process for manufacturing rings which reduces the incidence of accidents among machine operators and increases the safety.

It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide an assembly and a process for manufacturing rings which decreases the production time and increases productivity.

It is still another object of the present disclosure to provide an assembly and a process for manufacturing rings which decreases human errors. SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides an assembly (10) and a process for the automated manufacturing of rings. The assembly (10) comprises a support mechanism for supporting the components of the assembly (10); a conveyor mechanism for facilitating the conveyance of at least one wound piece from a wound pieces' reservoir to at least one lower die (22) for forging; an entry regulating mechanism for regulating the timing of entry of the wound pieces into the lower die(s) (22); a ring forging mechanism for facilitating the forging of rings from the wound pieces; and a ring ejection mechanism for facilitating the displacement of rings away from the lower die (22) after forging. Typically, the assembly (10) is installed in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100). The movement of and sequence of operation of the components of the assembly (10) and the steps of the present process are efficiently regulated in order to ensure safety and maintain high productivity without compromising on the product specifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objectives and advantages of the proposed invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of the proposed invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of the ring of the present disclosure.

Figure 2 illustrates the assembly (10) of the present disclosure after installation in a mechanical power press (100).

Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the assembly (10) of the present disclosure when the ram (102) of the mechanical power press (100) is nearing the topmost position. Figure 4 illustrates the scheme of attachment of an upper die buttress (26) with the ram (102) of the mechanical power press (100) by means of a shank (40). Figure 5 illustrates a side view of the assembly (10) of the present disclosure when the ram (102) of the mechanical power press (100) is at the bottom- most position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished, the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the proposed invention as described below in the preferred embodiment.

The conventional technique for the manufacturing of rings typically includes steps such as winding a cord, cutting the cord to separate out wound pieces, placing the wound piece on the die of a power press, causing the ram of the power press to hammer on the wound piece and separating the resulting ring from the working area to a collection area - steps that are all carried out manually. Human intervention forms the crux of the conventional techniques. As a consequence, the conventional techniques are fraught with industrial hazards such as increased time and cost of production, increased incidences of injuries to machine operators, decreased safety of workers, increased percentages of error and the like. In spite of the advancement in technology that is being witnessed globally, the present industry has not received any significant technological contribution due to the comparatively low commercial value of the product.

In order to address the afore-stated concerns, the inventor of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect, provides an assembly (10) for the automated manufacturing of rings. The inventor of the present disclosure, in accordance with another aspect, provides an automated process for manufacturing of rings using the afore-mentioned assembly (10). In accordance with the first aspect, the assembly (10) of the present disclosure comprises a support mechanism, a conveyor mechanism, an entry regulating mechanism, a ring forging mechanism and a ring ejection mechanism. The assembly (10) of the present disclosure is installed in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100) (illustrated in Figure 2). In one embodiment, the assembly is installed in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100) at a pre-determined angle, in order to accommodate the assembly between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) and to facilitate smooth functioning of the assembly (10). Characteristically, the movement of and the sequence of operation of the components of the present assembly (10) such as the conveyor mechanism, the entry regulating mechanism, the ring forging mechanism and the ring ejection mechanism are driven by the movement of and position of the ram (102) in the mechanical power press (100). Manufacturing small items on a power press is a tricky business due to multiple reasons such as the risk associated with the absolute movement of heavy moving parts, the ease of displacement of the small items with a slight stimulus and the like. Ensuring safety and maintaining high productivity without compromising on the product specifications, is a challenging as well as crucial balance to be sought, which is achieved by regulating the timing and sequence of movement of every component of the ring manufacturing apparatus. In order to attain the afore-mentioned balance, the inventor of the present disclosure, after systematic research and trials over multiple years has designed the assembly (10) and process of the present disclosure, where the timing and sequence of operation of every crucial component of the assembly (10) is adjusted in accordance with the movement of and position of the ram (102), as among other reasons, the ram (102) has a very prominent and predictable movement and the functioning of the entire power press is driven by and dependent on the movement of the ram (102). The support mechanism (illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 5) of the present disclosure is for supporting the components of the present assembly (10). The support mechanism comprises at least one bolster plate (12) and at least two tracks (14) mounted on the bolster plate (12). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has one bolster plate (12). The bolster plate (12) is mounted on the press bed (104) and is adapted to function as the base of the assembly (10). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has two tracks (14a and, 14b). The tracks (14) are adapted to support, give direction to and facilitate the movement of at least one follower (16) and at least one cam (18) (illustrated in Figure 3 and 5).

The conveyor mechanism (illustrated in Figure 1 and 3) is for facilitating the conveyance of at least one wound piece from a wound pieces' reservoir (not shown in the figures) to at least one lower die (22) for forging. The wound pieces' reservoir is any container that is capable of housing, segregating and dispensing wound pieces to the conveyor mechanism, one at a time. The conveyor mechanism comprises components mentioned herein below. At least one shoot (20) is present for transporting the wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to at least one of the tracks (14). In one embodiment, the shoot (20) transports the wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to track 14a. In another embodiment, the shoot is installed in a manner that the horizontal plane of the shoot (20) is at a pre-determined angle with respect to the plane of the bolster plate (12). The pre-determined angle decreases with an increase in the specific weight of the material of the wound pieces and the pre-determined angle increases with a decrease in the specific weight of the material of the wound pieces.

The conveyor mechanism (illustrated in Figure 3) further comprises at least one follower (16) placed on each of the two tracks (14a and 14b) and is adapted to slide on the tracks and direct the wound pieces present on the track (14a) to the lower die (22). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has two followers (16a and 16b). The movement of the followers (16a and 16b) is driven by at least one cam (18) mounted on each of the followers (16a and 16b). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has two cams (18a and 18b). The cams (18a and 18b) are adapted to drive the movement of the followers ( 16a and 16b) in response to the pressure change resulting from the movement of the ram (102). The pressure change is captured and relayed to the cams (18a and 18b) by means of at least two roller arms (24) extending from an upper die buttress (26) affixed to base of the ram (102). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has two roller arms (24a and 24b). At least two springs (28) are affixed to each of the cams (18) and are adapted to drive the movement of the followers (16a and 16b) towards the lower die (22) in response to the pressure change resulting from the movement of the ram (102). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has four springs (28a, 28b, 28c and 28d - 28c and 28d not seen in the side view of the figures), two affixed to each cam (18a and 18b). At least one stopper bolt (30) is affixed to each of the followers (16a and 16b) and is adapted to prevent the followers (16a and 16b) from crossing over the lower die (22). In one embodiment, the present assembly (10) has two stopper bolts (30a and 30b). The movement of the followers (16a and 16b) towards and away from the lower die (22), depending on the position of the ram (102) is shown by dotted lines in Figures 3 and 5.

The entry regulating mechanism (illustrated in Figure 5) is for regulating the timing of entry of the wound pieces into the lower die (22) and to ensure that only one wound piece reaches the lower die (22) for forging. The entry regulating mechanism comprises at least one stopper plate (32) and at least one stopper wire (34). The stopper plate (32) is an appendage to one of the followers (16a) and is adapted to regulate the time of entry of the wound pieces onto the track 14a. In one embodiment, the present assembly has one stopper plate which is an appendage to the first follower (16a). The stopper wire (34) is affixed to the ram (102) at a first end and adapted to regulate the movement of the wound pieces present in the shoot (20) by a second end.

The ring forging mechanism (illustrated in Figure 5) is for facilitating the forging of rings from the wound pieces and comprises at least one lower die unit and at least one upper die unit.

The lower die unit comprises at least one lower die buttress (36) and at least one lower die (22). The lower die buttress (36) is mounted on the bolster plate (12) and is adapted to hold and support the lower die (22) and prevent the wear and tear of the lower die (22) from impact from the upper die unit. The lower die (22) is housed coaxially within the lower die buttress (36) and comprises at least one groove and is adapted to receive, hold and give shape to a wound piece to form a ring.

The upper die unit comprises at least one shank (40), at least one upper die buttress (26) and at least one upper die (38). The shank (40) has a first end (40a) and a second end (40b). The first end (40a) is irreversibly inserted inside the ram (102) of a power press and the second end (40b) is affixed to a ram buttress (26) (construction demonstrated in Figure 4). The shank (40) is adapted to hold together the ram (102) and the upper die unit. The upper die buttress (26) is positioned between the ram (102) and the upper die (38) and is adapted to hold together the ram (102) and the upper die (38) and support the upper die (38) and the roller arms (24a and 24b). The upper die (38) is affixed, coaxially with the ram (102), to the upper die buttress (26) and comprises at least one groove and is adapted to hammer on a wound piece present on the lower die (22) and give shape to the wound piece to form a ring. The groove present on the lower die (22) and the upper die (38) is adapted to give a pre-determined shape to the ring. In one embodiment, the ring of the present disclosure has a v-shape (demonstrated in Figure 1). The ring ejection mechanism (illustrated in Figure 5) is for facilitating the displacement of the ring away from the lower die (22) after forging and comprises at least one ejector cam, at least one ejector lever and at least one air blower (42). The ejector cam is adapted to actuate an ejector lever, depending upon the position of the ram (102). The ejector lever is adapted to open the valve of an air pipe after actuation by the ejector cam. The air blower (42) is adapted to displace the forged ring away from the lower die (22) after opening of the valve. The ejector cam and the ejector lever are not shown in the figures as their positions may vary depending upon the type of the power press. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the ejector cam is present on the right side of the crankshaft (main shaft) of the power press (100) and the ejector lever is present on the left side of the crankshaft (main shaft) of the power press (100).

In accordance with the second aspect, the process of the present disclosure is to be carried out on the assembly ( 10) described herein before as the first aspect, and comprises the steps provided herein after:

• transferring a plurality of wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to the lower die (22), by the conveying mechanism;

• regulating the timing of entry of the wound pieces into the lower die (22) by the entry regulating mechanism;

• forging of a wound piece in the lower die (22) to form a ring, by the ring forging mechanism; and

• displacing the ring away from the lower die (22) after forging, by the ring ejection mechanism. The process of the present disclosure is cyclic in nature. The afore-stated steps are carried out repeatedly to render forged rings using the assembly (10) of the present disclosure. The smooth functioning of the present process is facilitated by installing the assembly (10) in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100) and by installing the support mechanism comprising the bolster plate (12) and the tracks (14). In one embodiment, the present process includes the step of installing the assembly (10) at a pre-determined angle with respect to the plane of the power press (100).

Characteristically, the sequence of operation of the afore-mentioned steps is driven by the movement of and position of the ram (102) in the power press (100). Manufacturing small items on a power press is a tricky business due to multiple reasons such as the risk associated with the absolute movement of heavy moving parts, the ease of displacement of the small items with a slight stimulus and the like. Ensuring safety and maintaining high productivity without compromising on the product specifications, is a challenging as well as crucial balance to be sought, which is achieved by regulating the timing and sequence of operation of every component of the ring manufacturing apparatus. In order to attain the afore-mentioned balance, the inventor of the present disclosure, after systematic research and trials over multiple years has designed the assembly (10) and process of the present disclosure, where the timing and sequence of operation of every component of the assembly (10) and every step of the process is adjusted to match with the ram (102), as among other reasons, the ram (102) has a very prominent and predictable movement and the functioning of the power press is driven by and dependent on the movement of the ram (102).

In the present process, the step of transferring a plurality of wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to the lower die (22) is carried out by the conveying mechanism and comprises the sub-steps provided herein after.

A plurality of wound pieces is transported from a wound pieces' reservoir to at least one of the tracks (14a), by means of a shoot (20). In one embodiment, the shoot (20) is to be installed in a manner that the horizontal plane of the shoot (20) is at a pre-determined angle with respect to the plane of the bolster plate (12). When the material used for making the wound pieces has a high specific weight, the pre-determined angle is to be decreased. Similarly, when the material used for making the wound pieces has a low specific weight, the predetermined angle is to be increased.

The wound piece, thus transported on the track (14a) is thrusted into the lower die (22), just before the ram (102) reaches the topmost position. As a consequence of the ascending motion of the ram (102) and its position, there is a decrease in the pressure exerted on the two roller arms (24a and 24b) and on the two cams (18a and 18b) which causes the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) to slide on the tracks (14) towards the centermost position. This movement is supported by the two springs (28a and 28b) affixed to the cams (18a and 18b); thereby causing a thrusting force to strike the wound piece into the lower die (22).

The step of transferring a plurality of wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to the lower die (22) is interfaced by the step of regulating the timing of entry of the wound pieces into the lower die (22). The step of entry regulation is carried out to ensure that only one wound piece is at the lower die (22) for forging. Entry regulation is carried at multiple stages described herein below.

When the ram (102) reaches the topmost position (a stage prior to this point is illustrated in Figure 3), the first follower (16a), accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) reach and stop at the centermost position and surround the lower die (22) as the pressure exerted by the roller arms (24a and 24b) on the cams (18a and 18b) and consequently on the followers (16a and 16b) is eased. At this point, the total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22) is maximum and is termed as the maximum total distance for the purpose of the present disclosure. The total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22) is calculated by measuring the distance between the lowermost surface of the upper die (38) and the uppermost surface of the lower die (22). The wound piece first in cue in the shoot (20) is blocked from entering the track (14a) as the stopper plate (32) is in the way. As the first end of the stopper wire (34) is affixed to the ram (102), the stopper wire (34) cannot get engaged with any wound piece in cue in the shoot (20). This prevents any stray wound piece to enter the track(s) (14) and the lower die (22). The wound piece transported on the track (14a) in the previous cycle, is the only one present on the track (14a) which gets thrusted at the lower die (22) for forging. The first follower (16a), accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) stop at the centermost position as a virtue of the presence of the stopper bolts (30) on the followers (16a and 16b).

For the duration over which the ram (102) initiates and continues descent from the topmost position and causes the upper die (38) to, in turn, traverse a distance of 0.1% to 75% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), towards the lower die (22), the block on the wound piece first in cue is maintained as the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) start moving away from the centermost position, as the roller arms (24a and 24b) start exerting pressure on the cams (18a and 18b) and consequently on the followers (16a and 16b). However, the block on the wound piece first in cue is maintained as the stopper plate (32) is still in the way of the piece. The stopper wire (34) remains disengaged from any wound piece in cue in the shoot (20) as the second end doesn't descend low enough to trap the wound piece. The wound piece, from the previous cycle, remains the only wound piece lodged at the lower die (22).

As the ram (102) continues to descend and causes the upper die (38) to descend to a distance point ranging from 85 % to 95% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), towards the lower die (22), the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) are pushed further away from the lower die (22) as a result of the pressure exerted by the descending ram (102) on the roller arms (24a and 24b) and on the cams (18a and 18b). This movement clears the way for the wound piece first in cue in the shoot (20) to slide on the track (14a) in front of the first follower (16a). The stopper wire (34) gets engaged with a wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20) as the wire descends to a distance sufficient enough to engage. The cumulative effect results in causing the wound piece, from the previous cycle, still being the only wound piece lodged at the lower die (22). In one embodiment, as the ram (102) descends and causes the upper die (38) to descend to a distance point of 90% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), towards the lower die (22), the wound piece first in cue in the shoot (20) slides on the track (14a) in front of the first follower (16a). For the stopper wire (34) to get engaged with the wound piece second in cue, the ram (102) has to descend to a fixed distance and not descend over a range of distance. The fixed distance is referred to as 'a distance point'.

For the duration of the happening of at least one event mentioned herein after, a wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20) is intercepted by the stopper wire (34). When the ram (102) descends and causes the upper die (38) to descend and traverse a distance of 25 % to 100% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), towards the lower die (22); when the ram (102) reaches the bottommost position; and when the ram (102) ascends to cause the upper die (38) to ascend and traverse a distance of 0.1 to 75% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), away from the lower die (22), the wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20) is intercepted by the stopper wire (34). When the ram (102) reaches the bottommost position, the total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22) is minimum.

The step of regulating the timing of entry of the wound pieces into the track (14a) is carried out to ensure that only one wound piece reaches the lower die (22), just before the ram (102) reaches the bottommost position.

The step of conveying the wound pieces from the track (14a) to the lower die (22) is effected when the ram (102) descends a distance ranging from 8% to 12% of the total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), causing the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) to be pushed further away from the lower die (22), making way for the wound piece first in cue to slide onto the track (14a) in front of the first follower (16a). The stopper wire (34) gets engaged with a wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20); thereby preventing more than one wound piece to be present on the track (14a). The step of forging of the wound piece lodged at the lower die (22) comprises hammering on the wound piece by the upper die (38) to form a ring as the ram (102) reaches the bottommost position, causing the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) to come to a halt at the outermost position as a virtue of the shape of the cams (18a and 18b) and the absence of pressure exerted by the ram (102) (illustrated in Figure 5). The stopper wire (34) remains engaged with the wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20); thereby preventing more than one wound piece to be present on the track (14). The step of forging includes giving the ring a pre-determined shape as a virtue of the presence of grooves on the lower die (22) and on the upper die (38). In one embodiment, the ring of the present disclosure has a v- shape (illustrated in Figure 1).

The step of displacing the ring away from the lower die (22) after forging is effected when the ram (102) ascends and causes the upper die (38) to ascend and traverse to a distance point ranging from 10 to 35% of the maximum total distance between the upper die (38) and the lower die (22), away from the lower die (22). On the reaching of the ram to the afore- stated distance point, an ejector cam is actuated which further actuates the ejector lever to cause the air pipe to get opened and to blow air on the lower die (22) through the air blower (42) for ejecting the ring away from the lower die (22). This minimizes the injuries caused to machine operators while separating the forged rings from power presses. As the ram reaches to the afore-stated distance point, the first follower (16a) accompanied by the stopper plate (32) and the second follower (16b) initiate movement towards the lower die (22) as a joint result of the decrease in pressure caused by the ascending ram (102) on the roller arms (24a and 24b) and on the cams (18a and 18b); and the presence of the springs (28a, 28b, 28c and 28d) affixed to the cams (18). As the stopper plate (32) initiates blocking the wound piece second in cue from entering the tracks (14) and as the stopper wire (34) remains engaged in the wound piece second in cue, it is ensured that only one forged piece remains at the lower die (22) and is blown away.

Due to the cyclic nature of the present process, the wound piece first in cue that got slid on the track (14a) is thrusted into the lower die (22) just before the ram (102) reaches the topmost position again and becomes ready for forging. The wound piece second in cue is blocked from entering the track 14a as the stopper plate (32) is in the way. The stopper wire (34) gets disengaged from any wound piece in the cue and the afore-mentioned cyclical process thus continues.

Representative embodiments

Example 1A: Manufacturing rings by the conventional process

A wound piece was manually placed on the lower die of a conventional automated power press, just before the ram hit the lower die. The resulting ring was removed from the die manually and was replaced by the next wound piece, just before the subsequent hit of the ram on the lower die. The production rate was 45 pieces per minute.

Example IB: Manufacturing rings by the assembly and process of the present disclosure

The assembly (10) of the present disclosure was installed in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100). A plurality of wound pieces was transferred from the wound pieces' reservoir to the lower die (22) by the conveying mechanism described herein above. The timing of entry of the wound pieces into the track (14a) was regulated by the entry regulating mechanism described herein above. The wound piece in the lower die (22) was forged to form a ring by the ring forging mechanism descried herein above. The resulting ring was displaced away from the lower die (22) by the ring ejection mechanism described herein above. By employing the assembly of the present disclosure (10), the production rate was found to be over 90 pieces per minute.

The embodiments described herein above are non-limiting. The foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as an illustration of the concept of the proposed invention and it is in no way to be construed as a limitation. Description of terminologies, concepts and processes known to persons acquainted with technology has been avoided to preclude beclouding of the afore- stated embodiments.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

The technical advantages and economic significance of the assembly (10) and process of the proposed invention include but are not limited to:

- increased rate of production of rings;

- increased safety of workers; - decrease in dependency on workers;

- decrease in human errors;

- decrease in cost of production; and

- ease in planning and schedule making for the effective running of the manufacturing plant.

The foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished, and the problems and shortcomings associated with prior art techniques and approaches are overcome by the proposed invention described in the present embodiment. Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein; however, it is to be understood that the proposed invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the proposed invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or matter. The embodiments of the invention as described above, and the processes disclosed herein will suggest further modification and alterations to those skilled in the art. Such further modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. An assembly (10) for automated manufacturing of rings comprising: a. a support mechanism for supporting the components of the assembly (10);

b. a conveyor mechanism for facilitating the conveyance of at least one wound piece from a wound pieces' reservoir to at least one lower die (22) for forging;

c. an entry regulating mechanism for regulating the timing of entry of said wound pieces into said lower die(s) (22);

d. a ring forging mechanism for facilitating the forging of ring(s) from said wound piece(s); and

e. a ring ejection mechanism for facilitating the displacement of said ring(s) away from said lower die (22) after forging,

wherein said assembly (10) is installed in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100).

2. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement of and sequence of operation of mechanism (b), mechanism (c), mechanism (d) and mechanism (e) is driven by the movement of and position of the ram (102) in the mechanical power press (100).

3. The assembly ( 10) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said support mechanism comprises:

a. at least one bolster plate (12) mounted on said press bed (104) and adapted to function as the base of said assembly (10); and b. at least two tracks (14) mounted on said bolster plate (12), each adapted to support, give direction to and facilitate the movement of at least one follower (16) and at least one cam (18).

4. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conveyor mechanism comprises: a. at least one shoot (20) for transporting said wound pieces from the wound pieces' reservoir to at least one of said tracks (14); and b. at least one follower (16) placed on each of said two tracks (14) and adapted to slide and direct said wound pieces present on the track(s) (14) into said lower die (22); wherein the movement of said followers (16) is driven by:

i. at least one cam (18) mounted on each of said followers ( 16) and adapted to drive the movement of the followers (16) in response to the pressure change resulting from the movement of said ram (102); said pressure being captured and relayed to said cams (18) by means of at least two roller arms (24) extending from an upper die buttress (26) affixed to base of the ram (102);

ii. at least two springs (28) affixed to each of said cams (18) and adapted to drive the movement of the followers (16) towards the lower die (22) depending upon the position of the ram (102); and

iii. at least one stopper bolt (30) affixed to each of said followers (16) and adapted to prevent the followers (16) from crossing over the lower die (22).

5. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the horizontal plane of said shoot (20) is at a pre-determined angle with respect to the plane of said bolster plate (12); said pre-determined angle decreasing with an increase in the specific weight of the material of the wound pieces and said pre-determined angle increasing with a decrease in the specific weight of the material of the wound pieces.

6. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said entry regulating mechanism comprises: a. at least one stopper plate (32), being an appendage to one of said followers (16) and adapted to regulate the timing of entry of said wound pieces onto the track(s) (14), depending upon the position of the ram (102); and

b. at least one stopper wire (34) affixed to said ram (102) at a first end and adapted to regulate the movement of the wound pieces present in cue in said shoot (20) by a second end, depending upon the position of the ram (102).

7. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said entry regulating mechanism ensures the reaching of only one wound piece into the lower die (22) for forging.

8. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring forging mechanism comprises:

a. at least one lower die unit comprising:

i. at least one lower die buttress (36) mounted on said bolster plate (12) and adapted to hold and support at least one lower die (22) and prevent the wear and tear of the lower die (22) upon impact from an upper die (38); and ii. at least one lower die (22) housed coaxially within the lower die buttress (36), comprising at least one groove and adapted to receive, hold and give shape to the wound pieces after impact from said upper die (38) to form a ring; and b. at least one upper die unit comprising:

i. at least one shank (40) having a first end (40a) and a second end (40b) wherein the first end (40a) is irreversibly inserted inside the ram (102) of a power press and the second end (40b) is affixed to a ram buttress (26); said shank (40) being adapted to hold together the ram (102) and said upper die unit; ii. at least one upper die buttress (26) positioned between said ram (102) and at least one upper die (38); said upper die buttress (26) being adapted to hold together said ram (102) and said upper die (38) and support said upper die (38) and said roller arms (24); and

iii. at least one upper die (38) affixed, coaxially with said ram (102), to said upper die buttress (26); said upper die (38) comprising at least one groove and adapted to hammer on a wound piece present on said lower die (22), depending upon the position of the ram (102) and give shape to said wound piece to form a ring.

9. The assembly (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said groove present on said lower die (22) and said upper die (38) is adapted to give a pre-determined shape to the ring while forging.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said ring ejection mechanism comprises:

a. at least one ejector cam being adapted to actuate an ejector lever, depending upon the position of the ram (102);

b. at least one ejector lever adapted to open the valve of an air pipe after actuation by said ejector cam; and

c. at least one air blower (42), adapted to displace the forged ring away from said lower die (22) after opening of said valve.

11. An automated process for manufacturing rings comprising:

a. transferring a plurality of wound pieces from a wound pieces' reservoir to at least one lower die (22) by a conveying mechanism; b. regulating the timing of entry of said wound pieces into said lower die (22) by an entry regulating mechanism;

c. forging of a wound piece in said lower die (22) to form a ring, by a ring forging mechanism; and d. displacing said ring away from said lower die (22) after forging, by a ring ejection mechanism,

wherein the smooth functioning of said process is facilitated by installing the assembly (10) for carrying out said process in between the ram (102) and the press bed (104) of a mechanical power press (100) and by installing a support mechanism comprising at least one bolster plate (12) and at least two track(s) (14).

12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sequence of operation of the steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) is driven by the movement of and position of the ram (102) in said power press (100).

13. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of transferring a plurality of wound pieces from a wound pieces' reservoir to said lower die (22) comprises:

a. transporting a plurality of wound pieces from a wound pieces' reservoir to at least one of said tracks (14) by means of a shoot (20); and

b. thrusting of a wound piece transported on said track(s) (14) into said lower die (22), just before the ram (102) reaches the topmost position, causing a first follower (16a) accompanied by a stopper plate (32) and a second follower (16b), to slide on the tracks (14) towards the centermost position, as a joint result of the decrease in pressure arising out of the ascending motion of the ram (102) on at least two roller arms (24) extending from an upper die buttress (26) affixed to the base of the ram (102) and on at least one cam (18) mounted on each of said followers (16), and the presence of at least two springs (28) affixed to each of said cams (18); thereby causing a thrusting force to strike said wound piece into said lower die (22).

14. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of regulating the timing of entry of said wound pieces into said lower die (22), comprises:

a. blocking a wound piece first in cue in said shoot (20) from entering at least one of said tracks (14) by means of said stopper plate (32), as the ram (102) reaches the topmost position, causing said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) to reach and stop at the centermost position surrounding said lower die (22) as one wound piece from the previous cycle is thrusted into said lower die (22) in accordance with step 13(b); and as a stopper wire (34) is disengaged from any wound piece in cue in said shoot (20);

b. maintaining the block on said wound piece first in cue, by means of said stopper plate (32) for the duration over which the ram (102) initiates descent and causes an upper die (38) affixed to said upper die buttress (26) to traverse a distance of 0.1% to 75% of the maximum total distance between said upper die (38) and said lower die (22), towards the lower die (22), thereby causing said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) to initiate movement away from the lower die (22) due to the pressure exerted by the descending ram (102) on said roller arms (24) and on said cam(s) (18); as said wound piece lodged at the lower die (22) remains at the lower die (22); and as said stopper wire (34) remains disengaged from any wound piece in cue;

c. sliding of said wound piece first in cue, onto the track (14) in front of the first follower (16a), as the ram (102) descends and causes the upper die (38) to descend to a distance point ranging from 85 % to 95% of the maximum total distance between said upper die (38) and said lower die (22), towards the lower die (22), causing said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) to be pushed further away from the lower die (22) as a result of the pressure exerted by the descending ram (102) on said roller arms (24) and on said cams (18); and as said stopper wire (34) gets engaged with a wound piece second in cue in said shoot (20); and

d. intercepting of a wound piece second in cue in the shoot (20) by the stopper wire (34); said step of intercepting occurring for the duration of the happening of at least one event selected from the group consisting of:

i. descending of the ram (102) to cause the upper die (38) to descend and traverse a distance of 25 % to 100% of the maximum total distance between said upper die (38) and said lower die (22), towards the lower die (22); ii. reaching of the ram (102) to the bottommost position; and iii. ascending of the ram (102) to cause the upper die (38) to ascend and traverse a distance of 0.1 to 75% of the maximum total distance between said upper die (38) and the lower die (22), away from the lower die (22).

15. The process as claimed in claim 14(a), wherein said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) stop at the centermost position as a virtue of the presence of at least one stopper bolt (30) affixed to each of said followers (16).

16. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of regulating the timing of entry of said wound pieces into said track(s) (14) is carried out to ensure the reaching of only one wound piece into the lower die (22), for forging.

17. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of forging of said wound piece lodged at said lower die (22) comprises hammering on said wound piece lodged at said lower die (22) and supported by a lower die buttress (36), by the upper die (38) which is coaxially affixed to the ram (102) by means of at least one upper die buttress (26) and at least one shank (40), to form a ring as the ram (102) reaches the bottommost position, causing said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) come to a halt at the outermost position as a virtue of the shape of said cam (18) and the absence of pressure exerted by the ram (102); and as said stopper wire (34) remains engaged with the wound piece second in cue in said shoot (20).

18. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of forging of said wound piece in said lower die (20) further comprises giving the ring a pre-determined shape as a virtue of the presence of grooves on the lower die (22) and on the upper die (38).

19. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of displacing said ring away from said lower die (22) after forging comprises actuating an ejector cam and further actuating an ejector lever by said ejector cam to cause an air pipe to get opened and to blow air on said lower die (22) through an air blower (42) for ejecting the ring away from said lower die (22), as the ram (102) ascends and causes the upper die (38) to ascend and traverse to a distance point ranging from 10 to 35% of the maximum total distance between said upper die (38) and the lower die (22), away from the lower die (22), causing said first follower (16a) accompanied by said stopper plate (32) and said second follower (16b) to initiate movement towards said lower die (22) as a joint result of the decrease in pressure caused by the ascending ram (102) on said roller arms (24) and said cams (18) and the presence of at least two springs (28) affixed to each of said cams (18); as said stopper plate (32) initiates blocking the wound piece second in cue from entering the tracks (14); and as said stopper wire (34) remains engaged in said wound piece second in cue.

The process as claimed in claim 11, being cyclic in nature.