Abstract: A shutheight adjustment mechanism of a mechanical press including a piston member restrained from moving vertically by a sealed liquid-filled chamber of relatively short height. The chamber acts as a stiff liquid-spring that limits deflection and movement of the piston member and ultimately the slide or bolster. Seals define the chamber to assure that the chamber is filled with liquid. The liquid-filled chamber damps free movement between parts thereby helping to resist changes in shutheight. Liquid also is injected between the piston member and both the adjustment nut and the housing. This liquid reduces torque requirements for shutheight adjustment.

Abstract: A mechanical press including a two part drive disk assembly to permit radial expansion in the drive disk, reduces or eliminates axial movement and/or axial closeout of the drive disk caused by thermal expansion of the drive disk. The drive disk is attached to an adapter plate by a plurality of flexible straps centrally attached to the circumferential edge of the drive disk and at the ends to flanges on the adapter plate. The adapter plate is connected to the conventional clutch plate of the press. During operation, the drive disk expands due to frictional heating in a radial direction as permitted by the flexible straps. In one form of the invention, the flexible straps are stacked and constructed from stainless steel.

Abstract: A shutheight adjustment mechanism of a press including a male threaded member threadedly engaged to a female threaded member with a clearance space therebetween is flooded with a liquid to reduce undamped free movement between the threaded members. Liquid injected in the clearance space causes a squeeze-film to be created, capable of supporting high impulse working loads. Seals define the clearance space to assure that the entire clearance space is filled with liquid. In one embodiment, the shutheight adjustment mechanism is included in the press slide.

Abstract: A shutheight adjustment system incorporating hydraulic tie rod nut assemblies for dynamically altering the tensioning and compression of the tie rods of a power press. Each hydraulic tie rod nut assembly includes a cylinder with an inner sliding piston threadably engaging the tie rod. A pressurizing mechanism injects pressurized fluid within a chamber formed by the piston and cylinder. By increasing pressure within the chamber of the hydraulic tie rod nut assembly, compression between the press bed and press crown may be increased thereby reducing the press shutheight.

Abstract: A process for stroke adjustment employs an adjustable stroke punch press which has a crankshaft with an integral eccentric portion around which is disposed an eccentric sleeve, a connection arm, an L-shaped piston-like sleeve, a locking plate, and a clamping plate. During press operation, the eccentric sleeve is locked to the crankshaft through the locking plate and the clamping plate. Stroke length is adjusted by changing the eccentricity of the integral crankshaft eccentric portion relative to the eccentric sleeve. The eccentric sleeve is unlocked from the crankshaft and locked to the connection arm during stroke adjustment allowing the crankshaft to rotate relative thereto by utilizing the inching mode of the press.

Abstract: A double action mechanical press, especially for cupping operations in which an outer slide is provided within which an inner slide is reciprocally mounted on a common crankshaft. According to the present invention, a single dynamic balancer, out of phase from both the inner and outer slides, is provided on the crankshaft in order to counterbalance the inertial forces generated by the inner and outer slides during press operation.

Abstract: A double action mechanical press, especially for cupping operations in which an outer slide is provided within which an inner slide is reciprocally mounted on a common crankshaft. According to the present invention, a single dynamic balancer, out of phase from both the inner and outer slides, is provided on the crankshaft in order to counterbalance the inertial forces generated by the inner and outer slides during press operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable stroke punch press which has a crankshaft with an integral eccentric portion around which is disposed an eccentric sleeve, a connection arm, an L-shaped piston-like sleeve, a locking plate, and a clamping plate. During press operation, the eccentric sleeve is locked to the crankshaft through the locking plate and the clamping plate. Stroke length is adjusted by changing the eccentricity of the integral crankshaft eccentric portion relative to the eccentric sleeve. The eccentric sleeve is unlocked from the crankshaft and locked to the connection arm during stroke adjustment allowing the crankshaft to rotate relative thereto by utilizing the inching mode of the press.

Abstract: A method of generating a press load/speed vibration severity capacity zone chart, for the purpose of determining the effects of any press/die application on the long-term operating reliability of a press during its production operation, wherein sensors are placed on the press structure to monitor and record RMS vibration velocity levels over a plurality of load/speed test condition combinations, in order to generate the reliability chart. Further apparatus is used to monitor the actual reliability level of the press during any production application, by comparison of the actual production operation data to the data generated by the method to establish the press vibration severity/reliability chart.

Abstract: A load control system and tool arrangements are disclosed for controlling the shutheight and back-up load on a mechanical press tool in response to a monitored or measured parameter indicative of press tool force or part quality, which monitored parameter is communicated to a controller for determination of a control signal to control a means for regulating the press tool back-up load and shutheight without interrupting press operations. The control system is operable to control a single station or multi station press and can be installed on either an individual press tool or the bolster or slide.

Abstract: A load control system and tool arrangements are disclosed for controlling the shutheight and back-up load on a mechanical press tool in response to a monitored or measured parameter indicative of press tool force or part quality, which monitored parameter is communicated to a controller for determination of a control signal to control a means for regulating the press tool back-up load and shutheight without interrupting press operations. The control system is operable to control a single station or multi station press and can be installed on either an individual press tool or the bolster or slide.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a scrap rubber tire carcass having a circumferential crown and a pair of sidewalls extending generally radially inwardly from and generally perpendicular to the crown, each of the sidewalls having an inner circumferential edge. Included are tire holding apparatus for holding the tire carcass while cutter blades cut the held tire carcass through from the inner circumferential edge to the crown substantially along a single radius at one place. Pinch rollers advance the cut tire carcass longitudinally in a direction generally tangent to the circumference of the drown while a spreading channel receives the cut end and on a continuous basis flattens the sidewalls such that the sidewalls and crown lie substantially in a common plane. The flattened carcass is advanced by additional pinch rollers into a granulator which chops the received tire carcass to particles.

Abstract: A load control system and tool arrangements are disclosed for controlling the shutheight and back-up load on a mechanical press tool in response to a monitored or measured parameter indicative of press tool force or part quality, which monitored parameter is communicated to a controller for determination of a control signal to control a means for regulating the press tool back-up load and shutheight without interrupting press operations. The control system is operable to control a single station or multi station press and can be installed on either an individual press tool or the bolster or slide. The back-up load is controlled by a non-fluid, moveable mechanical tool back-up mechanism.

Abstract: A conversion press assembly for forming easy open beverage cans and a transfer belt conveyor therefor. The press assembly comprises a main press having tooling therein for forming the can ends and a can end transfer belt extends therethrough to carry can end blanks from a downstacker or other supply apparatus. Attached to the main press frame is an auxiliary, tab press having its own crankshaft but being driven off the same drive assembly as the main press. Strip stock is fed into the tab press wherein the tabs are formed, and the tabs, still in strip form, are then fed transversely into the main press for attachment to the can ends at a staking station. The transfer belt comprises a plurality of carriers mounted on a flexible belt wherein the carriers include flexible fingers for resiliently gripping the can ends.

Abstract: A cam actuated ejector is provided with a shell press having a crankshaft for reciprocating a slide to which die tooling is mounted and having a forming station in which the die tooling forms a part to be ejected. The ejector includes a kicker bar slidably received within a recess in the press and which is in close proximity to and substantially coplanar with a part to be ejected. The kicker bar is positively reciprocated by a cam assembly that is synchronously engaged with the crankshaft, which operates the press slide, such that an end of the kicker bar cyclically moves at a first rate of movement from a first position outside the forming station to an intermediate position wherein the end contacts a part to be ejected.

Abstract: An air transfer system for a shell press is provided which air conveys a blanked and formed shell from a blanking and forming die station in the shell press to a curling die station in the same shell press. The air transfer system further provides for the blanked and formed part to be air conveyed within the curling die, and after the shell is curled within the die, provides for the curled shell to be air ejected from the curling die for subsequent fluid conveyance therefrom. A guide track extending between the die stations is just slightly wider than the diameter of the shell being conveyed and the fluid conveyance is provided by a hollow tube disposed in the upwardly facing surface of the guide track. A shell is air conveyed within the curling die station when an opening in a sleeve member, which is disposed about the curling die station and connected to a reciprocating blanking slide, becomes aligned with the guide track upon downward motion of the blanking slide.

Abstract: A cam actuated ejector is provided with a shell press having a crankshaft for reciprocating a slide to which die tooling is mounted and having a forming station in which the die tooling forms a part to be ejected. The ejector includes a kicker bar slidably received within a recess in the press and which is in close proximity to and substantially coplanar with a part to be ejected. The kicker bar is positively reciprocated by a cam assembly that is synchronously engaged with the crankshaft, which operates the press slide, such that an end of the kicker bar cyclically moves at a first rate of movement from a first position outside the forming station to an intermediate position wherein the end contacts a part to be ejected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mechanical press, and in particular to such a press having a crown portion with an open top thereby permitting the crankshaft and connection arm assembly to be lowered therein in a preassembled state. Next, a cover plate is connected to the crown and the press motor assembly is mounted thereon. Belt connections to the drive assembly can be made through openings in the cover plate and access to the drive assembly can be had through removable doors on the ends of the crown. Preferably, the press frame comprising the bed, uprights and crown are formed as a single casting thereby avoiding the necessity for tie rods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a loop follower control system for use in a mechanical press or other machine installation for the purpose of controlling the amount of stock loop between the straightener and the press. An idler arm engages the loop of stock between the straightener and the press, and is connected to an potentiometer to develop a current or voltage proportional to the deviation of the idler arm from the desired position. The control current or voltage developed controls an eddy current drive to increase or decrease the speed of the rollers and straightener depending on the amount of error indicated by the control signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a speed control and indication system for a mechanical press. In order to enable the press to operate at its full running speed on the first cycle thereof after actuation of the clutch, the flywheel is driven at a speed higher than the set running speed so that as the mechanical inertia of the drive mechanism will cause the press to slow down to its set running speed. The control circuit modifies the speed control voltage after actuation of the clutch so that the press continues to run at the set speed even after the mechanical inertia is overcome. The signal from the tachometer to the speed meter is modified before actuation of the clutch so that it provides a reading at the set running speed of the press even though the flywheel is running at a higher speed. After the clutch is actuated, the true tachometer voltage is fed to the speed meter so that it continues to indicate the true running speed of the press.