Abstract: A die for a press brake is formed with: a first V-shaped groove (43A) extending in a longitudinal direction and on an upper surface thereof; a second V-shaped groove (43B) extending in the same way in parallel to the first V-shaped groove; a plurality of first engage slots (45A) arranged on a lower surface thereof in parallel to the first V-shaped groove by a predetermined distance (A) from a central bottom line of the first V-shaped groove; and a plurality of second engage slots (45B) arranged in the same way in parallel to the second V-shaped groove by the same predetermined distance from a central bottom line of the second V-shaped groove. The first and second engage slots (45A, 45B) are used in common for alignment of the first and second V-shaped grooves (43A, 43B) with a punch (7) mated to the die.

Abstract: In an upper tool, a stripper plate (35) is disposed movably up and down at a lower end portion (13a) of a punch guide (13) for housing a punch (27) also movably up and down, via a shock damping member (33). Further, the shock damping member (33) is formed into an annular body disposed so as to enclose an annular gap (X) formed between the lower end portion (13a) of the punch guide (13) and the upper surface (65) of the stripper plate (35). The upper tool can reduce noise sound generated during punching processing, and further prevent chips produced during punching processing from adhering onto the workpiece and the shock damping member, thus protecting the workpiece from being scratched by the chips and further improving the life time of the shock damping member.

Abstract: A bending apparatus includes: an upper bending die 63U for downward bending both ends of the plate material gripped between upper and lower plates 59U and 59L provided on upper and lower frames 35U and 35L, respectively and a lower bending die 63L for upward bending both ends of the same plate material; and upper and lower bending mechanisms each including a link mechanism for moving the upper bending die or the lower bending die in both upward or downward direction, respectively. In the bending apparatus according to the present invention, since the upper and lower bending mechanisms 61U and 61L are constructed by a link mechanism, respectively, it is possible to move the upper or lower bending die 63U or 63L far away from the bending position of the plate material W.

Abstract: In an upper tool for a press brake formed with an inclined surface (9S) narrowed upwardly at an upper portion thereof and an engage groove (9G) formed under the inclined surface (9S). The inclined surface (9S) is brought into contact with an inclined surface of an upper tool clamp member (11), when the upper tool is clamped between an upper tool holder body (5) and an upper tool clamp member (11), in such a way that clamping force can be further increased when the upper tool is engaged with a die (63). Further, in an upper tool holder apparatus for a press brake, the pivotal upper tool clamp member (211) is formed with an engage projection (211P) for engaging a drop prevention groove (205G) formed in the upper tool (205).

Abstract: The turret punch press has a body frame (3); a ram (51) for striking a punch (41) to punch out work (W) in cooperation with a die (35); an upper turret (39) rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of punches (41), any desired punch being selectively located at a punch area (A1); and a lower turret (33) also rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of dies (35), any desired die mated with the desired punch being selectively located at the same punch area (A1). In particular, the upper turret (39) is formed smaller in diameter than the lower turret (33), and further the upper turret (39) is dislocated eccentrically from the lower turret (33) toward the punch area (A1) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33). Or else, the upper turret (39) is formed with a cutout portion (53) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33) when the upper turret is disposed concentrically on the upper turret (39).

Abstract: In a method of separating a product G connected to a skeleton portion S of work W via a micro joint M, from the skeleton portion, the product is separated from the skeleton portion by striking the skeleton portion in the vicinity of the micro joint to cut off the micro joint from the skeleton. Further, the die pair used for the above-mentioned method comprises a punch 17A provided with a projecting portion 17T at an end thereof and movable up and down; and a die 19A arranged under the punch and formed of an elastic substance. In this method, it is possible to separate products from the skeleton portion of the work efficiently by breaking the micro joints without scratching the products and without generating noise. Further, the separating work of the products from the skeleton portion can be easily automated.

Abstract: A pneumatic marking tool (35,123) is attached to one of the punch mounting holes (9) of the upper turret disk (3) of a punch press. When the punching striker (13) is moved down to its lower dead point, compressed air is supplied from a compressed air supply unit (103) to the marking tool to move the marking stylus (49, 129) up and down repeatedly at a high speed. At the same time, the work (W) is moved in a two-dimensional way by the Y- and X-axis work driving mechanisms (27, 29) of the punch press, in synchronism with the repetitive marking stylus motion, to engrave characters and/or symbols as a form of gathered dots all under control of the numerical control unit (33). Therefore, it is possible to mark or engrave any required characters and/or symbols without occupying a number of punch mounting stations of the upper turret disk and without the use of any punch press of high punching frequency, thus eliminating the laborious setting work required whenever the plate thickness of the work changes.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: In a bender (e.g., press brake), work (plate material) can be bent by a bending tool composed of a pair of punch and die. A position detector (17) mounted on a movable side of the bending tool generates a limit point pulse (ULi) whenever the tool reaches a limit point. A timer (29) measures a time interval between the two limit point pulses (ULi). A time compare discriminate section (31) compares the time interval measured by the timer with a reference time interval (TR), and further discriminates the current bending as a trial bending when the time interval is longer than the reference time but as an actual bending when shorter than the reference time. Further, an arithmetic section 33 calculates a sum total number of times of the bending and the sum total time period spent in the bendings, separately in both of the trial and actual bendings. The obtained bending data are displayed or recorded to obtain an accurate man-hour in the bending processing.

Abstract: A punching die includes a punch body, a punch guide fitted on the punch body movably up and down with respect to the punch body, a punch head provided on a top portion of the punch body, and a gaseous spring provided between the punch body and the punch guide for pushing the punch guide downwardly with respect to the punch body. The gaseous spring is cylindrical and fitted on the punch body detachably, and includes a device for restricting a maximum length of the gaseous spring.

Abstract: An upper tool for a press brake is removably attachable to an upper tool holding device mounted on an upper table of the press brake. The upper tool includes a mounting portion and a projection portion, both adjacent a first end of the upper tool, a work processing portion adjacent a second end of the upper tool, a clamping surface and a sliding surface, extending divergingly from the projection portion, and a contact surface extending substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface. The clamping surface extends along the length of the upper tool beyond the contact surface.

Abstract: A blank holder having variable assembly is used in a folding machine for the production of a sheet panel. It comprises a central element (3), a plurality of additional elements (6), a pair of expander elements (4), two extremity members (7), at least one programmable carriage (15) movable along the blank holder which is operable to modify the length of the blank holder.

Abstract: A system for the creation of commands and control signals for a complete operating cycle of a robot manipulator device of a sheet metal bending installation by simulating the operating environment, in which various parts of the sheet metal bending installation are presented to the user on a video display in a simplified form and on a reduced scale. The video display and a keyboard are connected to a central processor unit and permit the creation of a complete sequence of signals usable for controlling the operation of the bending installation, and permits the presentation of the simulation of the movement of the parts of the installation on the video.

Abstract: A bar storage apparatus comprises: a shelf frame (19) provided with a plurality of pallet accommodating shelves (17) each for movably accommodating a pallet (15) on which a plurality of bars are mounted; an elevator device (23) disposed on one side of the shelf frame so as to be movable up and down and provided with a traverser (21) for moving each pallet into and from each of the pallet accommodating shelves; and a bar supplying device (25) for supplying a bar, mounted on the pallet moved from the pallet accommodating shelf and further located at a predetermined position by the elevator device, to a bar processing machine (3). The bar storage apparatus can store a great number of bars of various kinds and various dimensions, select any required bars from a great number of bars, and supply the selected bars to a bar processing machine easily and quickly.

Abstract: A plate material separating apparatus comprises: a horizontal beam (9) movable up and down; a plurality of vacuum hanger members (11) fixedly arranged at regular intervals on both sides of the horizontal beam so as to extend horizontally; a plurality of support vacuum pad devices (13B, 13C) attached to each of the vacuum hanger members at regular intervals in a direction perpendicular to an end surface of a plate material (W); a plurality of pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices (13A) each attached to an end of each of the vacuum hanger members so as to be located near the end surface of the plate material; and a plurality of driving devices (37) each associated with each of the pivotal take-up vacuum pad devices, for pivoting the pivotal take-up vacuum pad device to bend the plate material only at and along the end surface thereof so that air can be introduced between an uppermost plate material and a second plate material, thus allowing the plate material to be separated easily from the stacked materials.

Abstract: In an upper tool for a press brake clamped between a support plate (7) of an upper tool holder body (5) attached to a lower portion of an upper table (3) and an upper tool clamp member (11), the upper tool (9) is formed with an inclined surface (9S) narrowed upward at an upper portion thereof and with an engage groove (9G) engaged with an engage projection (11K) of the upper tool clamp member (11) and formed under the inclined surface (9S). Therefore, the inclined surface (9S) is brought into contact with an inclined surface of the upper tool clamp member (11), when the upper tool is clamped between the upper tool holder body (5) and the upper tool clamp member (11), in such a way that clamping force can be-further increased when the upper tool is engaged with a die (63).

Abstract: In a bender (e.g., press brake), work (plate material) can be bent by a bending tool composed of a pair of punch and die. A position detector (17) mounted on a movable side of the bending tool generates a limit point pulse (ULi) whenever the tool reaches a limit point. A timer (29) measures a time interval between the two limit point pulses (ULi). A time compare discriminate section (31) compares the time interval measured by the time with a reference time interval (TR), and further discriminates the current bending as trial bending when the time interval is longer than the reference time but as an actual bending when shorter than the reference time. Further, an arithmetic section 33 calculates a sum total number of times of the bending and the sum total time period spent in the bendings, separately in both of the trial and actual bendings. The obtained bending data are displayed or recorded to obtain an accurate man-hour in the bending processing.

Abstract: The turret punch press has a body frame (3); a ram (51) for striking a punch (41) to punch out work (W) in cooperation with a die (35); an upper turret (39) rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of punches (41), any desired punch being selectively located at a punch area (A1); and a lower turret (33) also rotatably mounted on the body frame and having a plurality of dies (35), any desired die mated with the desired punch being selectively located at the same punch area (A1). In particular, the upper turret (39) is formed smaller in diameter than the lower turret (33), and further the upper turret (39) is dislocated eccentrically from the lower turret (33) toward the punch area (A1) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33). Or else, the upper turret (39) is formed with a cutout portion (53) to provide an open die exchange area (A2) over a part of the lower turret (33) when the upper turret is disposed concentrically on the upper turret (39).

Abstract: In a punching tool having a punch body (23), a punch driver (33) integral with the punch body, a punch head (45) disposed over the punch driver and struck by a striker (59), a punch guide (15) for guiding the punch body, a stripper plate (17) disposed under the punch guide, and a stripping spring (51) interposed between the punch guide (15) and the punch driver (33), the punching tool further includes a first damping member (39) interposed between the punch guide (15) and the punch driver (33) so as to be elastically deformable within a predetermined deflection value. Owing to the presence of the first damping member (39), it is possible to reduce noise generated when the punch body (23) is returned upward by a strong urging force of the stripping spring (51) after work has been punched, thus reducing overall noise generated during punching processing.

Abstract: A device for measuring an angle in a workpiece piece which includes a base; a pair of feelers which are movable relative to the base and each of which has an active surface for contacting a respective portion of the workpiece piece during the measurement; a thrust mechanism for bringing the active surfaces of said feelers into contact with the respective portions of the workpiece piece being measured; and a sensor mechanism for detecting the positions of the feelers relative to the base.