Patents Assigned to Amada
  • Patent number: 5390527
    Abstract: An upper tool holder apparatus (1) for removably supporting an upper tool (9) on an upper table (3) of a press brake includes: a holder body (5) removably attached to the upper table; an upper tool clamp (11) attached to the holder body, for pushing and fixing an upper portion of the upper tool to a support plate (7) provided at a lower portion of the holder body; a clamping force adjusting device (13) for adjusting a clamping force of the upper tool clamp; and a clamp releasing device (15) for releasing the upper tool clamped by the upper tool clamp. In particular, a wedge-shaped member (17) vertically movably provided at a lower portion of the upper tool clamp is formed with a stop portion (17K) engageable with and disengageable from an engage portion (9K) formed in the upper tool (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Amada Metrecs Company, Limited
    Inventor: Susumu Kawano
  • Patent number: 5390575
    Abstract: In a multiple tool for a punch press, a plurality of punches (57) are arranged circularly so as to be movable up and down within a stripper guide (41) provided also movably up and down in an upper die holding member (15) of the punch press; a punch driver (77) is disposed so as to be rotatable and movable up and down in a central hole (75) within the stripper guide (41); and a projecting portion (97) is formed in the punch driver (77), for striking any one of a plurality of the punches. Further, an indexing device is mounted to rotate the punch driver (77) so that the projecting portion (97) can be indexed over any required punch (57A), for instance. Since only one required punch of a plurality of the punches can be struck without moving the striker, the multiple tool is simple in structure, high in precision, and low in cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Amada Metrecs Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Saito
  • Patent number: 5378173
    Abstract: A connector assembly for connecting branch connectors to a main mating connector includes a frame capable of being joined with the main connector and the branch connectors being detachably mounted in the frame and capable of connecting with the main connector. The frame includes cavities for receiving each branch connector and extending from a first branch connector receiving face to an opposite face, and first engaging portions for holding each branch connector in the frame. The branch connectors each include a main body having terminals therein, and locking means provided for release from the frame first engagement means. The locking means form a second engaging portion for engagement with the first engaging portion to lock the branch connector in the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Amada Manufacturing America, Inc.
    Inventor: Shigemi Hashizawa
  • Patent number: 5374804
    Abstract: A laser head device including a nozzle supporting shaft (11) which is formed in the shape of a pipe through which laser beams (LB) pass, characterized in that the shaft is vertically movably supported in a frame of a laser processing apparatus and is rotatable about its axis so that it acts both as a protecting pipe for the laser beams (LB) and as a rotary shaft. The object is to provide a laser head device which is simple, compact and lightweight in comparison with conventional ones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yukio Uchino, Konrad Popp
  • Patent number: 5367935
    Abstract: In order to change punches and dies on upper and lower turrets during punching operation on a workpiece, a turret punch press includes a plurality of rotatable holder frames each supporting the upper and lower turret. Thus, when a first set of upper and lower turrets supported on a first holder frames is located in a working region under a striker for a punching operation, a second set of upper and lower turrets supported on a second holder frame is located in a position outside the working region, whereby a punch and die supported on the second set of the turrets can be changed for another punch and die during punching operation. In the preferable embodiment, the holder frame is removably supported on a main frame of the turret punch press, whereby the holder frame can be changed for another holder frame during punching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventor: Morikatsu Matsuda
  • Patent number: 5365766
    Abstract: A die assembly for use with a tool for bending flat metal stock, and including a pair of elongated plate members in the lower die member each having a surface to support a piece of flat metal stock, the plate members being pivotably connected and maintained approximately 180 degrees apart when a bending force is not applied to the metal stock. A surface of an expandable pressure container is positioned in contact with a plate support member, the pressure within the container being controlled in a manner such that the vertical position of the plate support member is fixed such that the plate members assume a selected angular orientation to enable the tool to form the desired bend in the metal stock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Engineering & Service Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Takahashi, Etsuo Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5366335
    Abstract: A transfer device for transferring elongate bars with respect to a spatial storing system which includes a frame provided with vertically arranged multiple shelves constituted of a plurality of supporting beams for carrying the bars, comprising: a movable beam (23) disposed above the shelf frame and extending in a longitudinal direction of the bars, the movable beam being movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bars; a lifting beam (35) vertically movably mounted movable beam; and a plurality of lifting arms (33) attached to the lifting beam and extending, for carrying the bars, in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bars, the lifting arms being extrudable and recedable separately or simultaneously in a longitudinal direction thereof in relation to length of the bar to be carried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventor: Toru Tokiwa
  • Patent number: 5363729
    Abstract: A shearing machine for shearing a plate workpiece includes a frame; a ram having an upper cutting blade and being mounted on the frame in a vertically movable manner; a worktable being fixedly mounted on the frame and having a lower cutting blade to define an opening between the upper cutting blade and the lower cutting blade so that the plate workpiece to be sheared may be fed from the front side of the upper blades into the opening with a portion of the plate workpiece extending to the rear side of the opening; a conveyor being mounted on the frame for supporting the portion of the plate workpiece and for conveying the sheared portion of the plate workpiece to the rear side of the shearing machine, the conveyor being vertically movable in response to the vertical movement of the ram; and a drive shaft means having an eccentric member for driving both the ram and the conveyor reciprocably up and down so that the conveyor descends before, or simultaneously with, the actual cutting into the workpiece by the up
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazui Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 5358375
    Abstract: A device for transferring materials and product with respect to a worktable (13) of a processing machine (1), including stackers (5R, 5L) provided with a plurality of pallet shelves (3) to and from which material and product pallets are passed and discharged, and a pallet carrying elevator (75) disposed in a vertically movable manner with respect to the stackers, for supporting and moving the material and product pallets with respect to the shelves (3), the pallet carrying elevator (75) being provided at an upper portion with a work holding device (109) and at a lower portion with a supporting device (95) for supporting and releasing a processing pallet (Pk) to pass and discharge it (Pk) with respect to worktable (13) of the processing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kijuu Kawada, Yukio Uchino
  • Patent number: 5358337
    Abstract: The load bearing ball of the type which has a main ball (1) of substantially high diameter on which the loads rest, in turn rests on a plurality of balls (2) of diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of ball (1), which are placed on the bottom (3) of a suitable container (4), the latter having a substantially hemispheric shape. A main feature of the invention consists of the particular structure capable of closing the container and capable of holding the several balls in the interior of the container. This structure serves also for the purpose of fastening the main large ball to the border of the opening (6) formed on the supporting plane (7) of the same load bearing ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Sapim Amada S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Codatto
  • Patent number: 5354169
    Abstract: A storage system for rods including a conveyor device and a crane system. The conveyor device is for feeding a working machine such as a cutting-off machine, and in particular for supplying and discharging rods to and from at least one roller path for feeding the rods into the working machine. The conveyor device includes a receiver device arranged at both sides of the roller path for conveying rods between a handling device of a stock of rods and the roller path, each receiver device having at least one receiver arm which is independently movable substantially vertically. The crane system includes a load crossbeam movable in the vertical direction for transporting a bar material, and load take-up device provided on the load crossbeam. The load crossbeam is subdivided into subcrossbeams which are movable individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignees: Advanced Technik GmbH, Amada Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isomi Washio, Werner Latten
  • Patent number: 5350347
    Abstract: A turret punch press includes rotatable upper and lower turrets, a striker which is vertically movable for striking a punch, a plate positioning device for moving and positioning, in the X and Y directions, a plate workpiece supported on a work table, and a tool changing device, wherein a punch holder magazine and a die holder magazine supporting respectively a punch and a die to be installed on the upper turret and the lower turret to replace the punch and die in use, are provided adjacent to the upper and lower turrets. The punch changing position on the upper turret is below the punch holder magazine, and the die changing position on the lower turret is above the die holder magazine. The tool changing device is positioned on a vertical line between the punch and die changing positions so that the punches and dies can be changed by a direct linear operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Fujiwara, Konrad Popp
  • Patent number: 5347898
    Abstract: A method and system for assorting a number of small product pieces (G) cut off from a large work sheet (W) which is processed by a cutting machine (1) to form small product parts (G). The system includes a cutting-off device (71) for cutting off the small product parts (G) in turn from the large work sheet (W), transportation device (9) for transporting the small product pieces (G) cut off from the sheet (W) in a direction (X) and positioning the pieces (G) in desired places in the transportation device (9), and an assorting device (11) for collecting the pieces (G) at the desired places and positioning the pieces in predetermined places by every kind of the pieces (G).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masaoki Ito
  • Patent number: 5345806
    Abstract: A device (12; 102) for manipulating sheet metal pieces (P) for a sheet metal processing machine (10; 101) is disclosed. The device (12; 102) comprises a plurality of manipulator units (20, 22; 106, 108, 110) with a plurality of gripping elements (32, 50, 52; 118, 126, 134) for gripping and moving the sheet metal pieces (P) so that the units (20, 22; 106, 108, 110) cooperate with one another in receiving a workpiece (P) from the associated processing machine (10; 101) and passing another workpiece (P) to the processing machine as well as such receiving from and passing to an associated device (4) for loading and discharging sheet metal pieces to utilize the processing machine (10; 101) as far as possible reducing its down times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Franco Sartorio, Mario Scavino, Stefano Vergano
  • Patent number: 5346454
    Abstract: A turret punch press (1) includes an upper turret (5) for holding punches (P) and a lower turret (7) for holding dies (D). The diameter of the lower turret (7) is larger than that of the upper turret (5) so that a punch exchange position (61) and a die exchange position (61), which are opposite to a punching position (21), are separated away from each other. This arrangement enables the die to be exchanged from above the same, expands the freedom of designing of dies, improves workability, and realizes an automatic die exchange in an automatic index station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Manufacturing America, Inc.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5342276
    Abstract: A turret punch press and a die set exchange device for the press are disclosed. The punch press includes a turret carrying die sets in die set attaching areas, and a die set exchanging device having a plurality of housings on a carriage, which moves horizontally between the turret and a die storage section to take out and charge die sets with the turret and the die set storage section to exchange the die sets for the next use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Fujiwara, Shigeru Ito
  • Patent number: 5341666
    Abstract: A device for moving blades of a press used for bending sheets, has blades supported and placed in motion by a bending block which is movable in the vertical direction with respect to two counter blades with the sheet to be bent being placed between the two counter blades. For the purpose of imparting motion to the bending block with respect to the counter blades, there is provided a track along which the bending block rolls. There are also provided two connecting rods, the upper end of which is hinged to the lower part of the bending block. The two rods are pivoted in the lower part to an arm (7) which is placed substantially radially and which is integral with a cylinder (8). Cylinder (8) is integral with a second arm (9) which is connected with a fluid dynamic cylinder. There may also be provided a second fluid-dynamic cylinder which forms with the first fluid-dynamic cylinder a structure having cylindrical symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Sapim Amada S.p.A.
    Inventor: Antonio Codatto
  • Patent number: 5339804
    Abstract: An ultrasonic bathing system comprising a bathtub for containing a bathing fluid, an ultrasonic transducer mounted on said bath, means for energizing said transducer to generate ultrasonic waves in the bathing fluid at a power and frequency for providing a mechanical cleaning action, and means for pulsing said energizing means to provide bursts of constant amplitude waves having a mark-space ratio dependent on the required power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Kemp
  • Patent number: 5330241
    Abstract: A hand apparatus easily attaches and detaches a punch to and from a punch attaching hole of an upper turret of a turret punch press. The hand apparatus includes a vertically and horizontally movable arm, a turnable cylinder attached to an end of the movable arm, and a support cylinder disposed inside the turnable cylinder, such that the support cylinder is horizontally moved and immobilized or restrained relative to the turnable cylinder. A turnable and tiltable hand is disposed inside the support cylinder, and a clamp is disposed at a lower end of the clamp hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Engineering and Service Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Yutaka Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5329795
    Abstract: A precision bending press for relatively short pieces of sheet metal includes a pair of tool-holder beams one of which is movable towards the other in order to follow a working path in the general common plane of the beams. The movable beam is subdivided, at least virtually, into a number n of segments and is controlled by a plurality of actuators of a number at least equal to n+1. The actuators are connected to a reaction structure stressed by the overall forming force created by the actuators. The actuators are controlled by means of a processing unit which receives signals indicative of the relative punch--die position generated by position transducers supported by an auxiliary structure which is not affected substantially by the deformations of the reaction structure caused by the bending force. The reaction structure comprises a single pair of lateral uprights connected to one another by a connecting beam and by the fixed tool-holder beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Amada Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Franco Sartorio, Stefano Vergano