Abstract: A bandsaw machine which has a sawhead assembly in which a flexible endless bandsaw blade is trained around a pair of bandsaw blade wheels to cut a workpiece, with the blade being guided by a guide arm, includes a guide member on the guide arm, for holding the bandsaw blade in a vertical orientation by pushing the bandsaw blade from both sides. A rolling member is mounted on the sawhead assembly and is free to push a side surface of the bandsaw blade with a predetermined force so as to prevent vibration of the blade.

Abstract: A workpiece loading and unloading method and apparatus are disclosed especially for plate processing machines, such as a punch press. The apparatus includes a workpiece storage device positioned on one side of the plate processing machine and having a plurality of vertically arranged shelves for supporting pallets for storing workpieces to be loaded and finished products unloaded from the machine. An elevator device is provided for moving pallets to and from the storage device to a load/unload station where a transfer device picks up a workpiece from the pallet and moves it to the machine for processing and also picks up the finished product from the machine and returns it to a finished product pallet.

Abstract: A turret punch press includes an upper and lower turrets for respectively supporting a plurality of punches and dies; the punches are arranged two-dimensionally in a punch mounting regions on the upper turret and the dies are arranged two-dimensionally in a die mounting region on the lower turret. The turret punch press further includes a ram and a striker for striking the punches. The striker is provided on a bottom of the ram so as to be movable in two horizontal directions above the punches indexed in a processing region. In the turret punch press, when the turret is indexed in the processing region, many punches and dies are simultaneously indexed in the processing region. Thus, by moving the striker in two horizontal directions above the punches indexed in the processing region, many successive punch operations can be quickly performed without intermediate rotation of the turrets.

Abstract: A press brake system for bending, flanging, folding and forming an elongate and curved worksheet, and a worksheet handling device for handling such a worksheet are disclosed. The press brake system includes a press brake including a punch and a matrix which cooperate along a bending line in a working plane, and members for straightening an elongate and curved worksheet. The worksheet handling device includes members for straightening an elongate and curved worksheet. Such straightening members include: forcing members for applying force to the worksheet at central portion or end portions of a longitudinal edge, the force being in a direction perpendicular to the bending line and within a loading plane; and fixing members for fixing the worksheet so that it can not move against the force. This design enables the system to carry out appropriate bending or flanging to obtain a work with flanges of constant width along bending lines.

Abstract: A device for estimating the cross sectional shape of a workpiece and measuring its dimensions by detecting the width of the workpiece, the contact angle or the contact position when the saw blade contacts the workpiece, and the presence or absence of a workpiece vertical side surface. In addition, if the cross sectional shape and dimensions of the workpiece are already known, the positional relationship of the band saw blade and the workpiece can be calculated by detecting the position of the band saw blade. The positional relationship of the workpiece and the saw blade guides can be calculated so that the saw blade guides are controlled to maintain a position in which they do not obstruct the workpiece.

Abstract: A workability detection method for a workpiece consisting of the steps of cutting a workpiece, based on specified cutting conditions, detecting the cutting resistance during the cutting operation, or the cutting time or the amount of tool wear to make a cut up to a specified position of the workpiece, or the feeding position of the cutting tool on a workpiece or the amount of processing of the cutting tool after a specified cutting time and comparing the detected data with corresponding data which is stored in a data base.

Abstract: To cut a workpiece along two different cutting directions, the band saw teeth are set in a first vertical cutting direction by a band saw guide device and then the cutting head (CH) is moved frontward, for instance; thereafter, the band saw teeth are twisted toward a second vertical cutting direction by the same guide device and then the cutting head is moved to-and-fro, for instance. The machine is effectively usable in cutting off a test piece from a large workpiece. To improve the cutting precision, various novel devices are incorporated, such as a balance cylinder (B-CYL) for allowing the cutting head to move up and down smoothly; two back-and-forth cylinders (BF-CYL) for moving the cutting head back and forth in symmetrical pressure application; cutting head fix device (FD); a rigid guide column; band saw holding device (BSH); a slidable small-diameter driven wheel arranged within the cutting head (CH), etc.

Abstract: The machine includes a U-shaped princer (12) with a pair of arms (14, 16) which carry a V-sectioned linear punch (P) and a V-sectioned linear die (D) respectively. The punch (P) is fixed and the die (D) is movable. The U-shaped pincer (12) is mounted so that it can rotate both about a bending axis (V) coincident with the edge of the punch (P) and about a horizontal pivoting axis (O) which intersects the bending axis (V). A clamp (10) is adapted to grip an upper edge of a piece (W) of sheet metal so that a region thereof to be bent lies in a vertical suspension plane (B) lying between the arms (14, 16) of the U-shaped pincer (12) and containing the bending axis (V). The U-shaped pincer (12) and the clamp (10) are capable of relative movement both in a vertical direction (Z) and in a horizontal direction (X) perpendicular to the horizontal pivoting axis (O).

Abstract: A method and a device for indirect detecting of folding angles (.beta.) of a metal sheet (4) during the folding by a folding machine (1) which has a punch (2), and a die (3) provided with a depressed seat (5) is disclosed. The folding angle (.beta.) is obtained by alebraic summing of an angle (.alpha.) formed by adjacent two walls (10, 10, 13, 13, 13a, 13b) of the punch (2) or the seat (5) and each angle (.alpha.1, .alpha.2) between a portion (7, 8, 8a) of the metal sheet (4) and the said wall. The angles (.alpha.1, .alpha.2) formed between the said portion (7, 8, 8a) and each wall (10, 13, 13a, 13b) are calculated by using the measurements of the distances (D1, D2, D3, D4) from the wall to the portion measured at desired two points on the wall. The distances are detected by a device such as differential transformers (18, 19, 20) and pneumatic gauges (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) incorporated in the punch (2) or the die (3). The angle (.beta., .beta.1, .beta.

Abstract: A reduced resistance saw blade. The saw blade of the present invention has at least two or more groups of sawteeth, the groups of the sawteeth include a first group having a plurality of the sawteeth wherein the tips of the sawteeth are substantially situated on a first imaginary curve which changes in a periodic or irregular cycle, and a second group having a plurality of the sawteeth wherein the tips of the sawteeth are substantially situated on a second imaginary curve parallel to the first imaginary curve. Also provided is a saw blade which includes sets of the sawteeth having reversed set patterns, thus providing a saw blade which is capable of restraining deviation of the cut, maintaining the balance of the lateral sets of the overall saw blade. The saw blade of the present invention includes a plurality of sets of teeth, each set comprising unset, right set and left set teeth, wherein reversed set patterns with the same number of teeth are provided alternately.

Abstract: The press is of the type including a pair of tool-holders mounted in a frame and carrying cooperating tools (die and punch). At least one of the tool-holders is motor-driven and is movable towards the other tool-holder. According to the invention, the press includes first drive means arranged to make one of the tool-holders travel a fairly long distance towards the other tool and second drive means, distinct from the first, for making this same tool-holder or the other tool-holder perform a subsequent, fairly-short working stroke to bend the sheet metal and to effect any coining of the bend. Preferably both of the tool-holders are movable, the second drive means being arranged to make the respective tool-holder complete a fairly short bending stroke, and the press includes third drive means, distinct from the first and second, arranged to make the same tool-holder and the other tool-holder complete a virtual stroke for coining the bend.

Abstract: A method for conveying a long workpiece to a cutting machine includes the steps of conveying a long workpiece laterally to a feed conveyor positioned in parallel with the path line of the cutting machine by a cross conveyor extending in the lateral direction of the workpiece; stopping the cross conveyor when a workpiece reaches a regulating member provided above the cross conveyor, in a line parallel to the path line of the cutting machine; moving the feed conveyor with respect to the cutting machine path line in response to the workpiece width so that the feed conveyor is located at a position for selectively scooping up the workpiece; moving at least one of the feed conveyor or the cross conveyor in the vertical direction so that the workpiece is selectively loaded on the feed conveyor; and conveying the loaded workpiece to the cutting machine by the feed conveyor.

Abstract: A dedicated V-shaped groove forming machine comprises an X-axis slider disposed over a plate material so as be movable in an X-axis (groove forming direction); a Z-axis slider supported by the X-axis slider so as to be movable in a Z-axis direction (vertical direction); and plural cutting tools mounted on the Z-axis slider; and a Y-axis carriage for moving a plate material (workpiece) in a Y-axis direction (perpendicular to the X-axis direction). Further, there are provided work table adjusting device for adjusting the cutting tool movement locus in parallel to the work table and tool height detecting device for determining an origin in the Z-axis direction, etc.

Abstract: A dedicated V-shaped groove forming machine comprises an X-axis slider disposed over a plate material so as be movable in an x-axis (groove forming direction); a Z-axis slider supported by the x-axis slider so as to be movable in a Z-axis direction (vertical direction); and plural cutting tools mounted on the Z-axis slider; and a Y-axis carriage for moving a plate material (workpiece) in a Y-axis direction (perpendicular to the X-axis direction). Further, there are provided work table adjusting device for adjusting the cutting tool movement locus in parallel to the work table and tool height detecting device for determining an origin in the Z-axis direction, etc.

Abstract: A force isolating machine tool. The invention is directed to a machine tool divided into two separate cooperating structures, a first frame structure for supporting and guiding a pair of tools to provide precision of movement and a second frame structure for transmitting reaction forces. The first and second frame structures are pivotally connected along the axis along which the tools move.

Abstract: A unit (1) for bending sheet metal (38) comprises a bending press (2), a device (4) for manipulating the sheet metal (38), and an auxiliary gripping device (16) for turning the metal sheet through 180.degree. about an axis (D) perpendicular to the bending line (B) of the press (12). The auxiliary gripping device (6) includes a plurality of grippers (36). The grippers (36) are carried by a support (24) fixed to the base structure (8) of the press (12) above the manipulation space (MS) at a height so that, when the grippers are above the manipulation space (MS), the auxiliary device (16) does not obstruct access of operators to the press (2) if the press is used manually. A device (111) for manipulating sheet metal (222) for a bending press (444) includes a main device (100) which is slidable along a guide beam (160) fixed parallel to the bending line (J) of the press (444) and an auxiliary gripping device (240) for turning the metal sheet over about an axis (L) perpendicular to the bending line (J).

Abstract: A bandsaw machine which has a sawhead assembly in which a flexible endless bandsaw blade is trained around a pair of bandsaw blade wheels to cut a workpiece, with the blade being guided by a guide arm, includes a guide member on the guide arm, for holding the bandsaw blade in a vertical orientation by pushing the bandsaw blade from both sides. A rolling member is mounted on the sawhead assembly and is free to push a side surface of the bandsaw blade with a predetermined force so as to prevent vibration of the blade.

Abstract: An electric discharge wire cutting machine with one nozzle above the workpiece and another nozzle beneath the workpiece, one of the nozzles having a shape obtained by rotating an arc of a circle about the central axis of the conical configuration of the nozzle. This shape allows the working fluid to be smoothly expelled and to prevent the formation of gas bubbles by the wire in the working zone which might prevent adequate cooling of the wire and thereby cuase the wire to break.

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 reciprocalby up and down so that the conveyor descends before, or simultaneously with, the actual cutting into the workpiece by the up

Abstract: The invention is a cutting machine and its method of operation. The machine contains a vise, a feed mechanism for positioning a workpiece toward the cutting position, a mechanism for detecting the front end of the workpiece, a mechanism for detecting the transfer distance of the front end of the workpiece, a mechanism acting in conjunction with the last two referenced mechanisms to reduce the feed speed of the workpiece, a mechanism to control the feed velocity of the workpiece, a mechanism to contact the first end of the workpiece, and a mechanism to halt the speed of the workpiece.