Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor includes a pair of elongated transfer bars parallel to each other and to the direction of movement of workpieces through the dies. Each transfer bar includes hands for engaging and carrying the workpieces. A pair of transfer drives are each operatively coupled to an associated one of the transfer bars for moving the transfer bars longitudinally parallel to each other independently of each other and out of phase with each other. A workpiece infeed conveyor is disposed adjacent to one end of a first of the transfer bars for feeding workpieces to the first transfer bar.

Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at-least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor arrangement for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor arrangement includes a camshaft having an axis of rotation parallel to the direction of movement of workpieces through the die system, a transfer bar parallel to the camshaft axis carrying a plurality of hands for engaging the workpieces, and a cam arrangement coupling the camshaft to the transfer bar for moving the transfer bar both horizontally and vertically orthogonal to the camshaft axis. The cam arrangement includes a cam arm coupled to the camshaft and having a pair of angularly spaced drive rollers mounted thereon.

Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor arrangement for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor arrangement includes a conveyor disposed on at least one lateral side of the lower die having hands for engaging successive workpieces and indexing the workpieces longitudinally of the lower die between the die stations. The conveyor is mounted on a wheeled cart carried by a support base, such as a bolster or the plant floor. The wheeled cart is selectively releasably fastened to the support base in such a way that the cart, and the conveyor carried by the cart, may be moved away from the lower die for operator access to the conveyor, and the upper and lower dies.

Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor arrangement for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor arrangement includes a pair of conveyors disposed on laterally opposed sides of the lower die, with each of the conveyors having hands for engaging successive workpieces and indexing the workpieces longitudinally of the lower die between the die stations. At least one of the conveyors is mounted to a fixed support base for selectively swinging such conveyor laterally away from the lower die to afford operator access to such conveyor and the lower die.

Abstract: A die transfer system that includes a lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal vertical movement toward and away from the lower die to perform at least one operation on a workpiece positioned therebetween, and a conveyor for sequentially conveying workpieces between the dies. The conveyor includes a plurality of hands for gripping workpieces and spaced from each other by distances corresponding to stations of the die. The conveyor and hands are indexed in a direction through the die between the stations in synchronism with motion of the upper die. The hands are moved simultaneously in at least one direction perpendicular to the indexing direction by a camshaft that extends through the stations along an axis parallel to the indexing direction. A cam is mounted on the camshaft for rotation with the camshaft in synchronism with motion of the upper die.

Abstract: A transfer die system that includes a fixed lower die, an upper die carried for reciprocal vertical movement toward and away from the lower die to perform operations on workpieces positioned between the dies, and a conveyor for feeding workpieces in sequence between the upper and lower dies. The upper and lower dies define a plurality of die stations, including a workpiece load station at the upstream end of the conveyor, a workpiece unload station at the downstream end of the conveyor, and at least one intermediate station for performing a desired operation on workpieces passing through the die. An improved conveyor that characterizes the present invention comprises an endless loop conveyor that has a reach vertically positioned between the upper and lower dies.