Abstract: A gantry assembly and appurtenances therefor for a linear motor driven laser cutting machine. The gantry box is made of honey comb construction characterized by high strength, light weigh, high stiffness to weight ratio and vibration absorption. The gantry box is supported at each of its ends on a linear motor driven carriage by a torsion plate. The torsion plates are exteriorly flanked by protective panels which support a light weight cover for the upper part of the gantry assembly. The beam end of the gantry box is additionally attached to its gantry carriage by a snubber pin-snubber bushing assembly and by a gantry pin-carriage pin-link assembly. These last two assemblies, together with the torsion plates and gantry carriages, limit or restrain certain movements of the gantry box. The laser cutting machine is controlled by a high performance multi-axis motion controller.

Abstract: A stacking and laser cutting system and method, for cutting multiple layers of flexible material, comprising a CNC laser center and a cutting and stacking machine. The laser center includes a cutting zone, a loading and unloading zone, a laser cutting head assembly shiftable anywhere within the cutting zone, upper and lower pallet bearing carriages shiftable between the cutting zone and the loading and unloading zone, and and elevating mechanism to lift the lower carriage pallet in the loading and unloading zone to the same vertical loading level that the upper carriage pallet occupies in the loading and unloading zone. The cutting and stacking machine includes a material supply section and a cutting and stacking section. The cutting and stacking section is mounted on the laser center over the loading and unloading zone.

Abstract: A system for heating and feeding polymer coated powder to a heated die cavity of a compacting press. The system includes at least one heated vertical pipe for heating the polymer coated powder and for delivering the polymer coated powder by gravity from source thereof to the entry end of at least one horizontally oriented auger conveyor. The at least one auger conveyor is heated and imparts heat to the individual powder particles through a mixing action. The at least one auger conveyor delivers the polymer coated powder to the heated hopper of a shuttle assembly. The shuttle assembly is shiftable between a retracted position wherein the polymer coated powder is discharged from the shuttle hopper to a heated powder ring, to an extended position wherein the polymer coated powder is discharged from the powder ring to the heated die cavity of the compacting press. The system heats the individual particles of the polymer coated powder to a temperature just below the coagulation point thereof.

Abstract: Tooling clamps by which tooling having mounting tongues can be attached to and detached from the working edges of the ram and bed of a press brake. Each clamp comprises a clamp body affixed to the working edge of one of the ram and bed. The clamp body provides a clamping surface. The clamp body supports a plurality of clamping bars aligned end-to-end. Each clamping bar has a clamping surface opposed to the clamp body clamping surface. Each clamping bar is affixed to the body by bolts which pass through perforations in the clamp body with clearance, so that each clamping bar is shiftable between a tool-clamping and a tool-release position. Spring means bias the clamping bars to their tool-clamping positions. A housing is affixed to the rear of the clamp body and extends the length thereof. The housing has a longitudinal cavity containing an actuating bar in abutment with the heads of the clamping bar bolts and a high pressure hose.