Abstract: A hemming machine having a stationary base and defining a work station. A lifting beam is vertically movably mounted to the base at the work station while a motor assembly moves the lifting beam between a raised and a lowered position. Two die cartridges, each having hemming tooling and a nest vertically movably mounted to the die cartridge, are horizontally movable relative to the base by a conveyor assembly. A conveyor motor selectively moves the die cartridges between a position laterally spaced from the work station and the work station. With the die cartridge positioned at the work station, a first clamp releasably secures the nest to the lifting beam while a second clamp assembly releasably secures the die cartridge to the base. With the nest secured to the lifting beam and the die cartridge secured to the base, hemming operations are performed at the work station in the conventional fashion.

Abstract: A hemming machine for sheet metal is disclosed having a base adapted to be supported on a ground support surface. A cradle is vertically slidably mounted to the base while a nest is mounted to the cradle and adapted to support the part to be hemmed. Hemming tooling is mounted to the base and movable between an extended position in which the hemming tooling overlies the nest, and a retracted position in which the hemming tooling is spaced laterally outwardly from the nest. A pair of spaced ball screws are rotatably mounted to the base and threadably connected to the cradle on opposite sides of the nest so that rotation of the ball screws vertically displaces the cradle relative to the base. A single drive motor is drivingly connected through a two speed gear box to both ball screws to rotatably drive the ball screws in synchronism with each other.

Abstract: A hemming machine having a stationary base and defining a work station. A lifting beam is vertically movably mounted to the base at the work station while a motor assembly moves the lifting beam between a raised and a lowered position. Two die cartridges, each having hemming tooling and a nest vertically movably mounted to the die cartridge, are horizontally movable relative to the base by a conveyor assembly. A conveyor motor selectively moves the die cartridges between a position laterally spaced from the work station and the work station. With the die cartridge positioned at the work station, a first clamp releasably secures the nest to the lifting beam while a second clamp assembly releasably secures the die cartridge to the base. With the nest secured to the lifting beam and the die cartridge secured to the base, hemming operations are performed at the work station in the conventional fashion.

Abstract: A hemming machine for sheet metal is disclosed having a base adapted to be supported on a ground support surface. A cradle is vertically slidably mounted to the base while a nest is mounted to the cradle and adapted to support the part to be hemmed. Hemming tooling is mounted to the base and movable between an extended position in which the hemming tooling overlies the nest, and a retracted position in which the hemming tooling is spaced laterally outwardly from the nest. A pair of spaced ball screws are rotatably mounted to the base and threadably connected to the cradle on opposite sides of the nest so that rotation of the ball screws vertically displaces the cradle relative to the base. A single drive motor is drivingly connected through a two speed gear box to both ball screws to rotatably drive the ball screws in synchronism with each other.

Abstract: An inside perimeter hemming machine is disclosed having a base adapted to be supported by a ground surface. A nest adapted to support the part to be hemmed is vertically movably mounted relative to the base between predetermined vertical positions while at least one actuator vertically moves the nest relative to the base. A die assembly housing is mounted to the base, and this die assembly housing extends through the-opening on the part to be hemmed. At least two die sets are horizontally slidably mounted to the housing so that the die sets are movable between an extended and a retracted position. In their extended position, the die sets overlay the part to be hemmed so that, upon vertical displacement of the nest, a prehem or hem is performed. Conversely, when the die sets are in their retracted position, the nest together with the part to be hemmed is freely vertically movable. A wedge drive member is utilized to simultaneously move the die sets between their extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: A hemming machine of the type having a base, a nest for supporting a sheet metal part to be hemmed, and at least one die is disclosed in which the nest supporting the part to be hemmed is vertically displaced against the dies in order to form the hem. The improvement includes at least three elongated and external shafts wherein each shaft has one end rotatably mounted to the base so that the shafts are spaced apart and parallel with each other. A nut threadably engages each shaft, and these nuts are swivelly secured to the nest which permits a small amount of angular and radial deflection of the nut and shafts during movement of the nest from its lower to its upper position.