Abstract: A punch guide assembly is provided for removably carrying a stripper plate. The punch guide assembly comprises a punch guide and a stripper plate guide movable axially with respect to the punch guide. The stripper plate guide has a locked position wherein the stripper plate is secured to the punch guide assembly and an unlocked position wherein the stripper plate can be readily removed from the punch guide assembly. The stripper plate guide is resiliently biased axially toward its unlocked position yet is restrained against axial movement relative to the punch guide when in its locked position.

Abstract: A tool holder apparatus for a press brake is provided. The apparatus comprises a support plate having a first receiving surface. A pivotable clamp has an engagement portion that is moveable toward the first receiving surface of the support plate by pivoting the clamp. The engagement portion has therein formed a bore in which a lifting shaft is rotatably received. The engagement portion defines an opening communicating with the bore. The shaft has therein formed a notch that is adapted to be engaged through the opening by an exterior corner of a forming tool.

Abstract: Adjustable length punch assemblies are disclosed. An adjustable length punch assembly in accordance with present invention may be used with a punch press including a tool holder adapted to receive punch assembly and a ram adapted to move longitudinally along a ram axis. An adjustable length punch assembly in accordance with present invention preferably includes a punch body assembly disposed in threading engagement with a drive body assembly having a surface adapted to be struck by ram of punch press. length of punch assembly may be adjusted by rotating of one body relative to other body. adjustable length punch assembly preferably includes a lock mechanism for selectively preventing rotation of the punch body assembly relative to the drive body assembly. lock mechanism preferably comprises a lock shaft coupled to one of bodies and a lock key slidingly coupled to other of bodies such that lock key slides along a lock key path.

Abstract: A tool holder apparatus for a press brake is provided. The apparatus comprises a support plate having a first receiving surface. A pivotable clamp has an engagement portion that is moveable toward the first receiving surface of the support plate by pivoting the clamp. The engagement portion has therein formed a bore in which a lifting shaft is rotatably received. The engagement portion defines an opening communicating with the bore. The shaft has therein formed a notch that is adapted to be engaged through the opening by an exterior corner of a forming tool.

Abstract: A self-aligning multi-tool for use in a punch press having a ram. The multi-tool includes a housing carrying a striker and a magazine bearing a plurality of circumferentially spaced tools and rotatable with respect to the housing so as to bring a single desired tool into alignment with the striker. The housing has a striking surface adapted to be engaged by the ram of a punch press and configured to rotationally lock to the ram when correctly rotationally aligned therewith to prevent the housing from rotating as the magazine is rotated. The housing is provided with at least one alignment pin having a tapered cam surface and positioned such that the ram will contact and cam against the tapered cam surface of the pin as the ram approaches the striking surface if the machine ram and the striking surface are rotationally mis-aligned so as to urge the housing to rotate into correct alignment with the ram to enable rotational locking therebetween.

Abstract: An adjustable die holder for a press brake comprising an elongated base block adapted to be attached to a jaw of a press brake and having a first bore formed therein and a horizontal upper surface; a top plate slidable on the upper surface of the base block. The top plate bears a die holding element and having a second bore formed through it, the second bore being in substantial alignment with the first bore. A die carried by the die holding element has a working surface oriented away from the die holding element. Extending through the first and second bores is an elongated threaded member having external threads. A handle is provided for rotating the threaded member with respect to an internally threaded element which threadingly mates with the elongated threaded member, the handle having an unlocked position wherein the top plate is free to slide upon the upper surface of the base block and a locked position wherein the top plate is locked to the base block.

Abstract: A press brake tool holder having a horizontally elongated body having a support plate, and a horizontally elongated clamp having upper and lower portions and pivotally attached to the body between the upper and lower portions so as to capture between it and the support plate the upwardly extending shank of a brake press tool. A handle-operated cam shaft is carried by the body and is linked to the upper portion of the clamp by cam follower elements which provide a rigid linkage. Clamps may be thus mounted to both sides of the body, and each can be independently operated when the other is removed. The clamp is mounted to the body by means of mounting pins having articulating heads that are slidingly received in slots in the body, the slots having enlarged entryways enabling the clamp to be removed from or attached to the body by sliding the clamp with respect to the body to align the articulating heads with the slot entryways.

Abstract: A punch assembly to which a tool piece is easily attached and removed. A punch body is provided at its lower end with a fixed locking element having a tool receiving basin. The annular wall defining the basin has one or more holes through it and an annular, downwardly facing rim. A bearing is positioned within each hole for movement between a locked position and a released position. A moveable locking element having an interior surface with at least one recess alignable with the hole(s) and at least one platform also alignable with the hole(s) is slidably positioned with respect to the outer surface of the side wall for movement between a released position and a locked position. The moveable locking element is in the released position when the recess(es) are aligned with the hole(s) so that the bearing(s) may be at least partially received within the recess(es) to enable the tool piece to be removed from the basin.

Abstract: A punch press is provided with a tool bearing a workpiece-deforming roller, the tool being received in an aperture in the press for movement between a lower position in which the roller comes into deforming contact with a workpiece supported on a surface and a raised position out of deforming contact with the workpiece. Elongated deformations may be formed in a workpiece by translating the workpiece horizontally along the surface while the roller is in its lower position. A coacting roller may be provided beneath the workpiece so that the rollers come into deforming contact with opposite sides of the workpiece to deform it as the workpiece is translated between the rollers.

Abstract: A self-locking workpiece-deforming tool for use in mechanical punch presses in which the ram cannot maintain continuous pressure against the tool in a depressed position. The tool includes an elongated punch guide having an interior surface defining a chamber extending therethrough. A punch body having upper and lower segments is partially received within the chamber for reciprocable axial movement with respect to the guide between raised and depressed positions. A lower segment of the punch body carries a rotatable workpiece-deforming roller. The punch assembly includes a positioning device for sustaining the body and the roller in a depressed position without requiring the ram of the press to exert continuous downward pressure on the tool. The positioning means locks the body in the roller in the depressed position upon a momentary strike by the ram, and releases the body and roller upon subsequent momentary strike by the ram.

Abstract: A punch press is provided with a tool bearing a workpiece-deforming roller, the tool being received in an aperture in the press for movement between a lower position in which the roller comes into deforming contact with a workpiece supported on a surface and a raised position out of deforming contact with the workpiece. Elongated deformations may be formed in a workpiece by translating the workpiece horizontally along the surface while the roller is in its lower position. A coacting roller may be provided beneath the workpiece so that the rollers come into deforming contact with opposite sides of the workpiece to deform it as the workpiece is translated between the rollers.

Abstract: An adjustable length punch set assembly for adjusting the overall length of a punch having a punch driver and punch holder that are axially adjustable relative to each other and retained at least in part within a punch guide sleeve and biased axially with respect thereto by a biasing spring. A locking push button is positioned axially within and accessible through a hole of the punch driver, the push button being moveable between a first position for locking the punch driver with respect to the punch holder to prevent length adjustment by rotation of mutually engageable threaded portions thereof, and a second position allowing relative rotation of the punch driver and punch holder along the mutually engageable threaded portions to effect length adjustment. The push button includes one or more detents formed thereon, the detents being engageable with one or more first detent stop(s) formed in the punch driver and second detent stop(s) formed in the punch holder.

Abstract: A punch guide sleeve and stripper plate assembly useable with a punch set of the type having a punch disposed within the punch guide sleeve and adapted to be reciprocally advanced through an opening of the stripper plate attached to one end of the punch guide sleeve by the ram of a punch press. The stripper plate assembly includes a rotatable stripper plate cap which may be manually rotated with respect to the guide sleeve end from a locked to an unlocked position to secure and release the stripper plate through tightening and loosening a retaining wire onto and away from the stripper plate. The retaining wire is preferably substantially circular in cross-section and split to provide two unconnected ends that are attached to the stripper plate cap and the guide sleeve. When these two ends are drawn together in the locked position, the arcuate wire will be diametrally compressed for engagement with the stripper plate.