Abstract: A press assembly includes an elongated guide, and a ram that is at least partially mounted to the elongated guide and axially movable relative to the elongated guide. A fabricating tool is disposed at an outboard end portion of the ram. The ram including an internal chamber. A cylinder is disposed within an internal chamber of the ram and is secured to the ram such that the cylinder is fixed relative to the ram axially and rotationally so that the cylinder and ram move in unison. A spindle having a driving end region and a driven end region opposite the driving end region is disposed at least partially within a cylindrical bore of the cylinder. A motor is adapted to rotate the driving end region of the spindle to effect an axial displacement of the cylinder and the ram.

Abstract: A component delivery device includes an actuator that displaces an outer sleeve and an inner rod positioned within a cavity of the outer sleeve together from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration to move an ejectable component in relation to a feed head. The actuator further displaces the outer sleeve and not the inner rod to an ejection configuration to displace the ejectable component toward a workpiece. Displacing the outer sleeve and not the inner rod causes the outer sleeve to translate over the inner rod and compresses a biasing member that is disposed within the cavity and in engagement with the inner rod.

Abstract: A press assembly includes an elongated guide, and a ram that is at least partially mounted to the elongated guide and axially movable relative to the elongated guide. A fabricating tool is disposed at an outboard end portion of the ram. The ram including an internal chamber. A cylinder is disposed within an internal chamber of the ram and is secured to the ram such that the cylinder is fixed relative to the ram axially and rotationally so that the cylinder and ram move in unison. A spindle having a driving end region and a driven end region opposite the driving end region is disposed at least partially within a cylindrical bore of the cylinder. A motor is adapted to rotate the driving end region of the spindle to effect an axial displacement of the cylinder and the ram.

Abstract: A component delivery device includes an actuator that displaces an outer sleeve and an inner rod positioned within a cavity of the outer sleeve together from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration to move an ejectable component in relation to a feed head. The actuator further displaces the outer sleeve and not the inner rod to an ejection configuration to displace the ejectable component toward a workpiece. Displacing the outer sleeve and not the inner rod causes the outer sleeve to translate over the inner rod and compresses a biasing member that is disposed within the cavity and in engagement with the inner rod.

Abstract: A gag bar with a cam surface is used to reciprocate a kicker pin in a ram-driven punch assembly into the bore of a pierce nut in a pre-mounting position. The kicker pin and punch assembly are thereafter driven toward a workpiece to install the pierce nut in the workpiece and to fully separate a slug formed during the pierce nut entry from the workpiece. The gag bar and punch are thereafter reciprocated to allow the next pierce nut to be put in position.

Abstract: A gag bar with a cam surface is used to reciprocate a kicker pin in a ram-driven punch assembly into the bore of a pierce nut in a pre-mounting position. The kicker pin and punch assembly are thereafter driven toward a workpiece to install the pierce nut in the workpiece and to fully separate a slug formed during the pierce nut entry from the workpiece. The gag bar and punch are thereafter reciprocated to allow the next pierce nut to be put in position.

Abstract: An adjustable base assembly for selectively adjusting the horizontal and vertical position of a fabricating tool such as a punch or metal forming tool. The apparatus includes a generally planar base and a carriage assembly positioned on the base. The carriage assembly includes a lower wedge plate assembly having an upper surface defining a pair of upwardly converging wedge faces, an upper wedge plate assembly having a lower surface defining a pair of downwardly converging wedge faces, a pair of wedge blocks each having converging upper and lower wedge faces for respective sliding engagement with one of the upwardly converging wedge faces and one of the downwardly covering wedge faces, and a vertical adjustment screw mounted on the lower wedge plate, passing through the wedge blocks, and including left and right threaded portions for respective threaded coaction with a left threaded bore in one of the wedge blocks and a right threaded bore in the other wedge block.

Abstract: A pressure cylinder in which the piston is hollow and the pressurized fluid is introduced into the hollow of the piston. The cylinder housing includes a core member with supply and exhaust ports. An area between the rear wall of the housing and a rear wall of the piston is exposed to atmospheric pressure at all times, elliminating a need for seals on the outside surface of the piston, and allowing for the piston to be exposed to large transverse forces. Proximity switches are provided in a slot in the upper wall of the cylinder housing to detect the arrival of the piston at its limit positions and a pin secured to the cylinder housing engages a slot in the outer periphery of the piston to guide the forward and rearward movement of the piston within the cylinder. A slot may be provided in the upper wall of the cylinder housing for receipt of a work positioning member secured to the outer periphery of the piston.

Abstract: An intensifier cylinder including a body structure defining a first bore, a first piston structure including a piston mounted in the first bore and a piston rod secured to the piston and extending at its forward end through an end wall of the body structure, a second bore defined in the body structure, a second piston structure including a second piston mounted in the second bore and a second piston rod secured by the second piston and movable at its forward end into the first bore upon stroking of the second piston in response to the introduction of pressurized gas into the second bore to seal off and act upon hydraulic fluid in the first bore to produce an intensified force on the first piston structure.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing mechanical operations such as piercing, punching and forming on a workpiece wherein the apparatus includes a carrier, a ram mounted for reciprocal movement on the carrier, a first fabricating tool mounted on the ram, a piston assembly mounted on the ram for reciprocal movement on the ram, a second fabricating tool mounted on the piston assembly, and a third fabricating tool mounted on the carrier. The first and third fabricating tools coact to perform a first work operation on a workpiece in response to relative movement between the ram and the carrier whereafter the second fabricating tool mounted on the piston assembly is utilized to perform a second work operation on the workpiece in response to relative movement between the piston assembly and the ram.

Abstract: A press for performing a work operation on a workpiece including a yoke defining a central bore, a ram mounted for reciprocal movement in the bore and carrying a fabricating tool on one end of the ram, an electric motor secured to an end wall of the yoke and having an output shaft passing through the end wall of the yoke, a ball screw driven by the output shaft of the motor and positioned in the bore of the yoke, a ball nut mounted in the bore on the ball screw, and a force multiplying mechanism interconnecting the ball nut and the ram and operative to move the ram to a preparatory position and thereafter multiply the force applied to the ram to facilitate the performance of the work operation.

Abstract: A clinching tool including a punch and a die assembly. The die assembly includes a collet, a pin, and a split bushing. The collet includes a lower base portion and upstanding circumferentially spaced spring fingers. The split bushing is received within the spring fingers and the pin passes upwardly through a central passage in the base portion of the collet and is received at its upper end in the split bushing with the upper end of the pin inset with respect to the upper end of the bushing by a distance related to the thickness of materials to be fastened together. The spring fingers of the collet expand during the clinching operation to allow the material of the sheets to flow radially outwardly to form the desired clinching bead. In a further embodiment, the split bushing is dispensed with and the material of the sheets is allowed to flow radially outwardly between the spaced fingers of a collet so as to form a joint having a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers or spikes.

Abstract: A press for performing a work operation on a workpiece including a yoke defining a central bore, a ram mounted for reciprocal movement in the bore and carrying a fabricating tool on one end of the ram, an air cylinder secured to an end wall of the yoke and having a piston rod passing through the end wall of the yoke into the bore, and a force multiplying mechanism interconnecting the free end of the piston rod and the ram and operative to move the ram to a working position and thereafter multiply the force applied to the ram to facilitate the performance of the work operation.

Abstract: A clinching tool including a punch and a die assembly. The die assembly includes a collet, an anvil pin, and a backing plate. The collet is formed of a relatively thin flat plate and includes a clinching section adjacent one end of the plate and a mounting section adjacent the other end of the plate. A split extends from the clinching end of the plate centrally toward the mounting end of the plate and arcuate cutouts are provided along the opposite side edges of the split to define a die opening intermediate the ends of the split. The working face of the backing plate is positioned against the face of the collet plate remote from the punch and the anvil pin is positioned in the die opening with one end thereof bearing against the working face of the backing plate and the other end thereof inset with respect to the face of the collet plate near the punch.

Abstract: A clinching tool including a punch and a die assembly. The die assembly includes a collet and a pin. The collet is formed of bar stock and includes a lower central knock out bore and an upper central pin bore coacting at their juncture to form an annular seat within the collet. A plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending slots are formed in the annular collet wall surrounding the upper pin bore to define a plurality of cantilevered collet fingers having their free ends at the upper end of the collet. The pin has a diameter approximating the diameter of the pin bore and a length slightly less than the length of the pin bore and is fitted in the pin bore with its lower end seated on the annular shoulder between the pin bore and the knock out bore and with its upper end spaced slightly below the upper ends of the collet fingers.

Abstract: A clinching tool including a punch and a die assembly. The die assembly includes a collet, a pin, and a split bushing. The collet includes a lower base portion and upstanding circumferentially spaced spring fingers. The split bushing is received within the spring fingers and the pin passes upwardly through a central passage in the base portion of the collet and is received at its upper end in the split bushing with the upper end of the pin inset with respect to the upper end of the bushing by a distance related to the thickness of materials to be fastened together. The spring fingers of the collet expand during the clinching operation to allow the material of the sheets to flow radially outwardly to form the desired clinching bead. In a further embodiment, the split bushing is dispensed with and the material of the sheets is allowed to flow radially outwardly between the spaced fingers of a collet so as to form a joint having a plurality of circumferentially spaced fingers or spikes.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing two successive work operations on a workpiece in an equalized force mode. The apparatus includes a base; a yoke mounted for bi-directional movement on the base and carrying a two-sided punch on its upper face; a ram member mounted within the yoke and including two bores opening in opposite faces of the ram member and slidably receiving two pistons secured to the opposite end walls of the yoke; and means for delivering pressurized fluid through the pistons to sealed pressure chambers defined at the inner ends of the pistons between the piston inner ends and the respective confronting faces of the ram to selectively move a pair of die members carried on the upper face of the ram into and out of punching coacting with the double punch carried on the yoke.

Abstract: An arrangement is disclosed for securing together mating faces of hydraulic manifold blocks so as to securely seal aligned ports on the mating faces, the arrangement consisting of a slot having a sloping sidewall formed in each side of the manifold blocks adjacent to the mating surfaces, and includes respective clamping elements having contours adapted to engage the sloping sidewalls of slot pairs brought into juxtaposition when manifold block pairs are placed in position with the mating faces abutting each other. The clamping elements are drawn into the slots by means of threaded fasteners passing through the clamping element and mating position with respect to each other received in threaded bores in the respective manifold blocks, the interaction between the sloping slot and clamping element contours being such that the mating manifold faces are drawn tightly together.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing two successive work operations on a workpiece in an equalized force mode. The apparatus includes a base; a yoke mounted for bi-directional movement on the base and carrying a two-sided punch on its upper face; a ram member mounted within the yoke and including two bores opening in opposite faces of the ram member and slidably receiving two pistons secured to the opposite end walls of the yoke; and means for delivering pressurized fluid through the pistons to sealed pressure chambers defined at the inner ends of the pistons between the piston inner ends and the respective confronting faces of the ram to selectively move a pair of die members carried on the upper face of the ram into and out of punching coacting with the double punch carried on the yoke.

Abstract: An adjustable base assembly for selectively adjusting the horizontal and vertical position of a fabricating tool such as a punch or metal forming tool. The apparatus includes a generally planar base and a carriage assembly positioned on the base. The carriage assembly includes a lower wedge plate assembly having an upper surface defining a pair of upwardly converging wedge faces, an upper wedge plate assembly having a lower surface defining a pair of downwardly converging wedge faces, a pair of wedge blocks each having converging upper and lower wedge faces for respective sliding engagement with one of the upwardly converging wedge faces and one of the downwardly covering wedge faces, and a vertical adjustment screw mounted on the lower wedge plate, passing through the wedge blocks, and including left and right threaded portions for respective threaded coaction with a left threaded bore in one of the wedge blocks and a right threaded bore in the other wedge block.