Lifting Movement Patents (Class 72/405.16)
  • Patent number: 8857239
    Abstract: A connecting device connecting a remaining bar and a movable bar of a transfer bar includes a remaining-side clamp and a movable-side clamp. The clamps respectively have a male fitted portion and a female fitted portion that are fitted to one another around a connecting direction, defining a first connector. A male engagement portion and a female engagement portion are provided inside the clamps, defining a second connector. The female engagement portion of the second connector includes a sphere in a form of a movable member moving in a direction orthogonal to the connecting direction. A movement of the sphere effects an engagement and disengagement of the female engagement portion from the male engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., Komatsu Industries Corp., SR Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nishida, Takashi Moriyasu, Hidetoshi Akashi, Tomoya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8640614
    Abstract: A workpiece transfer apparatus includes: a feed driving mechanism that drives a transfer bar in a workpiece transfer direction; and a lift/clamp driving mechanism that drives the transfer bar in a lift direction and a clamp direction. The lift/clamp driving mechanism includes: a support of the transfer bar; first and second carriers movable in the clamp direction; first and second carrier driving mechanisms that drive the first and second carriers; a parallel link that rotatably connects the first carrier with the support; and a driving link that rotatably connects a first link of the parallel link and the second carrier. A first guide that guides the first carrier and a second guide that guides the second carrier are parallel to each other and are shifted from each other in the workpiece transfer direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignees: Komatsu Ltd., Komatsu Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Kenji Nishida, Takashi Moriyasu, Hidetoshi Akashi
  • Patent number: 8127586
    Abstract: Mechanical converter in a movement device generally for transferring parts with respect to a die converts slave motion in a first direction into basic motions of a drive motion in a second direction different from the first direction, and a pitch motion in a third direction different from the first and second directions, which may be such that it is not converted through a plate or rotating cam. Additional motion(s) of an elevation motion in a fourth direction different from the second and third directions but including a vector component along or opposite to the first direction and/or further motion(s) radial to one or more of the first, second, third or fourth directions may be provided from the mechanical converter, another mechanical converter and/or from another source. Also, assisting motion(s), which can assist the die in performing an operation on a work piece, i.e., part, can be provided, for example, by drawing a motion from the pitch, drive and/or elevation motion(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Robert J. Gunst
  • Patent number: 7779664
    Abstract: A device (1) for the stepped displacement of workpieces inside a press (2) or similar processing equipment is provided. The device includes at least one or two gripper rails (4) that can be displaced back and forth in the direction of a longitudinal extent thereof and in the feed direction, the rails being displaced transversely in relation to one another in order to engage workpieces. To execute a gripping movement, the gripper rail (4) includes levers (5) that run at an angle and in opposite directions to one another, whereby the ends of the levers that face away from the gripper rail can be displaced towards or away from one another. Pivoting arms (11), which together with the levers (5) form scissors or half scissors type drives, are hinged on the levers (5) to guide the resultant transverse movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Edrich Beteiligungs GmbH
    Inventors: Klemens Nock, Theo Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 7690238
    Abstract: A transfer feeder 41 has a lift/clamp device 80 moving a bar 14 in a lift direction and a clamp direction, a plurality of feed carriers 52 installed on the bar 14, and feeding linear motors 53 driving the feed carriers 52 in a feed direction. Since an object driven by the feeding linear motors 53 can be formed small since the feed carriers 52 are installed on the bar 14, the feeding linear motors 53 having a small capacity can be adopted to simplify the structure of a transfer press 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Shiroza
  • Patent number: 7650774
    Abstract: The present invention intends provided a tandem pressing apparatus which can shorten and the conveying distance i.e. the conveying time without increasing conveying speed of the work. A tandem pressing apparatus of the present invention is comprised of a tandem pressing line constructed by plural tandem presses 10 and 20 disposed side by side, and a work conveying apparatus 70 including a main member and an arm portion. Each of the tandem press includes a bed, 11, plural uprights 13a to 13d studded on the bed, and a slide 15 supported on the uprights to be ascended or descended. The main member 62 and 63 is provided at a portion located inside the uprights of the adjacent two tandem presses constructing the tandem pressing line and does not interfer with the slide. The arm member 65 is held on the main member to transfer the work having been pressed by the upstream tandem press to the downstream tandem press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Kato, Hisanori Nakamura, Asahiko Hasebe
  • Patent number: 7624614
    Abstract: A conveyor for transporting work pieces in a press, in particular a press line or multiple-die press, from a first station to a second station adjacent to the first station, comprises at least one lateral beam (300, 400) arranged on a side of the press, essentially extending parallel to a transport direction of the conveyor (52), at least one bar (500) having grippers (502) for gripping the work piece to be transported, whereby the bar (500) is attached to the lateral beam (300, 400) in such a way that it is movable along a longitudinal extension of the beam (300, 400); and for each lateral beam (300, 400) an assembly (100, 200) for supporting the lateral beam (300, 400).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Gudel Group AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Heid, Hans-Ulrich Kurt, Ulrich Lehmann
  • Publication number: 20080053185
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present subject matter includes an assembly. The assembly includes a stripper plate having a stripper plate face and defining and elongate opening extending through the stripper plate face and into the stripper plate. A punch of the assembly is slidably disposed in the elongate opening, the punch having a punch profile shaped to conform to the elongate opening. The assembly includes a die in alignment with the stripper plate, the die having a die face opposed to the stripper plate face, the face defining a die opening which is substantially coextensive with the elongate opening of the stripper plate, the die defining a plurality of wetting lumens extending through the die, with each lumen terminating in the die face near the die opening, each of the lumens adapted to dispense a lubricant to the die face and along the die opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: CARDIAC PACEMAKERS INC.
    Inventors: Adam J. Morgan, James P. Rohl
  • Patent number: 7290430
    Abstract: A transferring device includes at least one gripper rail, which can be brought into engagement with at least one workpiece and which can be driven in a lifting direction, a closing direction and an advancing direction. The transferring device also includes at least one lifting drive and/or at least one closing drive, at least one advancing drive, and an arm that is connected to the advancing drive in a manner that enables it to pivot about a pin while moving, to a large extent, parallel to the advancing direction. The transferring device is characterized in that the gripper rail is directly engaged with the arm in the advancing direction and can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Inventor: Martin Hagel
  • Patent number: 7165665
    Abstract: A transfer line for transporting workpieces from a first workstation to an adjacent second workstation comprises a frame with a depositing place for at least one workpiece. It further comprises a transporting beam, each end area of which having respective work supports. The transporting beam is supported for height adjustment between two positions of lifting such that the work supports are located above or below the depositing place. The transporting beam is further designed for longitudinal displacement between positions of transfer for the work supports to coincide horizontally with the depositing place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Cross Hüller GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Casper, Klaus Strohhäcker, Thomas Schlegel
  • Patent number: 7128195
    Abstract: A transfer system for transferring workpieces between successive die stations in a stamping press employing elongate bars with workpiece grippers mounted thereon. Two elongate support beams are mounted on vertical primary supports on opposite sides of the press. Two mounting heads are mounted on each beam and are horizontally movable thereon. Each head is independently movable and is connectible by one elongate bar to either the mounting head on the same beam or to an opposing mounting head mounted on the other beam, the choice dependent on the workpiece flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Linear Transfer Systems Ltd.
    Inventor: Montgomery W. Childs
  • Patent number: 7032428
    Abstract: A small-sized feeding unit for a transfer press is provided. To this end, the feeding unit comprises: a feed box body one end of which is attached to side faces of uprights; feed driving means having servo motors disposed within the feed box body and pinions rotatively driven by the servo motors; feed racks movable in a feeding direction and meshing with the pinions respectively; feed carriers integrally attached to the feed racks respectively; and feed bars coupled to the feed carriers respectively so as to be movable at least either in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the feeding direction or in a vertical direction, wherein when the feed carriers are positioned at a stroke end on a press body side, the feed carriers are located in the vicinity of the feed driving means with respect to the feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Komatsu, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Miyaura
  • Patent number: 7007538
    Abstract: A mounting plate (16) pivotally supports a finger (14) for pivotal movement about a pivot axis A as a shear pin (34) breaks between a post (30) and the finger (14) in response to a predetermined force urging the finger (14) to pivot about the pivot axis A. A first fastener (24) is disposed under an opening (46) in the finger (14) for removing the mounting plate (16) and the finger (14) together as a unit from the transfer bar (12) while remaining connected by a bolt (36) at the pivot axis A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: HMS Products Co.
    Inventor: David A. Sofy
  • Patent number: 6910362
    Abstract: A tilt mechanism for a transfer rail that is used to support a plurality of grippers for engaging and moving workpieces between a series of spaced apart work stations in a linear transfer press. The transfer rail forms part of a press transfer system of the type having a drive mechanism to impart three dimensional movement to the transfer rail. The tilt mechanism comprises at least one connector and at least one actuator. The connector secures the transfer rail to the drive mechanism and permits three dimensional movement of the transfer rail. The connector also permits the transfer rail to be rotated, relative to the drive mechanism, about its longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Linear Transfer Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Montgomery W. Childs, Ronald A. Laing
  • Patent number: 6826944
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transfer device having a gripper, preferably a gripper rail (13), for gripping and lifting at least one workpiece, a lift drive (26) for lifting the gripper, a close drive (20) for moving the gripper (12) sideways and a control element. The invention is characterized in that both drives (20, 26) are fixedly mounted and are constantly and exclusively meshing with the elements (16, 14) to be moved in an articulated manner. In a method for controlling a transfer device, at least one of the two drives is path controlled during the movement caused by the other drive in such a way that the element moved by one drive remains stationary in the direction of movement of said drive relative to the surroundings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Inventor: Hermann Hagel
  • Patent number: 6799450
    Abstract: A method of stretch forming an aluminum metal sheet that includes the steps of placing an aluminum metal sheet in a hot forming tool, forming a shaped part at an elevated temperature, removing the hot shaped part from the forming tool, and thereafter transferring the hot shaped part to a cooling fixture. The transfer and removal steps are performed at a speed that is variable based on a correlation of the temperature and strength of the aluminum metal sheet and the speed at which the hot shaped part may be transferred without distortion of its shape due to inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Nelson T. Brinas, Edward Frank Ryntz
  • Patent number: 6792787
    Abstract: A workpiece transfer assembly (12, 112) moves workpieces through a press (10) and includes a pair of spaced pulleys (42) and an endless belt (43) entrained about the pulleys (42) and a clamp (46) connecting the belt (43) to a trolley (34, 134) for horizontally moving a pair of trolleys (34, 134) and the arms (24, 124) supported thereby. The clamp (46) is clamped to one reach of the endless belt (43) for moving back and forth along the between the pulleys (42). A biasing device (56) urges a male cam member (52) into driving engagement with a female cam member (54) to connect the belt (43) and the arms (24, 124) and allows the cam members (52 and 54) to react with one another in a camming fashion to move out of the driving engagement to allow the belt (43) to move without moving the arms (24, 124) in response to the predetermined force resisting movement of the arms (24, 124).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: HMS Products, Co.
    Inventor: Glen Coalson
  • Publication number: 20040159139
    Abstract: A small-sized feeding unit for a transfer press is provided. To this end, the feeding unit comprises: a feed box body one end of which is attached to side faces of uprights; feed driving means having servo motors disposed within the feed box body and pinions rotatively driven by the servo motors; feed racks movable in a feeding direction and meshing with the pinions respectively; feed carriers integrally attached to the feed racks respectively; and feed bars coupled to the feed carriers respectively so as to be movable at least either in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the feeding direction or in a vertical direction, wherein when the feed carriers are positioned at a stroke end on a press body side, the feed carriers are located in the vicinity of the feed driving means with respect to the feeding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventor: Makato Miyaura
  • Patent number: 6622850
    Abstract: With an advancing motion, finger plates together with stationary transfer bars are moved to positions where uprights are not in the way, and finally the finger plates disengaged from the stationary transfer bars are held by plate holding members to be discharged to an area where preparatory work is conducted externally of a transfer feeder, together with movable transfer bars. Accordingly, inherent motions of the transfer feeder are made use of to shunt the finger plates, and as compared with the case where the finger plates are disengaged from the stationary transfer bars at standstill to shunt, cylinders for movement and guide rails are dispensed with to enable attaining light weight and the transfer feeder is enhanced in operating rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigekazu Noda
  • Patent number: 6481261
    Abstract: There is described a feed mechanism for a feed table for translating sheet metal blanks from as automatic notching curling and beading machine to a bodymaker in the process of tin box manufacture. The mechanism comprises a pair of reciprocally drives longitudinal feed bars provided with spring loaded pawls in their upper surfaces which engage behind the edges of the blanks during a forward motion and slide beneath the blanks during a reverse motion. The difficulty of altering the lateral displacement of the respective feed bars to allow the table to transfer blanks of different sizes is overcome by using a telescopic fixing member which can be extended to an infinitesimal degree and then secured. In practice, both the longitudinal feed bars are secured to a reciprocally driven transfer table within the stationary feed table, and it is the connection of the feed bars to this table that is achieved with telescopic fixing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Meltog Limited
    Inventor: Darren James Ellis
  • Patent number: 6463781
    Abstract: A system for drawing an outer cylinder of a rubber bush comprising an inner cylinder serving as a shaft member, the outer cylinder disposed around the inner cylinder and a rubber elastic body interposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, comprising first and second turning tables each having at least two piling portions on which the rubber bushes to be drawn are piled up in a vertical direction; first and driving apparatuses for bringing up the rubber bushes piled up on the piling portion of the first and second turning tables to a predetermined robot grasping position; a drawing apparatus having a die for drawing the outer cylinder of the rubber bush; a robot apparatus for grasping and transferring the rubber bush located at the robot grasping position to set the same to a predetermined position of the die; a control apparatus for controlling the robot apparatus such that the rubber bushes from the piling portion of one of the first and second turning tables are sequentially transferred to th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Watanabe, Osamu Nakai
  • Patent number: 6347540
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring workpieces between successive die stations in a stamping press, including an elongated bar having a plurality of spaced workpiece engaging means for engaging workpieces at successive die stations. The apparatus comprises motive means, a drive frame member coupled to the motive means and laterally and longitudinally propelled by the motive means, cam follower means propelled by the drive frame member. Cam plate means is coupled to the bar, having a first cam slot means and a second cam slot means, wherein the first cam slot means receive the cam follower means. The cam plate means is propelled both horizontally and vertically by the cam follower means. Cam stop means is disposed in the second cam slot means to prevent the cam plate means from motion in the horizontal direction during motion in the vertical direction and to prevent the cam plate means from motion in the vertical direction during motion in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: DeBiasi International Limited
    Inventor: Attilio De Biasi
  • Patent number: 6338264
    Abstract: A transfer drive is proposed for a press and in particular for a forging machine, in which the intention is to dispense with guides which are sensitive to dirt. For this purpose, the gripper rails are suspended on a hinged-rod arrangement with a three-axis guide system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Mueller Weingarten AG
    Inventors: Erich Harsch, Rainer Reichenbach
  • Patent number: 6327888
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus is proposed for transferring workpieces between die stations comprising a striker cam driver by a press ram, a rotary gear urged to rotate by the striker cam, a shaft extending from the rotary gear and characterized by a distal end, and a finger bar pivotally coupled to the distal end and assuming arcuate travel above the die stations in response to rotation of the rotary gear. The transfer apparatus can further comprise a linear cam including a slot, a pusher plate including a cam follower extending therefrom and disposed in the slot, moveable horizontally in response to vertical displacement of the linear cam, and a finger bar, moveable into and out of engagement with the workpieces, in response to the horizontal movement of the pusher plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Technologies 2000 (Kitchener) Ltd.
    Inventor: Jan Kadlec
  • Patent number: 6322314
    Abstract: A mounting plate (16) for attaching a finger (14) to extend in a cantilevered fashion from a transfer bar (12) in a work piece transfer assembly for a press including a reciprocating member and a series of longitudinally spaced in-line stations wherein each station is a further progression of a work piece forming process. The finger (14) includes a shank (18) and a pair of shank fasteners (16) extend downwardly through the transfer bar (12) to threadedly engage the shank (18) and force the shank (18) against the bottom (28) of the transfer bar (12). A pair of columns (22) extend upwardly above the transfer bar (12) to engage the heads (20) of the shank fasteners (16). Each of the columns (22) include a relief portion (32) defining a shoulder engaging the bottom (28) of the transfer bar (12) as the relief portion (32) extends into the bottom (28) of the transfer bar (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: HMS Products, Co.
    Inventor: Hugh Sofy
  • Patent number: 6234302
    Abstract: A transfer system has at least one transfer device which is driven by several mutually independent drives in the direction of at least a closing/opening axis. In the event of a failure of a drive, an immediate stoppage of parts of the transfer device is prevented by coupling the drives with one another by a coupling device. This coupling device has an operating range of a low torque transmission which is normally taken up and is left only if one of the drives no longer supplies a sufficient driving power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Schuler Pressen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Greiner, Walter Rieger, Karl Thudium
  • Patent number: 6216523
    Abstract: A workpiece transfer assembly (10) for a press of the type including a reciprocating member and a series of in-line stations wherein each station is a further progression of the workpiece W forming process includes a workpiece engaging jaw (12) having clasps (14) attached thereto for clasping the workpieces W. The jaw (12) is moved on three axis, first by a lateral motion mechanism (16) for moving the jaw (12) in a horizontal direction and laterally relative to the work stations into and out of workpiece W engagement position. Second, by a vertical motion mechanism (22) for moving the jaw (12) in a vertical direction relative to the workstations. Third, in a linear motion mechanism (40) for moving the jaw (12) in a horizontal direction and linearly relative to the work stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: HMS Products Co.
    Inventors: Hugh Sofy, Dennis Farhat
  • Patent number: 6192285
    Abstract: A controller for a work transfer system, capable of performing precise positioning of feed bars during sole driving of the transfer system and simplified in structure to contribute to savings in installation space and cost. The controller has a cam angle detector mounted on a cam shaft for feed cams and controls servo motors for respective lift bars according to information which is related to cam angle of the feed cams detected by the cam angle detector and looked up in a motion table set by a transfer controlling PLC serving as a motion table setting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukiyoshi Takayama
  • Patent number: 6185979
    Abstract: A transfer system is provided for press facilities with several successive press stations. The transfer system has divided cross traverses which, with respect to the transport direction, can be moved from the front and the rear into the tool. Each tool includes two respectively transversely divided traverses. For receiving and depositing the workpieces, the cross traverses are adjusted toward and away from one another. In addition, when the tool is closed, the cross traverse are laterally moved past the tool. As required, they may be changed for this purpose into an overtaking position, which can be carried out, for example, by a swivel drive. The transfer system permits a shortening of the minimum time for which the tools must be open with respect to the transfer system and thus allows an increase of the stroke number of the press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Schuler Pressen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dietmar Schöllhammer
  • Patent number: 6176365
    Abstract: A control device for electric direct drives of a transfer system contains at least one monitoring device which, in the case of the malfunctioning of a direct drive, switches the control device into an emergency operating mode. In the emergency operating mode, the control device disconnects the linear drive affected by the malfunction from power and controls the remaining direct drives preferably at full power or at a slightly higher power. Thereby, a freedom from collision is established between the forming tool and the transfer device, after which the press is preferably stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Schuler Pressen GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Peter Klemm