Abstract: The assembly and the invention accomplishes a method for forging work-pieces by drop forging. The method comprises the steps of providing a blank having a given volume of material corresponding at least to the volume of the work-piece to be produced. The drop forging assembly includes a swage having cooperating swage portions corresponding at least to the length of the work-piece to be produced. The blank is first forged along a predetermined portion of its length between the cooperating swage portions. Then, the remaining section of the blank is transported to the otherside of the same swage and forged between the cooperative swage portions. Devices are provided at either side of the operational faces of the swage so that a continuous movement of blanks, partially forged work-pieces and finished work-pieces may be effected in a continuous manner.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding and rotating a sheet metal element comprises a frame and a carriage displaceably mounted on the frame for feeding the sheet metal element. The sheet metal element is selectively gripped in a predetermined plane by a non-rotatable gripping jaw mounted on the carriage, a rotary backing jaw rotatable about an axis extending perpendicularly to the plane, and a rotary gripping jaw carried by the frame independently of the carriage and rotatable about the axis, the non-rotatable gripping jaw and the rotary gripping jaw being adapted selectively to cooperate with the rotary backing jaw to grip the sheet metal element therebetween. The backing jaw is alternately and selectively forced against the non-rotatable or the rotary gripping jaw to grip the sheet metal element therebetween, and a rotary drive is mounted on the frame independently of the carriage and is operable to rotate the rotary gripping jaw when the sheet metal element is gripped between the rotary gripping and backing jaws.

Abstract: This device is especially suited for gripping heavy and cumbersome pieces of sheet metal without human force and transporting them from a stacking device to a bending press for further processing. By means of rotatable clamping of gripping jaws mounted on a vertically movable jaw carriage, a laterally movable first horizontal carriage, a longitudinally movable second horizontal carriage and a swivel or turning device, any piece of sheet metal can be directly rotated or turned about a horizontal gripping jaw axis or can be rotated in the plane of the sheet and then regripped, or can be subjected to both actions. The piece of sheet metal normally held by two pairs of jaws is further supported below the jaw axis by multi-component sheet metal support devices carried on two independently movable sheet metal support carriages.

Abstract: A press brake adapted to apply bending on metal blanks in the form of a sheet or plate includes a plurality of die assemblies located on a die holder at intervals of a predetermined distance in the direction perpendicular to the logitudinal direction of a bed of the press brake. The die holder is mounted on the bed movably in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bed. Each of the die assemblies is provided with an upper die and a lower die which are associated with each other and movable vertically towards and away from each other. The press brake further includes a pair of front and inside stoppers located on the front side and the inner side of the press brake body, respectively, so as to be movable freely towards and away from each other and pass through a space between the upper and lower dies.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for restraightening depending bent metal end skirts of cylindrical containers, such as beer kegs, wherein the containers moving in a path of travel for processing are automatically interrogated by sensing heads which engage the rims of the normally circular end skirts of the containers to detect the presence or absence of a bent portion thereof. Containers having detected bent skirt portions are directed from the main processing path to a skirt straightening station where the ends of the container are supported in retaining rings of upper and lower straightening heads while arcuately spaced pry levers, or paws, located centrally in each retaining ring move radially outward from a central nested position to engage inwardly bent skirt portions of the container to lift and push the same outwardly into a circular configuration. The container is rotated in the rings between engagements by the paws to bring all portions of the skirts into position for straightening.

Abstract: Thin-wall sleeve splining apparatus (10) is disclosed as including a loader (22) having a radially expandable mandrel (24) which is inserted within a dual ended thin-wall sleeve (14) to secure the sleeve in preparation for splining one of its ends (12,16). A rotatable loading spindle (26) supports the expandable mandrel (24) and is moved by an actuator (28) to position the sleeve over a toothed mandrel (20) whereupon a pair of toothed dies (18) are moved in opposite directions to mesh die and mandrel teeth with the sleeve therebetween to form the thin-wall splines. After the splining, the actuator (28) moves the loading spindle (26) away from the toothed mandrel (20) for unloading of the splined sleeve. In the preferred construction of the apparatus, the toothed forming dies are embodied by elongated die racks (18) that are slidably mounted by upper and lower bases (32,34) of a splining machine (30).

Abstract: An installation for handling a workpiece, particularly a workpiece to be forged includes a manipulator and an overhead crane, the controls of the manipulator and the crane form part of an integrated system so that movement of the crane and the manipulator are controlled together when they are handling a workpiece. Apparatus is disclosed for ensuring that the crane and the manipulator remain in step.

Abstract: In a straight side press having a bed, a reciprocal slide, a power drive for the slide and apparatus for feeding a stock strip into the dies, the improvement of modifying the press to function as a transfer press by replacing the conventional die set with a plurality of longitudinally spaced sequential dies upon a die shoe secured to the bed to define a series of stations. A plurality of corresponding sequential punches are mounted upon a die shoe secured to the slide, and a pair of slide bars are reciprocally mounted upon the bed outwardly of the dies mounting pairs of opposed workpiece gripping fingers adapted for engagement with the respective workpieces at each station. A slide bar translator is mounted upon a sub-plate and has a reciprocal end plate connected to the slide bars for transferring the workpieces from station to station. The translator is adapted for alternately moving the slide bars towards and away from each other.

Abstract: A plurality of gimbal mounted wheels are located to protrude slightly above an alignment table to support a work piece. A pair of electro-optical scanners are located above the table to locate a marked bend line on the work piece with respect to a die in an adjacent press brake. The scanner signals for wheel alignment and to drive units located in each half of the alignment table to selectively drive the wheels and move the work piece bend line into position in the press brake. An alternate drive actuates the wheels when the wheels are aligned for maximum rotation.

Abstract: A hydraulic control circuit (10) for operating a loader (12) of a machine for splining an annular thin-wall sleeve of a power transmission member is disclosed as including valving (116) for communicating supply and return conduits (102,116) with load and unload cylinders (14,16) to provide loading and unloading movements. Load and unload valves (118,120) of the valving have load cycle positions where the load cylinder drives both the loading and unloading members (26,28) which clamp a thin-wall member during such movement to provide loading thereof for splining. In an unload cycle position of the valves, both the load and unload cylinders are hydraulically driven in an unloading direction opposite to the loading movement. The loading and unloading members (26,28) are moved away from each other by their associated cylinders in an index cycle of the valves to permit indexing of a load table (30) under the operation of an index valve (162) of the circuit.

Abstract: A loader (12) for a spline rolling machine wherein die and mandrel teeth (26,42) mesh with the thinwall sleeve (44) of a power transmission member (30) located therebetween to form splines therein is disclosed as including a loading member (58) with a locator (68) on a rotatable clamp (66) thereof and as including an unloading member (60) having a depression (72) that receives the locator (68) so as to permit clamping of an end wall (46) of the power transmission member (30) in an accurately located relationship while still ensuring disengagement during unloading upon movement of the loading and unloading members (58,60) away from each other at an associated load table (36).

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for shuttling a workpiece to a work station in a forging press and rotating the workpiece about a vertical axis to orient different portions thereof relative to the work station. The apparatus includes a workpiece support mounted on a horizontally reciprocable shuttle plate for displacement therewith toward and away from the press and for displacement relative thereto about and along a vertical axis. A workpiece to be forged is positioned on the workpiece support while the shuttle plate is displaced from the press, and displacement of the shuttle plate toward the press positions a portion of the workpiece at the press work station. A pair of leveling units are mounted on the shuttle plate adjacent the workpiece support and are operable to support portions of the workpiece outside the work station during a forging operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the cross sectional area of a wire comprises stabilizing means arranged to receive the wire and to limit extrusion thereof in a direction transverse to its length and movable projecting means for engaging the wire while restrained by the stabilizing means so as to effect a deformation of the wire and a concomitant reduction of its cross sectional area.

Abstract: A stock lifter for progressive dies in the form of a fixedly mounted fluid cylinder designed to be charged with gas at a desired pressure. A piston within the cylinder has a piston rod projecting upwardly from within the cylinder so that its upper end is adapted to lift the stock when the downward pressure on the stock is relieved so that the piston is at all times biased upwardly. The cross sectional area of the lower side of the piston is substantially greater than the upper side of the piston and the portions of the cylinder above and below the piston are in free communication.

Abstract: A conventional rotary forging machine (M) includes a chuck (C) for gripping a workpiece (W) for moving it axially and for rotating the workpiece during the upset forging operation. The chuck may tend to deform the workpiece and relative axial and rotational movement may occur between the workpiece and chuck, thus requiring a prolonged cycle time for the operation. This invention overcomes the above problems by providing a pusher block (10) having grippers (17) thereon for engaging an end of the workpiece to push it through a pair of forging dies (D) and for simultaneously gripping and rotating the workpiece to prevent relative rotation therebetween. In carrying forth the method of this invention, the pusher block engages an annular (W') of the workpiece.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for horizontal forging machines, particularly useful for transferring relatively large workpieces which incorporate a porter bar, such transfer mechanism comprising a collet and a collet holder, both being mounted for in and out movement on a movable transfer plate, the collet being movable toward the workpiece with respect to the holder to grip the workpiece therein, with the transfer plate being supported for swivel movement on an axis to swing the collet and thus the workpiece to clear the stationary dies of the forging press, the transfer plate also being movable to index the workpiece gripped by the collet from a loading station through successive forging die stations.

Abstract: Material to be manually fed into a machine's point of operation is supported by a surface plate. A pusher, interrelated with the surface plate by keying means, is held by the machine operator such that the operator uses the pusher to push the material into the machine point of operation without having the operator's hands coming in dangerous proximity with the machine point of operation or with the machine's structure.

Abstract: Each of the ends of an elongated plate-formed attachment member, to which is attached a diaphragm and a press pad, is connected to a transportation unit which allow for the plate-formed attachment member to be moved into and out of a press stand along suitably provided tracks. The transportation units include bogies and connection units mounted on the bogies which support the plate-formed attachment member. The connection units include bearings so that the plate-formed attachment member can be rotated when positioned outside of the press stand, and at least one of the connection units include lifting cylinders to raise and lower the plate-formed attachment member as appropriate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a device for controlling the manipulator movements in a forming machine, in particular a hammer-forcing press, operating automatically in accordance with a workpiece program.

Abstract: Run-out apparatus and method for roll-formed panels includes a sectional run-out table providing a supporting surface of a selected length for panels formed by a forming section, a sectional support adjacent the run-out table providing a supporting surface of a selected length onto which formed panels are supported and positioned for feed to a curving section, and a sectional run-out table and guide assembly supports and maintains the curved panels in a curved course of travel of a selected radius as the curved panels are run out from the curving section. Each of the run-out table, support, and run-out table and guide assembly are made in sections to accommodate a variety of different panel lengths. Each of the table sections are pivotally connected together end-to-end, are releasably connected for ready assembly and disassembly, and further have legs that are adjustable in height to afford the leveling of the table sections and said support.

Abstract: A pneumatically buffered drive system is provided which quickly moves a movable member, such as a press safety curtain or press bolster, a predetermined length in three sequential speed stages to prevent maximum acceleration from occurring at the end of the predetermined length. The movable member is coupled to a differential pressure piston which is initially pressurized on only one side of the piston to initiate movement. After traversing approximately half the predetermined length both sides of the piston are pressurized to decelerate the piston during the member movement for approximately the next third of the predetermined length. The remaining length is traversed with the decelerating pressure being vented to positively finish the motion along the predetermined path. In vertical moving members having significant mass such as press safety curtains, a higher pressure is used to decelerate the piston than the pressure used to drive the piston.

Abstract: Relates to devices for separating and supporting strip stock out of engagement with opposing pairs of relatively movable progressive die members and during the separation of the latter and also for guiding the strip stock for intermittent advancement during such periods of separation. More specifically, the invention pertains to the assembly of parts making up such strip stock support and guiding devices and particularly one in which the parts of such a device are all enclosed within a single circular bore in one of the progressive die members including a provision for both releasably coupling the stock lifter member to a support within the bore enclosed to the die shoe and for guiding the lifter member for non-deviating rectilinear motion as the pairs of progressive die members open and close with respect to one another.

Abstract: A workpiece manipulator for holding workpieces being forged by a forging press has a tongs holder which moves with a parallel motion. The parallel motion is actuated by a hydraulic cylinder, and in the circuit which feeds this cylinder, there is a second cylinder connected to a pressure reservoir. When the pressure rises in the first cylinder during a forging stroke, the piston of the second cylinder yields to allow the first cylinder to actuate the necessary parallel motion.