Abstract: Method and device for feeding a band or web into a downstream machine, including two grips that serve for the stepwise advancing of the band, the grips moving in synchronism to and fro in opposing directions. The grips are alternately coupled with the band or web each during its course in a determined direction in order to impart to the latter a zigzag advancing motion. The driving frequency of the advancing device is in this case half as high as the cadence of the following tool and very high cadences can be achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus for punching a line of apertures in a workpiece having a channel. The apparatus comprises a punch press mounted to a base over a work space, a removable punch tool mounted on the punch press, an elongated table slidably mounted to the base having a line of travel extending through the work space, a mandrel, a clamping mechanism on the table for clamping a workpiece thereon with the workpiece channel aligned with the mandrel, and a drive mechanism for selectively moving the table in increments as the punch press sequentially strokes. When the workpiece is clamped to the table, it will be incrementally drawn along the mandrel, the mandrel being in the channel, and repeatedly punched by the punch tool, as the table is moved through the work space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for fabricating biocompatible implants. In particular, the present invention process involves punching out implants from sheet stock. In the exemplary embodiment, the implant is an intraocular lens, wherein the lens haptic is punched from ribbon stock fed through a punch press. The punching operation can be accomplished in a planar punch and die arrangement, or the die can be situated on cooperatively rotating drums. In an alternative embodiment, the entire intraocular lens is punched from sheet stock. In this process, the lens optics are formed first in the sheet stock to provide individual convex or concave hemispheres, spaced along the length and width of the sheet. The sheet stock is aligned with a die, and the die punches out the lens such that the lens optic coincides with the hemispheres and the lens haptics are punched therealong simultaneously.

Abstract: A perforator for perforating a web. The perforator has a rotatable drum for supporting the web; an arm having a punch, which rotates integrally with the drum; a driver for swinging the arm, which rotates integrally with the drum; and a taper rib which does not rotate with the drum, in which the taper rib is provided with a roller gear cam for engaging with the taper rib which is provided on a circumference concentric with the drum in a cross section perpendicular to an axis of the drum, so that the taper rib causes the driver to swing and the punch perforates the web with rotation of the drum.

Abstract: A malleable sheet of material is introduced into a progressive die system having a plurality of stations containing one or more dies for forming a predetermined configuration in the malleable sheet of material as the sheet progresses through the system. At least one strengthening means is formed along the sheet of material at an early station in the progressive die system for strengthening the sheet of material such that the sheet can be controlled at subsequent stations. Die related operations are then performed on the sheet of malleable material by the progressive die system until a completed part is created.

Abstract: A semi automated hole punch translates a punch and die assembly across the end of an H beam or the like to punch each of a plurality of holes in accordance with an interchangeable template. The punch and die assembly travel across the H beam in response to operation of a power source until a manually operated pivotable arm supporting a pin is brought into engagement with a hole in a template. Upon engagement, the translatory movement of the punch and die assembly ceases and an operator can actuate the punch. Upon lifting the handle to disengage the pin, translatory movement of the punch and die assembly will continue until the pin becomes engaged with a succeeding hole in the template.

Abstract: A system is provided which utilizes a plurality of sequentially controlled magnetic repulsion punches arranged in a variable array to punch a constantly moving substrate. These punches are disposed adjacent the constant velocity substrate on which holes, or vias are formed as the punches are sequentially fired. The array of punches is placed at an angle with respect to the perpendicular of the direction of movement of the substrate. Thus, a delay is present between the time when the first punch must be fired and the firing of subsequent punches, due to the angle of the array. Therefore, due to this delay between the time the first punch must energized, and the energizing of subsequent punches a single power supply is capable of providing energy to a group of punches.

Abstract: A method of blanking workparts includes advancing the strip 26, 126 in a zig-zag fashion to a stationary blanking station 14, 114 disposed along axis A from which successive workparts are blanked from the strip 26, 126 and transferred along the axis A to successive forming stations 16, 18, 20, 22 by a transfer mechanism 28.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for punching a cross hole in a workpiece with minimal or no distortion of the hole and the workpiece. According to the method, a cross hole of a given diameter is punched in a workpiece by punching a first hole having a diameter less than the given diameter in the workpiece from a first side thereof, and then punching the first hole again but from a second side of the workpiece opposite the first side at nominally the given diameter to produce the cross hole having the given diameter.

Abstract: After being formed an engaged die by engaging a male die of an upside die to a female die of a downside die through a space, being carried the engaged die on a carrier to a stamping part and being fastened the male die to an upside die mount after being lowered this mount, the mount is raised and the male die is pull out from the female die. After being returned the carrier to the former place, being brought the sliding plate close to the upper surface of the downside die, being supplied the stacked paper sheets having cutting slits and connecting portions along a guide plate of the sliding plate, being moved the carrier with pressing to the sheet positioning position and being positioned the downside die to just under part of the upside die, the supplementary supporting block is contacted with the lower side of the downside die. In this condition, the supplementary supporting block is lowered with pressing the shaped section with the male die by lowering the upside die mount.

Abstract: A punch assembly which may be provided at a punching station in a turret punch press. The punch assembly includes a striker body having a solid portion, and a punch carrier which carries a plurality of individual punches. A selectively actuable stop holds the striker body stationary, allowing the punch holder to be rotated so that a predetermined one of the plurality of punches will underlie the solid portion of the striker body. Afterwards, the entire punch assembly may be rotated to a variety of angular orientations. At any of these orientations, the ram may be actuated to cause the punch to extend downwardly below the punch assembly and through a sheet of material. The rotation of the punch assembly to different orientations allows a single punch to be used to punch holes of the shape but with differing angular orientations. The die holder receives a plurality of corresponding dies having openings therein corresponding to the punches.

Abstract: A process for die cutting a sheet of thermoplastic material imprintd with information or data of limited spatial displacement therebetween wherein the data is sequentially die cut in alternating rows and lines in a plurality of registered die cutting stations until all such pieces have been die cut generally in like sizes or pieces and wherein each piece is in residual attachment to the sheet of thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing preform panels having at least one preform for repairing interconnects, particularly for repairing meander-like interconnects with a preform plated with hard solder. The metal has at least the steps of: providing at least two successive punch events with a die; and performing a predetermined feed (V) between a metal band and the die between the two punch events, whereby the length of the feed (V) is greater than a die width of the die, a length of the die being shorter than a width of the metal band, and the preform being formed by a residual web of the metal band after the two successive punch events.

Abstract: An apparatus for putting on a thin strip a bar code consisting of a plurality of parallel thin and wide bars of respective thin and wide widths and a plurality of thin and wide spaces separating the bars has a plurality of stations spaced apart along a transport path extending in a transport direction and each having a respective group of tools of the relatively thin width, the tools of each station being immediately juxtaposed with one another in the direction. The strip is stepped in the direction along the path through the stations and only selected ones of the respective tools are selected and moved by actuators down into the strip. A controller is connected to the selector and actuator unit and to the transporter for forming each of the thin bars by pressing into the strip a one of the tools.

Abstract: A bar code consists of a plurality of parallel thin and wide bars of respective thin and wide widths and a plurality of thin and wide spaces separating the bars with each of the wide widths being generally equal to a number N times the thin width. Such a code is put on a thin strip by stepping the strip through N punching stations and forming the thin bars by pressing into the strip at the stations a tool having the thin width corresponding to that of the thin bar. Each of the wide bars is formed by first pressing into the strip at a first one of the stations another such thin tool having the relatively thin width to form a respective partial wide bar, and thereafter pressing into the strip at each succeeding station immediately adjacent the partial wide bar another such thin tool having the relatively thin width to widen the partial wide bar until the partial wide bar is of the relatively wide width.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding preform wire into a preform dispenser, cutting a piece of preform, transferring the preform to a location over an integrated circuit ceramic package, and placing the preform in the package prior to placing and attaching a die in the ceramic package.

Abstract: The invention involves moving a strip of electroluminescent material past a shear in successive increments each equal to the length of a lamp outline to be cut from the strip. The shear is actuated after each incremental advance to cut a blank having a first dimension equal to the desired length of the lamp outline and a second dimension equal to the strip width, which is a multiple of the desired width of the lamp outline. The blank is then advanced past a punch and die in successive increments equal to the width of the lamp outline to be cut. The punch is actuated after each incremental advance to cut across or transverse to the second dimension to form lamp outlines having the desired length and width. The punch and die are configured to simultaneously cut a straight side of a lamp outline advanced past the punch and a straight side having a projecting electrical tab of an adjacent lamp outline behind the punch.

Abstract: A die cutter for cutting a product from a sheet of material. The die cutter has a rule die blade, which defines the shape of the product. The die blade is held by a die holder, which has an opening corresponding to the die blade, so that the cut product can pass through the die holder. A platen is mounted for relative movement toward and away from the die holder, and has a groove corresponding to the die blade. The die blade thus does not contact the platen at any time. The platen also has passages for the removal of chaff. A resilient stripper plate is mounted on the die holder, adjacent to the die blade, for stripping the material away from the die blade.

Abstract: A method of blanking articles or products molded in a unitary sheet and arranged in a predetermined configuration or array consisting of the steps of configuration or array comprising a plurality of identical symmetrical segments consisting of the steps of first blanking the articles in a first segment of the sheet, rotating the sheet to present the next adjacent segment to the blanking dies, blanking the articles in the next successive segment and repeating the indexing and blanking until all of the articles in all of the segments have been removed from the sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing fibrous web pieces by die cutting the pieces from a continuous web. In the method, a fibrous web is provided having adjacent corrugations usually filled with a powder, and the powder-filled web is passed through a matched cutting die set intermittently which cuts and punches out the individual web pieces. Following the web cut out step, the web pieces are transferred downwardly onto a shuttle conveyor, and the pieces moved forward and simultaneously spread apart to permit subsequent convenient placement of the pieces. The cutting die apparatus includes matched punch and body die units which closely interfit with less than about 0.001 inch total clearance, so as to cut and punch out the fibrous web pieces from the continuous web.

Abstract: A plurality of individual frames or stampings provided in a sheet strip material by a stamping device are passed in proximity to a sensing device. As each individual frame or stamping is passed in proximity to the sensing device, the sensing device provides a voltage signal to a controller. The voltage signal is proportional to the amount of, or mass of, metallic material in each frame or stamping and the distance between the frame or stamping and the sensing device. The controller generates an individual waveform from the voltage signal for each frame passed in proximity to the sensing device. Each individual waveform is a function of the position of the movable portion of the stamping device for one cycle. As the plurality of individual frames are passed in proximity to the sensing device, a plurality of individual waveforms are generated within the controller. The waveforms are compared within the controller to detect a deviation between waveforms.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of working with a travelling head press to cut rows of identical workpieces across wide sheet material. The combination of the press and the means feeding the sheet material through it is so arranged that rows of workpieces can be cut on the bias along transverse lines at an angle other than a rightangle to the direction of feed of the material, for best utilization of the material, and this bias angle can be changed to suit different workpiece shapes and different cutting tools without reorientation of the press base. In one embodiment a press is used which is constructed to swivel on its base; and in another embodiment the sheet material is fed forward by the feeding means by equal incremental amounts between successive cutting strokes during the cutting of a row of workpieces.

Abstract: An apparatus for punching a plurality of predetermined spaced mounting holes in a building roof panel support member includes an elongated housing having an oil sump therewithin, a hydraulic pump together with an electric motor for actuation thereof mounted on the housing, guide structure which can be opened and closed for temporarily mounting the housing upon a roof panel support member, an adjustable gauge pin mounted on the housing near one end thereof, the gauge pin being supported on a mount which is adjustable along both the length and the width of the housing, and a hydraulic punch adjustably mounted near the other end of the housing from the gauge pin for punching holes in the support member.The method of punching holes in a roof panel support member as disclosed herein is also part of this invention.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of and apparatus for punching apertures in the walls of square sectioned steel tube. An elongated square sectioned mandrel is supported horizontally by and is connected at a rear end to roller decking so that a square tube can be fed onto the mandrel and can be used to feed the tube off the mandrel step by step, while between steps the tube is punched at the front end of the mandrel by a punch die on a punch head which moves laterally of the mandrel and into a punch recess in the mandrel. The punch head also has a guide pin which engages a guide recess in the mandrel before the punch die engages the punch recess to ensure that the punch die and punch recess are accurately aligned and that the apertures will be evenly spaced along the length of the tube.

Abstract: A die cutting press for processing web material has a registration system which is operable to provide precise alignment of a shiftable die cutting unit along two axes during the time that the web material is advanced along a third axis toward the die unit, so that as soon as a defined area of the web reaches the die unit, the press can be immediately actuated to subject the web to the die cutting operation. In preferred forms of the invention, an indicator strip is printed on the length of the web and is detected by two spaced photo optical sensors movable with the die unit. A first control means, coupled to the sensors, selectively actuates in stepwise fashion either of two servomotors as may be necessary to bring the die unit into registration with defined web areas in a direction laterally of the web length (which may be defined as a Y axis) as well as a rotative orientation with respect to the defined web areas about an upright axis (which may be termed the .theta. axis).

Abstract: An apparatus for producing registration holes in a sheet-like workpiece that is provided with registration marks.

Abstract: A punching method and apparatus for forming through holes by punching in a ceramic green sheet for use as a material of a laminated substrate. Not only the positioning of the work but also the driving of the upper die set are conducted by of servomotors with the speed and timing of operation of the servomotors being controlled in accordance with a prestored program in a microcomputer, so as to attain a high speed and efficiency of operation. In addition, a hole clearing operation is conducted immediately after the punching so that the chip remaining in the punched through hole, if any, is forced out from the through hole by the same punch used in the punching operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for duplicative notching of the serration edge on a key blank according to the serration edge of an existing key serving as a templet. An axially movable key edge notching punch is controlled by the templet for punching a notch in the serration edge of the key blank corresponding to a notch in the serration edge of the templet when the punch is driven toward the key blank. The key blank and the templet key may be supported in a cassette which is indexible relative to the punch. The cassette and the notching mechanism are especially advantageous for notching the serration edges of key blanks carried by wallet size plastic cards.

Abstract: A feed system for a punch press includes a first clamping and advancing mechanism for gripping feed stock and moving it toward the press, and a second clamping and advancing mechanism for gripping the stock and conveying the stock away from the press. A controller causes the first clamping and advancing mechanism to be operated until a predetermined number of punching operations have been performed upon the stock while the second clamping and advancing mechanism remains inoperative. After the predetermined number has been attained, the second clamping and advancing mechanism is activated and punch operations continue until a second predetermined count has been attained. Thereafter, the stock is conveyed away from the press. The invention permits stock to be conveyed through the press very rapidly, and it prevents damage to the press by accurately determining the position of the stock relative to the press.

Abstract: A process and device for producing a bearing eye or a transverse perforation in the clevis of the actuating rod of a brake power booster. The assembled brake power booster is inserted in a locking frame of the device, the clevis being retained at a cutting tool provided in a locking frame at a desired design distance of the clevis from the fixation flange of the booster casing. Upon insertion of the booster in the locking frame, the legs of the clevis are punched by a cutting punch so that in a single process step, a transverse punch hole or perforation to receive the pivot pin of the brake pedal is made maintaining a close tolerance to the desired design distance, i.e. independently of the specific position of mounting of the actuating rod and independent of the distance between the end of the clevis and the fixation flange of the booster casing.

Abstract: The invention sets forth a method and a corresponding stamping tool for waste-free stamping out packaging strips such as the so-called press-through packages. These press-through packages are made of a strip of foil comprising a lower foil strip with depressions for receiving tablets, lozenges or the like and a foil cover strip which closes off the depressions. The individual packaging strips, in order to enable problem-free further processing and to avoid injuries, have rounded corners.

Abstract: A method of blanking wherein an endless V-shaped groove of desired contour is formed on at least one of the top and bottom sides of a material sheet. The groove is shaped so that the external side thereof is at a right angle to the groove-cut surface of the sheet. A blank having the desired contour is then cut out of the sheet along the right-angled external side of the groove.

Abstract: A device designed to stamp generally rectangular blister packages from an intermittently advancing laminated strip comprises a die with rounded corners whose radii of curvature are substantially larger at a transverse leading edge than at a transverse trailing edge as seen in the direction of strip motion. The width of the die slightly exceeds the advance of the strip between cutting operations whereby packages stamped from the strip exhibit obtuse angles but no pointed projections at their forward edges.

Abstract: An oscillating canopy is employed in the feeding of an elongate sheet of synthetic plastic material having articles, such as cups, for example, formed in the sheet, to a die which trims the articles from the sheet. The canopy has a downwardly concave curved upper portion upon which the sheet is supported by a series of rollers. The canopy is driven in forward and return strokes in pivotal movement about an axis located at a radial distance from the curved upper portion which is a greater distance from the discharge end of the curved upper portion than from the sheet receiving end so that tension is maintained on the sheet during the feeding stroke. The sheet-supporting rollers are mounted for rotation in one direction only, this direction being that in which the rollers can roll relative to the sheet on the return stroke of the canopy.

Abstract: A plurality of identical, irregular, non-polygonal pieces, such as motorcycle silhouette games pieces, are cut from flat stock of predetermined width and indefinite length with minimum waste of the stock, by laying out a gang cutter "pattern", "marker" or "stencil" in a sequence of steps comprising (1) "boxing in" the curved outline of one non-polygonal piece to form a plane polygonal figure of three sides or more, (2) combining two such polygonal figures into a parallelogram, (3) nesting any protuberance in one piece into any recess in the other piece to reduce the area of the parallelogram (4) laying out a plurality of said parallelograms side by side across the width of the stock and (5) successively cutting the resulting pattern from the stock by a gang cutter arranged in the pattern.

Abstract: A piston-type safety lock device, of the type comprising a cylindrical rotor journalled in a cavity of a stator. Said rotor contains a plurality of radially slidable pistons cooperating at their inner end with the notches of a key for bringing their other end flush with the periphery of said rotor. Said other end bears against the inner surface of the cavity in which the rotor is journalled and, for one angular position of the rotor, against pistons slidable in the stator and elastically biased toward the rotor. Said pistons of the stator and rotor are flat blanked members. Said pistons are disposed respectively in a single slot of the stator and in a single slot of the rotor and have rectilinear and parallel lateral edges which are in contact with the lateral edge of an adjacent piston or the end of said slot.

Abstract: An adjustable die assembly is shown for forming a template having a plurality of holes each having a medial lug portion. The die assembly is mounted in a base member that has a graduated dial plate. The template is first provided with a plurality of starter holes. The die has a post surrounded by an annular recess except for a medial lug portion. The die is first set at a particular angular relationship to the dial plate. A template hole to be processed is fitted over the post. The base member includes an adjustable cross bar for alignment of the template with respect to a datum plane. A punch is then assembled on the die post and passed through the template for forming the holes with a medial lug portion in various angular positions.

Abstract: A printing blanket hole forming apparatus and method are provided and such apparatus has a support for supporting an end portion of a blanket thereon, a locating pin fixed to one end of the support, a template having at least one template locating hole therein and a set of openings therein associated with the one hole with the template being positioned by disposing the locating hole thereof around the pin with an end portion of a blanket supported on the support enabling forming of holes in the blanket by extending an associated hole forming device through the openings in the template and into the blanket and as determined by the openings in such template .

Abstract: To avoid the waste of die-cutting a plurality of circular blanks of identical diameter from rectangular sheet material, the material is formed into non-rectangular sheets of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle configuration, which have a predetermined length and width substantially equal to a multiple of the diameter of the circles. The circular dies of a gang-die cutter are juxtaposed in a series of laterally extending rows in parallelism, longitudinally of the die cutter, the rows being at an angle of 60.degree. to the longitudinal edges of the sheets. The sheets and the die pattern thus both are of parallelogram trapezoid, or equilateral triangle, outline.

Abstract: A machine for repetitive cutting of small identical parts from a relatively large metal plate. A scanning head is positioned on a carriage above a template which is mounted to a tracing table, and one or more metal cutting heads are also mounted on the carriage. The scanning head is operable to drive the carriage and cutting head to cut a first series of one or more identically shaped parts from the plate. A further carriage on the machine is movable between a stop and an adjustable limit switch, with the adjusted distance between the stop and switch corresponding to the pre-determined distance it is desired to shift the tracing table to position the template for controlling the cutting of a second series of one or more identical parts from the same plate. The further carriage is selectively connected to a table moving mechanism, and such connection also actuates the latter to move the table until the carriage engages the limit switch.

Abstract: In the combination of a railroad rail and a rail-piercing gun having a support area extending across the tread of the rail, a gauge is provided which includes a rail-end stop bearing against an end of the rail, and an elongated saddle bar connected to the stop, and having in a side away from the tread of the rail a plurality of seats spaced a distance equal to the desired lengthwise spacing of fish plate bolt holes to be formed by the gun, of a length and depth to accommodate closely the gun support area and of a height from the tread to locate the gun at the desired position heightwise of the web of the rail. In the use of the gauge, the gauge is placed on the rail, the gun is seated in a seat whereby the saddle bar is held in position laterally of the tread, the gun is moved away from the stop end of the gauge until the stop engages the end of the rail, a hole is formed with the gun, the gun is moved to another seat and the process is repeated.