Hydraulically actuated piercing unit

Claim 1

A HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED PIERCING UNIT COMPRISING A BODY HAVING A CYLINDER BORE OPENING FROM ONE END THEREOF, A DETACHABLE END PLATE CLOSING THE OPEN END OF SAID BORE, A FLUID CONNECTION THROUGH WHICH FLUID IS SUPPLIED TO SAID BORE, PISTON RECIPROCABLE IN SAID BORE, A ROD SECURED TO SAID PISTON AND EXTENDING THROUGH AND PROJECTING FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY, A COLLAR IN SAID PISTON ROD BEING NONROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID COLLAR, A SOCKET IN THE OUTER END OF SAID PISTON ROD, A PUNCH HAVING ONE END DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SOCKET AND PROJECTING THEREFROM FOR COOPERATION WITH A DIE MEMBER, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID COLLAR IN AN ADJUSTED ANGULAR POSITION THEREOF TO SAID BODY FOR ORIENTING SAID PUNCH RELATIVE TO SAID DIE MEMBER, A SLEEVE-LIKE STRIPPER MEMBER ENCLOSING AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE OUTER END OF SAID PISTON ROD, AN ANNULAR GROOVE ON THE INNER WALL OF SAID STRIPPER MEMBER, A BALL SEATED IN A RECESS ON SAID PISTON ROD AND IN SAID GROOVE FOR LIMITING SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SIAD STRIPPER MEMBER ON SAID PISTON ROD, A SPRING REACTING ON SAID STRIPPER MEMBER AND THE END OF SAID PISTON ROD FOR BIASING SAID STRIPPER MEMBER TO AN EXTENDED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID PISTON ROD FOR CLAMPING THE WORK AGAINST THE DIE MEMBER PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUNCH WITH THE WORK UPON ACTUATION OF SAID PIERCING UNIT, A SLOT IN THE SIDE OF SAID STRIPPER MEMBER INTERSECTING SAID GROOVE, AND A PIN INSERTABLE THROUGH SAID SLOT AND THROUGH SAID PISTON ROD INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PUNCH WHEREBY UPON REMOVAL OF SAID PIN SAID STRIPPER MEMBER MAY BE ROTATED TO BRING SAID BALL INTO REGISTRY WITH SAID SLOT WHEREBY SAID BALL MAY BE REMOVED THROUGH SAID SLOT AND SAID STRIPPER MEMBER MAY BE AXIALLY REMOVED FROM SAID PISTON ROD.