High speed stock feeder

Claim 2

A high-speed stock-feeding device adapted to intermittently feed stock into a punch press having a reciprocating ram: comprising a frame; a pair of feedheads reciprocally mounted on said frame; a stock-gripping means carried by each of said feedheads, each of said stock-gripping means being adapted to be moved between stock-gripping and stock-releasing positions; fluid motor means for reciprocating said feedheads; additional fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means; fluid valve means for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to said fluid motor means; a first cam means for operating said fluid valve means; actuator means for intermittently actuating said first cam means; said actuator means including a second cam means connected to said first cam means; and drive means adapted to be operated by the reciprocating movement of said press ram for driving said second cam means so as to thereby impart an intermittent indexing motion to said first cam means that operates said fluid valve means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said second cam means includes a rotatable member having camming surfaces formed thereon, and a cam follower member cooperating with said camming surfaces, one of said members being connected to drive said first cam means while the other of said members is connected so as to be operated by said press ram sO that the resulting relative movement of said members will intermittently drive said first cam means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined by claim 2 wherein said rotatable member is formed with a series of interconnected spiral-type grooves, each groove being stepped in depth along its length so that said cam follower once traversing a given spiral groove is forced to then traverse the next spiral groove whereby said first cam is intermittently driven in one rotative direction.

Claim 5

A stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the tool station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feedheads reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a first stock-gripping means mounted on one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release the stock to be fed; a second stock-gripping means mounted on the other one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release said stock; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feedheads so that the latter effectively reciprocate in 180* phase relation; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means to their respective stock-gripping conditions; and control means for said first and second fluid motor means for causing said feedheads to alternately partake of stock-feeding strokes, said control means being operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press whereby said first and second stock-gripping means are actuated to opposite operative conditions while the tool of said punch press is still in said stock and said first and second feedheads are actuated in opposite reciprocating directions just after withdrawal of said tool from said stock.

Claim 6

A stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the tool station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feedheads reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a first stock-gripping means mounted on one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release the stock to be fed; a second stock-gripping means mounted on the other one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release said stock; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feedheads so that the latter effectively reciprocate in 180* phase relation; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means to their respective stock-gripping conditions; and control means for said first and second fluid motor means for causing said feedheads to alternately partake of stock-feeding strokes, said control means being operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press whereby said first and second stock-gripping means are actuated to opposite operative conditions while the tool of said punch press is still in said stock and said first and second feedheads are actuated in opposite reciprocating directions just after withdrawal of said tool from said stock.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said feedheads are mounted in tandem relation on said frame.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said feedheads are mounted on said frame for movement in side-by-side relation so that said gripping means are adapted to alternately grip opposite side portions of said stock.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said second fluid motor means includes separate fluid motor means for each of said first and second stock gripping means, and wherein said control means includes valve means for alternately supplying fluid pressure to said separate stock-gripping fluid motor means, whereby said first stock-gripping means is moved to a stock-gripping condition and said second stock-gripping means is moved to stock-releasing condition during one cycle of operation of said press and whereby said first stock-gripping means is moved to a stock-releasing condition and said second stock-gripping means is moved to a stock-gripping condition during the next cycle of operation of said press.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said first fluid motor means includes separate fluid motors for respectively actuating said feedheads, and wherein said control means includes a second valve means for alternately supplying fluid pressure to said fluid motors.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined by claim 8 wherein said control means includes cam means for sequentially operating said valve means in timed relation to the operation of said press.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined by claim 9 wherein said control means further includes linkage means coupled at one operative end thereof so as to be actuated by the punch press ram mechanism and at the other end thereof so as to operate said cam means.

Claim 13

A stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the tool station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feedheads reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a first stock-gripping means mounted on one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release the stock to be fed; a second stock-gripping means mounted on the other one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release said stock; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feedheads so that the latter effectively reciprocate in 180* phase relation; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means to their respective stock-gripping conditions; and control means for said first and second fluid motor means for causing said feedheads to alternately partake of stock-feeding strokes, said control means being operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press and including valve means for controlling the operation of said first and second fluid motor means whereby both of said first and second fluid motor means are actuated just after withdrawal of the punch press tool from the said stock.

Claim 14

A stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the tool station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feedheads reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a first stock-gripping means mounted on one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release the stock to be fed; a second stock-gripping means mounted on the other one of said feedheads and conditionable to grip and release said stock; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feedheads so that the latter effectively reciprocate in 180* phase relation; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means to their respective stock-gripping conditions; and control means for said first and second fluid motor means for causing said feedheads to alternately partake of stock-feeding strokes, said control means being operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press and including valve means for controlling the operation of said first and second fluid motor means whereby both of said first and second fluid motor means are actuated just after withdrawal of the punch press tool from the said stock.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said feedheads are mounted in tandem relation on said frame.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said feedheads are mounted on said frame for movement in side-by-side relation so that said gripping means are adapted to alternately grip opposite side portions of said stock.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said first fluid motor means includes separate fluid motors for respectively actuating said feedheads, and wherein said second fluid motor means includes separate fluid motors for respectively actuating said stock-gripping means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said control means includes valve means actuated in response to the operation of the tool drive means of said punch press for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to said first and second fluid motor means.

Claim 19

A duplex stock-feeding arrangement for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mounted for longitudinal reciprocation on said frame; a first fluid motor means for operating a first one of said feed slides and including a first piston and cylinder unit that operatively extends in one longitudinal direction; a second fluid motor means for operating the second one of said feed slides and including a second piston and cylinder unit that operatively extends in the opposite longitudinal direction; stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides; a third fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling said fluid motor means; and actuating means operable in timed relation to the operation of the press for actuating said valve means whereby said feed slides alternately partake of feed strokes.

Claim 20

A duplex stock-feeding arrangement for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mounted for longitudinal reciprocation on said frame; a first fluid motor means for operating a first one of said feed slides and including a first piston and cylinder unit that operatively extends in one longitudinal direction; a second fluid motor means for operating the second one of said feed slides and including a second piston and cylinder unit that operatively extends in the opposite longitudinal direction; stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides; a third fluid motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling said fluid motor means; and actuating means operable in timed relation to the operation of the press for actuating said valve means whereby said feed slides alternately partake of feed strokes.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined by claim 16 wherein said feed slides are both disposed between said piston-cylinder units.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said feed slides are disposed in tandem relation.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said feed slides are disposed for movement along substantially parallel paths.

Claim 24

Apparatus as defined by claim 16 wherein means are provided for continuously biasing said feed slides in one of the respective directions of movement of each slide.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined by claim 16 wherein said valve means comprises a first valving means for said first and second fluid motor means and a second valving means for said third motor means, and wherein said actuating means includes means for sequentially operating said first and second valving means.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined by claim 16 wherein said actuating means includes cam means, and means for intermittently actuating said cam means in timed relation to the operation of said punch press.

Claim 27

Apparatus as defined by claim 16: additionally comprising a common stroke-limiting abutment means that may be adjustably moved from one condition to a second condition so that the respective operative feed strokes of said feed slides are thereby changed by equal amounts.

Claim 28

A duplex stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like; comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mouNted on said frame for reciprocation in indexing and stock-feeding directions; said feed slides being mounted on said frame in side-by-side relation for movement along laterally offset and substantially parallel feed paths; open-throated stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides, said stock-gripping means being adapted to grip and release opposite side portions of said stock; a first motor means for actuating said feed slides; a second motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling said second motor means; and actuating means operable in timed relation to the operation of the press for actuating said valve means so that said stock-gripping means are alternately operated to stock-gripping positions while the press tool is still in the stock whereby said feed slides alternately partake of feed strokes.

Claim 29

A duplex stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like; comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mouNted on said frame for reciprocation in indexing and stock-feeding directions; said feed slides being mounted on said frame in side-by-side relation for movement along laterally offset and substantially parallel feed paths; open-throated stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides, said stock-gripping means being adapted to grip and release opposite side portions of said stock; a first motor means for actuating said feed slides; a second motor means for actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling said second motor means; and actuating means operable in timed relation to the operation of the press for actuating said valve means so that said stock-gripping means are alternately operated to stock-gripping positions while the press tool is still in the stock whereby said feed slides alternately partake of feed strokes.

Claim 30

Apparatus as defined by claim 24: additionally comprising a common stroke limiting abutment means that may be adjustably moved from one condition to a second condition so that the respective operative feed strokes of said feed slides are thereby changed by equal amounts.

Claim 31

Apparatus as defined by claim 24 wherein said valve means includes two four-way valves, and wherein said actuating means includes means to sequentially operate said four-way valves during each cycle of the press; the actuation of the stock-gripping means occurring before the press tool is withdrawn from the stock.

Claim 32

A duplex stock feeder for intermittently advancing stock into a work station: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocably mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a normally fixed abutment means carried by said frame for determining the effective limits of reciprocating movement of said feed slides respectively, said feed slides being respectively adapted to move into and out of contact with said abutment means during reciprocation thereof; said abutment means including two abutment surfaces which respectively determine the limit of movement of said slides in one of the respective directions of reciprocation of each slide, and further including adjusting means for effectively displacing said surfaces by equal amounts whereby the effective lengths of the feed strokes of said slides may be thereby varied by equal amounts; stock-gripping means carried by each of said slides; a first actuating means for reciprocating said slides; a second actuating means for operating said stock-gripping means; and control means operable in timed relation with the operation at said work station for controlling the operation of said first and second actuating means whereby said feedheads alternately partake of stock feed strokes.

Claim 33

A duplex stock feeder for intermittently advancing stock into a work station: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocably mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feed directions; a normally fixed abutment means carried by said frame for determining the effective limits of reciprocating movement of said feed slides respectively, said feed slides being respectively adapted to move into and out of contact with said abutment means during reciprocation thereof; said abutment means including two abutment surfaces which respectively determine the limit of movement of said slides in one of the respective directions of reciprocation of each slide, and further including adjusting means for effectively displacing said surfaces by equal amounts whereby the effective lengths of the feed strokes of said slides may be thereby varied by equal amounts; stock-gripping means carried by each of said slides; a first actuating means for reciprocating said slides; a second actuating means for operating said stock-gripping means; and control means operable in timed relation with the operation at said work station for controlling the operation of said first and second actuating means whereby said feedheads alternately partake of stock feed strokes.

Claim 34

Apparatus as defined by claim 27 wherein said two abutment surfaces are disposed on a common member that is threadedly adjustably mounted on said frame.

Claim 35

Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said control means includes a means for controlling said first and second fluid motor means so that said feedheads alternately partake of a plurality of feed strokes for each cycle of operation of said press.

Claim 36

Apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said control means includes a means for controlling said first and second fluid motor means so that said feedheads alternately partake of a plurality of feed strokes for each cycle of operation of said press.

Claim 37

A duplex stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mounted on said frame for reciprocation in indexing and feed directions; stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides; a first pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said feed slides; a second pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling the operation of said first pair of fluId motors; additional valve means controlling operation of said second pair of fluid motors; actuators for respectively actuating said valve means; and control means operatively responsive to the motion of the ram of said press for controlling the operation of said actuators whereby said valve means and fluid motors cause said feed slides to alternately partake of stock feed strokes, said control means also being operative to cause said stock-gripping to be alternately displaced to their stock-gripping positions while the tool of said press is still in said stock.

Claim 38

A duplex stock-feeding device for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides each mounted on said frame for reciprocation in indexing and feed directions; stock-gripping means mounted on each of said feed slides; a first pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said feed slides; a second pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said stock-gripping means; valve means for controlling the operation of said first pair of fluId motors; additional valve means controlling operation of said second pair of fluid motors; actuators for respectively actuating said valve means; and control means operatively responsive to the motion of the ram of said press for controlling the operation of said actuators whereby said valve means and fluid motors cause said feed slides to alternately partake of stock feed strokes, said control means also being operative to cause said stock-gripping to be alternately displaced to their stock-gripping positions while the tool of said press is still in said stock.

Claim 39

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein each fluid motor of said first pair of motors comprises a double-acting cylinder.

Claim 40

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is adapted to cause said actuators to actuate at least a portion of said valve means at different times during each cycle of operation of said press.

Claim 41

Apparatus as defined by claim 33 wherein said control means is adapted to cause said gripping means to shift their operative conditions while the tool of said press is in said stock.

Claim 42

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is adapted to cause both of said valve means to be actuated so that operation of both of said first and second pairs of fluid motors is initiated while the tool of said punch press is out of said stock.

Claim 43

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is operatively coupled to said press ram.

Claim 44

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means includes a mechanical connection to said press.

Claim 45

Apparatus as defined by claim 37 wherein said connection is made to the press ram and intermittently drives said actuators in response to the movement of said ram.

Claim 46

Apparatus as defined by claim 32: additionally comprising means for continuously supplying air to one end of each of said first pair of fluid motors.

Claim 47

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein each of said valve means comprises three-way valve means.

Claim 48

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said actuators include cam means.

Claim 49

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is adapted to actuate said valve actuators at different times in response to the press ram''s passing through predetermined different positions along its reciprocating path.

Claim 50

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is adapted to actuate said valve actuators in response to the press ram''s passing through one point along its reciprocating path.

Claim 51

Apparatus as defined by claim 31: additionally comprising means for continually biasing said feed slides in one direction.

Claim 52

Apparatus as defined by claim 31 wherein said control means is adapted to cause all four of said fluid motors to be actuated at times when the tool of said press is considerably below the midpoint of its vertical travel.

Claim 53

A high-speed duplex feeder for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in feed and index directions; stock-gripping means carried by each of said feed slides, said stock-gripping means being shiftable between stock-gripping and release conditions; a first drive means for actuating said feed slides so that the latter alternately partake of movement in a stock feed direction; a second drive means for operating said stock-gripping means so that the latter alternately grip the stock to be fed; and control means operated in response to the operation of said press for controlling the operation of said first and second drive means so that at least one of said feed slides makes at least one stock-feeding stroke for each cycle of operation of said punch press; said control means including timing means that cause initiation of said feed strokes of said slides at a time when the ram of said press is nearer to the bottom of its operative stRoke than to the top of its said stroke.

Claim 54

A high-speed duplex feeder for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in feed and index directions; stock-gripping means carried by each of said feed slides, said stock-gripping means being shiftable between stock-gripping and release conditions; a first drive means for actuating said feed slides so that the latter alternately partake of movement in a stock feed direction; a second drive means for operating said stock-gripping means so that the latter alternately grip the stock to be fed; and control means operated in response to the operation of said press for controlling the operation of said first and second drive means so that at least one of said feed slides makes at least one stock-feeding stroke for each cycle of operation of said punch press; said control means including timing means that cause initiation of said feed strokes of said slides at a time when the ram of said press is nearer to the bottom of its operative stRoke than to the top of its said stroke.

Claim 55

Apparatus as defined by claim 46 wherein said second drive means comprises a fluid motor means, and wherein said control means includes a fluid valve means that is operable to cause initiation of operation of said fluid motor means at a time when the ram of said press is nearer to the bottom of its operative stroke than to the top of its said stroke.

Claim 56

Apparatus as defined by claim 47 wherein said first drive means includes a fluid motor means.

Claim 57

Apparatus as defined by claim 46 wherein said first drive means includes fluid motor means for displacing said slides in one direction and means for yieldably biasing said slides in the opposite direction.

Claim 58

A high-speed feeder for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a pair of opposed cooperating grippers for gripping and feeding the stock to be worked; actuating means for intermittently displacing said grippers to cause said stock to be intermittently advanced in a stock feed direction; control means operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press for controlling said actuating means; said control means including timing means for causing said grippers to initiate their stock-advancing movement at a time when the ram of said press is nearer to the bottom of its operative stroke than to the top of its said stroke.

Claim 59

A high-speed feeder for intermittently advancing stock into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a pair of opposed cooperating grippers for gripping and feeding the stock to be worked; actuating means for intermittently displacing said grippers to cause said stock to be intermittently advanced in a stock feed direction; control means operated in timed relation to the operation of said punch press for controlling said actuating means; said control means including timing means for causing said grippers to initiate their stock-advancing movement at a time when the ram of said press is nearer to the bottom of its operative stroke than to the top of its said stroke.