Safety gate for press

Claim 2

Safety apparatus for a press or the like having a base, a ram disposed above said base and mounted to reciprocate vertically with respect thereto, means selectively operating said ram to move up or down, said base and ram each carrying mating dies for manipulating a workpiece placed therebetween on the downward movement of said ram and engagement of said dies, said apparatus cOmprising a gate, support means for holding said gate vertically in front of said press, a lift assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected links for moving said gate from a first position exposing said engaging dies to a second position blocking said dies, spring means for urging said lift assembly normally into one of said positions, reciprocating motive means consisting of a fluid operated piston and cylinder connected to the initial link of said lift assembly and arranged to normally urge said lift assembly opposite thereto, and means for selectively operating said motive means to effect movement of said lift assembly from one position to the other.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said links maintain said gate in parallel arrangement to ground during movement between said first and second positions.

Claim 4

Safety apparatus for a press or the like having a base, a ram disposed above said base and mounted to reciprocate vertically with respect thereto, means selectively operating said ram to move up or down, said base and ram each carrying mating dies for manipulating a workpiece placed therebetween on the downward movement of said ram and engagement of said dies, said apparatus comprising a gate, a support for holding said gate vertically in front of said press, a lift assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected links for moving said gate from a first position exposing said engaging dies to a second position blocking said dies, reciprocating motive means connected to the initial link of said lift assembly, means for selectively actuating said motive means to effect movement of said lift assembly from one position to another, switch means associated with said lift assembly and energizable on movement thereof from said first position to said second position to actuate said ram whereby said gate is positioned prior to engagement of said dies, said switch means being operable to return said gate to said first position prior to the return of said ram.

Claim 5

Safety apparatus for a press or the like having a base, a ram disposed above said base and mounted to reciprocate vertically with respect thereto, means selectively operating said ram to move up or down, said base and ram each carrying mating dies for manipulating a workpiece placed therebetween on the downward movement of said ram and engagement of said dies, said apparatus comprising a gate, a support for holding said gate vertically in front of said press, a lift assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected links for moving said gate from a first position exposing said engaging dies to a second position blocking said dies, reciprocating motive means connected to the initial link of said lift assembly, means for selectively actuating said motive means to effect movement of said lift assembly from one position to another, switch means associated with said lift assembly and energizable on movement thereof from said first position to said second position to actuate said ram whereby said gate is positioned prior to engagement of said dies, said switch means being operable to return said gate to said first position prior to the return of said ram.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said motive means comprises a fluid piston and cylinder.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said motive means comprise an reversible motor.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said motive means comprises a solenoid.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 3, including circuit means associated with said ram to actuate the link assembly motive means on downward movement of said ram independently of said switch means.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said circuit means includes a switch associated with the ram drive and operable on movement of said drive to energize the motive means.

Claim 11

Safety apparatus for a press or the like having a base, a ram disposed above said base and mounted to reciprocate vertically with respect thereto, means selectively operating said ram to move up or down, said base and ram each carrying mating dies for manipulating a workpiece placed therebetween on the downward movement of said ram and engagement of said dies, said apparatus comprising a gate, support means for holding said gate vertically in front of said press, a lift assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected links for moving said gate from a first position exposing said engaging dies to a second position blocking said dies, spring means for urging said lift assembly normally into one of said positions, reciprocating solenoid means connected to the initial link of said lift assembly and arranged normally to urge said lift assembly opposite thereto, and means for selectively operating said solenoid means to effect movement of said lift assembly from one position to the other.

Claim 12

Safety apparatus for a press or the like having a base, a ram disposed above said base and mounted to reciprocate vertically with respect thereto, means selectively operating said ram to move up or down, said base and ram each carrying mating dies for manipulating a workpiece placed therebetween on the downward movement of said ram and engagement of said dies, said apparatus comprising a gate, support means for holding said gate vertically in front of said press, a lift assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected links for moving said gate from a first position exposing said engaging dies to a second position blocking said dies, spring means for urging said lift assembly normally into one of said positions, reciprocating solenoid means connected to the initial link of said lift assembly and arranged normally to urge said lift assembly opposite thereto, and means for selectively operating said solenoid means to effect movement of said lift assembly from one position to the other.