Precision anti-whip ram type machine

Claim 2

A machine of the type employing a reciprocal ram to perform an operation on work, wherein there are a pair of hydraulic motors, each coupled to a different end of said ram to drive the ram, each of said hydraulic motors involving a cylinder and included reciprocal piston, a hydraulic power system including pump means and said hydraulic motors, the hydraulic system including a flow connection from the pump means to the upper side of one piston, a flow connection from the underside of said one piston to the upper side of the other piston, and a flow connection from the under side of said other piston to provide a series flow relationship of said hydraulic motors, whereby said one piston becomes the master piston and said other piston, the slave piston; means for engaging and operating on work with said ram during a work stroke, at a speed comparable to the normal speed of said ram, and means responsive to approach of said ram toward the end of its work stroke, for reducing the speed of said ram to reduce the inertia thereof and assure an accurate termination of said work stroke.

Claim 3

A machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized by means for advancing the point in said work stroke for reducing said ram speed, in the case of work subject to whipping when engaged and operated on by said ram at said normal speed.

Claim 4

A machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized by said means for reducing the speed of said ram to reduce the inertia thereof, as including means for reducing the flow rate of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor of said master piston.

Claim 5

A machine in accordance with claim 3, characterized by said means for reducing the flow rate of hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic motor, as including means for diverting from said series of hydraulic motors, a portion of the hydraulic fluid discharge from said pump means.

Claim 6

A machine in accordance with claim 4, characterized by said diverting means including a valve and in series therewith, a restrictive orifice to meter the diverted flow.

Claim 7

A machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized by means for establishing a higher than normal speed of said ram during the initial portion of its work stroke, and means for converting said higher than normal speed to substantially normal speed as said ram reaches the work to be operated on.

Claim 8

A machine in accordance with claim 6, characterized by means for adjusting the points in a work stroke where said speed changes occur.

Claim 9

A machine in accordance with claim 7, characterized by said means for adjusting the points in a work stroke where said speed changes occur, as including cam operated switch means for each speed change, on a portion of said machine adjacent to and stationary relative to said ram, switch activating cam means on said ram for engaging each of said switch means during a work stroke of said ram, speed change control circuits including said cam operated switch means, and means for adjusting said switch actuating cam means to alter the points of speed change in said work stroke.

Claim 10

A machine Of the type employing a reciprocal ram to perform an operation on work, wherein a pair of hydraulic motors, each coupled to a different end of the ram, drive the ram, each of said hydraulic motors involving a cylinder and included reciprocal piston, a hydraulic power system including pump means in power supply relationship to said hydraulic motors, relief valve means for the machine connected in said hydraulic system on the discharge side of said pump means, in bypass relationship to said hydraulic motors, said relief valve means being closed during normal operation of said machine and including spring adjustment means for establishing relief pressure setting of said relief valve means, and means for enabling the setting of said relief valve means to a predetermined relief pressure without first loading the hydraulic motors of said machine, said enabling means including a pressure gauge, pressure coupled to the pressure side of said relief valve means, and means for blocking hydraulic fluid flow to said hydraulic motors downstream of said relief valve means connection, to permit adjustment of said spring adjustment means under guidance of said pressure gauge.

Claim 11

A machine Of the type employing a reciprocal ram to perform an operation on work, wherein a pair of hydraulic motors, each coupled to a different end of the ram, drive the ram, each of said hydraulic motors involving a cylinder and included reciprocal piston, a hydraulic power system including pump means in power supply relationship to said hydraulic motors, relief valve means for the machine connected in said hydraulic system on the discharge side of said pump means, in bypass relationship to said hydraulic motors, said relief valve means being closed during normal operation of said machine and including spring adjustment means for establishing relief pressure setting of said relief valve means, and means for enabling the setting of said relief valve means to a predetermined relief pressure without first loading the hydraulic motors of said machine, said enabling means including a pressure gauge, pressure coupled to the pressure side of said relief valve means, and means for blocking hydraulic fluid flow to said hydraulic motors downstream of said relief valve means connection, to permit adjustment of said spring adjustment means under guidance of said pressure gauge.

Claim 12

A machine in accordance with claim 9, characterized by said hydraulic system including said hydraulic motors in series.

Claim 13

A machine in accordance with claim 9, characterized by a hydraulic power take-off connection from said hydraulic system, and means for blocking power to said hydraulic motors during use of said power take-off connection.

Claim 14

A machine in accordance with claim 11, characterized by means for utilizing said relief valve means to protect against overload, apparatus operating off of said power take-off connection, said means including connecting said power take-off connection from a location in said hydraulic system in pressure communication with said relief valve means while power to said hydraulic motors is blocked off.

Claim 15

A machine in accordance with claim 12, characterized by means for adjusting the setting of said relief valve means to the load limitations of the apparatus to be operated off the power take-off connection and without disturbing the relief pressure setting for the machine.

Claim 16

A machine in accordance with claim 13, characterized by said adjusting means including a second spring adjustment means in said relief valve means, disposed in parallel relationship to the first spring adjustment means, said second spring adjustment means including means for adjusting to pressure values both above and below the relief pressure setting for said machine.