Gauging apparatus for presses and the like

Claim 2

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel horizontally spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member between said guideways and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means, said guideways extending beyond both ends of said cylinder-member; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said Reference line and beyond both ends of said cylinder member, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and further comprising: a first drive wheel coupled to said cylinder means; a first connector strand connected to said mounting means and extending forward therefrom toward said reference line and then passing around said first wheel and extending backward therefrom to a connection to said carriage means whereby said drive cylinder means drives said carriage means forward toward said reference line as one of said members of said drive cylinder means moves said wheel toward said reference line.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein: said mounting means include a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, said guideways being horizontally spaced and affixed to sides of said frame.

Claim 5

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; a first drive wheel coupled to said cylinder means; a first connector strand connected to said mounting means and extending forward therefrom toward said reference line and then passing around said first wheel and extending backward therefrom to a connection to said carriage means whereby said drive cylinder means drives said carriage means forward toward said reference line as one of said members of said drive cylinder means moves said wheel toward said reference line; said mounting means including a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, and said guideways being horizontally spaced and affixed to sides of said frame; said carriage means including a carriage mounting block to which said first connector strand is attached, and a carriage connected to said block, the connection of said carriage to said block accommodating misalignment therebetween.

Claim 6

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; a first drive wheel coupled to said cylinder means; a first connector strand connected to said mounting means and extending forward therefrom toward said reference line and then passing around said first wheel and extending backward therefrom to a connection to said carriage means whereby said drive cylinder means drives said carriage means forward toward said reference line as one of said members of said drive cylinder means moves said wheel toward said reference line; said mounting means including a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, and said guideways being horizontally spaced and affixed to sides of said frame; said carriage means including a carriage mounting block to which said first connector strand is attached, and a carriage connected to said block, the connection of said carriage to said block accommodating misalignment therebetween.

Claim 7

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; said carriage means including a carriage straddling said frame, the combination further comprising: two pairs of upstanding support guides, one pair at each side of said carriage; a pair of gauge support arms, one arm being slidingly received on one of said pairs of support guides; and the other arm slidingly received on the other of said pairs of support guides; height adjusting means including a pair of adjusting handwheels and screws operated thereby, said screws being supported on caps supported by said pairs of guides, and threadedly received in said gauge support arms, said arms being vertically adjustable by rotation of said handwheels; and gauge support rods mounted to said arms and projecting forwardly therefrom and having gauge means thereon in front of said support arms.

Claim 8

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; said carriage means including a carriage straddling said frame, the combination further comprising: two pairs of upstanding support guides, one pair at each side of said carriage; a pair of gauge support arms, one arm being slidingly received on one of said pairs of support guides; and the other arm slidingly received on the other of said pairs of support guides; height adjusting means including a pair of adjusting handwheels and screws operated thereby, said screws being supported on caps supported by said pairs of guides, and threadedly received in said gauge support arms, said arms being vertically adjustable by rotation of said handwheels; and gauge support rods mounted to said arms and projecting forwardly therefrom and having gauge means thereon in front of said support arms.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 wHerein said gauge means include: a horizontally extending gauge bar having a rear vertical flange facing front ends of said gauge support rods, a first screw passing through an aperture in said flange and threadedly received in the front end of one of said support rods, a spring washer being disposed around said screw between said flange and said rod front end, said screw securing said bar to said one rod against the spring load of said washer, and a second screw passing through a second aperture in said flange and threadedly received in the front end of the other of said support rods, a pair of spring washers being disposed between the head of said second screw, and said flange, and another spring washer disposed between said flange and said front end of said other support rod, one of said apertures being sufficiently large in a horizontal direction, to accommodate some limited horizontal movement therein of the screw passing therethrough.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 1 wherein: said first mounting means include a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, and having horizontally spaced sides; said guideways being disposed on the exterior of said frame sides, outboard thereof; said cylinder member being disposed inside said frame.

Claim 11

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; said first mounting means including a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, and having horizontally spaced sides; said guideways being disposed on the exterior of said frame sides, outboard thereof; said cylinder member being disposed inside said frame; and first selectively operable valve means inside said frame and having an input coupled to a source of fluid energy and having a first output coupled to one side of a piston in said cylinder member, and having a second output coupled to the other side of said piston in said cylinder member, said first valve means being shiftable to drive one of said members in said cylinder means in opposite directions.

Claim 12

In a machine having tools therein and a reference line associated with said tools, gauging apparatus comprising: a first mounting means secured to the machine; first and second parallel spaced guideways mounted to said mounting means and extending perpendicular to a plane containing said reference line; a first drive cylinder means parallel to and disposed between said guideways, and having a cylinder member and a piston rod member, one of said members being affixed to said mounting means; carriage means mounted to said guideways and movable thereon toward and away from said reference line, said carriage means being coupled to said cylinder means and drivable thereby; said first mounting means including a frame having a front end affixed to said machine, and having horizontally spaced sides; said guideways being disposed on the exterior of said frame sides, outboard thereof; said cylinder member being disposed inside said frame; and first selectively operable valve means inside said frame and having an input coupled to a source of fluid energy and having a first output coupled to one side of a piston in said cylinder member, and having a second output coupled to the other side of said piston in said cylinder member, said first valve means being shiftable to drive one of said members in said cylinder means in opposite directions.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 8 and further comprising: second cylinder means inside said frame and connected to said first cylinder means and having a second cylinder member and a second piston rod member, one of said second member being affixed to said frame; a hydraulic fluid path from one side of a piston in said second cylinder member to the other side of said piston; second selectively operable valve means inside said frame and in said path to preclude passage of fluid therethrough and thereby prevent movement of said first and second cylinder means; said second valve means being operable, when actuated, to open said path and permit movement of said first and second cylinder means.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 9 and further comprising: third selectively operable valve means inside said frame and in parallel with said second valve means and normally precluding passage of fluid therethrough, said third valve means being operable when activated to open said path and permit movement of said first and second cylinder means with respect to said pistons.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 7 wherein: said carriage means include a carriage having a pair of horizontally spaced bearing blocks thereon with linear bearings therein received on said guideways, whereby said carriage straddles said frame.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 11 and further comprising: second cylinder means inside said frame and connected to said first cylinder means and having a second cylinder member and second piston rod member, the cylinder members of both of said cylinder means being affixed to said frame, said carriage means being coupled through a carriage mounting block and travel multiplying means to said cylinder members.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 12 wherein: said travel multiplying means include a pulley wheel on said cylinder members with its rotational axis perpendicular to the direction of travel of said cylinder members, and a flexible non-stretchable strand secured at one point to said frame, and extending parallel to said direction of travel and then around said wheel and back to a connection to said carriage mounting block.

Claim 18

The combination of claim 13 wherein: said carriage mounting block is inside said frame and is connected to said carriage by a fastening means centrally located between said guideways.

Claim 19

Gauging apparatus for a press or the like comprising: mounting means having a mounting portion securable to a press; first and second parallel horizontally spaced guideways secured to said mounting means; carriage means mounted on said guideways and linearly movable therein from one end of said guideways to the other end of said guideways; first and second cylinder means between said guideways, each including a cylinder member and a piston rod member, both of said guideways extending beyond both ends of said cylinder members, one of said members of each of said cylinder means being affixed to said mounting means and the other of said members of each of said cylinder means being coupled to said carriage means, one of said cylinder members having liquid therein; and means for controlling passage of liquid to and from said one of said cylinder members to control linear movement of said cylinder means.

Claim 20

Gauging apparatus for a press or the like comprising: mounting means having a mounting portion securable to a press; first and second parallel horizontally spaced guideways secured to said mounting means; carriage means mounted on said guideways and linearly movable therein from one end of said guideways to the other end of said guideways; first and second cylinder means between said guideways, each including a cylinder member and a piston rod member, both of said guideways extending beyond both ends of said cylinder members, one of said members of each of said cylinder means being affixed to said mounting means and the other of said members of each of said cylinder means being coupled to said carriage means, one of said cylinder members having liquid therein; and means for controlling passage of liquid to and from said one of said cylinder members to control linear movement of said cylinder means.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 15 wherein: said mounting means has horizontally spaced sides; said guideways being disposed at the exterior of said sides, outboard thereof.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 15 wherein: said carriage means includes a carriage which extends across said mounting means, the combination further comprising: horizontally spaced, vertically extending support guides mounted to said carriage near opposite ends of said carriage, gauge support arms mounted to said guides.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 17 and further comprising: gauge support rods mounted in said arms and projecting therefrom parallel to said guideways; a gauge bar extending horizontally perpendicular to said support rods and affixed thereto.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 15 wherein: said one of said cylinder members has the piston rod member thereof projecting from piston means therein through opposite ends of said one cylinder member; a liquid path communicates between the chambers on opposite sides of said piston means in said one cylinder member; and said controlling means include a liquid control valve in said path.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 15 wherein: said cylinder members are in side-by-side relationship and affixed together.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 15 wherein: said mounting means is a rigid frame, having front and rear cross members held in horizontally spaced relation by said members; said piston rod members being mounted in tension between said front and rear cross members.