Stock feeder

Claim 2

A 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 indexing and stock feeding directions; a first pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said feed slides; stock gripping means carried by each of said feed slides and being adapted to grip and release the stock to be fed; a second pair of fluid motors for respectively actuating said stock gripping means; a rotary fluid pressure distributor arranged and connected to control the operation of said fluid motors, said rotary fluid pressure distributor including an inner valving member having a plurality of arcuately extending grooves formed therein, and an outer valving member having a plurality of apertures formed therein that respectively valving cooperate with said grooves in said inner member; means for mounting sAid inner and outer members for relative rotation, one of said members being adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid pressure whereby relative rotary movement between said members permits said apertures and grooves to control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the respective fluid motors; drive means adapted when operated to rotate one of said members relative to the other of said members so that said fluid motors may be actuated in predetermined sequence whereby said feed slides alternately partake of stock feeding strokes; and fluid operated buffer means for cushioning the terminal portions of the respective stock feeding strokes of said feed slides.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein selected ones of said grooves in said inner valving member are each adapted to be simultaneously and constantly supplied with fluid pressure, and wherein said drive means is connected to rotate said inner valving member.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said inner valving member of said distributor has substantially cylindrical operative outer surfaces in which a plurality of sets of said grooves are formed, and wherein said outer valving member is substantially tubular in configuration and surrounds said inner member and is formed with a plurality of sets of apertures which respectively valvingly cooperate with the respectively associated sets of said grooves, each set of grooves and its associated set of apertures being arranged to control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from at least one of said fluid motors.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein said inner member is formed with a longitudinal passage which is adapted to be connected to a fluid pressure source and which communicates with a selected one of the grooves in each of said sets of grooves so as to be capable of constantly supplying fluid pressure to each of said selected ones of said grooves.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined by claim 1: additionally comprising adjustable means for variably locating and determining the ends of the stock feeding strokes of each of said feed slides.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said feed slides and frame are cooperatively formed with a dovetail type feed slide mounting arrangement.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein each of said first pair of fluid motors is double-acting and is adapted to be continuously air biased so as to normally urge its associated feed slide in said indexing direction.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein each of said second pair of fluid motors includes a piston and a piston rod which are formed with a fluid conducting passage therethrough, which passage is connected by means of a flexible tube to one of said apertures in said outer valving member of said rotary fluid pressure distributor.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein each of said stock gripping means includes a pivoted lever means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said buffer means includes a pair of fluid operating piston-cylinder units that are respectively associated with said pair of feed slides: and additionally comprising means for supplying fluid pressure to each of said pair of buffer units; and means for varying the pressure of the fluid supplied to said buffer means.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein at least one of said apertures is adapted to be continuously connected to a pressure source.

Claim 13

A stock feeding device for intermittently advancing strip into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; feed slide means reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feeding directions; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feed slide means; stock gripping means carried by said feed slide means for gripping and releasing the stock to be advanced; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock gripping means; control means arranged and connected to control the operation of said fIrst and second fluid motor means, said control means including a rotary fluid pressure distributor mounted on said frame and including a first valving member having a plurality of arcuate grooves circumferentially formed therein, and a second valving member having a plurality of apertures formed therein for respectively valvingly cooperating with said arcuate grooves in said first member; means mounting said first and second valving members for relative rotational movement, one of said members being adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid pressure whereby said relative movement between said members permits said apertures and grooves to sequentially control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said fluid motor means; and drive means for rotating one of said valving members relative to the other of said members so that said first and second fluid motor means may be actuated in predetermined mutually timed relation whereby said feed slide means may partake of a rapid series of stock feeding strokes.

Claim 14

A stock feeding device for intermittently advancing strip into the work station of a punch press or the like: comprising a frame; feed slide means reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feeding directions; a first fluid motor means for actuating said feed slide means; stock gripping means carried by said feed slide means for gripping and releasing the stock to be advanced; a second fluid motor means for actuating said stock gripping means; control means arranged and connected to control the operation of said fIrst and second fluid motor means, said control means including a rotary fluid pressure distributor mounted on said frame and including a first valving member having a plurality of arcuate grooves circumferentially formed therein, and a second valving member having a plurality of apertures formed therein for respectively valvingly cooperating with said arcuate grooves in said first member; means mounting said first and second valving members for relative rotational movement, one of said members being adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid pressure whereby said relative movement between said members permits said apertures and grooves to sequentially control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said fluid motor means; and drive means for rotating one of said valving members relative to the other of said members so that said first and second fluid motor means may be actuated in predetermined mutually timed relation whereby said feed slide means may partake of a rapid series of stock feeding strokes.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein at least one of the grooves in said first valving member is adapted to be continuously supplied with pressure fluid.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein said first member has a plurality of sets of grooves circumferentially formed therein and wherein said second member is substantially tubular and has a plurality of sets of apertures formed therein that valvingly cooperate with the respectively associated sets of said grooves.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined by claim 12: additionally comprising speed sensitive means for controlling the fluid pressure flow to at least some of said means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein at least one of said apertures is adapted to be continuously connected to a source of pressure fluid.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined by claim 12: additionally comprising biasing means for normally biasing said feed slide means in one of said directions.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined by claim 12: additionally comprising fluid operated buffer means for respectively cushioning the terminal portions of the successive feed strokes of said feed slide means.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein said first valving member is formed with a first set of grooves and said second valving member is formed with a first set of apertures which valvingly cooperate with said set of grooves; said set of grooves including a fluid pressure supply groove and a fluid pressure exhaust groove, and said set of apertures including a first and a second aperture; said first aperture being connected to one of said fluid motor means and being adapted to cooperate with said fluid pressure supply groove and then with said fluid pressure exhaust groove, said second aperture continuously communicating with the surrounding medium and being adapted to cooperate only with said exhaust groove; and fluid conduit means adapted to continuously supply fluid pressure to said supply groove.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined by claim 12 wherein said first valving member is formed with a firstset of grooves and said second valving member is formed with a first set of apertures which valvingly cooperate with said set of grooves; said set of grooves including a fluid pressure supply groove and a fluid pressure exhaust groove, and said set of apertures including a first and a second aperture; said first aperture being connected to said fluid motor means and being adapted to cooperate with said fluid pressure supply groove and then with said fluid pressure exhaust groove, said second aperture being adapted to be continuously supplied with fluid pressure and to cooperate only with said fluid pressure supply groove; and fluid conduit means adapted to continuously connect said exhaust groove to the surrounding medium.

Claim 23

A stock feeding device: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feeding directions; stock Gripping means carried by each of said feed slides for gripping and releasing the stock to be advanced; actuating means for actuating said feed slide means and stock gripping means so that said feed slides may alternately partake of a rapid series of stock feeding strokes, said actuating means including fluid motor means; control means arranged and connected to control the operation of said fluid motor means; said control means including a fluid pressure distributor mounted on said frame and including a first and a second relatively moving valving members, said first valving member having a plurality of fluid conducting channels formed therein that are elongated in the direction of relative movement between said members, said second valving member having a plurality of apertures formed therein for respectively valvingly cooperating with said elongated channels in said first member; means mounting said first and second valving members for relative movement, one of said members being adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid pressure whereby said relative movement between said valving members permits said apertures and channels to sequentially control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said fluid motor means; and drive means for moving one of said members relative to the other of said members whereby said fluid motor means may be actuated in predetermined timed relation so that said feed slide means may partake of said rapid series of stock feeding strokes.

Claim 24

A stock feeding device: comprising a frame; a pair of feed slides reciprocally mounted on said frame for movement in indexing and stock feeding directions; stock Gripping means carried by each of said feed slides for gripping and releasing the stock to be advanced; actuating means for actuating said feed slide means and stock gripping means so that said feed slides may alternately partake of a rapid series of stock feeding strokes, said actuating means including fluid motor means; control means arranged and connected to control the operation of said fluid motor means; said control means including a fluid pressure distributor mounted on said frame and including a first and a second relatively moving valving members, said first valving member having a plurality of fluid conducting channels formed therein that are elongated in the direction of relative movement between said members, said second valving member having a plurality of apertures formed therein for respectively valvingly cooperating with said elongated channels in said first member; means mounting said first and second valving members for relative movement, one of said members being adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid pressure whereby said relative movement between said valving members permits said apertures and channels to sequentially control the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said fluid motor means; and drive means for moving one of said members relative to the other of said members whereby said fluid motor means may be actuated in predetermined timed relation so that said feed slide means may partake of said rapid series of stock feeding strokes.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined by claim 21 wherein said first valving member is formed with a first set of channels and said second valving member is formed with a first set of apertures which valvingly cooperate with said set of channels; said set of channels including a fluid pressure supply channel and a fluid pressure exhaust channel, and said set of apertures including a first and a second aperture; said first aperture being connected to said fluid motor means and being adapted to cooperate with said fluid pressure supply channel and then with said fluid pressure exhaust channel, said second aperture continuously communicating with the surrounding medium and being adapted to cooperate only with said exhaust channel; and fluid conduit means adapted to continuously supply fluid pressure to said supply channel.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined by claim 21 wherein said first valving member is formed with a first set of channels and said second valving member is formed with a first set of apertures which valvingly cooperate with said set of channels: said set of channels including a fluid pressure supply channel and a fluid pressure exhaust channel, said set of apertures including a first aperture and a second aperture; said first aperture being connected to said fluid motor means and being adapted to cooperate with said fluid pressure supply channel and then with said fluid pressure exhaust channel, said second aperture being adapted to be continuously supplied with fluid pressure and to cooperate only with said fluid pressure supply channel; and fluid conduit means adapted to continuously connect said exhaust channel to the surrounding medium.

Claim 27

A high speed duplex stock feeder for intermittently advancing metal strip 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 indexing and stock feeding directions; adjustable abutment means carried by said frame and engaged by said feed slides for variably limiting the effective extent of movement of said feed slides in said stock feeding direction; a pair of double-acting fluid motors for respectively actuating said feed slides; conduit means adapted to continuously supply fluid pressure to the rod end of each of said double-acting fluid motors so as to respectively bias said feed slides in an indexing direction; stock gripping means carried by each of said feed slides and being adapted to grip and release the stock to be feD; means for biasing each of said gripping means towards a stock release condition; a pair of single-acting fluid motors respectively carried by said feed slides for respectively actuating said stock gripping means to their stock gripping conditions; a plurality of valve means respectively connected to said single-acting fluid motors and to the head ends of said double-acting fluid motors for respectively controlling the operation of said fluid motors; drive means for operating said valve means so that said fluid motors are operated in predetermined sequence so that said feed slides alternately partake of stock feeding strokes; and a pair of alternately acting buffer means for cushioning the respective terminal portions of the feed strokes of said slides.

Claim 28

A high speed duplex stock feeder for intermittently advancing metal strip 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 indexing and stock feeding directions; adjustable abutment means carried by said frame and engaged by said feed slides for variably limiting the effective extent of movement of said feed slides in said stock feeding direction; a pair of double-acting fluid motors for respectively actuating said feed slides; conduit means adapted to continuously supply fluid pressure to the rod end of each of said double-acting fluid motors so as to respectively bias said feed slides in an indexing direction; stock gripping means carried by each of said feed slides and being adapted to grip and release the stock to be feD; means for biasing each of said gripping means towards a stock release condition; a pair of single-acting fluid motors respectively carried by said feed slides for respectively actuating said stock gripping means to their stock gripping conditions; a plurality of valve means respectively connected to said single-acting fluid motors and to the head ends of said double-acting fluid motors for respectively controlling the operation of said fluid motors; drive means for operating said valve means so that said fluid motors are operated in predetermined sequence so that said feed slides alternately partake of stock feeding strokes; and a pair of alternately acting buffer means for cushioning the respective terminal portions of the feed strokes of said slides.

Claim 29

Apparatus as defined by claim 24 wherein said buffer means includes a pair of fluid operated pistons carried by said abutment means, said abutment means being formed with passages for continuously supplying fluid pressure to said fluid operated buffer means.

Claim 30

Apparatus as defined by claim 24: additionally comprising speed sensitive means for controlling the fluid pressure supplied to at least one of said fluid motors and buffer means.

Claim 31

Apparatus as defined by claim 24 wherein said frame and feed slides are mutually formed to provide a dovetail type feed slide mounting arrangement.

Claim 32

Apparatus as defined by claim 24 wherein said drive means includes at least one set of gears that are driven at a predetermined speed.