Die fixture

Claim 2

A die fixture for positioning a workpiece blank, comprising: a base, having an upper and a lower face; support means connected to the upper face of the base, having an engaging surface formed thereon and a plurality of index openings formed in an upper face thereof, each of the index openings identifiable via locating indicia; locators, each locator having a blank engaging surface and a stop surface and secured in a predetermined assembled position on the upper surface of the support means, the stop surfaces of each of the locators engaging the engaging surface of the support means positioning each of the locators in one direction; and means removably securing each of the locators to the upper surface of the support means via predetermined index openings locating each of the locators in one other direction securedly positioning the blank engaging surfaces of the locators in a predetermined assembled position, each blank engaging surface engaging a portion of the workpiece blank for positioning the workpiece blank in a predetermined position.

Claim 3

The die fixture of claim 1 wherein each locator is defined further to include: a locator base, having a pair of elongated openings formed therethrough, each elongated opening receiving one of the means removably securing the locators to the support means; a stop element,, having a stop surface formed on a portion thereof; and means removably securing the stop element to the locator base via the elongated openings in a predetermined position for engaging the engaging surface of the support means positioning the locator base in one predetermined direction.

Claim 4

The die fixture of claim 2 wherein each locator is defined further to include: a finger element connected to the locator base and extending a distance therefrom, the end of the finger element, opposite the end thereof connected to the base, forming the blank engaging surface of the locator.

Claim 5

The die fixture of claim 1 wherein the index openings in the support means are disposed to form an index pattern, some of the index openings being in one row and some of the index openings being in one other row, the index openings in the last-mentioned row being offset with respect to the index openings in the first-mentioned row, the index pattern being formed to position the locators in predetermined angular positions.

Claim 6

The die fixture of claim 1 wherein the support means is defined further to include: a horizontal support connected to the upper face of the base, having an engaging surface formed thereon and a plurality of horizontal support index openings formed in an upper face thereof to provide a predetermined horizontal support index pattern, each horizontal support index opening being identifiable via locating indicia, the upper face of the horizontal support disposed in a plane generally above the upper face of the base.

Claim 7

The die fixture of claim 5 wherein the support means is defined further to include: a vertical support connected to the upper face of the base, having an engaging surface formed thereon and a plurality of vertical support index openings formed in an upper face thereof to provide a predetermined vertical support index pattern, each vertical support index opening being identifiable via locating indicia, the upper face of the vertical support disposed in a plane generally above the upper face of the base and the vertical support being angularly oriented on the base with respect to the horizontal support, some of the locators positioned on the horizontal support and some of the locators positioned on the vertical support in an assembled position.

Claim 8

The die fixture apparatus of claim 6 wherein the base includes: a plurality of base index openings formed in the upper face and spaced to provide a predetermined base index pattern, each base index opening being identifiable via locating indicia; and wherein the die fixture is defined further to include: a lower die element disposed on the upper face of the base; and means removably securing the lower die element to the upper face of the base via predetermined base index openings positively positioning the lower die element in a predetermined position on the base.

Claim 9

The die fixture of claim 7 defined further to include: means removably securing the horizontal support to the upper surface of the base via predetermined base index openings positively locating the horizontal support in a predetermined position on the base; and means removably securing the vertical support to the upper surface of the base via predetermined base index openings positively locating the vertical support in a predetermined position on the base.

Claim 10

The die fixture of claim 1 wherein the workpiece blank is formed in a punch press having an upper punch element movable into engagement with the workpiece blank supported on the lower die element in an actuated stamping position of the punch press, the die fixture defined further to include: base support means secured to a portion of the punch press, having a portion movably supporting the base and defining a guide path for moving the base in a loading direction to a loading station and in a stamping direction to a stamping station, the lower die element being aligned with the upper punch element in the stamping station position of the base imparting a predetermined shape to a portion of the workpiece blank in an actuated stamping position of the punch press and the lower die element being positioned for receiving a workpiece blank in the loading station position thereof; and control apparatus, having a portion connected to the punch press and a portion connected to the base, automatically moving the base to the loading position, in one actuated position thereof, and moving the base to the stamping station position actuating the punch press in a stamping position, in one other actuated position thereof.

Claim 11

The die fixture of claim 9 defined further to include: a pair of flange connectors connected to opposite sides of the base and having a guide flange means extending therefrom, a guide opening being formed through the guide flange means; and a fixture support plate secured to a portion of the punch press; and wherein the base support means includes: a pair of guide rods secured to the fixture support plate, each guide rod slidingly extending through the guide opening of one of the flange connectors, the base being slidingly supported on the guide rods via the flange connectors to be moved to the loading station position and to the stamping station position.

Claim 12

The die fixture of claim 9 wherein the guide rods slidingly support the base a distance generally above the fixture support plate.

Claim 13

The die fixture of claim 9 defined further to include: a fixture support plate secured to a portion of the punch press;; and wherein the base is slidingly supported on the fixture support plate to be moved to the loading station position and the stamping station position, and wherein the base support means includes: a pair of channels disposed generally adjacent opposite sides of the base, each channel secured to the fixture support plate and having a portion overlapping an adjacent portion of the upper face of the base.

Claim 14

The die fixture of claim 1 defined further to include: a fixture support plate secured to a portion of the punch press, having an air cushion opening formed in a portion thereof for accommodating an air cushion pad, an upper punch eleMent movable into engagement with the workpiece blank in an actuated stamping position of the punch press; and wherein the base includes: a plurality of spaced air cushion pin openings formed therethrough and positioned to be aligned with the air cushion opening in a stamping station position of the base; and wherein the die fixture is defined further to include: a lower die element secured to the upper face of the base having at least one air cushion pin opening formed through a portion thereof aligned with one of the air cushion pin openings in the base, the air cushion pin openings through the lower die element having a larger diameter portion forming an annular ledge therein; a cushion pin disposed in each air cushion pin opening of the lower die element and having a portion partially disposed in the aligned air cushion pin opening of the base; a spring disposed about each cushion pin having a portion engaging one of the cushion pins and a portion engaging one of the annular ledges, each spring biasing one of the cushion pins in a direction generally away from the fixture support plate, each cushion pin positioned to be biased in a direction generally toward the fixture support plate via a portion of the workpiece blank engaged by the upper punch element generally against the biasing force of the springs to a position disposing a portion of each cushion pin generally within air cushion opening in the fixture support plate, each of the cushion pins being biased by the springs in a direction generally away from the fixture support plate to augment removal of the workpiece blank from the lower die element after the stamping operation.