Safety guard for presses

Claim 2

A safety guard for presses comprising a tambour-like panel including a plurality of elongated, rigid members; flexible means for securing said rigid members adjacent and parallel to one another; and means for movably securing said guard to a press.

Claim 3

The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said rigid members each have a longitudinal axis, said axes of all said rigid members being parallel to one another, said resilient, flexible means extending generally transverse to said longitudinal axes of said rigid members.

Claim 4

The safety guard of claim 2 wherein said flexible means includes a flexible wire and securing means on either end of said wire for holding said members together along said wire.

Claim 5

The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said rigid members are spaced slightly apart by resilient members secured thereto.

Claim 6

The safety guard of claim 1 wherein said means for movably securing said guard include means on said rigid members for engaging means for guiding the movement of said guard.

Claim 7

The safety guard of claim 5 wherein said rigid members each include an elongated cylinder; said resilient meAns including a resilient flexible wire and securing means on either end of said wire for holding said members together along said wire; said means for movably securing said guard including lubricious, plastic cylinders extending from either end of said elongated cylinders, said lubricious plastic cylinders adapted to slidingly engage tracks adjacent both ends of said plurality of elongated cylinders for guiding said guard for movement in a predetermined path.

Claim 8

The safety guard of claim 6 wherein every other of said elongated cylinders includes a resilient ring extending therearound and spacing said elongated cylinders slightly apart.

Claim 9

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guard; means for guiding the movement of said guard between an extended position wherein said guard covers at least a portion of the working area of said press and a retracted position in which said guard is withdrawn from said covering position; and means for moving said guard between said extended and retracted positions; said guard including a tambour-like panel which is flexible in one dimension but which is rigid in the remaining dimensions whereby the guard may be extended in a predetermined path and will obstruct the passage of articles therethrough at points along said path.

Claim 10

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guard; means for guiding the movement of said guard between an extended position wherein said guard covers at least a portion of the working area of said press and a retracted position in which said guard is withdrawn from said covering position; and means for moving said guard between said extended and retracted positions; said guard including a tambour-like panel which is flexible in one dimension but which is rigid in the remaining dimensions whereby the guard may be extended in a predetermined path and will obstruct the passage of articles therethrough at points along said path.

Claim 11

The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said means for guiding the movement of said guard include track means located adjacent opposing edges of said movable guard.

Claim 12

The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said means for moving said guard include a pulley and cable means secured between one portion of said movable guard and a traveling bolster included on the press, the bolster being movable between loading and working positions remote from and in alignment with the ram on the press whereby movement of the traveling bolster causes said movable guard to be extended and retracted along said predetermined path.

Claim 13

The safety guard assembly of claim 8 wherein said tambour-like panel includes a plurality of parallel, elongated rigid members each having a longitudinal axis; and flexible means for securing said rigid members together; said one dimension in which said panel is flexible being generally transverse to said longitudinal axes of said rigid members.

Claim 14

The safety guard assembly of claim 11 wherein said elongated rigid members each comprise a cylinder; said flexible means extending diametrically through each of said cylinders.

Claim 15

The safety guard assembly of claim 12 wherein said cylinders comprise hollow tubes; every other one of said tubes including at least one resilient ring therearound and spacing said tubes slightly apart; said tubes further including lubricious, plastic, cylindrical inserts in the ends thereof for engaging tracks adjacent opposing edges of said movable guard; said flexible means comprising at least one wire having securing means on either end thereof for holding said tubes together.

Claim 16

A safety guard assembly for a power press having a traveling bolster, which bolster is adapted to move between a loading position remote from the ram of the press and a working position beneath the press ram, said assembly comprising a safety guard mounted for movement generally in the area between the loading position of the bolster and the position of an operator who operates said press and bolster while standing; pulley and cable means for moving said guard in response to the movement of the bolster between its loading and working positions from a first position wherein said guard is withdrawn from between said loading and operator positions and a second position wherein said guard extends between said loading and operator positions.

Claim 17

A safety guard assembly for a power press having a traveling bolster, which bolster is adapted to move between a loading position remote from the ram of the press and a working position beneath the press ram, said assembly comprising a safety guard mounted for movement generally in the area between the loading position of the bolster and the position of an operator who operates said press and bolster while standing; pulley and cable means for moving said guard in response to the movement of the bolster between its loading and working positions from a first position wherein said guard is withdrawn from between said loading and operator positions and a second position wherein said guard extends between said loading and operator positions.

Claim 18

The safety guard assembly of claim 14 including track means for guiding the movement of said guard between said first and second positions.

Claim 19

The safety guard assembly of claim 15 wherein said guard includes a flexible portion which can flex in one dimension; said track means extending in parallel, curved paths adjaceNt opposing edges of said guard whereby said guard is oriented generally vertically in said first position and is oriented generally at an angle with the vertical in said second position.

Claim 20

The safety guard assembly of claim 15 wherein said track means extend generally from a level generally below the level of the traveling bolster to a level generally above the bolster level.

Claim 21

The safety guard assembly of claim 14 wherein said pulley and cable means include at least one pulley located adjacent the loading position of the bolster and a flexible cable extending over said pulley; one end of said cable being connected to a portion of the bolster and the other end connected to securing means at the bottom of said guard.

Claim 22

The safety guard assembly of claim 18 wherein said pulley is located below the level of said bolster.

Claim 23

The safety guard of claim 19 including two pulleys each positioned below the level of said bolster; one of said pulleys located adjacent either lateral edge of said guard; a flexible cable extending over each of said pulleys; said cables being connected between portions of said bolster adjacent either lateral edge thereof and portions of said guard adjacent either lateral edge near the bottom thereof.

Claim 24

The safety guard assembly of claim 18 wherein said guard includes biased abutment means for engaging a stationary abutment in said first position of said guard.

Claim 25

The safety guard assembly of claim 14 including a guard separate from said movable guard; means for movably mounting said separate guard for movement in a position adjacent an edge of said movable guard in said second position thereof; contact means for engaging said separate guard which prevent operation of the press ram when said separate guard is moved out of contact with said contact means.

Claim 26

The safety guard assembly of claim 22 wherein said mounting means for said separate guard include means for pivotally mounting said separate guard generally horizontally adjacent an upper edge of said movable guard such that one edge of said separate guard is immediately adjacent said upper edge of said movable guard in said second position of said movable guard; said contact means including a switch means for cutting off power to the means which actuate the press ram when said separate guard is pivoted out of contact therewith.

Claim 27

The safety guard assembly of claim 23 wherein said separate guard includes a rigid framework and a screen mounted on said framework.

Claim 28

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a first movable guard means and a second movable guard means; means for mounting said first guard means for movement between an extended position generally between the location of an operator in position to operate the press and the ram of the press and a retracted position withdrawn from between the operator location and press ram; means for mounting said second guard means for movement adjacent said first guard means in said extended position; means for moving said first guard in response to operation of the press; and contact means engaging said second guard means for preventing operation of the press when an object is interposed between said first guard means and said second guard means when said first guard means is extended whereby said second guard means is moved out of engagement with said contact means.

Claim 29

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a first movable guard means and a second movable guard means; means for mounting said first guard means for movement between an extended position generally between the location of an operator in position to operate the press and the ram of the press and a retracted position withdrawn from between the operator location and press ram; means for mounting said second guard means for movement adjacent said first guard means in said extended position; means for moving said first guard in response to operation of the press; and contact means engaging said second guard means for preventing operation of the press when an object is interposed between said first guard means and said second guard means when said first guard means is extended whereby said second guard means is moved out of engagement with said contact means.

Claim 30

The safety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said first guard includes flexible panel means for enabling said guard to be moved in a curved path.

Claim 31

The safety guard assembly of claim 25 wherein said second guard includes a rigid framework mounted for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal pivot axis; said contact means including a switch means for cutting off power to the means which actuate the press ram when said framework of said second guard means is pivoted out of engagement therewith.

Claim 32

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guard having a flexible panel; curvilinear guideways for guiding movement of Said movable guard between a first position wherein said guard extends generally between the ram area of a press and the location of an operator in position to operate the press and a second position wherein said guard is withdrawn from said first position, said guideways curving away from the position of the operator and including means for restraining said movable guard from movement in directions generally transverse to the planes which are tangential to the guideways at the various points along the length of said guideways; means for moving said guard along said guideways; and means responsive to activation of the press for moving said guard along said guideways between said first and second positions.

Claim 33

A safety guard assembly for presses comprising a movable guard having a flexible panel; curvilinear guideways for guiding movement of Said movable guard between a first position wherein said guard extends generally between the ram area of a press and the location of an operator in position to operate the press and a second position wherein said guard is withdrawn from said first position, said guideways curving away from the position of the operator and including means for restraining said movable guard from movement in directions generally transverse to the planes which are tangential to the guideways at the various points along the length of said guideways; means for moving said guard along said guideways; and means responsive to activation of the press for moving said guard along said guideways between said first and second positions.

Claim 34

The safety guard assembly of claim 28 wherein said flexible panel is a tambour-like panel including a plurality of elongated rigid members flexibly secured in parallel relation to one another.

Claim 35

The safety guard of claim 28 wherein said guideways include a pair of parallel, curved channels having flanges extending along the length thereof and defining an opening in each facing toward the opposite channel; said movable guard extending into said openings and between said channels; said restraining means including said flanges on said channels.

Claim 36

The safety guard assembly of claim 28 wherein said means responsive to activation of the press for moving said guard include pulley and cable means connecting said guard with a portion of the press which is moved during the working cycle of the press; said means for moving said guard including securing means for attaching a cable from said pulley and cable means to said guard.