Drive unit for presses

Claim 1

A press drive mechanism comprising a housing, an input shaft supported In said housing for rotation about a first axis, an output shaft supported in said housing for rotation about a second axis offset from and parallel to said first axis, clutch means for operatively connecting said input and output shafts, said clutch means including a clutch abutment plate on said output shaft and interposed first and second clutch disc means, said first clutch disc means being carried by said output shaft for rotation therewith, means separate from said input shaft supporting said second clutch disc means for rotation relative to said housing, means interconnecting said second clutch disc support means with said input shaft for said second clutch disc means to be rotated in response to rotation of said input shaft and at a rotational speed less than said input shaft, brake means for said output shaft, said brake means including a brake abutment plate on said output shaft and interposed first and second brake disc means, said first brake disc means being carried by said output shaft for rotation therewith and said second brake disc means being supported by said housing against rotation, said clutch disc means and said brake disc means being axially spaced apart relative to said output shaft to provide an axial space between the axially inner ones of said clutch and brake disc means, annular clutch presser plate and brake presser plate members in said axial space, an annular fluid actuated piston concentric with said output shaft and extending about said clutch and brake disc means, means including annular cylinder means in said housing supporting said piston for axial displacement relative to said output shaft and against rotation relative to said housing, means interconnecting said brake presser plate member with said piston for axial displacement therewith, said clutch presser plate member being mounted on said output shaft for rotation therewith and for axial displacement relative thereto, said brake and clutch presser plate members having radially spaced overlapping portions in said axial space, bearing means between and radially interengaging said overlapping portions, said piston moving said brake and clutch presser plate members in the axial direction to displace said clutch presser plate member toward said clutch abutment plate to actuate said clutch means in response to the introduction of fluid under pressure into said cylinder means, and means biasing said piston and said clutch and brake presser plate members to move in the direction to displace said brake presser plate member toward said brake abutment plate to actuate said brake means upon release of fluid pressure from said cylinder means.