Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
Punch and die apparatus for fastening overlying planar sheets of metal or other deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. a press having longitudinally movable first and second rams supported on a rigid base; b. a longitudinally extending piercE-and-forming punch rigidly mounted on said base, said punch having a free end face; c. a cutting-and-forming die rigidly mounted on said first ram for movement therewith, said die having a longitudinally extending punch-receiving aperture into which said pierce-andforming punch is receivable when said first ram is extended; d. a flattening punch rigidly mounted on said second ram for movement therewith, said flattening punch being longitudinally slidably received in said punch-receiving aperture; e. said flattening punch having an end face cooperable with said end face of said pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; f. means for adjusting the spacing between the end faces of said flattening punch and pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; and g. means for adjusting the phase relation between the times of extensions of said first and second rams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
Punch and die apparatus for fastening overlying planar sheets of metal or other deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. a press having longitudinally movable first and second rams supported on a rigid base; b. a longitudinally extending piercE-and-forming punch rigidly mounted on said base, said punch having a free end face; c. a cutting-and-forming die rigidly mounted on said first ram for movement therewith, said die having a longitudinally extending punch-receiving aperture into which said pierce-andforming punch is receivable when said first ram is extended; d. a flattening punch rigidly mounted on said second ram for movement therewith, said flattening punch being longitudinally slidably received in said punch-receiving aperture; e. said flattening punch having an end face cooperable with said end face of said pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; f. means for adjusting the spacing between the end faces of said flattening punch and pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; and g. means for adjusting the phase relation between the times of extensions of said first and second rams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said means for adjusting said phase relation comprises means for adjusting the timing of said second ram.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that: a. said first and second rams are driven by a common shaft through first and second eccentrics; b. said means for adjusting said phase relation comprises means for adjusting the angular position of the second eccentric on said common shaft.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 characterized in that said means for adjusting the spacing between the end face of said punches comprises means for adjusting the position of said end face of said flattening punch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said means for adjusting the spaacing between the end face of said punches comprises means for adjusting the position of said end face of said flattening punch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
145 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that: a. said cutting-and-forming die includes a die holder and a hollow die carried by said die holder; b. said die holder has a first set of fine external threads and a second set of heavy external threads; c. first threaded means engage with said set of fine threads for supporting said die holder in said first ram against gravitational forces; d. second threaded means engage with said set of heavy threads for taking the upward thrust imposed on said die during the fastening operation and directing said thrust to said first ram along a path which bypasses and protects said fine threads from said thrust forces; e. said second threaded means are adapted to permit rotational movement of said holder in said first threaded means to allow for fine adjustment of the free end of said die.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that said first ram includes a lower neck portion which receives said die holder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that said second threaded means includes an internally-threaded clamping ring which when rotated into a locking position abuts against the neck portion of said first ram.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 characterized in that: a. said flattening punch has an elongated shank in the aligned center bores of said die holder and die; b. drive means are provided which include first and second eccentric cranks for said first and second rams; c. said second eccentric crank for said second ram is out of phase in the delayed direction with said first crank which drives said first ram; d. the phase relationship between said first crank and said second crank is such that when said flattening punch reaches the downward limit of its stroke said die has been raised above its downward limit to an extent sufficient to uncover only the lower most of the overlying displaced sections of metal sheets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
192 words
Punch and die apparatus for fastening overlying planar sheets of metal or other deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. a press having reciprocatingly movable first and second rams; b. a pierce-And-forming punch and a cutting-and-forming die opposingly positioned, one of which is mounted on said first ram for movement therewith; c. said die having a longitudinally extending aperture into which the free end face of said pierce-and-forming punch is received when said first ram is extended; d. a flattening punch mounted on said second ram for movement therewith, said flattening punch being slidably received in said punch-receiving aperture of said die; e. said flattening punch having an end face which becomes cooperable with the end face of said piercing-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended to an extent sufficient to bring the end free of said flattening punch beyond the end of said die aperture and outside said die; f. means for adjusting the spacing between the end faces of said flattening punch and pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; and g. means for adjusting the phase relation between the times of extensions of said first and second rams.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
192 words
Punch and die apparatus for fastening overlying planar sheets of metal or other deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. a press having reciprocatingly movable first and second rams; b. a pierce-And-forming punch and a cutting-and-forming die opposingly positioned, one of which is mounted on said first ram for movement therewith; c. said die having a longitudinally extending aperture into which the free end face of said pierce-and-forming punch is received when said first ram is extended; d. a flattening punch mounted on said second ram for movement therewith, said flattening punch being slidably received in said punch-receiving aperture of said die; e. said flattening punch having an end face which becomes cooperable with the end face of said piercing-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended to an extent sufficient to bring the end free of said flattening punch beyond the end of said die aperture and outside said die; f. means for adjusting the spacing between the end faces of said flattening punch and pierce-and-forming punch when said second ram is extended; and g. means for adjusting the phase relation between the times of extensions of said first and second rams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said die is mounted on said first ram for movement therewith.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for locking together overlying sheets of deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for piercing first and second overlying sheets discontinuously along a boundary line defining an area for displacing the material of said first and second sheets within said area out of the planes of the non-displaced first and second sheet material until the exterior surface of the displaced first sheet material is just beyond the plane of the exterior surface of the non-displaced second sheet material; and b. means for compressing together the displaced material of said first and second sheets while confining the displaced material of the second sheet to limit its outward spread and to spread outwardly the displaced first sheet material over the outer surface of the non-displaced second sheet material beyond the edges of the piercings therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for locking together overlying sheets of deformable material, said apparatus comprising: a. means for piercing first and second overlying sheets discontinuously along a boundary line defining an area for displacing the material of said first and second sheets within said area out of the planes of the non-displaced first and second sheet material until the exterior surface of the displaced first sheet material is just beyond the plane of the exterior surface of the non-displaced second sheet material; and b. means for compressing together the displaced material of said first and second sheets while confining the displaced material of the second sheet to limit its outward spread and to spread outwardly the displaced first sheet material over the outer surface of the non-displaced second sheet material beyond the edges of the piercings therein.