Die set clamping mechanism

Claim 2

In a metal working apparatus having one or more bolsters for supporting metal shaping die components, a clamping mechanism for securing die components in operative position upon a bolster, comprising: a. a pair of clamping plates disposed in planar relationship on the bolster with inboard side edges is adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite sides of the bolster; b. means for rigidly securing die components to said pair of clamping plates; c. first clamping means movable mounted on said bolster adjacent to each of the outboard side edges of said clamping plates, said first clamping means and said outboard side edges having coacting clamping surfaces; d. second clamping means movably mounted on said bolster and disposed within said central gap adjacent to each of the inboard side edges of said clamping plates, said second clamping means and said inboard side edges having coacting clamping surfaces; and e. means for actuating said first and second clamping means to move said coacting clamping surfaces into frictional engagement for clamping each of said clamping plates securely between said first and second clamping means and flush upon the surface of said bolster in operative position.

Claim 3

A clamping mechanism according to claim 1 mounted upon a first bolster of metal working apparatus and a second clamping mechanism according to claim 1 mounted upon a second bolster of the same apparatus in spaced relation to said first clamping mechanism; said bolsters being arranged for reciprocal movement toward and away from each other and said second clamping mechanism being adapted to secure die components on said second bolster in operative position to coact with die components secured in operative position on said first bolster during reciprocal movement of said bolsters, the coaction between said first and second die components producing metal shaping operations on metal blanks inserted therebetween.

Claim 4

A clamping mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the clamping surface on each of said inboard plate edges extends along a major portion of the length thereof; wherein said second clamping means includes an elongated bar member with clamping surfaces extending along the longitudinal sides thereof in coacting relationship with said inboard plate clamping surfaces; wherein said bolster has a recess in underlying spaced relationship with said central gap; and wherein said actuating means includes fluid pressure drive means mounted within said recess, means for connecting said drive means to said bar member, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said drive means to move said bar member toward the outer surface of said bolster and bring said bar clamping surfaces into frictional engagement with said inboard plate clamping surfaces.

Claim 5

A clamping mechanism in accordance with claim 3 wherein said fluid pressure drive means comprises a plurality of fluid piston and cylinder assemblies positioned in longitudinally spaced relationship within said bolster recess, and wherein the piston in each of said assemblies is connected separately to said bar member.

Claim 6

A clamping mechanism in accordance with claim 4 wherein each of said drive assemblies includes means within the fluid cylinder for yieldingly urging the associated piston outward from said recess to disengage bar clamping surfaces upon release of actuating fluid pressure.

Claim 7

A clamping mechanism in accordance with claim 3 wherein each inboard and outboard side edge of said clamping plates has an outwardly beveled clamping surface; wherein said first clamping means includes a plurality of clamp bodies each having an inwardly beveled clamping surface arranged to coact with said outboard clamping surface on the adjacent edge of the associated clamping plate; and wherein said elongated bar member has inwardly beveled clamping surfaces arranged along opposite longitudinal sides to coact with said inboard clamping surfaces on the adjacent edges of said pair of clamping plates to wedge each of said clamping plates between said clamping surfaces on the bar member and on the clamp bodies upon actuation of said first and second clamping means.

Claim 8

A clamping mechanism according to claim 6 wherein each clamp body of said first clamping means is pivotally mounted on said bolster; wherein said clamp actuating means is arranged to pivot said clamp body in one direction for clamping engagement between the coacting surfaces on said body and on said outboard plate edges; and wherein said first clampinG means includes means for yieldingly urging said clamp body pivotally in the opposite direction from that produced by said actuating means to disengage said coacting surfaces for release of the outboard edges of said clamping plates.

Claim 9

A clamping mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said clamp actuating means includes a fluid piston and cylinder assembly within said clamp body and conduit means for supplying fluid pressure to said assembly, said piston being adapted to be moved by said fluid pressure into engagement with the outer surface of said bolster to pivot said clamp body in said direction for clamping engagement between said coacting surfaces.

Claim 10

A clamping mechanism according to claim 6 including a plurality of recesses within the outer surface of said bolster disposed in spaced-apart relationship adjacent to the inner surfaces of said clamping plates; roller means retained within said recesses for supporting a proportionate share of the total weight of the clamping plates and all associated die plates and components, said roller means having a freely rotatable bearing portion adapted to project a substantial distance above said bolster surface and spring means for yieldingly urging said bearing portion above said bolster surface with sufficient force to support said proportionate die assembly weight and maintain said clamping plates above the bolster surface for free translational movement when said first and second clamping means are deactivated.

Claim 11

In a metal working apparatus having a lower bolster to support the lower die plate of a die set and an upper bolster to support the upper die plate of a die set, a die set clamping device comprising a pair of lower clamping plates and a pair of upper clamping plates adjacent to the outer surface of said lower and upper bolsters respectively, the clamping plates in each of said pairs being disposed in planar relationship on the adjacent bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the bolster, and said inboard and outboard plate edges having outwardly beveled surfaces; means for rigidly securing said upper clamping plates to the upper die plate and said lower clamping plates to the lower die plate; first clamping means pivotally mounted on each of said bolsters adjacent to the outboard side edges of said clamping plates, said first clamping means including inwardly beveled surfaces arranged for coacting clamping engagement with adjacent portions of the outwardly beveled surfaces on said outboard plate edges; second clamping means movably mounted on said bolsters within said central gap adjacent to said inboard plate edges, said second clamping means including inwardly beveled surfaces arranged for coacting clamping engagement with adjacent portions of the outwardly beveled surfaces on said inboard plate edges; means for actuating said first and second clamping means to pivot said first clamping means toward said plates for clamping engagement between said coacting surfaces on the first clamping means and on the outboard plate edges and to move said second clamping means toward the respective outer surfaces of said bolsters for clamping engagement between said coacting surfaces on the second clamping means and on the inboard plate edges.

Claim 12

In a metal working apparatus having a lower bolster to support the lower die plate of a die set and an upper bolster to support the upper die plate of a die set, a die set clamping device comprising a pair of lower clamping plates and a pair of upper clamping plates adjacent to the outer surface of said lower and upper bolsters respectively, the clamping plates in each of said pairs being disposed in planar relationship on the adjacent bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the bolster, and said inboard and outboard plate edges having outwardly beveled surfaces; means for rigidly securing said upper clamping plates to the upper die plate and said lower clamping plates to the lower die plate; first clamping means pivotally mounted on each of said bolsters adjacent to the outboard side edges of said clamping plates, said first clamping means including inwardly beveled surfaces arranged for coacting clamping engagement with adjacent portions of the outwardly beveled surfaces on said outboard plate edges; second clamping means movably mounted on said bolsters within said central gap adjacent to said inboard plate edges, said second clamping means including inwardly beveled surfaces arranged for coacting clamping engagement with adjacent portions of the outwardly beveled surfaces on said inboard plate edges; means for actuating said first and second clamping means to pivot said first clamping means toward said plates for clamping engagement between said coacting surfaces on the first clamping means and on the outboard plate edges and to move said second clamping means toward the respective outer surfaces of said bolsters for clamping engagement between said coacting surfaces on the second clamping means and on the inboard plate edges.

Claim 13

A die set clamping device according to claim 10 which includes means for yieldingly urging said first clamping means away from said clamping plates and means for yieldingly urging said second clamping means away from said outer surface of the respective bolsters to release said clamping plates for translational movement relative to said metal working apparatus upon deactivation of said actuating means.

Claim 14

In a metal working apparatus having a lower bolster to support the lower die components of a die set and an upper bolster to support the upper die components of a die set, a die set clamping mechanism comprising: a. a pair of lower clamping plateS disposed in planar relationship on the lower bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the lower bolster, each of said lower plate edges having an outwardly beveled clamping surface; b. lower clamping means including a plurality of outboard clamp bodies movably mounted on said lower bolster with at least one clamp body adjacent to each of said outboard plate edges, each clamp body having an inwardly beveled clamping surface arranged to coact with the clamping surface of said adjacent outboard plate edge, and an elongated central bar member movably mounted on said lower bolster and disposed within said central gap between the inboard side edges of the lower clamping plates, said bar member having inwardly beveled clamping surfaces extending along opposite longitudinal sides in adjacent coacting relationship with the clamping surfaces of said inboard plate edges, and actuating means arranged to bring said beveled clamp body surfaces and said beveled bar member surfaces into frictional engagement with said beveled plate surfaces to wedge the lower clamping plates into operative position upon the lower bolster between said outboard clamp bodies and said central bar member; c. a pair of upper clamping plates disposed in planar relationship on the upper bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the upper bolster, each of said upper plate edges having a substantially planar outer clamping surface; d. upper clamping means including a plurality of outboard clamp bodies movably mounted on said upper bolster with at least one clamp body adjacent to each of said outboard plate edges, each clamp body having an inner clamping surface arranged for normal clamping engagement with the clamping surface of said adjacent outboard plate edge, and an elongated central bar member movably mounted on said upper bolster and disposed within said central gap between the inboard side edges of the upper clamping plates, said bar member having inner clamping surfaces extending along opposite longitudinal sides and arranged adjacent to said inboard plate edges for normal clamping engagement with the clamping surfaces thereon, and actuating means arranged to bring said inner clamp body surfaces and said inner bar member surfaces into normal clamping engagement with said outer plate surfaces to secure the upper clamping plates into operative position upon the upper bolster between said upper outboard clamp bodies and said upper central bar member; and, e. means for rigidly securing the lower die components to the lower pair of clamping plates and the upper die components to the upper pair of clamping plates.

Claim 15

In a metal working apparatus having a lower bolster to support the lower die components of a die set and an upper bolster to support the upper die components of a die set, a die set clamping mechanism comprising: a. a pair of lower clamping plateS disposed in planar relationship on the lower bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the lower bolster, each of said lower plate edges having an outwardly beveled clamping surface; b. lower clamping means including a plurality of outboard clamp bodies movably mounted on said lower bolster with at least one clamp body adjacent to each of said outboard plate edges, each clamp body having an inwardly beveled clamping surface arranged to coact with the clamping surface of said adjacent outboard plate edge, and an elongated central bar member movably mounted on said lower bolster and disposed within said central gap between the inboard side edges of the lower clamping plates, said bar member having inwardly beveled clamping surfaces extending along opposite longitudinal sides in adjacent coacting relationship with the clamping surfaces of said inboard plate edges, and actuating means arranged to bring said beveled clamp body surfaces and said beveled bar member surfaces into frictional engagement with said beveled plate surfaces to wedge the lower clamping plates into operative position upon the lower bolster between said outboard clamp bodies and said central bar member; c. a pair of upper clamping plates disposed in planar relationship on the upper bolster with inboard side edges in adjacent, spaced-apart relationship to define a central gap therebetween and outboard side edges directed toward opposite ends of the upper bolster, each of said upper plate edges having a substantially planar outer clamping surface; d. upper clamping means including a plurality of outboard clamp bodies movably mounted on said upper bolster with at least one clamp body adjacent to each of said outboard plate edges, each clamp body having an inner clamping surface arranged for normal clamping engagement with the clamping surface of said adjacent outboard plate edge, and an elongated central bar member movably mounted on said upper bolster and disposed within said central gap between the inboard side edges of the upper clamping plates, said bar member having inner clamping surfaces extending along opposite longitudinal sides and arranged adjacent to said inboard plate edges for normal clamping engagement with the clamping surfaces thereon, and actuating means arranged to bring said inner clamp body surfaces and said inner bar member surfaces into normal clamping engagement with said outer plate surfaces to secure the upper clamping plates into operative position upon the upper bolster between said upper outboard clamp bodies and said upper central bar member; and, e. means for rigidly securing the lower die components to the lower pair of clamping plates and the upper die components to the upper pair of clamping plates.

Claim 16

A die set clamping mechanism according to claim 11 wherein means is provided for actuation of the upper clamping means after said pair of lower clamping plates has been wedged into operative position by prior actuation of the lower clamping means.

Claim 17

A clamping mechanism according to claim 12 wherein two series of at least four roller means each are recessed within the outer surface of the lower bolster, one series being located adjacent to the inner surface of each lower clamping plate and the roller means of each series being so spaced and arranged beneath the associated plate that each roller is in position to support a proportionate share of the total weight of all clamping plates and die components, said roller means having a freely rotatable bearing portion adapted to project a substantial distance above said bolster surface and a spring means biasing said bearing portion above said bolster surface with sufficient force to support said proportionate die assembly weight and maintain said pair of lower plates free of the lower bolster surface when said upper and lower clamping means are deactivated.