Cutting press with stroke terminating means

Claim 1

A cutting press comprising an upper platen, a lower platen, means for moving the upper platen so that the upper platen approaches the lower platen whereby to effect a cutting stroke of the press, stroke terminating means comprising an actuator member mounted for movement in a vertical path and interconnected with the upper platen for movement therewith, and a switch mounted in the path of the actuator member to be operated thereby, operation of the switch being effective to terminate a cutting stroke of the press, and stroke setting means for bringing the switch of the stroke terminating means to a stroke-terminating position appropriate to a cutting die to be used for subsequent cutting operations, the stroke setting means comprising a carriage mounted for vertical movement on a slideway adjacent to the path of the actuator member, the switch of the stroke terminating means being mounted on the carriage, brake means movable between an operative condition in which it holds the carriage against movement on its slideway and an inoperative condition in which it allows the carriage to move on its slideway, moving means arranged to urge the carriage upwards on its slideway, an abutment member mounted on the carriage for movement between an operative position thereof in which it projects into the path of the actuator member and an inoperative position thereof, and operating means activatable to move the brake means into its inoperative condition and the abutment member into its operative position, the construction and arrangement being such that, in carrying out a stroke setting operation of the press, with a cutting die to be used for subsequent cutting operations interposed between the platens, the switch of the stroke terminating means can be rendered ineffective and the operating means operated, thereby moving the brake means to its inoperative condition so that the moving means moves the carriage upwards until the abutment member engages the actuator member, and upon the upper platen being moved into engagement with the cutting die, the actuator member, engaging the abutment member, causes the carriage to be moved downwards on its slideway to a stroke-terminating position whereupon de-activation of the operating means causes the brake means to move into its operative position so that, upon upwards movement of the upper platen, the actuator member is set apart from the switch by a distance corresponding to a cutting stroke of the press.