Apparatus for controlling heat deformation of a turret punch

Claim 1

Apparatus for controlling heat deformation of a turret punch comprising: a C-shaped frame having a base and a beam cantilevered on said base and positioned above said base to define a throat section between said beam and said base, and having a rotational axis; an upper shaft mounted on said beam and having a rotational axis; a lower shaft mounted on said base and having a rotational axis coaxial with the rotational axis of the upper shaft; a pair of opposed upper and lower turrets rotatably mounted on said upper shaft and lower shaft, respectively, said turrets having mounted thereon coacting tools adapted to be rotated into alignment; a ram mounted on said beam for vertical movement along an axis which is parallel with and spaced a predetermined distance from the rotational axes of the upper and lower shafts; ram drive means mounted on said beam for vertically moving said ram into contact with said coacting tools for punching operation; means for rotating said upper and lower shafts to rotate said upper and lower turrets so as to align said coacting tools with said ram for punching operation; said ram drive means constituting a heat source disposed asymmetrically on said beam which causes thermal deformation of said beam and misalignment of said upper and lower shafts at right angles to the rotational axes of the upper and lower shafts, whereby said tools on the upper and lower turrets become misaligned from said ram; temperature detection means provided at symmetrical portions on said beam is proximity to said ram drive means for detecting the temperature of said beam at said symmetrical portions thereof; circuit controlling means connected to said temperature detection means for determining the temperature of each of said symmetrical portions of the beam and for comparing the determined temperatures to one another to further determine which of the temperatures is the greater; and temperature controlling means provided at the symmetrical portions of the beam for changing the temperature of one of the symmetrical portions of the beam to bring said portions to substantially the same temperature whereby the heat deformation of said turret punch frame is controlled.