BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the structure of a bearing for the retainer plates of a hydraulic press with no press frame or hydraulic drives,
FIG. 2 schematically shows a section through the structure of FIG. 1 with the press frame and the upper and lower hydraulic drives contoured,
FIG. 3 schematically shows a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through FIG. 1 with force-transmitting elements for the individual retainer plates contoured additionally,
FIG. 5 shows a feasible embodiment of FIG. 1 for the expulsion procedure,
FIG. 6 shows the operational mode of the assembly of FIG. 4 for the withdrawal procedure,
FIG. 7 schematically shows a representation similar to FIG. 2 including a position measuring system,
FIG. 8 shows a view of the schematic assembly of FIG. 7 in the direction of arrow 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated
FIG. 1 allows to see a bearing plate 10 which has supported thereon a guide column 12 of an essentially rectangular or square cross-section. The guide column 12 preferably is of a single-piece shape and may also be configured integrally with the bearing plate 10.
One side of the guide column 12 has mounted thereon two parallel guide rails 14, 16, preferably by means of a bolted joint, which are of a dovetailed cross-sections. The vertical parallel guide rails 14, 16 support guide carriages 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30, 32 which are attached to horizontal, axially spaced retainer plates 34 to 40. The retainer plates substantially are of the same construction and are of a T shape in their sections. The upper retainer plate 34 serves for mounting an upper ram (not shown), the retainer plate 36 is a die retainer plate and serves for mounting a die, and the lower retainer plates 38, 40 serve for mounting lower rams. The retainer plates 34 to 40 may be coupled to an upper and lower hydraulic drive, which is not shown in FIG. 1, for a vertical shift along the guide rails 14, 16. Reference thereto will be made farther below. The lower retainer plates 38, 40 have through openings 42, 44 to pass through force-transmitting elements of a lower hydraulic drive to the respective overlying retainer plate, i.e. the die retainer plate 36 or retainer plate 38, in the present case.
A horizontal alignment plate 46 which has two bores 48 near the free end, is fastened to the upper end of the guide column 12.
The side of the guide column 12 which is right-hand in FIG. 1 has mounted thereon a graduated strip 47 on which measuring carriages 48, 50, 52, 54 slide. The measuring carriages 48 to 54 are coupled each to a retainer plate 34 to 40 or are in an active communication therewith. The measuring carriages 48 to 54 and the graduated strip 47 assist in determining the position of the retainer plates 34 to 40 and, hence, the position of the compression tools which are not shown.
The assembly of the unit shown in FIG. 1 is shown in a press frame in FIG. 2.
As emerges from FIGS. 2 and 3 the press frame has four frame columns 56 arranged in a square, which are connected to each other by an upper coupling plate 58 in the upper area and a coupling plate 60 in the lower area. The coupling plates 58, 60, which extend horizontally, have circular through openings 62 and 64, respectively.
The lower bearing plate 10 has a circular aperture 66 which has positively inserted therein a lower hydraulic drive 68. The bearing plate 10 is bolted inside the through opening of the coupling plate 60. The guide column 12 is supported on a radial lug 70 of the bearing plate 10 and is bolted thereto. Only one retainer plate each is outlined in FIGS. 2 and 3, e.g. the retainer plate 38 for a lower ram. An upper retainer plate 72 positively accommodates an upper hydraulic drive 74. The bearing plate 72 may be bolted inside a recess of the upper coupling plate 58. The bearing plate 72 has two bores, one of which is shown at 76. They can be aligned towards the bores 48 of the alignment plate 46. The pair of bores allows to put through alignment pins one of which is shown at 78 of FIG. 2. This makes it possible to position the bearing plate 72 horizontally with respect to the alignment plate 46 and, thus, also cause the axis of the upper hydraulic drive 74 to become flush with the axis of the lower hydraulic drive 68, which helps achieve a common vertical axis 72a. A relative movement may be admitted in a vertical direction between the guide column 12 and the frame, represented by the columns 56 and coupling plates 60, 58 here.
The assembly of force-transmitting elements for the retainer plates 36 to 40 is outlined in FIG. 4. For the retainer plate 36, force-transmitting elements 80, 82 extend from the hydraulic cylinder, not shown, on the bearing plate 10, which then pass through the retainer plates 38, 40 through the through openings 42, 44 shown in FIG. 1. Force-transmitting elements 84, 86 extend through the lower retainer plate 40 through the through openings 44 for operating the retainer plate 38 for a lower ram. The lower retainer plate 40 finally is actuated via force-transmitting elements 88, 90. As is apparent, therefore, the retainer plates 36 to 40 may be actuated arbitrarily relative to each other or be maintained in position. An actuation of the upper retainer plate 34 for the upper ram is not illustrated.
It is understood that the die retainer plate 36 may also be kept in position by mechanical means, as are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, if an expulsion procedure is intended. Force-transmitting elements 80, 82 may be omitted in this case.
The unit of FIG. 1 is illustrated also in a substantially perspective view in FIGS. 5 and 6. Therefore, components have the same reference numbers in FIGS. 5 and 6 as far as they are identical to those of FIG. 1.
In FIGS. 5 and 6, the bearing plate 10 is omitted and the upper end of the upper hydraulic drive is outlined at 92 instead. Moreover, the force-transmitting elements for the retainer plates 36 to 40 are outlined in agreement with FIG. 4. For the test, the pair of force-transmitting elements 88, 90 for the lower retainer plate 40 is omitted in FIG. 6.
Further, FIGS. 5 and 6 show supporting columns 94, 96 which, at the lower end, are rotatably supported about a vertical axis in the press frame or on the bearing plate 10 in a manner which is not illustrated in detail. At the upper end, they present supporting portions 98, 100 which are configured such that the die retainer plate 36 is supported in one rotational position of FIG. 5 and, thus, bears against a fixed stop downwardly whereas the die retainer plate 36 is freely movable in the embodiment of FIG. 6. Thus, FIG. 5 shows an assembly for the expulsion procedure with the die retainer plate 36 fixed whereas the withdrawal procedure may be realized in FIG. 6. In this case, one or the two of the retainer plates 38, 40 may be stationary, which is practiced either by means of the lower hydraulic drive or also by a mechanical support.
The assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 is outlined schematically in FIGS. 7 and 8. Again, components which are identical in FIGS. 7 and 8 are given identical reference numbers in FIG. 1. Furthermore, it is possible to recognize a die 102 on the die retainer plate 36, an upper ram 104 on the upper retainer plate 34, and a lower ram 106 on the lower retainer plate 38. The upper and lower rams 104, 104 cooperate with the die 102.
The compression tools are illustrated in a referencing position in FIGS. 7 and 8 where the upper edge of the die 103 is relevant for referencing. Referencing locates the point of origin of the system. Further tool components are referred to this point of origin. The thermal reference plane is the mounting plane of the die 102, i.e. the upper side of the die retainer plate 36 with which the measuring carriage 50 cooperates. In this plane, the graduated strip 47 is fixed to the column 12 at 108, i.e. in this plane only.
A measurement of tool positions is not possible directly, but via the retainer plates 34 to 38 as was mentioned before. Hence, this also requires to incorporate the temperature which is measured during referencing. A measurement of temperature takes place at the points designated “T”, i.e. at the retainer plates 34 to 38, upper ram 104 and lower ram 106, and in the die 102 as well. Therefore, when measuring positions across the tool lengths 1 in operation, it is also necessary to incorporate the value determined for the temperatures which are measured. Furthermore, variations in length will occur if compression forces act and are measured by means of load cells, sensors and the like. Such values also have to be taken into account for a correction of the respective tool positions.
To allow the implementation of the operations described, a computer is needed to which the signal values measured by the graduated strip 47 as well as the temperature and force values may be inputted in order to calculate the respective actual lengths 1 for a determination of the position.
The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.
Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim 1 should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.
This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.
Patent Application
20070251369
