Claims
- 1. Apparatus for performing work operations on a workpiece in an equalized force mode so as to prevent distortion of the workpiece during the work operations, said apparatus comprising:
- (A) a base;
- (B) a yoke member mounted for bi-directional movement on said base along a first axis;
- (C) a ram member mounted for bi-directional movement on said yoke along a second axis parallel to said first axis;
- (D) first and second fabricating tools mounted in spaced relation on one of said members;
- (E) a third fabricating tool mounted on the other of said members in a postion between but spaced from said first and second tools and respectively coactable with said first and second tools to perform respective first and second work operations on the workpiece; and
- (F) means operative to move said ram on said yoke and said yoke on said base in complimental converging directions effective to bring said third tool into coaction with said first tool whereby to perform the first work operation on the workpiece, and thereafter operative to move said ram on said yoke and said yoke on said base in complimental converging directions effective to bring said third tool into coaction with said second tool, whereby to perform the second work operation on the workpiece.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said operative means comprises:
- (G) means defining first and second spaced sealed volumes within said apparatus each bounded at opposite sides by respective force surfaces on said yoke and on said ram; and
- (H) means for delivering fluid under pressure to said first volume, whereby to effect complimental converging movement of said yoke and ram in a sense to perform the first work operation, and for thereafter delivering fluid under pressure to said second volume, whereby to effect complimental converging movement of said yoke and ram in a sense to perform the second work operation.
- 3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:
- (I) said apparatus includes means providing more resistance to relative movement between said yoke and said base than between said ram and said yoke so that the initial movement in each case involves movement of said ram on said yoke; and
- (J) said operative means includes coacting stop means on said ram and on said base operative in each case to limit the movement of said ram on said yoke so that the yoke thereafter moves relative to said base.
- 4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein:
- (K) said yoke member includes a pair of spaced end plates with a pair of pistons respectively rigidly secured to said end plates and extending inwardly therefrom toward each other along an axis parallel to said first and second axes to dispose their inner ends in confronting, spaced relation;
- (L) said ram member comprises an elongated monolithic structure with axial bores opening at each end face thereof with a central partition portion between the inner ends of the bores;
- (M) said pistons are slidably and sealing received in said bores; and
- (N) said first and second volumes are respectively defined between said partition and said pistons with said force surfaces defined by said piston inner ends and the respective confronting surfaces of said partition.
- 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein:
- (N) said ram member has a rectangular cross section; and
- (O) said yoke has a cage configuration and includes flat axially extending inner surfaces providing bearing interface with each of the rectangular side surfaces of said ram.
- 6. Apparatus for performing a work operation on a workpiece in an equalized force mode comprising:
- (A) a ram of rectangular cross section and including a blind bore extending axially lengthwise therein and opening at one end face thereof;
- (B) a first fabricating tool positioned on said ram;
- (C) a base;
- (D) a yoke having a hollow rectangular cross-sectional configuration and including flat axially extending inner surfaces providing bearing interface with each of the rectangular side surfaces of said ram to mount said ram for reciprocal movement within the hollow of said yoke;
- (E) guide means on said base engaging and coacting with guide means on said yoke to mount said yoke on said base for reciprocal movement on said base;
- (F) a piston carried by said yoke and slidably received in said bore in said ram to define a sealed volume between the inner end of said piston and the confronting surface of said ram;
- (G) a second fabricating tool positioned on said yoke in confronting relation to said first fabricating tool; and
- (H) means for delivering pressurized fluid to said sealed volume to effect complimental movement of said yoke on said base and said ram in said yoke in a sense to move said first and second fabricating tools into coacting relation.
- 7. An apparatus for performing a work operation on a work piece comprising:
- (A) a base member;
- (B) a yoke;
- (C) bearing means mounting said yoke for reciprocal movement on said base member;
- (D) a ram member mounted for reciprocal movement in said yoke;
- (E) power means for moving said ram member reciprocally within said yoke;
- (F) a first die on said yoke;
- (G) a second coacting die on said ram member;
- (H) balance means providing more resistance to sliding movement of said yoke on said base than to said ram on said yoke so that the initial movement as between said yoke, ram and base involves movement of said ram on said yoke; and
- (I) coating stop means on said ram and on said base operative to limit the movement of said ram on said yoke so that the yoke thereafter moves on said base.
- 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein:
- (J) said yoke defines a ram member of rectangular cross section; and
- (K) said ram is rectangular in cross section.
- 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein:
- (L) said ram chamber and said ram have a square cross section.
- 10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein:
- (L) said bearing means comprise linear roller bearings between said yoke and said base member.
- 11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein:
- (M) said yoke includes four side plates defining said ram chamber with two of said side plates extending beyond a third one of said side plates to define a closed area therebetween; and
- (N) said base and said linear roller bearings are positioned within said enclosed are.
- 12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein:
- (O) said coacting stop means comprises a lateral extension of said ram extending into said enclosure for coaction with spring means on said base.
- 13. Apparatus for performing a work operation on a workpiece in an equalized force mode comprising:
- (A) a ram including a blind bore extending lengthwise therein and opening at one end face thereof;
- (B) a first fabricating tool positioned on the upper face of said ram;
- (C) a base;
- (D) a yoke slidably mounted on said base and including a piston slidably received in said bore to define a sealed volume between the inner end of said piston and the confronting surface of said ram;
- (E) a second fabricating tool positioned on said yoke in confronting relation to said first fabricating tool; and
- (F) means for delivering pressurized fluid to said sealed volume to effect complimental movement of said yoke on said base and said ram on said yoke in a sense to move said first and second fabricating tools into coacting relation;
- (G) said apparatus further including balance means providing more resistance to sliding movement of said yoke on said base than to said ram on said yoke so that the initial movement as between said yoke, ram and base involves movement of said ram on said yoke; and
- (H) said apparatus further including coacting stop means on said ram and on said base operative to limit the movement of said ram on said yoke so that the yoke thereafter moves on said base. .Iadd.
- 14. An apparatus for performing a work operation on a workpiece comprising:
- a yoke defining an axially extending bore and a pair of laterally spaced, axially extending flat elongated bearing surfaces;
- a ram mounted for reciprocal axial movement in said bore;
- power means for moving said ram member axially within said bore;
- a first fabricating tool on said yoke;
- a second fabricating tool on said ram operative to coact with said first fabricating tool to perform the work operation on the workpiece;
- an axially extending base defining a pair of laterally spaced, axially extending flat elongated bearing surfaces, each arranged in confronting relation to a respective one of said flat elongated yoke bearing surfaces and coacting with the respective yoke bearing surface to define a pair of laterally spaced elongated bearing ways between said base and said yoke; and
- elongated bearing means disposed in each elongated bearing way in rolling contact with said flat bearing surfaces to allow low friction axial movement of said yoke on said base..Iaddend. .Iadd.
- 15. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:
- said yoke bearing surfaces are arranged in confronting relation to each other; and
- each of said base bearing surfaces is arranged inboard of the respective yoke bearing surface..Iaddend. .Iadd.
- 16. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein:
- each of said flat bearing means comprises a plurality of roller bearings arranged serially along each way in rolling contact with the bearing surfaces defining the respective way..Iaddend. .Iadd.17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein:
- each surface is a compound surface including a first axially extending flat surface portion and a second axially extending flat surface portion angularly disposed with respect to said first surface portion; and
- each roller bearing is of equal length and diameter and every other roller bearing is placed in an opposite bearing support orientation so that one roller bearing in a given way rollably engages the first surface portion of the yoke bearing surface and the second surface portion of the base bearing surface and the axially adjacent roller bearing in the given way rollably engages the second surface portion of the yoke bearing surface and the first surface portion of the base bearing surface..Iaddend.
- .Iadd. 8. An apparatus for performing a work operation on a workpiece comprising:
- a yoke defining an axially extending bore and a pair of laterally spaced, axially extending, confronting, inboard facing flat elongated bearing surfaces;
- a ram mounted for reciprocal axial movement in said bore;
- power means for moving said ram member axially within said bore;
- a first fabricating tool on said yoke;
- a second fabricating tool on said ram operative to coact with said first fabricating tool to perform the work operation on the workpiece;
- an axially extending base defining a pair of laterally spaced, axially extending, outboard facing flat elongated bearing surfaces each arranged in confronting relation to a respective one of said yoke bearing surfaces and coacting with a respective yoke bearing surface to define a pair of laterally spaced axially extending elongated bearing ways between said base and said yoke; and
- elongated bearing means disposed in each elongated bearing way in rolling contact with said flat bearing surfaces to allow low friction axial
- movement of said yoke on said base..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein:
- said base includes a main body portion having opposite axially extending side edges;
- said base bearing surfaces are defined above said main body portion and respectively inboard of a respective side edge of said main body portion; and
- said yoke is mounted in straddling relation to said base with each of said yoke bearing surfaces positioned respectively outboard of the respective
- base bearing surface..Iaddend. .Iadd.20. An apparatus according to claim 14 or 18 wherein said bore and said ram have a rectangular configuration
- in cross section..Iaddend. .Iadd.21. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein:
- said yoke is mounted in straddling relation to said bearing ways..Iaddend. .Iadd.22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein:
- said yoke further includes a bottom section overlying said base and side sections at either side of said bottom section each including a skirt portion extending downwardly to a position outboard of a respective bearing way..Iaddend.
Parent Case Info
.[.This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 427,048, filed Sep. 29, 1982, U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,803..]..Iadd.This application is a continuation of Reissue Application Ser. No. 495,480, filed Mar. 19, 1990, now abandoned, which is a Reissue of Application Ser. No. 859,016, filed May 2, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,550, which is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 427,048, filed Sep. 29, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,803.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
495480 |
Mar 1990 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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427048 |
Sep 1982 |
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Reissues (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
859016 |
May 1986 |
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