Claims
- 1. A bolster assembly operable to carry a first set of dies used in a transfer press and to facilitate exchanging the first set of dies with a second set of dies, the bolster assembly comprising:
- a plurality of adjacent support members releasably coupled to one another each operable to carry a respective die, the dies carried by the plurality of adjacent support members collectively comprising the first set of press dies;
- a plurality of wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members;
- a drive mechanism coupled to at least one, but not all of the wheels, the drive mechanism operable to drive the wheel coupled thereto to facilitate exchanging the first set of dies with a second set of dies.
- 2. The bolster assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bolsters comprise:
- a first outer bolster;
- a middle bolster having a first end releasably coupled the first outer bolster; and
- a second outer bolster releasably coupled to a second end of the middle bolster.
- 3. The bolster assembly of claim 2, wherein each bolster comprises a plurality of wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members.
- 4. The bolster assembly of claim 3, wherein each bolster comprises four wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members.
- 5. The bolster assembly of claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled only to the wheels disposed inwardly from the support member of the middle bolster.
- 6. The bolster assembly of claim 1, further comprising a feed rail support member coupled to the support member of at least one of the plurality of bolsters.
- 7. A method of forming a work piece using a transfer press having a bolster assembly operable to carry a first set of dies and to facilitate exchanging the first set of dies with a second set of dies, the bolster assembly comprising:
- a plurality of adjacent support members releasably coupled to one another each operable to carry a respective die, the dies carried by the plurality of adjacent support members collectively comprising the first set of press dies;
- a plurality of wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members;
- a drive mechanism coupled to at least one, but not all of the wheels, the drive mechanism operable to drive the wheel coupled thereto to facilitate exchanging the first set of dies with a second set of dies.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of bolsters comprise:
- a first outer bolster;
- a middle bolster having a first end releasably coupled the first outer bolster; and
- a second outer bolster releasably coupled to a second end of the middle bolster.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein each bolster comprises a plurality of wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein each bolster comprises four wheels disposed inwardly from at least one of the support members.
- 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the drive mechanism is coupled only to the wheels disposed inwardly from the support member of the middle bolster.
- 12. The method of claim 7, further comprising a feed rail support member coupled to the support member of at least one of the plurality of bolsters.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 016,755, filed on Jan. 30, 1998, by Thuy M. To, et al. and entitled "Bridge Press," pending.
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 016,718, filed on Jan. 30, 1998, by Allen J. VanderZee, et al. and entitled "Bridge Frame for a Transfer Press, " pending.
These applications have been commonly assigned to Verson, a Division of Allied Corporation.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
3344670 |
Jun 1984 |
DEX |
46-18715 |
May 1971 |
JPX |
59-191599 |
Oct 1984 |
JPX |
1445917 |
Dec 1988 |
SUX |