(19)
(11) EP 1 258 301 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
22.10.2003 Bulletin 2003/43

(43) Date of publication A2:
20.11.2002 Bulletin 2002/47

(21) Application number: 02253408.5

(22) Date of filing: 15.05.2002
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B21D 39/02
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 18.05.2001 US 861067
24.10.2001 US 999881

(71) Applicant: VALIANT CORPORATION
Windsor, Ontario N8N 5A8 (CA)

(72) Inventors:
  • Denis, Keith Saint
    Tecumseh, Ontario N8N 2M1 (CA)
  • Cote, Ray
    Windsor, Ontario N8N 2M1 (CA)
  • Raffin, Louis
    Windsor, Ontario N8W 5P8 (CA)
  • Harrison, Lee
    Windsor, Ontario N8R 2B7 (CA)

(74) Representative: Shelley, Mark Raymond et al
K R Bryer & Co., 7 Gay Street
Bath BA1 2PH
Bath BA1 2PH (GB)

   


(54) Hemming machine with movable die cartridges


(57) A hemming machine having a stationary base (22) and defining a work station (24). A lifting beam (26) is vertically movably mounted to the base at the work station while a motor assembly (32) moves the lifting beam between a raised and a lowered position. Two die cartridges (70, 72), each having hemming tooling (76, 78) and a nest (80, 82) vertically movably mounted to the die cartridge, are horizontally movable relative to the base by a conveyor assembly (54). A conveyor motor (90) selectively moves the die cartridges between a position laterally spaced from the work station and the work station. With the die cartridge positioned at the work station, a first clamp releasably (106) secures the nest to the lifting beam while a second clamp assembly (110) releasably secures the die cartridge to the base. With the nest secured to the lifting beam and the die cartridge secured to the base, hemming operations are performed at the work station in the conventional fashion.






Search report