Press for simultaneously rough-pressing and finishing / embossing

Abstract

 Press (1) for simultaneously rough-pressing and finishing/embossing a workpiece, comprising a bottom plate (13), to be clamped to a base plate (14) on a press bed (15), two or more guide columns (10), a central middle movable plate (8) and a top plate (16) to be clamped to the press ram or slide (12), wherein: between the bottom plate (13) and the middle movable plate (8) one of a pair of workpiece finishing or rough-pressing half-molds is arranged, and between said middle plate (8) and top plate (16) the other of a pair of workpiece rough-pressing or finishing half-molds is arranged, such that the location of said finishing or rough-processing molds between said middle movable plate (8) and bottom plate (13) is an indifferent one.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a press molding and simultaneously roughcasting and finishing embossing apparatus.

[0002] In hot pressing metal elements, for example of a steel, aluminium and brass material, it is frequently necessary, for achieving the target piece, to perform a starting forming or roughing operation, with a first operating step, and a following finishing or embossing operation, by a second operating step or stroke of the pressing machine.

[0003] To that end screw pressing machines, including adjoining pressing dies, either longitudinally or transversely arranged, or also arranged on the press bottom plate in an offset relationship with respect to the axial pressing force of the press are conventionally used.

[0004] At first, the heated material length is arranged on the roughing die, and is shaped or contoured by a first press stroke.

[0005] Then, the thus processed workpiece is brought to the finishing die and finished by a second press stroke.

[0006] It should be apparent that in such a mode of operation, the press construction is subjected to a very high stress, because of the offset arrangement of the press dies.

[0007] Accordingly, for preventing any breakage risk, it is necessary to use a larger power pressing machine.

[0008] Moreover, also the pressing machine molds or dies, usually a pair of operating dies, must be made with an enlarged size and strong auxiliary guides for achieving a target-shape final piece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such a press molding and simultaneously roughcasting and finishing/embossing apparatus allowing to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks of like prior pressing machines.

[0010] Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus allowing to fully eliminate anomalous stresses on the pressing machine construction.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus allowing to use a pressing construction having a pressing capability mating the maximum force required by the workpiece, without oversizing the press.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which, owing to its specifically designed features, is very reliable and safe in operation.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a press molding and simultaneously roughcasting and finishing/embossing apparatus, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a bottom plate, to be clamped to a base plate on a press bed, two or more guide columns, a central middle movable plate and a top plate to be clamped to the press ram or slide, between the bottom plate and the middle movable plate being arranged a pair of workpiece finishing or roughcasting half-molds, comprising a finishing or roughcasting top half-mold and a finishing or roughcasting bottom half-mold, between said middle plate and top plate being arranged a said pair of said workpiece roughcasting or finishing half-molds constituted by a roughcasting or finishing top half-mold and a roughcasting bottom half-mold, the locating of said finishing or roughcasting molds between said middle movable plate and bottom plate being an indifferent one.

[0014] In other words, the finishing mold or die may be arranged between the middle movable plate and top plate, whereas the roughcasting or finishing mold or die may be arranged between the middle movable plate and bottom plate while performing the same operating cycle, but with different locations of the molds or dies.

[0015] For the first press stroke, a heated piece length is deposited on the top mold or die with the middle plate bearing on or raised from the fixed bottom mold, after having performed the press stroke and during the raising movement of the press ram being simultaneously actuated a middle plate opening or raising system, with said press ram at the top and the movable mold bearing plate at the top, being driven a workpiece ejecting and raising member thereby taking the workpiece and immediately displacing it into the finishing bottom mold or die, simultaneously in said top mold or die being deposited a further heated piece length, said movable middle plate being fully lowered and being performed a press stroke, thereby providing a roughcasting of said workpiece in the top mold pair and a simultaneously finishing/roughcasting in the bottom mold pair, the press operating cycle being then repeated by sequentially displacing the workpieces from the top mold to the bottom mold.

[0016] In the inventive pressing apparatus, the roughing and finishing molds or dies are arranged one above the other, perfectly in axis or aligned with the press pushing or pressing axis, while eliminating any anomalous stress and allowing to use a unoversized press, with a pressing capability mating the maximum pressing force required by the workpiece being pressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the apparatus according to the present invention, which is illustrated in an operating step in which a billet is loaded into the top mold or die and a roughcast piece is transferred to the bottom molt or die;

Figure 2 is a view similar to figure 1, but showing the apparatus according to the present invention during its operating step for lowering the middle mold holder on the fixed bottom mold or die;

Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2, but showing the apparatus according to the present invention during a screw press slide or ram lowering step, with a consequent simultaneous roughing and finishing of the workpiece;

Figure 4 is a front closure view of the press apparatus according to the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the press molding and simultaneously roughcasting/embodding apparatus according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the press molding and simultaneously roughcasting finishing/embossing apparatus according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, comprises a bottom plate 13 to be fixed to a base plate 14 on the basement 15 of the pressing apparatus.

[0019] The subject press apparatus further comprises two or more guide columns 10, a movable middle center plate 8 and a top plate 16 to be fixed to the ram or slide 12 of the press.

[0020] Said ram or slide 12 comprises a top ejecting device 6 for ejecting the workpiece.

[0021] Between the bottom plate 13 and movable middle plate 8 a pair of half-molds for finishing or roughing the workpiece, comprising a top finishing half-mold, or a top roughing half-mold 4 and a bottom finishing or roughing half-mold 5.

[0022] The base plate 14 comprises an ejecting device 11 for ejecting the workpiece from the bottom mold or die 5.

[0023] Between the middle plate 8 and top plate 16 are arranged a pair of workpiece roughing or finishing half-molds, comprising a top roughing or finishing half-mold 2 and a bottom roughing or finishing half-mold 3.

[0024] In this connection it should be pointed out that the locating of said finishing or roughcasting molds between said middle movable plate and bottom plate is an indifferent one.

[0025] The movable middle plate 8 comprises a dedicated ejecting device 9 for ejecting therefrom and raising the pressed workpiece to allow the latter to be taken.

[0026] The bottom plate 13 is affixed or clamped on the base plate 14 of the press, the top plate 16 being fixed or clamped to the press ram or slide 12.

[0027] The middle plate 8 slides on apparatus column guides 10 and being driven by driving cylinders 7 which may be either pneumatic, hydraulic cylinder or electrically-electronically driven system cylinders.

[0028] The movable middle plate 8, with the top finishing half-mold 4 and the bottom roughing half-mold 3 is raised, upon a stroke of the press, to open the bottom molds or dies, so as to take the workpiece therefrom or load said workpiece thereinto.

[0029] The depositing and taking operation both of the heated piece length and the roughed or finished piece may carried out either manually or by automatic, electronic, hydraulic or pneumatic systems.

[0030] As shown, the roughing mold or die may be arranged above the movable middle plate and the finishing mold may be arranged on the fixed bottom plate.

[0031] At the working starting first pressing stroke, the heated length is arranged on the top mold with the middle plate 8 bearing on the fixed bottom mold.

[0032] After having performed a press operating stroke, and during the raising of the press ram, the middle plate opening or raising system is simultaneously actuated.

[0033] With the press ram located at top position and the movable mold bearing plate in a raised condition, the workpiece ejecting device is so actuated as to allow the piece to be taken and immediately brought to the bottom finishing mold.

[0034] Simultaneously, a new heated piece length is engaged in the top mold or die; the movable middle plate is fully lowered to perform a novel press stroke, thereby providing a roughing of the workpiece engaged in the top mold pair while simultaneously providing a finishing operation in the bottom mold pair.

[0035] At this time, the operating cycle is repeated, by sequentially displacing or driving the workpieces from the top to the bottom mold.

[0036] Since the heated length and roughened workpiece are sequentially pressed by a single press stroke, the required pressing force will be gradually increased to the maximum finishing and embossing force, without any impacts between the press molds which would occur if the finishing operation would be carried out by a further dedicated press stroke.

[0037] Thus, owing to the absence of mold impacts, the operating noise, as well as the operating stress will be greatly reduced, with a great advantage on the press and mold or die construction.

[0038] In this connection it should be apparent that the workpiece loading, taking and relocating and unloading system usually comprises automatically operated arms, thereby allowing a very quick operating cycle to be performed, to achieve, for each press stroke, a finished workpiece.

[0039] The apparatus system comprises moreover suitably designed channel patterns for thermo-adjusting the mold or die temperature, to hold the workpiece temperature constant.

[0040] Thus, owing to the disclosed molding or pressing system, it is possible to indifferently use both screw pressing machines and eccentric or mechanic presses in general, driven by any suitable driving means such as electric motors, torque motors, brushless motors and so on, as well as hydraulic pressing machines.

[0041] Moreover, the apparatus according to the present invention may operate by an automatic operating cycle to load-unload workpieces by using automatic electronic, hydraulic or pneumatic operating arms.

[0042] To increase the production yield, without causing an excessive decrease of the temperature of the workpiece being processed, it is preferable to use two independent operating arms.

[0043] The first arm, including a double gripper device, after having taken the heated piece length from the heating oven, will be preset for taking the finished workpiece.

[0044] With the mold middle plate in a raised condition, the operating arm will engage and take the workpiece, while simultaneously the second operating arm will engage and remove the roughed piece from the top mold or die.

[0045] Then, the two operating arms will be immediately located the first at the top mold and the second at the bottom mold to deposit one the heated length into the top mold and the other roughed piece into the finishing mold.

[0046] Then, during an operating stroke of the press, the first arm will unload the finished workpiece and take a new piece length to be reloaded.

[0047] During the arm mold entering and exiting movements, said mold or dies will be properly lubricated by lubricating spraying device to be also applied on the operating arms.

[0048] It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

[0049] In fact, the invention has provided an automatic press molding and simultaneously roughcasting and finishing/embossing apparatus in which, owing to the fact that the roughing and finishing molds or dies are arranged onto one another in a perfectly axially aligned condition with the press pushing axis, will be practically eliminated any anomalous operating stress, thereby it will be possible to use a pressing machine having just the pressing capability necessary for the maximum pressing force on the workpiece.

[0050] In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes, can be any, according on requirements.

Claims

1. A press molding and simultaneously roughcasting and finishing/embossing apparatus, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a bottom plate, to be clamped to a base plate on a press bed, two or more guide columns, a central middle movable plate and a top plate to be clamped to the press ram or slide, between the bottom plate and the middle movable plate being arranged a pair of workpiece finishing or roughcasting half-molds, comprising a finishing or roughcasting top half-mold and a finishing or roughcasting bottom half-mold, between said middle plate and top plate being arranged a said pair of said workpiece roughcasting or finishing half-molds constituted by a roughcasting or finishing top half-mold and a roughcasting bottom half-mold, the locating of said finishing or roughcasting molds between said middle movable plate and bottom plate being an indifferent one.

2. An apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that for the first press stroke at the start of a press working operation, a heated length is deposited on the top or bottom mold with the middle plate bearing on or raised from the fixed bottom mold, after having performed the press stroke and during the raising movement of a press ram being simultaneously actuated a middle plate opening or raising system, with said press ram at the top and the movable mold bearing plate at the top, being driven a workpiece ejecting and raising member thereby taking the workpiece and immediately displacing it into the finishing bottom or top mold, simultaneously in said top or bottom mold being deposited a further heated length, said movable middle plate being fully lowered and being performed a press stroke, thereby providing a roughcasting/finishing of said workpiece in the top mold pair and a simultaneously finishing/roughcasting in the bottom mold pair, the press operating cycle being then repeated by sequentially displacing the workpieces from the top mold to the bottom mold.

3. An apparatus, according to claim 1, characterized in that said middle plate slides on said guide columns and is driven by driving cylinders comprising pneumatic, hydraulic cylinders or electrically-driven and electronically controlled cylinders.

4. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a slide including a workpiece top ejector, said base plate including an ejector for ejecting the workpiece from the bottom mold, the movable middle plate including an ejector device for ejecting and raising a molded workpiece to allow said molded workpiece to be gripped.

5. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said movable middle plate is raised with the top finishing half-mold and the roughcasting bottom half-mold after opening the bottom molds to allow the workpiece to be gripped and loaded.

6. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heated length and the roughcast or finished workpiece are either manually deposited and gripped or automatically deposited or gripped as controlled by electronic, hydraulic or pneumatic systems.

7. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a plurality of thermoadjusting channels for holding a workpiece temperature at a constant value.

8. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said press apparatus is a screw press or an eccentric or mechanical press, said press being driven by press driving means including electric motors, torque motors, brushless motors, and by hydraulic driving systems.

9. An apparatus, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said apparatus operates with an automatic operating cycle to load/unload workpieces by electronically controlled hydraulic or pneumatic arms, preferably including two independent arms, a first said arm having a double gripper for gripping, with the middle plate of the mold in a raised condition, said workpiece, said second arm simultaneously gripping a roughcast workpiece either from the top or from the bottom mold, said first arm being positioned at said top or bottom mold, said second arm being positioned at the bottom or top mold to deposit a heated length in the top mold template and a roughcast workpiece in a finishing mold template, said first arm unloading a finished workpiece and gripping a further length to the reloaded.

10. An apparatus, according to claim 9, characterized in that, during inlet and outlet movements of said arms to/from said molds, said molds are lubricated by spray lubricating devices supported by said arms.

Drawing