Narrow aerial and die-mount cams

Abstract

Narrow aerial and die-mount cams, each having a cam adapter, a driver and a slide sandwiched between the cam adapter and driver. The narrow aerial cam slide has an elongate primary portion that has a T-shaped cross-section and has a primary bearing surface, and the cam adapter has a rectangular recess. An elongate keeper plate having a longitudinal slot is secured to each side of the cam adapter adjacent the rectangular recess to slidably retain the primary portion of the slide within the longitudinal slots and the rectangular recess. The primary bearing surface and a pair of intermediate bearing surfaces formed in the slide below the primary portion slidably support the keeper plates and thus the cam adapter. The driver slidably supports the slide. The narrow die-mount cam is basically an inverted version of the aerial cam.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention relates generally to aerial and die-mount cams and more particularly to improvements in cams configured to provide an increased load-bearing capacity and to facilitate the fabrication of long-lived, narrow cams having components that do not require custom fitting. [0003] 2. Background Art [0004] Aerial and die-mount cams are often used to operate tools for such manufacturing processes as punching, trimming, stamping and bending workpieces. These devices include elements that convert downward and upward forces provided by a press into laterally directed component forces that advance and retract a tool in lateral directions to effect the mentioned processes. [0005] Since some manufacturing processes require the application of considerable forces, an important feature of cams is their load-bearing capacity. Cams in present use typically have a maximum load-bearing capacity of some 1.5 tons. Previous attem...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide improved aerial and die-mount cams that have a more efficient load distribution. The improved load distribution enables the cams to be narrower and to bear an increased load.

[0013] At least a portion of the bearing surfaces spacedly overlap each other, and the bearing surfaces extending between opposite sides of the cam thereby cumulatively exceed the distance between the opposite sides. This facilitates the fabrication of cams that not only have greater load-bearing capacities but also cams that are narrower and whose slides have increased angular stability.

[0017] The keeper plates are attached to the cam adapter with fasteners such as bolts, and the assembled configuration reduces the likelihood of the bolts being loosened or damaged by minimizing the strength of forces applied to them during cam operation. The configuration of the keeper plates and the disposition of the bolts facilitates the removal and installation of the keeper plates without requiring cam removal from the press.

[0021] The aerial and die-mount cams are basically inverted versions of each other. Efficiencies of assembly and installation and reduced expenses can be realized by using cam adapters, slides and drivers that have components that do not require custom fitting. The self-lubricating material on one of each pair of bearing and contacting surfaces extend the life of contacting surfaces that slide relative to one another.

Problems solved by technology

Previous attempts to increase load-bearing capacity have included broadening bearing surfaces, but these have increased the width of the cams.

Having to remove cams from their presses to replace worn parts can be a costly and time-consuming activity.

Fasteners such as bolts that hold parts together are more likely to loosen or fail if they are placed under stress during press operation.

Their design and construction result in additional expenses.

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