The invention relates to a press drive for a press or a press having a press drive. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the press drive by means of a control unit. The press drive is used for moving a ram of the press in a stroke direction H between an upper return point OT and a lower return point UT. It comprises a knee lever gear having a first lever and a second lever. A connecting rod engages on the knee lever of the two levers and is connected on the other end to an eccentric of an eccentric drive. The control unit can drive the eccentric drive in a first operating mode B1 or a second operating mode B2 or, in particular, also a third operating mode B3. In the first and the second operating modes B1, B2, the eccentric oscillates in a respectively different angle region W1, W2 about a rotation axis D of the eccentric drive, thus resulting in different force and movement states of the ram in both operating modes.

A thermoforming apparatus is provided having a frame, a pair of opposed platens, a toggle shaft, a kinematic linkage, a form air manifold, and a pair of articulating bearing assemblies. The pair of opposed platens is carried by the frame each with a die, one die configured to engage an opposed face of another die across a heated sheet of thermoformable material in sealed relation there between. The toggle shaft is carried by the frame for rotation. The kinematic linkage is coupled between the toggle shaft and one of the dies. The form air manifold and a source of differential pressure is coupled with a die face on one of the dies. The pair of articulating bearing assemblies is carried by the frame and configured to support the at least one toggle shaft for translation towards and away from the another die and platen. A method is also provided.

An agricultural baler has a plunger for compressing harvested material to a bale in a chamber, a crank mechanism connected to the plunger for the purpose of driving the plunger, wherein the crank mechanism comprises at least one first crank and at least one second crank, a drive mechanism for driving the first crank and the second crank, wherein the drive mechanism is configured such that, when the first and second crank are driven, the first crank and the second crank rotate in opposite directions.

An actuator assembly for a redraw sleeve that operates independently of the ram drive mechanism is provided. The actuator assembly utilizes a servomotor. The servomotor is structured to provide its output shaft with a variable rotation speed so as to accommodate the need for the redraw sleeve to be in selected locations at specific times.

An actuator assembly for a redraw sleeve that operates independently of the ram drive mechanism is provided. The actuator assembly utilizes an eccentric journal coupled to a drive shaft of a servomotor. The servomotor is structured to provide its output shaft with a variable rotation speed so as to accommodate the need for the redraw sleeve to be in selected locations at specific times. Further, the redraw sleeve includes a collapsing redraw cylinder to allow the redraw sleeve to dwell in a forward position.

A press with a press drive for moving a plunger in stroke direction (H). The press drive comprises two electric drive motors which are controllable independently of each other. The two drive motors are connected to the plunger via a drive unit. A control arrangement is provided for controlling the two drive motors. The control arrangement includes a characteristic plunger curve (K) which determines the plunger positions and/or the plunger movement and/or the plunger force dependent on time or dependent on a so-called virtual press angle. In addition, the control arrangement includes an additional condition which is independent of the characteristic plunger curve (K). Via the additional condition the operation of the press drive, for example, in an optimum operating range and/or a low-wear lubrication state of the support bearings of the drive unit can be ensured.

A press machine includes a press frame, a crankshaft having a first eccentric portion, at least one crankshaft motor connected to the crankshaft, a ram, an upper tool section supported by the ram and a lower tool section fixedly attached to the press frame, a linkage type ram drive mechanism connected to the crankshaft and including at least one pivot support pin, and a ram adjustment mechanism including a pivot support member supporting the at least one pivot support pin. Wherein the at least one secondary ram drive link is pivotally connected at a first end to the at least one pivot support pin and at a second end to a first end of the at least one main ram drive link. The at least one main ram drive link is pivotally connected at a second end to the ram. The at least one ram drive connecting link is rotatably supported by the at least one first eccentric portion of the crankshaft at a first end and pivotally connected at a second end to the at least one main ram drive link at a point between the first and second ends of the at least one main ram drive link.

A press machine includes a press frame having first and second portions, a crankshaft, a crankshaft, a ram, a ram drive mechanism supported by the first portion of the press frame at a primary force application location, a ram guide linearly guiding the ram, and supported by the second portion of the press frame at a ram guide location; and a working tool including an upper tool section and a lower tool section configured for the processing of a workpiece. The upper tool section is fixedly attached to the ram and the lower tool section is fixedly attached to the press frame at a lower tool location. The primary force application location has a first working position during the processing of the workpiece, and a second resting position when the workpiece is not being processed. The ram guide location has a first working position during the processing of the workpiece, and a second resting position when the workpiece is not being processed. The difference between the working position and the resting position of the ram guide location is less than the difference between the working position and the resting position of the primary force application location.

A hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly for a can bodymaker is provided. The hydrostatic/hydrodynamic fluid bearing assembly is separate from the ram body. The outboard bearing assembly includes a carriage assembly and a number of elongated journals. The carriage assembly includes a ram coupling, a crank coupling, and body defining a number of journal passages. The ram body is coupled to a ram coupling. The crank coupling is structured to be coupled to a crank arm. Each journal extends through a carriage assembly body journal passage. In this configuration, the ram body may form a can body in a traditional manner, but fluid bearing assembly fluid is not applied to the ram body. Instead the fluid bearing assembly fluid is applied to the journals.