TOOL INSTALLATION AID

Abstract

A tool installation aid for installing a tool into a press includes a holding console attachable to a press, and a tool-changing plate in or on which a tool is attachable, wherein the tool-changing plate can be placed onto a receiving element of the holding console, a drive device, drivable by a motor or manually, is disposed in the tool-changing plate and by way of which the tool-changing plate is displaceable on the receiving element in the direction toward the press to be transferred from the receiving element onto the clamping plate of the press, the drive device includes at least one driven first drive element, and the receiving element includes at least one non-driven second drive element, the first and second drive elements being operatively connected for displacing the tool-changing plate.

Claims

1. A tool installation aid for installing a tool into a press, comprising: a holding console configured to be attached to a press; a tool-changing plate configured to have attached therein or thereon a tool to be replaced can be transported to a table or clamping plate of the press, wherein the holding console comprises a receiving element configured to receive the tool-changing plate and the tool-changing plate is configured to be received by the receiving element, a drive device disposed in the tool-changing plate and configured to be driven by a motor or manually to displace the tool-changing plate on the receiving element in a direction toward the press and transfer the tool-changing plate from the receiving element onto the table or clamping plate of the press, wherein the drive device of the tool-changing plate comprises at least one driven first drive element, the receiving element comprises at least one non-driven second drive element, and the first and second drive elements are operatively connected for displacing the tool-changing plate in a direction toward the press.

2. The tool installation aid according to claim 1, wherein the at least one non-driven second drive element is configured to be moved between an idle position and a working position, the at least one non-driven second drive element being operatively connected to the at least one driven first drive element only in the working position.

3. A tool installation aid according to claim 2, wherein the at least one driven first drive element comprises at least one each of respective front and rear driven first drive elements, the at least one front and rear driven first drive elements being front and rear with respect to the displacement direction of the tool-changing plate toward the press and being configured to be driven synchronously.

4. The tool installation aid according to claim 3, wherein the at least one front driven first drive element and the at least one rear driven first drive element are configured to be simultaneously operatively connected to the at least one non-driven second drive elements in an initial region of displacement of the tool-changing plate in the direction of the press and for only the at least one rear first drive element to be operatively connected to the at least one non-driven second drive elements in a second displacement region following the first displacement region in the direction of displacement of the tool-changing plate.

5. The tool installation aid according to claim 4, wherein the holding console is attached to the press and the tool installation aid further comprises, on the press, at least one non-driven third drive element, wherein the at least one front driven first drive element is configured to be brought into operative connection with the at least one non-driven third drive element on the press.

6. The tool installation aid according to claim 5, wherein the at least one front and rear driven first drive elements are configured so that, in a third displacement region that follows the second displacement region in the direction of displacement of the tool-changing plate, the at least one front and rear driven first drive elements are not operatively connected to the at least one non-driven second drive element and are operatively connected to the at least one non-driven third drive element on the press.

7. The tool installation aid according to claim 1, wherein the at least one driven first drive element comprises, on each of opposite, mutually parallel side walls of the tool-changing plate, be respective at least one front and at least one rear driven first drive element, the at least one front and rear driven first drive elements being front and rear with respect to the displacement direction of the tool-changing plate toward the press, and wherein the at least one non-driven second drive element disposed on the receiving element comprises respective ones of the non-driven second drive elements extending parallel to the respective side walls.

8. The tool installation aid according to claim 3, wherein each of the at least one front and rear driven first drive elements comprises a respective driven front and rear gear wheel, and each of the at least one non-driven second drive element and the non-driven third drive element comprises a respective toothed rack configured for meshing engagement with the driven gear wheels.

9. The tool installation aid according to claim 8, wherein the toothed rack of each of the at least one non-driven second drive element is pivotable between the idle position and the working position about a rotational axis which is parallel to the displacement direction and parallel to a lengthwise direction of the toothed rack of the non-driven second drive element.

10. The tool installation aid according to claim 8, wherein the drive device of the tool-changing plate further comprises first and second drive shafts perpendicular to each other and respective bevel gears coupling each respective one of the first drive shafts, at a rear end thereof relative to the displacement direction, to a respective one of the second drive shafts, and the respective driven front and rear gear wheels of each respective one of the first drive elements are each attached to a respective one of the first drive shafts.

11. The tool installation aid according to claim 10, wherein the drive device further comprises a rotatable coupling element, the rotatable coupling element comprises a gearbox and is disposed on an end wall of the tool-changing plate, the end wall being perpendicular to the side walls and being at a rear end of the tool-changing plate relative to the displacement direction, the rotatable coupling element being configured so that a rotational movement, generated manually or by a motor and applied to rotate the rotatable coupling element, is transmitted to the second drive shafts by way of the gearbox.

12. The tool installation aid according to claim 1, wherein the holding console comprises articulated support members attached to the receiving element and configured to support the receiving element.

13. The tool installation aid according to claim 1, wherein the tool-changing plate comprises a recess configured for insertion therein of the tool to be transported to the table or clamping plate of the press.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In the drawings:

[0033] FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of the tool installation aid on a press with the tool-changing plate in a starting position, and FIG. 1a and FIG. 1a show details of the tool installation aid enlarged relative to FIG. 1a;

[0034] FIG. 1b shows a perspective view of the tool installation aid on a press with the tool-changing plate in a transition position, and FIG. 1b and FIG. 1b show details of the tool installation aid enlarged relative to FIG. 1b;

[0035] FIG. 1c shows a perspective view of the tool installation aid on a press with the tool-changing plate in the end position;

[0036] FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b show, respectively, front and side elevation views of the tool installation aid on a press with the tool-changing plate in a starting position;

[0037] FIG. 3a shows the tool-changing plate without the tool, and FIG. 3a shows details of the tool-changing plate enlarged relative to FIG. 3a; and

[0038] FIG. 3b shows the tool-changing plate with the tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] Shown is a tool installation aid, comprising a holding console 1, for a press, which is shown together with a portion of the press here.

[0040] The holding console 1 comprises two vertical support braces 1b, at the upper ends of which a receiving element 1a is attached in an articulated manner, so that the receiving element 1a can be folded out into the horizontal position shown here. The horizontal alignment of the receiving element 1a is secured by way of the fixing struts 1c. The holding console 1 is formed of the receiving element 1a, the support braces 1b and the fixing struts 1c.

[0041] The two vertical support braces 1b of the holding console 1 are fixedly connected to the press stand 2, i.e., the frame or body of the press. The receiving plane 1e can be aligned using the two eccentric bolts 1b, by way of which the fixing struts 1c are connected at the lower ends thereof to the support braces 1b. The receiving plane 1e is aligned with the plane of the press table or the clamping plate 2a. The receiving plane 1e here is the plane tangent to the upper extremity of the rollers 1f of the receiving element 1a. A tool-changing plate 3 can be moved on these rollers 1f in the direction toward the press stand 2.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1a, 1a, 1a, 1b, 1b, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a and 3a, the tool-changing plate 3 includes a recess 3c on, or via, which a tool can be attached, which is not shown in these figures. FIG. 3b, by way of example, shows the design of a possible tool 3d that is attached to the tool-changing plate 3 and, together with the same, can be moved into the press and out of the same.

[0043] Two gear wheels are disposed in each of the two side walls 3a of the tool-changing plate 3, wherein the gear wheel 6a is disposed at the front, and the gear wheel 6b is disposed at the rear, with respect to the displacement direction facing the press. The gear wheels 6a and 6b in each of the two side walls 3a thus form front and rear first driven drive elements. These are driven synchronously by the shafts 6c and 6d, which can be made to rotate by way of the coupling element 10 on the end face 3b facing away from the press 2. For this purpose, a crank handle or a motor can be applied to the coupling element, for example. The coupling element 10 comprises a gearbox 6f, which causes the two shafts 6d parallel to the end wall to rotate, which, in turn, drive the shafts 6c by way of bevel gears in the corners of the tool-changing plate 3.

[0044] Respective toothed racks 7, which are disposed on the receiving element 1a and can be pivoted there, about the rotational axes 9 between an idle position and a working position, extend parallel to the side walls 3a. In the working position, the gear wheels 6 mesh with the toothed racks 7. As a result of a rotation of the shaft in the coupling element 10, the gear wheels 6 can thus all be made to rotate synchronously, so that these can move forward, or backward, in the toothed racks 7, in the direction toward the press, and thereby move the tool-changing plate 3 forward or backward.

[0045] During a movement in the direction toward the press, the front gear wheels 6a become disengaged from the respective toothed racks 7 starting at a particular movement range, while the rear gear wheels 6b remain engaged and ensure the advancement. The front gear wheels 6a then become engaged with the toothed racks 8 on the press 2 above the clamping plate 2a, so that the driving force or the driving torque is transmitted directly onto the press. The associated position of the tool-changing plate is shown in FIG. 1b.

[0046] Thereafter, the rear gear wheels 6b become disengaged from the toothed racks 7, wherein further driving is thereafter carried out solely by way of the front gear wheels 6a, which are already meshing with the toothed racks 8. Thereafter, the rear gear wheels 6b also become engaged with the toothed racks 8. The end position achieved then is shown in FIG. 1c.

[0047] The described transfer of a tool, which is not shown, with the tool-changing plate 3 can also take place in the reverse direction and manner.

[0048] It is apparent from the figures that, except for the space for the holding console composed of support braces 1b, receiving element 1a and the fixing struts 1c, no additional space is required for a drive unit. A motor can be provided, for example, in a simple embodiment as a cordless screwdriver or compressed air motor having essentially no installation space requirement. A motor can also be configured as a drive secured by dual channels.

[0049] Compared to the prior art, the invention thus has a very compact design and is inexpensive to implement, since the essential components of the drive device are already integrated into the tool-changing plate, and the driving forces/torques act directly between the tool-changing plate and the receiving element or the press, and do not require any external support. Moreover, the receiving element 1a, when not needed, can be folded against the press frame 2 in a space-saving manner.