PUNCHING APPARATUS

Abstract

A punching apparatus includes a punch holder and a punching tool. The punch holder includes a guiding body having a mounting cavity to slidably receive the punching tool and a driving assembly connected to the guiding body and provided with a beating element having first and second connecting ends coupled by a threaded coupling that enables a relative rotation for a linear movement of the punching tool with respect to the beating element. A stopping element has a first end fixed inside a connecting cavity in one of the connecting ends and arranged to receive the other connecting end and a second end inserted into a stopping cavity of the other connecting end and sliding inside the stopping cavity.

Claims

1. A punching apparatus for a punching machine, comprising a punch holder and a punching tool, said punch holder comprising a guiding body, provided with a mounting cavity suitable to slidably receive said punching tool, and a driving assembly connected to said guiding body and provided with a beating element having a first operating end suitable to interact with a ram of the punching machine and a first connecting end coupled to a second connecting end of said punching tool by means of a threaded coupling, which enables a relative rotation between said beating element and said punching tool for a linear movement thereof with respect to said beating element along an adjustment stroke between an initial adjustment position, in which an engagement portion of said threaded coupling has a maximum length, and a final adjustment position, in which said engagement portion has a minimum length, said punching apparatus wherein it comprises a stopping element having a first end and a second end, said first end being fixed inside a connecting cavity made in one of said connecting ends and arranged to receive the remaining connecting end, said second end being inserted in a stopping cavity made in said remaining connecting end and sliding inside said stopping cavity during said linear movement of said punching tool between said initial adjustment position and said final adjustment position, said second end being provided with a first stopping system arranged to abut a second stopping system provided at an opening of said stopping cavity so as to prevent said stopping element from disengaging from said stopping cavity and to stop said adjustment stroke of said punching tool in said final adjustment position.

2. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said punching tool comprises a second operating end, opposite to said second connecting end, provided with a cutting end capable of interacting with a piece to be punched and having a defined sharpening length that is longer than said adjustment stroke of said punching tool.

3. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said punching tool comprises a punch tip holder provided with a second connecting end and a punch tip reversibly fixed to said punch tip holder on the opposite side to said second connecting end and provided with a second operating end, which is opposite to said second connecting end, provided with a cutting end and adapted to interact with a piece to be punched.

4. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said punching tool comprises a single-body punch provided with a second connecting end and with a second operating end that is opposite to said second connecting end, provided with a cutting end and adapted to interact with a piece to be punched.

5. The punching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said beating element is driven by said ram in order to linearly move said punching tool along a longitudinal axis with respect to said guiding body according to a working stroke comprised between a non-operating internal position, in which a second operating end of said punching tool, which is opposite to a second connecting end and adapted to interact with a piece to be punched, is contained inside said punch holder, and an operating external position, in which said second operating end protrudes from said punch holder and penetrate with a respective cutting end into an underlying punching die so as to punch said piece.

6. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said punch holder comprises an extractor element, which is fixed to a first end part of said guiding body from which said punching tool protrudes, is adapted to keep a piece in abutment against an underlying punching die and is provided with a respective opening for the exit of a second operating end of said punching tool that is opposite to a second connecting end and adapted to interact with said piece to be punched.

7. The punching apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said beating element is driven by said ram in order to linearly move said punching tool along a longitudinal axis with respect to said guiding body according to a working stroke comprised between a non-operating internal position, in which said second operating end of said punching tool, which is opposite to said second connecting end and adapted to interact with a piece to be punched, is contained inside said punch holder, and an operating external position, in which said second operating end protrudes from said punch holder and penetrate with a respective cutting end into an underlying punching die so as to punch said piece, wherein said stopping element is sized and fixed with its first end inside said connecting cavity in such a way that said punching tool also in said final adjustment position with respect to said beating element and in said operating external position with respect to said guiding body does not collide with said second operating end against said extractor element.

8. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting cavity is made in said first connecting end of said beating element and comprises an outer portion, which is threaded and adapted to receive and engage a second connecting end, externally threaded, of said punching tool, and an inner portion adapted to receive and fixed to said first end of said stopping element, said second end thereof being slidably housed in said stopping cavity made in said second connecting end of said punching tool.

9. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said connecting cavity is made in said second connecting end of said punching tool and comprises an outer portion, which is threaded and adapted to receive and engage said first connecting end, externally threaded, of said beating element, and an inner portion adapted to receive, and fixed to, said first end of said stopping element, said second end being slidably housed in said stopping cavity made in said first connecting end of said beating element.

10. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stopping element has a cylindrical shape.

11. The punching apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first stopping system of said stopping element comprises an annular protrusion made on an edge of said second end.

12. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second stopping system comprises at least one elastic ring that is housed in a respective inner annular groove made at said opening of said stopping cavity.

13. The punching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving assembly comprises a base element that is fixed to a second end part of said guiding body, opposite to a first end part from which said punching tool protrudes, and is arranged to slidably guide said beating element along a longitudinal axis, and an elastic element interposed between said base element and said first operating end of the beating element to return said beating element to a raised position so as to extract the punching tool from a piece after the punching of said piece.

Description

[0025] The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a front view of the punching apparatus of the invention associated with a punching die and a workpiece;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a section according to the plane II-II of FIG. 1 illustrating in particular a punch holder that slidably houses a beating element connected to a punching tool comprising a punch tip holder supporting a punch tip, in an initial adjustment position and in a non-operating internal position and, in dashed line, in an operating external position;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a section as in FIG. 2 illustrating the beating element connected to the punching tool in an operating external position and, in dashed line, in a non-operating internal position;

[0029] FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 2 illustrating a stopping element inside connecting ends of the beating element and the punching tool in the initial adjustment position;

[0030] FIG. 5 is a section as in FIG. 2 illustrating the beating element connected to the punching tool in a final adjustment position and in the non-operating internal position;

[0031] FIG. 6 is a section as in FIG. 5 illustrating the beating element connected to the punching tool in the final adjustment position and in the operating external position;

[0032] FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 5 illustrating the stopping element inside the connecting ends of the beating element and the punching tool in the final adjustment position;

[0033] FIG. 8 is a section as in FIG. 2 illustrating a variant of the punching apparatus of the invention illustrating the beating element connected to a single-body punching tool in the final adjustment position and in the operating external position and, in dashed line, in the non-operating initial position;

[0034] FIG. 9 is a section as in FIG. 2 illustrating another variant of the punching apparatus of the invention illustrating a beating element connected to the punching element comprising a punch tip holder supporting a punch tip in the final adjustment position and in the operating external position.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, the punching apparatus 1 of the invention is illustrated, which can be associated with a punching machine, not illustrated, for performing cuts and punching on a piece 100, in particular a piece of sheet metal.

[0036] The punching apparatus 1 comprises a punch holder 2 and a punching tool 3. The punch holder 2 includes a guiding body 4 provided with a mounting cavity 5, in particular a through cavity and extending along a longitudinal axis X, adapted to slidably receive the punching tool 3 and a driving assembly 6 connected to the guiding body 4 and provided with a beating element 7 having a first operating end 8 arranged to interact with a ram of the punching machine and a first connecting end 9 coupled to a second connecting end 32 of the punching tool 3 by means of a threaded coupling. The latter allows a relative rotation between the beating element 7 and the punching tool 3 for linear movement of the latter with respect to the beating element 7 along an adjustment stroke C, between an initial adjustment position A and a final adjustment position B.

[0037] In the initial adjustment position A the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling that joins the two connecting ends 8, 32 of the beating element 7 and the punching tool has a maximum length L1, while in the final adjustment position B the engagement portion 20 has a minimum length L2. The minimum length L2 is such as to guarantee a number of engagement threads in the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling suitable to the force transmitted by the beating element 7 to the punching tool 3, i.e. such as to prevent them from being excessively stressed in operation and being damaged.

[0038] Anti-rotation means 63, 64 are provided to prevent rotation of the punching tool 3 with respect to the guiding body 4 when the beating element 7 is rotated about the longitudinal axis X. The anti-rotation means comprise, for example, a transverse pin 63 fixed to the punching tool 3, almost orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X, and slidably engaging by means of a protruding portion thereof with a longitudinal slot 64 made on a side wall of the guiding body 4.

[0039] The punching tool 3 comprises a second operating end 36 opposite the second connecting end 32, adapted to interact (in particular cut, drill, punch) with a cutting end 36a with a piece 100 and having a defined sharpening length Ls which is longer than the adjustment stroke C of the punching tool 3 with respect to the beating element 7, between the initial adjustment position A and the final adjustment position B.

[0040] In operation, the beating element 7, 17 is driven by the ram of a press assembly of the punching machine so as to move the punching tool 3 linearly along the longitudinal axis X with respect to the guiding body 4 along a working stroke W between a non-operating internal position N and an operating external position T. In the non-operating internal position N of the punching tool 3 the second operating end 36 of the punching tool 3 is contained inside the punch holder 2, in particular inside the guiding body 4, while in the operating external position T the second operating end 36 partially protrudes from the punch holder 2 and inserts with the cutting end 36a thereof into the underlying punching die 60 so as to punch the piece 100.

[0041] The punch holder 2 is provided with an extractor element 27, of known type, fixed to a first end part 4a of the guiding body 4 from which the punching tool 3 protrudes, adapted to abut and press the piece 100 against the punching die 60 and provided with a respective opening for the exit of the second operating end 36 of the punching tool 3 when moved by the beating element 7 in the operating external position T.

[0042] The driving assembly 6, of a known type, comprises a base element 16 fixed to a second end part 4b of the guiding body 4 which is opposite the first end part 4a and is arranged to slidingly guide the beating element 7 along a longitudinal axis X. The driving assembly 6 further includes elastic means 28 interposed between the base element 16 and the first operating end 8 of the beating element 7 to return the latter to a raised position (corresponding to the non-operating internal position N of the punching tool 3) so as to extract the punching tool 3 from the piece 100 after the working.

[0043] The punching apparatus 1 further comprises a stopping element 10 having a first end 11 fixed inside a connecting cavity 15 made at one of the connecting ends 9, 42 of the beating element 7 or the punching tool 3 and arranged to receive the remaining connecting end 32 of the punching tool 3 or the beating element 7 and a second end 12 inserted into a stopping cavity 34 made at the remaining connecting end 32 and slidable inside said stopping cavity 34 during the linear movement between the initial adjustment position A and the final adjustment position B.

[0044] The second end 12 of the stopping element 10 is provided with first stopping means 22 adapted to abut second stopping means 35 provided at an opening of the stopping cavity 34 so as to prevent the stopping element 10 from disengaging from the stopping cavity and stopping the adjustment stroke C of the punching tool 3 in the final adjustment position B.

[0045] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, the connecting cavity 15 is made in the first connecting end 9 of the beating element 7 and comprises an outer portion 15a that is threaded and adapted to receive and engage with the second connecting end 32, externally threaded, of the punching tool 3. The connecting cavity 15 of the first connecting end 9 of the beating element 7 further comprises an inner portion 15b adapted to receive, and fixed to, the first end 11 of the stopping element 10, while the second end 12 thereof is slidably housed in the stopping cavity 34 made in the second connecting end 32 of the punching tool 3.

[0046] The stopping element 10 is sized and fixed with its first end 11 inside the connecting cavity 15, so that the punch element 3 also in the final adjustment position B with respect to the beating element 7 and in the operating external position T with respect to the guiding body 4 does not collide with the second operating end 36 against said extractor element 27, as better explained in the following description.

[0047] The stopping element 10 has, for example, a cylindrical shape and the first stopping means 22 comprise an annular protrusion made on an edge of the second end 12 and adapted to be abut by the second stopping means 35 provided in the stopping cavity 34 and comprising an elastic ring, in particular a split ring, housed in a respective inner annular groove made at the opening of the stopping cavity 34.

[0048] Similarly, the first end 11 of the stopping element 10 is fixed inside the inner portion 15b of the connecting cavity 15 by fixing means 14 comprising, for example, a respective elastic ring mounted on a first annular seat made on an outer wall of the first end 11 and engaging in an assembly configuration with a second annular seat made on an inner wall of the inner portion 15b of the connecting cavity 15.

[0049] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, the punching tool 3 comprises a punch tip holder or adapter 31 provided with the second connecting end 32 and a punch tip 35 or cutting tip that is reversibly fixed to the punch tip holder 31, opposite the second connecting end 32 and provided with the second operating end 36 with the cutting end 36a adapted to interact with the piece 100.

[0050] More precisely, the punch tip holder 31 comprises a third connecting end 37 opposite the second connecting end 32 provided with a connecting seat 38 adapted to receive a connecting portion 39 of the punch tip 33 opposite the second operating end 36. The connecting seat 38 and the connecting portion 39 have, for example, a complementary truncated-conical shape and are coaxial to the longitudinal axis X of the punch holder 2.

[0051] In an assembled configuration, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, the punch tip holder 31 and the punch tip 33 are fixed to one another by means of a screw 61. To this end, the stopping cavity 34 that is made in the second connecting end 32 of the punch tip holder 2 is a through cavity in order to allow the end 61 of the screw to be screwed into a threaded hole made on an upper wall of the connecting portion 39 of the punch tip 33. The stopping cavity 34 comprises a shoulder intended to abut the head of the screw 61.

[0052] The punch tip holder 31 is configured to be mounted on the respective beating element 7, the first connecting end 9 and the second connecting end 32 being complementary, and is capable of receiving in the connecting seat 38 one of a set or plurality of punch tips 33, each of which is adapted to perform a respective working on the piece 100.

[0053] In an initial operating step of the punching apparatus 1 of the invention, in which the punching tool 3 (more precisely the punch tip 33 in the example of the figures) is new and sharp, the latter is screwed to the beating element 7 so as to be arranged in the initial adjustment position A. In this initial adjustment position A the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling, which joins the two connecting ends 8, 32 of the beating element 7 and of the punching tool 3, has a maximum length L1, i.e. the second connecting end 32 of the punching tool 3 is completely inserted in the first connecting end 9 of the beating element 7 since the second operating end 36 of the punching tool 3 has a length equal to the maximum sharpening length Ls.

[0054] In the initial adjustment position A the distance between the first stopping means 22 of the stopping element 10 and the second stopping means 25 provided in the stopping cavity 34 is also maximum (FIGS. 2 to 4). In this initial adjustment position A, with the punching tool 3 having a maximum sharpening length Ls, in the working stroke W, between the non-operating internal position N and the operating external position T, the punching tool is able to correctly perform the cutting or punching of the piece 100.

[0055] The punching tool 3 (punch tip 33) during its operating life is subjected to periodic sharpening operations following which the length of its second operating end 36 progressively decreases.

[0056] In order to ensure that in the predefined working stroke W the beating element 7, driven by the ram of the press assembly of the punching machine, moves the second operating end 36, in particular the cutting end 36a thereof, between the non-operating internal position N and the operating external position T, so as to appropriately cut or punch the piece 100, the position of the punching tool 3 along the longitudinal axis X with respect to the beating element 7 must be adjusted by appropriately rotating the beating element about the longitudinal axis X. By measuring the number of rotations and/or rotation fractions and knowing the thread pitch of the threaded portion 20, it is possible to adjust and control the position of the punching tool 3 with respect to the beating element 7, i.e. the position of the second connecting end 32 inside the first connecting end 9 and thus the position of the cutting end 36a.

[0057] With progressive reduction of the length of the second operating end 36 of the punching tool 3, the length of the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling, which joins the two connecting ends 8, 32 and the distance between the first stopping means 22 of the stopping element 10 and the second stopping means 25 provided in the stopping cavity 34 decreases by the same value.

[0058] When adjusting the position along the longitudinal axis X of the punching tool 3 with respect to the beating element 7, after mounting following a sharpening operation, the stopping element 10 prevents the punching tool 3 from being screwed insufficiently to the beating element 7, i.e. it prevents the length of the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling from being less than the minimum length L2 in an incorrect mounting condition. In fact, below this minimum length (with a tolerance range of about 1 mm) the second operating end 36 collides with the extractor element 27 causing damage to the latter and to the whole punch holder 6 since the working stroke W is longer than the remaining length of the second operating end 36.

[0059] Such incorrect mounting condition is prevented by the locking element 10 since the first stopping means 11 thereof and second stopping means 35 of the second connecting end 32 abut each other, avoiding further displacement of the punching tool 3 away from the beating element 7, when the length of the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling is equal to the minimum length L2.

[0060] In this manner, if a punching tool 3 is sharpened excessively, reducing the length of its second operating end 36 below the defined sharpening length Ls, the punching tool 3 cannot be remounted on the punch holder 2, i.e. fixed to the beating element 7 and adjusted in the axial position so as to collide in operation against the extractor element 27.

[0061] Thanks to the punching apparatus 1 of the invention, it is therefore possible to control the position of the punching element 3 with respect to the beating element 7 and to prevent operators from making incorrect adjustments, in particular in the case of excessive sharpening of the punching element 3, which could damage the extractor element and/or the punch holder 1 in operation. Hence the adjustment can be performed safely without risk of accidental errors even by inexperienced operators.

[0062] The stopping element 10 further allows to have a minimum length L2 of the engagement portion 20 of the threaded coupling between the beating element 7 and the punching tool 3 capable of guaranteeing a number of engaged threads of this engagement portion 20 that is appropriate for the force which is transmitted by the beating element 7 to the punching tool 3, and prevents the engaged threads from being excessively stressed in operation and being damaged.

[0063] Moreover the punching apparatus 1, which is provided with a locking element 10 positioned inside the connecting ends 9, 32 of the beating element 7 and the punching tool 3, is of simple, robust, and reliable construction.

[0064] With reference to FIG. 8, a variant of the punching apparatus 1 of the invention is illustrated which differs from the embodiment described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, for the punching tool 23 that comprises a single-body punch or cutting tool provided with a second connecting end 52 connected to the first connecting end 9 of the beating element 7 and a second operating end 56 opposite the second connecting end 52 and adapted to interact by means of the cutting end 56a with the piece 100. The second operating end 56 is substantially the same as that of the punch tip 33.

[0065] The second connecting end 52 comprises the stopping cavity 54 inside which the second end 12 of the stopping element 10 is slidably inserted, which is slidable inside said stopping cavity 54 during the movement of the punch 23 between the initial adjustment position A and the final adjustment position B.

[0066] At an opening of the stopping cavity 54 second stopping means 35 are provided, which are adapted to abut the first stopping means 22 of the stopping element 10 in the final adjustment position B.

[0067] The operation of this variant of the punching apparatus 1 is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0068] FIG. 9 illustrates in section another variant of the punching apparatus 1 of the invention which differs from the embodiment described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 in that the connecting cavity 45 is made in the second connecting end 42 of the punching tool 13 and comprises an outer portion 45a, threaded and adapted to receive and engage the first connecting end 19, externally threaded, of the beating element 17, and an inner portion 45b adapted to receive and fixed to the first end 11 of the stopping element 10. The second end 12 of the stopping element is slidably housed in the stopping cavity 24 made in the first connecting end 19 of the beating element 17.

[0069] At the opening of the stopping cavity 24 second stopping means 45 are provided, adapted to abut the first stopping means 22 of the stopping element 10 in the final adjustment position B.

[0070] The beating element 17 also comprises the first operating end 18 adapted to interact with the ram of the punching machine.

[0071] The punching tool 13 comprises a punch tip holder 41 or adapter provided with the second connecting end 42 and a punch tip 43 or cutting tip that is reversibly fixed to the punch tip holder 41 on the opposite side to the second connecting end 42 and provided with the second operating end 46 or cutting end adapted to interact with the piece 100 with the cutting end 36a.

[0072] Apart from the configuration of the second connecting end 42, the punch tip holder 41 and the punch tip 43 of this variant are substantially identical to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0073] The operation of this other variant of the punching apparatus 1 is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7.