MULTI-PUNCH TOOL AND METHOD OF PUNCHING HOLE IN A PART

Abstract

A tool for punching a work piece has a multi-punch surface equipped to punch one or more hole in a work piece with interchangeable punch surfaces and uses a threaded draw bar and threaded nut, wherein the draw bar is configured to fit in die punch and maintain a punch surface relative to a die holder.

Claims

1. A tool for punching a work piece, which includes: a primary punch surface equipped to punch a hole in a work piece; a punch holder connected to the primary punch surface; a first draw bar open surface extending through said primary punch surface of a geometric cross sectional having at least two flat sides and an arcuate side interconnecting said flat sides; a die holder having a second draw bar open surface similarly geometrically configured to said first draw bar open surface which can be coaxially aligned when said punch holder is disposed adjacent said die holder; a draw bar having a threaded end, a mid-section configured with a like complementary geometrically configured to said first draw bar configuration to be longitudinally slid through said draw bar open surfaces, and an enlarged end which will not pass through said draw bar open surfaces; and a threaded nut for threaded connected to said threaded end.

2. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 1, wherein said primary punch surface includes a plurality of peripheral ridges and valleys.

3. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 1, wherein said primary punch surface is part of a primary punch member removably connected to a primary punch member receiving surface of said punch holder.

4. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 3, wherein said punch holder includes at least one secondary orifice about said punch member receiving surface and at least one secondary punch member having a punch surface removably disposed in said at least one secondary orifice.

5. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 4, which includes a back cap which is removably connected to a back of said punch holder and maintains said secondary punch member in a fixed position.

6. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 1, which further includes a thrust bearing disposed about said threaded end between said threaded nut and said die holder.

7. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 1, wherein said die holder has a front formed with an open surface to receive said primary punch surface and a work piece material as a work piece is punched.

8. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 4, wherein said die holder has a front formed with an open surface to receive said punch surfaces and a work piece material as a work piece is punched.

9. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 3, wherein said primary punch member has a third draw bar open surface which can be co-axially aligned with said first draw bar open surface when said primary punch member is disposed against said punch holder.

10. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 1, wherein said draw bar open surfaces are centrally oriented.

11. A tool for punching a work piece, which includes: a primary punch surface equipped to punch a hole in a work piece; a punch holder connected to the primary punch surface having a first draw bar open surface and includes at least one secondary orifice about said primary punch surface and at least one secondary punch member having a punch surface removably disposed in said at least one secondary orifice; a die holder having a second draw bar open surface which can be coaxially aligned with said draw bar open surface of said punch holder when said die holder is disposed adjacent said punch holder; a draw bar having a threaded end, a mid section configured with a like complementary geometrically configured to said first draw bar open surface and said second draw bar open surface to be longitudinally slid through said draw bar open surfaces, and an enlarged end which will not pass through said draw bar open surfaces; and a threaded nut threaded to said threaded end when said draw bar is inserted through said draw bar open surface.

12. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 11, wherein said primary punch surface includes a plurality of peripheral ridges and valleys.

13. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 11, wherein said primary punch surface is part of a primary punch member removably connected to a primary punch member receiving surface of said punch holder having a central open surface through coaxially aligned with said first draw bar open surface.

14. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 11, which includes a back cap which is removably connected to a back of said punch holder and maintains said secondary punch member in a fixed position.

15. The tool for punching a work piece of claim 11, wherein said draw bar open surfaces are of a geometric cross sectional having at least two flat sides and an arcuate side interconnecting said flat sides.

16. A method of punching a work piece, which includes: disposing one side of a work piece adjacent a die holder which has an open surface to receive a draw bar therethrough; disposing a second side of the work piece adjacent a die punch which has an open surface to receive the draw bar therethrough, wherein said die punch is equipped to provide one or more die punch surface; and advancing a draw bar through said open surfaces in a manner to draw said die punch against the work piece to cut one or more openings in the work piece in a single pass.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said draw bar has a threaded end, a mid-section configured with a complementary configuration to be longitudinally slid through said open surfaces with the threaded end extending out of said die holder, and an enlarged end which will not pass through the open surfaces and is disposed adjacent said punch holder, threading a threaded nut to the draw bar to cause said advancing of said draw bar.

18. The method of claim 17, which includes employing a thrust bearing between said threaded nut and said die holder.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the work piece is formed to have an open surface to receive the draw bar therethrough.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the instant invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the instant invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the instant invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the instant invention through line E-E of FIG. 3.

[0033] FIG. 5 is an end view illustrating the instant invention.

[0034] FIG. 6 is a sectional view through line A-A of FIG. 5.

[0035] FIG. 7 is a sectional view through line B-B of FIG. 5.

[0036] FIG. 8 is a sectional view through line C-C of FIG. 3.

[0037] FIG. 9 is another end view of the instant invention.

[0038] FIG. 10 depicts a work piece predrilled with an opening.

[0039] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the work piece formed by the instant invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] Referring now to the drawings instant invention, there is provided a convenient tool which will enable cut-outs (knock-outs) from metal plates, for example, more readily and thus enable installation in a timely fashion with high degree of accuracy. Accordingly, the invention provides a multi-punch tool which is generally designated by the numeral 10. The tool 10 can be hand operated or power assisted, for forming at least one opening 11 in a work piece 12, such as a metal plate.

[0041] The invention also provides for a method employing the tool 10 for punching one or more hole 11,13 in the work piece 12. The work piece 10 can be a cover or wall part for an electrical, communication, construction frame or panel that requires one or multiple holes.

[0042] The tool 10 includes a primary punch surface 14 equipped to punch a hole 11 in a work piece 12. Secondary punch surfaces 32 can punch holes 13. These holes have been referred to in the industry as knock-outs which were heretofore made one hole at a time with some standardize round hole tooling, such as a drill bit. The primary punch surface 14 is part of a primary punch member 16 which is removably connected to a punch holder 18 and seated in recessed receiving surface 17. It is contemplated that the primary punch surface 14 could be integrally part of the punch holder 18, though here it is shown as part of the primary punch member 16 to enable interchangeability.

[0043] In each of the primary punch member 16 and punch holder 18 there is a respective draw bar open surface 20 and 22, which can be centrally oriented. Again, the primary punch surface 14 can be part of separate primary punch member 16 removably connected to the punch holder 18 and include a plurality of peripheral ridges 24 and valleys 26. In the exemplary embodiment, the ridges 24 are disposed in corners 25 with valleys 26 disposed in medial areas 27 between the corners 25. When the primary punch member 16 and punch holder 18 are connected, the draw bar open surfaces 20 and 22 are coaxially aligned.

[0044] The punch holder 18 can include a plurality of secondary orifices 28 which are positioned about a recessed receiving surface 17 for the primary punch member 16. The primary punch member 16 has threaded open surfaces 19 to receive head cap screws 21 which secure the primary punch member 16 to the punch holder 18. A urethane stripper member 23 can be employed between the primary punch member 16 and the work piece 12 to assist in removing work piece material from secondary punch members 30.

[0045] The secondary orifices 28 can receive secondary punch members 30 having punch surfaces 32, and in the case of multiple holes 11, 13 being required to be punched in a grouping, the secondary punch members surfaces 32 are equipped to punch multiple holes 13 in a predetermined orientation providing accuracy from hole 11 and with respect to each other hole 13.

[0046] There is a die holder 34 which has a front 36 formed with an open surface 38 large enough to receive the primary punch surface 14 and secondary punch surfaces 32 as well as cut out material of work piece 12 as it is punched as will be described. The die holder 34 has a draw bar open surface 40 and coaxially aligns with the draw bar open surfaces 20 and 22 of the primary punch member 16 and punch holder 18, respectively. The draw bar open surfaces 20 and 40 are preferably formed with a unique geometric cross-sectional shape. In this regard, the cross-sectional shape have at least a plurality of flat connected surfaces 42 and in a preferred embodiment an arcuate surface 44 as well. In a preferred embodiment there are three flat surfaces 42 with one arcuate surface 44 interconnecting two of the flat surfaces 42.

[0047] A draw bar 46 is provided which has a threaded end 48, a mid-ection 50 configured with a complementary cross section configuration to be longitudinally slid through the draw bar open surfaces 20 and 40, and an enlarged end 52 which will not pass through the draw bar open surfaces 20 and 40 but will pass through draw bar open surface 22. Enlarged end 52 has a collar 53 which seats against punch holder 18.

[0048] Upon the die holder front 36, primary punch surface 14 of primary punch member 16, and punch holder 18 being held in position as seen in the drawings, with the pull bar open surfaces 20, 22 and 40 coaxially aligned, the draw bar 46 can be inserted through a back 60 of the punch holder 18, through the primary punch member 18, and die holder 34 with the threaded end 48 extending outside a back 62 of the die holder 34.

[0049] As seen in FIG. 8, the draw bar 46 cross section has a plurality of sides to form a partial polygon with three sides 42 and an interconnected arcuate portion 44. Providing this configuration lends strength to the draw bar 46 while accomplishing its task in maintaining relative position of the punch holder 18 and die holder 34. It is noted that the work piece 12 to be punched will be placed between the primary punch surface 14 and the front 36 of the die holder 34, with the work piece 12 having at least been predrilled with an open surface 15 to receive the draw bar 46 therethrough.

[0050] A threaded nut 70 preferably along with a thrust bearing 72 can be disposed on the draw bar 46. Upon threading the nut 70, the thrust bearing 72 causes the draw bar 46 to axially move therethrough and draw the punch holder 18, primary punch member 16 with primary punch surface 14 and optional secondary punch surface 32 into engagement with the work piece 12. Continued threading results in piercing or punching the work piece 12 to produce the desired knockout geometry.

[0051] In the case of the introduction of secondary punch members 30, these can be inserted through the secondary orifices 28 and are configured with one end 31 having the punch surface which extends through the secondary orifice 28 and its other end 33 larger than the secondary orifice 28 and prevented from passing therethrough. In this case, a back cap 80 is provided which is removably connected to the 60 back of the punch holder 18 and maintains the secondary punch members 30 in place when secured. In this regard, there are through holes 82 in back cap 80 and threaded open surfaces extending into back 60 of punch holder 18 which receive threaded socket head cap screw 90. Additionally, there are recessed surfaces 84 for receiving head cap screws 30 and recessed surface 86 for receiving draw bar collar 53.

[0052] Accordingly, the invention the provides single tool, with associated grouping of holes, that relates to a component or group of components that enables the position, orientation, control size and tolerances from one geometry to another. The tool of the instant invention is held with more accuracy than the conventional methods which produce one hole at a time. This method does not require any automated equipment to achieve its objective, though it is able to be assisted with power if desired.

[0053] While prior to the current invention, it is common practice in the industry to furnish an installer just a simple layout sketch to produce the desire geometry to install the target components in an opening of a machine, panel, wall, etc. This would result in many of the cons described above and at a cost of time, damage electrical components, repairing or scrapping out panels due to installer's inaccuracy and mistakes.

[0054] Thus, this invention has been conceived to remove many of the potentials for mistakes, damage and loss of time by incorporating a grouping of geometries required for such devices to be mounted. Many of the manufactures of these components use the same grouping of geometries, such as that shown in FIG. 10 for similar mounting of various components. Such geometry as a duplex outlet for household home uses the same geometry from one manufacturer to another (thus having a standard geometry across the industry). Therefore, this invention uses these standardized geometries to develop a tool to produce the mounting geometry in a panel or machine for various components.

[0055] While the instant invention has been described with the above exemplary disclosure, it is not intended to be limiting in the claims appended hereto. According the claims are to be afforded a scope encompassing modifications, derivations and improvements thereof.

[0056] What is claimed is: