The Minster Machine Company

Other

The Minster Machine

Edward A Daniel

Bradley A Burns

Frederick C Bergman

John B Bornhorst

Richard J Oen

W Craig Brewer

William C Brewer

Robert L Schockman

Brian A Watercutter

Daniel L Keller

Norman J Couchot

Kevin J Evers

Russell W Palmer

Dale A Homan

Brian R Silverstein

Rick Oen

A guide system is provided to slidingly guide a reciprocating dynamic balancer weight within a press machine. An elongate stationary guide rail is disposed within a vertical channel formed at one side of the balancer mass. In this configuration, the guide rail is arranged in guide support relationship to the balancer mass. An arrangement of wear plates is mounted to the guide rail to provide additional bearing support to the reciprocating balancer mass. An arrangement of hydrostatic pads is mounted to the guide rail in facing opposition to the balancer mass to enable the formation of a hydrodynamic/hydrostatic lubricating action therebetween during reciprocation of the balancer mass. A machined steel plate is secured to the balancer mass at the same side where the guide rail is located and includes a set of lateral apertures formed therethrough that receive guide support members extending therethrough. The guide support members anchor the guide rail to the press crown.

T-gib dynamic balancer weight guide

A shutheight adjustment system incorporating tie rods and accompanying hydraulic tie rod nut assemblies in connecting a bed to a bolster of a mechanical press for dynamically altering the tensioning of the tie rods. Each hydraulic tie rod nut assembly includes a cylinder with an inner sliding piston threadably engaging the tie rod. A pressurizing mechanism injects pressurized fluid within a chamber formed by the piston and cylinder. By increasing pressure within the chamber of the hydraulic tie rod nut assembly, compression between the press bed and press bolster may be increased, thereby increasing the press shutheight.

Press shutheight adjustment using bolster hydraulic tie rod assemblies

A wet-type flywheel brake system for use in a mechanical press includes a first and second brake assembly each installed within a respective brake housing space defined in a non-rotational quill. Each of the brake assemblies includes a brake lining element arranged in lateral facing relationship with the flywheel and an associated hydraulic seal-type piston that selectively moves the brake lining element into a friction-type braking engagement with the flywheel. The brake housing spaces are flooded with oil to immerse the brake lining elements. Oil for this purpose is provided from a flywheel bearing assembly integrated with the quill assembly and which is arranged for fluid communication with the quill-located brake housing spaces.

Wet-type flywheel brake integrated into oil film quill

A mechanical press having a wet clutch/brake assembly. The wet clutch/brake assembly is cooled and lubricated using a recirculating flow of lubricant. The entire press acts as a heat sink for the recirculating lubricant and effectively cools and lubricates the clutch/brake assembly. The recirculating flow of lubricant can be formed from press lubricant.

Wet clutch/brake adapted to access press lubricant

A plurality of hydrostatic bearing pads are each integrally formed in a respective pin or journal member being used within a mechanical press machine. The hydrostatic bearing pads are supplied with pressurized fluid sufficient to create a combined hydrostatic and hydrodynamic effect between the opposed bearing surfaces of the pin and an associated bushing. The hydrostatic bearing pads are used in conjunction with rotational and oscillating bearings in which relatively little rotation, oscillation, or slow rotational speeds exist or where it is desired to minimize the effects of hydrodynamic action which creates bearing &ldquo;lift off&rdquo; on journal bearings. These types of bearings are particularly associated with crankshaft and connection journal bearings, connection pins, and pivot pins used by a rocker-type coupling assembly that couples a weight assembly to the press machine piston or slide assembly or drive assembly.

Press bearing lubrication system

A mechanical press having a wet or oil shear clutch/brake drive unit is provided including elimination of undamped clearances. Lubrication oil utilized in the press flywheel bearing is ported and communicated into the clutch brake unit for use therein, eliminating the use of two separate lubrication or oil transport systems. A hydrostatic oil bearing on the brake/clutch actuator member (actuation plate) eliminates the use or need of an anti-friction bearing between the actuator member and the brake and clutch members.

Wet clutch/brake for a mechanical press

A flywheel quill with thrust plate and axial rotor guiding. Bronze thrust plates are attached to the hub of a flywheel and hydrostatic pads secured to the frame of a press are adjoining the bronze thrust plates, such that axial motion of the flywheel with attached thrust plates is limited and reduced.

Flywheel quill with thrust plates and axial rotor guiding

A fluid control system for a rotating shaft which provides a seal to limit fluid leakage from around the shaft and which vacuums away any fluid leaking past the provided seal. The fluid control system may be installed around a rotating shaft such as a flywheel in a press. The fluid control system includes a housing which forms a clearance space with the rotating shaft in which fluid, such as oil being used to create or service the flywheel bearing, can be collected. A seal is provided between the rotating shaft and the housing to prevent fluid leakage from the clearance space. A vacuum mechanism positioned along a leakage path beyond the seal is provided with an air duct through which passes a vacuum induced air flow which vacuums away fluid leaked from the seal. The air duct is preferably configured to include a radial clearance between a portion of the fluid collection system and the rotating shaft such that relative axial movement therebetween does not compromise the vacuuming capabilities of the vacuum mechanism, and therefore the fluid collection system can be employed with axially reciprocating or moving rotating shafts.

Fluid control system for rotating shaft or flywheel

An adjustment stroke connection for a mechanical press with an eccentric bushing is disposed within a press connection member with a second eccentric member disposed within the eccentric bushing. A rotatable crankshaft is connected to the second eccentric member. A mechanism is included for connecting the eccentric bushing with the press connection member to prevent rotation therebetween and permitting rotation of the second eccentric member with the eccentric bushing whereby rotation of the crankshaft, when the mechanism is activated, causes a press stroke adjustment.

Adjustable stroke connection

The invention includes a press having two slides disposed in opposed relationship to each other with a single crankshaft connected to each slide whereby rotation of the crankshaft causes each slide to move toward and away from the other slide. A drive mechanism is utilized to rotate the crankshaft. The drive mechanism is located under the two slides to provide protection against oil leaks. Dynamic balancers are utilized to substantially balance press inertia forces during operation, to where over 90 percent of vertical press inertia forces are balanced. By balancing such press inertial, the press may be stopped within one crankshaft revolution.

Underdrive opposing action press

A dynamic oil control mechanism for a press including a vacuum inducing ejector or jet-pump to vacuum oil leaking from about an oil seal. The oil seal is located around the drive piston on the press slide to prevent oil migration from the press crown to the die area or slide of the press. A drain port is located about the housing in which the drive piston reciprocates. The ejector maintains a low pressure area within the drain port to pull oil leaking from the seal into the drain port and away from the drive piston. The vacuumed oil is then transferred to an oil reservoir.

Method for controlling oil in a press

A mechanical press having a very precise shutheight control system is disclosed. The press includes a bed connected to a frame with a slide connected with the frame for reciprocating motion opposing the bed. The slide and bed together define a shutheight of the press. A drive mechanism is attached to the frame for driving the reciprocating slide, the drive mechanism includes a drive piston and a tie rod. The shutheight control system includes a chamber located between the drive piston and tie rod with a pressurizing mechanism in communication with the chamber for selectively pressurizing the chamber with a predetermined pressure. The pressurizing mechanism causes the tie rod to one of expand and contract to thereby control press shutheight.

Press shutheight control through hydraulic pressure

A mechanical press having a very precise shutheight control system. The press includes a bed connected to a frame with a slide connected with the frame for reciprocating motion opposing the bed. The slide and bed together define a shutheight of the press. A drive mechanism is attached to the frame for driving the reciprocating slide, the drive mechanism includes a drive piston and a tie rod. The shutheight control system includes a chamber located between the drive piston and tie rod with a pressurizing mechanism in communication with the chamber for selectively pressurizing the chamber with a predetermined pressure. The pressurizing mechanism causes the tie rod to one of expand and contract to thereby control press shutheight.

The invention pertains to a press comprising, a drive mechanism, a slide and at least two connecting rods connecting between the drive mechanism and the slide for reciprocally driving the slide. At least two fluid valves are connected to respective connecting rods and manifolded together with a hydraulic chamber disposed in or adjacent the connecting rods. An electrically adjustable proportional valve is connected to the fluid valves which operate to vary the pressure at which the fluid valves open to unload the slide. A variable system pressurizing mechanism for pressuring said chambers to a predetermined system pressure is utilized while the mechanism may unload the slide if pressure within a hydraulic chamber exceeds a predetermined system pressure. A variable relief mechanism automatically relieves pressure within the hydraulic chambers dependent on an operating state of the press.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Loramie, OH, United States of America

Edward A Daniel