Eastman Machine Company

Michael M Karalunas

John H Buscher

Michael E Hoffman

A punching machine comprising a housing, a plunger having a punch at one end, and an electromechanical drive such as a solenoid carried by the housing and operatively connected to the plunger for driving the plunger in a direction along the longitudinal axis thereof when electrically energized to drive the punch into a workpiece and then withdraw the punch therefrom. The plunger is disposed in a housing passage in a manner permitting a degree of rocking movement of the plunger in a plane substantially parallel to the plunger longitudinal axis. A flexible guiding device in the form of a sleeve surrounding the plunger and an O-ring engaging the sleeve and the housing guides the plunger in a direction toward and away from the workpiece and also in the direction of the rocking movement. Electric current is supplied to the electromechanical drive by a circuit including a controlled rectifier connected in controlling relation to the drive and having a gate terminal connected to trigger pulse producing device. The trigger pulse producing device, in turn, is operated by a control circuit in response to control inputs, for example repetitively in response to movement of the machine along the workpiece or, alternatively, singly for only one punching in response to another control input.

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Buffalo, NY, United States of America

Michael M Karalunas