Oscillating cam feed apparatus for a press

Abstract

An input shaft of a press feed is rotated at a preselected speed and is drivingly connected to a cam that rotates with the input shaft. Continuous rotation of the cam is converted to oscillating rotational movement of a cam follower through a preselected angle of rotation. The cam follower is nonrotatably connected to an output shaft that is connected by an adjustable linkage mechanism through a pair of meshing gears to a driven feed roll. The oscillating rotational movement of the output shaft is transmitted to the driven feed roll to advance the driven feed roll in contact with stock material through a preselected degree of rotation corresponding to a preselected feed length of the stock material to the press. The feed length is adjustable by changing the length of travel of the linkage mechanism with respect to the degree of rotation of the output shaft. The driven feed roll rotates through a preselected angle in a first direction to feed a selected material, remains stationary during a first dwell period, is released from the material and rotates in the opposite direction back to the initial feed position, remains stationary for a second dwell period, and engages the material for another feed cycle. The intermittent feeding operation is coordinated with the operations of feed roll release and stock material clamping.