Cam actuated ejector for a shell press

Abstract

A cam actuated ejector is provided with a shell press having a crankshaft for reciprocating a slide to which die tooling is mounted and having a forming station in which the die tooling forms a part to be ejected. The ejector includes a kicker bar slidably received within a recess in the press and which is in close proximity to and substantially coplanar with a part to be ejected. The kicker bar is positively reciprocated by a cam assembly that is synchronously engaged with the crankshaft, which operates the press slide, such that an end of the kicker bar cyclically moves at a first rate of movement from a first position outside the forming station to an intermediate position wherein the end contacts a part to be ejected. The cam assembly continues to advance the kicker bar at a second rate of movement greater than the first rate from the intermediate position to a second position to eject the part and thereafter the cam assembly rapidly withdraws the kicker bar end from the second position to the first position to clear the die area and to ready it for subsequent cyclic ejection of other formed parts. The different timed rates of movement of the kicker bar are provided by selectively contouring the cam surfaces within the cam assembly to contact the part at an optimum speed and to provide positive drive to the kicker bar throughout its cyclic movements.