The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 25, 1999
Sukhminder S. Grewal, New Haven, CT (US);
Stephen R. Demichele, Pittsford, VT (US);
Richard L. Couture, Castleton, VT (US);
General Electric COmpany, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for operating a press, such as a forge or trim press, are directed at activating a ram in a press having a lower die and an upper die connected to a ram by heating a workpiece to a first temperature above an impact temperature. The workpiece then is placed on the lower die, monitored during chill down of the workpiece from the first temperature, and the ram actuated based upon the monitoring in a controlled manner to effect an impact of the upper die against the workpiece. The monitoring includes measuring a characteristic parameter of the workpiece and the actuating includes actuating the ram after a predetermined fixed value of the measured parameter is measured. The placing of the workpiece on the lower die is done manually in the preferred embodiment. In a more particular embodiment, the characteristic parameter is a contact time period of the workpiece with the lower die and the measuring includes starting to measure the contact time period of the workpiece with the lower die as soon as contact is made between the workpiece and the lower die, and actuating the ram to effect the impact occur at a predetermined fixed period of time after the contact is made.