Sheet metal positioning assembly for use with a sheet metal brake

Abstract

An assembly for positioning sheet metal on a sheet metal brake includes a coarse adjustment mechanism and a fine adjustment mechanism for respectively setting approximate and accurate positions of the sheet metal. Preferably, a mounting structure is removably mountable on front and rear beams of the brake via a pair of respective clamping mechanisms connected to respective mounting legs extending from a hollow tube. One mounting leg is movably connected to the tube for adjusting spacing between the mounting legs to facilitate mounting on the beams. A support arm is slidably received by the hollow tube to provide coarse adjustment. The support arm includes an upwardly extending portion on which is disposed a shelf for supporting an edge of the sheet metal. A threaded member threadably engages the upper portion of the support arm to finely adjust the position of the shelf and piece of sheet metal.

1 . An apparatus for use with a sheet metal brake having a front and a rear and defining an axial direction extending from the front to the rear, the apparatus comprising: 
 a movable sheet metal-engaging member adapted to move in the axial direction when used with the sheet metal brake; the sheet metal-engaging member being adapted to facilitate positioning of a piece of sheet metal on the brake in the axial direction; and    a fine adjustment mechanism for moving the sheet metal-engaging member in the axial direction to a desired position.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a coarse adjustment mechanism for moving the sheet metal-engaging member in the axial direction to a position adjacent the desired position.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the coarse adjustment mechanism includes an adjustable member adapted to move in the axial direction when used with the sheet metal brake; and wherein the sheet metal-engaging member is movably mounted on the adjustable member.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the fine adjustment mechanism includes a threaded member which threadably engages the adjustable member to move the sheet metal-engaging member.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the sheet metal-engaging member is pivotally connected to the adjustable member.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further including a mounting structure adapted to mount on the sheet metal brake; and wherein the adjustable member is movably mounted on the mounting structure.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the adjustable member includes an elongated portion which in use with the brake is elongated in the axial direction; wherein the adjustable member includes an upwardly extending portion mounted on the elongated portion and having an upper end; and wherein the sheet metal-engaging member is movably mounted on the upwardly extending portion adjacent the upper end thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the elongated portion of the adjustable member selectively slidably engages the mounting structure.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the mounting structure defines an interior chamber within which the elongated portion of the adjustable member is selectively slidably received.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further including a structure adapted to be positioned in fixed relation with respect to the sheet metal brake while in use therewith; and wherein the sheet metal-engaging member is movably mounted on the structure.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the structure is adapted to be removably mountable on the brake.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the structure is adapted to mount on the sheet metal brake.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the structure includes at least one mounting mechanism adapted to mount on the brake.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the at least one mounting mechanism includes a clamping mechanism adapted to clamp to the brake.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the at least one mounting mechanism includes first and second mounting mechanisms which are movable with respect to one another in the axial direction to selectively adjust spacing between the first and second mounting mechanisms.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the structure includes a pair of mounting members adapted to mount on the brake; and wherein each of the mounting members is vertically adjustable to adjust the height of the sheet metal-engaging member.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the structure is adapted for mounting on spaced front and rear elongated beams of the sheet metal brake.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the rigid structure includes a front mounting member adapted for mounting on the front beam and a rear mounting member adapted for mounting on the rear beam.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein spacing between the front and rear mounting members is adjustable whereby the structure is adapted to generally align the front and rear mounting members respectively with the front and rear beams.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein a front clamping mechanism is mounted on the front mounting member and a rear clamping mechanism is mounted on the rear mounting member; wherein the front clamping mechanism has a front throat adapted to open toward a front of the brake with the front beam of the brake receivable therein; and wherein the rear clamping mechanism has a rear throat adapted to open toward the rear of the brake with the rear beam of the brake receivable therein.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sheet metal-engaging member is vertically adjustable whereby the sheet metal-engaging member is adapted to engage the piece of sheet metal at a height suited to dimensions of the sheet metal brake.  
   
   
       22 . A sheet metal-positioning assembly for use with a sheet metal brake, the assembly comprising: 
 a mounting structure adapted to mount on the sheet metal brake; the mounting structure including a pair of spaced upwardly extending mounting legs;    a mounting mechanism mounted on each mounting leg and adapted to mount the respective leg to the brake;    a support arm having an elongated first portion and an upwardly extending portion mounted on the first portion; the elongated first portion selectively movably engaging the mounting structure to provide coarse adjustment of the support arm;    a sheet metal-engaging member movably mounted on the upwardly extending portion of the support arm and adapted to facilitate positioning of a piece of sheet metal on the brake at a desired location; and    a fine adjustment mechanism mounted on the upwardly extending portion of the support arm for moving the sheet metal-engaging member to a desired position.    
   
   
       23 . A sheet metal-positioning assembly for use with a sheet metal brake, the assembly comprising: 
 a mounting structure adapted to mount on the sheet metal brake;    an adjustable member selectively movably engaging the mounting structure; the adjustable member including an upwardly extending portion;    a coarse adjustment mechanism to provide coarse adjustment of the adjustable member;    a first securing mechanism for selectively securing the adjustable member at a selected position;    a sheet metal-engaging member movably mounted on the upwardly extending portion of the adjustable member and adapted to facilitate positioning of a piece of sheet metal on the brake at a desired location;    a fine adjustment mechanism mounted on the upwardly extending portion of the adjustable member for moving the sheet metal-engaging member to a desired position; and    a second securing mechanism for securing the sheet metal-engaging member at the desired position.