Press brake tool incorporating seating and/or locating mechanism

Abstract

Press brake tools suitable for punching and/or otherwise deforming workpieces, such as sheet metal. Provided in some embodiments are a press brake tool and a press brake tool holder, in combination. Methods of using press brake tools are also provided. In certain embodiments, the tool has a mechanism for locating and/or seating, such as a tool-seating mechanism adapted for moving the tool parallel to a pressing axis of a tool holder on which the tool is to be used.

1 . A press brake tool configured for being operatively mounted on a tool holder of a press brake having a pressing axis, the tool having a shank adapted for being positioned in a tool-mount channel of the tool holder such that the shank when clamped forcibly between confronting walls of the tool holder receives a force having a clamping component directed at least generally perpendicular to the pressing axis, wherein the tool has a seating mechanism that is adapted for at least partially converting said force into a seating component directed at least generally parallel to the pressing axis, and wherein the seating mechanism comprises a moveable body mounted on the tool so as to be moveable relative to a stationary portion of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       2 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the moveable body bears forcibly against a portion of the tool's shank and thereby delivers at least the seating component of said force to the tool's shank in response to said confronting walls of the tool holder clamping forcibly on the tool's shank.  
   
   
       3 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the moveable body comprises a wedge member at least a portion of which is carried alongside a cam surface of the tool's shank, the wedge member being adapted to bear forcibly against, and cam with, the cam surface so as to cause relative movement of the wedge member and the cam surface.  
   
   
       4 . The press brake tool of  claim 3  wherein said cam surface is defined by a slanted and/or radiused wall of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       5 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the seating mechanism comprises two moveable bodies mounted at least in part on opposite sides of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       6 . The press brake tool of  claim 5  wherein said two moveable bodies are wedge members that bear forcibly against, and cam with, respective cam surfaces on the tool's shank in response to said confronting walls of the tool holder clamping forcibly on said opposite sides of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       7 . The press brake tool of  claim 6  wherein the seating mechanism has an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and wherein opposed contact surfaces of said two wedge members are further apart when the seating mechanism is in its extended configuration than when the seating mechanism is in its retracted configuration.  
   
   
       8 . The press brake tool of  claim 7  wherein said opposed contact surfaces of said two wedge members move closer together in response to said confronting walls of the tool holder clamping forcibly on said opposite sides of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       9 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the moveable body is a rod member mounted slidably for axial movement relative to the stationary portion of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       10 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the moveable body is a wheel member mounted on the tool so as to be rotatably moveable relative to said stationary portion of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       11 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the tool further comprises a retractable safety key adapted for engaging a safety groove and/or shelf of the tool holder.  
   
   
       12 . The press brake tool of  claim 11  wherein the safety key is operably coupled with a moveable link member such that the safety key moves along a lateral axis of the tool in response to the link member moving along a vertical axis of the tool.  
   
   
       13 . The press brake tool of  claim 12  wherein the link member comprises a rigid rod.  
   
   
       14 . The press brake tool of  claim 12  wherein the safety key is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the link member is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the safety key moves to its retracted position in response to the link member moving to its second position, and wherein the safety key moves to its extended position in response to the link member moving to its first position.  
   
   
       15 . The press brake tool of  claim 14  wherein the link member is resiliently biased toward its first position.  
   
   
       16 . The press brake tool of  claim 15  wherein the link member is operably coupled with a selectively-operable actuator adapted for being operated at a desired time so as to move the link member to its second position thereby moving the safety key to its retracted position.  
   
   
       17 . A method of mounting a press brake tool on a tool holder of a press brake having a pressing axis, the tool holder having a tool-mount channel bounded by first and second confronting walls, wherein the first confronting wall is moveable at least in part toward the second confronting wall, the tool holder having at least one load-delivering surface, the tool having a shank and at least one load-receiving surface, wherein the tool has a seating mechanism comprising a moveable body mounted on the tool so as to be moveable relative to a stationary portion of the tool's shank, the method comprising positioning the tool's shank in the tool-mount channel and moving the first confronting wall at least in part toward the second confronting wall thereby forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls so as to deliver to the shank a force that is at least partially converted by the tool's seating mechanism into a seating component directed at least generally parallel to the pressing axis, the seating component of said force moving the tool relative to the tool holder so as to bring the load-receiving surface of the tool into engagement with the load-delivering surface of the tool holder.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls causes the moveable body to bear forcibly against a portion of the tool's shank thereby delivering at least the seating component of said force to the tool's shank.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the moveable body is a wedge member carried alongside a cam surface of the tool's shank, wherein said forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls causes the wedge member to bear forcibly against, and cam with, the cam surface of the tool's shank so as to cause relative movement of the wedge member and the cam surface.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the seating mechanism comprises two moveable bodies mounted on opposite sides of the tool's shank, wherein said two moveable bodies are wedge members, and wherein said forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls causes said two wedge members to bear forcibly against, and cam with, respective cam surfaces on the tool's shank.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls causes opposed contact surfaces of said two wedge members to move closer together.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the moveable body is a wheel member and said forcibly clamping the tool's shank between said confronting walls involves the wheel member engaging one of the confronting walls thereby causing the wheel to rotate.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the tool holder defines a safety groove that is open to the tool-mount channel, wherein the tool further comprises a retractable safety key, and the method includes moving the tool's safety key into the tool holder's safety groove.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the safety key is operably coupled with a moveable link member such that the safety key moves along a lateral axis of the tool in response to the link member moving along a vertical axis of the tool, and wherein said moving the tool's safety key into the tool holder's safety groove involves the safety key moving along said lateral axis in response to the link member moving along said vertical axis.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the safety key is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the link member is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the safety key moves to its retracted position in response to the link member moving to its second position, wherein the safety key moves to its extended position in response to the link member moving to its first position, and wherein said moving the tool's safety key into the tool holder's safety groove involves the safety key moving to its extended position in response to the link member moving to its first position.  
   
   
       26 . A press brake tool having a shank that is provided with a retractable safety key, the safety key being moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the safety key is operably coupled with a moveable link member such that the safety key moves from its extended position to its retracted position in response to the link member moving along a vertical axis of the tool.  
   
   
       27 . The press brake tool of  claim 26  wherein the link member comprises a rigid rod member.  
   
   
       28 . The press brake tool of  claim 26  wherein the link member is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the safety key moves to its retracted position in response to the link member moving to its second position, and wherein the safety key moves to its extended position in response to the link member moving to its first position.  
   
   
       29 . The press brake tool of  claim 28  wherein the link member is resiliently biased toward its first position.  
   
   
       30 . The press brake tool of  claim 29  wherein the link member is operably coupled with a selectively-operable actuator adapted for being operated at a desired time so as to overcome such resilient bias and move the link member to its second position thereby moving the safety key to its retracted position.  
   
   
       31 . The press brake tool of  claim 30  wherein the safety key is operably coupled with the link member by virtue of a male projection of the link member being slidably received in an elongated angled slot defined by the safety key, said slot extending at an angle relative to said vertical axis of the tool.  
   
   
       32 . The press brake tool of  claim 31  wherein said angle is between about 5 degrees and about 85 degrees.  
   
   
       33 . The press brake tool of  claim 31  wherein said male projection of the link member is a pin slidably received in the elongated angled slot defined by the safety key.  
   
   
       34 . A press brake tool having a shank adapted for being positioned in a tool-mount channel of a tool holder, wherein a ball member is mounted on the tool so as to be moveable relative to a stationary portion of the tool's shank, the ball member being moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein at least a portion of the ball member projects outwardly from the tool's shank when the ball member is in its extended position.  
   
   
       35 . The press brake tool of  claim 34  wherein the ball member comprises a metal sphere.  
   
   
       36 . The press brake tool of  claim 34  wherein the tool's shank has a lateral width and the ball member is a sphere having a diameter of at least about ⅕ th  said lateral width.  
   
   
       37 . The press brake tool of  claim 34  wherein the tool's shank has two generally opposed sidewalls, wherein a portion of the ball member projects outwardly from a first of said sidewalls when the ball member is in its extended position, and wherein a second of said sidewalls is at least generally planar.  
   
   
       38 . The press brake tool of  claim 37  wherein the tool includes a load-receiving surface that is at least generally planar, said load-receiving surface being at least generally perpendicular to said second of said sidewalls of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       39 . The press brake tool of  claim 34  wherein the tool's shank has a non-cylindrical configuration.  
   
   
       40 . The press brake tool of  claim 34  wherein the ball member is housed in a bore of the tool, and wherein at least part of a spring member is disposed in said bore, said spring member being adapted for resiliently biasing, either directly or via one or more other bodies, the ball member toward its extended position.  
   
   
       41 . The press brake tool of  claim 40  wherein an elongated link member is also housed in said bore, said elongated link member having opposed first and second end regions, the link member being slidable in said bore between first and second positions the ball member being slidable in said bore between its extended and retracted positions, wherein the ball member is in its extended position when the link member is in its first position, said spring member bearing forcibly against the second end region of the link member thereby resiliently biasing the link member toward its first position.  
   
   
       42 . The press brake tool of  claim 41  wherein the link member in the bore is located between the ball member and said spring member.  
   
   
       43 . The press brake tool of  claim 41  wherein the tool includes an actuator that can be operated so as to cause the link member to slide to its second position, thereby overcoming said resilient bias of the spring member and allowing the ball member to move to its retracted position.  
   
   
       44 . The press brake tool of  claim 43  wherein the actuator comprises a moveable cam body that is adapted to bear forcibly against, and cam with, a cam surface of the link member when the actuator is operated.  
   
   
       45 . The press brake tool of  claim 44  wherein the link member comprises an elongated shaft, the shaft having therein formed a notch that defines said cam surface of the link member.  
   
   
       46 . The press brake tool of  claim 41  wherein the link member comprises an elongated shaft having a concave first end region in which a portion of the ball member is nested at least when the ball member is in its extended position.  
   
   
       47 . A press brake tool configured for being operatively mounted on a tool holder of a press brake having a pressing axis, the tool having a shank adapted for being positioned in a tool-mount channel of the tool holder such that the shank when clamped forcibly between confronting walls of the tool holder receives a force having a clamping component directed at least generally perpendicular to the pressing axis, wherein the tool has a seating mechanism that is adapted for at least partially converting said force into a seating component directed at least generally parallel to the pressing axis, and wherein the seating mechanism comprises a moveable body mounted on the tool, the moveable body comprising a polymer.  
   
   
       48 . The press brake tool of  claim 47  wherein the moveable body comprises the polymer and a filler.  
   
   
       49 . The press brake tool of  claim 48  wherein the moveable body consists essentially of the polymer and filler.  
   
   
       50 . The press brake tool of  claim 48  wherein the polymer is nylon and the filler is glass.  
   
   
       51 . The press brake tool of  claim 48  wherein the moveable body comprises a wedge member at least a portion of which is carried alongside a cam surface of the tool's shank, the wedge member comprising the polymer and being adapted to bear forcibly against, and cam with, the cam surface so as to cause relative movement of the wedge member and the cam surface.  
   
   
       52 . The press brake tool of  claim 51  wherein the cam surface is defined by a metal over which a coating is provided.  
   
   
       53 . The press brake tool of  claim 52  wherein the cam surface is defined by steel over which the coating is provided.  
   
   
       54 . The press brake tool of  claim 52  wherein the coating comprises nitrogen and/or carbon.  
   
   
       55 . The press brake tool of  claim 47  wherein the tool is a punch.  
   
   
       56 . The press brake tool of  claim 47  wherein the seating mechanism comprises two moveable bodies mounted at least in part on opposite sides of the tool's shank, wherein said two moveable bodies are wedge members that bear forcibly against, and cam with, respective cam surfaces on the tool's shank in response to said confronting walls of the tool holder clamping forcibly on said opposite sides of the tool's shank, wherein each wedge member comprises the polymer, wherein the seating mechanism has an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein opposed contact surfaces of said two wedge members are further apart when the seating mechanism is in its extended configuration than when the seating mechanism is in its retracted configuration, and wherein said opposed contact surfaces of said two wedge members move closer together in response to said confronting walls of the tool holder clamping forcibly on said opposite sides of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       57 . The press brake tool of  claim 51  wherein the cam surface is defined by a slanted and/or radiused wall of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       58 . A press brake tool configured for being mounted on a tool holder of a press brake by moving a shank of the tool vertically into a tool-mount channel defined by the tool holder, wherein the tool is adapted for being dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel, and wherein the tool is not adapted for being dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool vertically out of the channel, the tool having no externally accessible actuator for retracting the safety key such that once the tool's shank is moved into an operative position in the channel of the tool holder a press brake operator is prevented from retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically from the tool holder, the press brake having a pressing axis, the tool's shank having a retractable safety key and being adapted for being positioned in the channel of the tool holder such that the shank when clamped forcibly between confronting walls of the tool holder receives a force having a clamping component directed at least generally perpendicular to the pressing axis, wherein the tool has a seating mechanism adapted for at least partially converting said force into a seating component directed at least generally parallel to the pressing axis, and wherein the seating mechanism comprises a moveable body mounted on the tool.  
   
   
       59 . The press brake tool of  claim 58  wherein the seating component of said force is adapted to move the tool relative to the tool holder so as to bring a load-bearing surface of the tool into engagement with a load-bearing surface of the tool holder.  
   
   
       60 . The press brake tool of  claim 58  wherein the tool is provided in combination with the tool holder, and wherein the tool holder has no externally accessible actuator for causing the tool's safety key to retract such that once the tool's shank is moved into the operative position in the channel of the tool holder the press brake operator is prevented from retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically from the tool holder.  
   
   
       61 . The press brake tool of  claim 60  wherein the tool has a leading body portion that terminates at a tip, the leading body portion being that portion of the tool that is not concealed by the tool holder when the tool's shank is in its operative position in the channel of the tool holder, the leading body portion of the tool being defined entirely by solid wall having no openings.