Press brake tooling technology

Abstract

The invention provides press brake and press brake tooling technology. Certain embodiments of the invention provide a press brake tool that has an elongated, retractable safety key. In certain embodiments, the invention provides click-in/slide-out press brake tools. In some of these embodiments, the tool has a safety key defining a flat (i.e., a planar wall section/planar surface) that is adapted for sliding along a surface of a tool holder when the tool is dismounted from the holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the holder. In certain embodiments, the flat has a longitudinal length of at least about 0.008 inch (in some cases, at least about 0.010 inch, at least about 0.015 inch, or at least about 0.020 inch), ranging up to the full longitudinal length of the tool. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a press brake tool and a tool holder in combination. Finally, the invention in some embodiments provides methods of press brake operation.

1 . A press brake tool that is adapted for being mounted in a tool holder by moving the tool vertically into a 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 a shank that is provided with a safety key, wherein the safety key is biased toward an extended position when the shank is moved to an operative position in the channel of the tool holder, and wherein the tool has no externally accessible actuator for retracting the safety key such that once the tool's shank is moved into its 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.  
   
   
       2 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  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 shank is in its operative position in the channel of the tool holder, wherein either the leading body portion of the tool is defined entirely by solid wall having no openings or any opening defined by a wall of the leading body portion is closed by a cover fixedly secured to the tool.  
   
   
       3 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the tool includes a spring member that biases the safety key toward said extended position.  
   
   
       4 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the safety key defines a flat that is adapted to slide along a planar surface of the tool holder when the tool is dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel, wherein the flat reduces gouging of said planar surface resulting from such sliding.  
   
   
       5 . The press brake tool of  claim 4  wherein the flat defines an elongated contact surface having a longitudinal length of at least about 0.008 inch.  
   
   
       6 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the tool's shank is provided with a plurality of safety keys spaced along a longitudinal length of the tool's shank, wherein each safety key defines a flat that is adapted to slide along a planar surface of the tool holder when the tool is dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel.  
   
   
       7 . The press brake tool of  claim 1  wherein the tool's shank has a longitudinal length and the safety key is an elongated safety key spanning a major portion of the longitudinal length of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       8 . The press brake tool of  claim 7  wherein the elongated safety key comprises a single integral body spanning substantially the entire longitudinal length of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       9 . A press brake tool that is adapted for being mounted in a tool holder by moving the tool vertically into a 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 by moving the tool vertically out of the channel, the tool having a shank that is provided with a safety key, wherein the safety key is biased toward an extended position when the shank is moved to an operative position in the channel of the tool holder, wherein the tool has no externally accessible actuator for retracting the safety key such that once the tool's shank is moved into its operative position a press brake operator is prevented from retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically from the tool holder, and wherein the safety key defines a flat that is adapted to slide along a planar surface of the tool holder when the tool is dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel.  
   
   
       10 . A press brake tool that is adapted for being mounted in a tool holder by securing a shank of the tool in a channel defined by the tool holder, wherein the tool's shank is provided with a retractable safety key, and wherein the tool's shank has a longitudinal length and the retractable safety key spans substantially the entire longitudinal length of the tool's shank.  
   
   
       11 . A press brake tool and a tool holder in combination, wherein the press brake tool has a shank mounted in a channel defined by the tool holder, the shank having a retractable safety key, the safety key being in an extended position and being engaged with a safety slot defined by the tool holder, wherein the tool has no externally accessible actuator for retracting the thus extended safety key such that a press brake operator is prevented from retracting the safety key and removing the thus operatively positioned tool vertically from the tool holder.  
   
   
       12 . The press brake tool of  claim 11  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, wherein either the leading body portion of the tool is defined entirely by solid wall having no openings or any opening defined by a wall of the leading body portion is closed by a cover fixedly secured to the tool.  
   
   
       13 . A method of press brake operation, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a press brake tool that is adapted for being mounted in a tool holder by moving the tool vertically into a 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 by moving the tool vertically out of the channel, the tool having a shank that is provided with a safety key, wherein the safety key is biased toward an extended position when the shank is moved to an operative position in the channel of the tool holder, and wherein the tool has no externally accessible actuator for retracting the safety key, such that once the tool's shank is moved into its operative position a press brake operator is prevented from retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically from the tool holder;    b) providing a tool holder that defines a channel and a safety slot; and    c) mounting the press brake tool in the tool holder by moving the tool vertically into an operative position in the channel of the tool holder, such that the safety key is biased toward and thereby moved into, an extended position wherein the safety key is engaged with the safety slot.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising dismounting the tool from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel.  
   
   
       15 . A press brake tool adapted for being mounted in a tool holder by moving the tool vertically upwardly into a downwardly open channel of the tool holder, wherein the tool is adapted for being dismounted from the tool holder by moving the tool horizontally out of the channel, the tool comprising a body and a shank, wherein the shank arises from the body and is fully receivable in the channel of the tool holder, the shank carrying a safety key that is spring-biased toward an extended position for engaging a shoulder of the channel to prevent downward movement of the tool when the shank is fully received in the channel, the body of the tool being devoid of any manually operable externally accessible mechanism for retracting the safety key such that when the tool is fully received in the channel a press brake operator is without means for retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically downwardly from the tool holder.  
   
   
       16 . A press brake tool and a tool holder therefore, the tool holder having a downwardly open channel with an interior shoulder, the tool comprising a body and a shank, wherein the shank arises from the body and is fully receivable in the channel of the tool holder, the shank carrying a safety key that is spring-biased toward an extended position to engage the shoulder of the channel to prevent downward movement of the tool when the shank is fully received in the channel, the body of the tool being devoid of any manually operable readily accessible mechanism for retracting the safety key such that when the tool is fully received in the channel a press brake operator is without means for retracting the safety key and removing the tool vertically downwardly from the tool holder.