Pressing System

Abstract

Apparatus for pressing blanks in a coining, stamping or press forming operation includes a rotary pressing table to which the blanks are fed, a store receptacle for the blanks and a feed system for feeding the blanks dispensed from the store receptacle to the rotary pressing table. The feed system has a guide conduit into which the blanks pass following dispensing from the store receptacle and along which the blanks are urged to file one behind another to an exit from the guide conduit. The blanks pass directly from the conduit into a receiving station of the rotary pressing table.

1 . Pressing apparatus for pressing blanks in a coining, stamping or press forming operation, the apparatus including a rotary pressing table to which the blanks are fed, a store receptacle for the blanks and a feed system for feeding the blanks dispensed from the store receptacle to the rotary pressing table, the feed system including a guide conduit into which the blanks pass following dispensing from the store receptacle and along which the blanks are urged to file one behind another to an exit from the guide conduit, the blanks passing directly from the conduit into a receiving station of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       2 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the blanks comprise disc form elements having opposed major faces and a minor dimension thickness edge. 
   
   
       3 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary pressing table has an upwardly extending axis of rotation. 
   
   
       4 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide conduit extends transversely to the axis of rotation of the pressing table. 
   
   
       5 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide conduit extends substantially horizontally. 
   
   
       6 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the blanks pass along the conduit in edge to edge file relationship. 
   
   
       7 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the blanks pass along the conduit in single file. 
   
   
       8 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion of the blank in passing into the receiving station of the rotary pressing table is in the same general direction as the motion of the blank along the conduit. 
   
   
       9 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide conduit is elongate, the blank moving in a direction in-line with the conduit in passing into the blank receiving station of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       10 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the blanks are fed directly to the guide conduit from the receptacle store, in file one behind another. 
   
   
       11 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the store receptacle includes a dispensing arrangement for dispensing the blanks in file in edge to edge relationship, to the guide conduit. 
   
   
       12 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the store receptacle includes a rotary/centrifugal feed arrangement urging the blanks to be dispensed from the store receptacle 
   
   
       13 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the feed system includes a biassing arrangement operational to bias blanks in the guide conduit in the direction of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       14 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the biassing arrangement comprises a drive arrangement operational to drive blanks in the guide conduit in the direction of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       15 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the drive arrangement includes an actuator arranged to contact the surface of the blanks in the guide conduit. 
   
   
       16 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the drive arrangement includes a non-contact device (such as a linear induction motor) operational to drive blanks in the guide conduit. 
   
   
       17 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the actuator is located adjacent the underside surface of blanks in the guide channel. 
   
   
       18 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the biassing arrangement includes an endless belt drive arranged to contact the blanks in file in the guide conduit. 
   
   
       19 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary pressing table rotates between successive positions in which blanks are urged to pass via the exit of the guide conduit into successive receiving stations of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       20 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of receiving stations are provided on the rotary pressing table, each comprising a receiving recess provided in a sector element mounted to the surface of the table. 
   
   
       21 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving stations are replaceable on the rotary table to fit receiving stations for receipt of blanks of varying dimensions. 
   
   
       22 . Pressing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary pressing table carries blanks to a pressing station where a press forming operation (such as coining or stamping) is carried out upon the blank. 
   
   
       23 . A feed system for feeding blanks from a receptacle store to a rotary pressing table, the feed system comprising a guide conduit into which the blanks pass following dispensing from the store receptacle and along which the blanks are urged to file one behind another to an exit from the guide conduit, the blanks passing directly from the conduit into a receiving station of the rotary pressing table. 
   
   
       24 . A press forming process in which blanks are fed from a receptacle store of blanks to a rotary pressing table, the blanks passing from the receptacle store into a guide conduit along which guide conduit the blanks are urged to file one behind another to an exit from the guide conduit, the blanks passing directly from the guide conduit into a receiving station of the rotary pressing table.