Patent ID: 6125520
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: B23D,B26F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A shake-and-break process for forming at least a first part and a second part from a sheet of metal stock, comprising the steps of:(a) punching elongated holes in said sheet to separate said first part from said second part, except at at least one shake-and-break location, such that said parts have opposed edges, wherein a pair of said elongated holes have terminal ends facing, from opposite directions, said shake-and-break location, and wherein said edges, at least adjacent said shake-and-break location, have a width ""w"" transverse to their axial direction;(b) at said shake-and-break location, punching a pair of axially separated pieces from the sheet so as to leave a center tab there between, wherein each said piece has one end adjoining one of the terminal ends and having a width ""w"", and an opposite end facing said tab and having a width greater than ""w"", so that oppposite ends of said tab join said first and second parts in recesses; and(c) subsequently, shaking said first and second parts so that said tabs separate from said parts at said opposite ends within the recesses.