Patent ID: 6575088
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: B30B

Abstract:
The combination of a press and lock comprising:a press frame, the press frame defining a stroke length; a press ram, the press ram being slidably connected with the press frame, the ram sliding along the stroke length; a rack, the rack being fixedly connected with the frame, the rack extending along the stroke length; a pinion block, the pinion block being connected with the ram, the pinion block being substantially fixedly connected with the ram relative to movement in a direction along the stroke length, the pinion block sliding generally perpendicular to the stroke length between open and closed positions, the pinion block being engaged with the rack in the closed position and fixing the ram at a predetermined location along the stroke length, the pinion block being disengaged from the rack in the open position and not inhibiting travel of the ram along the stroke length; a pinion actuator, the pinion actuator being operatively connected with each of the ram and the pinion block, the pinion actuator sliding the pinion block between the open and the closed positions; and a control, the control being operatively connected with the pinion actuator.