Patent ID: 6868767
Filing Date: 2005-03-22
Classification: B21D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A press assembly for punching and forming operations on sheet material, comprising: a central frame; sheet material positioning means supported by the central frame for positioning the sheet material to determined positions within an x-y axis plane of travel; a punch head supported by the sheet material positioning means for imparting a punching force, the punch head thereby positionable with respect to the central frame by movement of the sheet material positioning means; grouping support means for groupingly supporting a plurality of processing tools; punch head positioning means supported by the sheet material positioning means for operably positioning the punch head adjacent the grouping support means; and transmitting means supported by the punch head and operably interposed between the punch head and the processing tools for selectively transmitting the punching force of the punch head to one or more processing tools, wherein the punching force can be transmitted simultaneously to adjacent processing tools within the grouping support means, where in the punching force can be transmitted simultaneously to non-adjacent processing tools within the grouping support means, and wherein the punching force can be transmitted individually to each of the plurality of processing tools within the grouping support means.