Patent ID: 6760963
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: B21D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A die for a ductile sheet material lance joiner, comprising:a) a die anvil, the anvil having an anvil surface; b) at least two die blades around the anvil, the blades extending in a longitudinal direction, generally above and below opposite sides of the anvil surface and forming with the anvil surface a die aperture for a die punch, each die blade being arranged to move away from the anvil to open up the die aperture when ductile material is forced in the longitudinal direction into the die aperture and against the anvil by a die punch, and each die blade having a cutting edge above the anvil surface and facing towards the die aperture for cutting through ductile material to make a lance joint when said ductile material is forced into the die aperture; and c) at least one biasing means by which the die blades are biased towards the anvil to constrict the die aperture; wherein each die blade can be removed from the anvil and then returned to the anvil in such a way that each die blade is essentially rotated relative to the anvil surface about the longitudinal direction to present a different cutting edge above the anvil surface and facing towards the die aperture.