Patent ID: 6568306
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B21D,B23D,B26F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for punching an aperture of selected geometry in a wall of a component, the apparatus comprising:a frame for supporting said component; a tool and die assembly releaseably securable to said frame and having a punch operatively coupled to a mandrel, said tool and die assembly comprising a male die member and a female die member cooperating to form said aperture in said wall, one of said members being coupled to said mandrel and the other of said members being coupled to said punch, said mandrel being releasably securable to a portion of said frame and said punch being releasably securable to another portion of said frame such that the longitudinal axis of said mandrel is placed in a fixed position relative to the longitudinal axis of said punch once each of said mandrel and said punch is secured to said frame; wherein the male and female portions of said tool and die assembly are interchangeable as a set and aligned in a fixed position relative to one another once said mandrel and said punch are secured, the male and female portions cooperating to provide a selected one of a plurality of predetermined aperture geometries in said wall.