Patent ID: 6296466
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: B29C,B31B,F16P

Abstract:
An apparatus for forming an article from a sheet of material, the apparatus comprising:a female die having an opening intersecting one end thereof;a male die shaped such that at least a portion of the male die is positionable in the opening of the female die, the male die and the female die movable relative to one another between a discharge position wherein the male die is removed from the opening of the female die such that the sheet of material is positionable between the male die and the female die and a forming position wherein at least a portion of the male die is disposed in the opening of the female die so as to form the article from the sheet of material positioned between the male die and the female die, the range of motion of the male die relative to the female die defining a zone of operation of the male die and the female die;a presence sensing assembly positioned relative to the male die and the female die such that the presence sensing assembly forms a presence sensing curtain between an operator's station and the zone of operation of the male die and the female die; andcontrol means for initiating an article forming sequence, wherein the male die and the female die are moved from the discharge position to the forming position to form the article from the sheet of material and subsequently returned to the discharge position, in response to the operator clearing the presence sensing curtain subsequent to the operator breaking the presence sensing curtain while positioning the sheet of material between the male die and the female die.