Patent GB-1016225-A (GB)
Title: Control means for hydraulic shears
Inventor: BEARD JACK HERBERT
IPC: B23D15/14
Filed: 1963-10-18
Abstract: 1,016,225. Shearing. DAVY & UNITED ENGINEERING CO. Ltd. Oct.12, 1964 [Oct. 18, 1963], No. 41260/63. Heading B3W. A shear has independent first and second blade holders guided along parallel paths, a return single-acting piston - and - cylinder assembly coupled to the first blade holder to effect withdrawal of that blade holder away from the second blade holder, a gag movable parallel to the first blade-holder by a piston-andcylinder assembly, the gag and first blade holder abutting so that the gag drives the first blade holder towards the second blade holder, while the gag is free to move relative to the first blade holder in the opposite direction and movement of the first blade holder away from the second blade holder drives the gag with it, and a power piston and cylinder assembly arranged to drive the second blade holder towards the first blade holder to shear a workpiece. The frame of the shear comprises four columns 1 joined by upper and lower beams 2, 3. Between the beams is a shear frame 6 which has guides 7 for a lower blade holder 20 and an upper blade holder 44. The lower blade holder 20 is raised by two single-acting hydraulic cylinders 23, the rams 24 of which have spherical endsurfaces 31 seating on similar surfaces on the underside of washers 32 bearing on the bladeholder to accommodate tilting of the bladeholder. The upper blade holder 44 is connected to the ram 46 of a single hydraulic cylinder 47 by a similar spherical seating washer. A port 50 leads from the cylinder 47 to a fluid reservoir 51, the port being controlled by a valve 53 which normally allows fluid to pass only from the reservoir 51 to the cylinder 47 but which can be opened to exhaust the cylinder. The upper blade holder 44 is also connected to the piston-rods 57 of two single-acting hydraulic cylinders 55 which each have a fluid inlet and outlet port 56B and an atmospheric vent 56A. A gag 60 is situated immediately above the lower blade holder 20 and is carried on a pair of rods 61 which pass through the upper blade holder and have heads 62 which seat on shoulders 63 formed in the blade holder. The gag is moved downwards by piston-rods 64 working in two single-acting cylinders 65 which have fluid inlet and outlet ports 66. The supply and exhaust of fluid to the cylinders is controlled by solenoid-operated valves 73 and 81 and a pressure-operated sequence valve 74. A pump 67 supplies fluid to the cylinders 55 to maintain a permanent upward bias to the top bladeholder 44. A pump 70 supplies pressure-fluid to the bottom blade cylinders 23, to the gag cylinders 65 and to means for opening the valve 53. Operation.-When solenoids 77 and 83 are energized pressure fluid passes via the valve 73 to the gag cylinders 65 so that the gag and the top blade holder move downwards. Fluid from the cylinders 55 passes to a reservoir 68, and fluid from the tank 51 passes through the valve 53 to the cylinder 46. When the gag reaches the workpiece pressure in the cylinders 55 rises and the sequence valve 74 operates to maintain the pressure in the cylinders 55 and to direct pressure fluid to the cylinders 23 via the control valve 81. The bottom blade 15 rises to co-operate with the upper blade 40 in shearing the workpiece and then pushes the gag upwards, fluid from the cylinders 55 then passes through a check valve 75 to the inlet side of the valve 74. At the top of its stroke the bottom blade holder operates a limit switch which deenergizes the solenoid 83 and allows the cylinders 23 to exhaust, fluid passes to the cylinders 55 again via the sequence valve and the gag 60 pushes the bottom blade holder downwards. At the bottom of its stroke the lower blade holder operates a second limit switch which deenergizes the solenoid 77 and energizes the solenoid 78. The cylinders 55 are then connected to exhaust, and the valve 53 is opened so that the pressure fluid from the pump 67 raises the upper blade holder and with it the gag 60. A third limit switch de-energizes the solenoid 78 when the upper blade-holder 44 reaches the top of its stroke thus closing the valve 53 to stop the upward movement of the upper blade holder.