Patent ID: 7199334

Claim:
An apparatus for heating and transferring a workpiece into a forming press for forming comprising: a frame, said frame having a plurality of upright leg members interconnected by side support members; a heater assembly, said heater assembly including an upper platen, said upper platen mounted for reciprocal movement on said frame, a heater unit associated with said upper platen, a lower platen, said lower platen positioned in a spaced relationship from said upper platen, a heater unit associated with said lower platen, said upper platen cooperating with said lower platen to heat the workpiece when the workpiece is placed between said upper and lower platens; a shuttle assembly, said shuttle assembly moving between a first position adjacent said heater assembly and a second position adjacent the forming press, said shuttle assembly including a transfer mechanism and a carrier mechanism, said carrier mechanism including a support member contacting the workpiece and supporting the workpiece during movement between said heater assembly and the forming press; and said transfer mechanism including a drive assembly engaging said carrier mechanism and operative to move said carrier mechanism in a reciprocal manner between said heater assembly and said forming press.