Patent ID: 7017383

Claim:
A blank/part transfer system in combination with a press having a generally rectangular horizontal working area over a press bolster, said working area defined between four press columns, including a pair of elongated rail-gripper assemblies spaced apart and extending parallel to each other across said working area and above said press bolster; a pair of transfer drive modules connected to each of said rail-gripper assemblies, each module in each pair connected to a respective end of an associated elongated rail-gripper assembly; a pivotal support for each transfer drive module at a respective corner of said press working area enabling rotation of each transfer drive module between selective rotated positions and mounting of said pair of rail-gripper assemblies thereto to alternatively extend in either a lengthwise or transverse horizontal directions with respect to said press working area which are normal to each other when connected at either end to a respective one of said transfer drive modules in each pair of said transfer drive modules.