Patent ID: 7418773

Claim:
A machine for creating holes in the first and second legs of a structural angle oriented lengthwise along the X-axis of a mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z-axis coordinate system, said machine comprising: a first frame; a second frame mounted to said first frame for movement along the Y-axis relative to said first frame; a movable carriage mounted on said second frame for movement along the Z-axis relative to said first frame; a punch on said second frame for punching a first hole in the first leg of said angle; a drill on said carriage for drilling a second hole in the second leg of said angle; said punch having a punch operation axis along which the punch moves longitudinally to punch said first hole and which is parallel to the Z-axis; said drill having a drill feed operation axis along which the drill moves longitudinally to drill said second hole and which is parallel to the Y-axis; and said drill and said punch being oriented with the drill feed operation axis and the punch operation axis together defining a common plane.