Patent ID: 7204119

Claim:
Press apparatus for forming a preheated blank, comprising; a heated first tool and an opposing heated second tool mounted within the press for relative closing movement to press the preheated blank there between; a binder ring assembly surrounding the second tool and movably mounted for movement relative to the second tool to bind the preheated blank between the binder ring assembly and the first tool in readiness for subsequent closure of the tools, the binder ring assembly including a first ring portion that is heated so as to prevent the cooling of the preheated blank, and a second ring portion that supports the first ring portion and is fixedly connected to the first ring portion by spaced apart connectors so as to minimize the heat transfer path from the heated first ring portion to the second ring portion; the first and second ring portions having opposed seal surfaces spaced from one another; and a seal of metallic hollow tubular construction seated between the first and second ring portions to obtain fluid tight sealing between the first and second ring portions and minimize heat transfer between the first and second ring portions, said seal being of spring tempered INCONEL X750 to spring back after repeated compression.