Patent ID: 7698979

Claim:
A biasing assembly for a punching device, comprising: a punch support member adapted to support a punch and including a head portion and a main portion extending from said head portion, said main portion having a recessed outer surface extending continuously and substantially completely around said main portion; a retaining member coupled to said punch support member with said punch support member being slidable in an axial direction with respect to said retaining member; a coupling member disposed between said recessed outer surface of said punch support member and an inner surface of said retaining member, said coupling member extending continuously around and substantially surrounding said recessed surface, wherein said coupling member is disposed in a groove in said retaining member so as to be fixed in said axial direction with respect to said retaining member, and wherein said coupling member provides no rotational abutment between said punch support member and said retaining member; and a biasing member supported between said head portion of said punch support member and said retaining member, whereby said punch support member and said coupling member are movable in said axial direction between at least first and second positions with respect to said retaining member, such that in said first position, said coupling member engages a first area of said recessed surface of said punch support member, and in said second position, said coupling member engages a second area of said recessed surface, different from said first area.