Importance

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Abstract

Method and Apparatus for economically providing an automatic tool changing capability to a numerically controlled punch press, without the addition of servo drives dedicated to the tool changer. The punch press has a back rail carrying work clamps and positionable along an X axis for positioning the workpiece along that axis. The punch and die assembly is carried in a work head which is servo driven along a Y axis, so that the pair of servos accomplish X, Y positioning with respect to the workpiece. A plurality of tool cartridges are carried on the back rail. To accomplish a tool change operation, the X axis servo is indexed to bring a selected tool holder to a tool change position, and the remaining positioning for making the tool exchange (either into an empty cartridge or from a full cartridge) is accomplished by Y positioning of the tool head, without the need to alter the workpiece Y position or index an auxiliary mechanism for a tool change operation.

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First Claim