The present application relates to a press for working on molds, in particular for the concluding steps of assembly and adjustment.

Nowadays it is known to execute many operations on molds, where it is necessary, during the various steps of production, to carry out manual work on details that have already been worked; in particular this is known where the specific concluding steps of mold production, such as the assembly step and the adjustment step, are carried out manually.

In the assembly step in fact the various parts that make up the mold are put together.

Subsequently the two parts of the mold, the matrix die and the punch die, are fitted together and adaptations between the surfaces are made.

The assembly and adjustment operations are usually carried out by a specially-trained technician who has to physically approach the mold, thus assuming a posture which is influenced by the shape and size of the mold and by the points and/or regions on which the operator has to work.

Such posture is very often uncomfortable, since the operator has to adapt to the position of the mold and to the location of the interventions to be carried out.

Then, if the mold has to be moved for better access to the parts to be worked on, the discomfort to the operator is even greater.

Finally, the fitting together of the matrix die and the punch die is usually carried out with lifting equipment such as for example an overhead crane and/or forklifts. Such operations, however, in addition to requiring the use of very costly specific means, do not allow for movements that are easy or rapid or even precise, and this has a direct influence on the time necessary to execute these movements.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to resolve the above- mentioned technical problems, eliminating the drawbacks in the cited known art, by providing a press that makes it possible for an operator to intervene, rapidly, easily and with great postural comfort, on an adapted mold in order to carry out operations on it such as the steps of assembly and adjustment.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to make it possible for an operator to move a mold by varying its position quickly and easily so as to improve the possibility of intervening on it.

Another object is to provide a press that makes it possible for an operator to intervene while assuming the position that is most convenient for him or her in order to work.

Another object is to provide a press that makes it possible to quickly and precisely achieve the desired movement of the matrix die and of the punch die, including the step of fitting the one into the other.

This aim and these and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are achieved by a press for working on molds comprised of a matrix die and a punch die, characterized in that it is constituted by a column which is provided with first means which are adapted to impose an axial rotation and/or a vertical motion on a first support for said matrix die, and by a frame which is provided with second means which are adapted to impose a rotation and/or an axial motion and/or a raising on a second support for said punch die.

Advantageously said first and second means make it possible achieve the fitting of the matrix die and the punch die together.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side perspective view of a press according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the press with the first and second supports, respectively, rotated and moved axially and rotated and lifted vertically; Figure 3 is a partially sectional view of a detail of the second support; Figure 4 shows the press with the first and second supports overlapping each other;

Figure 5 shows the press with the matrix die and the punch die fitted together.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

Moreover, it should be noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer.

With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a press for working on molds 2 which are composed of a matrix die 3 and a punch die.

The press 1 is constituted by a column which is composed of two pairs of vertical posts 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b which are coupled in an upper region by a cross-member 8 that is essentially C-shaped and are coupled in a lower region to a pair of plates 9a and 9b which are fixed laterally to a frame

10 which extends at right angles to the column 5.

The column 5 has first means that are adapted to impose an axial rotation and/or a vertical movement on a first support 11 for the matrix die

3.

The first support 11 is preferably U-shaped so as to define a first base 12 which is coupled at the sides to a pair of first lateral wings 13a and 13b.

The first lateral wings 13a and 13b are rotatably associated, by way of first gear motors or pivots 14a and 14b, of which at least one is motorized, with a pair of first box-like sliders 15a and 15b which can slide between the pairs of first vertical posts 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b by means of a pair of first hydraulic pistons 16a and 16b which are interposed between the plates 9a and 9b and the pair of first box-like sliders 15a and 15b. The first support 3 can be rotated between the pair of box-like sliders 15a and 15b and at the same time can be raised with respect to the pairs of first vertical posts 6a, 6b, 7a and 7b.

The upper surface of the base 12 can be associated with one or more first bars 17 which in turn can be associated with the matrix die 3 for example by using, as a connecting member, the device illustrated in EP 1346794 in the name of this same applicant.

The frame 10 is provided with second means which are adapted to impose a rotation and/or an axial motion and/or a raising on a second support 18 for the punch die 4.

The second support 18 is preferably U-shaped so as to define a second base 19 which is coupled at the sides to a pair of second lateral wings 20a and 20b.

The second lateral wings 20a and 20b are rotatably associated, by way of second gear motors or pivots 21 , of which at least one is motorized, with a pair of second sliders 22a and 22b which can slide between two pairs of second vertical posts 23a, 23b, 24a and 24b each pair of which is mutually parallel and which protrude from an adapted plate 25 which is slideably associated with the frame 10 by way of adapted sliding means, such as wheels 26 that bear on adapted guides 27a and 27b which are provided on the upper surface 28 of the frame 10.

The sliding means 26 are provided with or cooperate with adapted and conventional motion devices, such as second hydraulic pistons 29 which are adapted to impose a motion on the second support 18 along a direction that is axial with respect to the frame 10.

A vertical motion, and thus a raising or a lowering, can be imposed on the second vertical posts 23a, 23b, 24a and 24b by way of a pair of third hydraulic pistons 30 which are interposed between the plate 25 and the pair of second box-like sliders 22a and 22b.

The second support 18 can thus be moved axially with respect to the frame 10 and at the same time be rotated between the pair of second boxlike sliders 22a and 22b and at the same time it can be raised with respect to the pairs of second vertical posts 23a, 23b, 24a and 24b.

The upper surface of the base 18 can be associated with one or more second bars 31 which in turn can be associated with the punch die 4 for example by using, as a connecting member, the device illustrated in EP 1346794, in the name of this same applicant.

In practice it has been found that the invention has fully achieved the intended aim and objects, in that a workbench for working on molds is obtained which makes it possible for an operator to intervene, quickly, easily and with great postural comfort, on an adapted mold in order to carry out operations on it in the steps of assembly and adjustment.

Moreover the invention makes it possible for an operator to move a mold by varying its position quickly and easily so as to improve the possibility of working on it as well as to intervene while assuming the position that is most convenient for him or her in order to work.

Finally, the desired movement of the matrix die and of the punch die is achieved quickly and precisely, including the step of fitting the one into the other.

Naturally the materials used as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the invention may be more pertinent to specific requirements.

The various means of achieving certain different functions certainly need not coexist only in the embodiment shown, but may be present in many embodiments, even if they are not shown.

The characteristics indicated above as advantageous, convenient or similar, may also be missing or be substituted by equivalent characteristics.

The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. TV2012U000020 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.