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Title: Radio control for press
Claims: I claim: 1. Apparatus for actuating a press or the like including, a radio receiver connected to means for actuating said press upon receipt of a predetermined radio signal, a belt adapted to be worn by a press operator, a radio transmitter mounted on said belt, said transmitter adapted upon actuation to transmit said predetermined signal, and two sets of manually operable contacts connected to said transmitter for actuating said transmitter to transmit said signal when said contacts are manually and simultaneously closed, said two sets of contacts being mounted on said belt in spaced apart positions, such that they are not in a position to be simultaneously operated with one hand. 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said press has a stationary member and a movable member movable toward said stationary member and a workpiece therebetween, said movable member and said stationary member defining therebetween a danger zone, said two sets of contacts being mounted on said belt in spaced apart positions to preclude the presence of an operator's hands or fingers in said danger zone, for any ordinary position of the operator, when said two sets of contacts are manually and simultaneously actuated. 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said two sets of contacts are respectively mounted so that when an operator is wearing said belt, said sets of contacts are on opposite sides of the operator. 4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said press includes a work support and a movable member movable from a retracted position toward said work support and a workpiece thereon, said movable member being movable toward said workpiece from said retracted position to a pinch point position at which said movable member does not engage said workpiece, but is so closely adjacent to it as to preclude the insertion of a press operator's fingers between the movable member and the workpiece, said apparatus further including a foot pedal actuated switch connected to said actuating means for actuating said movable member from said pinch point position only, to engage and treat said workpiece, independently of the position of said contacts on said belt. 5. Apparatus as in claim 4 including overriding circuit means for permitting actuation of said movable member from said retracted position to a position engaged with said workpiece by said foot pedal actuated switch independently of the position of said belt mounted contacts. 6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said transmitter has means for transmitting two signals of different radio frequency, and wherein said receiver is actuated to actuate the press only upon receipt of both signals. 7. Apparatus as in claim 1 including, a second radio receiver connected to means for actuating said press upon receipt of a second predetermined radio signal which is different than the first mentioned signal, the two receivers being connected to said means for actuating said press brake so that press operation is precluded unless both receivers simultaneously receive the respective predetermined radio signals, and further including a second belt, a second transmitter for transmitting said second predetermined radio signal, and two additional sets of contacts mounted on said second belt and connected to said second transmitter to actuate said second transmitter when both additional sets of contacts on said second belt are manually and simultaneously closed, said two additional sets of contacts on said second belt being mounted thereon in spaced apart relationship. 8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein each transmitter includes means for transmmitting two signals of differing radio frequency, the frequencies of the signals of one transmitter differing from the frequency of the signals of the other transmitter, and wherein each receiver is connected to means for actuating said press only when each receiver receives two different signals simultaneously with the receipt of two further different signals by the other receiver. 9. Apparatus for controlling a press having a press control circuit, a work support, and a press member movable toward said work support and defining a danger zone therebetween, said apparatus including, at least one radio receiver, said receiver connected to means for actuating said press control circuit to operate said press upon receipt of a predetermined radio signal, at least one radio transmitter, two sets of transmitter actuating contacts connected to actuate said transmitter to transmit a radio signal to said receiver when said contacts are manually and simultaneously closed, a support member adapted to be worn by a press operator, and said radio transmitter and said two sets of contacts being mounted on said support member, said sets of contacts being spaced apart in order that both sets are not in a position to be simultaneously operated with one hand. 10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said support member comprises a belt adapted to be worn about the waist of an operator, said sets of contacts mounted on said belt so as to be disposed on opposite sides of an operator wearing said belt. 11. Apparatus as in claim 10 further including, a second radio receiver connected to means for actuating said press control circuit upon receipt of a different predetermined radio signal, the actuation means of each receiver being connected so that both receivers are required to be operated before said press control circuit is actuated, and a second radio transmitter and two additional sets of controls connected to actuate said second transmitter to transmit said different radio signal to said second receiver when said additional sets of contact are manually and simultaneously closed, said second transmitter and said two additional sets of contacts being mounted on a second belt adapted to be worn by a second operator. 12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said additional sets of contacts are respectively disposed on opposite sides of said second operator when said belt is worn. 13. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein each transmitter and receiver have respective means for transmitting and for receiving two predetermined signals of different radio frequency, said receivers connected to actuate said press control circuit only when each receiver receives two predetermined signals differing in frequency from those signals received by the other receiver. 14. Apparatus for controlling a press brake or the like having a work support, a member movable toward and away from said support and any workpiece thereon, and motion control means for moving said movable member, said apparatus comprising, a first radio receiver, first circuit means for actuating said motion control means to move said movable member in response to receipt of a predetermined radio signal by said receiver, a transmitter spaced from said receiver, two manually operable sets of contacts connected to said transmitter for actuating said transmitter to transmit said predetermined signal to said receiver when said contacts are closed simultaneously, said transmitter and said two sets of contacts being mounted upon a support member, and said two sets of contacts being spaced apart so that both sets are not in a position to be simultaneously operated with one hand. 15. Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said movable member is moved to a pinch point, approximately one-fourth inch away from a workpiece, upon actuation of said motion control means by said receiver, said first circuit means including first normally open relay contacts which are closed upon receipt of a predetermined signal by said receiver, and a first normally closed limit switch positioned to open upon arrival of said movable member at said pinch point in order to open said circuit means and stop said movable member. 16. Apparatus as in claim 15 including second circuit means for actuating said motion control means to move said movable member from said pinch point against said workpiece to treat said workpiece, said second circuit means including a normally open limit switch positioned on said press to be closed only upon arrival of said movable member at said pinch point, and a foot operated switch serially connected with said second limit switch for closing said second circuit to operate said movable member independently of the operation of said radio transmitter. 17. Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said press is operated by two operators and further including a second radio receiver, a second radio transmitter, third and fourth manually operable contacts connected to said second transmitter for actuating said second transmitter to transmit a second predetermined signal to said second radio receiver when said third and fourth sets are closed simultaneously, said second transmitter and said third and fourth manually operable sets of contacts being mounted upon a second support member adapted to be carried by a second press operator, said third and fourth sets of contacts being mounted such that one set is spaced from the other to preclude operation of both with one hand, and said second receiver being connected to close second normally open contacts, which serially connected to the first normally open contacts, in said first circuit means in order to close said first circuit to actuate said press in response to the simultaneous receipt by each of said receivers of said first and second predetermined signals, respectively. 18. Apparatus as in claim 17 including switch means for selectively overriding one of said first or second normally open relay contacts when press operation by one operator is desired. 19. Apparatus as in claim 18 further including a third circuit for actuating said motion control means, said third circuit including said foot switch and being operable to override both of said normally open relay contacts when complete press operation by said foot switch is desired. 20. Apparatus for actuating a press or the like comprising, a plurality of radio receivers connected to means for actuating said press upon the simultaneous receipt by each receiver of respective predetermined radio signals, a plurality of belts, each corresponding to one of said receivers and adapted to be worn by respective press operators, a radio transmitter mounted on each of said belts, each of said transmitters adapted upon actuation to transmit one of said respective predetermined signals, and two sets of manually operable contacts connected to each of said respective transmitters for actuating the respective transmitters to transmit its respective predetermined radio signal when said contacts are manually and simultaneously closed, said respective sets of contacts being mounted on each of said belts in spaced apart positions, such that they are not in a position to be simultaneously operated with one hand. Other info: Inventors: Westbrook, Sr., Robert L. (Cincinnati, OH, US) Application Number: 557266 Filing Date: 1975-03-11 Publication_date: 1976-04-13 Assignee: Rotex, Inc. (Cincinnati, OH) Primary Class(es): 192/131R Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Swann, III, Glen R. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: Wood, Herron & Evans |
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