Flexible finger biasing arrangement for punch press machines

1. A gripping plate assembly for use in a punch press, the gripping plate assembly comprising:

a planar gripping plate having an upper front side and a lower side;

a first bore extending through the gripping plate, for receiving a tool for use in a punch press, the first bore defining an inner wall;

a semi-annular groove-cut extending half way around the inner wall of the first bore to define an arcuate flexible finger having a proximal end unitary with the gripping plate, and the flexible finger with a distal end having an articulable rectilinearly shaped tab thereon, the articulable tab peripherally defined by a rectilinear groove-cut therearound, and wherein the articulable tab has a sloped first side;

a second bore arranged through the gripping plate having an overlap with the rectilinear groove-cut at the first side of the articulable tab; and

a threaded bolt adjustably received in the second bore, the threaded bolt having a head with a sloped sidewall for sliding engagement with the sloped first side of the articulable tab so as to provide a displaceable bias thereaginst during rotative advancement or retraction of the threaded bolt within the second bore, thereby effecting a change in circularity of the wall of the tool receiving first bore.

2. The gripping plate assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the slope of the first side of the articulable tab is about 3 to 5 degrees.

3. The gripping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the flexible finger extends about 180 degrees around the wall of the first bore.

4. The gripping assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the second bore overlaps with the groove-cut around the articulable tab.

5. The gripping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the groove-cut has an inner side which defines an arcuate outer side of the flexible finger.

6. The gripping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the articulable tab is biasable against the groove-cut defining a third side.

7. The gripping assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the articulable tab has a fourth side which is curvilinear and corresponds to the inner wall of the first bore.

8. A system for gripping and aligning a tool in a punch press utilizing a gripping plate, comprising:

arranging a gripping mechanism comprising a first tool-engaging circularity-adjustable bore through a front face of a gripping plate, the first tool-engaging bore having a side wall;

forming a groove-cut around a semi-circular portion of the side wall of the first bore to form an elongated, arcuately shaped flexible finger having a proximal end integral with the gripping plate, and a distal end with an articulable tab, the articulable tab being defined by a rectilinear groove-cut extending peripherally therearound;

arranging a second bore through the front face of the gripping plate, adjacent the first bore, the second bore being in overlapping placement with the groove-cut defining the rectilinear groove-cut which defines the periphery of the articulable tab, the second bore have a threaded lower half for receipt of a articulable tab adjustment threaded bolt;

arranging a sloped surface on a first side of the articulable tab;

placing a threaded bolt into the second bore;

placing a tool into the first bore, for alignment in a punch press; and

turning the threaded bolt so as to engage the sloped surface on the articulable tab, biasing the articulable tab in a sideways direction to change circularity of the first bore holding the tool therein.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the threaded bolt has a head on its upper end, the head having a circumferential wall which is sloped to bias-ably correspond to the slope of the first side of the articulable tab.

10. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the slope on the first side of the articulable tab is about 3 to 5 degrees from normal, with respect to the front face of the gripping plate.

11. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the threaded bolt has an open tool engaging hole at its upper end for receipt of a turning tool via the front face.

12. The system as recited in claim 8 , including arranging a plurality of gripping mechanisms into a gripping plate to enable a plurality of tools to be engaged by a single gripping plate.

13. A gripping plate assembly for use in a punch press, the gripping plate assembly comprising:

a planar gripping plate having an upper front side and a lower side;

a first bore extending through the gripping plate, for receiving a tool for use in a punch press, the first bore defining an inner wall;

a semi-annular groove-cut extending half way around the inner wall of the first bore to define an arcuate flexible finger having a proximal end unitary with the gripping plate, and the flexible finger with a distal end having an articulable rectilinearly shaped tab thereon, the articulable rectilinearly shaped tab peripherally defined by a rectilinear groove-cut therearound, and wherein the articulable rectilinearly shaped tab has a sloped first side;

a second bore arranged through the gripping plate having an overlap with the rectilinear groove-cut at the first side of the articulable tab; and

a threaded bolt adjustably received in the second bore, the threaded bold having a head with a sloped sidewall for sliding engagement with the sloped first side of the articulable tab so as to provide a displaceable bias thereaginst during rotative advancement or retraction of the threaded bolt within the second bore, thereby effecting a change in the circularity of the wall of the tool receiving first bore; wherein the slope of the first side of the articulable tab is about 3 to 5 degrees; wherein the flexible finger extends about 180 degrees around the wall of the first bore; and wherein the second bore overlaps with the groove-cut around the articulable tab.

14. The gripping late assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the rectilinearly shaped tab and flexible finger are moved in a slight arcuate direction about the proximal end of the flexible finger, when the threaded bold is adjusted in the second bore.