Hold-down clamp for slitter-punch

1. An automated high-speed punch apparatus adapted for use in a bag machine for punching holes and/or slits in a web of film material, said apparatus including an apertured backing plate on which said web is supported, a cutting head for punching a hole and/or slit in the film material, reciprocating means for holding the head in registered alignment with said film material and with corresponding apertures in said backing plate, and for moving the cutting head in a direction that is substantially normal to the backing plate on which the web of film material is affixed, and a hold-down clamp including a clamping plate situated above the backing plate and having an aperture therein in alignment with one or more corresponding apertures in said backing plate, and through which the cutting head passes when the bold-down clamp is biased against the web of film material on the backing plate, and a clamp frame on which said clamping plate is supported, the cutting head being situated within the clamp frame, and with said reciprocating means being operatively coupled to the frame of the clamping plate to urge said clamping plate against the backing plate when the cutting head descends and to lift the clamping plate off the backing plate when said cutting head rises;

said reciprocating means comprising the improvement in which the reciprocating means further includes

a double-acting air cylinder having a first air inlet in which compressed air enters for moving a rod of said cylinder to a raised position for raising said cutting head and a second air inlet through which compressed air enters for driving the cylinder rod to a lowered position for driving said cutting head through the film material;

a spring situated between said cylinder and a top member of said hold-down clamp for urging said hold-dawn clamp towards said backing plate; and

holder means mounted on a distal end of said rod and disposed between said cutting head and the top member of said hold-down clamp for mounting said cutting head and for raising said hold-down clamp and compressing said spring when said double-acting air cylinder moves said rod to the raised position for raising said hold-down clamp when said cutting head is raised;

wherein said hold-down clamp frame includes said top member situated above said holder means, and sides that extend from said top member to said clamping plate and contain said cutting head within said frame, the frame having means therein to access said cutting head and to permit the cutting head to be changed out; and

wherein said rod passes through an opening in the top member of said frame to the holder means for said cutting head; and wherein said spring is situated over said rod between an upper part of said hold-down clamp and an abutment connected with a lower end of said cylinder;

said spring being pre-biased to urge the hold-down clamp towards the backing plate such that when said air pressure is applied to the second air inlet of the double-acting cylinder, the spring serves to accelerate the cutting head towards the web of film material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is adapted for use in a plastic film bag machine for automated high-speed punching of holes and/or slits in a plastic film.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said holder means for said cutting head includes a rubber cushion for contacting said hold-down clamp, the rubber cushion being disposed between the holder means for said cutting head and an occluding surface of the top member of said clamp frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spring is a coil compression spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hold-down clamp includes a guide tab, and said apparatus further comprises a member having a guide channel therein oriented in a direction parallel to the motion direction of said punch cutting head, with said tab riding in said guide slot.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means to access said cutting head includes an aperture at one side of said clamp frame.

7. An automated high-speed punch apparatus adapted for use in a bag machine for punching holes and/or slits in a web of film material, said apparatus including an apertured backing plate on which said film is supported, a cutting head for punching a hole and/or slit in the film material, reciprocating means including holder means for holding the cutting head in registered alignment with said film material and with corresponding apertures in said backing plate, and including means for moving the cutting head in a direction that is substantially normal to said backing plate on which the film material is supported, and a hold-down clamp including a clamping plate situated above said backing plate and having at least one aperture therein in alignment with one or more corresponding apertures in the backing plate and through which said cutting head passes when said hold-down clamp is biased against the film material on said backing plate; with said reciprocating means acting to urge said clamping plate against said backing plate when said cutting head descends and acting to lift said clamping plate of said backing plate when said cutting head rises; said reciprocating means including a double-acting actuator with

first means for applying energy for moving a reciprocating rod of said actuator to a raised position for raising said cutting head and a

second means for applying energy for driving the reciprocating rod to a lowered position for driving said cutting head through the web of film material;

a spring situated between said actuator and a top member of said hold-down clamp for urging said hold-down clamp towards said backing plate; and

said holder means situated between said cutting head and below the top member of said hold-down clamp for raising said hold-down clamp and compressing said spring when said double-acting actuator moves said reciprocating mechanism to the raised position for raising said hold-down clamp and compressing said spring when said cutting head is raised, wherein said rod passes thru an opening in the top member of said frame to the holder means for said cutting head;

wherein said hold-down clamp includes a frame having said top member, sides that surround said holder means and said cutting head with said clamping plate affixed onto said sides beneath said cutting head; and means to access said cutting head to permit the cutting head to be changed out;

said spring being pre-biased to urge the hold-down clamp, said holder means and said cutting head towards the backing plate such that when said second means applies energy to the double-acting actuator, the spring serves to accelerate the cutting head towards the web of film material.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means to access said cutting head includes an aperture at one side of the frame.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said spring is a coil compression spring.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 said holder for said cutting head includes a rubber cushion for contacting said hold-down clamp, the rubber cushion being disposed between the holder for said cutting head and an occluding surface on the top member of said clamp frame.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the apparatus is adapted for use in a plastic bag machine for automated high-speed punching of holes and/or slits in a plastic film.