Link drive mechanism for mechanical presses

A link drive mechanism for vertically moving the slide of a mechanical press comprises a power driven eccentric unit carried by a horizontal shaft arranged substantially vertically above the connecting means for the slide and having first and second adjacent eccentrics, a first eccentric strap carried by the first eccentric and extending downwardly therefrom and having first and second laterally arranged pivot connections, a first link pivotally connected between the first pivot connection and the connecting means for the slide, a second eccentric strap carried by the second eccentric and extending laterally therefrom, a substantially vertically extending fulcrum lever arranged laterally from the horizontal shaft and pivoted intermediate its ends and having one of its arms pivotally connected to the second eccentric strap, and a second link pivotally connected to the other arm of the fulcrum lever and to the second pivot connection of the first eccentric strap. The first eccentric provides primarily vertical movement to the first pivot connection of the first eccentric strap and the second eccentric provides primarily horizontal movement thereto to produce, during the work function performing portions of the downward working stroke of the slide, controlled slide positions, slide velocity and tonnage capacity of the press.