US1414642A - Automatic blank-dressing machine - Google Patents

Description

R. M. HEAMES.

AUTOMATIC BLANK DRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 7. I920.

1,414,642, Patented May 2, 1922.

RICHARD M. HEAD/LES, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGITOR TO TEE VIXSON COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORL QRATION OF MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatcntcd May 2, 1922-.

Application filed October 7, 1920. Serial No. 415,388.

T 0 r/ZZ who m 1' i may concern.

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. HnAMns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a Certain new and useful Automatic Blank-Dressing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to im provements in the art of constructing and operating automatic machinery, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction of machines for automatically dressing, finishing or otherwise operating upon wood or metallic blanks and the like in succession. V

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic blank finishing machine which is simple and compact in construction, and efficient in operation.

it more specific object of the invention is to provide an automatic machine which is adapted to neatly and accurately dress or finish a relatively large number of blanks successively and in a relatively short space of time, thereby increasing the capacity above that of prior machines of this character.

Another specific object is to provide an automatic machine which is exceedingly simple and fool-proof in structure, and in l which there is minimum liability of interblank point rupti'on in operation due to inoperativeness of working parts. i y

A. further specific object is to provide a machine in which all parts are readily accessible for lubrication, inspection, repairs and replacement.

Still another object is to provide a device which may be manufactured at minimum cost and which can be quickly assembled and dismantled. I

These and other objects and advantages '-in both structure and operation, will be apparent from the following description.

A. clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of the operation of such a device, may be had. by referring'to the drawing accompanyingand forming a part of this'specification, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts inthe various views.

Figl- 1s a side elevation of an automatic finishing machine showing a practically their detail in are ordinarily first rough turned or otherwise formed by the use of suitable machinery in order to generally shape them,

wooden blank being pointed or finished at itsforward end.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the automatic blank pointing machine showing a pointed blank about to be ejected from the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the automatic blank pointing machine showing an unpointed blank positioned and ready for advancement toward the cutter.

Fig. 4t is a fragmentary enlarged end view of the automatic blank point finishing machine, looking away from the cutter and to- .ward the blank carrier.

Fig, 5 is an enlarged top view of the blank carrier of the blank finishing machine.

Fig; 6 is anenlarged longitudinal vertical section throughthe blank carrier of the blank finishing machine.

While the invention is herein shown and described as embodied in a wood blank point dre sing or finishing machine, it is not intended to limit the scope by such illustrative disclosure, the novel principles and structure being generally applicable to automatic machines for dressing, finishing, threading or otherwise operating upon blanksor bodies of varied form regardless of the kind of material of which the blanks are ,made. The term blank as employed herein is intended to refer to any body a quantity of which it is desired to successively machine to approximately similar form and size. term pointing as employed herein designates the operation of finishing the end of The a body in any desired manner, although the bodies may be finished longitudinally for entire lengths. It is furthermore not desired invention by employing terms which are especially applicable to a particular art, such terms being employed solely for the purpose of enhancing the clearness of description.

The machine in which the invention has been herein specifically embodied, is especially adapted to automatically finish wooden blanks 18,-

Figs. 5 and 6. These blanks 18 they are passed through the finishing ma- 'chinery which duces them to uniform size. In the particular embodiment of'tie invention disclosed one form of whichis shown in after which to limit the scope of the 7 I finally dresses them and" re- 7 in the drawing the cutter merely forms a in bearings 2 in the front frame and has problanks could readily be threaded or otherwise finished with the aid of suitable substitute cutters or dies.

The blank pointing machine disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 comprises in general front bearings 2 and a rear frame 3 which elements are shown relatively rigidly mounted, but which may be relatively adjustably mounted upon a common frame, a rotary main spindle 5, a longitudinally reciprocable blank carrier 4, a rough blank feeding device, and a finished blank discharge chute 17. Themain spindle 5 is rotatably supported jecting opposite ends one of which carries a multi-diameter drive pulley 7 of ordlnary form and attachment, and the other end of which carries a rotary'tool or cutter 19. A driving belt is adapted for shifting so'as to coact with any section of the drive pulley 7 to produce the desired speed of rotation of the shaft 5 and cutter 19.

Between the cutter 19 and the bearings 2, and associated directly with the rotary spindle 5, is a worm 20 which meshes with a worm wheel 21. The worm wheel. 21 is secured to a short transverse shaft 30 rotatably mounted in'bearings in the frame and having a cam 9 secured to the front end thereof. The cam 9 is rotatable by the worm 20 and Worm wheel 21 in the direction indicated by the arrow, and is adapted to coact with the medial portion of a main vertical lever 10. The lever 10 has a stationary lower pivot 31,-and has its upper swingable extremity secured to an end of the connecting rod 13. The swinging end of the lever 10 is also pivotally attached to one end of a connection 12, the opposite end of which is pivotally attached to the upper extremity of an auxiliary vertical lever 11. The medial portion of the lever 11 has a stationary pivot 32, while the lower end of this lever is connected by means of a helical tension spring15 and an adjusting bar28 to a stationary pin 29 on therear frame 3. The spring 15 at all times tends tourge the lever 11 in a clockwise direction, and the'spring tension 1s variable by means of a series of holesin the bar 28 which are adapted to receive the pin 29.

The rear end of the rod 13 passes through an opening in a socket 27 andis provided with a nut which abuts the rear face of the socket. Between the front face of the socket 27 and an abutment surface at the front end of the rod 13, is a coiled compression spring 14 which normally prevents relative displacementof the socket 27 longitudinally ofthe rod 13, but which permits the rod to move rearwardly relatively to the socket in case the rearwardmovement of the carrier 4 is posit vely checked. The socket 27 is se- Cured theifilde Qfthe carrier 4 and is adapted to communicate the swinging movement of the main lever 10 to the carrier 4.

The carrier 4 the details of which are clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, comprises an elongated rectangular metal block which is longitudinally reciprocable in a parallel sided recess in the rear frame 3. The forward portion of the carrier 4-1s provided with a recess withln which is located a pair of opposed jaws 33 which. form a chuck.

The j aws 33 are pivotally connected at their rear ends with the forward end of a rod 39, by means of a transverse readily removable pin 40, the rear end of the rod 39 being provided with an adjustable nut 43. Acornpression spring 38 embraces the rod 39 and has its opposite ends coactingrespectively with the nut 43 and with an abutment surface formed on thecarrier 4. The spring 38 tends at all times to urge the jaws 33 rearwardly relativelyto the carrier 4 and into the recess thereof. The carrier 4 adjacent the rear ends of the jaws 33, is provided with a cleanout opening 41 which permits escape of dirt and chips.

The forward ends of the aws 33 are provided with plane tapered surfaces 42 coactable with adjacent plane tapered side surfaces of the carrier 4 in order to automatically move the jaws 33 laterally toward each other as they are drawn into the carrier recess. The adjacent inner surfaces of the jaws 33 are provided with longitudinal recesses 35 which are adapted to coact with opposite sides of a blank head and to guide the blank in its travel from the upper rear end portion of the jaws to the central for.

ward end portions thereof which are provided with a holding socket. The jaws 33 are spaced apart, laterally, being held in spaced relation by the blanks 18 passing therebetween, as well as by the intervening element. A latch 36 is pivotally attached to the carrier 4 and projects upwardly into the lower portion of the space between the jaws33, being normally held in this position by means of a leaf-spring 37. The latch 36 is'adaptd to be pressed downwardly by the heads of the passing blanks 18, to deflect the leaf spring 37. Guide plates 34 prevent the jaws 33 from'moving upwardly within the carrier recess.

The blank feeding deviceshown in F igs.

1 and 4, comprises a curved rear plate 22,

and a pair of laterally spaced guides 24 secured to and spaced from the lower and forward surface of the plate 22. The feeding device is" rigidly secured to the rear frame 3 by means of a bracket 25 and cap screws or other fastening means. Theblanks 18 are fed along the guides 24 by gravity,

the lower faces of the heads coacting with the adjacent guide surfaces. The lower'ex -v tremity of the rear plate 22 of the magazine is formed as a narrow linger orprojection 26 which projects downwardly between the jaws 3-3 of the movable carrier 4. 1

The mechanism of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is applicable per se to a threading machine, which differs in structure from the pointing machine, only by the provision of a thread cutter or die in place of the pointcutter- 19 shown in the drawing. The thread cutter or die should of course'b'e provided with the usual mechanism for automatically manipulating the cutters, such mechanism being of well known construction to those skilled in the art and requiringno further detailed description. The mechanism is also applicable to machines for turning cylin drical or tapered shanks, or for dressing end faces of the blanks, by substituting appropriate cutters and operating mechanisms for those specifically shown.

During the normal operation of the pointing machine disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the spindle 5 carrying with, it' the cutter 19 and worm 20, is being rotated by means of the belt and drive pulley 7. Rotation of the worm 20 is communicated to the worm wheel 21 causing the wheel 21, shaft 80 and cam 9 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. As the cam 9 rotates, its outer surfaceengages the medial portions of the main lever 10, causing this lever to oscillate to and fro about the stationary pivot 31. The oscillatory movement of the upper extremity of the lever 10 is transmitted to the auxiliary lever ll through the connection 12, and to the blank carrier 4 through the rod 13 and swivel socket 27. The tension spring 15 coacting through the lever 11 and connection 12 constantly maintains contact between the lever 10 and the cam 9'. The oscillation of the lever 10 is converted into a rectilineal reciprocation of the blank carrier 4 in a direction parallel to and in alinement with the axis of rotation of the spindle 5.

The successive blanks 18 are delivered by gravity from the blank feeding magazine and are deposited or placed one after another, upon the reciprocatingcarrier 4. ,As

-disclosed in Fig. 1, one blank 18 is being held in the chuck socket at the forward end of the jaws 33 and is being operated upon by the pointing cutter 19, while the next succeeding blank 18 is resting in the upper portion of the recesses 35 of the jaws 33 with its head adjacent to the projection 26 of the stationary rear plate 22. As the cam 9 advances from the positionshown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 2, the carrier 4; is moved rearwardly while the blank 18 which isresting between the recesses 35 of the jaws 33 thereof, is restrained against rearward travelby the stationary projection 26 of the plate 22. Continued travel of the carrier 4 causes the rearwardly moving blank 18 which has ust been pointed, to engage the restraining spring 38, to slide past the latch 36, and to finally slip into the socket at the ends of the jaws 33 and become gripped between the jaws line with the spindle axis, as shown. The advancing cam 9 subsequently permits the tension spring 15 to become effective to urge the lever 10 toward the right, causing the carrier 4 to move forwardly and to present the end of the ripped blank 18 to the rotating cutter 19.

is the carrier 1 advances the gripped blank '18 toward the cutter, the succeeding blank 18 drops from the magazine on to the medial upper portion of the carrier and is eventually passed through the same cycle of operations. In this manner, the successive blanks 18 are automatically placed upon the continuously moving carrier 4, advanced along the carrier, gripped in the socket of the carrier jaws 33, pointed and ejected from'the machine. The machine is operable at a relatively high rate of speed .such operation being permitted by the relatively few and exceedingly simple parts embodied therein. The mechanism. is operated automatically throughout and requires no other attention than an occasional oiling and proper delivery of blanks 18 thereto. Q i

If an abnormal blank or other object should fall between the gripping jaws 33, while the carrier l is moving rearwardly, the rearward travel. of the carrier would be positively arrested. The compression spring 14 then becomes effective to permit the rod 13 to continue its rearward travel relatively to the held carrier 4, such relative movement of the elements being permitted bycompressi'on of the spring 141. In this manner the spring 14' prevents breakage of the carrier moving mechanism. Such an abnormal obstructionma-y be readily removed by stopping the machine and moving the carrier 1 to its extreme forward position, after which the machine is again in condition for further operation. 7 I

The blanks thus finished in the machines as 4 described, are uniform in all respects. Machines of the improved type have proven their ability to finish almost three times the number of blanks handled-by arotary spindle machine of the ordinary form. The relatively few parts embodied in these machines and the simplicity of the necessary parts, reduces to a minimum the liability of In general, it should be understood thatit is not desired to limit'the invention to the exact details of construction and operation herein shown and described, for various 7 modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the-art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent i 1. In combination, a spindle, a carrier having an end adjacent to said spindle, means for placing a blank upon a portion of said carrier remote from said end, and means for relatively moving said blank and said carrier longitudinally of said spindle to eject said. blank from said end of said carrier.

2. In combination, a spindle having an axis, a carrier having an end adjacent to said spindle, means for placing a blank upon'said carrier above said axis, and means for relatively moving said blank and said. carrier to move said blank toward said end and into alinement with said axis. v

3. In combination, a spindle having an axis, a'carrier, means for placing a blank upon said carrier above said axis, and means for'relatively moving said blank and said carrier to eject said blank from said carrier in line with saidaxis.

4:. In combination, a carrier having an axis, means for placing a blank upon said carrier above said axis, and means for relatively moving said blank and said carrier to bring said blank into alinement with said eject said blank from an'end of said carrier.

5. In combination, a carrier having an axis, achuck associated with said carrier and having a gripping socket in line with said am's, means for placing a blank upon saidcarrier above saidaxis, and means for relatively moving said blank and sad. car-, nor to pos1t1onsald blank'ln sald socket.

6. In combination, a spindleihaving an axis, a carrier, a chuck assoclated with said carrier and having a grlpplng socket 1nv 11116 with said axis," means for placing a blank upon said carrier above said axis, and means for relatively moving .said blank and said carrier-to position said blank in said'socket.

.7. In combination, a spindle having'an axis, a carrier, a chuck associated with said carrier and having a gripping socket in line with said axis, means for'placinga blank upon said carrier above said axis, and means operable by said spindle to relatively move.

said blank and said carrier to position said. blank in said socket.

8. In combination, a rotary spindle, a carrier having an, end ad acent to said SPIIldle, means for placing a blank upon said carrier remote from said end, and means for relatively reciprocating said blank and said carrier to move said blank toward sa d end. 9. In combinatlon, a rotary spindle, a

carrier having an end adjacent to said spindle, means for placing a blank upon a por tion of. said carrier remote from said end,

andmeans for-relatively reciprocating said blank and said carrier to eject said blank from said end of said carrier.

10. In combination, a rotary spindle having an axis, a carrier,.means for placing a blank upon said carrier above said axis, and meansfor relatively reciprocating said blank and said carrier to move said blank in proximity to said axis.

11. In combination, a rotary spindle having an axis, a carrier, means for placing a blank upon said carrier above said axis, and

means for relatively reciprocating said blank and said carrier to eject said blank from said carrler in line with said axis.

12. In combination, a carrier having an axis, means for placing ablank upon said carrier above sald ax s, and means for rela tively longitud nally reciprocating said blank and said carrier to bring said blank into alinement with said axis and to sub sequently eject said blank from an end of said carrier.

13. In combination, a rotary spindle having an axis, a carrier, a chuck associated with said carrier and'having agripping socket 1n linewlth said axls, means for placing a blank upon said carrier above Said. 1

axis, and means operable by said spindle to relatively reciprocate said blank and said carrier to move said blank into said socket.

14. In combination, a carrier having pair of transversely movable jaws formed to guide a blank toward the axis of said carrier, means for placing a blank upon said carrier above its axis, and means for advanc1ng sald blankalong said carrier. fn combmation, a carrler having a' pair of transversely movable jaws provided with inclined grooves for guiding a blank toward the axis of said carrier, means for feeding blanks in succession to the portion of said groovesremote from the carrier axis, and means for reciprocating said car- I rier to advance the successlve blanks along saidgrooves and toward said axis. 7

In testimony whereof,the slgnature of the inventor 1s ailixed hereto.

RICHARD M. im MEs-

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