CA1055283A - Gear rolling equipment - Google Patents
Gear rolling equipmentInfo
- Publication number
- CA1055283A CA1055283A CA280,398A CA280398A CA1055283A CA 1055283 A CA1055283 A CA 1055283A CA 280398 A CA280398 A CA 280398A CA 1055283 A CA1055283 A CA 1055283A
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- Canada
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- work
- gear
- spindle
- tool
- gears
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Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A machine for rolling hypoid gears, either pinion or ring gears, in mesh with a tool in the form of a mating hypoid gear, either a ring gear or pinion, respectively.
Work pieces are provided at a station with their teeth located in a precisely predetermined angular position. From this station they are transported into alignment with a rotary work spindle which at this time is fixed against rotation in a random position. The gear-like tool is secured to a spindle which is fixed in a precisely located angular position so that the teeth of the gear and tool are in proper angular alignment.
The gear is fixed on the work spindle and the work and tool spindles are relatively moved to mesh the gear and tool, after which both spindles are released for rotation and one spindle is positively driven in rotation.
A machine for rolling hypoid gears, either pinion or ring gears, in mesh with a tool in the form of a mating hypoid gear, either a ring gear or pinion, respectively.
Work pieces are provided at a station with their teeth located in a precisely predetermined angular position. From this station they are transported into alignment with a rotary work spindle which at this time is fixed against rotation in a random position. The gear-like tool is secured to a spindle which is fixed in a precisely located angular position so that the teeth of the gear and tool are in proper angular alignment.
The gear is fixed on the work spindle and the work and tool spindles are relatively moved to mesh the gear and tool, after which both spindles are released for rotation and one spindle is positively driven in rotation.
Description
53,925 ~055283 The present invention relates to finish forming bevel gears, and particularly hypoid gears, either pinions or ring gears, by rolling them in mesh with a tool in the form of a conjugate bevel gear. The tool is mounted on a rotary tool spindle and the work gear is mounted on a rotary work spindle. Means are provided for positively driving one of said spindles, preferably the tool spindle, in rotation, and the meshed engagement between the gear and tool results in corresponding rotation of the work spindle.
During the rolling operation, forces are applied to establish relatively heavy rolling pressure contact between the teeth of the gear and tool.
One of the problems in a machine as described in the foregoing is to provide automatic loading equipment in which unfinished work pieces may simply be fed into the machine and will advance continuously therethrough, entering into proper mesh with the tool gears, and finally being advanced from the machine on suitably formed exit rails. This loading equipment must provide for movement of the successive work gears into full mesh with the tools without the possibility of interfering engagement between the crests of the teeth of the gear and tool and consequent failure to mesh.
Automatic meshing engagement during the automatic loading of the machine is accomplished by mounting the tool on a tool spindle in a predetermined fixed position thereon, and between gear rolling operations fixing the angular location of the tool spindle so that the tool teeth occupy precisely predetermined angular positions. Conveniently, this is accomplished by shot bolt means. ~
At the same time, after a finished work gear is removed from the work spindle, the work spindle is positively maintained in a random position as for example by the appli-cation of suitable brake means to the spindle in whatever position it happens to occupy at the conclusion of a gear rolling cycle.
Means are provided on the work spindle for fixing the work gear thereon against rotation so that the work gear is rotatable only with the work spindle after the brake means has been released.
In order to insure that the teeth of each work gear as it is located on the work spindle are in proper position to enter into full mesh with the teeth of the tool, means are provided for positioning each work gear as it advances in a fixed position in which its teeth are precisely located in the required angular position. This in general is accomplished by advancing each work gear along rail means into engagement with a series of resiliently mounted fingers which will enter into engagement in the tooth spaces of the work gear. conveniently, these fingers may be mounted on a leaf spring so that if they fail to engage in the tooth spaces of the work gear, the fin-gers will be displaced against the spring until such time as they drop into the tooth spaces.
The individual work gears are advanced along the rails by a feeding abutment including the roller which engages the internal diameter of ring gears in an off-center position located toward the side of the gears which will engage the locating fingers. This insures that the gear is biased toward 1055Zt~3 the fingers as it advances. In the final position, each gear encounters a locating abutment which determines its position in space while its angular position is determined by the tooth locating fingers as previously described.
At this time to provide final assurance that the gear is properly located, a ball type locator mounted on a pivoted lever is moved into engagement with a tooth space. If, for any reason, the ball point of the locator fails to enter a tooth space, suitable limit switch means controlled by position of the pivoted arm insures that further automatic operation of the machine is prevented until the difficulty is cured.
Having thus located a work gear in the form of a ring gear in a precisely predetermined position in space and with the precisely predetermined angular position, the gear is now conveyed into axial alignment with the work spindle. Conveniently, the work spindle may include an expanding arbor which when con-tracted is adapted to receive the work gear upon relative axial movement between the spindle and the gear. Similarly, where the work gear is a pinion, the work spindle carries a chuck which receives and grips the stem of the pinion.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each work gear, after having been properly located as above described, is engaged between clamping jaws, which jaws are then elevated and transferred into position to align the gears with the work arbor. Preferably, the work gears are advanced with their axes vertical and the work spindle axis is also vertical.
After the jaws advance the work gear into alignment with the spindle, the jaws lower a ring gear onto the spindle and hold lOSSZ83 it against rotation until the arbor is expanded to fix the gear thereon against rotation, or insert the stem of a pinion into a chuck and hold it without rotation until the chuck grips the stem.
Thereafter, the jaws are retracted and the work spindle and tool spindle relatively moved to bring about meshing engagement between the work and tool. In the pre-ferred form of the invention, one of the spindles is maintained in a fixed horizontal position and the other spindle is ver-tical and is elevated to bring the gear into appropriate mesh with the tool. After the tool and gear have been properly meshed, the shot bolt locator means is de-activated to release the tool spindle and the brake is de-activated to release the work spindle for rotation. One of the spindles, preferably the tool spindle, thereafter is driven in rotation at sub-stantial speeds and the meshed engagement between the tool and gear bring about corresponding rotation of the work spindle.
Preferably, one spindle is carried by a vertically movable slide which in turn is moved vertically by one or more hydraulic cylinders capable of establishing the relatively great rolling pressure required to finish the toothed sur-faces of the work gears by a roll finishing operation.
After the rolling operation is completed, the vertical spindle is moved downwardly, bringing the work gear and tool out of mesh, and after this meshing engagement is terminated, the location of the tool spindle is again fixed by activation of the shot bolt means, and the work spindle lOS5283 is fixed against rotation in a random position by activation of the brake.
Gear receiving means for ring gears are provided movable into position at opposite sides of the work spindle while the york gear is being rolled which are adapted to receive the finished gear as it moves downwardly with the woxk spindle. At this time the expanding arbor is contracted so that as the arbor continues its downward movement, the finished gear is stripped from the arbor and deposited on the gear receiving means.
The gear receiving means reciprocates and following deposit of a gear thereon, it moves laterally from the axis of the work spindle to move the finished gear onto discharge rails where it joins other previous-ly finished gears which are advanced in a step-by-step relation by pivoted fingers.
Pinions are removed horizontally from the horizontal work spindle and are turned 90 and deposited on rails.
Described in more general terms the gear rolling machine of the present invention comprises a rotary tool spindle having tool support means for fixing the tool gear thereon in which means are provided for fixing the tool spindle between successive rolling operations in a predeter-mined rotational position. A rotary work spindle is provided having work support means thereon for fixing successive work gears thereon. Means are provided for relatively moving the spindles between separated loading and adjacent working positions.
~055283 Means are provided for fixing the work spindle prior to loading a new work gear thereon in a fixed rotational position. The invention includes means for presenting a succession of work gears to the work support means in the precisely predetermined rotational position required for meshing of the gear and tool on relative approach without rotation and without tooth interference. Means are provided for moving successive work gears to the work support means while the spindles occupy loading position by relative movement between the work gears and work spindle in the direction of the axis of the work spindle without rotational movement of either the work gears or work spindle. Means are provided for meshing the work gears and tool gear by relatively moving the spindles without rotational movement of either of said spindles, together with means for thereafter releasing both of said spindles for rotation and for driving one of the spindles in rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO~ OF THE DR~WINGS
Figures 1-11 disclose the ring gear finisher.
Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the working station of the machine for rolling ring gears.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the ma~or essential machine components.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the work loading station.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4A is an enlarged detail view of the work locating mechanism.
lOSSZ83 Figure 5 is a fragmentary end view of the structure shown in Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the work transfer carriage and slide.
Figure 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the work clamp mechanism.
Figure 9 is an elevational view of the machine structure at the work spindle.
Figure 10 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a fragmentary end view substantially at the line 11--11, Figure 9.
Figures 12-22 disclose the pinion finisher.
Figure 12 is a simplified sectional view showing the relationship of parts of the rolling apparatus for pinions.
Figure 13 is a plan view of the entry end of the loading mechanism.
Figure 14 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 13.
Figure 15 is an elevational detailed view showing orientation of the work gear.
Figure 16 is a detailed elevational view showing apparatus for checking orientation of the work gear.
Figure 17 is an elevational view of the loading and unloading mechanism.
Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the loading and unloading mechanism.
Figure 19 is a plan view of the loading and unload-ing mechanism.
Figure 20 is an elevational view of the discharge end of the loading mechanism.
Figure 21 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 20.
Figure 22 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(Figs. 1-11) Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the machine com-prises a preliminary loading station indicated at 10 in Fig-ure 1 in which a work gear W is located in predetermined spatial relationship and in accurately determined rotational or angu-larly oriented position. The machine comprises a tool T fix-edly mounted on a tool spindle 12 which is maintained in fixed spatial relation. The machine frame indicated generally at 14 comprises a vertically movable knee 16 including a work spindle 17, the upper end of which terminates in an expanding arbor 18.
Rails 20 are provided on which a carriage 22 is horizontally slidable. Mounted for vertical movement on the carriage 22 is a slide 24 having opposed clamping jaws, one of which is indicated at 26.
Referring now to Figure 2, the tool T is fixedly mounted on the tool spindle 12 and is adapted to be driven in rotation by a motor 28, preferably a hydraulic motor. Between finishing cycles the tool spindle 12 is maintained in a pre-cisely predetermined angular or rotational position by suitable means such for example as a shot bolt 30 adapted to enter into a recess in the tool spindle 12. This accordingly arrests the tool T in a predetermined angular position.
Mounted at the front of the machine is a vertically movable knee 16 in which the work spindle 17 is rotatable. The knee 16 is movable vertically by suitable means such as one or more hydraulic cylinder devices 34.
Suitable adjustable abutment means are provided for limiting the upward movement of the knee. Such means are diagrammatically indicated as adjustable abutment screws 35.
In practice, four such abutments are provided and in the gear rolling operation these adjustable abutments determine the finish size of the gear. In other words, the upward force applied by the hydraulic piston and cylinder devices 34 will bring work gears G to the same size which is determined by the adjustment of the abutments 35, irrespective of some variation in size prior to rolling.
Fixed to the spindle 17 is a disc 36 associated with a friction brake 38 adapted to arrest the spindle 17 in a ran-dom position. The random position is any position in whichthe spindle 17 happens to come to rest between gear rolling cycles.
A succession of work gears awaiting roll finishing operations are provided on an inclined chute which is defined by gear supporting rollers 40 down which the gears advance by gravity into a position determined by engagement with an abut-ment 42 from which point they are advanced to the right as seen in these Figures.
lOSSZ83 A work advancing mechanism is provided comprising a bar 44 connected to a piston and cylinder device 46 for reciprocating the same. To the bar 44 a gear advancing pin 48 is pivoted, as indicated at 50 and includes a counterweight 52 which normally maintains the pin in its erected position against an abutment screw 54. Also connected to the bar 44 is a second gear advancing device comprising a finger 56 pivoted at 58 and including a counterweight 60 normally hold-ing the finger 56 against abutment means indicated at 62.
At the end of the finger 56 is a roller 64 engageable with the interior of a gear in an off-center position with respect to the center line 66 along which the gears advance. The off-center position of the roller is best indicated at 64a in Figures 4 and 4A where it is seen to engage within the annulus of the gear in the off-center position as illustrated.
On forward movement of the bar 44, the roller 56 is prevented from yielding by the abutment 62 but upon movement to the left of the bar 44, the finger 56 rocks to the position in which the roller 64 occupies the position indicated at 64b, thus leaving the gear in its advanced position.
When the work advancing mechanism operates to move a gear into finally located position, it advances the gear into engagement withaa fixed abutment 68 which determines the spatial position of the gear. The means for determining its angular or rotational orientation is best illustrated in the enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 4A. As seen in this Figure, the gear G has been advanced into engagement with the stop or abutment 68 by the off-center roller 64a. As a result of the location of the roller, the gear is not only advanced to the right as seen in the Figure, but is also given a lateral bias as well as forces tending to rotate the gear in a clockwise direction. It will of course be understood that the gear advances along a horizontal track or rails with its axis vertical preparatory to being positioned on an expanding arbor at the upper end of a vertical work spindle.
The advancing work gear is advanced along a side rail 70 to which is attached one end of a leaf spring 72 carrying a plurality of adjustable fingers 74, 76 and 78.
It will be observed that finger 74 has a shape corresponding to a tooth space of the gear, whereas the fingers 76 and 78 are ball shaped. The fingers extend through openings 80 in the rail 70 in position to be engaged by teeth at the periphery of the gear G. When the gear comes into engagement with the stop abutment 68, it will have been rotated into the correct angular or rotational orientation by the fingers 74, 76 and 78.
As a final assurance that the work gear is in properly oriented position, the mechanism illustrated in Figures 4A and 5 is provided. Here, it will be seen that there is provided a lever 82 pivoted as indicated at 84 and adapted to be swung about the pivot axis by means of a piston and cylinder device 86. Mounted on the lever 82 is a limit switch 88 adapted to be engaged by a plunger 90 having a ball tip 92 adapted to enter into the space between teeth of the gear G if the gear is precisely oriented in predetermined angular position. If the ball point 92 happens to engage on the crest of the tooth or fails to enter fully into a tooth space, the limit switch 88 is connected to terminate further automatic operation of the machine.
Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, there is illus-trated the mechanism for gripping the gear in its predetermined angular position and moving it into alignment with the work spindle of the machine.
In Figure 6 the vertically movable knee 16 and work spindle 17 of the machine are illustrated and the spindle at its upper end is provided with an abutment surface 94 and the expanding arbor 18. Separated posts 98 and 100 are provided which at their upper ends carry the rails 20 along which the carriage assembly 22 is movable to the right and left as seen in Figure 6. The carriage has an upwardly extending bracket 106 carrying limit switches 108 and 110 actuated by abutments 112 on a vertically movable rod 114. Vertically movable on the carriage 22 is a slide 24 carrying clamping jaws 118 at its lower end. The bracket 106 carries a piston and cylinder device 120 to which the slide 24 is connected, and the carriage 22 is connected to a piston and cylinder device 122 adapted to move the carriage 22 from the full line position illustrated in Figure 6 to the right, to a po~tion in which it actuates a limit switch 124. The right hand position of the carriage 22 moves the work gear G to the position indicated in dotted lines at Ga, after which downward movement of the slide 24 moves the gear downwardly to the position Gb in which it abuts the surface 94 and receives the expanding arbor 18 within the central opening therein.
1055Z~3 Referring now particularly to Figure 8, there is illustrated the mechanism for actuating the clamping jaws 118.
The jaws 118 are each secured to rods 126, the inner ends of which confront each other and are provided with recesses 128 receiving the ends of a compression spring 130 normally urging the jaws away from each other into gear releasing position.
Rods 126 are longitudinally slidable in a bore provided in a head 132 at the lower end of the slide 116. A cylinder 134 is provided in which a piston 136 is vertically movable. The rods 126 at their inner ends are provided with upstanding ears 138 having inclined camming surfaces 140. The lower end of the piston 136 has a recess 142 having correspondingly inclined surfaces engageable with the surfaces 140. When pressure fluid is admitted above the piston 136, the piston is moved downwardly and cams the rods 126 inwardly to slamp the jaws 118 against the periphery of the work gear G. A piston and cylinder device 144 includes a cam (not shown) which retains the jaws clamped during transfer.
As best illustrated in Figure 6, the jaws 118 are located to have a line of action extending diagonally with respect to the center line of advance of the gears so as to avoid interference with the remaining machine structure.
After a work gear has been deposited on the expanding arbor 18 of the work spindle 17, the arbor is expanded so that the work gear is securely retained thereon against rotation.
At this time, the friction brake prevents rotation of the work spindle and accordingly, the work gear maintains its precise required rotational orientation with respect to the tool or die, lOSSZ83 which of course also remains in fixed position at this time as a result of actuation of the shot bolt.
At this time, the knee 16 is elevated and the teeth of the tool T and gear G enter into mesh. As soon as this has been accomplished, the shot bolt and brake are de-activated so that both work and tool spindles are rotatable and the motor 28 is activated to initiate power rotation of the tool spindle.
At the same time, continuous pressure is applied to the knee 16 to raise it until further advance is arrested by engagement of the adjustable abutments 35 previously referred to.
This completes the rolling operation and thereafter the knee is lowered.
Referring now to Figures 9-11, there is illustrated the mechanism which strips the finished gear from the expand-ing arbor and advances it to a discharge chute for step-by-step further advance.
The finished work gear G is illustrated in Figure 9 as supported on the surface 94 of the work spindle 17 and upon downward movement of the knee 16, the gear G will be engaged on support surfaces 150 of a pair of nest members 152 having abutment surfaces 154 engageable with surfaces on the work gear G
to the left of its center line designated at 156 in the Figure.
~est members 152 are connected to a transverse bar 158 which in turn is connected to a piston and cylinder device 160 by a bracket 162. It will be observed that the nest members 152 are spaced apart to extend at opposite sides of the reduced portion 164 at the upper end of the work spindle and are movable by the piston and cylinder device 160 from the positions illustrated lOSSZl~3 in Figure 10 to the right to a position in which they permit downward movement of an unfinished gear onto the expanding arbor 18 when the knee 16 is in its lowermost position.
Discharge movement of the finished gears as seen in Figures 9 and 10 is to the right, and for this purpose there is provided a trackway or chute indicated generally at 165, as best illustrated in Figure 11, comprising spaced rollers 166 and vertically extending guard rails or flanges 168.
With the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 9, downward movement of the knee 16 will cause the finished gear G
to be deposited on the support surfaces 150 and to have trailing surfaces thereof engaged by the abutment surfaces 154 on nest members 152. At this time, of course, the expanding arbor 18 is contracted so that downward movement of the knee 16 strips the finished gear G from the expanding arbor and leaves it supported on the nest members 152.
At this time, the piston and cylinder device 160 is actuated, moving the nest members 152 to the right to displace the gear from its position overlying the work spindle 17 preparatory to the placement of a following work gear thereon.
The finished gear is advanced onto the beginning of the track-way or discharge chute indicated generally at 165. In order to prevent retrograde movement of a finished gear after it has been removed from alignment with the work spindle, a stop 170 is provided having an inclined upper surface 172 and a stop shoulder 174 engageable with the trailing bottom corner of a work gear. The finished gear thus occupies the position designated in Figure 9 as Gd, at which time it is prepared for lOS5Zt~3 further advance to the right by reciprocation of longitudinally extending bars 176 between which are pivoted feed dogs or fingers 178, the pivot means being indicated at 180. The pivoted dogs are provided with a counterweight 182 normally maintaining the dogs or fingers 178 erect, in which position they are main-tained against counterclockwise rotation by an abutment 184.
The dogs 178 extend upwardly within the annulus of the gears G
and are thus effective to move them to the right by an amount equal to the stroke of the bars 176, which are connected to the piston and cylinder device 160 for accomplishing step-by-step advance of the finished gears.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that finished gears are removed from the working zone by downward movement of the knee with the expanding arbor in contracted position so that the finished gears are deposited on the transfer means which includes the nest members 152. As soon as the finished gears are separated from the expanding arbor, the nest members are shifted to the right, transferring the finished gears to the entry end of the discharge chute 165 in which position they are retained by engagement with the abutment shoulder 174 as the transfer device including the laterally spaced nest members 152 are returned to position at opposite sides of the reduced por-tion 164 of the work spindle. Reciprocation of the bars 176 causes a step-by-step advance of physically separated gears as a result of engagement of the feed dogs 178. On movement to the left of the bars 176, the dogs 178 pivot clockwise to clearance position and are moved rearwardly for engagement with the next successive finished gear.
It will be observed from the foregoing that essen-tially the machine comprises means for effecting automatic loading including meshing between a work gear and a gear-like tool in which the tool is maintained against rotation in a precisely predetermined position of angular orientation, while the work spindle is retained against rotation in a purely ran-dom position. A work gear is advanced to a preliminary loading position and its rotational or angular orientation is precisely predetermined so that as long as this angular position is main-tained, it is capable of moving directly into mesh with thetool or die without interference between the teeth thereof.
At this time, the work gear is transported without disturbing its rotational position into alignment with the axis of the work spindle and is then engaged upon the work spindle against rotation while the work spindle is maintained in its random rotational position. Thereafter, relative movement between the work spindle and tool spindle in a direction parallel to one of such spindles causes meshing engagement between the gear and tool.
After this meshing engagement has been brought about, the two spindles are released for rotation and one of them is positively driven in rotation while forces are applied tending to produce relative motion between the spindles in a direction which will establish an effective rolling pressure between the surfaces of the teeth of the gear and tool. This rolling pressure is suffi-cient to displace material at the teeth of the gear and iscontinued until the relative motion is terminated by engagement of rigid abutments, thus insuring roll finishing of the gears to identical size even though minor variations may exist prior to rolling.
~055Z83 Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed that the directions in which the axes of tool spindle 12 and the work spindle 17 extend are fixed in space. Thus, tool spindle 12 is horizontal at all times and in Figure 2 extends parallel to the plane of the Figure. Similarly, work spindle 17 is vertical at all times and in Figure 2 extends parallel to the plane of the drawing. Since the gearing being rolled is hypoid, the axes of the gear and tool are laterally offset in the manner of operating hypoid gearing. The work gear G and its spindle 17 are movable vertically to mesh the gear and tool and to apply rolling pressure, but this movement is along the axis of work spindle 17 and hence does not disturb its orientation in space.
In the foregoing, reference is made generally to bevel gearing and it is to be understood that this includes hypoid gearing, for which the rolling operation is primarily intended.
In the hypoid rolling the pinion element, whether the tool or gear, is located so that its axis is offset laterally from the axis of the gear member.
The folling operation is carried out so that the complete finish rolling of a gear including the loading and unloading is accomplished in a brief interval as for example ten to twenty seconds. The operation is fully automatic and it is necessary only to see that the inclined loading chute is provided with a supply of unfinished gears, and to remove or provide means for receiving the finished gears from the discharge end of the discharge chute 165.
1055Z1~3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(Figs. 12-22) The invention relates primarily to automatic loading equipment for a gear rolling machine of the type diagrammati-cally illustrated in Figure 12. In this Figure there is illus-trated a main frame 210 having a column 212 and a laterally extending base portion 214. In the column 212 there is pro-vided a work support spindle 216 terminating at its forward end in a hydraulically operated clamping collet 218 adapted to grip and fixedly locate the stem of a work gear in the form of a hypoid pinion, here designated Wc. The spindle 216 is freely rotatably but is provided with a friction brake device diagram-matically illustrated at 220, which is adapted to retain the spindle 216 positively against rotation in whatever random position of rotation it happens to occupy upon termination of a finishing cycle.
Located within the base portion 214 is a vertically movable knee 222 connected to power means for elevating the knee to apply working pressure between the teeth of a work gear and a gear-like tool. This means is illustrated diagrammatically as comprising a hydraulic piston and cylinder device 224, and it is to be understood that this is capable of applying forces to the knee which will result in the application of pressure of metal forming intensity between the teeth of the gear and tool.
A tool T, herein illustrated as in the form of a hypoid ring gear, is mounted on the upper end of a tool spindle 226 adapted to be driven in rotation by a motor 228 carried by the knee 222.
The motor 228 is preferably a hydraulic motor and in operation drives the tool T directly and drives the work spindle 216 through the meshed engagement of the teeth of the tool T and the work gear W.
Suitable means are provided for fixing the tool spindle 226 in a precisely predetermined rotational position between successive gear finishing cycles. This means may con-veniently comprise a shot bolt mechanism carried by the knee having a bolt element adapted to be projected into a matching recess in the tool spindle. The shot bolt is diagrammatically indicated at 230.
In addition, accurately adjustable abutment means indicated diagrammatically at 232 are provided to limit upward movement of the knee. Accordingly, by appropriate adjustment of the abutment means 232, the work gear W may be brought to a predetermined size independent of any variations in initial oversize, all of course within the limits of the machine.
Reference is now made to Figures 13-16 inclusive.
In Figure 13 the loading mechanism comprises a slight-ly inclined input chute 240 preferably including a multiplicity of rollers 242 along which the work gear advances. The shape of the work gear W is best illustrated in Figure 14 where it will be seen that it includes a gear portion 244 and a laterally projecting stem portion 246. In Figure 13 the stem portion 46 traverses the open space indicated at 248 and the gear portion 244 moves along the rollers 242.
Suitable means (not illustrated) are provided for releasing the work gears one at a time and the foremost gear moves downwardly into a position illustrated at Wa at which lOS~Z83 time it actuates the finger 250 of a limit switch 252. A
pusher 254 is provided which is connected to a piston rod 256 of a hydraulic cylinder 260 which when energized shifts the pusher 254 to the right, advancing the work gear W along rails 261. The pusher 254 engages the stem 246 of the work gear and moves it into engagement with an adjustable abutment 262, the location of which may be adjusted by screws 264 and 266. The position of the work gear at this time is indicated at Wb and its arrival at this position will be monitored by a limit switch 268.
During traverse of the work gear from the position Wa to the position Wb, it is essential to insure that the rota-tional position of the work gear is precisely predetermined when it arrives at the position Wb. For this purpose a flex-ible leafspring 270 is provided carrying a plurality, here illustrated as three, independently adjustable ball elements 272. The ball elements 272 are dimensioned to be received in the ends of tooth spaces of the work gear W as well illustrated in Figures 15 and 16. In the event that initial contact be-tween the leading ball element 272 and a tooth space of the gear results in interference, the leafspring 270 yields to permit continued movement of the work gear W.
As soon as the work gear has arrived at its final position determined by engagement with the abutment 262, its rotational position is tested by downward movement of a ball element 274 as best seen in Figure 16. Ball element 274 is carried on a yieldable leafspring 276 and includes a switch actuator 278 engageable with an arm portion 280 of a limit 10552~33 switch 282. Leafspring 276 is fixed to an arm 284 which is pivoted as indicated at 286, movement of which is provided by a piston and cylinder device 288, the piston of which is pivotally connected as indicated at 290 to the end of the arm 284. If the ball element 274 fails to enter fully into a tooth space, limit switch 282 is actuated and further auto-matic cycling of the machine is prevented until the malfunction has been corrected.
Referring now to Figures 17-19 there is illustrated the specific mechanism for transferring work gears W sequen-tially from the preliminary loading position Wb to a working position Wc in which the stem of the work piece is gripped within a collet 218 and, after the rolling operation, removed from the collet and deposited on discharge conveyor mechanism subsequently to be described.
A pair of spaced apart stanchions 294 and 296 are provided between which extend a pair of supportrails 298.
Longitudinally slidable on the rails 298 between two limiting positions is a carriage indicated generally at 300 and compris-ing separate but rigidly interconnected heads, a loading head 302 and an unloading head 304. These heads are interconnected by coupling sleeves 306. Suitable bearings, here illustrated as ball bearings 308 are provided, and a piston and cylinder device 310 is provided which is coupled to the stanchion 296 by rod 312.
The loading head 302 and the unloading head 304, and structure carried thereby, is substantially identical and only one of the heads and associated structure will be described in detail.
10552t33 Referring now to Figure 18, it may be assumed that the head illustrated as slidable longitudinally on the rails 298 is the loading head 302. Carried by the head 302 is a pivot support 314 which includes an upwardly extending arm portion 316 provided with an arcuate sector 318 provided with teeth 320. The support 314 is pivoted to head 302 by a pivot shaft 322.
Mounted on the top of the head 302 is a hydraulic cylinder 324 having a piston rod 326 connected to a longitud-inally slidable rack 328 having teeth 330 meshing with the teeth 320 of the sector 316. The rack 328 is longitudinally slidable in a guide housing 332.
The pivot support 314 carries a slide 334, the slide connection including gibs 336 and 338, which as best seen in Figure 17 provide for horizontal movement of the slide 334 when the head 304 is in the position illustrated in Figure 17.
Movement of the slide 334 relative to the pivoted support 314 is provided by the piston and cylinder device 340 which includes a connection 342 thereto.
Adapted to be fixed to the slide 334 is a work grip-ping tool 350, details of which will subsequently be described.
For the time being it is sufficient to note that the work grip-ping tool 350 includes a plurality of jaws 352 which are pivoted toward and away from each other to grip the head of the work gear W. As seen in Figure 18, the loading mechanism, as will subsequently be described, positions the work gripping jaws 352 directly above the work gear in its position Wb. At this time the slide is moved downwardly so that the jaws pick up the work 105SZt~3 gear, after which the slide is raised vertically to temporarily locate the work gear in the position Wd. At this time by suit-able operation of the hydraulic cylinder 324, the pivoted support 314 is swung about the axis of pivot shaft 322 to bring the work gear to the position indicated at We, at which time its stem 246 is parallel to the axis of the chuck 218. The carriage 300 is in position such that the loading head 302 is in registration with the temporarily located position of the work gear W as determined by the abutment and orienting fingers. This position is to the left or toward the intake side of the machine from the center-line of the chuck 218. At the appropriate time after the work gear has been elevated out of position in its preliminary loading station, the entire carriage is shifted to the right or downstream to bring the loading head into alignment with the chuck, at which time the stem comes into axial alignment with the chuck for insertion therein.
At this time, operation of the hydraulic cylinder 340 advances the slide 334 to insert the work gear into the chuck where it occupies the previously described position Wc.
After the work support tooling 350 has inserted the work gear into the chuck, where it is hydraulically clamped, the clamping jaws are released as will subsequently be described and the slide 334 and tooling 350 are withdrawn as seen in Figure 18. After this, the knee is elevated and the gear rolling cycle initiated and completed.
At this time, the carriage is reversely moved to bring the unloading head 304 into position in front of the chuck. As soon as the gear rolling cycle is completed, the work support lOS52~3 tooling 350 on the unloading head is advanced and the clamping jaws engage the finished work gear. Thereafter, the slide which supports the work support tooling is retracted to withdraw the finished work gear from the chuck which is of course actuated to release the gear, after which the pivoted support 314 is pivoted through 90 to swing the finished work gear into position with its stem extending downwardly.
In the meantime, the loading head 302 has been moved into registration with the preliminary loading station and the mechanism is operated as previously described to pick up the next succeeding work gear.
Reference is now made to Figures 20 and 21. As seen in Figure 20, the work support tooling 350 moves the finished work piece downwardly to the position designated Wf, at which time the underside of its toothed portion rests on guide rails 354 with its stem projecting downwardly. Means are provided for advancing the finished work piece successively from the position Wf through the position Wg., etc., until they reach a collecting or discharge zone at the right hand end of the rails 354.
The means for advancing the finished gears while maintaining them out of contact with each other, comprises an elongated rod 356 having a plurality of angularly shaped feeding fingers 358 thereon. The rod 356 is mounted for limited rotation and for horizontal reciprocation, the latter being imparted to the rod by a piston and cylinder device indicated at 362 supported by bracket 360. In order to pro-vide for oscillation of the rod 356 to move the fingers 358 ~055X~3 into and out of engagement with the stem portions of the pinions, the rod is provided with an elongated cylindrically formed actuator 364. Stationary support structure 366 in-cludes a pivot support 368 to which an arm 370 is pivoted as indicated at 372. Connected to the arm 370 intermediate its ends is an actuator yoke 374 pivoted to the arm as indicated at 376 and vertically movable by a piston and cylinder device indicated at 378. Movement of the arm 370 is limited by adjustable abutments 380 and 382. At its free end arm 370 is provided with a pair of rollers 384 engaging opposite sides of the elongated cylindrically formed element 364. Accordingly, as the arm 370 is raised or lowered, the rod 356 is correspond-ingly oscillated about its axis and the multiplicity of fingers 358 thereon are movable between the full and dotted line posi-tions indicated in Figure 21. It will of course be understood that the longitudinal reciprocation of the rod by the hydraulic cylinder device 362 is permitted by virtue of the engagement between the rollers 384 and the cylindrically formed element 364.
Reference was previously made to the work gripping tooling 350 and this tooling is illustrated in some detail in Figure 22. Here, it will be observed that the pivoted jaws 352 are pivoted as indicated at 386 in slots 388 provided in a housing 390. Longitudinally movable within the housing 390 is an actuating cam device 392 having a conically formed cam surface 394 which is engageable with projections 396 formed on the inner e~d of the jaws 352. Accordingly, as viewed in Fig-ure 22, movement of the camming device to the right results in inward movement of the work engaging portion of the jaws 352 and accordingly, results in positive clamping engagement of the work piece in the jaws.
The camming device 392 is connected by the piston 398 to a hydraulic cylinder 400 which may be energized to move the camming device 392 either to the left or to the right. The camming device includes an annular flange 402 shaped to engage the inner ends of the jaws 352 when the camming device is moved to the left. It will be observed that the sequence of action from the clamping position shown in full lines is first to release the jaws by leftward move-ment of the cam 394, after which engagement between the flange 402 and the inner ends of the jaws results in positive retrac-tion of the jaws with the dotted line position indicated in Figure 11.
For completeness, the operation of the machine and loading mechanism through a single cycle will be described.
First, the operation of the machine independent of the transfer and loading mechanism will be described. The machine comprises the frame including the column 212,the base portion 214 and the vertically movable knee 222. The work support spindle 316 has a collet at its outer end to receive the stem of a work pinion in position generally overlying the knee. The spindle 216 is freely rotatable but may be clamped in any random position by operation of a friction brake 220.
The knee carries the vertical tool spindle 226 which is pro-vided with locating means such as the shot bolt 230 for locat-ing the tool and its spindle in precisely predetermined angular ` 1055283 position. The knee 322 is provided with a motor 328 connected to the tool spindle 326 and the entire knee is movable ver-tically by a hydraulic feed piston and cylinder device 324.
In operation, the knee is in downward stationary position with the tool spindle 326 locked therein in precisely predetermined angular position. At this time a work gear is positioned at a preliminary loading station where its stem extends downwardly at a fixed location and in which its rota-tional position is precisely predetermined with reference to that of the tool T. At this time, the work gear is picked up, swung through 90, moved into alignment with the collet 318, and the stem is inserted in the collet where it is positively clamped for subsequent operation. At this time, while both the tool spindle 326 and the work spindle 316 are ~aintained against rotation, the knee 322 is moved vertically to bring the teeth of the tool T into mesh with the teeth of the work gear W. After the teeth have been properly meshed without interference, the shot bolt is removed and the brake is re-leased, at which time the motor 328 is energized and pressure is continuously applied through the hydraulic cylinder 324 until the work gear has been roll-finished to predetermined dimensions.
The operation of the mechanism for initially locating work gears serially in the preliminary loading station, for shifting them into the chuck or collet, for removing a finished gear therefrom, for depositing the finished gear on discharge rails, and for advancing the finished gears along the discharge rails, will be briefly described.
1~55283 An unfinished work gear is advanced along the input chute 240 and thence is advanced by the pusher 254 along the rails 261 to the preliminary loading station, where the gear occupies the position designated Wb in Figure 13. As the gear is advanced horizontally along rails 261, balls 272 engage in tooth spaces thereof and insure that in the preliminary load-ing position the gear occupies a precisely predetermined rotational position which will insure inter-meshing between the teeth of the gear and a gear-like tool without interfer-ence.
The loading and transfer mechanism comprises the carriage 300 composed of loading head 302 and unloading head 304. The carriage at this time is shifted to a position such that the loading head 302 overlies the preliminary loading station and the pivoted support 314 is in position such that the slide carried thereby is movable vertically. At this time the slide is moved downwardly to bring the clamping jaws of the work support tooling 350 into engagement with the work gear, after which the slide is moved vertically and the pivoted support 314 is swung to bring the stem of the pinion horizontal. During this interval, the carriage is shifted longitudinally to bring the loading head into alignment with the chuck 218 and thereafter the slide is advanced to insert the stem of the gear into the collet. The collet is clamped and the gear finishing cycle commences and is carried through to completion as just described.
After the clamping jaws of the loading head are released, the carriage is moved back to bring the loading head l~SSZ83 into registration with the next succeeding gear occupying the preliminary loading station and the slide and work engaging tooling 350 on the unloading head 304 are positioned in align-ment with the work gear in the chuck. When the cycle is com-pleted, the work spindle is braked in whatever position ithappens to occupy and the knee is moved downwardly to disengage the tool and gear. At this time the shot bolt is activated and engages to fix the tool spindle in precisely located angular position.
The slide on the unloading head carrying the work engaging tooling 350 is now advanced, and the jaws actuated to grip the finished work gear, after which the slide is retracted and the pivoted support 314 is swung through 90 to move the finished work gear into position with its stem extending down-wardly. At this time the slide on the unloading head is moved downwardly and deposits the finished gear on the exit rails 354.
The cylinder 400 of the work support tooling 350 is actuated not only to release the jaws 352, but to positively move th~m to clearance position, leaving the finished work gear on the rails.
This gear, as well as previous gears, is advanced step-by-step by timed oscillation and axial recipxocation of the rod 356.
The entire loacing and unloading cycle is expedited since a work gear is oriented and picked up preparatory to in-sertion in the chuck during the rolling cycle. At the same time the unloading head is positioned so that it may be moved into work gear removing position immediately upon downward movement of the knee, thus only minimal time is lost between successive gear rolling operations and a high production accordingly results.
During the rolling operation, forces are applied to establish relatively heavy rolling pressure contact between the teeth of the gear and tool.
One of the problems in a machine as described in the foregoing is to provide automatic loading equipment in which unfinished work pieces may simply be fed into the machine and will advance continuously therethrough, entering into proper mesh with the tool gears, and finally being advanced from the machine on suitably formed exit rails. This loading equipment must provide for movement of the successive work gears into full mesh with the tools without the possibility of interfering engagement between the crests of the teeth of the gear and tool and consequent failure to mesh.
Automatic meshing engagement during the automatic loading of the machine is accomplished by mounting the tool on a tool spindle in a predetermined fixed position thereon, and between gear rolling operations fixing the angular location of the tool spindle so that the tool teeth occupy precisely predetermined angular positions. Conveniently, this is accomplished by shot bolt means. ~
At the same time, after a finished work gear is removed from the work spindle, the work spindle is positively maintained in a random position as for example by the appli-cation of suitable brake means to the spindle in whatever position it happens to occupy at the conclusion of a gear rolling cycle.
Means are provided on the work spindle for fixing the work gear thereon against rotation so that the work gear is rotatable only with the work spindle after the brake means has been released.
In order to insure that the teeth of each work gear as it is located on the work spindle are in proper position to enter into full mesh with the teeth of the tool, means are provided for positioning each work gear as it advances in a fixed position in which its teeth are precisely located in the required angular position. This in general is accomplished by advancing each work gear along rail means into engagement with a series of resiliently mounted fingers which will enter into engagement in the tooth spaces of the work gear. conveniently, these fingers may be mounted on a leaf spring so that if they fail to engage in the tooth spaces of the work gear, the fin-gers will be displaced against the spring until such time as they drop into the tooth spaces.
The individual work gears are advanced along the rails by a feeding abutment including the roller which engages the internal diameter of ring gears in an off-center position located toward the side of the gears which will engage the locating fingers. This insures that the gear is biased toward 1055Zt~3 the fingers as it advances. In the final position, each gear encounters a locating abutment which determines its position in space while its angular position is determined by the tooth locating fingers as previously described.
At this time to provide final assurance that the gear is properly located, a ball type locator mounted on a pivoted lever is moved into engagement with a tooth space. If, for any reason, the ball point of the locator fails to enter a tooth space, suitable limit switch means controlled by position of the pivoted arm insures that further automatic operation of the machine is prevented until the difficulty is cured.
Having thus located a work gear in the form of a ring gear in a precisely predetermined position in space and with the precisely predetermined angular position, the gear is now conveyed into axial alignment with the work spindle. Conveniently, the work spindle may include an expanding arbor which when con-tracted is adapted to receive the work gear upon relative axial movement between the spindle and the gear. Similarly, where the work gear is a pinion, the work spindle carries a chuck which receives and grips the stem of the pinion.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each work gear, after having been properly located as above described, is engaged between clamping jaws, which jaws are then elevated and transferred into position to align the gears with the work arbor. Preferably, the work gears are advanced with their axes vertical and the work spindle axis is also vertical.
After the jaws advance the work gear into alignment with the spindle, the jaws lower a ring gear onto the spindle and hold lOSSZ83 it against rotation until the arbor is expanded to fix the gear thereon against rotation, or insert the stem of a pinion into a chuck and hold it without rotation until the chuck grips the stem.
Thereafter, the jaws are retracted and the work spindle and tool spindle relatively moved to bring about meshing engagement between the work and tool. In the pre-ferred form of the invention, one of the spindles is maintained in a fixed horizontal position and the other spindle is ver-tical and is elevated to bring the gear into appropriate mesh with the tool. After the tool and gear have been properly meshed, the shot bolt locator means is de-activated to release the tool spindle and the brake is de-activated to release the work spindle for rotation. One of the spindles, preferably the tool spindle, thereafter is driven in rotation at sub-stantial speeds and the meshed engagement between the tool and gear bring about corresponding rotation of the work spindle.
Preferably, one spindle is carried by a vertically movable slide which in turn is moved vertically by one or more hydraulic cylinders capable of establishing the relatively great rolling pressure required to finish the toothed sur-faces of the work gears by a roll finishing operation.
After the rolling operation is completed, the vertical spindle is moved downwardly, bringing the work gear and tool out of mesh, and after this meshing engagement is terminated, the location of the tool spindle is again fixed by activation of the shot bolt means, and the work spindle lOS5283 is fixed against rotation in a random position by activation of the brake.
Gear receiving means for ring gears are provided movable into position at opposite sides of the work spindle while the york gear is being rolled which are adapted to receive the finished gear as it moves downwardly with the woxk spindle. At this time the expanding arbor is contracted so that as the arbor continues its downward movement, the finished gear is stripped from the arbor and deposited on the gear receiving means.
The gear receiving means reciprocates and following deposit of a gear thereon, it moves laterally from the axis of the work spindle to move the finished gear onto discharge rails where it joins other previous-ly finished gears which are advanced in a step-by-step relation by pivoted fingers.
Pinions are removed horizontally from the horizontal work spindle and are turned 90 and deposited on rails.
Described in more general terms the gear rolling machine of the present invention comprises a rotary tool spindle having tool support means for fixing the tool gear thereon in which means are provided for fixing the tool spindle between successive rolling operations in a predeter-mined rotational position. A rotary work spindle is provided having work support means thereon for fixing successive work gears thereon. Means are provided for relatively moving the spindles between separated loading and adjacent working positions.
~055283 Means are provided for fixing the work spindle prior to loading a new work gear thereon in a fixed rotational position. The invention includes means for presenting a succession of work gears to the work support means in the precisely predetermined rotational position required for meshing of the gear and tool on relative approach without rotation and without tooth interference. Means are provided for moving successive work gears to the work support means while the spindles occupy loading position by relative movement between the work gears and work spindle in the direction of the axis of the work spindle without rotational movement of either the work gears or work spindle. Means are provided for meshing the work gears and tool gear by relatively moving the spindles without rotational movement of either of said spindles, together with means for thereafter releasing both of said spindles for rotation and for driving one of the spindles in rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO~ OF THE DR~WINGS
Figures 1-11 disclose the ring gear finisher.
Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the working station of the machine for rolling ring gears.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the ma~or essential machine components.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the work loading station.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3.
Figure 4A is an enlarged detail view of the work locating mechanism.
lOSSZ83 Figure 5 is a fragmentary end view of the structure shown in Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the work transfer carriage and slide.
Figure 7 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 6.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the work clamp mechanism.
Figure 9 is an elevational view of the machine structure at the work spindle.
Figure 10 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a fragmentary end view substantially at the line 11--11, Figure 9.
Figures 12-22 disclose the pinion finisher.
Figure 12 is a simplified sectional view showing the relationship of parts of the rolling apparatus for pinions.
Figure 13 is a plan view of the entry end of the loading mechanism.
Figure 14 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 13.
Figure 15 is an elevational detailed view showing orientation of the work gear.
Figure 16 is a detailed elevational view showing apparatus for checking orientation of the work gear.
Figure 17 is an elevational view of the loading and unloading mechanism.
Figure 18 is a side elevational view of the loading and unloading mechanism.
Figure 19 is a plan view of the loading and unload-ing mechanism.
Figure 20 is an elevational view of the discharge end of the loading mechanism.
Figure 21 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 20.
Figure 22 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(Figs. 1-11) Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the machine com-prises a preliminary loading station indicated at 10 in Fig-ure 1 in which a work gear W is located in predetermined spatial relationship and in accurately determined rotational or angu-larly oriented position. The machine comprises a tool T fix-edly mounted on a tool spindle 12 which is maintained in fixed spatial relation. The machine frame indicated generally at 14 comprises a vertically movable knee 16 including a work spindle 17, the upper end of which terminates in an expanding arbor 18.
Rails 20 are provided on which a carriage 22 is horizontally slidable. Mounted for vertical movement on the carriage 22 is a slide 24 having opposed clamping jaws, one of which is indicated at 26.
Referring now to Figure 2, the tool T is fixedly mounted on the tool spindle 12 and is adapted to be driven in rotation by a motor 28, preferably a hydraulic motor. Between finishing cycles the tool spindle 12 is maintained in a pre-cisely predetermined angular or rotational position by suitable means such for example as a shot bolt 30 adapted to enter into a recess in the tool spindle 12. This accordingly arrests the tool T in a predetermined angular position.
Mounted at the front of the machine is a vertically movable knee 16 in which the work spindle 17 is rotatable. The knee 16 is movable vertically by suitable means such as one or more hydraulic cylinder devices 34.
Suitable adjustable abutment means are provided for limiting the upward movement of the knee. Such means are diagrammatically indicated as adjustable abutment screws 35.
In practice, four such abutments are provided and in the gear rolling operation these adjustable abutments determine the finish size of the gear. In other words, the upward force applied by the hydraulic piston and cylinder devices 34 will bring work gears G to the same size which is determined by the adjustment of the abutments 35, irrespective of some variation in size prior to rolling.
Fixed to the spindle 17 is a disc 36 associated with a friction brake 38 adapted to arrest the spindle 17 in a ran-dom position. The random position is any position in whichthe spindle 17 happens to come to rest between gear rolling cycles.
A succession of work gears awaiting roll finishing operations are provided on an inclined chute which is defined by gear supporting rollers 40 down which the gears advance by gravity into a position determined by engagement with an abut-ment 42 from which point they are advanced to the right as seen in these Figures.
lOSSZ83 A work advancing mechanism is provided comprising a bar 44 connected to a piston and cylinder device 46 for reciprocating the same. To the bar 44 a gear advancing pin 48 is pivoted, as indicated at 50 and includes a counterweight 52 which normally maintains the pin in its erected position against an abutment screw 54. Also connected to the bar 44 is a second gear advancing device comprising a finger 56 pivoted at 58 and including a counterweight 60 normally hold-ing the finger 56 against abutment means indicated at 62.
At the end of the finger 56 is a roller 64 engageable with the interior of a gear in an off-center position with respect to the center line 66 along which the gears advance. The off-center position of the roller is best indicated at 64a in Figures 4 and 4A where it is seen to engage within the annulus of the gear in the off-center position as illustrated.
On forward movement of the bar 44, the roller 56 is prevented from yielding by the abutment 62 but upon movement to the left of the bar 44, the finger 56 rocks to the position in which the roller 64 occupies the position indicated at 64b, thus leaving the gear in its advanced position.
When the work advancing mechanism operates to move a gear into finally located position, it advances the gear into engagement withaa fixed abutment 68 which determines the spatial position of the gear. The means for determining its angular or rotational orientation is best illustrated in the enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 4A. As seen in this Figure, the gear G has been advanced into engagement with the stop or abutment 68 by the off-center roller 64a. As a result of the location of the roller, the gear is not only advanced to the right as seen in the Figure, but is also given a lateral bias as well as forces tending to rotate the gear in a clockwise direction. It will of course be understood that the gear advances along a horizontal track or rails with its axis vertical preparatory to being positioned on an expanding arbor at the upper end of a vertical work spindle.
The advancing work gear is advanced along a side rail 70 to which is attached one end of a leaf spring 72 carrying a plurality of adjustable fingers 74, 76 and 78.
It will be observed that finger 74 has a shape corresponding to a tooth space of the gear, whereas the fingers 76 and 78 are ball shaped. The fingers extend through openings 80 in the rail 70 in position to be engaged by teeth at the periphery of the gear G. When the gear comes into engagement with the stop abutment 68, it will have been rotated into the correct angular or rotational orientation by the fingers 74, 76 and 78.
As a final assurance that the work gear is in properly oriented position, the mechanism illustrated in Figures 4A and 5 is provided. Here, it will be seen that there is provided a lever 82 pivoted as indicated at 84 and adapted to be swung about the pivot axis by means of a piston and cylinder device 86. Mounted on the lever 82 is a limit switch 88 adapted to be engaged by a plunger 90 having a ball tip 92 adapted to enter into the space between teeth of the gear G if the gear is precisely oriented in predetermined angular position. If the ball point 92 happens to engage on the crest of the tooth or fails to enter fully into a tooth space, the limit switch 88 is connected to terminate further automatic operation of the machine.
Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, there is illus-trated the mechanism for gripping the gear in its predetermined angular position and moving it into alignment with the work spindle of the machine.
In Figure 6 the vertically movable knee 16 and work spindle 17 of the machine are illustrated and the spindle at its upper end is provided with an abutment surface 94 and the expanding arbor 18. Separated posts 98 and 100 are provided which at their upper ends carry the rails 20 along which the carriage assembly 22 is movable to the right and left as seen in Figure 6. The carriage has an upwardly extending bracket 106 carrying limit switches 108 and 110 actuated by abutments 112 on a vertically movable rod 114. Vertically movable on the carriage 22 is a slide 24 carrying clamping jaws 118 at its lower end. The bracket 106 carries a piston and cylinder device 120 to which the slide 24 is connected, and the carriage 22 is connected to a piston and cylinder device 122 adapted to move the carriage 22 from the full line position illustrated in Figure 6 to the right, to a po~tion in which it actuates a limit switch 124. The right hand position of the carriage 22 moves the work gear G to the position indicated in dotted lines at Ga, after which downward movement of the slide 24 moves the gear downwardly to the position Gb in which it abuts the surface 94 and receives the expanding arbor 18 within the central opening therein.
1055Z~3 Referring now particularly to Figure 8, there is illustrated the mechanism for actuating the clamping jaws 118.
The jaws 118 are each secured to rods 126, the inner ends of which confront each other and are provided with recesses 128 receiving the ends of a compression spring 130 normally urging the jaws away from each other into gear releasing position.
Rods 126 are longitudinally slidable in a bore provided in a head 132 at the lower end of the slide 116. A cylinder 134 is provided in which a piston 136 is vertically movable. The rods 126 at their inner ends are provided with upstanding ears 138 having inclined camming surfaces 140. The lower end of the piston 136 has a recess 142 having correspondingly inclined surfaces engageable with the surfaces 140. When pressure fluid is admitted above the piston 136, the piston is moved downwardly and cams the rods 126 inwardly to slamp the jaws 118 against the periphery of the work gear G. A piston and cylinder device 144 includes a cam (not shown) which retains the jaws clamped during transfer.
As best illustrated in Figure 6, the jaws 118 are located to have a line of action extending diagonally with respect to the center line of advance of the gears so as to avoid interference with the remaining machine structure.
After a work gear has been deposited on the expanding arbor 18 of the work spindle 17, the arbor is expanded so that the work gear is securely retained thereon against rotation.
At this time, the friction brake prevents rotation of the work spindle and accordingly, the work gear maintains its precise required rotational orientation with respect to the tool or die, lOSSZ83 which of course also remains in fixed position at this time as a result of actuation of the shot bolt.
At this time, the knee 16 is elevated and the teeth of the tool T and gear G enter into mesh. As soon as this has been accomplished, the shot bolt and brake are de-activated so that both work and tool spindles are rotatable and the motor 28 is activated to initiate power rotation of the tool spindle.
At the same time, continuous pressure is applied to the knee 16 to raise it until further advance is arrested by engagement of the adjustable abutments 35 previously referred to.
This completes the rolling operation and thereafter the knee is lowered.
Referring now to Figures 9-11, there is illustrated the mechanism which strips the finished gear from the expand-ing arbor and advances it to a discharge chute for step-by-step further advance.
The finished work gear G is illustrated in Figure 9 as supported on the surface 94 of the work spindle 17 and upon downward movement of the knee 16, the gear G will be engaged on support surfaces 150 of a pair of nest members 152 having abutment surfaces 154 engageable with surfaces on the work gear G
to the left of its center line designated at 156 in the Figure.
~est members 152 are connected to a transverse bar 158 which in turn is connected to a piston and cylinder device 160 by a bracket 162. It will be observed that the nest members 152 are spaced apart to extend at opposite sides of the reduced portion 164 at the upper end of the work spindle and are movable by the piston and cylinder device 160 from the positions illustrated lOSSZl~3 in Figure 10 to the right to a position in which they permit downward movement of an unfinished gear onto the expanding arbor 18 when the knee 16 is in its lowermost position.
Discharge movement of the finished gears as seen in Figures 9 and 10 is to the right, and for this purpose there is provided a trackway or chute indicated generally at 165, as best illustrated in Figure 11, comprising spaced rollers 166 and vertically extending guard rails or flanges 168.
With the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 9, downward movement of the knee 16 will cause the finished gear G
to be deposited on the support surfaces 150 and to have trailing surfaces thereof engaged by the abutment surfaces 154 on nest members 152. At this time, of course, the expanding arbor 18 is contracted so that downward movement of the knee 16 strips the finished gear G from the expanding arbor and leaves it supported on the nest members 152.
At this time, the piston and cylinder device 160 is actuated, moving the nest members 152 to the right to displace the gear from its position overlying the work spindle 17 preparatory to the placement of a following work gear thereon.
The finished gear is advanced onto the beginning of the track-way or discharge chute indicated generally at 165. In order to prevent retrograde movement of a finished gear after it has been removed from alignment with the work spindle, a stop 170 is provided having an inclined upper surface 172 and a stop shoulder 174 engageable with the trailing bottom corner of a work gear. The finished gear thus occupies the position designated in Figure 9 as Gd, at which time it is prepared for lOS5Zt~3 further advance to the right by reciprocation of longitudinally extending bars 176 between which are pivoted feed dogs or fingers 178, the pivot means being indicated at 180. The pivoted dogs are provided with a counterweight 182 normally maintaining the dogs or fingers 178 erect, in which position they are main-tained against counterclockwise rotation by an abutment 184.
The dogs 178 extend upwardly within the annulus of the gears G
and are thus effective to move them to the right by an amount equal to the stroke of the bars 176, which are connected to the piston and cylinder device 160 for accomplishing step-by-step advance of the finished gears.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that finished gears are removed from the working zone by downward movement of the knee with the expanding arbor in contracted position so that the finished gears are deposited on the transfer means which includes the nest members 152. As soon as the finished gears are separated from the expanding arbor, the nest members are shifted to the right, transferring the finished gears to the entry end of the discharge chute 165 in which position they are retained by engagement with the abutment shoulder 174 as the transfer device including the laterally spaced nest members 152 are returned to position at opposite sides of the reduced por-tion 164 of the work spindle. Reciprocation of the bars 176 causes a step-by-step advance of physically separated gears as a result of engagement of the feed dogs 178. On movement to the left of the bars 176, the dogs 178 pivot clockwise to clearance position and are moved rearwardly for engagement with the next successive finished gear.
It will be observed from the foregoing that essen-tially the machine comprises means for effecting automatic loading including meshing between a work gear and a gear-like tool in which the tool is maintained against rotation in a precisely predetermined position of angular orientation, while the work spindle is retained against rotation in a purely ran-dom position. A work gear is advanced to a preliminary loading position and its rotational or angular orientation is precisely predetermined so that as long as this angular position is main-tained, it is capable of moving directly into mesh with thetool or die without interference between the teeth thereof.
At this time, the work gear is transported without disturbing its rotational position into alignment with the axis of the work spindle and is then engaged upon the work spindle against rotation while the work spindle is maintained in its random rotational position. Thereafter, relative movement between the work spindle and tool spindle in a direction parallel to one of such spindles causes meshing engagement between the gear and tool.
After this meshing engagement has been brought about, the two spindles are released for rotation and one of them is positively driven in rotation while forces are applied tending to produce relative motion between the spindles in a direction which will establish an effective rolling pressure between the surfaces of the teeth of the gear and tool. This rolling pressure is suffi-cient to displace material at the teeth of the gear and iscontinued until the relative motion is terminated by engagement of rigid abutments, thus insuring roll finishing of the gears to identical size even though minor variations may exist prior to rolling.
~055Z83 Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed that the directions in which the axes of tool spindle 12 and the work spindle 17 extend are fixed in space. Thus, tool spindle 12 is horizontal at all times and in Figure 2 extends parallel to the plane of the Figure. Similarly, work spindle 17 is vertical at all times and in Figure 2 extends parallel to the plane of the drawing. Since the gearing being rolled is hypoid, the axes of the gear and tool are laterally offset in the manner of operating hypoid gearing. The work gear G and its spindle 17 are movable vertically to mesh the gear and tool and to apply rolling pressure, but this movement is along the axis of work spindle 17 and hence does not disturb its orientation in space.
In the foregoing, reference is made generally to bevel gearing and it is to be understood that this includes hypoid gearing, for which the rolling operation is primarily intended.
In the hypoid rolling the pinion element, whether the tool or gear, is located so that its axis is offset laterally from the axis of the gear member.
The folling operation is carried out so that the complete finish rolling of a gear including the loading and unloading is accomplished in a brief interval as for example ten to twenty seconds. The operation is fully automatic and it is necessary only to see that the inclined loading chute is provided with a supply of unfinished gears, and to remove or provide means for receiving the finished gears from the discharge end of the discharge chute 165.
1055Z1~3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(Figs. 12-22) The invention relates primarily to automatic loading equipment for a gear rolling machine of the type diagrammati-cally illustrated in Figure 12. In this Figure there is illus-trated a main frame 210 having a column 212 and a laterally extending base portion 214. In the column 212 there is pro-vided a work support spindle 216 terminating at its forward end in a hydraulically operated clamping collet 218 adapted to grip and fixedly locate the stem of a work gear in the form of a hypoid pinion, here designated Wc. The spindle 216 is freely rotatably but is provided with a friction brake device diagram-matically illustrated at 220, which is adapted to retain the spindle 216 positively against rotation in whatever random position of rotation it happens to occupy upon termination of a finishing cycle.
Located within the base portion 214 is a vertically movable knee 222 connected to power means for elevating the knee to apply working pressure between the teeth of a work gear and a gear-like tool. This means is illustrated diagrammatically as comprising a hydraulic piston and cylinder device 224, and it is to be understood that this is capable of applying forces to the knee which will result in the application of pressure of metal forming intensity between the teeth of the gear and tool.
A tool T, herein illustrated as in the form of a hypoid ring gear, is mounted on the upper end of a tool spindle 226 adapted to be driven in rotation by a motor 228 carried by the knee 222.
The motor 228 is preferably a hydraulic motor and in operation drives the tool T directly and drives the work spindle 216 through the meshed engagement of the teeth of the tool T and the work gear W.
Suitable means are provided for fixing the tool spindle 226 in a precisely predetermined rotational position between successive gear finishing cycles. This means may con-veniently comprise a shot bolt mechanism carried by the knee having a bolt element adapted to be projected into a matching recess in the tool spindle. The shot bolt is diagrammatically indicated at 230.
In addition, accurately adjustable abutment means indicated diagrammatically at 232 are provided to limit upward movement of the knee. Accordingly, by appropriate adjustment of the abutment means 232, the work gear W may be brought to a predetermined size independent of any variations in initial oversize, all of course within the limits of the machine.
Reference is now made to Figures 13-16 inclusive.
In Figure 13 the loading mechanism comprises a slight-ly inclined input chute 240 preferably including a multiplicity of rollers 242 along which the work gear advances. The shape of the work gear W is best illustrated in Figure 14 where it will be seen that it includes a gear portion 244 and a laterally projecting stem portion 246. In Figure 13 the stem portion 46 traverses the open space indicated at 248 and the gear portion 244 moves along the rollers 242.
Suitable means (not illustrated) are provided for releasing the work gears one at a time and the foremost gear moves downwardly into a position illustrated at Wa at which lOS~Z83 time it actuates the finger 250 of a limit switch 252. A
pusher 254 is provided which is connected to a piston rod 256 of a hydraulic cylinder 260 which when energized shifts the pusher 254 to the right, advancing the work gear W along rails 261. The pusher 254 engages the stem 246 of the work gear and moves it into engagement with an adjustable abutment 262, the location of which may be adjusted by screws 264 and 266. The position of the work gear at this time is indicated at Wb and its arrival at this position will be monitored by a limit switch 268.
During traverse of the work gear from the position Wa to the position Wb, it is essential to insure that the rota-tional position of the work gear is precisely predetermined when it arrives at the position Wb. For this purpose a flex-ible leafspring 270 is provided carrying a plurality, here illustrated as three, independently adjustable ball elements 272. The ball elements 272 are dimensioned to be received in the ends of tooth spaces of the work gear W as well illustrated in Figures 15 and 16. In the event that initial contact be-tween the leading ball element 272 and a tooth space of the gear results in interference, the leafspring 270 yields to permit continued movement of the work gear W.
As soon as the work gear has arrived at its final position determined by engagement with the abutment 262, its rotational position is tested by downward movement of a ball element 274 as best seen in Figure 16. Ball element 274 is carried on a yieldable leafspring 276 and includes a switch actuator 278 engageable with an arm portion 280 of a limit 10552~33 switch 282. Leafspring 276 is fixed to an arm 284 which is pivoted as indicated at 286, movement of which is provided by a piston and cylinder device 288, the piston of which is pivotally connected as indicated at 290 to the end of the arm 284. If the ball element 274 fails to enter fully into a tooth space, limit switch 282 is actuated and further auto-matic cycling of the machine is prevented until the malfunction has been corrected.
Referring now to Figures 17-19 there is illustrated the specific mechanism for transferring work gears W sequen-tially from the preliminary loading position Wb to a working position Wc in which the stem of the work piece is gripped within a collet 218 and, after the rolling operation, removed from the collet and deposited on discharge conveyor mechanism subsequently to be described.
A pair of spaced apart stanchions 294 and 296 are provided between which extend a pair of supportrails 298.
Longitudinally slidable on the rails 298 between two limiting positions is a carriage indicated generally at 300 and compris-ing separate but rigidly interconnected heads, a loading head 302 and an unloading head 304. These heads are interconnected by coupling sleeves 306. Suitable bearings, here illustrated as ball bearings 308 are provided, and a piston and cylinder device 310 is provided which is coupled to the stanchion 296 by rod 312.
The loading head 302 and the unloading head 304, and structure carried thereby, is substantially identical and only one of the heads and associated structure will be described in detail.
10552t33 Referring now to Figure 18, it may be assumed that the head illustrated as slidable longitudinally on the rails 298 is the loading head 302. Carried by the head 302 is a pivot support 314 which includes an upwardly extending arm portion 316 provided with an arcuate sector 318 provided with teeth 320. The support 314 is pivoted to head 302 by a pivot shaft 322.
Mounted on the top of the head 302 is a hydraulic cylinder 324 having a piston rod 326 connected to a longitud-inally slidable rack 328 having teeth 330 meshing with the teeth 320 of the sector 316. The rack 328 is longitudinally slidable in a guide housing 332.
The pivot support 314 carries a slide 334, the slide connection including gibs 336 and 338, which as best seen in Figure 17 provide for horizontal movement of the slide 334 when the head 304 is in the position illustrated in Figure 17.
Movement of the slide 334 relative to the pivoted support 314 is provided by the piston and cylinder device 340 which includes a connection 342 thereto.
Adapted to be fixed to the slide 334 is a work grip-ping tool 350, details of which will subsequently be described.
For the time being it is sufficient to note that the work grip-ping tool 350 includes a plurality of jaws 352 which are pivoted toward and away from each other to grip the head of the work gear W. As seen in Figure 18, the loading mechanism, as will subsequently be described, positions the work gripping jaws 352 directly above the work gear in its position Wb. At this time the slide is moved downwardly so that the jaws pick up the work 105SZt~3 gear, after which the slide is raised vertically to temporarily locate the work gear in the position Wd. At this time by suit-able operation of the hydraulic cylinder 324, the pivoted support 314 is swung about the axis of pivot shaft 322 to bring the work gear to the position indicated at We, at which time its stem 246 is parallel to the axis of the chuck 218. The carriage 300 is in position such that the loading head 302 is in registration with the temporarily located position of the work gear W as determined by the abutment and orienting fingers. This position is to the left or toward the intake side of the machine from the center-line of the chuck 218. At the appropriate time after the work gear has been elevated out of position in its preliminary loading station, the entire carriage is shifted to the right or downstream to bring the loading head into alignment with the chuck, at which time the stem comes into axial alignment with the chuck for insertion therein.
At this time, operation of the hydraulic cylinder 340 advances the slide 334 to insert the work gear into the chuck where it occupies the previously described position Wc.
After the work support tooling 350 has inserted the work gear into the chuck, where it is hydraulically clamped, the clamping jaws are released as will subsequently be described and the slide 334 and tooling 350 are withdrawn as seen in Figure 18. After this, the knee is elevated and the gear rolling cycle initiated and completed.
At this time, the carriage is reversely moved to bring the unloading head 304 into position in front of the chuck. As soon as the gear rolling cycle is completed, the work support lOS52~3 tooling 350 on the unloading head is advanced and the clamping jaws engage the finished work gear. Thereafter, the slide which supports the work support tooling is retracted to withdraw the finished work gear from the chuck which is of course actuated to release the gear, after which the pivoted support 314 is pivoted through 90 to swing the finished work gear into position with its stem extending downwardly.
In the meantime, the loading head 302 has been moved into registration with the preliminary loading station and the mechanism is operated as previously described to pick up the next succeeding work gear.
Reference is now made to Figures 20 and 21. As seen in Figure 20, the work support tooling 350 moves the finished work piece downwardly to the position designated Wf, at which time the underside of its toothed portion rests on guide rails 354 with its stem projecting downwardly. Means are provided for advancing the finished work piece successively from the position Wf through the position Wg., etc., until they reach a collecting or discharge zone at the right hand end of the rails 354.
The means for advancing the finished gears while maintaining them out of contact with each other, comprises an elongated rod 356 having a plurality of angularly shaped feeding fingers 358 thereon. The rod 356 is mounted for limited rotation and for horizontal reciprocation, the latter being imparted to the rod by a piston and cylinder device indicated at 362 supported by bracket 360. In order to pro-vide for oscillation of the rod 356 to move the fingers 358 ~055X~3 into and out of engagement with the stem portions of the pinions, the rod is provided with an elongated cylindrically formed actuator 364. Stationary support structure 366 in-cludes a pivot support 368 to which an arm 370 is pivoted as indicated at 372. Connected to the arm 370 intermediate its ends is an actuator yoke 374 pivoted to the arm as indicated at 376 and vertically movable by a piston and cylinder device indicated at 378. Movement of the arm 370 is limited by adjustable abutments 380 and 382. At its free end arm 370 is provided with a pair of rollers 384 engaging opposite sides of the elongated cylindrically formed element 364. Accordingly, as the arm 370 is raised or lowered, the rod 356 is correspond-ingly oscillated about its axis and the multiplicity of fingers 358 thereon are movable between the full and dotted line posi-tions indicated in Figure 21. It will of course be understood that the longitudinal reciprocation of the rod by the hydraulic cylinder device 362 is permitted by virtue of the engagement between the rollers 384 and the cylindrically formed element 364.
Reference was previously made to the work gripping tooling 350 and this tooling is illustrated in some detail in Figure 22. Here, it will be observed that the pivoted jaws 352 are pivoted as indicated at 386 in slots 388 provided in a housing 390. Longitudinally movable within the housing 390 is an actuating cam device 392 having a conically formed cam surface 394 which is engageable with projections 396 formed on the inner e~d of the jaws 352. Accordingly, as viewed in Fig-ure 22, movement of the camming device to the right results in inward movement of the work engaging portion of the jaws 352 and accordingly, results in positive clamping engagement of the work piece in the jaws.
The camming device 392 is connected by the piston 398 to a hydraulic cylinder 400 which may be energized to move the camming device 392 either to the left or to the right. The camming device includes an annular flange 402 shaped to engage the inner ends of the jaws 352 when the camming device is moved to the left. It will be observed that the sequence of action from the clamping position shown in full lines is first to release the jaws by leftward move-ment of the cam 394, after which engagement between the flange 402 and the inner ends of the jaws results in positive retrac-tion of the jaws with the dotted line position indicated in Figure 11.
For completeness, the operation of the machine and loading mechanism through a single cycle will be described.
First, the operation of the machine independent of the transfer and loading mechanism will be described. The machine comprises the frame including the column 212,the base portion 214 and the vertically movable knee 222. The work support spindle 316 has a collet at its outer end to receive the stem of a work pinion in position generally overlying the knee. The spindle 216 is freely rotatable but may be clamped in any random position by operation of a friction brake 220.
The knee carries the vertical tool spindle 226 which is pro-vided with locating means such as the shot bolt 230 for locat-ing the tool and its spindle in precisely predetermined angular ` 1055283 position. The knee 322 is provided with a motor 328 connected to the tool spindle 326 and the entire knee is movable ver-tically by a hydraulic feed piston and cylinder device 324.
In operation, the knee is in downward stationary position with the tool spindle 326 locked therein in precisely predetermined angular position. At this time a work gear is positioned at a preliminary loading station where its stem extends downwardly at a fixed location and in which its rota-tional position is precisely predetermined with reference to that of the tool T. At this time, the work gear is picked up, swung through 90, moved into alignment with the collet 318, and the stem is inserted in the collet where it is positively clamped for subsequent operation. At this time, while both the tool spindle 326 and the work spindle 316 are ~aintained against rotation, the knee 322 is moved vertically to bring the teeth of the tool T into mesh with the teeth of the work gear W. After the teeth have been properly meshed without interference, the shot bolt is removed and the brake is re-leased, at which time the motor 328 is energized and pressure is continuously applied through the hydraulic cylinder 324 until the work gear has been roll-finished to predetermined dimensions.
The operation of the mechanism for initially locating work gears serially in the preliminary loading station, for shifting them into the chuck or collet, for removing a finished gear therefrom, for depositing the finished gear on discharge rails, and for advancing the finished gears along the discharge rails, will be briefly described.
1~55283 An unfinished work gear is advanced along the input chute 240 and thence is advanced by the pusher 254 along the rails 261 to the preliminary loading station, where the gear occupies the position designated Wb in Figure 13. As the gear is advanced horizontally along rails 261, balls 272 engage in tooth spaces thereof and insure that in the preliminary load-ing position the gear occupies a precisely predetermined rotational position which will insure inter-meshing between the teeth of the gear and a gear-like tool without interfer-ence.
The loading and transfer mechanism comprises the carriage 300 composed of loading head 302 and unloading head 304. The carriage at this time is shifted to a position such that the loading head 302 overlies the preliminary loading station and the pivoted support 314 is in position such that the slide carried thereby is movable vertically. At this time the slide is moved downwardly to bring the clamping jaws of the work support tooling 350 into engagement with the work gear, after which the slide is moved vertically and the pivoted support 314 is swung to bring the stem of the pinion horizontal. During this interval, the carriage is shifted longitudinally to bring the loading head into alignment with the chuck 218 and thereafter the slide is advanced to insert the stem of the gear into the collet. The collet is clamped and the gear finishing cycle commences and is carried through to completion as just described.
After the clamping jaws of the loading head are released, the carriage is moved back to bring the loading head l~SSZ83 into registration with the next succeeding gear occupying the preliminary loading station and the slide and work engaging tooling 350 on the unloading head 304 are positioned in align-ment with the work gear in the chuck. When the cycle is com-pleted, the work spindle is braked in whatever position ithappens to occupy and the knee is moved downwardly to disengage the tool and gear. At this time the shot bolt is activated and engages to fix the tool spindle in precisely located angular position.
The slide on the unloading head carrying the work engaging tooling 350 is now advanced, and the jaws actuated to grip the finished work gear, after which the slide is retracted and the pivoted support 314 is swung through 90 to move the finished work gear into position with its stem extending down-wardly. At this time the slide on the unloading head is moved downwardly and deposits the finished gear on the exit rails 354.
The cylinder 400 of the work support tooling 350 is actuated not only to release the jaws 352, but to positively move th~m to clearance position, leaving the finished work gear on the rails.
This gear, as well as previous gears, is advanced step-by-step by timed oscillation and axial recipxocation of the rod 356.
The entire loacing and unloading cycle is expedited since a work gear is oriented and picked up preparatory to in-sertion in the chuck during the rolling cycle. At the same time the unloading head is positioned so that it may be moved into work gear removing position immediately upon downward movement of the knee, thus only minimal time is lost between successive gear rolling operations and a high production accordingly results.
Claims (8)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A gear rolling machine for rolling bevel work gears in mesh with a tool in the form of a hard steel bevel tool gear conjugate to the work gears which comprises a rotary tool spindle having tool support means thereon for fixing a tool gear thereon, means for fixing said tool spindle between successive rolling operations in a predetermined rotational position, a rotary work spindle having work support means thereon for fixing successive work gears thereon, means for relatively moving said spindles between separated loading positions in which a work gear may be received on said work spindle without interference with a tool on said tool spindle and a working position in which the gear and tool are in tight mesh, means for fixing said work spindle after each rolling operation and before loading a new work gear thereon in a fixed rotational position, means for presenting successive work gears to said work support means in the precisely pre-determined rotational position required for meshing of the work gear and tool gear on relative approach without rotation and without tooth interference, means for moving successive work gears to the work support means while the spindles occupy loading position by relative movement between the work gears and work spindle in the direction of the axis of said work spindle without rotational movement of either the work gears or work spindle, means for meshing the work gears and tool gear by relatively moving said spindles without rotational movement of either of said spindles, means for thereafter releasing both of said spindles for rotation, and means for driving one of said spindles in rotation.
2. A machine as defined in claim 1 in which the means for fixing the work spindle in fixed rotational position comprises a friction brake operable to lock said work spindle in whatever random position it occupies prior to loading a work gear thereon.
3. A machine as defined in claim 1 in which the means for presenting successive work gears to the gear support means in the precisely predetermined rotational position required to provide for meshing of the gears comprises guide means along which successive work gears are advanced, means engageable with the teeth of said work gears as they advance to rotate the work gears into the said precisely predetermined rotational position.
4. A machine as defined in claim 3, in which the means for presenting successive work gears to the gear support means comprises a carriage, jaws on said carriage adapted to grip a work gear after it has been rotated into the required precisely predetermined rotational position and means to move the carriage so as to move the work gear gripped by said jaws into alignment with the work spindle, and in which the means for mounting the work gear on the gear support means comprises means for relatively moving the work spindle and carriage axially of the work spindle to engage the work gear with the gear support means on said work spindle.
5. A machine as defined in claim 1, in which said work gear is a ring gear having a central opening, said gear support means is an expanding arbor, and in which the means for relatively moving the work spindle and carriage comprises means for advancing the work spindle axially to insert said expanding arbor into the central opening of the work gear.
6. A machine as defined in claim 5, in which the tool spindle occupies a fixed horizontal position and the work spindle is vertical, and in which the means for meshing the work and tool gears comprises means for moving the work spindle vertically.
7. A machine as defined in claim 1, in which said work gear is a pinion having a stem extending axially from one side thereof, said gear support is a chuck adapted to grip said stem, in which the means for presenting the work gears to the gear support means comprises a pivot mounting on said carriage for said jaws to swing a work gear through 90° into parallelism with the axis of said work spindle.
8. A machine as defined in claim 7, in which said work spindle occupies a fixed horizontal position, and the tool spindle is vertical, and in which the means for meshing the work gear and tool gear comprises means for moving the tool spindle vertically.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,398A CA1055283A (en) | 1977-06-13 | 1977-06-13 | Gear rolling equipment |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,398A CA1055283A (en) | 1977-06-13 | 1977-06-13 | Gear rolling equipment |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1055283A true CA1055283A (en) | 1979-05-29 |
Family
ID=4108875
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA280,398A Expired CA1055283A (en) | 1977-06-13 | 1977-06-13 | Gear rolling equipment |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1055283A (en) |
-
1977
- 1977-06-13 CA CA280,398A patent/CA1055283A/en not_active Expired
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