GB1137014A - Automatic feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,137,014. Feeding stock. STANDARD INTERNATIONAL CORP. 17 June, 1967 No. 28040/67. Heading B3W. Apparatus for feeding stock to a punching, shearing &c. machine comprises a first gripper assembly 10 fixed relative to the machine having fluid operated grippers 193, 212, a second gripper assembly 12 which can be reciprocated along a guide 14 by fluid pressure operated means having fluid operated grippers 131, 153 and a valve means to supply fluid to the grippers and the reciprocating means in synchronism with the operation of the machine. The second gripper assembly 12 is reciprocated along the guide 14 by a pneumatic piston 60 and cylinder 30 assembly. The cylinder is formed in the housing of the assembly and bearings 38, 42 limit the movement of the piston. The piston has one piston rod 50 fixed to a strip guide 18 and another piston rod 50 fixed to the first gripper assembly so that the second assembly can be reciprocated by air introduced to either side of the piston. One piston rod is larger than the other to form a differential piston cylinder assembly. Each gripper assembly comprises an upper gripper adjustably housed in a block 100, 200 and a lower gripper which is raised pneumatically, Fig. 8 (not shown). The edges of the strip are guided by rollers 22 adjustably positioned on the assembly 18. A stroke adjusting means is provided by a rod 300 fixed to the first gripper assembly, passing through the second assembly and having an adjustable stop 306 on its free end. Buffers 310,318 are provided on the stop and the second assembly. An operating rod OR is provided on the punching, shearing &c. machine and is reciprocated in the bore 330 by the reciprocation of the machine. The lower end of the rod abuts against a wheel (262), Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), in the spool (270) of the valve and reciprocates the spool which is spring biased leftwards. When the spool is in the lefthand position air is admitted to the passages (230), (240), Figs. 8 and 9 (not shown), to move the cylinder 30 on which the second gripper assembly is mounted in the feed direction. Simultaneously the piston (154) is raised to grip the stock in the second assembly and the piston (216) is lowered to release the stock from the first assembly. The spool is moved rightwards when the machine head descends and air is supplied to the first gripper assembly to grip the stock and to the cylinder 30 to move the second assembly in the non- feed direction. A restriction (77) in the passage (240) allows a pressure build up in the piston of the first assembly before the cylinder is moved in the non-feed direction.