GB1499207A - Factory installation - Google Patents

Abstract

1499207 Assembling i.c. engines REGIE NATIONALE DES USINES RENAULT 25 March 1975 [28 March 1974] 12536/75 Heading B3A A factory installation comprises a plurality of supporting elements 5 for supporting components to be assembled, e.g. i.c. engines, and means for supporting and guiding the elements along various lines within a spatially extended layout defined by the lines, which lines include a main supply line 1 extending past a plurality of working stations provided with lines 2 for assembling and testing the assembled components and a main delivery line 3 also extending past the working stations, the arrangement being such that an element 5 travelling along the main supply line 1 can be diverted into a desired working station from which it is passed to the main delivery line 3 and it can optionally be allowed to proceed along the line 3 or be diverted from it on to a return line 2a to be returned to the assembly and test line 2. Each supporting element 5 carries a crankcase 6 on either side of each line 2 and accompanying each crankcase is a number of engine components in an assembly 19, which include a sump 25, an oil sump 25a, a distributor casing 26, a camshaft 27, covers 28, connecting rods and pistons 29, a cylinder head 30, a flywheel 31, a crankshaft 32 and a set of bearings. All these components are so arranged that they can only be removed from the assembly in the order in which they are needed. Smaller components, e.g. gaskets, nuts, bolts and the like are contained in compartmented sectors 9 on a carriage 8. As assembly of the engines proceeds, the elements 5 are rotated in unison when necessary by shafts 10, which are rotated by a pneumatic motor 40 via a shaft 39 and rotary supports 18. Alternatively, each element may be rotated individually by hand. When operators A, B have completed assembling eight engines each, the groups of elements are moved to a testing position where an operator C tests all sixteen engines while further engines are assembled. Engines not passing the tests are routed along loops 2a in the lines 2 for attention. After testing a batch of sixteen engines the operator C changes places with one of the other operators so that there is a continual rotation of operators to ensure some variety in the tasks performed.