GB1588226A

GB1588226A - Swarf collecting and disposal devices

Info

Publication number: GB1588226A
Application number: GB2626576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Wickman Machine Tool Sales Ltd
Current assignee: Wickman Machine Tool Sales Ltd
Priority date: 1977-09-07
Filing date: 1977-09-07
Publication date: 1981-04-15

Description

(54) SWARF COLLECTING AND DISPOSAL DEVICES (71) We, WICKMAN MACHINE TOOL SALES LIMITED, a British Com- pany, of Banner Lane, Tile Hill, Coventry, England, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to devices for collecting and disposing of metal swarf from a machine tool.

It is the object of the invention to provide a swarf collecting and disposal device which has a larger capacity to clear machine tools which produce large volumes of swarf and to accept a wide variety of forms of swarf such as small chips or long streamers.

According to the present invention a swarf collecting and disposal device comprises a casing containing two rotary overlapping swaff feed screws, and drive means for rotating said screws to feed swarf from one end towards the other end of the casing, the screws being supported within the casing by bearing elements acting on the peripheries of the screws.

Preferably the shape of the interior of the portion of the casing containing the screws is substantially the same as the crooss-sectional area swept by the screws in use.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a swarf collecting disposal device constructed in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevation view thereof illusrrating also the location of the device in a machine tool, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 in Figure 2, Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the device, and Figure 5, is a cross-sectional view on the line 5-5 in Figure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 there are shown outlines of a machine tool to which the swarf collecting and disposal device illustrated is applied. Figure 2 illustrates the base platform 10, of the machine, and two superstructures 11, 12, mounted on the base. The superstruc tures are separated by space in which swarf collects. The particular machine illustrated is a multi-spindle automatic lathe and the space between the superstructures 11, 12, is the zone in which machining takes place.

As illustrated in Figure 1 the superstructures 11, 12, extend across the machine and the space between them is also transverse with respect to the longitudinal centre line of the machine.

The base as shown in Figure 2 has an opening into which is introduced the swarf collecting and disposal device. This device rests upon a support 13, within the base by means of which the swarf collecting and disposal de vice is inclined to the horizontal floor of the base 10. The swarf collecting and disposal de vice is mounted centrally in the machine as shown in plan in Figure 1. Its inclination is adjustable by means of a mounting bracket 14, and adjusting screws 15, engaging this support 13.

The device itself comprises an elongated casing 16, with a movable cover 17, extending over part of its length and a fixed cover 1 7a to direct swarf into the interior. This casing 16, extends at one end out of the end of the machine and at this position there is secured to the side of the casing a drive motor assem bly indicated at 18. This includes an electric motor and associated motor gear box.

The other end of the casing 16, is wider and the portion exposed to the swarf has no cover. This end is positioned in place by fixtures 19, 21 and rests on the floor of the base 10.

Within the portion of the casing 16, which has no cover, there are two parallel contra rotatable swarf feed screws 22, 23. Each swarf feed screw has a helical blade. Furthermore, the peripheries of the two helical blades over lap as can be seen from Figure 3.

An apron or cover 24 is attached to the base 10 by fixtures 19 and l9a, the cover serv ing to direct the swarf to the exposed screws.

A gearbox 25, which is also shown in Figure 4, is secured to the end of the swarf collecting device and a filter screen 42 allows coolant to return to the machine sump through a hole (not shown) provided in the bottom of casing 16, whilst preventing swarf leaving the conveyor section.

The gearbox contains three meshing gears 26, 27, 28. The gears 26, 27 are mounted on short spindles 40, 29 which are in turn journalled in the gearbox casing and the gear 28, is mounted on a similar short spindle 31.

The two short spindles 40, 29 are connected by respective enclosed universal joints 32, 33 to the ends of the respective swarf feed screws 22, 23. The third spindle 31 is connected by a similar universal joint 34 with a drive shaft 35 extending beside the casing 16 to the motor assembly 18. Another universal joint 36, connects the shaft 35, with the motor gearbox itself through a shear screw assembly, a standard threaded bolt being used as the shear pin.

As can be seen in Figures 3 and 5 the casing 16, is shaped to conform approximately with the combined shape of the two swarf feed screws 22, 23. The appropriate portion of the casing 16, is thus of approximately rectangular configuration with the two lower corners radi used to provide surfaces approximately matching the peripheral surfaces of the screws.

The screws 22, 23, can be seen through the open top of the casing 16, but also extend for substantially the whole length of the casing 16, to the end at which the motor 18, is attached. At that end the casing is open so that swarf fed along the casing by rotation of the two swarf feed screws is discharged from this open end into an appropriately placed hopper or bin (not illustrated), but situated at the end of the machine. In use swarf falling into the open top area of the casing is drawn in or collected by the swarf feed screws and led to the opposite end of the casing at which it is discharged as described.

The swarf feed screws 22, 23, are supported within the casing 16, by two replaceable shoes 37, of arcuate form and secured in the casing at one end and by replaceable centre bar supports 41 spaced along the length of the screws and parallel thereto. They are positioned to engage the screw blade edges.

The purpose of these is to support the screws close to the casing without the necessity for accurate bearings which would become clogged with the swarf and other waste material being handled by the device.

In the base of the casing 16 and as indicated only in Figure 5, there is a trough 38 with a filter member 39 for draining back to the base 10 coolant liquid which would otherwise fall with the swarf into the hopper or bin.

The twin screw arrangement is capable of accepting and moving large volumes of all types of metal swarf which are produced on high speed multiple spindle machines such as automatic multi-spindle lathes, but the space occupied by it is not significantly larger than the space occupied by conventional smaller capacity swarf collecting devices.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A swarf collecting and disposal device comprising a casing containing two rotary overlapping swarf feed screws, and drive means for rotating said screws to feed swarf from one end towards the other end of the casing, the screws being supported within the casing by bearing elements acting on the peripheries of the screws.

2. A swarf collecting and disposal device as claimed in claim 1 in which the shape of the interior of the portion of the casing containing the screws is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area swept by the screws in use.

3. A swarf collecting and disposal device as claimed in either of claims 1 and 2 in which the bearing elements supporting the screws include arcuate shoes.

4. A swarf collecting and disposal device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bearing elements supporting the screws include bars positioned parallel with the screws.

5. A swarf collecting and disposal device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the casing, at said one end, has an inlet opening laterally of the length of the casing for entry of swarf to be conveyed, said opening being presented upwardly in a position of use, the casing also haing a laterally presented outlet opening which is at one side of the casing when in a position of use.

6. A swarf collecting and disposal device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the casing contains a reservoir for collecting liquid which enters with the swarf in use, the reservoir being separated from a zone swept by the screws by a filter through which the liquid but not the swarf can pass.

7. A swarf collecting and disposal device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. device and a filter screen 42 allows coolant to return to the machine sump through a hole (not shown) provided in the bottom of casing 16, whilst preventing swarf leaving the conveyor section. The gearbox contains three meshing gears 26, 27, 28. The gears 26, 27 are mounted on short spindles 40, 29 which are in turn journalled in the gearbox casing and the gear 28, is mounted on a similar short spindle 31. The two short spindles 40, 29 are connected by respective enclosed universal joints 32, 33 to the ends of the respective swarf feed screws 22, 23. The third spindle 31 is connected by a similar universal joint 34 with a drive shaft 35 extending beside the casing 16 to the motor assembly 18. Another universal joint 36, connects the shaft 35, with the motor gearbox itself through a shear screw assembly, a standard threaded bolt being used as the shear pin. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 5 the casing 16, is shaped to conform approximately with the combined shape of the two swarf feed screws 22, 23. The appropriate portion of the casing 16, is thus of approximately rectangular configuration with the two lower corners radi used to provide surfaces approximately matching the peripheral surfaces of the screws. The screws 22, 23, can be seen through the open top of the casing 16, but also extend for substantially the whole length of the casing 16, to the end at which the motor 18, is attached. At that end the casing is open so that swarf fed along the casing by rotation of the two swarf feed screws is discharged from this open end into an appropriately placed hopper or bin (not illustrated), but situated at the end of the machine. In use swarf falling into the open top area of the casing is drawn in or collected by the swarf feed screws and led to the opposite end of the casing at which it is discharged as described. The swarf feed screws 22, 23, are supported within the casing 16, by two replaceable shoes 37, of arcuate form and secured in the casing at one end and by replaceable centre bar supports 41 spaced along the length of the screws and parallel thereto. They are positioned to engage the screw blade edges. The purpose of these is to support the screws close to the casing without the necessity for accurate bearings which would become clogged with the swarf and other waste material being handled by the device. In the base of the casing 16 and as indicated only in Figure 5, there is a trough 38 with a filter member 39 for draining back to the base 10 coolant liquid which would otherwise fall with the swarf into the hopper or bin. The twin screw arrangement is capable of accepting and moving large volumes of all types of metal swarf which are produced on high speed multiple spindle machines such as automatic multi-spindle lathes, but the space occupied by it is not significantly larger than the space occupied by conventional smaller capacity swarf collecting devices. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A swarf collecting and disposal device comprising a casing containing two rotary overlapping swarf feed screws, and drive means for rotating said screws to feed swarf from one end towards the other end of the casing, the screws being supported within the casing by bearing elements acting on the peripheries of the screws.