GB212412A - Improvements in and relating to tube feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

212,412. British Thomson-Houston Go., Ltd., (General Electric Co.). March 9, 1923. Feeding articles by lifting from loose assemblage in bin; feeding articles from shoots.-A machine for feeding cylindrical blanks such as lengths of glass tubing consists of an arcuate slide 13, Fig. 1, working through a hopper 11 between curved guides 10<a> and formed on its upper edge with a race 14 which in its lowest position picks up the blanks and in its upper position forms a continuation of a fixed shoot 12 to which the blanks are delivered by gravity, a pausd in the movement of the slide being provided at this point. The slide is carried by an arm 15 pivoted at 16 and is actuated by a cam-driven rod 28 and spring 18. In the device as applied to the machine for flanging glass tubing described in Specification 171,232, the fixed shoot 12 is tubular and at its delivery end is provided with a gate 39, Fig. 4, supporting the end blank and carried by a pivoted arm 37 actuated by a spring plunger 41 to keep the gate closed. A finger 50 carried by a spring-actuated lever passes into the. shoot and holds back the second blank while the end one is being discharged. A rod 43 carried by the holding mechanism of the flanging machine has a spring cushioned stop-piece 45 which actuates the lever 37 by the arm 46 to open the gate 39 and deliver the end blank. Return movement of the rod allows the gate to close and also releases the second blank by causing the arm 55 to withdraw the arm 50 by engaging with a cam 56 thereon. Tubing which becomes lodged in the mouth of the shoot is removed by an air blast through a pipe 31 connected to a source of air pressure through a valve which is opened when the slide is at its lowest position by contact of a stop 32 on the arm. 15 with a stop 33 on the spring-controlled valve-operating lever 34. A pull-out stop 57 is provided to support the arm 15 for making required adjustments. In modification for feeding flanged tubular blanks to a machine such as for assembling lamp parts, the race in the slide 62, Fig. 8, and in the fixed shoot 65 is formed so as to suspend the blanks by their flanges as shown. The slide is carried by arms pivoted on a shaft 68. A guard 74 with an extension pivoted at 68 prevents the passage of improperly-placed blanks. Two pins 80, 81 alternately crossing the shoot 65 pass the blanks one at a time. The pins are carried by a sliding rod 77 actuated in one direction by a spring and in the other direction .by a cam 82 mounted on an oscillating shaft 83 which is actuated against the action of a spring 92 by a stop 93 on the slide supporting arms engaging a lever 91 connected by a link 90 to a crank 89. The end of the shoot has a hook 85 in which the end blank is retained until grasped by the jaws 66 of the machine. In order to facilitate withdrawal of the end blank, the next one is engaged and drawn back by a rod 86 operated vertically and backwardly by a crank arm 88 on the shaft 83.