GB216634A - Improvements in or relating to an automatic feeding device for rods, tubes, or bars of metal, wood, vulcanite, celluloid or other material - Google Patents

Abstract

216,634. Greenwood & Batley, Ltd., and Barker, J. H. April 12, 1923. Feeding articles from hoppers.-Apparatus for feeding rods, bars or tubes of metal, vulcanite, wood, celluloid, cordite or other material to a machine such as the gauging and sorting machine described in Specification 214,304, [Class 106 (ii), Dynamometers &c.], consists of an intermittently moving endless conveyer 39 to which the bars are delivered one at a time from a hopper 10 comprising solid metal sides, a rear end formed by a continuously moving endless band 26 and a front end formed by a pivotally supported. plate or series of fingers 30 adjustable by set screws 33 to vary the aperture through which the rods 130 escape. The width of the hopper is adjusted to suit different lengths of rod by a plate 49 which is secured at the required position. The escapement device for the rods consists of a reciprocating frame 12 with pins 86, 87 out of alignment and forming a space 88, the width of which is varied by adjustments of the short pins 87. and a pair of pendant bars 37 with ends 38 fixed under the frame 12. In the upper position of the frame, the space 88 receives a rod 130 which rests on the bars 38 until it is carried off the ends thereof during the downward movement of the frame and deposited on the conveyer 39. The mechanism for reciprocating the frame comprises chains 76, 77 passing over pulleys 78, 79 and carrying weights 80, 81 of which 80 is the heavier. The chains 76 are connected to levers 91 mounted loosely at the ends of a shaft 43 and actuated so as to overcome the excess weight 80 by a link-and-slot connection 99, 100 with a crank on a driven shaft 104 of the machine 1 to which the rods are being fed. The conveyer 39 consists of a number of endless bands having on their upper sides blocks 63 to form pockets for the rods 130 and on their under-sides blocks 62 to engage recesses in pulleys 40, 41 fixed respectively on an adjustable shaft 42 and on the shaft 43. Intermittent movements are imparted to the conveyer by a pawl 112 carried by an extension of one of the levers 91 and engaging a ratchet wheel 113 fixed to the shaft 43. The moving band 26 runs around pulleys mounted on a fixed shaft 22 and on an adjustable shaft 16 which is driven through suitable toothed and belt gearing from the machine 1.