GB733347A - Means for feeding work-pieces to power-presses and like machines - Google Patents

Abstract

733,347. Metal-working presses. EVANS, F. A. May 22, 1953 [Feb. 23, 1952], No. 4814/52. Class 83 (4). Tempering blanks.- Automatic feed mechanism for a power press, guillotine, automatic welding machine, or a bottling machine, having a crank-shaft adapted to be clutched to a continuouslydriven fly-wheel, comprises means for picking up a component at a point remote from the press tools and transferring it to the tools, means operable after the component has been fed to the tools for energizing power actuator for engaging the clutch which sets, the press in motion and means controlled by a member associated with the crank-shaft of the press for stopping the feed mechanism if the press, is not set in motion on energization, of the power actuator or is,.out of synchronism with the feed mechanism. The feed mochanism is generally of the kind, described in Specification 724,085, in which an oscillating arm 22, Fig. 3, has a pair of jaws 25, operated by a compressed air motor 28, which pick up a component from an intermittently rotating feed-table 30 and transfer it to the press die. The arm is oscillated about a vertical pivot 21 by a rod 20 coiinected to an oscillating disc 19 driven through a link 17, Fig. 1, by a rotating disc 15 on the output shaft of a gearbox 13 which is driven through a manually controlled clutch and a variablespeed V belt-drive 12 by an electric motor 11. The arm is also rocked about a horizontal axis at the end of each of its oscillating movements by means of a lever.23 co-operating with cams 24 on the disc 19. The air motor 28 is controlled by a valve 53 actuated by a cam 54 on the disc 19. After depositirig the component in the die, the arm 22 is returned and during this movement valve 50, is opened by a cam 51 on a disc 15<SP>1</SP> mounted on the output shaft of the gear-box 13, and compressed air is supplied to a motor 32 which actuates the one-revolution clutch of the press. When the press crankshaft rotates, a cam thereon actuates a valve which causes the motor 32 to be de-energized so that only one revolution is performed. During the upward movement of the press ram, a pair of valves controlled by a cam on the press crank-shaft are opened to supply air to nozzles 411, 421, Fig. 3, which blow away swarf and eject the finished component. A guard, preferably of transparent plastic, may be fitted to the press. Limit switches operated by cams on the disc 151 and on the crank-shaft of the press are provided in the circuit of the electric motor driving the feed mechanism whereby the latter is stopped if the feed mechanism and the press are out of synchronism. The Provisional Specification also refers to the oscillating disc 19 being driven by a double-acting pneumatic motor instead of the electric motor.