GB851666A - Bar stock feeding apparatus for multiple spindle machines - Google Patents

Abstract

851,666. Automatic lathes; feeding barstock. ACRO-FEED INDUSTRIES Inc. March 13, 1959 [April 4, 1958], No. 8784/59. Class 83 (3). Stock-feeding apparatus for a multiple-spindle automatic lathe comprises a reel with a number of parallel tubes mounted thereon, each tube being aligned with a corresponding spindle of the machine and indexed therewith, each tube consisting of a first longitudinal section to which a second longitudinal section is pivoted and means operative when the stock in the tube is exhausted to move the second section relative to the first section to open the tube for a new stock-bar. Frame-plates 10, 12, 14, Fig. 1, for supporting the rotatable stock tube reel, are carried on stands 16, 18, 20, so that hinged tubes 78, 80, 82, 84 are in alignment with the spindles in a work-turret 208 of a four.-spindle automatic lathe. Stock-bars 48 are carried in a magazine on top of the frame-plates and are aligned against a forward end-stop 49. When stock is exhausted in the " top-left " position, Fig. 3, a sensing-device operates a valve to actuate air-cylinders 68, 102. The former rotates a shaft 50 having notched plates 54 secured thereto, which feed a bar from the magazine into the empty divided stock-tube 78, 88. The lid 88 has been moved open by cylinder 102, linkage 100, 104, and a cam-track engaging a roller 96 on an arm attached to the lid. The latter is then closed, and the stock-reel is indexed with the lathe-turret to the next position (clockwise). In this position a further air-cylinder 110, Fig. 1, with a feed-stop 116, is operated to move the bar forwardly until it is engaged by a pair of feed-rollers at the back of the turret. These rollers then take over the feed of the bar-stock through the lathe-spindle to the stock-stop. The roller supports are automatically moved aside when the turret indexes.