JPH037456B2 - - Google Patents

Abstract

A cyclically operable spring coiling machine has a pair of feed rolls (12, 14 and 16, 18) for intermittently advancing wire to a coiling station (20). A coiling arbor (32) and tool (34) at the coiling station (20) cooperatively form leading end portions of the wire to a coil spring configuration and a cutoff tool (36) severs the coiled leading end portions of the wire to provide individual coil springs. Feed roll drive means includes drive gears (80, 82, 84, 86), a unidirectional clutch, and a feed roll cam (60) with an associated follower (64) and lever (66) driving a reciprocable rack (88) associated with a feed roll drive gear (74). Low inertia reciprocating and oscillating elements are provided for accurate and high speed machine operation.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a spring winding machine, and more particularly to a spring winding machine having a cam-driven wire feed roll.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Spring winding machines in the prior art are divided into two types - segment-type and clutch-type machines, with respect to the type of feed roll drive mechanism incorporated in the machine. Segmented spring winders are more common and have a large oscillating gear segment driving a feed roll gear train with a unidirectional clutch to advance the wire longitudinally intermittently into the winding location.
Although this type of spring winding machine is characterized by a high degree of precision and reliability in use, they have certain limitations in terms of high speed production. Relatively heavy and high inertia elements, such as large gear segments, have inherent limitations in increasing machine operating speeds. In a typical high-volume production operation, Torin Corporation, Torrington, Conn.
Automotive valve springs are produced at a production rate of approximately 80 springs per minute using a segment-type spring winding machine manufactured by Nippon Steel Corporation.

In an attempt to improve the production speed of segmented spring winding machines, the Wafios machine employs a significantly larger number of feed rolls than traditional segmented spring winding machines, but the rolls have less inertia. Due to the smaller size, lightweight aluminum alloy segments are used instead of traditional gray pig iron and steel segments. This reduces some of the forces of inertia and makes Wafios
The machine has produced high-volume production runs of valve springs such as those described above, achieving production rates of about 100 to 110 springs per minute.

Clutch-type spring winders employ clutches instead of segments to drive the feed rolls, and are suitable for applications where it is necessary to feed long wires or evenly and continuously. Clutch type machines can also use a continuous wire feed with a disconnection device to cut the individual springs.
Although relatively high-speed production can be reduced, the accuracy of clutch-type machines cannot match that of segment-type spring winders, and it is often necessary to slow down the machine to obtain the required precision and reliability during operation. be.

A so-called cam mechanism is adopted as the mechanism for driving the feed roll, thereby achieving a high degree of precision and reliability in use and a corresponding substantial improvement in operating speed over segmented spring winders. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a spring winding machine capable of

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above objects, the cyclically operable spring winding machine of the present invention is provided with a cam driving the feed roll drive gear and adapted to continuous rotation. Cam driven means having a swingable cam lever operatively associated with a cam follower are provided at the output end of the cam lever for intermittently rotating the wire feed roll in the longitudinal direction of the wire travel. and the input gear of the gear means with a drive and coupling device. The unidirectional clutch is associated with gear means such that the input gear is rotated in one direction and the opposite direction, i.e. in the drive direction and in the return direction, with the feed roll moving only in the drive direction. Since the cam rotates continuously, there are no significant problems with inertia reduction. cam lever, coupling device,
The construction and arrangement of the gear means and feed rolls are aimed at minimal inertia and high speed machine operation. The wire feed length adjustment means operatively associated with the cam lever and/or the coupling means are similarly constructed;
The wire feed length can be adjusted during operation.

With said arrangement, a substantial reduction in inertial forces is achieved in the reciprocating and rocking element;
Substantial improvements in machine operating speed are realized. Further, the wire feed portion of one cycle of the machine in segment type machines is limited to about 230 degrees or less depending on the length of wire being fed. Due to the cam drive characteristic of the present invention, it is possible to achieve a feed angle of 270 degrees and a return angle of 90 degrees in one cycle for any length of wire. A short return portion during a cycle is made possible by the low inertia characteristics of the reciprocating and swinging elements, eliminating the need for relatively heavy segments to return. Since a large portion of each cycle of machine operation can be used for wire feeding operation, the wire speed is reduced for a given wire length and the inertia and winding loads are correspondingly reduced. The latter refers to the repulsive force applied to the feed roll resulting from the winding operation in addition to the load applied to the winding tool. An approximately 15% increase in the feed portion of the cycle results in a considerable reduction in friction in the winding tool. Furthermore, it is possible to design the cam to provide highly desirable acceleration and deceleration characteristics. This is quite difficult, if not impossible, to achieve with conventional segment drives where adjustment is limited to the relative positioning of pivot points and the large gears driving the segments.

Owing to the already mentioned advantages of the cam drive characteristic of the invention, the spring winding machine of the invention is capable of producing 130 springs per minute in the valve spring mass production operation described above. In this way, an improvement of about 60% is achieved in production speed over the speed of conventional segment drive machines, while accuracy and reliability match, if not exceed, that of segment drive machines.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic view of a coil winding machine seen from the front and including the improved feed roll cam drive means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat schematic enlarged view from the rear of the machine, showing the cam drive means of the invention in a first form.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged and somewhat schematic view similar to FIG. 2 showing a first form of cam drive means.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram similar to FIG. 2, but showing a second embodiment of the cam drive means of the invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing both the cam lever and wire feed length adjusting means forming a third embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a right side view of the cam lever and adjustment means of FIG. 5; FIG.

FIG. 7 is a generally horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With particular reference to FIG. 1, a spring winding machine, indicated at 10, is equipped with a counter-rotatable feed for longitudinally advancing wire to a winding location, indicated at 20. It has first and second pairs of rolls 12,14 and 16,18. In FIG. 1, a guide 2 is shown for forming the wire into the shape of a coiled spring 30 at its tip.
Upper feed rolls 12, 16 rotate clockwise and lower rolls 14, 18 rotate counterclockwise to feed wire 22 in a left-hand direction through 4, 26, 28. The tip portion of the wire 22 is wound around a coil winding arbor 32 at the winding station 20. The arbor cooperates with a coil winder 34 at the winding location in the form of a coil winding roll. The coil winding arbor 32 and the coil winder 34 are fixed at the winding location relative to the wire such that the longitudinally advancing wire engages the coil winder 34 and the wire is thereby impeded in its linear motion. ing. The wire is thus gradually bent around the arbor 32 with the winding stress imparted to the wire, resulting in the formation of a tip coil spring shape.

Once the tip portion of the wire 22 has been bent into a coil spring shape on the arbor 32, it is cut from the remaining portion of the wire 22 by cutting tool means indicated at 36, thus forming individual coil springs. Ru. Elements 38 of the winding station 20 can engage the wire as it is wound progressively around the arbor in order to adjust the wire as required to create the second cutting tool or coil spring. It can also take the form of pitutchi ingredients.

As previously mentioned and generally described, the spring winder 10 is or may be conventional, including a cutting tool 36 and a pitching tool 36.
31 May 1938 for a more detailed description and description of the machine with operating means for elements such as 8.
Bergevin for date spring winding machine
and Nigro Patent No. 2,119,002. The machine shown and described in that patent is, however, of the segment drive type mentioned above, and at the same time is limited in its precision and reliability of operation with respect to the speed at which it makes the springs.

The spring winding machine of the invention can be operated periodically, as in the case of the segmented spring winding machine described above, and is moved intermittently to advance the wire to the winding location to the left in its longitudinal direction. As indicated, the feed roll drive means of the present machine is not of the segment type, but is of the cam type, which results in operational and economic advantages. In FIG. 1, the drive motor and reducer are depicted on the right-hand part of the machine. Also in FIG. 2, the output pulleys or sprockets 42 are associated. Pulley or sprocket 44 via belt or chain 46
to drive. The pulley or sprocket 44 is
Coaxial gears 4 that can rotate together to drive gear 50 clockwise as depicted in FIG.
It has 8. Gear 50 has a coaxial gear 52 that in turn drives gear 54 counterclockwise and helps rotate gear 56 on shaft 58 clockwise. The shaft 58 is thus power-driven for continuous rotation and may hereinafter be referred to as a power-driven camshaft, which shaft also has a cam 60 which is a key element in the feed roll drive means of the present invention.

The cam 60 has a track 62, partially depicted in FIG. 3, and has an associated follower wheel at the lower end of the cam lever 66. The cam lever 66 swings about a pivot axis 68 in FIG. It has a slider 70 at its upper or free end. The slider 70 then moves a drive and coupling device 72 for a pinion 74 which is an input gear in the feed roll drive means. As described below, the slider 70 also forms part of a wire feed length adjustment means that is operatively associated with the cam lever 66 and the drive/coupling device 72, and also forms part of a wire feed length adjustment means that is operatively associated with the cam lever 66 and the drive/coupling device 72; It can be part of both.

Returning to FIG. 2, an input gear or pinion 74 is mounted on a shaft 76, and a feed roll gear 8
It will be appreciated that a larger gear 78 can be driven to drive 0,82,84,86. A one-way or indexing clutch is also part of the feed roll drive gear means and can be mounted on shaft 76 between small gear 74 and larger gear 78. In this manner, the feed roll can be driven to rotate in the drive or wire feed direction and remain stationary in the return direction of the elements including gear 74, drive and coupling 72, cam lever 66 and follower wheel 64. As depicted in Fig. 2, gear 8
0 and 82 drive the feed rolls 14 and 12, respectively;
Gears 84 and 86 drive rolls 16 and 18, respectively. The drive or feed direction of the gears and the rotation of the rolls are indicated by small arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Returning to FIG. 3, drive and coupling device 72 preferably comprises a rack device having a rack gear on a reciprocatable link 90 pivotally attached to slider 70 at its right end. The housing 94 provided on the boss of the gear 74 is rotatable at least on a limited arc, and the housing 94 is rotatable on at least a limited arc, and
8 is slidably accommodated. Link 90 like this
The movement of the rack gear 88 is not exactly linear, but is carried out by links that can slide within a rotatable housing 94 and by ball or roller bearings 96 provided within the housing for free sliding.
This results in an oscillating movement.

As will be apparent, the oscillation of the follower 64 relative to the cam or drive shaft 58 caused by the cam is caused by the oscillating movement of the lever 66 about the pivot 68, the reciprocating movement of the link 90, or a slight This results in an oscillatory movement and rotation of the pinion or input gear 74 in one direction and the opposite direction by the rack gear 88. The small arrows in FIG. 2 indicate such movements in the driving or wire feeding direction, although of course there is a return or non-acting movement which occurs in the opposite direction. Although reciprocating and/or oscillating motion occurs between the cam and the feed rolls 12, 14, 16, 18, as described above, the rotation of the cam 60 may be continuous, and may be in one direction along the axis 76. The clutch serves to terminate the rotation of the roll at the end of the advancing or feeding portion of the wire within the cycle of the machine.
As mentioned above, the cam-driven feed roll system of the present invention can use portions of the cycle up to 270 degrees to feed the wire. As described, this machine is suitable for a specific range of wire feed lengths, such as varying or adjusting the wire feed between 10 and 40 inches, which is particularly suitable for making the above-mentioned automotive valve springs. ing.

The wire feed length adjusting means of the present invention comprises the slider 70 and means for moving the slider in one direction and the opposite direction along the longitudinal direction of the lever 66 and fixing the slider at a fixed position on the adjusting means. . As depicted in FIG. 3, lead screw 98 is associated with slider 70 and has an end secured to the body of lever 66 at 100. As depicted in FIG. Rotation of the lead screw serves to adjust the position of the slider 70 along the lever 66, and securing or tightening the screw 102 serves to secure the slider in the adjusted position along the lever. Therefore, maximum travel is imparted to the swingable lever 66 when the slider 70 is in its outermost position as shown. When the slider is adjusted inwardly or downwardly along the length of the cam lever, less wire feed length is achieved as desired.

Although the illustrated machine has the limitations described above with respect to the range of wire feed, various other ranges of wire feed lengths can be used with a properly designed cam 60.
It must be understood that this can be easily obtained by replacing . Furthermore, it must be recognized that with respect to inertia reduction and high speed machine operation, each reciprocating and/or oscillating element is constructed and arranged to obtain minimum weight and internal requirements. Cam 60 and/or replacement cams have inherent possibilities for adjusting and selecting the desired acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the feed roll.

In FIG. 4, a second form of feed roll drive means of the present invention is shown, which includes a linearly reciprocatable rack gear 88a driving a pinion 74a. The rack gear 88a is driven by an articulating link 90a which is pivotally connected at 104. The cam lever 66a has a follower wheel at 106 which cooperates with a cam 60a arranged outwardly at the pivot 64a. The construction and arrangement of the spring winder may otherwise be the same as described above.

5-7 show a wire feed length adjustment stage which is operable during operation, ie can be adjusted during operation of the spring winding machine. Cam lever 66b is substantially similar to lever 66 and has an associated slider 70b that is moved longitudinally of the lever by a lead screw 98b. Lead screw 98b is actuated at its lower or inner end by a small motor 108, such as a Gardner air motor and a Lamina Company motor.
It may be a pneumatic or hydraulic motor, such as a hydraulic motor. The device for securing or positioning slider 70b may take the form of a small FAB Co. pancake cylinder, shown at 110, either pneumatic or hydraulic. The small fixed cylinder 110 is attached to the slider 7
0b by suitable screws 114, 114 and having an output member 116 frictionally engageable with the rear portion 118 of the cam lever.
It is set in. As will be apparent, the member 116 is aligned with the slider 7 relative to the cam lever 66b.
During the longitudinal adjustment of 0b, it is removed or at least released on the member 118, and the motor 108 serves to effect the desired adjustment. Once the desired position of the slider 70b along the lever 66b is determined, the pancake cylinder 110 is operated to securely engage the binder or friction member or pin 116 with the lever portion 118 to secure the slider in the adjusted position. be made to work.

As can be seen, motor 108 is positioned very close to pivot 68a to minimize inertial forces as cam lever 66b swings. The motor, like the fixed cylinder 110, is also of minimal weight and size. Although the stationary cylinder 110 must necessarily be positioned outwardly along the lever 66b, by minimizing its weight any significant inertia problems can be avoided.

In the spring winding machine of the present invention, as a mechanism for driving a wire feed roll, a cam is driven by a drive source, the movement of a cam follower wheel that engages with the cam is converted into reciprocating motion by a link mechanism, and the reciprocating motion is By creating a so-called cam-type spring winding machine that rotates the wire feed roll by driving an intermittent motion device, it is possible to minimize the adverse effects caused by inertia associated with machine operation, thereby making it possible to manufacture coil springs. It has been possible to achieve an excellent effect that has not been achieved by any conventional spring winding machine, such as being able to greatly increase the operating speed while ensuring sufficient accuracy and reliability.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the various features of the feed roll drive means of the present invention work together to provide a highly accurate, high speed spring winder. The highest inertia element of the drive means in the form of a cam is rotated continuously, while all elements between the cam and the unidirectional clutch are designed to obtain a minimum inertia. The ability of the cam drive means to utilize the 270° feed portion of the machine cycle, as well as the ability of the cam to provide the desired acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the feed roll and other elements driven by the cam, This further contributes to effective high-speed operation. As noted, the resulting production rate of 130 valve springs per minute represents a substantial improvement in machine speed.

Industrial Applicability The spring winding machine of the present invention is useful for mass production of coil springs, especially valve springs for automobiles.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A periodic operation consisting of a wire feed roll for supplying wire, a device for winding the wire to form a coil spring, a wire cutting device, a drive source, and a means for driving the wire feed roll. In a possible spring winding machine,
The means for driving the wire feed roll includes: at least one cam provided on a drive shaft provided at a certain location on the machine, which is rotated by the drive source; rotatable about a pivot provided at a certain location on the machine; a cam lever having a cam follower at one end that engages the cam, the cam lever being pivotally connected to the cam lever and swingable about the pivot shaft; means for driving an intermittent motion device provided near the free end of the rod; an intermittent motion device driven by the drive means of the rod; means for transmitting the motion of the intermittent motion device to the wire feed roll; means for adjusting the driving direction and degree of return movement of the intermittent motion device by making a pivot at one end of a rod provided on the cam lever adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the cam lever in order to adjust the wire feed length; The above-mentioned cyclically operable spring winding machine, characterized in that it is comprised of; 2. A cyclically operable spring winding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermittent movement device is a one-way clutch. 3. Means for adjusting the degree of movement of the intermittent movement device is provided on the cam lever for adjusting the effective length of the cam lever between the cam follower and the point to which the rod is connected. a slider movable toward and away from the cam follower and driveably connected to the rod, the means also controlling the position of the slider relative to the cam follower; 3. A cyclically operable spring winding machine as claimed in claim 1, having a lead screw for adjusting the winding. 4. According to claim 3, a device for determining the position of the slider is provided between the slider and the cam lever in order to fix the slider at any position along the cam lever. A spring winding machine that can be operated periodically. 5. The means for adjusting the degree of movement of the intermittent movement device comprises a small selectively operable power-driven motor connected between the cam lever and the slider so as to adjust the position of the slider during operation of the machine. A cyclically operable spring winding machine as claimed in claim 3, having a device for. 6. The powered device is a lightweight motor mounted on the cam lever adjacent to the cam follower, an associated lead screw being driven by and operatively mounted on the cam lever. 6. A cyclically operable spring winder as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spring winder is engaged with the slider. 7. A second power-driven device is provided that is selectively operable during operation of the machine to position the slider along the cam lever and to fix the slider in any position. A cyclically operable spring winding machine as described in paragraph 6. 8. The means for driving the intermittent motion device provided near the free end of the rod comprises a rack, and the intermittent motion device driven by the means comprises a pinion, both of which are operatively associated. A cyclically operable spring winding machine according to any one of clauses 1 and 2. 9. The shaft having the pinion is provided with a housing capable of moving along a limited arc, and the rack is slidably received in the housing and forcefully meshed with the pinion. A cyclically operable spring winding machine as described in paragraph 8. 10 the rack meshes with the pinion and is forced to reciprocate linearly over a predetermined distance; the rod is pivotally connected at one end to the rack gear and at the other end to one end of the cam lever; A cyclically operable spring winding machine as claimed in claim 8 forming a link.