US1032738A - Chain-machine. - Google Patents

Description

F. P. CADY.

CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

1,032,738. Patented July 16, 1912.

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213 mvzm'on WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 50-. WASHINGTON, D. C.

P. P. GADY.

QHAIN MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.31, 1909.

1,032,738. Patented July 16, 1912.

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CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. a1, 1909.

1,03%738' Patented Ju1y16,1912.

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cowmnm PLANOGHAI'N co, WASHINGTON, I). c.

F. P. GADY.

CHAIN MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

1,032,738, Patented July16,1912.

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NESSES fruzmgTon C LUMBM PLANOOHAPl i CO" WASHINGTON, D. C.

F. P. GADY.

CHAIN MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31, 1909.

Patented July 16, 1912.

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INVENTOR M Q COLUMBIA PLANOK IRAI'H 00.,wAsmNa1'oN. D. C

FRANK P. CADY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CHAIN-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented uly 16, 1912.

Application filed August 31, 1909. Serial No. 515,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK P. CADY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chain-Machines, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making wire chain andthe principal objectis to provide an improved automatic machine for this purpose adapted to take the wire from the coil, automatically form the links, and turn out the finished chain.

Another object of my invention is to pro- 'ide a machine of this character which is made up of comparatively simple mechanisms requiring a minimum of attention on the part of the operator and which may be constructed at a low cost.

1n the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a side elevation of a chain machine embodying my improvement; Fig. 2 a top plan vlew thereof; Fig. 3 a top plan view in detail of the loop forming mechanism, with the wire in position as first-fed in; Fig. 1 a view showing the position of the loop forming parts with the wire for a chain link as bent in the first operation; Fig. 5 a similar view showing the wire with the loop formed; Fig. 6 a detail View in elevation illustrating the chain link at the completion of offsetting operation; Fig. 7 a detail view in elevation of the mechanism for tying the link loop, in the initial position for turning up the ends of the link wire; Fig. 8 a detail view, partly in section, of the mechanism for forming up the chain link, in the initial position; Fig. 9 a similar view showing the position of the parts, with the link completed; F 10 a similar view, the link having been partly formed; Fig. 11 a detail interior view of the mechanism for forming up the ends of the link wire; Fig. 12 a detail view in part of a tool for forming up the ends of the link wire showing the wire as bent on the first movement of the tool; Fig. 13 a similar view, showing the completed tying of the loop; Fig. 14 an elevational view of a modified form of the construction shown in Fig. '7; Fig. 15 anelevation of the mecha nism for operating the proper slide; Fig. 16 a side elevational view of the wire cutting mechanism; Fig. 17 a plan view of same; Fig. 18 an end view thereof; and Fig. 19 a view of the feed rolls showing the arrange-I ment of the feed sections.

pressure.

In its more general aspect, the machine comprises, as shown in the drawings,amain frame 1, preferably mounted in an upright or vertical position on legs 2, a main operating shaft 3, mounted in suitable bearings 4 on the legs 2 and provided with a gear 5. A driving shaft 6 is also mounted in bearings on the legs 2 and is provided with a pinion 7 adapted to mesh with the gear 5 on shaft 3 and having suitable tight and loose pulleys 8 and 9 respectively.

The main shaft 3 carries two outer cylindrical cams 10, and inner side cams 11 and 12, the cam grooves 13 in the cams 10 being adapted to guide rollers on the ends of lever arms 14, pivotally mounted between standards 15 carried by the main frame 1, the arms 14 being adapted to operate the loop forming mechanisms. The side cam 12 is provided with a side groove 16, within which a cam roller, mounted on the end of the lever arm 17, operates. Similarly a lever arm 18 is provided with a roller for en gaging the side groove of cam 11 as more clearly shown in Fig. 15. The lever arm 17 is pivotally mounted between standards (not shown) carried by the frame 1 and is provided at its opposite end with gear teeth 19 adapted to mesh with gear teeth 20 on a slide 21. The frame 1 is provided with suitable guide bearings in which the slide 21 is mounted to have a vertical reciprocating movement, the slide being for the purpose of operating the wire end turning tools and the closing in tool for forming the chain link, as shown in Fig. 7. The lever arm 18 is similarly pivotally mounted between standards 22 and is provided with gear teeth adapted to mesh with gear teeth on an upper slide 23, suitably mounted to reciprocate vertically in guide hearings in the main frame 1.

At one end of the machine wire feed rolls 2 1 and 25 are provided, the roll 24 being rotatively mounted in a rigid bracket 26 on the leg 2, and the roll 25 being similarly mounted in a frame 27, which in turn is mounted on a pivot pin 28 held in place by lugs 29 secured to the leg 2. Screw/s30 provided with adjusting nuts 31 are secured to the rigid bracket 26 and pass through the movable frame 27, so that by adjusting the nuts 31, the feed rolls may be caused to grip the wire, in feeding, with the desired The lower feed roll 24 is operatively connected to a bevel gear 32 adapted .sidered.

Figs. 3 and-6 of the drawings, the loop to mesh with a bevel gear 33 secured to the end of the main shaft- 3. The feed rolls 24 and 25 are provided with inter-meshing gear teeth, so that when the machine is operated the wire is fed into the machine thereby. The feed rolls 24 and 25 respectively are provided with segmental grooved feed sections 85 and 86 of the usual construction, as shown in Fig. 19, whereby the length. of wire fed out at each revolution thereof is determined by the relative adjustment of the sections 85 and 86. In order to ad just the feed sections, the same are provided with slots 87 through which project bolts 88 secured to the feed rolls 24 and 25. By loosening the bolts 88 a feed section may be slipped around on one of the central supporting hubs 89 until the desired length of contact between the two sections 85 and 86 is secured. Said feed sections are provided with grooves on their outer periphery within which the wire is gripped as the contacting portions of the feed sections are rotated.

A wire straightener 34 of any desired construction may be located in advance of the feed rolls, for straightening the wire as it. is drawn into the machine by the feed rolls.

The general construction of the machine having now been described, the mechanism for forming the chain link will now be con- Referring more particularly to forming mechanism comprises vertical spindles 35, firmly secured in position in lugs 36 secured to the frame 1 and extending through hollow shafts 37, mounted in bearings 38. On the shafts 37 intermediate the bearings 38 are secured gears 39 which are adapted to mesh with gear segments 40 on the ends of the lever arms 14. The stationary spindles 35 are provided with holes into which pins 41 secured in bars 42 are adapted to descend. The bars 42 are held in place in the upper slide 23, so that upon movement of the slide, the pins 41 descend and enter into the spindle holes. The holes are located eccentrically with respect to and on a line through the axes of the spindles 35. In the end of each hollow shaft 37 is secured a round forming pin 43 and a substantially triangular pin 44. Intermediate the spindles 35 and somewhat below the top surface thereof a plug 45 secured to the face of the main frame, is mounted. The plug 45 is vertically channeled centrally and the channel is provided with vertical grooves into which the wire of the chain link is guided as it is being formed. Centrally the lower slide 21 carries an upwardly extending ofiset arm 46, the upper end of which is slotted 'for a pivotally mounted link bending tool 47, which is adapted to extend outwardly in an inclined position, a compression spring 48 being provided which tends to maintain faces.

said tool in its outward position. The bend ing end of the tool 47 is grooved out so as to fit over the two end loops of the chainlink when brought together in the formedlink. Pivotally mounted on a pin49 passing through the arm 46 are bars 50 on either side of said arm and in the upper ends of the bars are firmly secured loop end bending tools 51, which project inwardly toward the frame of the machine. The tools 51 are provided with V shaped side recesses 52 atthe ends and with grooves 53 on the lower Springs 54 secured at one end to fixed supports 55 attached to the lever 46 have their opposite ends secured to the bars 50 and tend to move the bars 50 outwardly about the pivot pin 49. Intermediate the lower ends of the bars 50 a guide finger 56 is pivotally mounted, the inner end thereof being adapted to engage a fixed pin 57 secured to the bars 50 and thereby limit up ward movement of the finger. The outer end of the finger 56 is provided with a teat 58, adapted to engage a cam surface of a cam plate 59. The inner lower ends of. the bars 50 are beveled as shown at 60 and a spring pressed pin 61 arranged within a 1 socket of a holder 62 is adapted to bear against the inner face of the bars 50. The upper, slide 23 is provided with a pocket in which are mounted a knife 90, spacing block 95, bars 42 carrying pins 41, bars 66, and a central guide bar 67, as shown in Fig. 6. The functions of the above mentioned tools will be more fully described hereinafter, A supporting bracket 63 is mounted on the face of the main frame and carries a knife block 64, through which the wire is adapted to feed, a suitable cutter bar of knife 90 being secured in the upper slide 23 in position to engage the shearing face of the block 64, so as to cut off the wire to the proper length necessary to form the chain link, as shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18.

In the operation of the machine, the .wire 65 is drawn through the wire straightener 34 by the feed rolls 24 and 25 and thence passes through the block 64, the parts being'so located that the wire then feeds outbetween the pins 41 and 43. The wire continues to be fed out by the feed rolls until the proper length of wire is provided to form a chain link. A stop block 91 is preferably provided in the path of the wire, against which the wire abuts just as the proper length has been fed out, the stop in this way. As the slide 23 descends the pins 11 enter the holes in the spindles 35, the pin ends being preferably chamfered off, so that in case the wire is not ex actly in position the same will be engaged by the chamfered ends and will be pushed over to the proper position. Upon the entrance of the pins a1 in their receiving holes, the cams 10 are so timed as to cause the lever arms 14 to rotate the hollow shafts 37 slightly in a clockwise direction. This causes the pins 13 to engage the wire (35 and bend the same to the position shown in Fig. 4. Just at this time the slide 23 has descended far enough so that the knife cuts off the wire at the left hand side, and the detached link will stand as shown in Fig. 1. The further movement of the cams 10 is now adapted to reverse the rotative movement of the hollow shafts 37, so that the triangular pins 14 engage the wire (35 and turn the wire ends in a counter clockwise direction. This movement continues until the end loop is formed up to the position shown in Fig. 5. It should here be noted that the pins 4 1 are so set that when in the final position of Fig. 5 the apex of the pins slightly bite into the wire, so that the loop is tightly wound around the pins 41, the pins 411 being eccentrically placed in the spindles 35, in order to permit the above action. Just at this time, the slide 21 is held in such a position by the cam 12 that the wire ends of the loops, as they are wound around the pins 41, turn into the recesses 52 in the tools 51. Fig. 7 shows the near side tool 51 broken 'away, so that the recess 52 of the far side tool is seen, with the wire end in position. The slide 21 is now caused to ascend by the action of the cam 12, so that the tools 51 carry up the ends of the loops to the position shown in Fig. 12, the bars 50 being held vertically rigid by means of the finger 56 which at this time moves along the flat lower portion of the cam plate 59. As the upward movement of the slide 21 continues the finger 56 engages the outwardly curved portion of the cam plate, so that the bars 50 are rocked on their pivot pins 19, and the tools 51 are forced inwardly, turning the wire ends down on top of the link, as shown in Fig. 18. When the tools 51 reach this position, the upper slide is bumped slightly downwardly by the operating cam. The tools 51 having entered into a position in which bars 66 secured in the upper slide are adapted to engage the upper faces of the tools 51, as shown in Fig. 6, the wire ends are firmly pressed down against the chain link. By the same operation the central portion of the link is depressed, so that the end loops of the link are slightly offset with respect to said central portion.

Between the bars 66 is a guide bar 67, which is provided with a groove 68 on its lower face and a central channel 69. The

tion shown in Fig. 9.

link wire is held in position in the grove 68. The slide 21 now starts to descend, and the bending tool 47 enters the channel 69 in its downward movement, engages the wire 65, and forces the same downwardly. The upper slide at the same time begins to ascend, so that as the wire 65 bends centrally, the slide 23 moves its forming tools out of the way of the upwardly moving loop ends. In its downward movement, the wire 65 engages the rounded corners of the groove or channel in the plug 15, as shown in Fig. 10, and the link is thus formed up to the posi- In making the next succeeding link the operations hereinbefore described are repeated, except that now the first formed link is in the positionshown' in Fig. 9 so that as the next link wire feeds out it passes through the loops of the first link. Furthermore, when the bending tool 17 comes down it engages the top portions of the link loops as shown in Fig. 10. While the tools 51 are being bumped by the bars (36, the teat 58 of the finger 56 engages in a shallow recess 70 in the cam plate 59, so that a slight vertical rocking movement of the bars 50 and the tools 51 is permitted, while still holding the tools up to their work. As the upper slide 23 starts to ascend, the lower slide 21 also ascends, and the finger 56 is thus permitted to drop inwardly to the upper dotted position shown in Fig. 7. The upper portions of the bars 50 and the tools 51 are thus swungoutwardly by.

means of the springs 54, so that as the lower slide 21 descends to its starting position, the tools 51 are clear of the other mechanism, the finger 56 flipping by the projecting part of the cam plate 59. In the down ward movement of the bars 50, the inclines 60 thereon engage the pins 61 and thereby the bars are shifted back to their vertical position, as shown in full lines.

In Fig. 11 is illustrated the manner in which the tools 51 are held in place, the bars 50 being channeled, with an undercut face against which the tools bear and. wedge blocks being provided for securely clamping the tools in place.

Instead of the construction shown in Fig. 7, I may employ a construction such as illustrated in Fig. 1 1 of the drawings in which the bars 50 are mounted on a pin 49 as in the construction shown in Fig. 7, but in place of the cam plate 59 and the finger 56 for operating the bars 50, a. wrlst-plate 76 is mounted intermediate the extreme ends of the bars 50 upon a pin 77. A connecting rod 78 is secured to the wrist-plate 76 and has its opposite end pivotally connected to a lever arm 79. On the shaft 3, an additional cam 80 is secured and 'a roll on the one end of the lever arm 79 is adapted to operate in a cam groove or channel 81 in the cam 80. The lever arm 79 rocks on a pivot pin 82,

and the groove 81 is so laid out that the desired movement of the bars 50 and tool 47 is secured upon rotation of the cam. By means of this construction, the bars 50 are operated more positively and the springs 5st may be dispensed with for returning the bars to normal position.

It will now be seen that the machine is adapted to take the wire from the coil and automatically turn out the chain complete. It will further be evident that the tools liable to wear are readily accessible for the purposes of adjustment and replacement.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent is 1. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of loop pins and a pair of rotatable shafts, each provided with a forming pin for making an oifset bend in the wire blank and another forming pin for completing a loop about one of said loop pins.

2. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of a reciprocating slide provided withloop pins spaced apart, forming pins adapt ed to engage the opposite ends of the wire blank out off by said mechanism and make offset bends thereon, and additional forming pins for finishing the loops about said loop pins.

8. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of a reciprocating slide carrying loop pins spaced apart, spindles provided with holes for receiving the loop pins upon movement of the slide and rotatable shafts provided with projecting portions for engaging and bending the wire around the loop pins to form loops on the ends of the wire.

4. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire blank, a member provided with a forming slot, and a reciprocating forming tool adapted to centrally engage the wire blank and force the same into said forming slot to form the link loop.

5. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off the wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of a reciprocating slide provided with loop pins, means for forming loops on the ends of the wire blank, bending tools for off; setting the portion of the chain link between the loops, a member provided with a forming slot, and a forming too-l adapted to engage the central portion of the wire blank and force the wire int-o the forming slot to thereby form the link loop with the end loops parallel to each other and in engagement.

6. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops at the ends of the wire comprising loop pins, rotatable shafts provided with pins adapted upon rotation of said shafts in one direction to first ofiset the wire, and loop forming pins adapted upon rotation of said shafts in the opposite direction to then form the loops.

7. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire and a reciprocating slide, a member mounted on said slide, means for imparting a movement to said member transverse to that of the slide, and tools carriedby said member and adapted to engage and bend the wire loop ends around the link wire in one operation upon movement of said slide.

8. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire, a reciprocating slide, bars pivotally mounted on said slide and provided with tools adapted to engage the wire ends after formation of the loops and bend same substantially at a right angle to the body portion of the loop, and a cam plate adapted to impart an oscillatory movement to said bars as said slide reciprocates to thereby cause 'the tools to bend the wire ends around the link wire.

9. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire, tools for first bending the wire ends of the loops around the link wire, and reciprocating means for then engaging said tools to thereby press the wire ends firmly into engagement with the link wire.

.10. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting off wire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire, tools for first bending the wire ends of the loops around the link wire, and recip- "'ocating means for then engaging said tools to thereby press the wire ends firmly into engagement with the link wire and at the same time offset that portion of the link wire lying between the loops.

11. In a chain machine, the combination with a mechanism for feeding and cutting offwire necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on the ends of the wire, a plug having a channel disposed transversely with respect to the link wire, and a reciprocating mechanism provided with a tool adapted to centrally engage the link Wire upon formation of the loops and push the Wire through the channel to thereby form up the chain link With the end loops in alinement.

12. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding and cutting off the Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of loop pins, rotatable shafts, and forming pins carried by said rotatable shafts and adapted to engage the Wire blank upon rotation of the shafts and turn the ends of the Wire blank around the loop pins, said loop pins being eccentrically positioned with respect to the rotative axes of the shafts, so that the forming pins approach the loop pins in the rotative movement and finally pinch the Wire blank between the forming pin and the loop pin.

13. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding and cutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatable pins for forming complete loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank and a reciprocating slide device provided With tools for first bending the Wire ends of the loops around the link Wire and a tool for then bending the Wire blank intermediate the loops to form the chain link.

14. In a chain machine, the combination With mechanism for feeding and cutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatable pins adapted to first bend the opposite ends of said Wire blank about the loop pins to form loops, and a reciprocating slide device provided With tools for then Wrapping the projecting ends of the Wire blank around the link Wire in the movement of the slide device in one direction and a tool for then engaging the link Wire to form the chain link upon movement of the slide device in the opposite direction.

15. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of rotatable pins for forming loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank, a reciprocating slide carrying tools for engaging the ends of the Wire blank after forming the loops to bend the same about the link Wire, and means for imparting a movement to said tools transverse to the reciprocating movement to effect a further bending of the Wire ends around the link Wire.

16. In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of means for forming loops on opposite ends of said Wire blank with the ends of said loops projecting, a reciprocating slide, levers pivotally mounted on said slide and carrying tools adapted to engage said projecting ends to Wrap the same around the link Wire, and means for imparting a rocking movement to said levers upon movement of the reciprocating slide to thereby complete the Wrapping of said ends around the link Wire.

17 In a chain machine, the combination with mechanism for feeding and cutting off a Wire blank necessary to form a chain link, of a reciprocating slide device, a member provided With a slot, a tool pivotally mounted on said slide device and adapted to engage said \vire blank and force same through said slot to form the chain link upon movement of the slide device in one direction, said tool being adapted to move on its pivot in the movement of the slide in the opposite direction and thereby pass over obstructions in its path.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK P. CADY.

Witnesses:

PAUL C. GADY, PETER J. BYRNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' v Washington, D. C.

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