US1185839A - Clamping mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

w. SEARS.

CLAMPING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FlLED SEPT- 4,1914.

1 1 85,839. Patented June 6, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- W. T. SEARS.

CLAMPING MECHANISM. APPLICATION'FILED SEPT. 4, 19 14.

-1,185 ,839. PatentedJune 16.

2 SHEETS-SH claims following said description.

1) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I WILLARD '1. SEARS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO-NILES-IBEMENT? POND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J ERSEY.

CLAMPING- MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Jane 6, 1916.

' Application filed September 4, 1914. Serial No. 860,183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD T. SnARs, a citizen of the United States, residmg at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in noted which issimple in construction, effec- .tive in action, and easy to control.

Clamping mechanism involving my invention canbe employed with advantage in any connection where a device of this character is-necessary, although it is of particular utility when incorporated in a radial drill involving a rotary column. In this particular field it is adapted to be utilized for holding the column or equivalent memher in a rotatively adjusted position, or at least holding the column sufliciently to make accidental movement thereof practically an impossibility. I

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I have shown in detail one of the several convenient forms of embodiment of the invention, which to enable those skilled in the art to practice the same will be set forth fully in the fol-.. lowing description. I do not restrict myself to this particular disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the Referring to said drawings: Figure is a front elevation partly in section, of portion of a radial-drilhequipped with clamping mechanism involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal ,sectioh on the line 22' of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line 33 of said Fig. 1, only the parts, however, at the front appearing. Fig. 4 is a sectional top plan view of pa'rt of the base and solenoid with rack and pinion and shaft, clutch device between the shaft and pinion and certain cooperating devices Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the supporting bracket, the pinion and clutch. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the lower end of the shaft, the loop, (partly shown) being in section, while the eccentric isin full lines. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the parts Shown in Fig. 6.

Like characters refer to like parts through out the several'views, some of which are on exaggerated scales.

As I have already observed clamping mechanism involving my invention can be employed in many different ways. In the drawings I have shown the base or bed 2 I and the column 3 of a radial'drill which may for example be like the corresponding parts shown in Letters Patent 1,089,442 granted to me March 10, 1914. This column 3 is supported for rotary adjustment by the base or bed 2, ordinarily having a depending portion'turnable within the base which is usually made hollow. Preferably within the hollow bed or base 2 is mounted a suitable clamping device such for instance as the ring 4 (shown as split or divided), the

.base or bed having a slot 5 through which ears orv lugs as 6 and 7 at the terminals of the ring, extend. When this clamping ring is constricted about the rotary column, the

latter will be held, wher eas by opening the ring, the column will be released and can be turned to effect adjustments about an axis. The ear 7 is shown as having a hole or perforation for the passage of the bolt 8' provided at one end with a suitable abutment such as thenut 9, and at the other with a loop 10, the ear or lug 6 being slotted or apertured to receive for free movement said,

loop 10. As shown the abutment or nut 9.

bears against the outer face of the ear or lug 7 .It, therefore, follows that if the bolt 8 be drawn toward the left in Fig. '2, the'lu 7 through the nut 9, will be moved in a corresponding direction thereby to set the clamping ring 4 or cause it to closely hug j the column 3 to maintain the latter in an adjusted position. When the bolt or equivalent element 8 is freed from the pull' or stress, the ring 4 will be free to open by GK- pansion. To operate the bolt 8 I may, as shown provide an eccentric or cam '11 connected rigidly with the shaft 12 in some suitable manner as by the screw 13, the outer branch of the loop 10 having an opening or hole 14 to facilitate assemblage of-the parts in that the eccentric can be applied to the shaft as the latter is-passed through the loop-lO depthwisethereof, after. which the eccentric can be fastened in place by the screw 13 adapted to be passed through the opening 14. The shaft 12 as shown, is stepped at its lower end in the lug or ear 6 this time being unset or open.

which latter as will be obvious is fixed relatively to the opposite lug or ear 7, the upper end of said shaft 12 extending through a bracket of practically loop form provided at its inner end with a flange 16 fastened by one or more screws as 17, to the outer surface of the bed 2. It will be evident, therefore, that the shaft 12 in the present instance, is susceptible solely of rotary movement, the construction being such that said shaft on each intermittent operation thereof is given a half turn; also said shaft always turns in the same direction.

In Fig. 6 the eccentric 11 is in its retracted position, the clamping ring or band 4 at It willbe observed that at this time, the low part of the eccentric is against the outer cross bar of the loop 10. On the movement or half turn of the shaft 12 in the manner centric 11 rotative therewith, will by acting against the loop 10, thrust the bolt 8 to the left in Fig. 2, thus clamping the ring in the manner already described, the maximum movement being completed when the highest part of the eccentric is against the outer} cross bar of the loop 10 at which point the shaft 12-will have completed a half turn, and as will be understood the ring 4 will be tight. On the return of the eccentric 11 to its initial position during another half movement of the shaft 12 said eccentric will be moved until its low part is again brought toward the loop on the outer cross bar 10,

and on such movement of the eccentric, the

bolt 8 is permitted to react and the ring 4 to expand. The foregoing is a description of one simple means of operating a clamping device such as a ring and is," I might state, hlghly advantageous. The eccentric 11 always moves in the same direction inter- .mittently, however, being adapted to successively set and unset the clamping ring. This eccentric or equivalent device is preferably electrically operated, and forthis purpose a suitable actuating device as the solenoid 18 may be provided, said solenoid being supported rigidly upon the base or bed 2. The core 19 of the solenoid as shown is continued to form the rack 20, the teeth of which mesh with the pinion 21 loose on but adapted to be clutched suitably to the shaft 12, for instance, by a pin clutch, the pinion 21 and the rack 20 being mounted in the hollow bracket 15. That part of the shaft 12 which is surrounded by the pinion 21 has a radial opening or socket 22 to receive the pin 23 constantly urged forward by the coiled spring 24, the wedge end of the pin or plunger 23 being adapted to alter nately enter the beveled notches 25 and 26 formed diametrically opposite each other in the wall of the opening of the pinion 21. In Fig. 4 the plunger or pin 23 is occupying the notch 25, the ring 4 being assumed to be described, the .ec-

shot into the former by the ferent type.

unset, the solenoid 18 deenergized and the draws in its core 19 or moves the same toward the right in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, thus turning the pinion 21 and hence the shaft 12 in the direction of the arrows applied respectively thereto in Fig. 4. 'The shaft as I have observed is given a half turn on each energization of the solenoid 18, the consequence being that the eccentric 11 is operated to move the loop 10 outward in the manner previously described. When the solenoid is deenergized by breaking the circuit 28, the spring 27 returns the solenoid 18 and through the rack 20 the pinion 21 to their original positions, the notch 26 being brought opposite the pin 23 on the backward movement of the pinion 21 without, however, transmitting motion to the shaft and thereby not afiecting the shifted position of the eccentric. When the bevel notch 26 is opposite the plunger or pin 23, the latter is power of the spring 24. It, therefore, followsthat when the solenoid 18 is again energized and the pinion 21 turned, the shaft 12 will, through the clutch,'be given a half turn to effect in the manner already described, the release of the ring 4 and hence of the column or upright which it grips.

It will be noted that in the organization shown the cam element or eccentric 11 always moves in the same direction, being given intermittent or successive movements through suitable means such as the solenoid described to cause the successive setting and unsetting of'the clamping device of whatever character the same may be. While the clamping device is shown in the form of a resilient ring, this is not a matter of-consequence as it mightbe of some radically dif- As a matter of fact the invention, as I have practically already observed, is not restricted to any detail, but I have shown one highly advantageous arrangement. I

When I speak of a clamping device I do not use the designation in a restricted but in abroad sense. It is evidentthat it is not essential that this clamping device should grip an object whether it be a column or not, the elemental consideration being that the clamping device when in operative relation should check or make hard the movement of a movable part, the clamping device, therefore, being in the nature of a checking or movement-retarding element.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a clamping device,

means always movable in the same direction, for causingthe setting of the clamping device during one part of said movement and for causing the unsetting of the clamping device during another part of said movement, and a solenoid acting against said means to impart thereto said successive movements.

2. The combination of a base, a colum extending into and rotative with respect to said base, a clamping device for the column, in said base, means supported by the base, always movable in the same direction, for causing the setting of the clamping device during one part of the movement of said means and for causing the unsetting of the clamping device during another part of said movement, and a solenoid on said column for successively operating said means on successive energizations of said solenoid.

3. The combination of a clamping'device, a rotary cam element always movable in the same direction, means for transferring the efi'ect of the cam element to the clamping device, the active portion of the cam element being shaped to cause through saidmeans the setting of the clamping device on a forward half turn of the cam element and to cause the unsetting of the clamping device on the remaining half turn of said cam element, and a solenoid for imparting on successive energizations thereof successive half turns to said cam'element.

4. The combination of a rotary shaft, a

forward movement of the cam in the same direction. y

5. The combination of a clamping device, rotary means always movable in the same direction, for causing the setting of the clamping device during one half of the rotary movement and for causing the unsetting of the clamping device during the other half of said rotary movement, and a solenoid acting against said means to impart intermittently thereto said movements.

6. Thecombination of a rotary shaft, a pinionloose on said shaft, a solenoid, the core of which is provided with teeth in mesh with said pinion, said solenoid when energized being adapted through said toothed gear to forwardly rotate the pinion, means for oppositely rotating said pinion, means for imparting to said shaft a half turn on the forward movement of the pinion and for preventing movement of" the shaft on return movement of said pinion, a cam connected-with said shaft, a clamping device, and means actuated by the cam for causing the setting of the clamping device on forward movement of the cam and for unsetting the clamping device on a second forward movement of the cam in the same direction.

7 The combination of a rotary column, a clamping device for said column, a solenoid, and means actuated by said solenoid, and

always movable in the same direction, for 1 causing the setting of the clamping device during one part of the movement of said means, and for causing the unsetting of the WILLARD T.- SEARS.

Witnesses:

DAVID T. NEvIN, FRANK L. HELLENGS.

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