US1431682A - Leer-operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

L. I. PIERCE AND W.y FAII/IAHISS.

LEER OPERATING IVIECHANISIVI..

APPLICATION FILED 0C? ISI |920.

Patented @et LII, ILIIZL..

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L. J. PIERCE AND W. FAMARSS.

LEER OPERATING MECHANISWI.

APPLICATION FILED OCT Patented @et Mb, )1922.

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LEER OPERATING MECHANISM.

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L. 1. MERCE AND vv'. FAMARTSS.

LEER OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLTCATION FILED OCT 16y |920.

Patented Oct. T0, T7922,

l0 SHEETS -SHEET L. 1. PIERCE AND VV. FAIVIARISS.

LEER OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED OCT,16,1920.

Patented @et W9 E922.

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LBLQD L. J. MERCE AND W. FAMAHISS.

LEER OPERATING MECH/mmm.

LICA`HON FILE) UCF lli4 11?'20, LCBLQ., Patented Oct. 10, 1922;,

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L. I. PIERCE AND W. FAIVIARISS.

LEER OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED 0Cv16. 1920.

Patented UCI. IIL, 1922.

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L, I. PIERCE AND W. FAIVIARISS.

LEER OPERATING IVIECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT i6, 1920.

Patented Oct. MI, 1922.

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LEER OPERATING IVIECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 0C?. I6, 1920.

Patented (Ict. IIII, @22

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Summa/Loza L. J. PIERCE AND W. FAIVIARISS.

LEER OPERATING MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION man om 16.1920.

SL @ate-med Oct. M), 1922.

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Fatented @et ld, Wm,

LONNIE JV. FIJERGE AND WLTER FAMARISS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.,

ASSIGNORS T0 AWHINJDOWT GLASS MAGCHJNE CMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENN- SYLVANJEA, A ORPORTIN F NEW JERSE LEER-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application tiled October 16, 1920. -Serial Ito., ll'fltO.

T 0 all whomiz't may concern.

Be it known that we, LONNIE J. France and WALTER F AMAnIss, both residing at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful llmprovement in Leer-perating Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichl Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a glass-flattening oven and annealing leer having our invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the rear or delivery end of the leer, a portion of the wall being broken away `and in section;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation ot the leer and actuating mechanism;

Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the leer;

Figure 5"isa partial transverse vertical section of a portion of the same;

Figure 6` is an end View showing the actuating gearing;

Figure 7 is a side View of the same;

Figure 8 is a detail face view of the cam and plunger actuated thereby;

Figures 9, 10 and 11 are detail views of the timing mechanism;

. Figure 12 is a plan View partly broken away of the traveling leer rods and their actuating connections;

Figure 13 isa longitudinal vertical section of theyrear or delivery portion oli the leer showing` a modification;

Figure 14 is a rear elevation ot the leer and mechanism shown in Figure 13; and

Figure 15 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections for the actuating motor. o

'Uur invention has relation to a device lor mechanically operating leers, and is applicable to any` leer which employs a series of longitudinally movable rods, termed traveling rods, and also a series of vertically movable rods, termed lifting rods. Theobject of our invention is to provide ymeans of simple, convenient and effective character "which will greatly reduce the .movable or lifting rods brackets 20, upon -the leer are a rod or pipe 22. 23`is a shalt extending labor of leer operations by enabling the same to be performed to a large extent mechanically and by the simple control of a motor known character having therein the usual' flattening table 3, arranged to be rotated by the gear, indicated at 4. 5 designates an annealing leer communicating with the {lattening oven and receiving the flattened sheets ot' glass therefrom.

rlhe numeral 10 designates the traveling leer bars which are supported in the leer 5 on antitriction rollers 11, said rollers be ing placed at suitable intervals apart and being supported in the housings 12. A pair ot' channels 13 support the housings and rollers within the leer, the channels being seated in the side walls of the leer suitable distances apart, and each pair of channels supporting as many rollers as there are traveling leer bars 10, side by side, within the leer. The bars 10 are secured at their outer or delivery ends by a transverse bar 1t, by means of which all the rods maybe moved in unison.

v'lihe numeral 17 designates thel verticallywhich are supported on the bars 15, and chairs 16, as is best shown infFigure 5. ,'lihe bars 15 are supported at their ends by the depending rods 18, whose upper ends are hung tothe arms of bell crank levers 19. These bell crank levers are pivotally the pins or bolts 21. rlihe several bell crank levers 19 at each side of connected together by means ot supported within transversely across the leer and to which are secured the bell cranks 19d and 19", to whichthe pipes 22 are also connected, so that by rocking the shaft 23, all the bell cranks on both sides of the leer will be operated in unison and the bars 15 will be raised or lowered to raise or lower the vertically movable 'bars 17.

The leer with its two sets of bars is designed to move any product to be annealed, in the present instance, sheets of glass, from the oven 2, step by step, to the rear end of the leer. This is accomplished in the following manner:

A sheet of glass is placed upon the portions 10a of the rods or bars 10, which extend within the flattening oven. The bars 10 are then moved a suitable distance rearwardly so as to bring the sheet of glass'over the ends of the lifting bars 17. The shaft 23 is then rocked, causing the lifting bars 17 to lift the sheet of glass from the bars 10. lVhile the sheet is so lifted, the bars 10 are moved backwardly in the opposite direction to their original position within the oven 2. The shaft 23 is again rocked in the opposite direction so as to lower the bars 17, and'in their downward movement these bars leave the glass sheet upon the bars 10, but in an advanced position within the leer. These operations are repeated until the sheet of glass has been advanced to the rear end of the leer, with other glass sheets lying at regular intervals `upon the rods 10 within the leer. lYhen the rods 10 are next moved out, a sheet of glass-is brought out of the leer and may be removed. Successive operations of the leer will continue to deliver glass sheets in a position for removal.

As thus far described, the construction and arrangement of the parts does not differ essentially from that which has heretofore been employed. t has been the practice, however, in so far as we are aware, to actuate the two sets of bars manually. Our invention is designed to render the operation largely mechanical and automatic. -This is accomplished by the means now to be described. c

Referring more particularly to Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7 of the drawings, 26 designates suitable housings secured to a bed plate 27, which, in turn, is secured to a suitable foundation 28, located in a convenient position relative to the leer. 29 and 30 designate two shafts, one above the other, which are mounted in suitable bearings in the housings 26. 31 is an electri cally driven motor whose armature shaft carries a lworm 32, which meshes with the worm wheel 33, keyed to the shaft 29. The' to the shaft 30. 37 is a cam also keyed to the shaft 30, and which is designed to raise and lower a vertically movable plunger rod 38, the latter having a roller 39, which extends within the cam groove 40 of said cam (see also Figure 8).

The plunger 38 has therein the guide slots 45 and 46, through which the shafts 29 and 30, respectively, extend and which act to guide said rod in its vertical movement. A collar 47, keyed to the shaft 30, acts to prevent lateral movement of said rod. The upper end of this rod is connected to a pin 41, at the end of a rocker arm 42, which is, in turn, ke ed at one end of the rocker shaft 23. l hen the plunger rod is reciprocated by the groove 40 of cam 37, it causes the rocker arm 42 to move up and down, thereby operating the rocker shaft 23, and through. the mechanism previouslydcscribed, to raise and lower all of the vertically movable leer rods 17. Mounted upon the lower end portion of the plunger rod 3S are two rollers 43, which support the flanges 44 of a rack frame 48. This rack frame carries the upper and lower rack bars 49, which are designed to engage the teeth of the gear wheel 35 in such a manner that when the upper rack bar is in engagement with ear wheel 35, the rack frame will be move( in one direction, and when the lower rack bar is in engagement with said gear wheel, the rack frame will be moved in the opposite direction. Connected to the rack frame is a rearwardly extending arm 50, which is drilled to receive a stud 51, secured to a rocking leyer 52. This lever is, in turn` keyed to a rocker shaft 53, mounted in suitable bearings 54, secured to the piers 55, lo-

cated at each side andy near the back end of the leer. The shaft 53 passes under the leer and extends beyond its opposite side wall. as best shown in Figure 3, its opposite end portion having a second rocking lever 52, keyed` thereto, and arranged in alignment with the lever 52. The free ends of these rocking levers are connected by pivots or studs 62 to the 'end portions of pitman rods 63. These pitman rods, together with the levers 52 and 52, are provided with a plu rality of holes 61, for the stud or pivot 62,

these holes being for the purpose of providing adjustment to allow for variation ir length of movement of the pitman 63. The outer ends of the pitman 63 are pivotall)Y connected to the ends of a bar or shaft 57. which is secured to the bar 14. (see Fig. 12). This bar 57 extends beyond both side walls of the leer to allow of its connection with a rod G3, which is held in place by means of the two collars 58.

The rocking levers 52 and 52u are provided with extending arms 59, to which are adjustably fastened counter-weights G0.

meines lli`he motor is shown as having a thrust bearing 65, located between the motor bearing' 66 and the worm 32, (see Figure 6).

A similar thrust bearing 67 is adjustably mounted in the bracket 68, which is secured to one of the housings 26, this thrust bearing being arranged to receive any thrust against the end of the shaft. T he two thrust bearings act to take up the thrust in both directions and thus preserve the proper alignment of the worm 32.

The motor 31 is electrically controlled by means of suitable switches and cut-outs as now to be described, and which are illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 15. rlhe power circuit for the motor is controlled from the mains 70, through the fused, double-pole, single-throw switch 71. @ne side of the line is lfed to thei controlling or starting switches 72 and 73, which may be of any suitable type of singlepole normally 4 hand contact 78 to the armature and ifieldA dill open switch. 'lihese switches 72 and 73 a re arranged in parallel with the starting circuit, so that either switch may be used for the purpose of starting the motor 3l.V From the switches 72 and 73, the current passes over the conductor 74, through the solenoid magnet 76, of a controller 75. When this magnet is energized, its plunger 77 is caused to rise, and thereby close the circuit at the contacts 78. `When these contacts are closed, the circuit is completed through the right of the motor, and a magnetic circuit is completed and maintained through the coils of the magnet through the left hand contact and through a normally closed cutout switch 80. A suitable ohmic resistance 81 is shown in seriesl with the motor armature winding.

The cut-out may be of any suitable type ot normally closed switch, arranged to be onerated by a movable operating arm. lt isillustrated in Figures 6 and 7 as being supported on an angle bracket 82, which is bolted to the opposite face of one of the housings 26. This angle bracket is provided with slots 83, to receive clamping bolts 84, and thus allow for up and down adjustment of the cutout switch 80 and its operating arm 85, which projects out of the switch box and is provided at its outer end with t-he roller 86.

The numeral 87 designates a switch-operating arm (see Figures 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9) which is adjustably secured at the outer end portion of the shaft 30, and is so positioned that the studs 88 located upon the two members of the arm will pass over, and in their movement come in contact with, the roller- 86, and thereby act to open the switch contacts of the switch 80. rllhe shaft 30 is provided with a supporting head 89 (shown in detail in Figures 10 and 11) for the arm 87.

v95 see Figure ll, which is located in a convement position 1n front of the flattening oven, and through a chain or other suitable connection, actuates the switch 72,'to close its contacts. lrlihis closes the circuit through the magnet 76 of the controller 75, which in turn, closes the contacts at 78, thus completing the circuit through the motor armature and field and maintaining the circuit through the cut-out switch 80 and the coil 76. The motor 3l will then start and continue to operate, and the contacts at 78 will' remain closed. At this time, the upper rack bar 49 will be in engagement with the gear wheel 35 and the rack will be moved out until its teeth have all passed over said gear wheel. The rack frame will then come to rest and the traveling leer. bars will be moved outwardly through the medium of levers- 52, v52, rocker shaft 53, and connecting rods 63. The switch-operating arm 87 is 'so adjusted that at this time one of the studs 88 will come in contact with roller 86 ot the cut-out switch 80, and thereby momentaril break the circuit through the magnet 76, al owing the plunger 77 to drop, opening the contacts at 78, and 'thus openw ing the motorcircuit and causing the motor to come to rest. The 4operating levers and cut-out should beso adjusted that the natural dritt of the motor and operated mechanism will allow the stud 88 to pass over and free from the roller 86, allowing the contacts of cut-out switch 80 to close. thus permitting the motor to be'started again upon the closing ot either of the switches 72 or 73. lf. by reason of improper adjustment, the

switch 8O should not be closed in this manner before the motor'comes to rest, the oper.- atlng switch 72 or 73 must be held closed unt-il the arm 87 drifts past the roller of sheet from the bars and then operates the handle 97 (Figure 15) which ,operates through the cord or chain 98 to close the switch 73. The motor then starts vto operate as before, at which time the` cam 37 is in rau rtl:

position to operate .the cam roller 39, to cause the plunger rod 38 to rise, whereby, through the connections previously described, the lifting bars 17 will be operated to lift all the glass off from the traveling bars 10. As the plunger rod 38 nears the end of its upward movement, it lifts the lower rack 49 into engagement with the lower face of the gear wheel 35, so that the rack frame will be moved in a direction opposite to that previously described, causing the leer bars 10 to be moved back into the leer and their forward end portions 10L to be again extended within the flattening oven in position to again receive a sheet of glass from the flattening stone. The mechanism continues in motion and as soon as 'the teeth of the lower rack pass out of engagement with the gear 35, the rack frame comes to rest. At the same time, the cam groove of cam 37 comes into such `position that its subsequent motion'causes the plunger rod 38 to move downwardly, thereby lowering the vertically movable leer bars 17 to deliver the lass upon the bars 10. The bars 17 nal y come to rest with their upper surfaces a suitable distance below the upper surface of the bars 10. At the same time, the rack frame is lowered, being carried on the rollers 43, until the upper rack bar 49 comes into engagement with the teeth of,

gear 35. At this time, the stud 88 on the other arm of the lever 87 strikes the roller 86 of the cut-out switch 8O and the whole machine comes to rest. The operation may then be repeated in the manner above described, as desired.

The counterweight of the levers 52 and 52a are'for the purpose of steadying the motion of the machine against any sudden jars incident to the starting of the motor and the traveling leer bars, and to overcome the inertia of Said bars in bringing them to rest at the ends of their movements.

The bell crank levers 19 are preferably provided with counterweights 99, in order to properly balance the vertically movable leer rods.

In Figures 13 and 14, I have shown a modified form of mechanism for operating the traveling leer bars. This modification is designed more particularly for use with leers which are so constructed that it would be inconvenient to pass the shaft 53 through and under the leer to receive a rocking lever, vsuch as the lever 52 at the opposite .side

thereof This condition often occurs, being` due to the fact that the leers are either so close together that there is not sufficient se arating space for such equipment or w 1ere there is a party wall common to two leers built side by side as a unit.

In the construction shown in Figures 13 and 147 the shaft 53a is a short shaft carrying the single rocking lever 52C. But one connecting rod 63a is. employed, which is connected to the bar 57, and furnishes power for moving the traveling leer bars 10b and operating from one side of the leer only. For the purpose of equalizing the pull on all the bars 10b, we provide a pair of stationary rack bars suitably supported at the rear end of the leer. To the under face of the two outside leer bals 10b are attached rack bars 101. A floating shaft 102 having pinions 103 keyed thereto at each end thereof are so arranged that each pinion is in mesh with the stationary rack bar 100 and also with one of the rack bars 101. Each pinion 103 is shown as having aguiding fiange 104 on the outside thereof, for the purpose of limiting the said shaft against lateral movement.

In its operation, the rocking lever 52 is operated in the manner before described, to

move the bar 57 and leer bars 10b. The rack bars 101 1n their motion canse the pmions 103 to rotate m the teeth of: mdr

bars 100, and thereby furnish power to move the rack bars 101 in mesh therewith. Mounted upon the shaft 102 are suitable supporting rollers 105 having grooves for supporting the intermediate bars 10, said rollers being spaced apart by spacing pipes or sleeves 106. It will be noted that the floating shaft 102 and its pinions travel only half the distance that it is required to move the traveling leer bars. This cuts down the length of the racks 101, and provides a construction which causes a minimum interference of the parts, while permitting the leer bars to be supported at short intervals.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that our invention greatly reduces the manual labor required in the operation of leers.

It will be obvious that many mechanical changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts and that various forms of motor devices may be used within the spirit and scope of our broader claims.

IVe claim:

1. In leer-operating mechanism, the combination with aset of traveling leer rods and a set of lifting leer rods. of a single motive means, and actuating connections between the motive means and the two sets of rods for mechanically operating said rods in alternate timed relation to each other` substantially as described.

2. In leer-operating mechanism, the combination with a set of traveling leer rods and a set of lifting leer rods, of a single motive means, and actuating connections be tween the motive means and the two sets of rods for mechanically operating'said rods in alternate timed relation to each other,

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A connections means, and means for renderingthe motive Lasneea vthe actuating connections for the traveling rods including a motion-reversing device, substantially as described.

3. lln leer-operating mechanism, the combination with a set of traveling leer rods and a set of lifting leer rods, bf motive means, and actuating connections between the motive means and the two sets of rods for mechanically operating said rods in alternate timed relation to each other, said connections having means for automatically rendering the motive means inoperative at predetermined times, substantially, as described. y

4. In leer-operatin mechanism, the combination with a set o traveling leer rods, of a motive device, actuating connections be tween said device and the said rods, said including motion reversing device inoperative after certain predetermined movements of said connections, substantial] as described.

5. lin eer-operating mechanism, the combination with a set of lifting rods, of a motive device, connections between said device and the said rods for periodically op-` erating the same, and means operated by said connections for vrendering the motive device inoperative after predetermined movements of said connections, substantially as described. y

6. ln l'eeroperating mechanism, the comi. bination'with a set of traveling leer rods and a set of lifting leer rods, of a motive device, actuating connections between said device and the lifting rods, other actuating connections between said devicel and the traveling rods, the latter connections including a motion-reversing ineans, and ay cutout device for the motive` means arranged to be operated at predetermined times by the movement of said connections, substantially as described.

7. lin leer-operating mechanism, 'the combination with `a set of traveling leer rods and a set of vertically moving leer rods, of an electric motor, gearing driven by said motor, a plunger member actuated by said gearing and havin actuating connections with the lifting ro s, and other actuating connections between the motor and the traveling rods, the said connections including a motion-reversing device operated by the movement of said plunger member, substantially as described. f u l,

8. lln leer-operating mechanism, the combinaticn with a set of traveling leerrods and a set of vertically moving leer rods, of an electric motor, gearing driven by said motor, a plunger member actuated by said gearing and having actuating connections with the lifting rods, and other actuating connections between the motor and the traveling rods, the said connections including a motion-reversin device operated by the movement of said plunger member, together with a cut-out device for interrupting the circuit of said motor and actuated by said gearing, substantially as described.

9. lln leer-operating mechanism, the combination with a set of lifting rods, of a motor, gearing driven thereby, a cam driven by said, gea-ring, and a plunger member actuated by the cam and operatively connected wlth the lifting rods, substantially as described.

l0. In leer-operating mechanism, the combination with a set of traveling leer rods, of a motor, gearing driven thereby, a shiftable rack frame arranged to be engaged by said earing,and means actuated by the gearing o r shifting said frame, substantially as described.

11. ln leer-operating mechanism, thecombination with a set of traveling leer rods, of a motor, gearing driven thereby, a shiftable rack frame arranged to be engaged by said gearing, and means actuated by the gearing for shifting said frame, together with means actuated by said gearing for controlling the operation of said motor, substantially as described.

12. lin leer-operating mech'anism,the combination with a set of traveling leer rods and a set of `lifting leer rods, of ,motive means, `and actuating connections between the motive means and the two sets of rods for' automatically o erating said rods in alternate timed relation to each other, substantially ask described.

13. lln leer-operating mechanism, the comv ln testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

routine J. Pinnen. warren Fantaisies.

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