US1571157A

US1571157A - Assembling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1571157A
Application number: US697306A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eugene G Mccall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-03-06
Filing date: 1924-03-06
Publication date: 1926-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1943-01-26

Description

Jan. 26,1926.

E. G. MCCALL ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Marsh 6, 1924 s sheets-sheet `2 Jan. 26 1926.

E. G. MCCALL AssEMBLING APPARATUS Filed March e'. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR b Ml/W Atty?.

Patented Jan. Z6, 1926.

EUGENE Gr. MCCALL, OF'BUFFALO. NEW YORK.

ASSEMBLING APPARATUS.

Application led March 6, 1924. Serial No. 697,306.

To all whom t muy concern Be it known that 1, EUGENE G. MGCALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Assembling Apparatus, of which the following is a. speciication.

rhis invention relates to an apparatus for use in assembling the impellers, rotors or wheels of rotary fans or blowers and to holdI the several parts temporarily in their proper relative position until the same have been securely and permanently connected with cach other by riveting, spotwwelding or oth erwise.

These fan wheels or impellers consist generally of a disk and ring, similar annular side members arranged side by side and an annular row of wings, vanes or blades arranged transversely between the disk and ring and each having its opposite ends provided with tongues or tenons which are secured in corresponding openings in the disk and ring. Considerable ditiiculty has been experiencedheretofore in assembling the members of these fan wheels preparatory to securing them together owing to the fact that after a few blades have been mounted between the disk and ring the subsequent mounting of further blades causes some of the previously mounted blades to be thrown out, thereby necessitating doing much of the work over again and involving loss of time and increasing the cost of doing this work accordingly.

1t is the object of this invention to provide an apparatus whereby the assembling of the blades with the disk and ring, or side members of a fan, impeller or wheel can be effected easily, conveniently, expeditiously and accurately without liability of any of the blades slipping out of place after being once seated where they belong and thereby not only facilitate the building of these wheels, but also reducing their cost of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an assembling apparatus embodying a suitable form of my invention and showing the parts of a fan wheel assembled therein, the section being taken on line 1-1, Figure 4. Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line QMQ, Figure 5. Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the assembling apparatus containing my invention. Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a fragmentary edge view of the ring of the impeller.

Similar characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

Although this assembling apparatus is primarily intended for holding together the several parts of a fan wheel or impeller, it is to be understood that the same is also useful for assembling other objects of similar construction which present like conditions. The fan impeller shown in the drawings is therefore to be merely regarded as an eX- ample of one article capable of being readily assembled by the use of my invention. This impeller, as shown in the drawings, comprises a lower ring, an upper disk, and a plurality of blades, wings or vanes arranged between the ring and disk. The lower ring comprises a web'lO, the plane of which is parallel with aline radiating -from the axis of the ring and inner and outer annular' flanges l1 and 12 projecting laterally from `the inner and outer edges 0f this ring. The

upper disk comprises a web 14 which is flat and arranged parallel' with a line radiating from the axis of this disk and an outer annular liange 15 projecting laterally from the outer edge of web 14. This ring and disk are arranged concentrically side by side and in the space between the same is arranged an annular row'of transverse blades, wings or vanes each of which has a body 16 which is curved about an axis arranged parallel with the aXis of said ring and disk and has a convex front side and a concave rear side. Each of these blades is provided at its opposite ends with a pair of tongues or tenons 17 which engage with corresponding openings 18 inthe webs of the ring and disk so that the ends of the blade bodv engage with the opposing inner sides of said webs. The blades are secured to these webs by riveting the outer ends of the tongues over against the outer side of the webs, or by spot-welding or otherwise treating the same so that the blades cannot become detached from the ring and disk. In its outer liange the ring is provided with a sight opening 13, preferably of triangular' form, as shown in Figure 6, and adjacent to its inner cdgesthe web of the disk is provided with an annular row of coupling openings 19, said sight opening being used to facilitate assembling of this impeller with other parts and said coupling openings being desired to receive rivets, bolts, screws or the like for attaching the impeller to the hub of a shaft whereby the impeller is rotated within an appropriate housing or enclosing casing.

The assembling' apparatus forming' the subject of this invention is 'designed to permit of easily and reliably assembling' the rino', disk and blades of the impeller in their proper relativeposition preparatory to rigidly uniting' thein by riveting, soldering. welding' or otherwise securing` the tongues of the blades in the blade openings of the ring' and dish. In its preferred forni this assembling' apparatus, as shown `in the drawings is constructed as follows:

The numeral 2() rep-resents a bed or base which is provided on its central part with an upwardly projecting' reduced post 21 formino' an upwardly facing` shoulder 22, anda plurality of supporting arms 2S projecting' upwardly from the base at a distance from the central post. Upon the post is mounted 'a supporting' head which comprises a lower supporting' plate composed of upper and lower sections 9A, 25 and a cylindrical vhub 26 rising' from the central part of this plate. r'Phe latter is provided with a central opening' 27 which receives the post 21 and rests on the shoulder 22 and the two parts of the lower 'plate and the hub are detachably connected by screws 28, as shown in Figure 1. On the upper side of its marginal part .the supporting plate is provided with an annular rim 29, the upper side of which is provided with an annular channel 30. During' the assembling; of the impeller the ring` thereof is mounted on this rim so that its flanges engage the inner and outer sides thereof. and the tongues at the lower ends of the blades project into the channel vof the rim. In the marginal part of the upper section 9A ofthe supporting' plate the same is provided with an annular row of upright openinasthe upper part-.31 of each beine' of small diameter and forming' an upper lguide and the lower part 32 being of larger diameter and forming' a pocket, and the adjacent part of the lower section or the supporting' plate beinn'provided with a lower guide openingY oit comparatively small diameter.

A plurality of upright tension pins are mounted in an annular row on the marginal part ot the lower supporting' plate and are adapted to `exert an upward pressure'on the blades during' the operation of assembling the parts of the fan impeller. Each of these vpins has a reduced upper part 34 guided in ene of the ,guide openings 31, a reduced lower part 35 guided in the companion `guide opening' 83, and an enlarged collar or central part 3G arranged in the respective pocket 32. Each of these tension pins is yieldine'ly held in its elevated position so that its upper end normally is arranged above the bottom of the channel 30 by means of a spring 3T arranged in the pocket around the tension pin and bearing' at its upper' end against the collar of the pin and at its lower end against the bottom of the pocket, as shown in Fig'- ure 1.

On one part of the upper end of the periphery of thel hub the same is provided with an upwardly projecting' locating or gage pin 38 which is preferablyv connected therewith by a bracket lli). this pin beine' adapted to engage with one of' the coupling' openings 19 in the disk, these opening" beine' utilized as grapje openings during' assembling' and uniting' of the impeller members.

The numeral 40 represents an upper pressure plate whereby a downward pressure is exerted against theI disk of the iinpeller while the same is engaged with the gage pin SS and its blade openings are being' enpaged with the tongues or tenons at the upper ends of the blades. The tension plate is prefeiablj.7 constructed of circular forni and extends over the hub and is' provided on its margin with a 'depending' annularl bearingV rim il adapted to engraae with the upper side of the dislt between the ,'afi'e openings and the blade openinojs at the inner and outer edges thereof. The pressure plate is held in place and caused to bear with gradually increasing' pressure against the upper side of the impeller disk during the assembling' operation by means which preferably consist of an upright pressure red l2 arranged within the hub of the supporting' head and connected at its lower end to the upper end of the post while its upper part extends through a central opening' 43, in the plate 40, and a wedge t engaging' with the top of the pressure plate and passing' tl'nfough an opening' l5 in the upper end of the pressure rod.

Clamping' means are provided for securely holding` the several parts of the impeller in place after being' assembled and in such manner that the tongues of the blades are accessible o-n the outer sides of the ring and disk and thus permit of riveting', spot-welding` or otherwise treating them for permanently connecting the blades with the disk and ring'. ln the preferred form of these holding means the same comprise a lower clamping ring' 46 adapted to surround the suiiportine' plate above the supporting armsz and provided on its inner edge with an upwardly facing' annular shoulder 47 adapted to engage the outer flange of the impeller ring', an iuiper clau'rping ring; #i8 provided on its inner edge with a downwardly facing' shoulder 'l-S adapted to enlgage with the upper edge of the outer fiange on the impeller 'the same therefrom.

disk, and means for detachably connecting the lower and upper clamping rings consisting preferably of a plurality of upright tie rods 50 each permanently secured at one end to one of the clamping rings and detachably connected at its opposite end with the other clamping rinO. In the preferred construction each of these rods is secured at its lower end to the lower clamping ring and has its upper end passing through an opening in the upper clamping ring and provided with a wingl nut 5l engaging with the top of the upper clamping` ring.

For the purpose of alining the several blades and causing them to stand perfectly erect and at right angles to the impeller ring and disk before the clamping rings are tightened on the disk and ring and to hold them in. place while the tongues on the ends of the blades are being riveted or spot-welded alining means are provided which preferably are constructed as follow-s:

The numeral 52 represents a plurality of alining plates, preferably four in number and arranged equidistant in the annular space between the upper and lower clamping rings and around the annular row of impeller blades. Each of these alining plates is arranged with its fiat sides vertical and is movable inwardly and outwardly relatively to the axis of the impeller for the purpose of engaging the same with opposing surfaces of two adjacent blades as well as disengaging To facilitate the entrance of each alining plate between two blades the front end of the same is sharjjiened somewhat as shown at 53. Each of the alining plates is guided during its movement by means of a. bracket 54 secured to the underside of the upper clamping ring and provided with a guideway which receives guiding ribs 56 on oppositesid of the respective alining plate. The path for each alining plate formed between the center of the convex side of one blade and the opposite edges of the concave side of the. adjacent blade is tangential to the axis of the impeller and the guides on the bracket-s for the alining plates are therefore arranged on correspondingly tangential lines, as shown in Figure 5.

0n the periphery of the upper section of the 'supporting plate, the saine is provided at one point with a locking or gaging recess 5T opposite which the sightopening ,'13 in the outer iiange of the impeller ring is to be placed for lining up this relative. to the impeller disk so that the corresponding' blade openings in the ring and disk are vertically in line with each other. The impeller ring is lie-ld in this posit-ion during the operation of assembling the several parts of the same by means of a locking pin 58 which is passed through the sight opening l?) and the locking recess 57, access to this opening and recess being afforded by providing the lower clamping ring with a cavity 59 on the upper side of its inner edge which furnishes the necessary clearance for this purpose, as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

The ope-ration of setting up a fan impeller by the use of this assembling apparatus is briefly as follows:

lVhile the supporting head is resting on vthe post, the operator places the lower clamping ring upon the supporting arms 23 so that it surrounds the upper section of the lower supporting plate. The ring of the tan impeller is now placed upon the rim of the supporting plate so that its flanges project downwardly on the inner and outer sides of this rim and the outer flange oi-'erhangs the upwardly facing shoulder of the lower clamping ring. The fan ring is adjusted circumferentially on the lower supporting plate until its sight opening registers with the locking recess of this plate and then these parts are held in this relative position by passing the locking pin through this sight opening and into this recess. The fan blades are now erected loosely on the lower ring by engaging the blade openings of the latter with the tongues on the lower ends of the blades, each pair of these openings at this time being over one of the tension pins on the lower supporting plate. Owing to these pins at this time being yieldingly held in their uppermost. position by the springs associated therewith the tongues of the blades do not fully enter the blade openings so that the blades are Isupported slightly above the normal position which they will eventually occupy in the proper assembled position. The disk of the impeller is now placed loosely around the upper end of the hub and over the upper ends of the blades and one of its coupling openings is utilized as a. or alining opening and engaged with the upper gage pin for holding the disk in a definite position aga-inst circumferential displacement. Next the pressure plate is applied to the upper side of the fan disk and over the pressure rod and the pressure wedge is driven through this pin sufliciently tight to produce a slight downward pressure on the upper fan disk and the blades so that the spring pressed tension pins under the. latter will be depressed. The operator now tilts the blades one at a time, in the proper direction to bring the upper tongues thereof into line with the corresponding blade openings in the fan disk and after thus aliningl the blade the same will be instantly raised by its tension pin so that its upper tongues will enter the respective blade openings and become interlocked therewith against lateral displacenient. rlhis operation is repeated successive.- ly upon each blade and as each in turn snaps into place the operator tightens the wedge a little more and thus moves the preslll) flo

sure plate downwardly further in the same measure as the interlocking oit' the tongues at the upper ends ot the blades with the upper tan disk progresses. Atteiinterloeking all o'l' the blades with the upper tan disk in this manner the upper clamping ring is placed around the upper disk and the downwardly facing shoulder oi' this ring is engaged with the outer flange ot the upper ian disk and this ring is loosely secured to the upper ends ot the tie rods. The alining plates are now pushed inwardly so that each passes into engagement with the tivo blades thereby straightening up the entire circular row of blades inasmuch as the "t'an disk causes the 'several blades to move circim'rtcn entially in unison. he tivo clamping rings are drawn together tightly so that they engage the outer flanges ot the fan ring and disk and hold them tirmly in engagement with opposite ends ot the blades and produce one rigid mass. After the impellcr has been thus placed wit-hin the grip or' the clamping device the pressure plate is removed from the top ot the lan disk and the pressure rod, thereby permitting the lower ian ring, the upper fan disk and the intermediate 'lian blades to be ren'ioved in a properly assembled position together with the clamping device and then presented to means whereby the outer ends of the tongues are either upset or riveted, soldered, spot-Welded, or otherwise acted upon to produce a permanent connection between the blades and the ring and disk, thereby completing the operation and permitting the clamping device to be removed for use in repeating this operation in the manner described.

llt will be apparent that this apparatus avoids the difficulty experienced hereto-tore in assembling the members of the tan Wheelsr or impellers, and that by the use ot this apparatus such assembling can be effected more rapidly, easily, thoroughly and economically and materially reduce the cost ot manufacture.

l claim as my invention:

l. An apparatus ot the character described comprising a lower support upon Which one side member ot a. 'fan impellcr is adapted to be mounted, spring pressed pins adapted to engage with the lower ends ot the tenons on the blades which interlock With said side member, and a pressure plate adapted to engage with the other side inember of thi` tan impeller and press the same into interlocking engagement with the tenons on the other ends ot said blades.

Q. An apparatus of the character described comprising a lower support upon which one side member ot a tan impeller is adapted to be mounted, spring pressed pins adapted to engage with the lower ends ol the tenons on the blades Which interlock with said 'side member, and a pressure plate annular seat adapted to receive one o said annular side members in position to be cngaged by one ot the ends otl said blades, and means tor engaging the other annular side member and pressing the same against the other ends of said blades.

4l. An apparatus for assembling the annular side members and transverse blades ot a 'fan impeller comprising means for rccciv ing said parts and holding them loosely While being assembled and means tor grip- 4ping said parts and holding the same rigidly while completing the connection between said parts.

5. An apparatus for assembing the parts of a 'fan impelier consisting ot transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openA ings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one ot said side members in a position in' which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades, and gage means ar yanged on said support and adapted to interlock with the other side member and hold the same in position for engaging its openings ivith the tenons on the other ends o't said blades.

G. An apparatus for assembling the parts ol tan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side ineml: rs provided with openings to receive said tongues. comprising a lon'cr supporting plate adapted to support one otl said side members in a position inv which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades, gage means arranged on said support and adapted to interlock with the other side member and hold the saine in position tor engaging its openings vrith the tenons on the other ends of said blaues, and means for interlocking said first mentioned side member with said support.

7. An apparatus tor assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting ot Vtransverse blades having tongues at opposite 'ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a loiver siul'iporting plate adapted to support one oi" said side i'neinbers in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged rai lli?

by the tenons on one end o'f said blades, and means tor interlocking said iirst mentioned 'side members with said support.

8. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting ot' transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one of said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades and pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in interlocking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends of said plate.

An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one ot said side members in a position m `which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end ot said blades, a pressure plate adapted to engage the other sidi. member and hold its openings in interlocking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends oi said plate and spring pressed pins mounted on said support and adapted to be engaged by the tongues at the lower ends of said blades.

10. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising u .lower supporting plate adapted to support one ot said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades, a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in inten locking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends of said plate, spring pressed pms mounted on said support and adapted to be engaged b v the tongues at the lower ends of said blades, a base upon which said support is mounted, a tension rod connected with said base, and a wedge engaging said rod and bearing against the pressure plate.

'11. An apparatus :tor assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends Iand annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one of' said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end ot said blades, and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in interlocking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends et said plate, and a clamping device Izidapted to hold said side members in engagement with said blade While said side members and blades are removed lromsaid supporting and pressure plates.

l2. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular sidemembers provided with openings to receive said tongue, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one of said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades, and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in interlocking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends or' said plate and a clamping device adapted to hold said side members in engagement with said blade while said side members and blades are removed Jfrom said supporting and pressure plates, and compris ing two clamping rings adapted to engage the outer sides of said side members, and tie rods each permanently connected at one end with one of said clamping rings and detachably connected at its opposite end with the other clamping ring.

13. An apparatus for assembling the. parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one of said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades, and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in interlocking' engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends of said plate, a clamping device adapted to hold said side members in engagement with said blade while said side members and blades are removed from said supporting and pressure plates, and means mounted on said clamping device and adapted to move between said blades for righting them.

14. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues, comprising a lower supporting plate adapted to support one of said side members in a position in which the openings therein may be engaged by the tenons on one end of said blades and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold its openings in interlocking engagement with the tongues at the opposite ends of said plate, a clamping device adapted to hold said side members in engagement with said blade while said side members and blades are removed from said supporting and pressure plates, and means mounted on said clamping device and adapted t0 move between said blade for righting them comprising a plurality of brackets arranged on one.' of said clamping rings, and an alining plate guided on each of said brackets and movable into and out of the space between the opposing sides of two adjacent blades.

15. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side' members provided with openings to receive said tongues and also with annular flanges, comprising av lower supporting plate having a marginal rim adapted to support one of said side members with its flanges engaging opposite sides of said rim, yielding tension means mounted on said lower supporting plate and adapted to engage the lower ends of the tenons on said blades which interlock with the openings in said lower side member, and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side` member and hold the same in a position in which its openings engage with the tongues at the upper ends ofV said blades.

16". n apparatus for assembling the parts ot' a Jfan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said' tongues and also with annular flanges, comprising a lower supporting plate having a marginal rim adapted to support one of saidl side members with its lianges engaging opposite sides of said rim, yielding tension means mounted on said lower supporting plate and adapted to engage the lower ends of the tenons on said blades which interlock with the openings in said lower side member and a. pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold the same in a position in which its openings engage with the tongues at tue upper ends of said blades, the upper side ot said rim being provided with an annular channel which receives the lower end of said blades.

17. An apparatus for assembling the parts of a fan impeller consisting of transverse blades having tongues at opposite ends and annular side members provided with openings to receive said tongues and also with annular fianges, comprising a lower supporting plate having a marginal rim adapted to support one of said side members with its flanges engaging opposite sides of said rim, yielding tension means mounted on said lower supporting` plate and adapted to engage the lower ends oiE the tenons on said blades which interlock with the openings in said lower side member and a pressure plate adapted to engage the other side member and hold the same in a position in which its openings engage with the tongues at the upper ends of said blades, said lower supporting plate consisting oi upper and lower sections, the upper section being provided with an annular row of enlarged pockets and a reduced guide opening` at the upper end of each pocket and said lower plate being provided with a reduced guide opening below each ot said pockets, and said yielding tension means comprising a plurality of upright pins each having reduced upper and lower ends guided in said upper and lower guide openings and an enlarged collar between its ends arranged in the respective pocket, and a spring arranged in each pocket and bearing at its upper end against the collar of the respective pin and at its lower end against the lower section oi said supporting plate.

EUGENE G. MCCALL.