US1645991A

US1645991A - Sealing-in machine

Info

Publication number: US1645991A
Application number: US729054A
Authority: US
Inventors: Higgins John Joseph
Original assignee: Westinghouse Lamp Co
Current assignee: Westinghouse Lamp Co
Priority date: 1924-07-30
Filing date: 1924-07-30
Publication date: 1927-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1944-10-18

Description

1,645,991 .1. J. HIGGINS SEALING-IN MACHINE Filed July 30. 1924 INVENTOR JOHN J. HIGGINS Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH HIGGINS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE LAMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SEALING-IN MACHINE.

Application filed July 80,

This invention relates to sealing-in machines and more particularly to machines for sealing stems in radio bulbs and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective device for expeditiously sealing a bulb to a. mount.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing-in device in which a bulb may be sealed to a mount without rotation thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable coordinating machine elements for supporting a bulb on a given axial line and for providing one or more heat zones for sealing the bulb to the mount and for severing the waste portion from the bulb.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the description proceeds.

Radiotrons or incandescent lamps of the character to which the present invention relates, have generally been produced by Sealing a bulb to a mount comprising a flare tube and an exhaust tube for audio bulbs and in the union of a bulb to a mount including a flare tube, exhaust tube and arbor for certain types of incandescent electric lamps.

The present invention may be applied to either a lamp or a radio tube but, as hereinafter described. is illustrated with reference to the latter.

Radio tubes as heretofore manufactured, included supporting a mount and positioning a bulb thereover. Fires were then directed to heat the bulb about its circumference, adjacent to the flare tube of the mount. For the purpose of providing a complete circumferential heated area on the tube, it was considered necessary to rotate the bulb and mount during the heating operation. This rotation was heretofore thought to be important and was practiced as a vital and necessary operation in the production of a sealed-in lamp or radiotron and it was the accepted method to properly heiat the bulb to give the desired sealing resu t.

The rotation of the mount and bulb limited, to a considerable degree, the possible output of a sealing-in machine. The necessity of a. support to properly hold the bulb and mount during the sealing-in makes it essential to rotate the entire sup orting structure, which brings certain port1ons of such structure in the path of the flames dur- 1924. Serial No. 729,054.

ing rotation and obviously interrupts the heating operation. This, of course, is not very vital as a detriment to the sealing-in operation, but has its disadvantages, particularly since it subjects certain portions of the structure to relatively high temperatures and causes a Warping of the parts and often results in the necessity of realigning the bulb support to maintain the proper axial arrangement with respect to the rotating structure which in such machines is termed the sealing-in head.

Ordinarily, the inside diameter of a bulb and the outside diameter of the flared portion of a flare tube are of such dimensions that when the parts are in position for sealing, the space therebetween is relatively great.

The sealing-in operation required several steps of heating and a rotation of the bulb so that the neck thereof could be shaped previous to its union with the flare tube. That is, the necking down of the bulb could only be satisfactorily performed by a rotation of the bulb and simultaneously heating the same in a series of stages, until it was finally rendered plastic and the wall collapsed to unite the neck with a flare tube.

It has been found that by providing a bulbwith a neck of but slightly greater internal diameter than the external ortion of the flare tube. suflicient heat may e provided that the forming of the neck of the bulb and its union with the mount may be effected without rotation thereof. The applicant has discovered that if the space between the perimeter of the flared portion of the flare tube is spaced approximately 3/16 of an inch away from the inner surface of the neck of the bulb, a good seal is possible without the usual rotation of the work parts.

By creating a complete circular heat zone about the glass parts, it is possible to produce a uniform and eflicient seal between the parts, after which fires, termed cutting-oil fires, are directed against the bulb just below the seal and the lower portion or cullet of the bulb is severed and the lamp bulb may be removed from the machine. Mechanism may also be employed for changing the relative position of the bulb and mount to stretch the seal after which the bulb may be removed.

The invention will be more fully under-' stood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sealing-in device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the burner element being broken away;

Fi 3 is an enlarged fragmenta view show ng the relative position of a b b in a supporting structure; and

Fig. 4 is an example of a radiotron bulb after the sealing-in operation has been performed.

The invention may include a suitable supporting table having what will herein be termed a stationary sealing-in head 11 secured thereto. The head 11 may comprise a central post or guide 12

havin projecting arms

13 and 14 to which may secured uprights or supports 15 and 16 respectively. At the upper ends of the said supports may be fastened an arcuate plate 17 which carries vertical plates 18 having inclined surfaces 20 to which tension members 19 may be suitably attached. The ends of said tension members may project toward and be disposed in inclined relation to the vertical axial line of the head 11. A beveled edge 21 is provided on the arcuate plate 17 (see Fig. 3) to engage with a lower annular depressed surface of a bulb 22, when the bulb is in position between the plates 18.

A support for a stem or a mount may include a chuck or gripping device 23 to secure an exhaust tube 24 of a mount which may comprise the exhaust tube 24 consolidated at a press 25 with a flare tube 26 see Fig. 3), the usual electrodes are fastene to supports or leading-in ,conductors 31 which are sec'ured in the press. These several parts when united, constitute a mount or stem. The gripping mechanism may be of anfiesuitable character to secure the exhaust tu and maintain the mouth in axial alignment in the head. The gripping device illustrated, may comprise a weighted member 27 slidable upon a hollow shaft 28. Spherical gripping members 29 may be disposed in the wall of the shaft and normally in engagement with an interiorly inclined surface 30 of the member 27. The member 27 is mounted upon the shaft 28 and the spheres 29 moved toward the axial line of the shaft, by reason of the otential energy of the said weighted memher, to grip the exhaust tube 24 of the lamp mount when inserted into the shaft 28 and hold the mount with is axis coincident with the axial line of the head. The leading-1n conductors 31 may be disposed along the side or wrapped about the exhaust tube when the same is inserted into the chuck.

For the pur se of efiectin a stretchm operation of t e seal when t e bulb 22 is sealed to a flare tube 26 of the mount, 1n the manner to be hereinafter more fully out from apertures debers 29 when the weight is released. A

scribed, the shaft 28 is slidable in the guide 12 and may be disposed in engagement with a lever 32 operable by means of a chain 33 connected to a foot treadle (not shown) to reciprocate the shaft 28. The lever 32 may be pivoted at 34 to a bracket 35 and may be normally urged into engagement with a collar 36 secured to the shaft 28 b a spring 37.

A sto arm 38 may be provi ed to engage with t e lever 32 and limit the upward movement thereof.

Means for releasing the exhaust tube 24 after the same has moved downwardly a predetermined distance, may comprise a anged portion 39 integral with the post 12. This flanged portion is so positioned with respect to the weighted member 27 that when the shaft 28 is moved downwardly, for a redetermined distance, the said weighte member will engage flange 39, thus preventing further movement of the member and relieving its engagement with the gripping-spheres 29 at which time the exhaust tube 24 will be released and the sealed-in bulb may be removed from the head.

A heating element for rendering the bulb and flare tube plastic is shown in the present embodiment of the invention as comprisin a pair of concentrically arranged

manifo ds

41 and 42. The manifold 41 may receive heat producing fuel through a feed pipe 43 having a control valve 44 and the manifold 42 may receive fuel through a feed pipe 45 which may be provided with a control valve 46. p

The manifolds may, as shown, he of circular form and the manifold 41 may have a pluralit of burner nozzles 47 arranged in radial ormation and spaced at intervals.

The nozzles 47 may be so disposed as to direct'flames 48 against the wall of a bulb 22 to soften the same and elfect a union between the wall and the flared portion of a flare tube 26 (see Fig. 3). The manifold 42 may be provided with nozzles 49 spaced at intervals and may be positioned in staggered relation with respect to the nozzles 47. The nozzles 49 are employed to sever the lower or waste portion of the bulb from the sealed bulb and flames 51 issuing from these nozzles are termed the cutting-off fires. In order to facilitate the cutting-off operation, an air pipe 52 .is provided and may be connected .to a suitable pressure line to direct a current of air through the

shaft

28 and 53 at the upper end thereof. The manifolds may be suitably supported in proper relation tothe sealingin head by a bracket 54.

In practice, the weighted member may be lifted and the exhaust tube of a stem or mount may be inserted into the stem-holder and gripped by reason of the spherical with the may then be placed over the stem and held in its proper relation thereto by the bulb supporting plates 18. The burners or nozzles 47 may be lighted and controlled by means of the valve 44. Flames of intense heat may be caused to heat the bulb circumferentially at the point on its surface adjacent to the flared portion of the flare tube to seal the same thereto. The valve 46 may then be manipulated to cause flames from the nozzles 49 to sever the lower or waste portion 22' of the bulb from the sealed portion. Air may be directed outwardly from the shaft by means of the air pipe 52 to stretch or thin out the wall of the neck and thus facilitate the severing operation.

After the bulb has been sealed in and the cullet cut oil, a downward pull may be applied to the chain 33, thus permitting the shaft 28 to drop thereby effecting a relative downward movement of the stem with respect to the bulb while the seal is still plastic. This operation is termed the pulldownand is. for the purpose of relieving any strains or stresses that may be set up at the point of union during the sealing operation. The pull-down will continue as long as the chuck grips the exhaust tube. A slight downward movement of the stem is all, however, that is necessary and as the weighted member 27 comes in contact with the flanged portion 39, the spherical mem bers become disengaged with the exhaust tube and the shaft 28 is permitted a slight additional downward movement to release the exhaust tube. The bulb is therefore ready to be removed from the head and while the shaft 28 is in its lower position. the exhaust tube of another mount may be inserted between the gripping members 29 and sccured thereby when the treadle is released to permit the shaft to rise and the weighted member to engage spherical members.

In the present construction, a bulb may be sealed to a mount in a uniform and eflicient manner and heads constructed according to the present invention avoid the necessity of several belts and pulleys which have heretofore been necessary to rotate the heads. Furthermore, mechanism for stopping the heads in given relative positions is also eliminated. The initial and maintenance cost of heads of the present construction is also con siderably less than has generally been necessary when employing the various machine elements required heretofore for rotating and stopping the sealing-in heads. It will be understood that although a single head is shown and described, that a plurality of such heads may be placed on a rotary or other type of conveyor and the various operations performed during a movement of the conveyor as is common in other sealing-in machines.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the ap pended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A sealing-in head comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the mount within said bulb, means for creating a continuous heat zone circumferentially of the bulb to fuse the bulb to the mount and means for creating a second heat zone circumferentially of the neck of the bulb to sever the same from the bulb.

A sealing-in head comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the mount within said bulb, means for creating a continuous heat zone circumferentially of the bulb to fuse the bulb to the mount, means for creating a second heat zone circumferential] y of the neck of the bulb to sever the same from the bulb and means for directing a current of air against the neck of the bulb to acilitate the severing operation.

3. A sealing-in head comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the mount within said bulb, means for creating a uniform heat zone circumferentially of the bulb to fuse the bulb to the mount, means for creating a sec 0nd heat zone circumferentially of the neck of the bulb to sever the same from the bulb and means for changing the relative positions of the mount and bulb while the sealed portion is still plastic. 7

4;. A sealing-1n head comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the mount within said bulb, means for creating a continuous heat zone circumferentially of the bulb to fuse the bulb to the mount, means for creating a second heat zone circumferentially of the neck of the bulb to sever the same from the bulb, means for directing a current of air against the neck of the bulb to facilitate the severing operation and means for changing the relative positions of the bulb and mount.

5. A machine for uniting a plurality of work parts such as a lamp bulb and mount comprising a non-rotatable support for the bulb and mount and non-rotatable means for creating a zone of heat about the bulb at a temperature suflicient to fuse together the said work parts.

6. A machine for uniting vitreous lamp parts suchas a bulb and mount comprising a non-rotatable support for a bulb, non-rotatable means for holding a mount within a bulb and in a predetermined relation to the wall thereof, a non-rotatable substantially annular burner for creating a heat zone of sufiicient intensity to fuse and unite the said lamp parts. 7

7. A sealing-in machine comprising a nonrotatable support for a bulb, a non-rotatable support for retaining a mount within a bulb and in alignment with the longitudinal axis thereof, non-rotatable means for obtaining heat about the bulb at a temperature sufficient to unite the bulb and mount and means for changing the relative positions of the bulb and mount while the fused and united portions are'still plastic.

8. A sealing-in machine comprising a support for a bulb, means for supporting a mount within the bulb, a manifold disposed about said mount and bulb, a plurality of burners asiociated with said manifold for creatin a zone of heat circumferentially of the nec of said bulb to unite the same to said mount without rotation thereof and means for creating a heat zone circumferentially of the neck of the bulb to sever the same from the bulb.

9. A sealing-in machine comprising a support for a bulb, means for supporting a mount within the bulb, a manifold disposed about said mount and bulb, a plurality of burners associated with said manifold for creating a zone of heat circumferentially of the neck of said bulb to unite the same to said mount without rotation thereof, means for creating a heat zone circumferentialllvK of the neck of the bulb to sever said nec therefrom and means for changing the relative position of said mount and said bulb while their point of union -is still plastic.

10. A sealing-in machine comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the same within said bulb, a plurality of manifolds concentrically arranged with respect to said supported mount and bulb, burners associated with one of said manifolds for directing flames to fuse the bulb and mount together and burners on another of said manifolds for directing flames to sever a portion of the neck of said bulb therefrom.

11. A sealing-in machine comprising a support for a bulb, means for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to support the same within said bulb, a plurality of manifolds concentrically arranged with respect to sald supported mount and bulb, burners associated with one of said manifolds for directing flames to fuse the bulb and mount together, burners on another of said manifolds for directin flames to sever a portion of the neck of sai bulb therefrom and means for directing a current of air against the wall of said neck to facilitate the severing operation. I

12. A sealing-in machine comprising a su port for a bulb, means for securing the ex aust tube of a mount to support the same within said bulb, a plurality of manifolds concentrically arra ed with respect to said supported mount an bulb, burners associatxvwwmmwwmpmmasmmw 7 ed with one of said manifolds for directing flames to fuse the bulb and mount to ether, burners on another of said manifol s for directing flames to sever a portion of the neck of said bulb therefrom, means for directing a current of air against the wall of said neck to facilitate the severing operation and means for chan 'ng the relative positions of said mount an bulb while their point of union is still plastic.

13. A sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb with its longitudinal axis coincident with the vertical axle of the head, a chuck for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to osition the mount with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axial line of said head, burners disposed about the neck of said bulb to create a circumferential zone of heat to unite the neck of the bulb to the mount.

14. A sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb with its lon 'tudinal axis coincident with the vertical axis of the head, a chuck for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to position the mount with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axial line of said head, burners disposed about the neck of said bulb to create a circumferential zone of heat to unite the neck of the bulb to the mount and means for creating a second heat zone to sever a portion of the neck below the seal.

15. A sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb with its longitudinal axis coincident with the vertical axis of the head, a chuck for securin the exhaust tube of a mount to position the mount with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axial line of said head, burners disposed about the neck of said bulb to create a circumferential zone of heat to unite theneck of the bulb to the mount, means for creating a second heat zone to sever a portion of the neck below the seal andsmeans for directing a current of air against the wall of the neck to facilitate the severing operation.

16. A sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb with its longitudinal axis coincident with the vertical axls of the head, a chuck for securin the exhaust tube of a mount to position t e mount with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axial line of said head, burners disposed about the neck of said bulb to create a circumferential zone of heat to unite the neck of the bulb to the mount, means for creatin a second heat zone to sever a portion of t e neck below the seal, means for directin a current of air against the wall of the nec to facilitate the severing operation and means for changing the relative positions of the mount and bul while the sealed portion is still plastic.

' 17. A sealing-in head comprising means for supporting a bulb with its longitudinal axis coincident with the vertical axis of the head, a chuck for securing the exhaust tube of a mount to position the mount with its longitudinal axis coincident with the axial line of said head, burners disposed about the neck of said bulb to create a circumferential zone of heat to unite the neck of the bulb to the mount. means For creating a second heat zone to sever a portion of the neck below the seal, means for directing a current of air against the wall of the neck to facilitate the severing operation, means for chan ing the relative positions of the mount and ulb while the sealed portion is still plastic and means for releasing said exhaust tube.

18. A sealing-in device comprising a support for a mount having a flare tube,

means for non-rotatably supporting a bulb over said mount, said bulb having a neck with the inside diameter thereof slightly greater than the greatest diameter of the flare tube, and burners to provide suflicient heat to cause the neck of the bulb to contact with the flare tube.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of July,

JOHN JOSEPH HIGGINS.