US1660367A - Rail clamp with concentrated control - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1928,

W. F. ZIMMERMANN RAIL 'CLAMP WI'TH CONCENTRATED CONTROL 4 a @nz l 65 o 1v s.

Filed March 5. 1926 Z O kv n w n @lo Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED; star rarest osi-erica.

WILLIAM F. ZIMMERMANN, onfnrnrnnwoon, naarJERSEY,Y Assonon l"ro GOULD & EBERHARDT, on NEWARK, NEWJERSEY, A ooaieonarron 'ornnw JERSEY.

RAIL CLAMPv WI-TI-I CONCEN"..RA'.LED` CONTROL.

Application filedv March` l5, 1526. Serial No.. 32,562.

Shapingl machines, as commonly con structed, comprise a frame, a tool carrying ram horizontally movable on the trame, a

cross-rail vertically adjustable 'on the frame aud a Work-table horizontally adjustable lengthwise of therail and transverse to the direction of moven'ient of the ram. rlhe cross-rail is usually secured f to the 'frame by means of tivo clamps, one loca-ted at each side o'f the shaper frame, and Which are manually operatedV from opposite sides of the machine.

In the operation of these machinetools itfrequently becomes necessary to change the elevation of the Work-table. 'Ihis adjustment is eiIec-ted by means of apsuitable elevating screw which has a threaded. connection with a nut carried by the cross rai-l` thus by ell'ecting` relative rotation betwen.

the screw and nut the cross rail, and. the wo1l-:-table carried thereby, may be adjusted vertically. However, before this adjustment may be made it is necessary that the operator release the railclamps at both sides of the machine and after the desired fad/just.- ment is effected'the clamps must againlbe tightened. In most Shapers the actuating crank forv the elevating` meclninismv located at the side of the machine where the operator no mally stands duringv the operation of the machine. To change the elevation of the Work-table in a Shaper-so constructed, the operator tir-st.Y releases the clamp on his side ot the machine and. thon Walks around the machine and releases the otherv clamp. He then returns to his original position and actuz'itcs the elevatingN mechanism. After having? secured the desiredcsetting oi the cross-rail he sets the clamp on his side vof the machinigapjain Walks around the machimrfand sets the other clamp and returns to his original position, having' necessarily walked around the machine twice in effectingthe adjustment.-

Certain other Shapers have the shaft for the rail-elevating' crank located at the far side oif the machine. In these machines the op erator effects the adjustment of the rail While at the far side of the machine and sets the clamp at that side before returniinal to his original' position. thereby .reducing his journeys by one, but evenin this latterl type konly consumes considerable time but it also distra'cts his attention from his Work yWhich results in a considerable loss infetiiciency andl production. has for an object to provide simple and eiii`- cient means for actuating hoth of thev rail clamps of a shaper from the opcratons side thereof, thereby eliminating the necessity of his Walking around-themachine in` effecting a vert-ical,adjustment of the work-table.

Heretotore in certain machine tools at# tempts have been madepto:actuate spaced clampsby means of a singleclamp-actuating shaft operatively connected to clamps located at opposite sides lof the machines, .so that rotation of the shaft willV sin'iultaneous; lyactuate both clamps.VV It has been found, however, that it is practically impossible so to keepv the clamps adjusted that they. will both tighten at exactly the .same time and. that therefore one clamp will usually tighten ahead of the other thereby stopping` rotation of theshaft and j necluding complete tightonine` of thelooser clamp. f

, To overcomethis condition equalizing devices Were embodied in the clamp-actuating means but this resulted in complicated constructions WhichV Were costly lto build. Also these'prior deviccsincluded power multiplyingconnections and occasionally an operator would apply too lgreat power thereto with the result that parts of the clamp actuatingmeans would be either broken or strained.

This invention proposes a clampingV means for shaper rails by means o'f which eachr clamp may be actuated independently ofV the other` from the operators side ot. the machine and which is devoid' of equalizi'ng means and power multiplying-connections.

Another object ot this invention is toprovide simple and eiiicient means whereby lthe operator may, Without moving from hisnor'- mal Workin` position, actuate, individually r)This invention;l therefore y andin any desired order, a plurality of segregated clamps of which at least one is located Vremote from the operator.

lNhile this invention is shown and de.- scribed in connection with shapers, to which it is particularly adaptable, it is perceivedv that it might also be used to advantage in other types of machine tools and such other uses are contemplated.

Other objects and advantages will be in partv indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparent therefrom int Vthe line a-a of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a.

vertical section on the line of Fig. 1. e

Referring more specifically to the drawings the invention is disclosed as embodied in a Shaper comprising a main frame 1 provided, at its upper end, with suitable guide ways within which is slidably mounted, for horizontal reciprocation, a ram 2 carrying the usual tool t. The ram is reciprocated back and forth by conventional mechanism which forms no part of this invention and which therefore is designated generally as 3. Beneath the ram there `is located the usual work-table 4 adapted to support the work to be acted on by the cutting tool. This worktable is supported primarily by, and is horizontally adjustable on, a cross-rail 5 fitted to verticallydisposed guid-eways 6 and 7 located at opposite sides of the main frame 1. The cross-rail and its attached work-table are adapted to be shifted vertically on the main frame to vary the position of the work with respect to the tool. This adjustment is effected by means of a screw 8 having a threaded engagement with a suitable nut carried by the cross rail whereby relative rotation between the nut and screw shifts the rail Yand table vertically. Inasmuch as the table elevating meansforms no part of the present invention detailed illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It is believed that, for the purpose of this disclosure, it will suce to say that the relative rotation between the nut and screwyis effected bymeans of a shaft 9 journaled `the cutting operation.

may rotate the shaft and thereby effect vertical adjustment of the table. Y j

The desired setting of the table having been obtained, it is then necessary that. the rail be securely locked to the main frame to preclude any movement of the parts during Y This locking is effected by clamps c and d, located at opposite sides of the main frame, which serve to draw `the finished faces 5a and 5b of the rail tightly against the vertical guide-ways 6 and 7 provided by the main frame. These clamps consist respectively of straps 10 and 11 engaging finished surfaces or guidcways 12 and 13, of heavy verticallydisposed flangeslet and 15 provided by the main frame. Each of these flanges 's slotted vertically as at 16 to permit free passage of suitable clamp-ait justing and clamp-actuating boltslaterto be described. The straps 10 and 11 and the rail 5 are maintained in sliding contact with the fianges 14 and15 by bolts 17 (shown in Fig. 1 only) passing through apertures in the straps, through the slots 16 in the frame, and threaded into the cross rail. These bolts maintain the parts freely shiftable and prevent the table and rail from tipping forwardly when the clamps are releaser.

Clamping of the rail to the .frame is effected by draw-bolts 18 and 1S) located, respectively, at the operators side of the machine and at the `si de remote therefrom. The

bolt 18 forming a part of the clamp c passes" A freely through an aperture 20 in the strap 10, then through the slot 16 in the fiange 14 and is threaded into the rail at 21. The head 18h of the bolt 18 is seated against the strap 10 and is readily accessible to the operator when standing in his normal working position at the right side of the machine shown in Fig. 1 and therefore he may, at any time, apply a suitable wrench thereto to loosen or tighten that clamp without changing his position.

The clamp Z at the opposite side of the.

position as he may actuate the'clamp c. rl`his improved clamp actuating means comprises a shaft 22 journaled lengthwise of the cross rail in bearings 23 and 24 and formed at the operators side ofthe machine with aI hexagonal head 25 similar in shape and size to the head 18h of the bolt 18, whereby it may be rotated by the same wrench utilized to turn the bolt 18. VThe bolt 19, forming a part of the cla-mp d, passes freely through f an aperture `in the strap 11, through the slot 16 in the fiange 15,`and then through an un threaded bore 26 in the cross rail. Upon the temer inner end of the bolt 19 is threaded a nut 27 having'` its periphery formedv as a worm- `wheel with which meshes a worm Q8 cut on the shaft 22. A. collarQQ pinned to the bolt 19 prevents the nut 27 from being unthreaded from its bolt. The sliavftQfQ is held against axial movement by collars 30 and 3i pinned thereto and engaging opposite walls of the bearings 23 andV Qlttlierefore rota-tion of the shaft will, through the worm and worm-gear, likewise effect rotation of the nut 27. nut bears against a boss 32 on the rail 5 and is thereby held' against moving inwardly on the bolt 19. The resultant effect is that the boltfltl is moved axially toward the shaft 22. This axial movement of the bolt 19 causes its head 19h 'forcibly to engage the strap 11 thereby drawing it against the face 13 of the fiange 15 simultaneously with like engagement of the face 5b of the rail with the guide 7 provided by the main frame, thus the rail will be firmly clamped to the frame without any tendency to bendeither the rail or the frame. Thehead 1911 is preferably adjustable relative. to the bolt 1dk to effect an initial setting of the clamp so that it may be tightened or released by only slight rotation of the shaft 22. A j am-nut 33 threaded on the bolt 19 behind the head 19 serves to maint-ain the head in its adjusted positions. A lrey Sel, set into the bolt 19, has its projecting edge fitted into a. way 35 formed in the strap 11 and serves tov hold the bolt against rotation but permits it to move axially under the action of the nut 27'.

From vthe foregoing it will be perceived that this invention provides simple and eilicient means whereby the operator selectively and individually and with a single wrench may actuate both of the rail clamps of a shapcr without moving` from hisvoperative position at the machine.

l/Vithoutfurther analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of rthis inven-r tionthat others can,'by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilinations by retaining one or more of the features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of either the generic orspecific aspects of this invention and, therefor, such adapt-ations should be, and are intended to be, comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equiv# alents thereof, by Letters Patent of the United States: Y

1. A Shaper combining an upright frame;

a cross-rail vertically adjustable on the frame; two independent lclamps located at opposite sides of the frame each acting independently to secure the rail to the framev in its ladjusted positions means comprising al vclan-iping Abolt located at the operators o side of themachine to'actuate the clamp at that side of the machine; a clamping bolt veinhodiedin the clamp at vthe other side of cluding` a lever located at one side of said,A

machine for effecting vertical adjustment ofk said rail on ksaid frame; a clamp located at said side of the frame for securing the rail to the frame; acclamp located at the opposite side of lthe machine fer securing :said rail inits adjusted positions; means to actuate said clamp from the side ofthe niachine where the adjusting lever is located, said means including ay shaft rotatably but non-translatably journaled in'said rail; and an operativel connection kbetween said shaft and said clamp whereby the latter is'actuated by rotary motion of the former.

3. A shaper combining alframe; a rail ad,-

justably mounted on the frame; a single clamp Vat eachside of said frame to' secure the rail to the frame; means to actuate said clamps each independently of the otlierfrom one side ofthe machine, one of said clamp actuating means comprising aibolt passing freely through one yoffs'aid elements and threaded into the other; means permitting a wrench to be engaged with said bolt to cause it to be rotated thereby to draw said members into frictional contact;.a bolt passing freelyV through both said frame and rail adjacent the other clamp; a clamping nut threaded on said last named bolt; a shaft l extending lengthwise of said railand terminating at the side of the machine'where said first mentioned clamp is located; means` permitting a shaft actuating element to be secured to said shaft; and a gear connectionV between said Ashaft and said nut whereby actuation of said shaft rotates said nut and operates thelast mentioned clamp.

tuating devicesv comprising a manually actuable shaft journaled in said cross-rail and extending to the Yremote clamp, said shaft being formed adjacent-*the operator to receive an actuating element; a clamp actuating bolt; and an operativev oolrlneoion between sai-d shaft and said bolt to cause said bolt to be moved axially thereby tov aotuate said last named clamp when said shaft is actuated; b

5. A shapei 'combiningo frame; a cross Y rail vertically adjustable thereon; clamping devices located ab opposite sidesA of `the Shaper for clamping the rail tolli@ frame;

the remote side of the machine from the operator when in his normal Working position to actuate the, clamp .at that', side.

'In WitnesS whereof, I lizweuliereun'to sub-V soribed my name;

` WILLIAM RZIMMERMANN.

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