US1674367A

US1674367A - Method of and apparatus for cutting off waste ends of incandescent lamp bulbs

Info

Publication number: US1674367A
Application number: US505154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Kehl
Original assignee: LIBBEY GLASS Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: LIBBEY GLASS Manufacturing CO
Priority date: 1921-10-03
Filing date: 1921-10-03
Publication date: 1928-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1945-06-19

Description

June 19, 192s., 1,674,367

J KEHL R. METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OFF WASTE ENDS OF INCANDESCENT LAMP BULBS Filed 0G12. 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheetr 4l lum un H HT( l IN V EN TORI June 19, 1928 R.-.J. KEHI. 'METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OFF WASTE ENDS OF INCANDESCENT LAMP BULBS Filed 001;.5, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 1N V EN TOR.'

A TT ORNE YS.

Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED ySTAB TENT oFFICE.

ROBERT J'. KEHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LIBBEY GLASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. l

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OFF WASTE ENDS OF INCANDESCENT LAMP ZB''ILBS.

Application filed October 3, 1921.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for cutting-off or! severing the Waste ends from thel stems or necks of incandescent lamp bulbs, but it will be understood that the method and apparatus disclosed may also be utilized for the removal of parts from other tubular articles.

The relatively heavy waste mass, generally known as the moil, at the end of the stem or neck of a machine-blown incandescent lamp bulb has heretofore been removed by methods and machines which are not entirely satisfactory. By one method known as the heating-and-cracking-off method, the bulb is heated at the line of severing and then brought into contact With a cold body, which causes the end to crack oif. The edge of the bulb must then be re-heated to make it smooth and prevent checking, but even then many are cracked, checked, and otherwise rendered Worthless. By another method known as the melting-0E method, the bulb is heated at the line of severing until it softens suiiiciently so that the Weight of the Waste end separates it from the bulb proper. Removing the Waste end by this method takes /considerable time and gas, and the edge usually needs to be re-heated and shaped with a reamer or other tool.

Various types of machines have heretofore also been employed to carry out the foregoing methods. In the continuous travel apparatus, a continuously revolvingy carrier continuously moves the bulbs past the heating and auxiliary devices7 the bulbs at the same time rotating about their own vertically disposed longitudinal;A axes. In the intermittent travel apparatus an intermittently operating carrier moves Athe bulb from one operation to the next, the bulb being rotated as in the continuous'travel apparatus. In the single operation apparatus, a bulb is fed into a fixture and revolved until the heating and removing operation is r completed whereupon it is removed.

Subjecting the bulb to a succession of operations or to a flame which heats the bulb until the Waste end drops off, requires considerable time and gas, and the principal object of this invention is therefore, to lprovide a method and apparatus that shall be more economical in operation. According Serial No. 505,154.

to the present invention, the lamp ,bulb is supported so that its main axis is vertical, With the Waste end thereof lowermost, and the bulb is then rotated about such axis While the latter is stationary, with the cutting line on the neck thereof between heating and cutting gas flames of an intensity adapted to-irst heat the neck along such line and then quickly puncture or slit it to an extent to sufiiciently weaken the connecting section so that the Weight of the Waste end exceeds the adhesion or strength of the remaining connecting section, whereupon the Waste end quickly drops off. The temperature of the gas dames may be comparatively low for this operation, or compara' tively high if desired, the gas fiames being so adjusted as to provide sharp cutting point-s, producing a very localized lfusion (herein called severing or cutting) as distinguished from the heating up and gradual fusion which takes place when ordinary fiames are used, which Will quickly puncture the neck after it has been slightly heated along the cutting-oli' line. The glass along the line of severance is thus melted so quickly that severance results and leaves the glass constituting the severed edge of the finished article in substantially its original position with regard to the portion. of the said' article to which it is attached. The improved apparatus for carrying out the improved method broadly comprises mechanism for suspending the lamp bulb with its Waste end lowermost, and rotating the bulb about its vertical axis While the waste end is being vcut oif. The cutting-off means comprises pointed gas iames, desirably groups' of such flames, symmetrically arranged in av horizontal plane about the axis of rotation'A of the bulb .and opposite the line of juncture of the waste end and the neck proper, and so arranged that the tips of thev ames will touch and heat the bulb along saidline and then quickly cut, slit, orV puncture it along the cutting-off line, as distinguished from fusing off such end. By this method and apparatus the waste or moil end is effectively and quickly removed in a single operation, resulting in considerable economy of time and gas. The entire cutting operation is done in one setting and thepossi- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an.-

ap ,aratus embodying the present invention an adapted to carry out the improved method,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an improved.

burner employed in the apparatus and method of the present invention.

` 3 1s a horizontal sectlonal view of the urner of Fig. 2,. taken through the burner nozzles thereokf, and

Fi 4 illustrates another apparatus eml bodylng this invention and capable of performing the improved method. vv Various mechanisms may be employed to handle machine-blown incandescent lamp l bulbs or similararticles and properly pre- 'sent them to a cutting-olf burner, and the mechanisms shown in the drawing are, therefore, merel illustrative.- Referring to Fig. 1, a `suitab e support, such as table T, has' bearin s for rotatably mounting a` vertical shaft carrying a turret R parallel to and above the table, the shaft S being adapted to be rotated intermittently, as by a Geneva gear G operated by a suitable ower shaft P through suitable gearing an a countershaft S. The turret R is provided with a series of chucks C, each adapted to receive a machine-blown incandescent lamp ybulb L from suitable feeding mechanism (not shown) and suspend it with its main axis vertical, and rotate it about such vertical axis, as through suitable shafting S and gearing K and K.

Incandescent lamp bulbs, as blown in a machine, usuall have relatively heavy waste masses, ot erwise known as moils, at the ends of the stems or necks thereof. In the machine-blown bulb illustrated in Fig. 1, for example, the relatively heavy waste mass W is shown at the lower end of the neck N, and before the bulb may be utilized in lam manufacture, vit is necessary to remove t is waste end along a line A. This end has heretofore been removed by various methods and machines, as described, which are objectionable because of the high percentageof defective bulbs produced, comparatively poor finish of edge,'and the time and gas required. According to the present invention, `the lamp bulb L is rotated about the axis of the burner and the' flames, and the. latterfirst heat the neck along the line A and then quickly slit or puncture it so that the connecting section is suiciently weakened to perinit the weight of the waste `end to overcomethe adhesion of the remaining connection and drop off by gravity.

The mechanism of Fig.^1 intermittently presents rotating lamp bulbs to the cuttingoft burner B with'the axis of the lamp bu b coinciding with the axis of the burner `and the cutting-off line disposed in theu same horizontal plane with and opposite to and practically touching the tips of the gas fiames of the burner B. The burner employed may be of any suitable construction, the one illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 being especially suitable for the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1 wherein the bulb is moved 'into cutting-ofi' position from the side, while the burner shown in Fig. 4 is of a type adapted for the insertion of the lamp bulb, axiall from above. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 an comprises a header or casting having

paralllel base'members

15 and 16 provided with screw holes 17 whereby the burner may be secured to the table T. Pairs of

upright members

19, 20 and 21, 22 rise from the ends of the

bases

15, and 16 the upper ends of the

uprights

19, 21 and 20, 22 being connected by the

bridges

23, 24, respectively. As illustrated in Fig. 3, theinner opposed sides of the

bridges

23 and 24 have curved faces 231 and 241 respectively, whose 'center of 3, the improved burner. illustrated curvature is in the vertical axis of the burner. The outer side of the bridge 24 is provided with a gas inlet passage 25 to which a suitable gas supply device or mixer M may be coupled. The faces 231 and 241 are provided vwith groups of outlets 26, 27 which are connected .to the main inlet gas passa e 25 by suitable gas passages D connecte together and extendlng through the` several sections of the burner casting. The

outlets 26 and 27 mayl have

burner nozzles

28 and 29 detachably and adjustably coupled thereto, as by screw-threaded stems fitting in threaded vportions of said outlets. The groups of

burner nozzles

28 and 29 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the burner and on diametricallyV oppositesides thereof, as shown, being disposed within an arc of about 60. The intermittently rotating carrier or turret R thus carries the bulb laterally into the burnerA through one side of the latter and out againl ,at the opposite side, the neck, of the bulb that the tip of the high temperature flamesl will practical] just touch the wall of the neck N at t e cutting-olf line A. The groups of flames on each side of the 'axis in eect thus provide two arcs of flames for lll) heating and puncturing the neck of the lamp bulb. The .distance between the groups of burner nozzles is, of course, determined by the size of the neck of the lamp bulb to be operated upon, different lengths of burner nozzles being insertable in the outlets 26 and 27. The speed of rotation of the lam bulb and the pressure of the as suppliedv y the burner nozzles are also actors determining the time of heating and puncturing the necks. The pressure of the mixture of the gases issuing from the tips is desirably between 6 and 12 ounces per square inch, and the temperature and visual properties of the cutting llame are desirably those characteristic of oxidizing Oxy-fuel gas flames. For example, it has been found that for a lamp bulb having a neck about one and three-fourths inches in diameter at the cutting-oft line A, the best speed of rotation is about thirty revolutions per minute, if an oxidizing flame having a tip pressure between 6 and 12 ounces per square inch is em-o ployed. The kind of gas used also plays an important part in the number of burners in each group and the particular distance they are separated. For Oxy-hydrogen, oxycity gas, Oxy-natural gas, etc. flames (comparatively low temperature flames) each group of burners desirably consists of three burners spaced about 30O apart, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, while for Oxy-acetylene flames (high temperature flames) two groups are employed with two burners in each group spaced about 60 apart.

The burner casting may also be provided with suitable cooling-water connections 31 and 32 to circulate cooling water through suitable connected passages E in the several sections of the burner casting.

Fig. 4 illustrates a burner B embodying the principles of this invention but in which the lamp bulb L is inserted from above into the chuck C and into the space within the burner in position to be operated upon by the flames. n Suitable mechanism may be provided for successively presenting the bulbs to the chuck C and for rotating the latter and the lamp bulb L about the vertical axis of the burner B. yThe burner B as illustrated, is provided with groups of

burner nozzles

28 and 29 similar to those shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but the sides and ends of the casting are in the same plan, otherwise the adjustment and operation of this burner and the apparatus associated with it are similar to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Guards F may be secured to the burner castings, or headers, desirably to the tops ot' the nozzle-carrying sections thereof, and extend inwardly over and sli htly beyondthe tips of the groups of nozz es 28 and 29 a. suliicient distance to protect the nozzles from damage.

Furthermore, the mixing and gas supply device M may have acoolingwater passage lml that may be connected in series with the passages E of the burner by

pipes

311 and 321 so that the cooling-water may becirculated through the mixing device and header successively, avoiding extra piping end connections.

The operation and advantages of the improved method and apparatus will be apparent from the foregoing description. While the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that varidus changes may be made in the constructions herein disclosedwithout departing from the principles of the invention or sacrificilig any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of cutting olii' a part of a tubular article at one setting which comprises supporting said article ata station so that its main axis is vertical andsaid part is at its lower end and with the temperature of the article substantially uniform and rotating said article at said station about such vertical axis and between heating and cutting gas flames adapted to heat said article along a circumferential line or zone and then puncture it along said line at the said station to an extent to sullicientl weaken the connecting section so that t e weight of said part overcomes the adhesion of said part to the main part of the article and said part drops oil". l

2. The method of `cutting off a part of a tubular article at one setting and in a single Operation which comprises supporting said article so that its main axis is vertical and said part is at its lower end and with the temperature of the article substantially uniform and rotating said article about a fixed vertical axis coinciding with its main axis and between heating and cutting gas flames arranged symmetrically and in groups on opposite sides of said lixed axis and adapted to heat said article along a lcircumferential line or zone and then puncture` its wall along said line to an extent to suliiciently weaken the connecting section so that the weightpf said part exceeds the adhesion along said line and said part drops oli.

3. The method of severing glass articles having forms of rotation, which consists in tak-ing such an article while it is substantially uniform in temperature and rotating it about its own axis while maintaining that axis stationary, and, while so rotating the' article, melting the glass along a circumferential line so quickly that severance results and leaves the glass constituting the severed edge of the artlcle in substantially its orlginal position with regard to the portion of the article to which it is attached.

4. The method of cutting olil the waste end of the neck of a glass lamp .bulb at one setH ting and in a single operatlon which comisov prises supporting said bulb so that its main axis is vertical and said waste end is lowermost; rotating| said bulb and its support about a fixed vertical axis that coincides with said main axis; and, during such rotation, directing flames against said neck and thereby melting the glass along a desired line of severance so quickly that severance results and leaves the glass constituting the severed edge of the finished article in substantially its original position with regard to the portion of the said article to which it is attached.

5. The method of cutting off the waste end of the neck of a glass lamp bulb at one setting and in a single operation which comprises supporting said bulb so that its main axis is'vertical and said neck is suspended and said waste end is lowermost; rotating said bulb and its support about a single fixed vertical axis that coincides with said main axis; and, during such rotation, directing oxidizing flames against said neck adapted to heat the latter` along a circumferential line and thereupon puncture said neck along the same line until the weight of the waste end exceeds the adhesion along said line and Said end drops oii". f

6. Apparatus for cutting oli' the end of a tubular glass article, comprising a burnerl having a base, a standard rising Vvertically ,from the base at each end thereof, a plurality of nozzles removably attached to each standard and directed' towards a common center between the standards, lthere being passages' in the base and standards leading to the sevadapted to carryan article with its axis vertical and at a distance from the axis of the carrier equal to the distance of said common center from the axis of the'carrier, means for intermittently rotating the carrier, andmeans for rotating an artlcle 1n the carrierv while the axis of said article is stationary and coincides with said common center.

7. Apparatus for cutting ofi' the waste end of the neck'oi:l a glass lamp bulb comprising,

in combination, a chuck for supporting said bulb with the waste end thereof suspended below the chuck and so that themain axis of the bulb is vertical, means for rotating said chuck and the bulb carried thereby about' the main axis of the bulb while said axis is stationary, and a burner below said chuck for cutting ofi' the waste end of said bulb comprismg groups of symmetrically arrangednozzles disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and adapted to project pointed flames radlally of` the axisv of rotation of said bulb so as to practically just touch said bulb to ciently weaken the connecting section so that y the weight of said waste end exceeds the adhesion along said line and said wasteend. drops off.

8. Apparatus for cutting ot the waste ends of the necks of glass lamp bulbs comprising, in combination, a table or support, a burner mounted on said support and comprising spaced vertical members joined by horizontal members to form a header, gas and cooling water passages in said vertical and horizontal members, groups of burner nozzles in the upper horizontal members of said header, such nozzles being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane andl radially with respect to the axis of said burner, means for supplying a gas mixture to said gas passages and nozzles, means for supplying cooling water to said cooling water passages, means for presenting glass lamp bulbs lto said burner with the waste ends thereof lowermost, between said groups of nozzles, and with the main axes of such bulbs coinciding with the axis of said burner, and means for rotating, said bulbs about the axis ot the burner whereby the gas flames from said groups of burner nozzles are adapted to heat .the neck of said bulb along a circumferential line at the juncture of said waste parttherewith and then puncture the necks along such lines to an extent to sufficiently weaken the connecting section so that the weight of the waste part exceeds the adhesion lalong said line and said waste part drops off.

9. Apparatus for cutting off a part of a tubular article comprising, in combination, a'

header having gas passages and gas outlets symmetrically arranged 'in the same planev about the axis of said header, water cooling passages in said header, a gas .supply device coupled to said header and adapted to supply gas to said gas passage and provided with a water-cooling passage. and connections between the water-cooling passage of said gas supply device and the Water-cooling passage of said header whereby cooling ywater may be circulated successively'through such passages.

10. The process ofi-severing glass, which consists in melting the glassalong the line of severance so quickly that severance-,results and leaves the glass constituting th'e severed edge of the article in substantially its ori lnal 'position with regard to the portion o the said article to which it is attached.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

ROBERT J. KEHL.