US1677178A

US1677178A - Method of and apparatus for assembling members

Info

Publication number: US1677178A
Application number: US134746A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fay Joseph William
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1926-09-10
Filing date: 1926-09-10
Publication date: 1928-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 1945-07-17

Description

July 17, 1928.

J. w. FAY

.mnon OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS Filed Sept. 10. 1926' 2 Sheets-$heet //71/e/77or \MlllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIQI jig/WE? July '17, 1928.

J. w. FAY

usrwon OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 10, 1926 Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WILLIAM FAY, or VILLA PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or new vMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS.

Application filed September 10, 1926. Serial No. 1347-16.

1 panion wires or rods for the worker to manually select these individual members from supplies thereof and insert the end of the rod within the aperture of a companion spherical member. Thus, for example, this process has been followed in some cases in the production of telephone ringer clapper-s which comprise a rod with a spherical head member mounted atthe end thereof and which form a part of the telephone signaling or ringing apparatus. After these parts have been thus assembled, the clapper head is then securelyfastened or swaged on the rod.

The object of this invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for facilitating and expediting the assembling of apertured members with companion members.

To attain these and other objects and in acem'dance with the general features of the invention. the improved method contemplates imparting to an apertured spherical member a rotary or rolling motion of such a character as to present all portions of its surface to the end of a rod held in a relatively fixed position to insure the registration ofthe aperture and the rod end. Thereafter the assembled parts may be secured together by swaging or otherwise. An apparatus embodyin the invention and which may be used to advantage in practicing the improved method comprises an oscillating member frictionally engaging a plurality of apertu red spheres positioned over the upper ends of rods in individual recesses or depressions in a rotatable carrier to roll the spheres.

Thus, various portions of the surface of each spliereare presented to the associated rod until registration of the aperture and the rod end iseti'ected when the sphere disengages the oscillatory member. The can gaged sphere and rod are then advanced to a position where they are securedtogether by swaging by aconventional punch press.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings illustratlng one eu'ibodiment of the invention in an apparatus which may be en'iploved in practicing the method, and wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ass mbling apparatus; 7

Fig. 9. is a side elevational View of the apparatus with the hopper thereof shown partly in section and supplied with clapper heads; i i V Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1; i i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sec tional view taken on the line e l of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l disclosing the intermittent stop mechanism; and Fig. (3 is an elevational view of an assenibled ringer clapper which is representative of the type of article adapted to be assembled by the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numeralsare employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, a horizontally disposed base whicli supplies a mounting for the almaratus is adapt ed to be mounted upon the bed of a conventional punch press in any suitable manner such as by screws (not shown) inserted through openings 11 provided at opposite sides of the rearwardly extending portion of the base *(Fig. 1). One end of the base 10 supplies a mounting for a driving mechanism denoted generally by the numeral 13 and a hopper supporting frame arm 14. while the other end of the base supports a rotary carrier or indexing mechanism 15.

The indexing mechanism 15 includes a horizontal indexing plate 17 which isrotatably mounted and supported at the upper end of a bearing member 18 extending upiii with a longitudinal bore which terminates at its upper extremity in a depression or recess 26 (Fig. 3). The bore 25 is adapted to receive a rod or stem portion 25% oi. a. ringer clapper 29 ot the type disclosed in Fig. 6 and the depression 26 is designed to receive an apertured spherical, clapper head 30. The lower extremity of each holder '33 is provided with a screw 32 and interposed between the screw 32 and a. cylindrical insert 33 is a coil spring 34-. \Vhcn the stem 28 is lodged within the bore :25, the lower end thereof will rest upon the insert 3321111! the upper end will extend into the depression 26 in supporting relation with respect to its associated head member 30. Marginal ratchet teeth 36 are formed on the underside of the indexing plate 17 and are designed for cooperation with an intermittent stop mechanism 37 (Fig. 5), later to be described.

The driving mechanism .13 includes a drive shaft 39 (Fig. 1) which may be operatively connected with a suitable driving source (not shown) such as a propelling element of a punch press with which the assembling apparatus isadapted to be associated. The drive shaft 39 is mounted in upright bracket n'ieinbers l0 and a worm l1 carried by the shaft 39 engages with a companion worm wheel -12 horizontally disposed above the base it) and mounted upon a vertical shaft: 44. Mounted upon this shaftl-l at. a position above the worm wheel L2 a pinion gear which meshes with a companion gear 46 carried by a vertical shaft do and positioned adjacent the indexing plate driving gear 22. It is to be understood that the driving shaft 39 may be continuously rotated while the assembling apparatus is in use. [he gear 46 continuously transmits power to the driving gear which is rotatably mountedupont the shaft 48 and which is provided with a fibrous friction disk 49 which is held in engagement with the gear l-t' through the action ot a coil spring 50 disposed beneath. and engaged with the driving gear 22 (Fig. 3).

An oscillatory device positioned immediately above the indexing plate 17 includes a. horizontally disposed tongue. member 52) which is pivoted at one extremity upon the upper endol the vertical shaft 19 and is provided with a transverse slot 55 at its opposite extremity (Fig. A). This transverse slot 55is traversed by the vertical shalt 5 S and serves to permit of the oscillation of the tongue 53 within certain limits. glidably mounted upon the tongue 53 is a segmental oscillatory meuiber 56 which is formed with a central body portion 57 slidably engaging with the tongue 53 and a. pair of integral oppositely disposed segmental plates in extending laterally therefrom. One end of the body portion 57 of the oscillatory mcmher 56 engages with an eccentric (it) carried by the shaft; 48, and it will be obvious that the rotation of this eccentric (it) will impart an oscillatory swinging motion to the tongue 53 and a combined swinging and reciprocating movement to the segmental member an. Suitably secured to the underside of the segmental oscillatory member at) is a lacing oi rubber or other suitable material til, the lower surface of which lies immediately adjacent: to the upper surface of the index ing plate 1.7 and the upper open ends of the recesses 26 ot' the holders :23. Referring to Fig. .l wherein a ringer clapper stem 2b is shown in position within a holder 2b andan apertureil spherical head is engaging the upper end of the stem, it will he understood that the oscillatory and circular movement of the rubber facing til engaging with the upper suriace portion ot' the spherical head ill) will cause the head. to rotate within the depression 26. At some point during this rotation of the clapper head lit) the aperture formed therein will be carried into registration and engagement with the upper end of the clapper stem which projects up wardly into the bottom of the recess 2b.

'lo supply the spherical clapper heads ill) to the dt-pressions :56 a hopper mechanism (3 is provided (Figs. 1 and 2) which comprises a cylindrical container (3-1; which is secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft (35 mounted within a hearing member (37 lormcd at the extremity ol the 'l'rame arm l-lmounted upon the base 10. The bottom of the container 64- is provided with a plurality ol' spaced concentrically arranged appertnrcs (3!) which upon the rotation ol' the container are adapted to successively register with a companion opening 71 (Fig. 2) provided in a. lined dislcv member T2 suitably secured to the upper end of the bearing (37. This opening This connected with a conduit or pipe 73 which serves to direct clapper heads 30 entering the opening 71 into sup wrtcd position within the depressions :Zt oi' the holders 23. 'lihe rotation of the container (S-l is occasioned through the o eration of a largegcar H carried at the lower end of the shall (35 which engages with a pinion gear 75 keyed to the sha'l't is. It to be noted that the frame arm ll also supplies an upper bearing support for the shalits ll and.

as well as a support for the hopper mechanism (33.

The intermittent stop mechanism 37 is located upon the rcarwardl extending portion of the base It) and includes a pawl Ti (Fig. :3) pivotally mounted upon a block 7 supported by the base it). The pawl T7 is adapted to he held in engagement with the marginal ratchet teeth 36 of the indexing plate 1? through the action of a spring I'll. a tripping linger 81. which may be secured in any suitable manner to the reciprocatory U in too

slide of a press (not shown) is designed to momentarily disengage the pawl. This momentary disengagement of the pawl will take place during the upward movement of the tripping linger 81. which permits the lrictlonall y driven driving gear :22 to impart a artial rotation to the indexing plate 17. ice the pawl '77 again engages with the next following ratchet tooth 36 the indexiug plate 17 will remain stationary for a period which is sufficient in duration to permit of a swaging or other suitable operation for afiixing a clapper head with an associated stem 28. i

To eject the assembled clapper heads subsequent to the swaging, an air-pressure device 82 is provided which operates to project a stream of air into the bore 25 of a holder 23 through, an inclined opening 83 (Fig. provided therein. The air pressure is sufiicient to dislodge the assembled members from the holder and to force them upwardly therefrom, and this ejecting operation takes place during the dwell of the in dexing plate 17 occasioned by the engagement of the pawl 77 with the ratchet teeth thereof.

In the operation of the apparatus a supply of apertured clapper heads is placed ithin the hopper container 64 and rotation is imparted to the drive shaft 39 from any suit able source of power. Rotation of the shaft 39 causes the rotation of the gear 46 on the shaft 48 through the pinion gear meshing therewith, the worm wheel 42 and its companion worm 4:1. lVhen the pawl 77 is momentarily disengaged from the ratchet teeth 36 of the indexing plate 17, the gear -16, which is frictionally engaged with the driving gear l2, imparts a rotary movement to the indexing plate. Successive momentary disengagements of the pawl 77 results in the indexing plate 1.7 being intermittently rotated. The pinion gear carried by the shaft -18 causes the rotation oi the hopper container (33 through the large gear Tl and as the openings 69 in the bottom of the container register successively with the opening 7.1 of the stationary disk 7 2 the clapper heads 30 are carried by gravity into the pipe 73 which directs them to the depressions 26 in the holders 23 as said depressions are carried into position beneath the lower tip of the pipe 73. The direction of rotation of l the indexing plate 17 is shown by the direcinuc to be indexed, the upper exposed surface of each clapper head is carried into frictional engageu'ient with the facing (ll oi? the segmental oscillating member 5(3. oscillating movement oi? the member 56 through the action of the eccentric (it) causes the rotation of the clapper head within the recess This rotating or rolling movement is sullicient to insure the presentment of the every portion ot the spherical surhicc to the end of the stem28 and at some point during its travel beneath the facing .61., the aperture of the clapper head will be carried into registration and consequent ei'igagemcnt with its companion stem by gravitational -force or by the action of the spring at. In this connectionit will be ui'iderstood that the coil spring 34. in the bottom of each holder'23 which yicldingly supports an insert 33 provides a movable support to take care of variations in the length oi? the stems and also supplies a meansqtor forcing the end oi? the stems into the apertures by companion heads. As the clapper members are advanced from beneath the facing (51 with the apertures of each clapper head ei ged with a companion stem, a suitable suagmg mechanism (not shown) may be employed to eil'ectively join the members, this svmging operation taking place during the dwell oi l the indexing plate. Subsequent to the swaging operation and during the dwell oil the indexing plate the assembled clapper members maybe ejected by any suitable means such as the air pressure device 82.

Thus it will be api iarent that the appa .ratus described permits the practice oif a i method of handling clapper l'nenibers whereby these members may be continuously and expeditiously assembled.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. The method oi? assen'ibling an apertured spherical member with a companion member, which consists in associating the apertured spherical member with the companion member, imparting motion to the spherical member of such a char cter as to enable the presentation of every surface portion thereof to the companion member, and discontinuing the motion upon the registration of the aperture with the companion member whereby the apertured spherical member is assembled on the companion member.

2. The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with a rod, which consists The in vertically positioning the rod, resting the apertured spherical member upon the upper end of the rod, rotating the spherical mem ber upon the end of the rod to present vari ous surface portions of the spherical member successively to the rod, and causing the end of the rod to register with the aperture of the spherical member whereby they are in assembled relation.

3. In apparatus for assembling an apertured member with a companion member, means for supporting an aperturecl member and a companion-member, and means for engaging the surtacciof a supported. apertured member to vary the position thereof with respect: to another companion member whereby the end of the companion member registers with the aperture in thespherical member and assemblage of the members is efi'ected,

l. In apparatus for assembling an apertnred spherical member with a companion member, means for supporting an apertured spherical member with its surface engaged with a companion member to be assembled therewith, means for rotating a supported apertured spherical member with respect to its companion member whereby the end of the companion member registers with the aperture in the spherical member and assemblage of the members is effected, and means for actuating the rotating means.

5. In apparatus adapted for attachment to the bed of a press for assembling apertured spherical members with companion members, means tor supporting the companion members, means for supporting apertured spherical members with the surfaces thereof engaged with con'ipanion members for assembly therewith, means for rotating the supported spherical members, and means operable to intermittently advance the supported members in a predetermined path.

(3. 1n apparatus for assembling apertured spherical members with companion members, means having depressions for suppprting apertured spherical members in engagement with the upper surface of companion members extending into the depressions. means for indexing the sup 'iorting means. and means for engaging the upper surface portion of a supported spherical member for rotating the member to cause the registration of the aperture therewith with the companion member.

7. The method of assembling an apertured member with another member, which consists in associating the surface of the apt-r tured member with the other member, changing the relative positions of the members to present various surface portions of the apertured member to the other member, and causing the :nasemblage ol' the aperturi-al member on the other member.

8. The method of assembling an aperturcd spherical member with a con'ipanion member, which consists in engaging the surface of the apertured spherical member with the companion member for assembly therewith, changing the relative. positions of the members to present various surface portions of the spherical member to the companion memher, and causing the assemblage ol' the npertured spherical member on the companion member.

9. The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with a companion member, which consists in rotating the. apertured spherical member associated with the companion member engaging the surface of the spherical member, and causing the assemblage ot the apertured spherical member on the companion member.

it). The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with a companion member, which consists in rotating the apertured spherical membe' associated with the companion member engaging thesurface of the member, causing the assemblage oi. the apertured spherical member on the companion member, and advancing the asse1nbled members to a predetermined position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25 day of August, 1926.

JOSEPH WILLIAM FAY.