US1750516A - Grading machine - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1930. I. v D. E. GRAY 1,750,516

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 11.1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 81 7.9 3.5 J 9.5 9 9O ,3

30 I ,;,"-s I 41 0 72 INVENTOR 20 f. fire A ORNEYIS.

' March 11,, 1930. D, E, GR Y 1,750,516

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 11. 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR r I BY r 19 jx onuava March 11, 1930. GRAY 1,750,516

GRADING MACHINE Filed April 11. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mummy lullifiimnlmmmuluu HHIIIIHIIIIIIIIHHH \lllllllll llllllll llllllllllll lllllllIIIH HIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllll mlllllnn INVENTOR ORNEY8.

Patented 11,1930 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID E. GRAY, OI COBNING, NEW YORK,

assrenonro come ems: worms, or

(DINING, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK GRADING MACHINE Application filed April 11,

Y My invention relates to automatic sorting or grading machines which sort or ade articles according to their respective welghts.

While my invention is possible of applica tion or ready adaptation to the weighing and sorting of various kinds of articles, I have found it particularly advantageous for weighing and sorting glass tubes. In addition to the general desirability of determining the welght of these tubes and sorting themaccordingly, such a procedure assumes even greater importance as regards these particular articles by virtue of the factthat in many of the applications and uses of the same some knowledge of the wall thickness is very desirable. By previously determining the di- .ameters of tubes of uniform length,'by means fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, my invention is, capable of embodiment in various forms, a. preferred and desirable embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, in which:

ig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in sectlon, of my improved machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper part of my machine, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig 3 with the operating parts in a different positlon than in ,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation, on a further en'- larged scale, of theiconstruction shown 'in Fig. 2, some of the structure being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a detail of a fulcrum shaft suprt Fi g. 5 is'a plan view of the maehinewith the parts in the. position shown in .Fig. 2, some of the structure being omitted Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the grading mechanisms, and v 1927. Serial I0) 182,896.,

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the same mechanism with the parts in a different position.

Referring to the drawings, reference numerals 11 and I2 designate a pair of similarly constructed side standards aflixed in any suitable manner to'a base block 13. The latter is preferably mounted upon rollers 14, and may be provided, at its corners, with vertically adjustable legs15, adapted to support a the machine in immovable position, independently of the rollers.

'Mounted in suitable hearings in the standarils 11, 12, in vertically staggered relation to each other, as shown in Fig. 1, are horizontal mounting shafts 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, provided with identical interlocking gears 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, respectively, at one side of the machine, for simultaneous rotation of said shafts. These gears are actuated by a sprocket wheel 26, keyed to the lowest shaft 20, and

connected by means of a sprocket'chain 27 v to a suitable electric motor (not shown).

Two additional horizontal shafts 3Q, 31 are mounted for rotation, in bearings provided in projecting ears 28 v(Fig. 1) on the upper parts of the standards 11, 12, and above these shafts a cross-beam 29 is also secured to the cars 28. I

F ixedly mounted in standards 11, 12 is a series of cross-beams, as indicated at 32, each of which is horizontally aligned with one of' the shafts 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,-as shown-in Fig. 1.

On each of the standards 11. 12 a series of corresponding cars 33 is provided, each pair.

of oppositely disposed ears serving as a mounting for one of. a series of crossbeams 34.

A downwardly inclined magazine 35 (Figs. 1 and 5), for holding the tubes to be fed into the machine,'is provided with similar side walls 36 that are secured to. the crossbeanlgfliin any well-known manner. The bottom of themagazine consists of a pair of spaced flat plates 38 (Fig. 5) which are se cured to the cross-beam 29 by means of screws or bolts 39, which extend upwardly through the cross-beam and into the under sides of the plates. The plates 38 terminate in ends 40 which are in proximity to the panarms of scales to be described hereinafter.

' For receiving the tubes which have been weighed and sorted, there is provided a series of outwardly and downwardly inclined, similar compartments 41, hereinafter called grade-compartments. The bottom of each of these compartments is formed by a pair of spaced flat plates 42, which are secured to-the cross-beams 34 by upwardly directed screws or bolts 43. The inner ends of theseplates terminate ilrtapered edges 44, which normal; ly contact with the extremities of the adjoining scales in the machine proper, and the outer ends of these plates (not shown) are provided with any suitable detents for retaining the tubes in the grade-compartments A series of similar guideways 45, arranged in alternately opposite directions, are provided between the successive stages of the machine. Each of these guideways 45 comprises a pair of spaced, correspondingly located, and downwardly curved bars 46 which are seupon which the tubes are supported during the weighing operation.

I have found it preferable to so space the scales 56 from each other on the fulcrumshaft 50 that when a tube is weighed thereon the distance between each end of the tube and its respective. supporting scale will be substantially equal to one quarter of the total length of the tubing. This locates the center of gravity of the tube at a point substanweight to overbalance it. This will result in a sorting'out 'of the tubes in their downward passage in the order of increasing weight, such tubesas are of suflicient weight to overbalance all the scales being delivered to the .cured to the cross-beams 34 by bolts 0L bOtlJOm g adempartment (Fig. 1).

screws 47. v L

Supportedby each cross-beam 32, 1s a pa1r of spaced angle-irons 48, on which are mounted a pair of suspension plates 49 in which rest the knife edges 52 of a fulcrum shaft 50. The

latter is generally of circular cross-section, exce t for two integral, spaced, wedge-shaped portions 51 whichform the knife edges 52,

these sections being equidistant from the ends 57 01" the shaft. The ends 57 are pointed and contact very lightly with abutments 53 (Figs. 3 andl5) to prevent longitudinal displacement of the shaft. 4 i

The knife edges 52 of the wedge-shaped portions 51 rest in V-s hapednotches in the plates 49, as shown in Fig. 4, the sides of these notches diverging at a sufficient angle to permitthe desired rocking of the shaft 56 therein.

At spaced points along each fulcrum shaft 50, between the wedge-shaped sections 51, are mounted a air of similar beam scales 56 (Figs. 3 and 5; the direction of which pair of scales is alternately rever sed in each succeeding stage of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. The weight setting of the scales may be accomplished by integral weight incorpo-' ration, the provision of a longitudinally adjustable collar "of determined wei ht, or any other well-known means, and int e particular embodiment herein described I have found it preferable to permanently incorporate the desired .weights in the-weight ends 58 of a number of scales,,relying on substitution of an entire beam to provide the weight setting desired. The tube receiving end 59v of each scale 56, referred to as the pan-end, slopes downwardly, and terminates in a notch 60 (Figs. 5 and 6) the side walls of which incline downwardly and outwardly from the center, to provide a thin blade-like edge ,62,

Forcooperation with each of the scales the individual grading mechanisms. These are duplicated in'each stage of the machine exce t the last, but are arranged to operate in a ternately reversed directions in the successive stages (Fig. 1).

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, a pair of right and left, hand dischargers 63 are keyed to shaft 16 and each discharger consists of a pair of duplicate blades 67., 68, a thin lug 65 being provided on each blade for cooperation with the scales as described hereinafter. The dischargers are mounted in close proximity to the pan-ends 59 of the scales so that, when rotated, they will strike against the projectand eject it into either the grade-'compartment or the guideway. Also keyed to shaft 16, and on the side of each discharger nearest the center of the machine is a stabilizer 64 to support the scale beam during the loading operation. The stabilizers 64 and the lugs 65 may bemade integral with the dischargers or may be attached thereto in any well-known manner in which event the stabllizers constitute a hub-like reinforcement for their respective dischargers.

Thespecific construction, arrangement, and operation of dischargers and scales is best shown in Figs. 6'and 7, which show a discharger 63 with one of its blades 68 in operating relationship with the scale 56." On the side of the pan-end 59 of the scale beam 56 whichad'joins the inner face of the discharger 63 there is provided a substantially triangular-sha'pedprojection 69 whose bottom face 7 O is slightly curved and forms a substantial continuation of the bottom of the pan-end 59. The upper surface 71 of this projection'is a a suflicient extent to contact with the projection 69, but not sufliciently to touch the wall of the scale beam proper (Fig. 3). v To eliminate misleading and incorrect in dications of the weight of a tube, resulting from loading momentum and motion of the tube on the scales, stabilizer 64 holds the scale against depression until the tube has come to rest thereon. The stabilizer 64 is positioned in radially spaced relation to the 'ciently thereafter to-assure the tubes having come to rest. The relative lengths of these contacting surfaces will be such that there will be cOntinuous supporting contact during the maximum eriod of activity on the scales prior to the tu s coming to rest. When the, stabilizer is rotated out of contact with the scale, the latter is liberated'for weighing and charging means.

The action and relation of arts at the panend of the-scales, 'ust descri ed for the first stage of the machine,- is exactly the same in the succeeding stages, with the exception of the last or bottom stage, which differs from the subsequent action of the selective 'disthe. receding stages in the omission of the weig ing mechanism (see Fig. 1).

Although I have previously described both of the e'ectors 63 in each stage as being pro-' vided wlth a pair of lugs .65, it will be appar ent that these lugs may be omitted from one of such ejectors in each stage. Since both scales are secured to a common fulcrum shaft 50, and both-dischargers are secured toa common shaft 16,-the action of one of the setsof discharger andscale mechanisms will be correspondingly reproduced in the other setin the same stage of the machine, and ac blocks 78. The upp'er ends of these blocks are provided with threaded pins 79 which support adjustable collars 81 (Figs. 1 and 2), to 'limit downward movement of the escapement blocks bycontact with the crossbeam 76. .Mounted on the outer surface of the escapement blocks, and projecting therebelow, are stops 82 to limit the discharge of tubes from the magazine 35.

Mounting blocks 84 are secured to the points slightly beyond the ends of'the' plates 38 1 1 and 3). Adjustable detents 85,- provid with elongated U-shape'd reces ses 86, are bolted on said mounting blocks 84 directly over the scale beams (Figs. 2 and 3). Addltional adjustable de'tents 87 are mounted on each of the cross beams 32 over the other scale beams.

A pair of spaced brackets 88, provided with slideways 89 for a pair of reciprocating cut-. off members 90, are mounted on the upper.

cross-beam '32 in alignment with the escapement blocks7 8. Each member 90 has a projection 91 which is linked to one of a pair of spaced bell-crank levers 92 which are fixedly secured to the rock shaft 31 for actuation by. a pair of cams v93 fixedly secured'on cam shaft 30 (Figs. 2 and. 5).

Each setof cam, bell crank lever, and as sociated mechanisms is a duplicate of ,the other, hence, a description of one will suflice. As shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the rotation of cam shaft 30 actuates the bell-crank lever 92, and hence the feed regulatin members 90, 78, 82, through the contact 0 cam 93 with a roller 94, on one arm of the bell-crank lever, a coil spring 95 holding the roller against the cam. Fig. 1 shows the cam in the posiidler 97 on a stub shaft 98, which idler also meshes with gear 22 on shaft 17. Since the discharger 63 is double bladed, and is therefore adapted to discharge two tubes during each revolution, the cam 93 should make two revolutions for each revolution ofthe discharger in order to supply two tubes, and the gears are accordingly given a two to one ratio. v

The operation of the machine is as follows, it being understood. that the operations described are performed in duplicate at both ends Qf the tubes 'as will be evident from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 5, and also that,

if desired, only one of the dischargers need be providedl'with the lugs 65, as hereinbefore noted. p p

With the partsin the osition'shown in Fig. 1, and a number of tu es supplied to the magazine 35, the tubes will roll down the incline until the foremost one reaches the cutoflmember 90, as indicated/at T, Fig. 1 I

(shown in dotted lines Fig. 3).

Rotation of cam 93 to the position: shown in Fig. 2 retracts the cut-off 90, b the action of spring 95 on bell-crank;. 92, a lowing the foremost tube to Teach stop 82 and occupy position T' Further rotation of cam 93, to the position shown in Fig. I, will elevate cut-ofi 90, thus interposing it between the foremost tube and those behind it, raisin escapement block 78 and releasing this tu to position T, in which it is held by the to edge of rotating discharger blade 67 and etent 85.-

As the discharger blade 67 is rotating to the-position shown in Fig. 2, stabilizer 64 .will rotate into-the position in which it supports scale 56,- .and when the parts have reached the position of Fig. 2 the tube will have advanced onto the scale 56 and will be coming to rest in notch 60, position T. At

this time the discharge of other tubes from the magazine will be prevented by the lower.- in of stop 82.

In the further operation of the machine the stabilizer 64 will rotate clear of the scale, and weighing of the tube will take place prior to the advancement of the other discharger blade 68 into the operative position shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

If the tube on the scale is of insufficient v ofi the scale (position T") onto the guideway 45.

It will be noted that the forward end of lug 65 tapers to a fine edge, as does also the rear end ofprojction 69, and these features, as well as the particular fulcrum shaft support, provide a delicate selection that will result in extreme accuracy in grading to the extent that even the exceedingly slight depression of the scale initiated by a ve slightly overweight tubev will be translated into a depression of sufiicient magnitude to permit dischar e of the tube" onto the guideway 45, as in Fig. 7.

After being discharged onto the guideway 45 the tube Wlll follow the moving dlscharger blade 68in the position T Fig. 2. Upon further rotation of the blade the tube will roll down the lower end of guideway 45 to position T, Fig. 1, .where further advancement is restrained by detent 87 and the top of the discharger'b'lade in the second stage of the machine, in the same manner as described in relation to position T These operations are repeated until each tube has reached its proper grade-compartment. From the above description it will be apparent that my grading machine possesses many inherent advantages which result in in-- creased operative efiicienc The vertically spection and maintenance. The rotary action throughout the machine also conserves space, is peculiarly advantageous in combination with the vertically staggered arrangement due to the horizontal and vertical action in the selective discharging o ration, and produces less jarring action t an discharging or conveyin mechanismshaving straight line motion. The arrangement and structure-of the specificradihg mechanism provides an extremely deficate grading selection without sacrificing the ruggedness es sential for successful commercial operation.

While-I have herein disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not-desire to be limited to the specific details of arrangement and construction described, except as indicated by-the following claims.

I claim:

. 1. In an assorting machine, the combination of a plurality of-vertically-spaced scales set for progressively increasing weights, guideways between said scales, a plurality of grade-compartments, and means for delivering each article weighed to one of the grade-compartments. Y

2. In an assorting machine, the combination of a plurality of spaced scales arranged in the same vertical plane and set for different weights, connecting guideways between said scales, grade-compartments associated with said scales, and means to positively direct each article to acompartment or to a guideway. k

'3. In an assorting machine, the combination of a beam scale set for a predetermined weight, a guideway leading away from "said scale, a receiving compartment normally forming a continuation of the pan-end of said scale, means for discharging weighed articles from said scale, and means operating in conjunction with said discharging means for positively holding said pan-end in feeding relation to said receiving compartment or in feeding relation to said guideway.

4. In an assorting machine, the combination of a plurality of scales set for different weights, grade-compartments cooperating with said scales for receiving articles of equal or less weight than the weight-setting of their respective scales, guideways for conducting to successive scales articles of greater weight than the weight-setting of their respective scales, and means operable in conjunction. with the pan-ends of said scales for delivering articles weighed thereon to the respective compartments or guideways.

5. In an assorting machine, the combina- 35 ing weighed articles 40 sition initiated by the weight of an article.

, discharging means charging operation according to tary discharger for said scale.

I 6. In an assorting machine, the combinat1on of a plurality of scales arranged in vertical relat-ion and set for different weights, a guideway leading from each scale for receiving articles which over-balance said scale and dehvering them to a'lower part of the machine, a grade-compartment leading from each scale for receiving articles which do not overbalance sa1d scale,' and means operating in conjunction with said scales for directing said articles to said guideways or to said compartments.

7. In an assorting machine, the combinaa0 tionof a plurality of scales set for predetermined wei hts, a guideway leading from each scale or receiving articles which overbalance said scale and delivering them to a lower part of the machine, a grade-compartment'leading from each scale for receiving articles which do not overbalance said scale, means for discharging weighed articles from said scales, and means mounted directly on the scales and cooperating with the discharging means during the discharging operation for facilitating the discharging action to said guideway or to said compartment.

8." In an assorting machine, the combination of a beam scale, means for dischargtherefrom, means for stabilizing said scale prior to each weighing operation, and means on the discharging means for engaging the pan-end ofsaid scale for maintaining the scale in the relative po- 9. In an assorting mac ine, the combination of a scale beam mounted on a stationary pivot, meansufor discharging weighed a rticles therefrom, meansconnected with sa1d discharging means and operating in advance thereof for stabilizing said scale prior to each weighing operation, and means mounted on the discharging means and cooperatin with said scale or maintainmg the scale n the .relative position initiated by the weight of an article. I I 1 10. In an assorting machine, the combmation of a movable scale beam, a plurality of spaced surfaces on said scale beam, article mounted for movement in a plane parallel to the seal beam, and means carri by the discharging means for cooperat' w 1th"one or theother of said surfaces during the d1sthe relative position initiated by the weight of an article thereon. I I I '.11. In an assortingmachine, the combmation of a scale, means .for stabilizing sa1d scale during the loadingof articles thereon,

the plane of movement of" means for discharging theweighed articles therefrom, and a common rotatable support I on which said stabilizing means and said discharging means are mounted. 4

12. In an assorting machine,,the combination of a scale including a movable beam, means for stabilizing said scale beam during the loading of articles thereon, means movable in a plane parallel with the plane of movement of the scale beamfor discharging the weighed articles therefrom, and means mounted on the discharging means and-coopcrating with said scale to maintain said scale during the discharging operation in the relative position initiated by theweight of an article thereon.

13. In an assorting machine, the combination of a plurality of beamscales setfor guideways connecting said scales, each guide- I the opposite direction from the one directl above it, and rotatable discharging mem rs cooperating with each scale for directing articles weighed thereon to said grade-compartments or to said guide- .Way leading in ways.

15. In an assorting machine, the combination of a fulcrum shaft, a plurality of, scale beams mounted in spaced relation thereon for simultaneous operation, means movable in a planeparallel with the plane of movement of the scale beams for discharging weighed articles from said scale beams, and means associated with said discharging means and with one of said scale beams for maintaining said scales depressed or undepressed, according to the weight of the article thereon. I

16. In an assorting machine, the combina tion of a fulcrum shaft, a plurality of scales mounted in spaced relation thereon for simultaneous operation, a grade-compartment. as-

sociated with said scales, a guideway leading I compartment for receiving articles of the same or less weight than that for which the scale is set, a guidewayfor receiving articles of greater weight, and means for maintaining the weighing end of said scale in continuity with said grade-compartment during the deliver thereto of articles of appropriate weig t. k 18. In an assortin machine, the combination' of a scale, a loading platform adjoining 10 said scale, and means for discharging weighed articles from said scale, said last mentioned means being so positioned with respect to the loading platform that it will prevent loading said scale durin the discharging movement of the discharging means.

19. In an assorting machine, the combination with a scale, of means for loading articles thereon, and means for discharging 1 articles therefrom, said last named means preventing the loading of the scale during its discharging movement. p 20. An assorting machine which includes a plurality of scales set for progressively increasing weights, guideways: between the scales to receive articles which tip v the scales, a grade compartment associated witheach scale, and means for deliverin each article which fails to tip a scale into t e oorresponding grade compartment. DAVID E. GRAY.

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