US1761731A - Self-adjusting plug support - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930. W, E. KNOTT 1,761,731

SELF ADJUSTING PLUG SUPPORT Filed May 11, 1927 G 8 I [I 3 I |||||lill J In I J I L l lnvenTor 7 Warren Elmo IT Patented June 3, 1930 T UNITED STATES PA E T OFFICE WARREN E. KNOIT, or GRAND RArIns, ivrIcnrGAN, AssiGNoRro PIONEER PEARL BUTTON COMPANY, OF rouenREE-rsine, EW Y RR, A CORPORATION on NEW Y YORK SELF-ADJUSTING PLUG SUPPORT This invention relates to aself adjusting plug support particularly useful in button blank sawing machines. In the button'blank sawing machine shownby my Patent No.

'15 1,472,275, issued'October 80, 1923, the saw which cuts the blank is moved in a down ward direction so as to engage with the shell from which the blank is cut. In practice the shell is supported at its underside by a plug A in order that the shell may havethe firm backing and the saw cut thereinto.

The shells from which the blanks are out are of irregular curved form having difierent curvatures at different parts thereof. The saw when it engages the shell in order for it to cut readily should engage the shell surface squarely. V In order that it may engage the shell surface squarely and b1te4 into the shell rather than scrape or slip thereover 1 have provided a mounting for the plug support which, when the pressure of the saw is brought against the'shell, the 'shell bearing against the plug, automatically causes the plug and shell to take the-required position wherein the surface'sawed is disposed normal to the axis of the saw. A I I .It is a primary objectfand purpose of the present invention to provide a practical device of this character to serve the endde- 130 sired. :Many other objects and purposes than those stated, particularly in the manner of adjustingtheplugafter the same. is dressed from time to time at its upper end vertically so that its upperend will be dis- 3 posed in the properplane, and in also adjusting the plug holding device vertically ,to compensate for the shortening of the saws when thesame'are repeatedly filed and reset, will app'ear as understanding ofthe inven- 1 14 tion is'had form the-following description,

taken in connection with theiaccompanying drawing, in which, p H V 'Fig. 1 is a "fragmentary vertical section taken through the selfiadjusting plug sup- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof,; certain parts beingbroken away foribetter disclosure vsliike vreference characters refer to like parts in the differentfigures of drawing.

vin its upper edge in which a rod or pin 6 i wardly through a lug 8 projecting from a side of the pan 1. p The screw at its upper end A is equipped with a wheel 7 for manual oper- :wheel the member 3 may be vertically adlnthe construction illustrated, a pan-like member 1 is used whichis mounted on the button blank machine below the blank cutting saw. Integral with the pan a vertical guide is provided, as shown at 2, for guiding a cylin drical member 3 of metal which is supported by a lever l pivotally mounted between its ends on a: pivot pin 5 carried by the member 1. The inner end of the lever 4: has a recess extending across the member 3 seats. The outer. end of the lever lextendsbeyond the pan 1 and is engaged at its upper edge by the 7 lower end of acscrew 7 which threads downation. It is evident thatbypperating the justed inthe guide 2. A r

The cylindricalmember 3 has its upper endiclosed exceptfor a centralvertical opening 9 therethrough and the upper side is made with a' concaved recess to provide a bearingsurface 10 which is substantially the w are of a sphere, the center of which is located as nearly as may be at the upper end of the axis of the plug (later to be described) on whichthe shells are placed. The immediate plug holding device comprises a block 11 of metal which is substantially asegmentof a sphere, the curved surface of which is concentric with the curved surface of the bearing surface 10 A central opening is'made downwardly through the block 11 in which'a cylindrical sleeve 12 is secured, The'sleeve extends a consider- "ablerdistance' below the lower side of the blocklll andvthroughthe opening ,9 previously noted. At theupper fiat side of the block 11 a protective apron 13 of-sheet metal is located andfsecured, having downwardly extendingfianges at its] edges which cover .the upper end of themember3 and protect [the sameagainst the entrance of water or any foreign fmaterial which otherwise would likelypass between the block need its sup- -portingmember 3. i l

"Above the block '11 and aprdn 13 metal guidesl lhareiocated nd secured, messes w being spaced apart so as to provide a guide way located diametrically across the upper side of the block 11. The plug 15 extends downwardly into the sleeve 12 and at its upper end extends a short distance above the upper side of the guides 14. Between the guides 14 at one side of the plug a flat member 16 is located and permanently secured, its innerv end having a recess shaped to receive the adjacent side of the plug. At the outer end of the member 16 a handle 17 integral therewith is formed and extends outwardly through a vertical slot 1 made in one side of the pan 1. At the opposite side of the plug 15 a movable jaw 18 is mounted between the guides 14 by means of a shouldered set screw 18 which passes downwardly through a somewhat elongated opening made in: the jaw 18, the opening being long enough to permit a limited sliding movement of the jaw. An operating handle 19 equipped at its inner end with an eccentric head 20 is pivotally mounted on the block 11 so that the head 20 comes against the outer end of the jaw 18. It is evident that by turning the handle in a counterclockwise direction (referring to Fig. 2) the jaw may be moved inwardly to grip the plug 15 and force it against the end of the member 16. WVhen moved in the opposite direction the plug 15 may be released so that it can be raised or lowered and thus adjusted to a position such that theupper end of the axis of the plug 15 is approximately the center about which the spherical surface 10 and the under surface of theblock 11 are centered.

Between the lower curved side of the block 11 and the curved surface 10 at the upper end of the member 3 a plurality of balls 21 are located and are held by retainers 22 so that the same are in a circle around the plug 15. This provides an anti-friction hearing between block 11 and the upper end of the support 3 and one which is very sensitive so that the plug readily takes different posi tions and can be moved to any desired position that it will have to occupy when shells like that shown at 23 areplaced against the upper end of the plug and the lower end of the saw 24 brought against the upper surface 7 of the .shell.

; .the plug so that the lower end of the saw will engage squarely against the upper side of the shell. This will occur because of the mounting shown and described permitting the plug. to take different angular positions with respect to the vertical. The plug holding. member is held against rotation when the saw cuts into the shell by reason of the arm 17 located in the slot. 1. With the. shortening of the saw whichoccurs after repeated sharpeningsand settings, the supporting member 3 has to be elevated and this is accomplished by operating the screw 7. When a new saw is applied to the machine the member 3 is lowered and is thereafter elevated as the saw becomes shortened in use.

The construction described is practical for the purposes for which it is designed and has proved its value in actual practice. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within the scope of said claims.

I claim:

1. In a construction of the class described, a supporting member, a plug support located above the supporting member, anti-friction balls disposed between the under side of the plug support and the upper side of the first named support, the upper end of said first named support having a concave recess therein and the lower side of the plug support being curved to correspond therewith, a vertical plug extending downwardly through the plug support and at its upper end extending a short distance thereabove, a member attached to the upper side of the plug support against which one side of the plug bears, a clamping jaw slidably mounted on the plug support on the opposite side of the plug, and manually operable means for moving said clamping aw against the plug.

2. In a construction of the class described, a vertical support having a relatively large vertical opening therethrough and at its upper end formed with a relatively large concaved recess, the surface of which is a segment of the surface of a sphere, a plurality of balls disposed in a circle in said recess around the vertical opening through said support, a ball retainer of circular form in which said balls are held, said balls and retainer being freely movable on said surface, a block having a flat upper side and a curved lower side substantially concentric with the surface of said recess disposed with the curved lower side of said block lying against the balls, said block having a vertical opening therethrough of less diameter than the di ameter of the opening in said vertical support, and a cylindrical plug extending downwardly through the opening in said block and through the opening in the support, the upper'end of said plug extending a short distance above the upper side of the block.

3. A device of the class described comprising, a base member, a non-rotatable support vertically adjustable on the base member, a plug support, means for mounting said plug support for universal tilting movement on said non-rotatable support and means on the plug support engageable with means on the base member to prevent rotation of the plug support on a vertical axis, said means permitting vertical adjustment and universal tilting movement of the plug support.

4. A device of the class described comprising, a base member having a vertical slot, a non-rotatable support mounted for vertical adjustment in said base member, a plug support, means for mounting said plug support for universal tilting movement in said nonrotatable member and an arm projecting from said plug support and slidably extending through said slot in the base member Whereby the plug support is held from rotation but is permitted vertical adjustment and univ versal tilting.

In testimon whereof I aifix my signature. y WARREN E. KNOTT.

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