US1770620A - Machine for lacquering loaded shot shells - Google Patents

Description

H. N. MANN 1,770,620 MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLS July 15, 1930.-

Filed Feb. 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet w VEN TOR.-

July 15, 1930. H. N. MANN MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLS Filed Feb. 20, 1 928 I 4 Sheets-Sheet July 15, 1930. H. N. MANN 1,770,620

MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED SHOT SHELLS Filed Feb. 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July.15, 1930. H. N. MANN MACHINE FOR LACQUERING LOADED sHoT SHELLS 4 Sheet s-S heet 4 Filed Feb. 20 1928 //V l ENTOR Patented July 1 ,193 y UNITED 'sjrA'r-ssrarsN'r oFFIJCE- nanny N. MANN, or WALPOLE, irassacnusn'rrs, Assrnon 'ro mm: a son, rim, or

EAST WALPOLE MASSACHUSETTS, -.A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS amacnmn ron racoun nme LQADE) vsiao'r snrmns- 'A pplication' filed February" 20,1928. sci-m1 no. 255,545.

This invention relates to a'machine for lacquering loaded shot-shells or cartridges such as are used for shot guns and has particular reference to the coating of the non-metallic ortions of such shells witha nitro-cellulose 1o spite exposure-to water'or moisture inany,

manufacturers of loaded shoe-gun shells. In

2 against In the drawings:

acquer whereby the non-metallic portions are waterproofed and are rendered im erviousto moisture and thusbetter adapte to retain their uniform size and condition deform. Loaded shells may be. lacquered whether or not they include waterproofed material treated with parafiine, petroleum, or any of the well known compounds used by addition to rendering the non-metallic material itself impervious to water, the crevice between the exposed wad and'the inturned or crimped end of the'pa-per cylinder abutting the wad is filled so as to prevent the ingress of water. It is the object of this in'- vention to provide a machine for uniformly lacquering the exposed portions of such shot-j shells in an-eflicient and uniform manner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevatlon of the machine Fig. 2 is an elevation-of thehead or feed end'of the machine; f f

Fig. 3 is a. side elevation'of certain ofthe a0 feed and dipping parts of the "machine illustrating certain steps in the method-of dipping as well asthe mechanism employed in carrying out such method:

ig. 4. is an elevation of a shot-shell with 3 a portion broken away so as to better illustrate ping them from the hopper;

- elevation.

the exposed or end wad and theabutting inturned end of. the papercylinder- Fig. 5 is a view showing in detail the means for aligning the shells preparatory to drop- Fi'gs. -6 and 7 are respectively an elevation and cross-section of the same portion of the machine;

Fig. 8 shows in side elevation a revolving ate and air friction devices at thetopan gottom thereof for the purpose of closing off the drying 'zone of the. machine; and

"Fig. .9 shows a cross-section of conveyor bars with connecting links of thecham in 1 33 whereby t e released shells falland shde oted'on a shaft I The lever member 19 is actuatedhopper 3 by tacts.

against the cam23, each finger member 19 lever 29which is actuated with the fixed cam Referring to the drawings, and especially to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a machine having a frame generally designated at 1,

which frame carries and-associates the War" at the drive and feed end of the rious parts machme.

These parts include a movable hopper 3 affixed at one end to a rock shaft 5 which raises and lowers the ho per 3 tor 18. 4

The feed hopper 3 has a slotted bottom (see Figs. 5-7.) which is adapted to receive and align the shells placed in the hopper in hit or miss fashion,

each row may besimultaneously v1ce. carryinga series of separate spring. pressed} finger members .19",

21 carried in one end-ofthe hopper. through the up and down motlon of the reason of its contact with the opposed fixed cam 23 with which the opposite end of the lever member 19 con- The .spring 20 holds. the lever 19 holds a row of shells from sliding 'down to the enlargedends 25. of the slots 27, wh1ch enlarged ends 25 are sufficiently large to permit the flanged drop therethrough, the shells havmgbeen initlally aligned y means of the deflectors 28 so thatthey drop into thev slots 27 and hang a therethrough as shown in Fig. 3. The shells the lever 19 being .PiY

ends of the shot-shells to a so that the shells hang by 7 their flanged ends maligned rows so that the end shell of dropped from the hopper by the timing de-.-

The latter includes a levermem ber-19 are released from their respective slots of a pivoted trigger through the movement of the hopper-3 by reasonofits contact 31 against whichthe trigger lever is held by the spring 32.- In-th s through the medium eac slot, with mitted to dro wayla transverse row of shells, one shell from I flanged end uppermost 1s perm;

inc

downwardly through the loading chutes and are thereby guided into a perforated 'conveyor bar 35,-the series of-these conveyor bars having perforationsv sufliciently large to .-freely admit the'cylindrical portions of the shells, with countersunk depressions 36 whieh'receive and hold the flanged metallic ends of the shells. The conveyor bars 35 are connected to and carried by the chains 37 so that each perforated conveyor bar is under the series of loading chutes 33 at the proper time to receive. the shells dropped into the loading chutes by the respective trigger lever 29. The loading chutes 33 are pivoted at 39 and are individually adjustable as to position by means of the set screws 41 so that each loading chute 33 may be adjusted to hang in line with its neighbor. Thepurpose or" pivoting the loading chutes is to provide for the become jammed in the moving machine, there then, as the shell is about to emerge, acclers actuation of a safety stop device so that should a shell, for any reason, become j ammed and but partially enter its hole in the conveyorbar 35, the upper portion of the shell which has not cleared its loading chute will swing the bottom end of such loading chute in the direction ofmovement of the conveyor bars so as to cause such loading chute to encounter and moveslightly, a transverse stop arm bar 43 carried-by the lower ends of thetrip levers 45 one of which pushes the button of" an electrical switch 47 so as to break the electrical circuit of the motor 18 driving the machine and so stop the conveyorbefore.

an accident occurs. Such a safety arrangement is necessary for should a loaded shell might be disastrousconsequences.

The chains 37 that carrythe conveyor bars 35 are driven over a series of sprockets 49 and carry the shells within a closed casing 51 where the lacquer is applied, drained, andhardened before the shells emergetherefrom into the room. The chains with the filled conveyor bars upon passing into the casing 51 first descend underchain guides 53 so as to incline, and dip'the shells into the lacquer bath 55 suitably. maintained at a constant levelin the tank 57 by means of the weir 57 and belt-driven gear pump 58 which returnsthe overflowing lacquer to the bath. It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 3 that the shells are dipped into thecoating with their I axes inclined atanangle to the surface'of the bath and are removed at a different and,

so to speak, opposite angle, the purpose of which is to uniformly coat the entire exposed non-metallic surface of the shell, This is done by carrying the shells into the lacquer at an angle so that whatever pocketed air re-.

mains rises and momentarily lags behind and ates and moves to the opposite and leading rsldesothat thelacquer can coat the uncoated inside surface where the pocketed'air was interposed, the air moving'across the inside of the cupped end of the shell and out into the casing 51. Thus the tipping of the immersed shell allows the entire inner surface of the cupped end of the shell to be coated with lacsuerdespite any entrapped air. The inclined emergence of the shells provides for theseparated drops at various points about the edge at the wad end of the shell. Upon emerging frnm the bath of lacquer, the shells are carried upwardly towards the next sprocket 49, the lacquer meanwhile having dripped from the lower ends of the inclined shells, and thence through a revolving gate 59 belt driven (as shown in Fig. 1) and air friction device 61 into an air channel orbox 63 within the casing 51. The wings of the revolving gate move at the same. lineal rate of speed as the conveyor bars and there are a sufficient number ot-Wings so that the air cannot readily pass between the ends of these wings and the opposing edges of the air friction device 61 which minimize the amount of escaping air. Warmed air is passed into the air box 63 through the elbow 65 on the lower portion of the air box .63 surrounding the lower flight of the shell conveyor so that such air is forced into the lower run of the air box and 1s moved in a directlon opposlte the direction of movement of the conveyor, and then passes out of the upper portion of the air box at the elbow 67 adjacent'the revolving gate 59. In' this way the active hot air is confined to a U-shaped channel in the machine surrounding the coated shells and thus affords a drying zone separated from the dipping portion of the machine where the air 1s heavily laden with the volatile solvent.

This isof importance as the heated air evaporates thesolvent so quickl that the shells would not drain properly i any substantial amount of the heated air came in contact with them before the draining was, completed. Heated air is supplied to the'elbow 65 by suitable means (not shown) and the exhaust" air carrying the solvent "is sucked through the elbow 67 by suitable means (not shown). In

practical operation it is preferred that a: sol-v the next sprockets49' atthe' end of the upper flight preparatory to being held with their 'axes in .a horizontal-position as they pass down to the loweirfliglit; or run of the con.-

veyor as shown. In orderto retain the shells veyor bars until the shells (now inverted) I reach, and their flanged ends rest upon, a

lower conveyor made up of imper-forate bars v71, which bars are aflixed to chains 73 running over the sprockets 7 5 and are moved at the same lineal rate of speed as theupper conveyor, This conveyor supports the inverted shells so that they are carried along through thelower half of the air box 63 until they pass through the revolving gate and past a second or lower air friction device 61. The shells thencontinue along with the two adjacent sets of conveyor bars being held in their same position with reference to the upper conveyor bars until the conveyor chains begin to diverge as clearly shown in Fig. 1. As the upper and lower conveyors continue their respective flights, -they gradually separate until the shells, resting on the lower conveyor bars, are entirely clear of the upper conveyor bars in which they were in itially deposited, and pass out over the end of the run of the lower conveyor to be received in a suitable shell receiving receptacle indicated at 77.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lower conveyor chains 73 aredriven through the drive chain 79 which rotates the sprocket 80 aflixed to the shaft 81 which also carries two conveyor chain sprockets 75 also afiixed thereto. The drive chain? 9 is driven through the sprocket 82 affixed to the shaft'82 which is driven through the upper conveyor chains and sprockets 49 also aifixed so as to rotate the shaft 81, the upper sprocket 83 being simply an idler and free to turn upon its shaft. The upper conveyor chains 37 are driven'through the shaft 87 by means of the two sprockets 49 affixed thereon and the shaft 87 is rotated through the spur gears 88 and 89 from the main drive shaft 13 carrying the gear 89.

Having described my invention, I wish to claim and secure byLetters Patent:

1. A shot-shell lacquering machine having, in combination. means to align and hold shells in a predetermined and standard relation .and to uniformly present said shells in predetermined position to a dipping device. a dipping device adapted to hold the shells by their flanged ends with said ends uppermost and dip the shells downwardly and into'a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of I the shells inclined with reference to the surin combination, an endless conveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their flanged ends and with said flanged ends uppermost,

means to align and uniformly present shells to said conveyor in pre-determined position, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry lacquer with the respective axes of the shells inclined with reference to the surface of said bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells to emerge fromsaidbath at. different angle of inclination and within an enclosed draining space, means to maintaimthe surface of the bath of lacquer at a definite level, and means for subsequently exposing said shells to a current of warm air whereby the solvent is evaporated from the lacquer coating on said shells.

I 3. A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination, an endless conveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their flanged ends and with" said flanged ends uppermost, means to uniformly present shells to said conveyor, said means including a series of movable loading chutes the movement of the bottom of any one of which moves-a device to stop the movement of said conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of the shells inclined Withreference to the surface of said bath of lacquer, means to cause said'shells to-emerge from'said bath at a different angleof inclination and within an enclosed draining space, and means for subsequently exposin said shells to a current'of warm air where y the solvent is evaporated from the lacquer coat- I ing on said shells.

4. A shot-shell lacquering machine having' in combination, an endless conveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their' flanged ends and with said flanged ends up permost, means to align'and uniformly presaid shells downwardly and into a bathof sent shells to said conveyor in pre-determined position, 'means adapted to-cause said conveyor to carry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of the shells inclined withreference to the surface ofsaid bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells to completely emerge from said bath at a different angle-of inclination and within an enclosed draining space where in the air is maintained substantially heavilyladen with solvent, and means for subse quently-exposing said shells -to a current of solvent free warm air-whereby the solvent is evaporated from the lacquer coating on said shells. v v

5.- A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination, an endless conveyor adapted to hold loaded shot-shells by their flanged ends and with said flanged ends uppermost, means to uniformly present shells to said conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of the shells inclined with reference to the surface of said bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells toemerge from said bath 'at a and with said flanged ends uppermost, means to align and uniformly present shells to said conveyor in pre-determined position, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry said shells downwardly and into a bath of lacquer with the respective axes of'the shells inclined with reference to the surface of said bath of lacquer, means to cause said shells to emerge from said bath at a different angle of inclination and within an enclosed draining space, and means for subsequently exposing said shells to a current of warm air whereby the solventis evaporated from the lacquer coating on said shells.

7. A shot-shell lac'quering machine having in combination an endless conveyor adapted to hold loaded shot shells by their flanged ends and'with said flanged ends uppermost, a hopper for supplying the shells to said conveyor, means in said hopper to align said shells and position them with their flanged ends uppermost; means to transfer said shells as positioned to said conveyor, means adapted to causesaid conveyor to carry said shells into a bath of lacquer and along a path inclined with reference to the surface of said 1 bath and to cause said shells to emerge from said bath along. a path'of difl'erent inclination and within an enclosed draining space, and means for subsequently exposing said shells to a confined current of warm air whereby the solvent is evaporated from the lacquer coating on the shells, and a revolvmg gate-adapted to admit shells to and confine the warm air.

8. A shot-shell lacquering machine having in combination an endless conveyor adapted to holdloaded shot-shells by their flanged ends and withsaid flanged ends uppermost, a hopper for supplying the shells to said conveyor, means in said hopper to align said shells and position themwith their flanged ends uppermost, means to transfer said shells as positioned to said conveyor, comprising a series of movable loading chutes, the movement of the bottom of anyone of which moves a device to stop the movement of said conveyor, means adapted to cause said conveyor to carry said shells into a bath of lacquer and along a path in air.

- HARRY N. MANN.

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