US1874786A - Ring fracturing machine - Google Patents

Description

P. MITCHELL RING FRAQTURING MACHINE Aug. 30, 1932.

Filed Sept. 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug- 1932- P. MITCHELL 1,374,786

RING FRACTURING MACHINE Filed Sept". 29, 19-50 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W M H MW.

IN V ENTOR PETER MITCH ELL 7 ATTORNEY v Patented Aug. 30, 1932 PETER MITCHELL, on WINNIPEG, MANITO A, camera RING FRAo'rr'mIivG' MACHINE Application filed september 29, 1930. Serial No. 485,289. i

The invention relates toimprovements in ring fracturing machines and particularly to a machine for fracturing piston rings such as are used on locomotive and such line type '5 engines and an object of the invention is to provide a machine whereby a precast metal ring such as of cast ironcan be accurately,

easily and quickly transversely fractured to 1 divide the ring into a number. ofsegment's and which after fracturing and upon slight grinding can be re-assembled and used on the piston in the usual manner. a e

A further object is to construct the machine in a simple, durable and inexpensive manner and so that rings of various size can be easily and-accurately set in place for fracturing and after having been set can be clamped so thatthey are held during the interval that they are being fractured and further, to provide tools associated with the machine which can be easily set in regard to the ring to be fractured, thepositioning of the tools being such that all segments will be of the samelength and interchangeable and that the segments ofa plurality of similar fractured rings will be the same. i

A further object is to'embody as part of the device, one or more air cylinders for effectively clamping the rings in pl'ace,'the air cylinder or cylinders being directly under the control of the operator.

A further object is to construct the machine so'that rings of varying thickness may be clamped therein for fracturing purposes.

With the above more important and other minor objects in view which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the'i-nvention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanyinig drawings, in which F l'is a side view of the complete ma chine. 7

Figure 2'is a plan view, part of the upper clamping plate being broken away to expose construction. f

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view at 33 FigureQ, certain parts 50 being shown in side elevation.

Figure 4 is a verticalsectional viewfa'l 4- l--Figure 2. i i a Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed-vertical sectional View at 5 5 F igure-2. I

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed' vertical sectional View at 6-(3 Figure 2. a I Figure is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in-vertical section showing certain modifications.

In the drawings like characters of refer- 0 ence indicate corresponding parts in the several' figures. I

a I might initially explain that at the .pres: ent time, piston rings are being used in 'locomotive engines, the" rings being circular and formed from a plurality of segments. These rings are made from cast'iron and acc0rd mg to the presentpractice'theringis cast and has on such account a fixed internal and external radius. Afterthe ring is cast, it'is I cut by a saw blade at intervals to provide the required number, of ring segmentswhich segments at the present time are all numbered as it is found that they are notinterchangeable; 5 r

'By so cutting the ring into segments by a saw blade, there is an inaccuracy occurring. in the fit of the assembled ring segments due to the removal of the m'etal i cut I by the saw. Obviously if the saw cut segments be re-assembled with theirends butted, they will not have a common centre pointand on the other hand, if they bare-assembled with a common centre point, there will be escape passages betwee'n the ends of the ring-segments; According to my invention, I have devised a machine by the use of which the'ring'can be transverselyfractured at desired points,

thereby avoiding the loss0f=metal as occurs in saw cutting and accordingly, therelis virtually no loss of material; so that'the ring segments obtained fit accurately.

' Referring first to the constructionshown 'in Figs. 1 016 inclusive, a'suitable base or 5 bed 1 is provided a-nd'on this I mount in any 1 5 i suitable manner a bottom plate 2 herein "shown as circular, above which I locate a circular topplate 3,-thetop' and bottom plates being hingedly connected-together as indi-' cate'd generally bythe referencenumeral for fracturing the cast iron piston rings of locomotive engines which are circular.

V the edges 11. of the fulcrum members project vabove the horizontal plane containing the The bottom platevis provided in its top face with an annular channel 5 of predetermined width and depth and the base of the I channel is transverselyslotted 'in anumber ofplaces as indicated at 6, the slots being positioned accurately so that they are all radial to the central axis of the annular -channel, that is, radial to the centre point? Figure 2. The piston rings. as at present used are cut at the present time into six segments and I accordingly provide the base plate with twelve radial slots 6, all spaced accurately an equal distance apart and one set. of six slotsbeing utilized to receive tool holders 8 and the other set ofsix slots receiving jam plates 9, the tool holders being alternated with the jam plates. It will be observed that the jamv plates have their up per faces extending slightly above the horizontal plane containing the base of the channel (see Figure 4).

Eachftool h lder :crum member 10 inserted therein, said mem has a hardened steel fulher being provided with a V-shaped upper edge Q11. These fulcrum members .are

equally spaced and arranged with the edges ;11 extending radially with respect to the centre point 7. It will also be observed that 1 "upper faces of the jam plates 9.

.eter.

'The'width of the channel 5v is such that it will receive piston rings of varying diam- Thepiston ring 12 to be fractured is "placed in ahorizontal-position resting on .the blades of the cutters and is centered accurately in regardv to the centre point 7.

The} ring herein shown is ofsuch a diameter that an outer centering ring'13 has been in- .serted, the ring 13 having itsouter edge engaging-with the outer wall of the channel and its inner edge engaging with the outer edge of the ring 12. If a larger ring than that 12 were'placed in the machine, a smaller ring 13 would be used and if a smaller ring than that "12 were to be fractured in the machine,

a larger ring than that 13 would be used or 1 several rings such as that 13.

The upper plate is provided with six similarslots'14 T'-shaped in vertical cross section, the slots being radial to the centre point of the plate and being equi-spaced apart and being located such'that when the top plate is closed against the bottom plate, the latter slots overlie the cutters of the bottom plate.

the base ofthe chisel guide 15, 'thechisel Eachslot 14 receives slidably lamest guide being adjustably held in place by a bolt 16, the shank 17 of which passes through the contracted or narrow portion of the slot 14 and the head 18 of which is received in the lower or larger part of the slot. By releasing the nut 19 of the'bolt, one can shift the chisel guide in a direction radial to the L centre point of the plateand when properly v adjusted, can fasten it firmly by tightening up the nut and it is here pointed out that the under side of the guide is provided with a guiding extension or rib 20 slidably re ceiv'ed in the upper part of the slot 14.

The guide in each instance is vertically bored as indicated at 21 to receive slidably a shank 22, the shank havingthe upper end thereof terminating in an enlarged head 23 and the lower end thereof substantially V- shaped in vertical cross section and carrying a hardened steel chisel or cutter 24 formed to the shape of the upper face of the piston tion of the shank in the guide but permitting of the ready end-wise shifting movementof the shank. A coiled spring 27 interposed between the head 23 and'the guide,operates to hold the head and consequently the cutter 2 1 in its upper position as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. Y

I wish it to be here distinctly understood that when the, top plate is closed down tightly against the bottom plate, the cutting edges of the cutters 24 are vertically above the cutting edges of the cutters 10 and that all cutters are radial to a vertical axis passing through the centre point 7. "Obviouslythe cutters 24: will'be set so that when the-heads 23 are struck down as by a mallet or hammer, they will strike the upper face of the inserted piston ring. V

The upper plate is provided with a handle 28 for manipulating purposes and suitable means is provided for clamping the top and bottom plates together. In the present instance, I have fastened an air cylinder 29"to set in the position shown in the'drawings, is

free to escape through the slot 33- upon the top plate being raised. A handle 36 extends angularly outwardly from the head 35 and obviously after one has closed theplate 3 together.

down against the plate 2, one can turn the handle in either direction sothat the head '35 will sit transversely of the slot 33. An air or other such pressure pipe 37 leads to the upper end of the cylinder and the passage of air is controlled by a suitable two-way cock or valve 38.

Assuming the parts positioned as shown best in Figures 2 and 3 and that it is desired and allows the work to be done very quickly and easily.

I have also considered it desirable to counterbalance the upper plate 3 so that after it has been released by the clamping device,

it will have a natural tendency to rise in order to permit of'the ready insertion of another ring. To this end, the top plate at the side adjacent the hinges is provided with an extension or tail piece 39 to which I fasten a weight or counter balance 40. V

In Figure 6, I have shown in dotted outline, the position occupied by the head 35 and handle 36 when they have been turned 90.

I have hereinbefore remarked that this machine can be used to fracture piston rings of different thickness and the machine herein shown will take piston rings of two different thicknesses. This latter is accomplished in the following manner.

The bottom plate is provided with a pair of extending bearing lugs 41 and 42 and the top plate with a pair of extending bearing lugs 43 and 44 and the lugs receive similar bolts 45 which hingedly connect the plates The bolt in each'instance is fastened by a jam screw 46 to the lug 41 to '42 and has that part 45thereof whichis received within the lug 43 or 44 eccentric as best shown in Figure 5. According to this arrangement, if the eccentric parts 45 of the bolts be ,set down, the top plate will be set as it should be when the machine is to receive the piston ring of least thickness, whereas, if the eccentric portion 45 be set up, the mapiston ring of the greatest thickness. The setting of the bolts 45 is accomplished by releasing the jam screws 46 and turning the bolts and then tightening down the am screws.

WVhen it is desired to sever the ring, it is only necessary to place and centre it in the channel 5 with the under side thereof resting on the cutters 10, all cutters having been pre viously properly set, then clamp the plates together in the manner described and then moval of the ring. chine will be set as it should be to receive the finally strike each of the heads- 23a sharp blow with a hammer or mallet to cause the transverse fracturing of the rings at the 'desired points and into the desired number of segments." Subsequentlythe' top plate is released "and swung up and'the segments are :remo'ved.- I V I have found that'after the ring has been fractured to form the segments that'it is only necessary to touch up the ends of the segments on an emery stone andit will be found thatthey'are then all intercha-ngeable,"any six of which can be used to form the re-assem bled piston ring. 1 The re-assembled ring will fit the cylinder very accurately. It'is to be particularly noted thatiwhen the non-severed ring is clampedin the machine that the ring istensioned by the clamping I over six transversely extendingfulcrums, such fulcrums being the sharp edges ofthe cutters l0. Gonse'quently'when theitop face of the ring is struck successively siX sharp blows by the chisels." in: locationsdirectly above the fulcrums which are'the positions where the ring is in greatest tension, the said ring will fracture in definite directions which in the machine herein shown are'radial to the centre point? s In the modified construction shown in Fig. 7, it will be noted that'the upper plate 3 is mounted to slide vertically on suit-able guide rods 50. The lower ends of the guide rods are fastened to the bottom plate 2, while the- 7 upper ends of said guide rods are attached to a frame 51 on which is mounted a cylinder 52.

This cylinder contains a'piston 53 connected by the piston rod 54 to the central portionof the top plate 3. The opposite-ends of the 'cylinder 52 are connected by branch pipes 55 and 56 to a three way valve 57 which inturn is connected to a supply pipe 58 leading to a suitable source of fluid pressure (not shown). Through the medium'of the valve the fluid pressure may be selectively applied to opposite sides of the piston in the customary manner. The application of fluid pressure to the upper side of the piston causes the top plate 3 to be forced downwardly to a ring clamping position, while the application of fluid pressure to the underside of said piston causes the top plate 3 to be raised to an elepermit placement or re-' vated position to As also shown to advantage in Fig. 7 each of the chisels carried by the top plate 3 may be equipped with a pneumatic operating hammer 59 of any suitable construction. Each hammer isprovid'ed with a fluid connection and the several hammers are adapted to be connected to a suitable source of fluid pres-..

sure in any suitable manner permitting simultaneous actuation of the hammer during the ring fracturing operation. i

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

I 1. Apparatus for fracturing a cast metal member comprising a horizontal support presenting a plurality of spaced fulcrum edges projecting upwardly therefrom, said cast member being arranged with one side engaging said fulcrum ed es, a plurality of guides extending upwardly from said sup port, a clamping member slidably mounted on-' said guides and movable thereon to and from clamping engagement with the opposite side of the cast member, a cylinder and piston device for moving said clamping member, a plurality of movable cutters carriedby the clamping member and adapted to engage the cast member at points in line with the ful-' crum edges and a pneumatic hammer associated with each of said cutters.

2. Apparatus for fracturing a cast metal member comprising a horizontal support having a recess in its upper surface for receiving said member, a plurality of spaced fulcrum edges projecting upwardly from the bottom wall ofthe recess and engageable with one side of the cast member to support said member in a horizontal position, a clamping member mounted to move vertically into and out of clamping engagement with the upper side of the cast member, a cylinder mounted above the clamping member, a piston operating in the cylinder and connected to the clamping member to raise and lower the same with ref: erence to the support, a plurality of movable cutters carried by the clamping member and arrangedto be driven into'fracturing engagement with the upper side of the cast member at points in line with said fulcrum edges and a pneumatic operating hammer associated wlth each of said cutters.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' PETER MITCHELL.

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