US1996408A - Profiling machine - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1935. A. M. DRAKE 1,996,408

- PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. M. DRAKE PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 III lll -lllll l INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 2, 1935. A. M. DRAKE 1,996,408

' PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 2 1935 UNITED STATES 1,996,408 PROFILING MAomNE Alden M. Drake, West Hartford, Conn.,assign'or to Pratt & Whitney Company, Hartford, Conm,

a corporation of New Jersey Application March 28,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to metal profiling and milling machinesand particularly to a manually operated profiling machine of medium size having a plurality of cutter spindles adapted to be simultaneously actuated.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved support or mounting for the tool heads and their carriage, including a motor for each tool rotating spindle therein supported adjacent and movable with said tool carriage.

More particularly itis an object of the present invention to provide a motor support on a slidably mounted bracket member movable laterally upon the frame or base of a profiling machine, the bracket member having upon one of its faces a motor for each'tool head having a spindle and being adapted to counterbalance the support and help retain the tool carriage in position against its ways.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible but metallic connection between the tool head supporting carriage or slide and the bracket member for themotors so that the carriage may be readily slidable on appropriate supporting ways and the bracket member may be movable therewith upon individual anti-friction supporting bearings.

And finally it is an object of the invention to provide driving connections between the tool 30 spindles and their motors which may be adjusted for varying adjustments of said heads.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention includes the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification 35 and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the-accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown my invention embodied in a two-spindle vertical type profiling machine, but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise em bodied and that the drawings-are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a complete side elevational view showing one of the cutter heads on its carriage and the bracket member and spindle rotating motor mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a complete front elevation-of the machine shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the invention. parts being broken awayto more clearly indicate their construction.

1934, Serial No. 117,755 (o1. 90 1s.2)

In the above mentioned drawings I have shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without 5 departing from the spirit of the invention.

Briefly and in its preferred aspect, my invention may include the following principal parts: First, a machine frame or base having horizontally extending ways upon one of its front vertical 10 surfaces; second, a carriage slidably mounted thereon; third, one or more cutter heads adjustably supported upon said carriage in which a tool mounting spindle and rotating means therefor may be vertically disposed therein fourth, a 15 bracket member slidably mounted upon the upper portion of the base .or column preferably upon anti-friction bearings and having individual motors for each tool head or spindle adjustably mounted upon its rear vertical surface; and fifth, 20 a flexible metal connection between the upper portion of the cutter head supporting carriage and the bracket member.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings, I provide a substantial machine base 25 or frame l0 having a column ll extending vertically thereon and preferably formed integrally therewith. Upon the front vertical surfaces of the base l0 may be adjustably mounted a vertically adjustable knee I! on the upper horizontal surface of which is adapted to be slidably mounted a work supporting table or carriage I3. Manual means such as the hand wheel I l and screw ii are provided for. elevating the knee I! as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. There is also provided fortraversing the carriage or table l3 horizontally back and forth ahand crank I6 shown in Fig. 2. This v crank l6 on the inner end of the shaft on which n it is mounted. has a small gear" in mesh with arack l8 on the table I3. As these parts are or may be similar to those usually found in metal cutting machines of this general type, it is not thought that a further description is necessary. Work blanks and templates may be mounted on this table in the usual manner for operation by cutting tools 20, tracers 2| being mounted adjacent each cutting tool in the usual manner.

On the upper portion of the column or frame and horizontally extending thereon are ways 2!, one directly above the other in a vertical plane These ways 24 are engaged by an elongated slide or carriage 25. A clamping gib 26 engages over the upper end of the slide 25 andretains the slide in position against the upper way 25 and a taper gib 21 engages over the upper edge of the lower with vertically movable sleeves M in which may be rotatably mounted cutter supporting spindles 32. The spindles 32 may have their cutting tools 20 of any appropriate type at their lower ends and at their upper ends are provided driving pulleys or grooved sheaves 34. As the particular construction of spindle 32, sleeve 3| and adjusting means for the sleeve are or may be those usually found in machines of this type, it is not thought that further description is necessary. Any suitable 'type of cutter head, sleeve and spindle may be provided. On the heads 35, however, provision is made for supporting former or tracer pins 2| for guiding the cutters-25 and work relative to each other to cut irregular outlines.

Mounted for slidable movement upon suitable ways upon the upper portions of the column I I is a bracket member 35. This member 35 preferably has two or more anti-friction bearings 35 projecting forwardly from its upper and forward portion, the outer race of which engages an elongated L-shaped member 31 extending horizontally along the upper portion of the machine column I l and forming a way upon which the bean ing is supported. Preferably bearings 25 are provided at the extreme lateral ends of the bracket member 35, additional bearings being provided at intermediate points if desired. Also, a single anti-friction bearing it rests upon a horizontal V-shaped way 39 mounted directly on the frame member 1]., These three or more anti-friction members, that is the extreme bearings 35 and the bearing 38, serve to slidably mount the bracket 35 upon the'frame II for movement horizontally and with a minimum friction. As shown in Fig. 3 the bearing 35 is enclosed 'within an annular member 40, the periphery of which is adapted to engage within the groove of the way 35 to retain the bracket member 35 against displacement. The bearing 35 rotates between horizontal plane surfaces of the member 31 which may be secured directly to the upper surface of the frame ll. As the bearings 35, if more thantwo, are in a straight line and but one bearing 31 is provided in the v way 39, there can be no cramping or binding of any of these bearings.

To couple the bracket member 35 to the carriage 30 there are provided one or more thin strips of flexible metal 42 such as thin sheets or rods of steel. The forward ends of these strips 42 are fastened directly to the upper surface of the carriage 25,and the rear ends thereof are attach to a portion of the bracket member 35. This flexible connection permits slight relative'angular adjustment between the carriage 25 and the bracket member 35; so that cramping or binding of one member relative to the other-by this connection is prevented, as these members may be moved back and forth; Also the weight of the bracket member 35 and parts attached thereon serve to force the carriage 25 firmly a inst its vertical ways 24.

On the rear vertical surface of the bracket member 35 are slidably mounted plates 55, these being tion operated by a hand wheel 5| to position the slides 55 individually laterally and horizontally in any position along the bracket 35. On the outer vertical surface of these slides are mounted motors 52, one being provided for each of the cut ter spindles 32.: Each'motor 52 is provided at,

its upper end with a driving pulley 54 in alinement with the pulley 55 on the upper end of the cutter spindle 32. By laterally positioning the motor supporting slides 50 and the motors 52 thereon, the belts 55 connecting pulleys 54 and 55 may be adjusted to the proper driving condition, this being facilitated by the nut and screw connection between the bracket 25 and slides 50 after the cutter heads 30 have been positioned for any one operative condition. The pulleys 54 and 55 may be of any conventional type such as flat pulleys shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or sheaved pulleys as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to laterally move the carriage 25 supporting the cutter heads 30 during the operation of the machine, a rack 50 is mounted horizontally on one of the lower surfaces of the carriage 25 in mesh with a small gear 5| on the forward end of a rearwardly extending shaft 52. On the rear end of this shaft 52 is a suitable gear 53 in mesh with a smaller gear 54 on the rear end of the forwardly extending shaft 55. On the extreme forward end of this shaft 55 is mounted a handcrank or wheel 55 by means of which the. gears may be rotated and the lateral position of the carriage 25 adjusted.

What I claim is:

-l. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base, means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, and motors supported on said bracket member.

2. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, horizontally extending ways therefor, tool heads on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base and holding said carriage against its ways, means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, and motors supported on said bracket member.

3. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work-support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on I adjustable on said bracket member, and motors supported on said plate members.

4. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads adjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base, means flexibly connecting said bracket and saidcarriage, plate members adjustable on said bracket member, and motors supported on said plate members whereby said motors may be adjustable relative to said carriage and in the same direction .as saidtool heads.

5. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads adjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base in adirection parallel to said carriage, means flexibly connecting j movable preferably by a screw and nut connecsaid bracket andsaid carriage, and motors adjustably supported on said bracket member for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of. movement of the tool carriage and bracket member.

6. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads adjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base in a direction parallel to said carriage, means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, plate members slidably mounted in said bracket member, and motors adjustably supported thereon for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the tool carriage and bracket member.

7. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a, base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads adjustably mounted on said carriage, tool spindles in said heads, driving pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a bracket member slidable on said base in a direction parallel to said carriage, means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, motors adjustably supported for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the tool carriage and bracket member, said motors having their pulleys at the upper ends thereof, and driving connections between the pulleys on said spindles and motors.

8. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads adjustably mounted on said carriage, tool spindles in said heads, driving pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a bracket member slidable on said base in a direction parallel to said carriage.

means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, motors adiustably supported for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement 01' the tool carriage and bracket member, said motors having pulleys at the upper ends thereof, and belts connecting each spindle pulley with its motor pulley.

9. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, a tool head on said carriage, horizontal ways on said base for supporting and guiding said tool carriage, a bracket member slidably mounted for movement on said base in a direction parallel to said tool carriage, a flexible metallic strip connecting said tool carriage and bracket member for movement together and retaining said carriage upon its ways, and a motor on said bracket member and adjustable thereon in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said tool carriage.

10. A profiling machine comprising in combination. a base, a work support thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, a tool head on said carriage, horizontal ways on said base for supporting and guiding said tool carriage, a bracket member slidably mounted for movement on said base in a direction parallel to said tool carriage, a flexible'metallic connection between the upper portion of said tool carriage and the upper portion of said bracket member for movement together and retaining said carriage upon its ways, and a motor on said bracket member and adjustable thereon in a direction parallel to said tool carriage.

ALDEN M. DRAKE.

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