US2199000A - Press - Google Patents

Description

April 30, 1940. F. LJOHNSON PRESS Filed Sept. 14, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR FRANK L. J'oH/vs o/v ATTORNEY A ril 30, 1940. F. L-. JOHNSON PRESS Filed Sept. 14, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTbR FRANK L. JOHNSON ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 30, 1940 a 7 UNITED STATES PATE oFFIcE 7 mass Frank L. Johnson, Akron, Ohio Applioation septem ber 14,1937, Serial N0.163,790

15 Claims. (ems- 7) head, at .diametrically opposite points thereof. 2

This invention relates to presses, and more especially itrelates to presses of the general type commonly used in the rubber industry. for the molding and vulcanizing of inner tubes and i pneumatic tire casings.v I

The chief objects of the invention are to provide a press of simple construction and economical operation; to provide'for the safety of the operator; to provide rapidity of operation; to provide a press requiring relatively smallfioor for cleaning and for mounting work therein and removing it therefrom; and to provide a press design that is especially adapted for dual or tandem construction wherein two press units are arranged for concurrent operation by a power unit common to both of them. Other objects will be manifest as the specification proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the press, in its preferred form, in closed 'or operative position; Figure 2 'is a similar View of the press, in its open or inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, I0 is a base casting and H, II are two vertical posts rising from the medial region thereof and supporting, a, plate or platform I2 upon their upper ends. Journaled at itsrespective ends in the base casting ill and platform 12 is a vertical feed screw l3 that is disposed between'the posts II and in the same plane as the latter, the lower end of'said feed screw extending below its bearing, within the base l0, and being provided thereat with -a gear l4. Meshed with the latter is a pinion l5 that is mounted upon the lower end of a vertical drive shaft l6, which shaft is journaled in the base casting l0 and platform l2, parallel to driveshaft l6, and has driving connection at its upper end with a reversible motor I! that is mounted upon platform I2. The arrangement is such that motor I! drives the feed screw [3, but at reduced speed by reason of the speed. reduction between pinion l5 and gear M. The improved press preferably consists of two identical pressing units, and is so illustrated in the drawings. Each of said pressing units comprises an upper press head and a lowerjpress of arms or links 24, 24 that have their upper ends .36 pivotally connected at125 to the sides-of the press pair of set screws: 28, 28.

space; to provide a press that is readilyaccessible "relation to said last mentioned portions.

arrangement is such that by angularly adjusting head 2|, which heads are hinged together in a manner presently to be described. Secured to the.

At their lower ends the links 24 are journaled upon a large hinge pin. 21 adjacent the respective .endportions thereof, thelatter being journaled in the base casting I0, but normally being restraineda'gainst angular movement therein by a In like manner the upper press head 20 is carried by a pair of arms or links 30, 30 that have their upper ends pivotally connected to the oppositesides of the press head upon a diametric axis 3i. .At their lower ends the. links are journaled uponrespective end portions 32 of the hinge pin-21, which end portions are disposed laterally outwardly of the portions on which the arms 24 are journaled, and are eccentric with The the hinge pin 21 the links '30 may be adjusted longitudinally relatively of the links 24 to the ,end. that the mold sections 22, 23 Ialways may be brought into pressing relation to each other notwithstanding variation in the thickness of different mold sections that may be employed in the press. In the closed,'oper'ative position of the press shown in Fig. 1, the links 24, 30 of each press unit are substantially parallel to each other, with :the pivot points 25, 21, 3| and 32'substantially in alignment sothat maximum pressure is exerted to close the mold sections upon the work. The'links 24, 30 are disposed at an angle to each other in the open, 'inoperativeposition of the press, and this angular positioning is the result of angular movement of the press heads .20, 2| upon their pivots 3|, '25, respectively. The

aforesaid angular movement of. the press heads .is effected by movement of translation of the hinge. that connects the upper press, head 20 to the lower press head 2 I, said movement of translation being in a rectilinear course, and effected through the agency of the feedscrew l3.

To this end a nut 34 is threaded onto said feed screw, whichnut is formed with co-axial laterally projecting trunnions 35, 35 having a transversely disposed.- axis that is parallel to the hinge connecting :said press heads. Pivotally mounted upon said, trunnions are respective, parallel,

equalizer members 36, 36, and carried by said members, in the opposite ends thereof, are hinge pins 31,31. vJournaled upon each hinge pin 31, between the members .36, is a guide shoe 38 that has a groove in one of its faces for sliding engagement with the adjacent post H, said guide shoes thus preventing angular movement of thenut 34 and structure carried thereby about the axis of feed screw l3. Each of the upper press heads Zll is formed with a rearwardly extending bracket-arm 20a, and each of; the lower press heads is formed with a similar bracket-arm 21a.

The arms 20a, 2 In of one press unit are pivotally pensate for any slight mis-alignment of the press heads arising from unequal distribution of the work in the molds or from other causes. To this end each of the arms 20a, Zla is formed with an aperture or bore 40 that is substantially larger in diameter than a hinge pin 31 and through which the latter extends. The outer end of each aperture .is counterbored, to receive the frusto-conical head of a member 4| that is slidably mounted uponthe hinge pin, and is yieldingly urged toward thepress-head arm by a compression spring 42. The latter is mounted upon the hinge pinbetween said member 4| and a washer 43 that is retained on the end of the hinge pin by a nut 44.

The reversible motor I! is provided with the usual switch means (not shown) for setting it in motion to open or close the press. It is desirable, however, that the motor cease rotating automatically when the press attains fully open or fully closed position, and to this end suitable limit switches are provided. For supporting the limit switches a vertical rod 45 having its end portions.

secured in the base plate I0 and platform l2 respectively is positioned at one side of feed screw it and parallel thereto. Upon the lower portion of rod 46 is a slidably mounted switch support 4'! that may be keyed thereon to prevent angular movement. The switch support is positioned betwe'entwo collars 48, 48 that are adjustably secured tothe rod 45, and a compression spring as between the lower collar 48 and the switch support normally urges the latter upward against the upper collar. A limit switch 50 is secured to switch support 4! and projects into the path of a stud 5! that projects axially from. the adjacent trunnion 35 of nut 34. In like manner the rod 46 carries an upper limit switch 52 that is mounted upon a switch support 53 that is slidably mounted upon rod 46, near the upper end thereof, between collars 54, 54, there being a compression spring 55 between the switch support and theupper collar. The limit switches 58, 52 are arranged in the electrical circuit of the motor l'l'in such a manner as to open the circuit and stop the motor when either switch is operated by the stud 5| as the latter reaches its lower or upper limit of travel. The presence of the springs 49, 55 permits the motor I! to coast slightly after its circuit is opened, without imposing undue strain upon stud 5| or either switch mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 1, the molding cavity 26 in understood in the art.

The operation of the press is extremely simple. In the inoperative, open position of the press shown in Fig; 2, the mold sections 22, 23 are extremely accessible for cleaning, and for the mounting of work in the lower mold sections. Observe the low elevation of the latter, and the absence of obstructions in front of them, where the operator is required to work. As soon as articles to be pressed are mounted in the lower mold sections, the motor I1 is set in motion to drive the screw I3, whereby the nut 34 is caused to rise and thereby to carry the pivot pins 37 upwardly, with the result that the mold sections are brought into mating relation and the links 24, 30 moved substantially into parallelism, as shown in Fig. 1, to produce a relatively high pressure upon the mold sections, yet requiring but a relatively small amount of power to do so. Furthermore, the same pressure will be exerted on the molds of 'both press units by reason of the equalizer members 36, which will tilt angularly upon the trunnions 35, if, through inequalities in the two units, one becomes completely closed before the other. As previously explainedfthe small amount of play in the hinge'connections between the press heads also compensates for inequalities in the apparatus which otherwise might impose severe strains upon the same. The upper limit switch 52 is so positioned as to stop the opertion of the motor I! as soon as the mold sections are fully closed. The operations just described are reversed to effect subsequent opening of the press. This completes a cycle of operation which is repeated as rapidly as the operators can remove the finished work from the molds and recharge them with work to be pressed. Although it is stated that the press heads 20, 2| are hinged together 'by the respective hinge pins 37, this is not true in the sense that the press heads are supported by the hinges, since they are supported by the links 24, 30 and hinge about points 25, 3| as axes. The pivot pins 3! are merely means, common to the two heads of each press unit, for the application of power to swing the said links angularly and thereby to effect opening and closing of the press. The fact that the power-driven nut 34 moves in a rectilinear course makes it a simple matter to position two press units back-to-back and operate them concurrently by means of a single power unit, with resulting economies of power,

. space, and weight as previously explained. The

.dual arrangement of the presses enables the weight of either press to counterbalance the weight of the otherpress so that lateral strain on the feed screw I3 is avoided. The improved press provides safety and convenience for the operator, and achieves the other objects set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a press, the combination of a base, .a pair of opposed press heads, links supporting the respective press heads by means of diametrically disposed pivotal connections therewith, at one end of the links, the other ends of the links having pivotal support on the base, the pivotal supports for the links that support one mold section being substantially co-axial with the pivotal supports of the links that support the other mold section, and means connected to the press heads for moving said links angularly of each other to effect opening and, closing or the press. i

2. In a press, the combination, of a 'base, a pair of opposed press heads, links supporting the respective press heads by means of diametrically disposed pivotal connections therewith, at one said pivot pin, a press head pivotally supported by the other ends of said links, a pair of links journaled at one end on the concentric portion of said pivot pin, a second press head opposed to the first mentioned press head and carried by the other ends of the last mentioned links, and means connected to said press heads for moving said links angularly relatively of each other to open and close the press.

4. In a press, the combination of a base, a pair of opposed press heads having pivotal connection with each other, links supporting the respective press heads by means of diametrically disposed pivotal connections therewith, at one end of the links, a pivot pin in said base upon which pin the other ends of the links are pivotally mounted, and power means having operative connection with the pivotal connection between-the press heads for swinging the links angularly relatively of each other to open and close the press.

5'. A pivotal connection between the heads of a press that comprises a pair of opposed press heads, and respective pivotal supports for said heads enabling them to swing angularly in the opening and closing of the press, said pivotal connection between the heads being so constructed and arranged as to provide play thereat,

yielding means resisting said play, a power memher, and means for applying the power thereof to the said pivotal connection to effect opening and closing of the press.

6. A pivotal connection'between the heads of a press that comprises a pair of opposed press heads, and respective pivotal supports for said heads enabling them to swing angularly in the opening and closing of the press, said pivotal connection comprising a hinge pin having appreciable play between it and the heads, yielding means normally resisting said play, and power means connected to said hinge pin for moving the.

latter in a direction that swings the press heads angularly on their supports.

'7. A pivotal connection between the heads of a press that comprises a pair/of opposed press heads, and respective pivotal supports for said heads enabling them to swing angularly in the opening and closing of the press, said pivotal connection comprising a hinge pin that extends through apertures of larger diameter formed in projecting portions of the respective press heads, said apertures being countersunk at one end, complementally shaped members mounted upon the hinge pin and seated in the respective countersinks, compression springs backing said members and urging them into said countersinks so as normally to maintain the hinge pin in concentric relation tosaid apertures, and

power means connected to said hinge pin .for'

moving the latter in a direction that swings the press heads to open and close the press.

8. In a press, the combination of a pair of opposed press heads, respective pivotal supports for said heads enabling them to swing angularly in the opening and closing of the press, a pivotal connection between said heads, and means for moving said pivotal connection between'the press heads in a rectilinear course to effect opening and closing of the press.

9. In a press, the combination of a pair of opposed press heads, respective links upon the free ends of which said press heads are mounted,

a pivot pin common to said links upon which their other ends are pivotally mounted, a pivotal connection between said press heads, and means for moving the last mentioned pivotal connection in a rectilinear course to effect opening and closing of the press.

10. A combination as defined in claim. 9 in which the pivot pin common to the links is so positioned with relation to the press heads that the links are substantially in alignment in the closed position of the press. v

1 1. In a press, the combination of a pair of adjacent press units, each of said press units comprising a pair of tiltable press heads having pivotal connection with each other, said pivotal connections being disposed adjacent each other, and a power-driven member movable in a rectilinear course and having operative connection with both of said pivotal connections for effecting concurrent operation of both press units.

12. In a press, the combination of a pair of press units disposed back to back, each of said units comprising a pair of tiltable press heads having pivotal connection with each other, said pivotal connections being disposed adjacent each other, a power driven member moving in a rectilinear course, and equalizer means operatively interposed between said power driven member and both of said pivotal connections, whereby equal power is delivered-to each of the latter to effect opening and closing of both press units.

13. In a press, the combination of a pair of press units disposed back to back, each of said units comprising a pair of tiltable press heads having pivotal connection with each other, said pivotal connections being disposed adjacent each other, a power driven member moving in a rectilinear course, and equalizer means comprising a member that is pivotally connected at its middle to saidpower driven member and connected at its respective ends to. the respective pivotal connections between said press heads.

14. In a\ press, the combination of a pair of press units disposed back to back, each of said units comprising a pair of tiltable press heads having pivotal connection with each other, said pivotal connections being disposed adjacent each other, a feed screw positioned,intermediate said pivotal connections, a nut on said feed screw, a pair of parallel equalizer elements swiveled at their medial region on said nut and having their ends connected to respective pivotal connections

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