US224086A - guild - Google Patents

Description

2 SheetsA-Sheet 1.

G. G. GUILD. Machine for Polishi'n A g Small Artlcles. No. 224,086. Patented Feb. 3, 1880.

INVENTOR ATT EST 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

Patented Feb. 3, |880.

G. G. GUILD.

Machine for Polishing Small Articles. No. 224,086.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT Gr. GUILD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR POLISHING SMA-LL. ARTICLES.

-srEcIrIcA'rIoN :forming To al1/whom `it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GILBERT G. GUILD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improved Machine for Polishing Small Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My machineis especially designed for pol ishing buttons, but may be employed for polishing jewelry, metallic and composition ornaments, and many other small articles as well.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine, one link and clutch being shown in position. Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line as a: in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is aplan of the machine. Fig.4 is a fragmentary vertical section, Vshowing the device for dislodgingthe articles after polishing. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate,`on a larger scale, the peculiar, construction of the racks, Fig. 5 being a section on the line y y in Fig. 6. The remaining figures, on a still larger scale, illustrate the construction of the `chain and clutches.

Let A represent a table `having parallel sides and semicircular ends and provided with suitable legs or supports. B and B are pulleys or carrying-wheels mounted on'vertical shafts C C', and arranged, one at eachV end of the table A, lto rotate in a plane parallel with the latter, and preferably closeunder it. The shafts G C' are mounted in bearingfbrackets D D', secured tothe table, and one end of the shaft C is prolonged and bears `aworm-wheel I or other gear, which meshes with a worm or a pinion on a counter-shaft, a. This shaft may be belt-edto` a powerhaft or receive'motion in any other desired manner; or the shaft G may bear a belt-pulley and be belted direct to the power-shaft, if preferred.

An endless chain, E, the .construction of which will be hereinafter described, is passed over the pulleys B B' and stretched taut between them. To'provide for this stretching of the chain, oneor both of the bearing-brackets D D is made adjustable at its connectiouwith the table, or at some other point,'so that the pulleys B1B may be moved closer to or farther from eachother, as desired. Each pulley is provided with a projecting flange at its lower edge, to keep and the pulley the chain from falling off, B is also provided `with teeth part of Letters, Patent No. 224,086, daf-,ea February 3, Isso.

` Application filed June 21, 1879.

or` projections b bisee Fig. 9) to engage the links of the chain, so that as the pulley is rov tated the chain is carried around with it. As

the pulley 'B' is not used to propel the chain, but only as a carrier, it need not be toothed.

Between the pulleys, where the chain assumes a straight line, it is supported by guides c c, one on each side of the table. These guides may be attached tothe table in any suitable manner. y l

The chain E (shown in Figs. 9 and 10) is composed of links d d, of uniform size and shape, which are providedwith one or more hinging-lugs on each side, and `areconnected together by pintles e e, as shown. From each link, at top and bottom, project bearing-lugs j', which are perforated to receive the spindles of the clutches which grasp and bear the article to be polished. I prefer to provide each link with 'such a clutch; but, if preferred,

only alternate or occasional links may bear them. These clutches are lettered F in the various views. As they are or may be all alike, one description w'll serve for all. A link and clutch are shown together in partial section in Fig. 7, and a plan of the clutch in Fig. 8. y

'I he spindle g of the clutch 1s journaled in y the lugs f f of the link, and has flxed to it between said lugs a pinion, h, by which it may be rotated. Fixed to its upper extremity is a head', i, to which are fulcrumed a suitable number of clamping levers or fingers, k 7c, preferably three, arranged equally distant from each other. These levers work in slots in the head t, as shown in Fig. 8, and are provided with lips m m. o

1 The button `or other article is embraced between the jaws llof the clamping-levers, while the uppersurfaces of the lips m m serve to support it and prevent its falling down onto the head t' until the jaws closeu'pon it. jaws l l are of such shape as article to be polished, while they cover as little as possible of its surface.

The levers k 7c extend below the head t' alongside of the spindle g, and their tails or extremities'n a rest upon the surface of al spreaderf cone, o, which embraces the spindle and is free to' slide thereon, bein g forced upunder the lever ends a n by the pressure of a spring, Q,

The" v to firmly hold the IOC . iiXed at one end, bears H, provided with `last tooth,j,

The normal tendency of this arrangement of parts is to close the jaws Z l on the'button or other article to be clamped by the spreading apart ofthe tails u n of the levers through the medium of the spreader-cone actuated by the spring.

`Vhen a button or other article to be polished is to be inserted or removed from the jaws, the cone o is depressed, thus allowing the jaws to open.

The spreader-cone is provided with a projecting flange, p, by which it can be depressed.

The tension of the spring qcan be regulated by means of a set-collar, r, upon which the spring rests. Y

Referring` to Figs. l, 2, and 3, 'G G are polishing cylinders or buffs mounted on shafts H pulleys, and arranged to berevolved by belting from a power-shaft, or in some other manner. One shaft, H, is arranged on each side of the table A, and is journaled inv beariugblocks s s, supported by brackets t t on the table. Each shaft H carries one or more buffs, G, (usually two,) one forsmoothing and polishing and the other for glossing and cleaning the article, and these buffs maybe of any suitable material and construction. j

I is a ledge fixed to the end of the table A, and projecting sufficiently therefrom to engage the tlangesp p of the clutches F F as they pass around the table end. The end I', Fig. 3, of this ledge, where the clutches first enga-ge it, is arranged a little higher than the highest position of the flanges p p, so as to insure their passing under it, and from thence the ledge gradually descends until, at about the point l, it stands as low as are the fianges p p when sufficiently depressed to admit of the removal of the article held by the clutches, and this depth of the ledge is or may be maintained during the remainder of its length. This ledge should, however, be capable of vertical adjustment. One ledge, I, is or may be placed at each end of the table.

Arranged along' each side ot' the table and under the liolishing-buf's G G is a fixed cog-v rack, J, adapted to engage the pinions l1, lt on the clutches before described, and rotate them as they pass it. I have shown the racks as supported by brackets projecting from the guides c c; but they may be attached to any other fixed part of the machine, as preferred.

To insure the teeth of the pinions entering properly into the rack and prevent their becoming jammed or wedged, I provide the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A spring, K, on the other end one or more cogs or teeth, j j, corresponding in size and pitch to the teeth of the rack J. The is placed the same distance from the first tooth of the rack that the teeth ofthe latter are from one another, and may project normally a little in advance of them. As the pinion'h on a clutch, F, moves forward, it encounters irst the tooth or teeth j, and in case it should not be in proper positionfor engagement, and should become jammed against them, the spring will yield and permit the pinion to ride until its teeth mesh with the teeth jj, when it will begin to rotate, and as it advances it will properly engage the teeth of the rack J. A

At K is shown a modification, the vend of the spring in this case being' bent to form a tooth, j. An equivalent of the construction shown would consist in hinging` a small portion of the rack and pressing it forward by a spring. y Having described the construction ofmy machine thus far, I willnow describe its operation. The chain E being in place and its links d d bearing the clutches F F, the shafts a and H H are set in motion. The chain E is thus caused to travel around the table over the pulleys B Bf, and the polishing-cylinders above it are caused to revolve rapidly. An operator is stationed at each end of the machine to feed the articles to be polished into the clutches F F, whose jaws are held open by the action of the depressing-ledge I, as before described. As soon as the clutches pass out from under the ledge i their jaws close firmly on the articles. They next enter the guide c, where their pinions h h are engaged by the rack J, and the clutches are thereby rotated as they pass under the revolving polishing buffs or cylinders G G. By this means the faces ofthe articles they carry are equally polished all over. As they pass from under the buffs they leave the rack and cease to rotate, and then encounter the ledge I at the opposite end, which relieves the jaws of pressure and permits of the removal of the articles. This may be done -by hand but I prefer to accomplish it automatically by the device shown at L in Figs. 3 and 4. This consists simply of a rotary brush mounted on a shaft which is hungin brackets above the table and rotated by a belt. It serves to dislodge thearticles from the clutches and sweep them 0E in to some receptacle placed to receive them. Y' i'v The operation above described is repeated in the same manner on the opposite side of the table, my machine being essentially. double in its character, and requiring two operatives.

I deem it advisable to provide an additional guide for the chain just above each rack J, as seen ata in Figs. 2 and 6. This serves to steady the chain while passing under the polishing cylinders or buffs.

As arranged, the prolonged axes of the clutch-spindles' would pass through the axes of the polishing-buffs; but should it be found desirable to polish more toward the edges of thearticles the brackets ttmay be moved to one lOO IIO

IZO

side or the other of the position shown, they being fastened to the table by screws passing through slots, as shown in Fig. 2. As the polishing-buffs become worn the shafts H H may be lowered by adjusting' the bearingblocks s s on the brackets t t, their connections being also slotted.

It will be observed that are arranged obliquely,

the clutches FF their tops being in- 4rack-teeth by a spring,

forth.

clined from the table. When thus arranged they may stand as close together as their diam eters will permit lwhen the chain is straightened between the pulleys, and thereby as many articles at a time as possible; but when the chain is bent around a pulley they separate, assuming radialy positions, and sufficient space is left between them for convenience in feeding the articles to them. The spindles may, however, be arranged to stand vertical, horizontal, or at any convenient anle. i.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

l. 'The brackets t t, arranged to be adjusted laterally on the table, and provided with adjustable bearing-blocks s s, in combination with the buffs G, mounted on the shaft H, the endless chain E, and the clutches F, all arranged as shown, so that the buffs may be brought to article to be polished, as shown and specified.

2. The combination, to form a polishing-machine, of a table, A, pulleys B B', chain E, clutches or holders F F for the articles to be polished, and revolving polishing-buffs G Gr, arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

3. In a polishing-machine, the endless chain E, bearing clutches F F, which are provided with pinions h It, in combination with a fixed rack, J, adapted to engage the pinions hh, and thereby rotate the clutches, substantially as shown Iand described.

4. The cha-in E and clutches F F, provided with pinions h h, in combination with thepolishing-bui's G G and fixed racks J J, the latter so arranged as to cause the clutches to rotate while passing under the buffs, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The device for .insuring the correct engagement of the pinions h h with the rack J, which consists of a tooth or teeth, j, arranged at the end of the rack as a continuation of the saine, free to move in a direction substantially at right angles to the pitch-line,`"and normally pressed forward in advance of the plane of the substantially as set polish bear upon the center or edge of the `6. The combination, with the rack J and pinions h h, of the spring K, secured at one end to the rack or other fixed part, and bearing upon its other or free end one or more teeth, j, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a machine for polishing articles, of a table, A, pulleys B B', endless chain E, and clutches F F with a stationary ledge or continuous depressor, I, arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of clutches F F, each having jaws to grasp an article, and a spreader whose normal tendency is to close said jaws upon theV article, but which, when depressed, permits the jaws to open, with the chain E, pulleys B BQ table A, and a ledge or continuous depressor,I, iiXe-d to the table and arranged to engage and depress said spreaders, and thereby open the clutches, substantially as set forth.

9. The chain E, composed of links dol, provided with sideV perforated lugs to receive hingingpins c e, and with front bearing-lugs to receive the spindlesof clutches F F, substantially as set forth.

l0. Thecombination of the chain E, clutches F F, and ledge or depressor I with a rotary brush, L, arranged to dislodge the polished articles and sweep them out of the clutches, while the ledge I holds the clutches open or relieves the articles of pressure, substantially as set forth.

11. In a polishing-machine wherein the articles to be polished are held by clutches carried by an endless chain around a table having straight sides and rounded ends, as shown, the arrangement of said clutches at an angle, their axial spindles being inclined outwardly, as

.and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY GoNNET'r, ARTHUR G. FRASER.

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