US2242801A

US2242801A - Washer grinding machine

Info

Publication number: US2242801A
Application number: US320091A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew T Richardson
Original assignee: WOODINGS VERONA TOOL WORKS
Current assignee: WOODINGS VERONA TOOL WORKS
Priority date: 1940-02-21
Filing date: 1940-02-21
Publication date: 1941-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1958-05-20

Description

May 20, 19 A. T. RICHARDSON WASHER GRINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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May 20, 1941 A T. RICHARDSON WASHER GRINDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES y 1941' A. T. RICHARDSON 2,242,801

WASHER GRINDING MACHINE 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 20, 1941 WASHER GRINDING MACHINE Andrew '1. Richardson, Oakmont, Pa., assignor to Woodings-Verona Tool Works, Verona, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 21, 1940, Serial No. 320,091

6 Claims.

This invention relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to apparatus for grinding helical lock washers.

As is well known, a helical lock washer is a circular washer which has been split radially to form two end portions that are inclined away from the opposite sides of the major plane of the washer. When a nut is tightened on a bolt against such a washer it bears against the outer or projecting edges of the ends of the washer and moves those ends toward alignment with each other. Consequently, when it is desired to unscrew the nut these projecting edges of the washer tend to out into the nut and prevent its removal. They may also damage the inner face of the nut to such an extent that it is not usable again, especially when the washers are very stiff as when used with rail joints. These disadvantages have therefore resulted in serious objections to the use of such lock washers with r railway tracks.

It is among the objects of this invention to overcome these objections by providing apparatus which removes the projecting edges of helical lock washer ends and which is simple in construction but highly satisfactory and rapid in operation.

In accordance with this invention a conveyor is mounted for carrying helical lock washers between a pair of grinding wheels. The conveyor is formed for holding each washer with its opposite ends projecting toward the two wheels so that as it moves between them the projecting edges of those ends are ground off to form flattened or beveled portions that will not damage nor interfere with the unscrewing of a nut which has been tightened against such a lock washer. Preferably, the washers are mounted in recesses in the conveyor which are so formed that one end of each washer projects above the conveyor and the other below it. The opening through which the lower end of the washer projects may be large enough to permit the washer to drop through it. In such a case the washer is supported in the recess while it is being ground by a plate directly below the conveyor, but this plate is provided with an opening through which the washer drops from the recess after grinding.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanydrawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the conveyor recesses; Fig. 3 is an edge view of the con veyor with a washer mounted therein ready to be ground; Fig. 4 is a side view of a ground washer; Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side views, respectively, of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and side views of a modification of this invention; Figs. 9 and 10 are plan and rear views of another embodiment; and Fig. 11 is a side View of a still further modification of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1', 5 and 6, mounted on one corner of a frame I is an upright supporting member 2 provided with four pairs of vertical slots 3 (Fig. 5). Projecting through these slots are bolts 4 that connect two electric motors 6 to the support, and mounted on the laterally projecting shafts of these motors are two vertically spaced grinding wheels 1 between which look washers ma be ground in a manner about to be described. Slots 3 permit the grinding wheels to be adjusted vertically toward each other as they are worn down.

To carry the washers between the grinding wheels in order to grind off the projecting edges of their ends so as to form beveled areas It], as shown in Fig. 4, a conveyor is provided. This conveyor consists of a horizontal table it rigidly mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft l2 that is journaled in a pair of bearings I3 attached to the side of an upright bracket 14 mounted on frame I, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower end of the shaft carries a bevel gear 56 which is driven by a bevel pinion H from a gear reduction unit l8 that is operated by a pulley I9 and belt 2| from an electric motor 22 inside of the frame.

The marginal portion of the table is provided in its upper surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced washer-receiving recesses 26 each of which is circular and large enough to permit a washer to fit somewhat loosely therein so that it will not bind. Each recess is provided with a bottom wall or floor 21 for supporting the washer with one of its ends projecting above the table near its edge, but this floor extends only part way across the bottom of the recess because it is desirable to form an opening through which the other end of the washer can project downwardly below the table so that both ends can be ground simultaneously. To hold the two projecting ends of the washer in approximately the same positions relative to the table, the floor of the recess is inclined downwardly from the edge of the table toward the opposite side of the recess, as shown in Fig. 2.

Another feature of the invention is that each recess floor extends less than half-way across the bottom of its recess so that, if not supported from below the table, the washer will tilt on the edge of the floor and drop through the open bottom portion of the recess. To prevent this from happening between the time that washers are placed in the recesses and the time they emerge from between the grinding wheels, a circular plate 28 is rigidly mounted on top of bracket E i directly below the table. llhe plate is of less diameter than the table so that it will not interfere with the projecting lower ends of the washers, but it projects under enough of each Washer to prevent it from. falling through the table. between the wheels the table continues to slide them around on plate 28 until they reachv a peripheral opening 29 therein through which they fall from the table recesses into a receptacle (not shown).

To prevent any tendency of the lower grindingwheel to raise a washer in its table recess. 2%; while it is passing between the wheels, the

washer is pressed down tightly against floor 2? at that time. This is preferably done by means of a leaf-spring 35 connected at one end to the top oi a bracket 32 mounted on frame l. The spring extendslaterally over a portion of the table and its free end projects between the two grinding wheels where. it presses downwardly on the innermost portion of eachwasher while it is being ground.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 8 an endless. conveyor has been substituted for the rotatable table. This conveyor is made from a plurality of bars fil disposed side by side and suitabl linked together to form an endless belt. The inner end of each is provided with a washer-receiving recess similar to the ones previously described. However, in this embodiment it is not necessary for the floor of each recess to be so narrow to permit the washers to fail out the bottom of the recess, becausethe washers will fall out of the top of the recess when it starts to move downwardly around the conveyor-supporting sprocket (not shown) at one end of the conveyor. 7 f

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and man endless conveyor i is used also, but in this case it is so mounted that it travels in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the grindin wheels i. To prevent the washers that are carried between the wheels by the conveyor from wearing a peripheral groove in each wheel, meansis provided for reciprocating the wheels axially so that the entire width of their grinding faces will be used during the grinding operation. For this purpose the two grinding wheel motors 6 are preferably mounted on a vertical plate 52 that is mounted for lateral sliding movement on one face of the upright support 2 against which it is held by upper and lower overlapping flanges 53. To reciprocate plate 52, a lever 55 is pivotally mounted at its center on the upper end of a post 55 mounted on frame 5. One end of the lever is pivotally connected to the central portion or" plate 52, and the opposite end of the lever is provided with a roller 5? that extends into a peripheral groove 58 in a cam 59. This earn is in the form oi'a Wheel or disc mounted on the horizontal shaft iii that supports the sprocket (not shown) which carries one end ofthe endless conveyor. This shaft is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 62.from a motor 63 mounted in the frame. It will thus be seen that After the washers have been ground.

while the machine is in operation the cam swings the outer end of the lever back and forth and thereby reciprocates the grinding wheels axially so that their entire grinding faces are used in grinding the ends of washers passing between them.

Fig. 11 shows a further embodiment of the invention which is the same as the one shown in Fig. 1 except that the grinding wheel motors 6 have been mounted with their shafts extending vertically toward each other so that grinding wheels 7 are disposed with their fiat sides adjacent each other. The wheels thus rotate in parallel horizontal planes above and below the marginal portion of the rotatable table 2 I. With this form of the invention the flat sides of the wheels do the grinding, and after a marginal portion of each wheel has been worn away a certain amount the wheels can be reversed so that their opposite unworn sides will then do the grinding.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, I desire to have it understood that, within tthe scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim: 7

1. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical look washers, comprising a pair of vertically spaced grinding wheels, a conveyor adapted to carry a helical lock washer substantially horizontally between said wheels, said conveyor being provided in its upper surface with a washer-receiving recess having a floor for supporting one end of the washer above the conveyor, a portion of said recess extending entirely through the conveyor to permit the other end of the washer to project below it, and means formoving the conveyor between said wheels whereby to grind the projecting edges from said washer ends.

2. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical lock washers, comprising a pair of vertically spaced grinding wheels, a conveyor adapted to carry a helical lock washer substantially horizontally between said wheels, conveyor being provided in its upper surface with a circular washer-receiving recess having substantially a half bottom wall, said wall being inclined upwardly from end to end to hold one end of the washer above the conveyor, the rest of the recess bottom being open to permit the other end of the washer to project below the conveyor, and means for moving the conveyor between said wheels whereby to grind the projecting edges from said washer ends.

3. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical loci; washers, comprising a pair of vertically space grinding wheels, a conveyor adapted to carry a helical lock'washer substantially horizontally between said wheels, said conveyor being provided in its upper surface with a washer-receiving recess having a floor supporting one end of the washer above the conveyor, a portion of said recess extending entirely through the conveyor to permit the other end of the washer to project below it, means for moving the conveyor between said wheels whereby togrindthe projecting edges from said washer ends, and a resilient member pressing the washer down against said recess floor as it passes between the grinding wheels.

4. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical lock washers, comprising a pair of vertically spaced grindin wheels, a conveyor adapted to carry a helical lock washer substantially horizontally between said wheels, said conveyor being provided in its upper surface with a washer-receiving recess having a floor for supporting one end of the washer above the conveyor, a sufficient portion of said recess extending entirely through the conveyor to permit the other end of the washer to project below it and to permit the washer to fall therefrom, a plate mounted below the conveyor and across which the lower end of the washer is adapted to slide to prevent it from fallin out of said recess, and means for moving the conveyor between said wheels whereby to grind the projecting edges from said washer ends, said plate being provided with an opening through which the washer falls from said recess afterits ends have been ground oiT.

5. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical lock washers, comprising a pair of vertically spaced grinding wheels, a substantially horizontal rotatable table mounted beside said wheels with its marginal portion ex tending between them, said marginal portion being provided in its upper surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced Washer-receiving recesses, each of said recesses having a partial floor for supporting one end of a helical lock washer above the table and the remainder of the recess extending entirely through the table to permit the other end of the washer to project below it and to permit the washer to fall therefrom, a circular plate mounted directly below said table for holding the washers up in said recesses, and means for rotating the table to carry the washers between said wheels whereby to grind the projecting ends from said washer ends, the marginal portion of said plate being provided with an opening through which the washers fall from said recesses after their ends have been ground off.

6. Apparatus for grinding the projecting edges off the ends of helical lock washers, comprising a pair of vertically spaced grinding wheels, a substantially horizontal rotatable table mounted beside said wheels with its marginal portion extending between them, said marginal portion being provided in its upper surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced washer-receiving recesses, each of said recesses having a partial floor for supporting one end of a helical lock washer above the table and the remainder of the recess extending entirely through the table to permit the other end of the washer to project below it and to permit the washer to fall therefrom, a circular plate mounted directly below said table for holding the washers up in said, recesses, and means for rotating the table to carry the washers between said wheels whereby to grind the projecting ends from said washer ends, and a leaf-spring projecting between the wheels for pressing the washers down against said recess floors as they pass between the wheels.

ANDREW T. RICHARDSON.