US2250720A - Polishing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 29, 1941. H. M.'MoRR|s 2,250,720

PCLVfISHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1939 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l NveNToR HERMAN M. MORRIS- B /Z I TORNEY 'FIG'. 2.

July 29, 194i. H, M, MORRIS 2,250,720v

PCLISHING MACHINE Filed oct. 2s, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 FIG. 3.

INVENTOR l HERMAN M. MORRIS BY A ORNEY Patented July 29, 1941 U NlT E S'TTSES PAT ENT IC E 2,250,720 rousnme MACHINE Herman M. Morris, St.:Louis, M0..

Application October 23, 1939, Serial No.300,"7v58.V

12 Claims.

This invention relates generally to certain newand useful improvements in polishing or buflingV and cleaning machines and'has for. its primary.

objects the provision of a `machineof `the-type stated whichV is simple Yand economical construction, whch is automatic,Y speedy,y and uniform in operation, which buffs and cleans the Work thoroughly and eiciently, and-whichY ishighly satisfactory inv the performance of its stated. functions.

And With the abovev and othervobjects in View, my. invention .resides in the novel features -of form, construction, arrangementiand combination. of parts presently. described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings@ sheets),-

Figure 1 isa side elevational view of. a polishing .machine constructed in accordance with and embodyingmy present invention;

Figure. 2 vis. alongitudinal sectional -viewY ofA the machine;`

Figure B is a vertical sectionalview of themachine, taken approximately along the lineu 3 3, Figure. 2.;

Figure 4.is .an enlarged detailview of 4the-abrasive` hopper l of the .machineg Figure 5 is anY enlarged detail view-of the work-L feeder and pick-up of the machine;

Figure 6V is `VaV fragmentary, sectional lviewof thelwork feeder and pickfup, taken approximately along; the 11.11V 616,. Figure;5; and4L Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan` View of a iiight rodand positioning hook of the machine.

Broadly speaking, the machineY includes an.l

endless conveyor having spaced horizontal runs and night rods or other suitable means for picking up andL progressing` the, work-pieces, for Vand during polishing or cleaning. As the work.

pieces move along one of the conveyor runs, one

face of each thereof is exposed to the cleaning f accommodated in thepresent cleaning and buffing machine, forpurposes of illustration and by way-,of example, the presentmachine. is .shown and Willbe described inconnection withr the cleaningv and bufirng--ofplate-hinges.

Referring now -in-more detail. and by Yreference l characters to the drawings,- which..illustrate-a-l preferred embodiment of my-inventionfthepresent machineincludes a pair -of companion sideframes A rigidly secured together initransversely spaced `parallel `relation lbysuitable upperandV lower sets of cross-beamsl `andeachV having-a pair of longitudinally.alignedwupright legs 2,- 3,'. preferably integrally rconnected-.by upper-and-- lower longitudinally disposed strips 4,5. At their lowerextrem-ity, thelegs -2,-- 3,; are provided-with ff outwardly projecting vsuitably apertured'flanges or feet E for `secure'ment toA a licor orcother placeiof support -F by means of conventional lagboltsA or-the-like 'L-l The frames A are provided preferably Aintegrally with rearwardlyk projecting transversely registering arms.f8, disposed V-betweenand suitably journaled upon which-is lalsliafft Bihar/ingV4 I keyed thereonY a pair of transversely. spaced l sprocket-Wheelsfl. The frames A `are similarly provided -withforwardly projecting-transversely registeringarmsl I,- disposed between andjournaled uponlwhich with its axisparallel -to-andvinthesame horizontal plane as the axis of -the shaft 9;is arshaf-t l2 provided with-a .pairof sprocket wheelsl3 respectively positioned 1in. peripheral. alignment` with the sprocket. Wheelsl..

Trained Aover-.the` sprocket AwheelsY Ill,A I3;- are endless conveyor chains IllVv having* upper Mandlowerhorizontalruns h, h', respectivelyandprokvidedrat spaced `intervals withl link Aside-plates I4 having projecting lugs l5. Rigidly-mounted at their endsin, and .extending transversely of the.machine..between opposed pairs of,- theside plate ,lugs I5,A areL horizontally. disposed. -flightrods l 6,. suitably mounted` on which and disposed; longitudinallyof. the .machinelis a series ofv suitably Y spaced. hooks. I l eachhaving KvaY bill l 8 pre-v` sented forwardly .of .the machine. Also `ixed on, andA .presentedA rearwardly ofthe machine from each, of therespective ight rods-I6 adjacent the particularhhook Il;V is an. obliquelylbentpositioningV prong l9-extending a substantial-dis? tance. rearwardly ofthe machine4 beyondv the hook Il and providedY with an upwardly and-out- Wardly bent arcuate finger 2i),` all Aas best-seen in- Figures 5,. 6, and. 7 and* forpurpo'seslpresentlyfullyY appearing.

Suitably .xed Yupon. the upper-fcross-beams 4l with its upwardly presented. face -disposed-slightly beloW...-the plane ofthe .upper `conveyor Chaim run h, is a slide-table or upper bed 2i provided at its one or rear end with a short downwardly curved lip 22 positioned substantially over the shaft 9, and at its other or forward end with an arcuate continuation 23 spaced outwardly from and concentric with the shaft I2.

Similarly mounted upon the lower cross-beams I and extending horizontally beneath, and spaced downwardly a short distance from, the lower horizontal conveyor run h', is a second slide plate or lower bed 24 provided in its upper face with a plurality of longitudinally extending channels or ways 25 for accommodating the projecting ends of the hook-bills I8 and positioning-fingers 20.

Having preferably an adjustable slot-and-pin connection, as at 26, with the forward transverse end margin, and forming substantially a continuation of, the slide .plate 24, is a suitably arcuate plate or wall 28, which extends Iforwardly and upwardly in spaced concentric relation to the sprockets i3 and table continuation 23, the wall 28 being at its upper end suitably supported by bracket arms 29 upstanding from the journal arms II and providing with the continuation 23 a work-piece way, as at w, all as best seen in Figures 1 and 2.

Formed in or mounted upon each of the strips 4, 5, are pairs of longitudinally spaced transversely aligned adjustable bearing members 39 each including an open rectangular slide-frame 3| for shiftably accommodating a journal block 32 adjustably held between opposed screws 33 threaded in the end-members 34 of the frame 3|. Journaled in, and extending transversely of the machine between, the respective sets of aligned adjustable bearings 39, are shafts35 each provided intermediate its ends with suitable buillng brushes 36.

The respective shafts 35 project at one end outwardly through the journal blocks 32 and are suitably provided with pulley wheels 37 drivingly interconnected and to a suitable prime-mover, such as a conventional high-speed electric motor 38, by means of suitable belts or the like 39, 40, 4 I the motor 38 being preferably suitably secured upon the under face of the upper slide table 2l, all as best seen in Figure 2.

Similarly, the shaft I2 projects at an end outwardly beyond a side face of one of the journal arms II and is provided with a sprocket 42 for connection by means of a sprocket chain 43 to the driven sprocket 44 of a conventional reduction gear box 45, in turn, drivingly connected to a conventional electric motor 491, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

Suitablyxed upon, and disposed intermediate, the front frame-legs 3, is a conventional preferably sheet-metal open-top hopper 41 having opposed downwardly inelined bottom wall portions 48 terminating in a reduced slotlike discharge spout or chute 43 normally closed by a freeswinging arcuate cut-olf door 59 pivotally mounted upon the chute side walls and provided with a downwardly extending trip-rod 5I projecting at its lower end into the path of the flight-rods I6 as the same move along the lower conveyor run h', all as bestseen in Figures 1 and 2 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Similarly mounted upon and disposed between arms 52 extending upwardly from the rear framelegs 2, is a second hopper 53 substantially identical in all respects with the hopper 4l and likewise provided with a discharge chute 54 having a cutoff door 55, in turn, provided with a downwardly extending trip rod 56 .projecting at its lower end into the path of the flight-rods I6 as the same move along the upper horizontal conveyor run h, also as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Forming part of, and extending rearwardly from, the frames A, is a pair of arms 51 supporting at their outer extremity obliquely disposed chutes 58 each including a back wall 59 bent upwardly at its inner transverse end in the provision of a stop flange 60. Preferably integrally connected to the chute back wall 59 by means of a narrow intervening bottom wall 6I,

is a front wall 62 somewhat shorter than the back wall 59 and accordingly having its inner margin 63 spaced outwardly from the stop flange 6U by a distance somewhat greater than the length of a single work-piece, that is to say, in the present instance, a hinge-plate H. The chute back wall 59 is also cut away at its lower inner corner in the provision of a take-off recess 64, all as best seen in Figures 5 and 6 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

In use and operation, the motors 4I, 46, are suitably energized and set in motion, thereby rotatively driving the buiing brushes 36 and the sprockets I0, I3, and eiecting travel of the conveyor-chains I4 and associated flight-rods I6 in the sequential directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. At the same time, the feed chutes 58 are suitably filled with hinges or other workpieces H, which successively move downwardly into the position shown in Figure 5.

As a respective flight-rod I6 moves forwardly,

its carried hook-bill I8 passes through the takeoi recess 64 of the chute back wall 59 and engages the presented work-piece H at an exposed screw-aperture. On subsequent forward movement of the flight-rod I6, the engaged hinge or work-piece H is pulled from the particular chute 58, whereupon such hinge H takes a substantially flatwise position upon the upper face of the table 2l, the inwardly presented longitudinal margin m of such hinge H, in such movement, riding against the nger of the positioning prong I9 and shifting such hinge H to a so-called square position with respect to the flight rod I6, as shown in dotted lines in Figure '7. It may here be observed that, during its subsequent travel, such positioning prong I9 functions to maintain the hinge H in such stated position, so that the at surface of the hinge H will be uniformly exposed to the polishing action of the respective bulng brushes 36.

During the course of further travel, the particular flight-rod I6 passes beneath the hopper 53 and, by tripping the trip-rod 56, as shown in Figure 4, causes a quantity of suitable abrasive or polishing powder to be deposited upon the 'traveling hinge H. Thereupon, the hinges H are carried in successive order` beneath the bufng brushes 36 and through the arcuate way w into the lower conveyor run h for travel along the lower slide plate 24, during which latter travel that face of the hinge H, which previously was in contact with the upper slide tablev 2I and hence unpolished, now passes beneath the hopil into a suitably-provided catch pit or the like p, as best seen in Figure 2. f

Through the adjustability of the wall 28, the dimensions of the way w may -be enlarged or reduced `to more or less snugly `accommodate the'particularwork-pieces H so as to retain the same upon the hooks l'i as they travel fromthe upper to the lower conveyor run. The machine is relatively simple structurally, is substantially Wholly automatic and labor` and time saving, and is. exceedingly eicient in the performance of its intended functions.

It should be understood that changes and modincations in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. A machine for polishing selected workpieces comprising polishing means, conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces successively beneath the polishing means, and means associated with said polishing means and actuated by the conveyor means for depositing polishing material upon the traveling work-pieces.

2. A polishing machine comprising first and second polishing members disposed in spaced planes one elevated above the other, conveyor means having upper and lower runs for progressing work-pieces successively beneath the said polishing members, the first member being located over the upper conveyor run and the second member being located intermediate said runs, and means associated with said polishing members and actuated by the conveyor means for depositing polishing material upon the traveling work-pieces.

3. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selected work-pieces comprising upper and lower polishing means, conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces successively beneath the several polishing means and inverting the work-pieces during the course of travel between the polishing means, and means associated with each oi' said polishing means and actuated by the conveyor means for depositing polishing materia'l upon the traveling work-pieces.

4. A polishing machine comprising rst and second polishing means disposed in spaced planes one elevated over the other, and conveyor means including an arcuate way for progressing workpieces successively beneath the rst polishing means, then through said way for inverting the Work-pieces, and then beneath the second polishing means.

5. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selected workpieces comprising rst and second flat tables disposed in spaced relation one above the other, said tables having wayforming curved end continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation to each other, and conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces successively across the rst table between the end continuations and then acrossy the second table.

6. A machine for polishing the opposite iiat faces ci selected work-pieces comprising upper and lower tables, first and second polishing means respectively positioned above said upper and lower tables, conveyor means for progressing the work-pieces along a path having upper and lower straight sections respectively disposed over' saidtabls and connected by an arcuate secticn'and thereby moving the work-pieces successively :beneath the first' polishing meansfo-r polishing'one face of the work-pieces, inverting the Work-pieces during the course of travel along Y the arcuate path-section, and then finally vprogressing the work-pieces under the second polisliing means for vpolishing the opposite face of the. work-pieces, and Ymeans for feeding workpieces tothe conveyor means.

"7. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selected work-pieces comprising upper and lower iiat tables having curved way-forming end continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation to each other, upper and lower polishing means respectively positioned adjacent the upper and lower tables, and conveyor means including a plurality of spaced parallel flight-rods for progressing the work-pieces successively across the upper table, between the end continuations, and then across the lower table, some of said rods being provided with a plurality of hook-members for engaging the work-pieces.

8. A machine for polishing the opposite flat faces of selected work-pieces comprising upper and lower flat tables having curved way-forming end continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation to each other, upper and lower polishing means respectively positioned adjacent the upper and lower tables, and conveyor means including a plurality of spaced parallel night-rods for progressing the work-pieces successively across the upper table, between the end continuations, and then across the lower table, some of said rods being provided with a plurality of hooks for gripping the work-pieces and said lower table and its associated end continuation being provided with longitudinal clearance grooves positioned and sized for accommodating said hooks.

9. A polishing and buing machine including upper and lower horizontal tables having curved way-forming continuations disposed in spaced concentric relation to each other, irst buing means operatively mounted adjacent the upper table, second bufng means operatively mounted adjacent the lower table, and means including a plurality of flight-rods provided with hooks for gripping and progressing the work to be polished across the upper table while exposing one face to the rst buing means and then across the lower bed while exposing a different face to th second bufng means.

10. A polishing machine including upper and lower horizontal tables disposed in planes one above the other, a rst rotary brush operatively mounted adjacent the upper table, a second rotary brush operatively mounted adjacent the lower table, conveyor means including a plurality of night rods having hooks for gripping and progressing the work. to be polished first across the upper table and engagingly under the rst brush, then in an arcuate path for inverting the work, and then across the lower bed and engagingly under the second brush, and means for rotarily actuating the brushes.

11. A polishing machine including frame-members in spaced parallel relation, first and second tables on the frame-members in spaced relation one elevated over the other, an arcuate way on the frame-members extending from the upper to the lower table, rst rotary brushes operatively mounted on the frame-members adjacent the upper table, second rotary brushes operatively mounted on the frame-members adjacent the lower table, conveyor means including a pluraling the work-pieces successively across the upper table between the end continuations and then across the lower table, each of said rods being provided with a plurality of upstanding hooks for gripping the work-pieces, said lower table and its associated end continuation being provided with grooves positioned and sized for accommodating the ends of the hooks for holding the work-pieces in engaged relation with the hooks 10 during travel across the lower table.

HERMAN M. MORRIS.

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