US2328733A - Stock reel for automatic screw machines - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 7, 1943. J. H. MANSFIELD STOCK REEL FOR AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1940 Sept. 7, 1943. J. H. MANSFIELD STOCK REEL FOR AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHINES Filed July 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I I II- Q Q Q machine or moving it away bodily.

Patented Sept. 7, 1943 ,UNl'lED STATES earner OFFHQE STOCK REEL FOR AUTOMATIC scnsw .MACHINES' 1 Judson H. Mansfield, Rockford, lit, assignor t Greenlee Bros. & 00., Rockford, lill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 25, 1940, Serial No. 341,504

13 Claims. This invention relates to metal working ma of the. screw machine and individually releasable for adjustment away from their respective spindles. Y I

A further object is to provide a stock reelcom prising a'plurality of stock tubesa'nd a pair of heads supporting them, with one of the heads mounted for longitudinal adjustment away from the screw machine and arranged ;for carrying with it all the stock tubes simultaneously toafford spaceforwithdrawing the stock pushers and feed tubes from the spindles of thescrew machine without disconnecting the reel from the More specifically, it is an object of theinvention to provide a stock reel which includes a shaft arranged for connection with the indexing head of the screw machine and itself supporting a pair of heads which, in turn, support the stock tubes of the reel, one of the heads being adjustable longitudinally on the shaft by means of interconnected gearing operable at will, and the stock tubes being detachably interlocked with the adjustable head so that they may be readily shifted out of normal working relation to the spindles of the machine toafford access to rods or bars of stock to be entered in the spindle.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following "detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: V v

- .Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a stock reel embodying this invention, showing in dotted outline a fragmentary; portion of one end of a screw machine to indicate the relation of the reel thereto.

Fig. 2 isan end elevation showing the stock reel and the rack member by which the outer end of the reel is supported.

Fig. 3is a vertical section taken as indicated at chineshaft towhich it is connected.)

Fig. 4 is a staggered section taken substantially at the planes indicated by line 44 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5xisa detail section taken as indicated at line 5-5.onFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken at the plane indicated at line 6-6 on Fig. 2. i y While there is shown in the drawings, and herein described in detailpa preferred form of the invention as embodied in a stock reel mechanism designed for use with a six-spindle. automaticscrew machine, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form or application disclosed, but that it is the intention to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope ofthe invention, as expressed in the appended claims, i

As shown in the drawings, the stock, reel is supported atone end of the automatic screw machine by means of. a pedestal I, having a foot fiangez secured to the fioor, and alpedestal 3 mounted on a bracket 4 which is formed or provided at the end of the screw machine bed, indicated in dotted outline; at '5 in Fig.1; a The reel includes a drive shaft 6 which maybe understood as connected to the rotatable spindle carrier or indexing head of the screw machine by means of a flexible coupling of anysuitable type, including aqdrive flange shown at l. (A flexiblecoupling is preferred so as to compensate for any misalignment betweenthe stock reel shaft 6 and the ma- The shaft 6 engages for rotation the circular head members line 3-3 on Fig. 1 and on a larger scale, show- 8 and 9 which are-rotatably carried by cradles Ill and II respectively suppo-rtedon the pedestals I and 3. The head member 8 and 9, in turn, carry a plurality of steel; tubes 12 each dimensioned to receive loosely a rod or bar of the size and, shape which is being employed in the screw machine for making a particular product. Each of the stock tubes I2 is held in alignment with one of the several hollow spindles of the machine (not shown), and the rod or bar contained in each tube I2 is fed at intervals therefrom into the aligned hollow spindle by feed mechanism embodied in the index head or carrier of the machine. Such mechanism maybe of the same general type as that shown and described in Patent No. 1,825,749, dated October 6, 1931, although it happens that this patentillustrates a four-spindle machine, while the stock reel shown herein is designed for a machine having fsix spindles journaled inits indexing head or carrier.

It will be understood that each spindle of the screw machine includes a collet structure by which the stock isgripped with its end portion tion; and to enable the operator to do thi in setting up a new supply of stock for the machine,

he must have a substantial space between the machine and the reel. He must have room for grasping the rods which are to be inserted in the several collets, and he, must also have additional distance so that the rods can be backed- 21 meshing with the teeth of the rack 25, as seen in Fig. 4. A hearing 28 is formed on the head 8 for the shaft 29 of the pinion 21, and the shaft has a squared end at 3B accessible through the periphery of the head 9. The shaft 29 is retained in its bearing 28 by means of a threaded stud 3i set into the face of the head 9 and engaging a groove 32 in the shaft. By applying a suitable crank or socket wrench to the squared end 36 the operator can turn the shaft 29 to cause the pinion 21 to travel along the rack 25 and I thus feed the head 9 back along the shaft 6 as far away from the machine as desired. When t e crank or wrench is to be applied to the part 30 for thus shifting the head 9, the spindle-carrying head of the screw machine will first be indexed or turned to rotate the reel to a position at which the. squared end 30 of the gear shaft 29 is conup and'then thrust with substantial force andmomentum into the feed fingers and the collets, and through them into working position. To

. provide'this space When needed, each of the tubes I2 is slidably held in the heads Sand 9 of the reel. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, each tube 12 is carried in the head 8 on b-all -bearings I3, the outer bearing race I4 being secured in the reel by a threaded locking ring I5, and'the inner race It fitting snugly, but slidablyi around the tube I2. Similarly, in'the head Sthe tub 'is carried onball bearings I7, and the inner race I8'slidably engages the tube l2. Each tube I2 has-fixed upon it 'a' locking collar I9, and for each of the tubes the head-9 carries a swinging latch ill which is pivoted at"2'l and is normally held by a spring 22 in position for encounter with th fiat face of the collar I9 so asfto retain the tube I2 in projected position closely adjacent the corresponding spindle (not shown) of the screw'machine. 'Wh'en it is desired to'slide'the tube I2 back from the spindleto give accessto the rod stock in the tube it is only necessary for the-operator to "press the projecting finger-piece 23 of the latch so as to swing the latch clear of the collar l9; he ma then slide the tube back-until its terminal collar 24 strikes the face of the reel head 9.

When the tube is'returned to its normal position the beveled face IS; of the'collar I9 engages the beveled surface 20 of the latch, momentarily forcingthe latch aside so that the collar canbe moved to its final position against the surface of the head 9; then'the sprin z zf m return the latch to locking position. In order that the tubes I2 may turn freely on their ball bearings with the stock which they contain, whenever the stock is rotated by the spindles of the screw machine, each: of the latches 20 is checked in its/swing to locking position by a pin' 22 which holdsthe latch just out of contact withthetube l2,a 's' seen inFig/3. e H g In a screw machine of the type shown in Patent No.. 1,825,749 it, is necessary to remove the stock pusher jaws and their feed tubes from the spindle wheneverthe size or shape or stock-employed in the machine is changed. Since thefeed tubes carried by the spindles are considerably longer than the clearance afforded by merely shifting the stock'tubes I2,as justdescribedthe head 9 itselff'is constructed so that it may be shifted toward theleft in Fig. 1, awa fr om the head of the s'crew machine, carrying the stock tube I2 with itQto provide sufiicient space for this. operation-of changing the stock pushers. The shaft -6 has a'toothed rack 25 cut in it's cylindrical surface, and the hub 26 or the head 9 houses a pinion veniently disposed, as, for example, at the upper side of the reel, a in Fig. 3. The rack teeth 25 may extend to any suitable distance; as shown in Fig. 1 they are cut into about one-half the length of the shaft 6. 1

It will be evident that .when the'head Sis thus adjusted toward. the head 8 of the reel, all the tubes I2 being locked to the head bylmeans of the latches 2i! will be carried along with it, thus providing ample clearance space between the ends of the tubes and the head of the machine for manipulating the rod stock into working position in the collet of the spindles. The he'ad 8, on the other hand, will remain in its cradle It, being held therein against axial movement by engage ment' of the bearing rollers 33 in .the'peripheral groove 34 of the head 8. The head 9 differs in that-its peripher 35 is not'grooved (Fig. 6) and will therefore slide off the bearing rollers 36 on which it is normally carried in the cradlelll. One. edge of the surface 35 is beveled at 31 to facilitate replacing the head 9 on the rollers 36 when it is returned to normal working position by'reverse rotation of the adjusting shaft 28 and its pinion 27. I i Preferably, the reel'structure is reinforced and stiffened by means of 'a web member shown at 38 in Fig. 1, intermediate the-heads '8 and 9. This web 3'd'is fixed to the shaft 6 and is provided with ball bearings similar to those in the heads 8 and 9 for supporting the tubes I2 and permitting their sliding adjustment longitudinal- 1y, as already described. The bearing cradle I0 is steadied by horizontal tie members 39which connect it to the cradle I I, as seen in Fig. 1,and hold it firmly against the frictional thrust of the tubes I2 as they are shifted longitudinally through their bearings 16. And to insure ream tion of the head 8 ,on its bearing rollers when the stock tubes are operated at high speed, an arcuate member I0 may be connected to the cradle I0 to extend over thehead 8, and may have a bearing roller 33 engaged inthe groove 34, as seenin Fig. 2. g H The drawings show the pedestal I formed with a broad base extending transversely of theaxis of the reel and having upstanding horns 40 which serve as portions of the rack. to hold supplies of stock for use in the reel. The rack is completed by a member 4| standing on thefloor adjacent the end of themachine bed 5 and havwardly therefrom and into connection .with the.

on the shaft'i engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes, th'e head at the end of the reel adjacent'the machinebeing slidably adjuston the shaft engaged forrot'ation therewithand supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being slidably ad'- justable along the shaft, said shaft being provided with rack teeth, and a gear journaled on said head meshingwith said rack' and'rotatable for feeding the head along the shaft.

2. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaft with driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexing head of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, and a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft and the head and shaft being provided with positively engaged gearing operable to feed the head in either direction along the shaft.

3. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaft with driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexing head of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes, thehead at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft, and means normally interlocking the tock tubes withsaid adjustable head for longitudinal movement therewith, said tubes being longitudinally slidable in the other head.

l. A stock reel for a multiple. spindle screw machine comprising a shaft with driving means 1 for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexing head of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes, and bearing means on which said heads are rotatably carried, said bearing means being fixed in relation to the machine, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft, means normally interlocking the stock tubes with said adjustable head for longitudinal movement there-- with, the bearing for the other head having means inter-engaged with said head and preventing its movement in the direction of the shaft axis, and the stock tubes being longitudinally slidable in said other head.

5. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaft with driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexing head of the machine, bearing means by which the other end of the shaft is supported for rotation, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft, and means normally interlocking the stock tubes with said adjustable head for longitudinal movement therewith.

6. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaft with driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexing head of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, a pair of heads able along the shaft;- said shaft being provided with-rack teeth, a gearjjou'rnaled in said head meshing with said rack androtatable for feeding the head along the shaft, hea-ring 'means on the adjustable head at their Working positions in relation to the spindles of the machine, said tubes being longitudinally slidable in theother head, and the bearing means for said other head having means inter-engaged with said head which prevents its movement in the direction of the shaft axis.

7. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected to the indexing head of the machine for rotation therewith, said reel including a shaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft connected thereby for rotation and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being spaced away from the machine by a substantial distance with the end portions of the tubes projecting from the head through said distance and closely proximate the machine in their working positions, said end portions of the tubes being longitudinally adjustable in said head for retraction from Working position back to said head, and separate latching means for each tube on one of the heads normally locking the tubes at projected working position but individually releasable at will. c

8. In the combination defined in claim 7, stop means on each tube engageable with one of the heads to prevent withdrawal of the end of the tube from said head adjacent the machine.

9. In the combination defined in claim '7, a terminal collar on each tube engageable with said head adjacent the machine to prevent withcollar fixed on each tube in position to engage one of the heads and limit the extent of projection of the tube toward the machine in working position, said collar acting to arrest the tube in position for locking engagement of the latching means.

, 11. In the combination defined in claim 7, said stock tubes being slidable bodily in said heads independently of each other toward and from their working positions, each tube having a fixed c01- lar which abuts one of the heads when the tube is at working position and a second collar which abuts one of the heads to limit the sliding movement of the tube away from working position and prevents withdrawal of the tube from the head adjacent the machine.

12. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected for rotation with the indexing head of the machine, said reel including a shaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft and a pair of heads on the shaft connected for rotation thereby and supporting said tubes, the stock .tubes being longitudinally slidable in said heads independently of each other toward and from their working positions in relation' to the spindles of the machine, a pair of locking members for each tube comprising a fixed collar which stands adjacent one of the heads when the tube is at working position and a separate latch on said head engageable with said collar to hold the'tube at working position, each latch being individually releasable at will to permit sliding the tube away from the spindle of the'machine which it serves, said latch being spring-pressed to latching position and one of said locking members having a beveled face causing the latch to ride over the collar as the tube is returned toward the spindle, whereby the tube is automatically locked in working position. v

13.- A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected to the indexing head of ,the machine for rotation therewith, said reel including a shaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the said shaft, a pair of heads on the shatt' engaged for rotation therewith and antifric-tion bearings fixedly mounted in said heads and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine being spaced away from the machine by a substantial distance with the end portions of the tubes projecting from their bearings in the head throughsaid distance and closely proximate the machine in their working positions, the tubes being slidable in their hearings in said head for retraction of said projecting end portions from working position back to said head, and stop means preventing withdrawal of they-tubes from said bearings.

J UDSON H. MANSFIELD.

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