US2373623A - Article aligning device - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE ALIGNING DEVICE. Kenneth J. Yost, Westport, Conn, assi'gnor to Remington Arms Company, Inc, Bridgeport, Conn., a c'orporation of Delaware Application August 14, 1942; Serial No. 454,853 (c1. 198+32) 11 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to a mechanism for automatically feeding and dis tributing articles, and, more particularly, to a device adapted to automatically orient and deliver tubular articles in axial alignment from ahopper. V r 0 Although the orientation and delivering means shown herein illustrates one form of the invention' particularly useful in conjunction with means for delivering closed end tubes in the process of manufacture into cartridge cases to a cartridge case trimming machine, it will be understood that the delivery meansmay have other applications and that modifications of the embodiment shown and described may be' made" without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is an object of thisvinvention to provide a comparatively inexpensive automatic hopper feed having relatively few moving parts. A further object is to provide an article orienting and delivering device having converging apertures provided-with article retarding surfaces and to provide means for agitating thedevice while articles are being fed' thereto so that the articles will be shaken off the retarding surfaces and delivered from the device in axial alignment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in detail in the following description. I

As now'practicedjcartridge cases are fed to case drawing, trimming and annealing machines by either one of two well knowniorms of .mechanical hoppers, One such device is the so called'pin wheel hopper which comprises a rotating wheel having inwardly projecting pins adapted to be moved through a mass of cartridge cases within a hopper, the cases being picked up on the ends of the pins and delivered closed end first in axial alignment from the hopper. '{The second type is the so called paddle wheel hopper feed wherein a wheel having laterally projecting shelves or paddles is rotated within a-'-ho'pper. The cases are carried upwardly on the shelves and deposited in axial alignment on a 'moving belt which is adapted to convey the cases into engagement with suitable cam surfaces, the latter being designed to orient the cases and feed them heavy end down into a feed tube.

While both of these automatic "hopper feed devices are being used extensively they are, nevertheless, relatively expensive and embody many movable parts which are subject to wear and breakdown, and have 'other disadvantages. H The following description and drawing illustrates one embodiment of the present invention comprising a relatively inexpensive hopper feed means having no moving parts.

i In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the automatic hopper feed shell alignment deviceof this invention used in conjunction with a cartridge case tube trimming machine.

Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the hopper feed agitating means, I e

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hopper feed tray and shell aligning device.-

- I Fig. 4 is an elevation in section on line 4-4 of and 5. 1'

Fig. 7"is a perspective view of the lowermost cellular member. I I 3 Referring to Fig. 1, the article or cartridge case aligning device is indicated generally by the'numeral I0 and is secured at its'upper end by a welded joint or other suitable fastening means to one end H of a cartridge case supporting tray I2. The lower end of the aligning device is shown connected to the usual type of feed tube I00 which delivers the aligned cases directly to the oscillating sector l0| of a trimming machine, The latter is schematically represented as comprising a feed plunger I02 adapted to push cases onto the rotating mandrel I03, thecases being trimmed thereon by a cutter I04 and removed therefrom by a stripper I05. 'The tray,

is mounted at its opposite end I3 on suitable agitating means indicated in general by numeral I4, the tray being inclined'at an angle indicated at (a) with respect to the horizontal so that its end II is lower than its opposite end I3 Immediately above the tray adjacent its end I 3is a hopper I5 fixedly supported with respect to the tray and provided with a converging mouth adapted to deliver cases into the tray I2; the sides of the latter being extended upwardly as at l"! to prevent the cases from falling out.

Means for orienting-the casesin the tray comprises a relatively course screen adjacent the lower end II of the tray. This screen consists of a plurality of apertures I8, numbering nine holes in the embodiment shown, the diameter ofeach hole being somewhatgreater than the distance measured from the closed end of ,a cartridge case to the center of gravity thereofand'consid'erably less than the distance from the center of gravity of the case to its open end. In practice, the holes l8 are made substantially one and one half inch in diameter which dimension is particularly adapted for .50 caliber cases, the center of gravity of which is substantially one inch and a quarter from its closed end. It will be understood, of course, that the size and relationship of the apertures in the screen may be varied in accordance with the size and shape of the articles or cases to be oriented thereby.

As the case slide down the tray towardsits apertured end ll, any case which approaches a hole [8 open end first will slide over the hole since the center of gravity of the case is outside of the hole. However, when the open end of the case has crossed over sufficiently and is supported on the opposite edge of the hole so that the center of gravity of the case fall within the hole, the case will then fall down into the hole heavy end first. It will be clear without further explanation that any case which approaches a hole closed end first will readily fall into the hole with its heavy end down. Thus, all cases which slide down the tray l2 will be oriented and fall through the apertures I8 heavy end first.

In order to deliver the cases to the apertures l8 in a single layer a leveling-off bar I9 is mounted across the tray l2 between its apertured end II and the hopper. the tray bottom at a height suificient to hold back any cases which may be riding or superposed on the bottom layer of cases.

Suitable means are provided to supplement the force of gravity and to give the cases a more positive sliding movement and comprises the agitating means 14 which is of a type used extensively in the art. Briefly, the agitator comprises a frame 20 on which are fixedly mounted two parallel shafts 2!. These shafts are adapted to reciprocatingly support the inclined tray I2 to which purpose suitable brackets 22 are welded or otherwise secured to the bottom of the tray, the brackets being provided with bushings slidable on the shafts 2 I. The tray is reciprocated or agitated by means of a vertically oscillating arm 24 pivotally connected at its upper end to a link 25, see Fig. 2, which is in turn pivotally connected at its opposite end to a lug 26 suitably fixed on the bottom of the tray l2. The lower end of the vertical arm 24 is keyed to a rotatably supported horizontal shaft 23 which is oscillated by a rotating cam 21 arranged to engage a cam follower 28 carried by the shaft 23. A coil tension spring 29 is secured at one end to the arm 24 and its opposite end to the frame for maintaining the cam follower 28 in continuous engagement with the rotating cam 21. As the latter rotates, an extremely short reciprocating stroke i transmitted to the tray thus effectively agitating the cases supported therein.

As shown in Fig. 3, the screen apertures 18 in the end I l of the tray are arranged in three substantially parallel rows comprising three holes or apertures per row, each row of apertures being on the diagonal or at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tray. The purpose of this construction is more fully described below.

The cartridge case aligning device shown at In in Fig. 1 comprises a cellular unit formed by assembling a plurality of individual cellular members in the relationship shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

Three of these individual cellular members are substantially identical, one of which is indicated The bar I9 is supported above generally by numeral 313 in Fig. 6. This cellular member comprises hollow rectangular section 3| and 32 arranged in superposed relationship, the lower section 32 being fixedly secured to the lower end of the upper section 3| by a weld joint 33 or other suitable fastening means.

The upper section M is shaped substantially like an inverted truncated pyramid comprising converging front and rear faces and end walls, its upper end having a rectangular opening 34 substantially equal in length to one of the rows of three apertures E8 in the tray I2, and in width to the diameter of one of these apertures. A pair of bafile plates 35 are provided adjacent the upper edge of the opening 34 for dividing the opening into separate apertures. These baflie plates are substantially parallel and are supported on edge in slots 3! cut in the front and back faces of the section 3i, the plates 35 being suitably spaced so as to form three apertures 35 of sub stantially equal size corresponding in size to the apertures If! in the tray l2. As shown in Fig. 4, the baffle plates 3% are sufliciently longto extend continuously through three of the cells 33 when assembled together as hereinafter described.

The lower rectangular end 39 of the section 3i is provided at its opposite ends with shoulders or substantially horizontal shelf-like surfaces ii], see Fig. 6, which extend inwardly so as to define a restricted opening 42 in the lower end of the section 3| of such dimensions as to permit the free passage of two cartridge cases. Where the unit is to be used for .50 caliber cases the opening 42 should be substantially one and one eighth inches wide and two and one half inches long.

The lower section 32 of the member 30 is shaped substantially as a hollow rectangular prism, the upper opening of the section 32 corresponding to the restricted opening 42 of the upper section 3i. A third baffle plate 36 is supported on edge in slots cut in the front and rear faces of section 32 adjacent the opening 42 and substantially midway of its length so as to divide the opening into two apertures id of substantially equal size which in the present embodiment are substantially one and one eighth inches square. The lower end 45 and the section 32 is provided with shoulders or shelf-like surfaces as at 46 adapted to form a single substantially square aperture 41.

The fourth cellular member, indicated in general by numeral 50 in Figs. 4 and 5, is substantially similar to the above described cellular member 30 but varies therefrom in the shape of its upper section 5|. The section 5! comprises an inverted hollow truncated triangular prism having converging end walls but front and back faces which are substantially parallel as distinguished from the converging faces of the section 3! of the member 30. Suitable baffle plates 53 are secured in the cellular member 51! in the manner above described so as to divide the upper opening of the section 5| into three apertures 54 of substantially equal size. In this case the plates 53 are only long enough to extend through the single cellular member 50. The lower end or opening of the section 5| is provided with she1flike sur faces 55 and secured to the lower end of section 5| is the upper end of a lower section 52 which is divided into two apertures 55 of substantially equal size by a third ballie plate 53. The lower section 52 is in turn provided with shelf-like surfaces 51 defining a single aperture 58 coinciding with the mouth of the lowermost delivery mem-v ber. The latter, as indicated in Fig. 7, comprise from which one case will be dislodged and gain entrance down through the single aperture 41. The two cases falling after the leading case Will subsequentlyescape through the aperture '41, all three cases thus being delivered in axial alignment fromthe member 30 and in the vertical are suitably joined together in face to face re- 1 lationship so as to form a cellular unit having nine rectilinearly converging apertures 35 in its upper section in direct-communication with six rectilinear apertures 44 in its lower section. Suitable fastening means for joining the three cellular members 30 may comprise transverse pins 60 inserted in holesin the ends of the bafile plates "36, the pins being adapted to engage the faces of the cellular members so as to prevent lateral disarrangement thereof. Further, the upper edges of the members 30 may be welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the tray l2. It will be evident, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that in securing the cellular members 30 to the tray, these members areso oriented that the rectangular apertures'35 thereof coincide with theapertures I8 of the tray or, in other words, the substantiallyvertical planes defined by the faces of the cellular members 30 are disposed at an angle of substantially 45 with respect to .the longitudinal axis of the tray. I

To the lower ends of the. sections 32 of the members 30 is welded the upper end or opening of section of the cellular member 50, the latter being so arranged with respect to the members that its front and rear faces lie "in ,a vertical plane substantially at right angles to the vertical planes defined by the faces of the cellular members 30.

The lowermost cellular member 60 is welded or otherwise secured to the lower end of the member 50 in axial'alignment with its aperture 51.

In its assembled form; the unit l0 thus provides a plurality of rectilinearly converging apertures which constitute paths of flight for the cartridge cases, the latter being adapted to fall down through the apertures by theforce of gravity supplemented by the agitating motion imparted to the unit as above described. The axial alignment of the cases during their fiight may be described as follows:

Referring to Fig. 5, whenever three cases fall into-three apertures 35 of one of the members 30,

the two outer cases will be momentarily stopped or retarded by striking the shelf-likesurfaces Ml while the center case will be momentarily supported on the upper edge of the ballle plate 36.

By agitating the cellular member, the shelves 40 and bafile plate 36 will in effect be displaced with respect to the cases due to the relatively great inertia of the latter and, consequently, at least two of the three cases will be jockied into position over the restricted opening 42 and will thereupon fall down through the two apertures 44 of the lower section 32. It will be noted that due 7 to the orientation of the cellular members 30 and with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tray [2 that the edges of the shelf- like surfaces 40, 46,

and 51, respectively, are arranged at substantially 45 with respect to the direction of reciprocation or agitation thereof. By this arrangement dislodgment of the cases from all of the shelves is greatly facilitated.

In a similar manner, the two cases in the lower section 32 of the cellular member 38 will be momentarily retarded by the shelf-like surfaces 46 lit plane defined by its faces.

'Since the function of the. two remaining cellular members 30 is identical to that of the above described member 30, it will be evident as shown inFig. 4 that three cases will be fed substantially simultaneously from the three apertures 41 downwardly between the baflleplates 53 into the upper section 5| of the cellular member 50. As the cases continue their downward flight, the two outer cases will be momentarily retarded by the shelflike surfaces 55 while the middle case will be stoppedby the bafile plate 53. Continued agita-' tion of the cellular unit will dislodge two of these cases from the retarding surfaces 55 and ballie plate 53. It will be observed that, due to the'ar the lowermost cellular member 60. In a similar manner, the cases falling after the leading case will be delivered out of the single discharge aperture 6| of the member 60 in'axial alignmentwith the leading case. The cases may thereafter'be delivered heavy end down directly into a feed tube I00 secured to the lower end of the member 60 whereby the cases are fed to a cartridge case manufacturing machine such as the trimming machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. An article aligning device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means for agitating said-supporting means; and means to discharge articles delivered into said orienting means from said supporting means comprising superposed guide members associated with said orienting means and agitated by said supporting means, said guide members being constructed and arranged to cause each article to mlove'vertically successively in two planes at substantially right angles to eachother and to the plane of said supporting means. i

2. An article aligning device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means for agitatingsaid supporting means; means to discharge articles delivered from said orienting means comprising superposed guide members associated 3. An article aligning device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means to agitate said supporting means; means to discharge articles delivered from said orienting means comprising vertically disposed article guide members connected to said supporting means in communication with said orienting means, said guide members being agitated by said supporting means and embodying a series of article retarding elements spaced vertically in said members to be engaged by said articles to cause each article to move in a predetermined vertical plane; and a second series of article retarding elements spaced vertically in said guide members to be engaged by said articles to move each article in a vertical plane at substantially right angles to the first vertical plane.

4. An article aligning device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means to agitate said supporting means; means to discharge articles delivered from said orienting means comprising a plurality of integrally connected superposed article guide members agitated by said supporting means, each member having an article receiving aperture in communication with the article receiving aperture of an adjacent member; and article retarding elements extending into said apertures to cause each article to move in two vertical planes while passing down through said superposed guide members.

A a ti e a ing device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means for agitating said supporting means; and article guide means associated with said orienting means and agitated by said supporting means to discharge articles delivered by gravity from said orienting means in axial alignment, said guide means comprising a plurality of rectilinearly converging superposed cellular members.

6. An article aligning device comprising article supporting and orienting means; means for agitating said supporting means; article guide means associated with said orienting means and agitated by said supporting means to discharge articles delivered by gravity from said orienting means in axial alignment, said guide means comprising a plurality of rectilinearly converging superposed cellular members; and article retarding means fixedly secured within said cellular members to cause each article to move in twovertical planes at substantially right angles to each other.

'7. A device for aligning tubular articles com.- prising an inclined article supporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures at one end thereof; means for agitating said tray; means associated with said tray for leveling off the tubular articles sliding towards the apertures; article delivery means afiixed to and depending substantially vertically from said tray to guide the tubular articles delivered by gravity from said apertures, said delivery means comprising a cellular unit having vertical walls defining a plurality of individual superposed paths each in communication with the article orienting apertures of said supporting means; and a plurality of article retarding means extending from the walls defining said paths, said retarding means comprising bafile plates in the paths of articles falling through said apertures to guide the free fall of the tubular articles whereby said articles are delivered from the cellular unit in axial alignment.

8. A device for aligning tubular articles comprising an inclined article supporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures at one end thereof; means for agitating said tray; means associated with said tra for leveling off the tubular articles sliding towards said apertures; article delivery means affixed to and depending substantially vertically from. said tray to guide the tubular articles delivered by gravity from said apertures, said delivery means comprising a cellular unit embodying a plurality of superposed cellular members the uppermost cellular member having apertures equal in number to and concentric with the apertures of said tray and the lowermost member having a single aperture axially offset with respect to and in communication with the other apertures of said cellular members; and article retarding surfaces in said cellular members comprising wall portions of said members and baffle plates transversely disposed within said cellular members in the paths of tubular articles falling through said cellular members to guide said articles in axial alignment from said cellular unit.

9. Feeding means for delivering cartridges to the trimming means of a cartridge case trimmin machine comprising an inclined cartridge case supporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures; a hopper for feeding cases to said tray; means for agitating said tray whereby the cases are fed into said apertures heavy end first; and guide means agitated by said tray and in communication with said apertures to deliver cases in axial alignment to said trimming means, the deliver means comprising a plurality of axially offset superposed tubular members to guide each case in two vertical planes while being delivered to said trimming means.

10. Feeding means for delivering cartridges to the trimming means of a cartridge case trimming machine comprising an inclined cartridge case supporting tray having a plurality of article orienting apertures; a hopper for feeding cases to said tray; means for agitating said tray whereby the cases are fed into said apertures heavy end first; guide means agitated by said tray and in communication with said apertures to deliver cases in axial alignment to said trimming means, said delivery means comprising a plurality of axially offset superposed tubular members to guide each case to said trimming means; and article retarding surfaces projecting from, the inner walls of said tubular members comprising baiile plates in the paths of articles falling through said tubular members and disposed at substantially 45 to the direction of reciprocation of said tray to cause each case to be dislodged from said bafiles and guided through said tubular members in two vertical planes at substantially right angles to each other.

11. Feeding means to feed cartridges to a trimming machine comprising an inclined cartridge case supporting tray having a plurality of rows of apertures adjacent one end thereof; a hopper for feeding cases to the tray; means for agitating the tray in a direction substantiall diagonal to the rows of apertures whereby the cases are fed into the apertures heavy end first; cartridge case delivering means depending substantially vertically from said tray and agitated thereby for delivering the cases by gravity in axial alignment to the cartridge case trimming means, said delivery means comprising superposed rectilinear members having apertures in communication with the rows of apertures in said tray; and a plurality of case retarding surfaces in the apertures of the rectilinear members, said surfaces lying in vertical planes at substantially 45 with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tray i KENNETH J. YOST.

Images