US2389744A - Indexing mechanism for automatic machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 19215. L. RoBBlNs INDEXING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Original Filed Deo, 21, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INDEXING MEGHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 21, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. 50 /oB/MS TORA/EY Nov. 27 1945.

INDEXING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC IACHINES Original Filed Dec. 2l, 1942 L. ROBBINS sheets-sheet 5 ATTORNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 IJIIIIIII INVENToR. 0 iosa/M5 71mm Y L. ROBBINS.

INDEXING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES original Filed Dec.

Nw. 27, 1945. L RQBBINS 2,389,144

INDEXING MEHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Original Filed Dgo. 21. 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENToR. so Raza/Ms K BY 6 ATTORNEY Nov. 27, 1945'.

` l. RoBBlNs INDEXING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 original Filed Dec. 21, 1942 FES?.

INVENTOR. 0 /aBB//vs BY W ATTOR/YE Nov. ZZ 1945. L. RoBBlNs INDEXING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 21. 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG.8.

Nav. 27, 1945. L. RoBBlNs 2,339,744

INDEXING MEGHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Original Filed Deo. 21, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I N VEN TOR. 0 iaB//vs BYZ d l y ATTO/BYE? Patented Nov. 27, 1945 INDEXING MEcHAixTIsMA Fon-.imonline MACHINES.

Leo Robbins, New York, N. Y.,` assignor to Roberts Manufacturing Co., New York, NJ?.

Original application December 21', 1942, Serial- No. 469,685. Divided and this anplicationMay 18, 194,5, Serial No. 594,501

4 Claims.

This invention relates to indexing mechanism for automatic machines of the type which employ aV turntable with means for operating the table step-by-step through a predetermined angular distance at each step. This application is a divisionof my copending application for Automatic drilling machine, Ser. N o. 469,685, filed December 2l, 1942.

Ina machine as described in my copending. application, the turntable may carry a work-piece to a pluralityof successive working positionsv in each of which a different operation may be performed.; or, the turntable is capable of carrying.` a plurality of work-pieces so that a plurality of operations may be simultaneously performedy on the respective work-pieces. Each of the foregoing methods of oper-ation calls for a different opera-VV tionof' theturntable. It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of' this invention to provide meansl for operating afv turntable step-by-step through a. predetermined angular distance at each step, inl combination with means whereby the degree of angular movement per steplo theturntablemay be controlled.

It is a further objectof this invention to provide means for defining thel positions of the-turntable at each step of its movement and thus wipe out the slight irregularities which may be inherent in the step-by-step-drive.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for locking the turntable in each new position after being turned through each newstep.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan View o-f the drilling machine withparts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a" section taken line 2--2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 3 is a section taken line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken line 4 4- of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is av section taken line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section.. taken line 6--5 of Fig. 7.

Fig. '7 is a section taken line I-T of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section taken substantially line 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a section taken line 9,-9 of'Fig. 1.

substantially on the substantially on the substantiallyv on the substantially on the substantially on the substantiallyv on the onI the substantially on thev In the following description, the invention; isset forth as applied tovan automa-ticV drilling ma.-

chineior the purposeoidrilling: holesinthe hubs of; hypodermic injection needles; but it will be understood that. the invention has general ap` plication. to any automatic machine employing a turntable adapted to be operated in steps;

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig.. l, it will be seen that the invention consists broadly in. supporting within. a frame. or castingv IOL a. rotatingv table IlY having a plurality of hub.

supports I2 projecting therethrough. The operat'or places the hubsf to be drilledv upon` the upper ends: of said supportsin` advancev of the drilling positions. The hubsmay. be of the types shownl inlFigs. 10, 1'1 and 12. rIIhe intermittent rotation` ofV turntable H is designed to bring the hubs sucf cessivelyv into the drilling positions beneath the drills A, B and? C, after which the drilled hubs are removed from the hubsupports and replaced:

with undr-illed hubs. The mechanism for rotatingrthe table to bring the hubs into drilling-position andfor eiiecting such drilling'will` now be described;

The hub supports l2; are' disposed circumferentiallyl inY thev table H' and spaced equal angular distances apart. This angle is designatedI at Fig. 1l as-.the angle a. by step, eachstepbeing equal to; the angular-distance a to bring. the supports successively into cooperationwith the drill headsA, B, C Which are xedly mounted on theframe i0.

For rotating the turntable H. intermittently through successive steps, the table may be mounted upon a shaft I4'- .which isdrivenl by an intermittent. or step-by-step. drive. Thisv drive isshown in Figs. 5, 6- ande 7v and` may comprise a star-wheel lfwith: which is` adapted to mesh periodically a pinv H eccentrically mountedv on a disk i8 which is supported for rotation on a shaft la. lIhe said shaft also carries a gear 2.0 adapted to meshwith. a mutilated gear 2| of larger diameter sol that gear 20 will rotate through: only a.

The table is then rotated step This means that disk I8 and eccentricu pin I1` will also make one complete revolution for each revolution of gear wheel 2|, and since shaft I9 isv eccentrically positioned with respect to shaft I4, the pin I1 will mesh with the star-wheel I6 once during each revolution of gear wheel" 2| through a predetermined angular distance, at vwhich point it will leave the star-wheel. Thus, for that fraction of a revolution of gear wheel 2| indicated by the proportion of its circumference occupied by teeth 22, the star-wheel will be moved throughV a step and will remain inthat position throughout the time that the remainder of the periphery of gear wheel 2| which is minus gear teeth remains out of mesh with gear Wheel 20. Thus the star-wheel has been given one step of rotation designed to move the succeeding hub support I2 to drilling position while moving the hub which has been drilled, out of drilling position.

AThe said intermittent movement may be effected from any suitable driving source such as a motor, not shown, which drives through a belt and pulley 25., 26fto a shaft 21, and thence (see Fig..4) through a .worm 28 and worm wheel 29 it will drive shaft 30 on which the worm Wheel 29 is mounted. Shaft 39 carries gear wheel 3| which may mesh (see Fig. with gear wheel 32 on shaft 33, said gear wheel 32 meshing with gear 34 on the same shaft 35 which carries the mutilated gear wheel 2|,

SinceA gear teeth 22 move out of mesh with gear wheel, 2,0 once during each revolution of shaft` 35 and must again effect engagement on the next revolution, means are provided for synchronizing the position of gear wheel 2,0 with gearwheel 2| and Vgear teeth 22 during the interval that the gears' are out of engagement so that said gear teeth will bev in position to mesh. For this purpose there is vprovided a defining and holding mechanism. which becomes effective as soon as gear teeth 22 move out of mesh with gear 20 and whichremains effective until gear teeth 22 are almost ready to engage gear again. For this purpose there is mounted on the fixed support |29 a lever I2| carrying a detent roller |22 adapted to cooperate with a disk |23 fixed upon the shaft I9. Said disk |23 is provided with the groove |24 into which the detent roller I 22 is adapted to engage as soon as the gear teeth 22 move out of mesh with gear wheel 2&9, and thus render definite the position of the gear Vwheel 29 with respect to gear wheel 2| and its gear teeth-22. so that gear teeth 22 will be' able to mesh with gear 29 on the next rotation. The lever I2| is normally spring pressed by spring to hold the detent |22 in 'engagement with the periphery of disk |23. When the gear teeth 22 again mesh with gear 20 it will rotate shaft I9 and hence disk |23 to move the detentA |22 and lever I2I outwardly from the groove against the action of spring. |25. The dening and holding mechanism is thus released for the interval that the shaft I9 rotates, and when substantiallyY a complete rotation of said shaft has been made and gear teeth 22 move out of engagement with gear.20,the detent |22 again falls into the groove |24 to dene the meshing posiupon a fixed member tion of the gear wheel 20 relative to gear wheel 2| and hold it fixed in such position,

The drive described above is designed to rotate the table II intermittently through predetermine'd steps, said steps being those necessary to bring the hub supports I2 and the hubs supported on the upper ends thereof successively into drilling position. Each drill may comprise the motor which drives a drill 49 extending jig 4|. The jig is supported 43 by means of pins 44 slidable in said member. Springs 42 are interposed between the jig and support 43 to hold the jig normally in lowered position until flanges 49 on pins 44 engage member 43. The hub support |2 with the hub H to be drilled supported thereon is designed to be moved up through guide opening 45 in the table I I with sufficient force to lift the jig against the action of springs 42 to cause the drill to enter into the upper end of the hub H and drill the hole. The interior of the jig 4| may be provided with a conical surface 45 so formed as to engage the narrow upper rim 41 and the wider lower rim 48 of the hub H and thus guide the hub into the proper drilling position.

For operating the hub support I2 upwardly into the jig when the respective hub support and its hub are in drilling position, the following mechanism is provided: The hub supports I2 are slidably mounted within table through openings 45 so that they may be moved vertically. Each support i2 is provided with a collar 50 having a groove 5| within which engages pins 52 carried by arms 53 (see Figs. 9 and 1). Each arm 53 downwardly within a is pivoted at one end at 54 (see Figs. 1 and 2) on a hub 55 xed to the shaft I4 and is provided at its other end with a roller 5S operating on a, ring cam track 51. At the bottom of each support I2 there is provided a flange 60 (see Figs. 3 and 9) which is adapted to engage within a slotted member 6I when the respective hub support has moved into drilling position. Said slotted members are carried upon the upper ends of shafts 62 which are slidable (see Fig. 4) within a xed supporting plate 65 forming part of the fixed frame |9. The lower ends of said slotted member 62 are fixed at 65 in a vertically reciprocable plate P. The plate P is supported on the fixed frame I0 by means such as pairs of toggles 1|).

It will now be apparent that if plate P is lifted vertically it will move all of the shafts 62 and their respective slotted members 6I together with the hub supports I2 which are in engagement with said slotted members, vertically upwardly. Since the axes of shafts 62 coincide with the axes of drills 40, the hub supports will be lifted vertically and the hubs moved within the jigs concentrically with the drills when the plate P is raised. This, however, im-plies that thc plate P will maintain a parallel motion as it is lifted. To secure such parallel motion, as well as the necessary force for lifting the hub supports and the hubs into the jigs so that they may be drilled, the plate P is supported, in addition to the toggles 10, at two points by means of rollers 1I in engagement with cams 'I2 on a horizontal shaft 13. It will now be understood that if plate P is lifted equally by the cams 12 it will move in parallel motion by reason of the toggle supports 'I0 which hold it on the frame ID.

Shaft 13 and its cam I2 may be rotated to lift plate P. by any suitable driving means such as a motor, not shown, which drives the belt and pulley 25, 26 which drives the shaft 21 and its worm 28 which may engage worm wheel 15 on as@937244a the power drivewhich includesi belt. and;l puliey 25' the said shaft T3; The cams 12'A are so `positioned with respect toy the intermittent drive herein before described that they` operate to lif-t the plate P after pin |'|A has left the star-wheel t6; In other words, the star-wheel has first been moved to the new position to bring a newV hub andY its hub Support into drilling position and then` the cams lift plate Pl to lift the hubs into engagement with the drill- Raising plate P raises shafts 62, the slotted member Gif, and the respectiveV hub supports I2 which are in engagement with said slotted members tofmove the hubs H carried by the respective hub supports into the jigsv against the pressure of springs 42 to permit theV drillsI to bore the holes. The plate P is normallybiased towardA lowered position by means ofn springs4 83, 8,4.

It is essential that'the table Il beY heldin fixed position before the plate P starts its upward movement, and therefore locking and dening means are provided which become eii'ective as soon` as the table has been turned into its new position andbefore the plate P' begins to move upwardly for locking the table, in position. For this purpose an additional cam 1B is provided on shaft` 13 and is adapted to engage a lever 'H pivotedv on the fixed frame atl-8 and at its upper end engaging a pin T9 on a pin `or plunger 8U which is` adapted to cooperate with openings 8| in the periphery of the table cam moves lever 'Il' outwardly to pull the` pin 80 out of the opening 8| when the intermittent drive isl about to take effect to move the table to its new position. As soon, however, as the pin I"|' has disengaged the star-wheel' I6', that is, as soon as the table has been mvedthrough another step to its new position, the cam TSpe-rmits the` lever |'|v to move inwardly under the pressure of a spring 82 pressing against the end of plunger 8D to permit said plunger to enter the respective opening 8| in the` table and hold it while plate P begins to move the hub supports |2 upwardly. When the drilling has been eiiected and plate P' moves downwardly, the cam 16 becomes eilective to move lever outwardly against the action of spring |32` and thusv disengage -plunger Sfrom opening 8|V in table l| to permit the intermittent drive to move the table to its next posi'- tion. The pin 80 may be provided with a tapered point 83 so that any indeniteness of position of table will not prevent engagement with openings 8`| and willY correct such indefniteness by bringing the table to the proper step position.

The full cycle of operation is apparent from the above description and may be briefly summarized as follows: 'Ihe intermittent star-wheel drive rotates turntable through a given angular distance to move the drilled hub out of drilling position and bring a new hub into drilling position. The table is locked in this position by the action of plunger 80 under controloi cam '|6. Then the plate P is lifted through the action of cams 'I2 to lift the hubs on supports l2 into the jigs and. eect drilling. The plate is then lowered, the plunger 80. withdrawn from table and the star-wheel mechanism againis actuated through the next step. In the interval that table is stationary, the drilled hubs are removed from the hub supports and. undrilledhubs are placedthereon.

Since the drillingV ofr the hubs produces consid'- erable waste material which drops upon table |.|`..and may clogthe mechanism, means are profrom the surface oi' the table. For this purpose,

Normally, the

and 25 may drive through fi-irtherfbeltl andi pulleyy arrangements 852, 85, 811', 88 'and' 89 to rotate' a1 horizontalf shaft 9'01/ extending inwardly over plate` and carrying at itsy innerendl a brush 91| will thus be continuously rotated aboutA alhorizontal axis. The brush is so positioned andl the direction of rotation so controlled thatA the brushwill engage the surface ofthe tableduringA each revolution of the brush and move outwardlyitowardE the circumference or the table` and then upwardly. In this movement thebrush alsoiremoves the-drilled; hubs. Thus there` is a conti`n uous brushing of waste material anddrilled; hubs past the outer periphery'o the table. The waste material and drilled hubs are caught inea screen iilter which permitsY the waste to pass" but holdsr back the drilledv hubs.

In order thatA the hub supports lf2' whichnorm-ally proect upwardly through the truntablef |"|V shall not interfere withrv the operation oflbruslr 9|, the cam track 5'| is provided witha depressedv portion 51 in cooperativerelation with the brush- 9|. The rollers ."it-l atthe end of lever arms 53 will drop into the depression 5l' carrying levers 53 downwardly and hence carrying the respectivehub supports |2 downwardly untiltlieyf are beneath the surface' of theV turntable in that por'- tion of the'tableover which'brushS-/l Voperates and thus will-not interfere with the brush The drilled hubs remain on the surface of the table after the supports I2y arev depressed, until the brush sweeps them oft;

As shown in Fig. 1 of. the drawings, a pluralityy of drills may be provided and thesey may be enrploye'd in` various combinations for performing` various operational sequences. Thus; in-

stance, to drill the-hub shown in- Figs. 10 and; lil:

which calls for drilling Vfirst av countersunk hole 93', then a large hole El andi iinally a small, hole.

drill, While drill'v C is provided with the finer drill'` After the hub has had the oountersinlrV drilled by drill A, it will, two steps later, have hole. Sill. drilled by drill B, andv threeV stepslater in. the. intermittent drive of plate ||v itA will reaohvdrill C where. the fine hole will be drilled; It willbe understood' that. all of the drills. are operatingA simultaneously on the respective hubsA which. are, in cooperative relation. During this, operation the turntable |'I moves; at` each step through'the. angular distance a. However, when. a hub offthe type shown in Fig. 12 'is to be drilled,A such. hub: requiring but a single hole, then only. drllsB and C are employed and each, performs. the same function. In this instance, the drive is changed so that the table. rotates at each step through: the angular distanceZ, and sincedrills B and C are. the angular distance 3a apart, alternate hubv supportswillengage drill B and drill C. In other words, a support that goes under drill B and has the hole 96 drilled in the, hub H will in the next step ofthe tableV rotate the distance 2a (onestop in advance of drill C) and in the next step ofthe. table will advance another distance 2a (which is one step beyond drill C). On the other hand.. the next succeeding support I2, for example the one at position |10 when the drill B is drilling ahub, will in the next step of thetable advance tol positiony |01 one step beyond .drill4 B but twol steps before drill' C. Therefore on the next double step of the table thehub in position will advance into position to be drilled by drillC. Thus alternate hubs on hub Vsupports I2, will engage drill BA while the hubs between thosewhich engage drill B will engage drill C. In this way both drills B and C Will drill holes 95 in their respective hubs H' at the same time and the rate of production will be increased because lat each angular double step of the table two hubs will be drilled. j

'I'he above operation implies that the angular distance through which table II may be moved can be adjusted from movement of angle a at each step to movement of angle 2a at each step. For this purpose the following mechanism is provided: The pin I1 carried by disc I8 may occupy either one of two positions on said disc. In position S, nearer the center of the disc, the pin will engage the teeth of the star-wheel for ashorter interval to effect a smaller angular movement of the wheel than when the pin is in position S farther removed from the center of the disc. Position S' is so determined that pin |1 in this position will effect twice the angular movement of the star-wheel for each rotation of gear 20 than when said pin is in position S. Y v.

vWhen the pin |1 is moved to position S from position S it may be found that it does not coinn cide with the center of an opening between` two adjacent teeth of the star-wheel and that unless some adjustment is made the pin I1 will not enter the notch in the star-wheel freely but will strike one of the teeth. To effect the necessary adjustment without interfering with the `meshing relationship of gears 20 and 22, the shaft I9 and its concentric gears and discs are mounted on the support |I0 by sets of screws |30 entering openings |3| in the support. A second set of openings V|32 may be provided so that the shaft I9, disc |8 and pin |1 may be moved along the plane' surface I|2 of support ||0 to the necessary position to cause the pin I1 to cooperate with the notches in the star-wheel When the pin is moved to position S'. The axis of shaft I9 when pin |1 isin position S and the screws I3I) are in openings |3| ylies to one side of a normal to the plane ||2 a distance equal to one-half the distance between sets of openings |3| and |32. lWhen theshaft I9 (with its gears and discs) is moved toadjusf for the screw in position S', it is moved to aV position on the other side of the normal equal to onehalf the distance between sets of openings I3I and I32. The distance between the axes of shafts IS and 35 remains the same in the two positions and therefore the meshing of gears 20 and 22` is unaffected by the adjustment. l f

The drill motors M, M'. M may be mounted in any suitable manner, preferably so that` they may be adjusted vertically to permit boring, of holes of any lengths in hubs of various lengths'l In drilling hubs such as H, shown in the drawings, it frequently happens that these hubs are not all of the same length and thereforeV holesvof diierent lengths may be drilled becausecertain of the hubs will project above the hub supports for greater distances than others. To insure constant length of drill hole regardless of the length of hub, there may be provided on the armature |80 of the drill motor, a sleeve |50 whichexten'ds above the drill point a predetermined distance corresponding to the depth of hole to be drilled.

The motor armature is of a resiliently mounted type When the hub support lifts the hub into the jig 4| and against the drill, the latter will descend into the hub until the hub Aor jig engages sleeve |50, after which further upward movement of the hub will cause no further entrance of the drill because the sleeve and motor armature will lift, and hence the drill and hub will lift together. A constant depth of drilling is thus assured regardless of the length of the hub.

It sometimes occurs that a hub will stick in the jig after the hub support is withdrawn. The next hub support lifts its hub into the jig and attempts to complete its stroke under the pressure of the lifting .plate P and the driving mechanism, despite the presence of the jammed prior hub. This creates great pressure throughout the entire systemandwould cause considerable damage if it werenot relieved. For this purpose any suitable type of one-Way overrunning clutch (not shown) may be employed in the drive system, preferably between the double pulley 25-85 and the shaft 21.

Another method of preventing damage to the machine caused by the presence of a jammed prior hub is shown in Fig. 3. This includes a bell crank |60 pivoted at ISI on a member |52 which in turn is xed to the main frame ID 0f the machine. One arm |53 of the bell crank is connected to the upper end of lever 11 through a link |64 so that when cam 16 moves lever 11 to cause pin 80 to disengage the table and permit the latter to be rotated, the bell crank will be rocked about its pivot (counter-clockwise in Fig. 3) The other arm |65 of the bell crank is normally in close proximity to the hub H positioned within the jig 4|. If the drilled hub H has descended with its hub support l2, then the arm |65 of the bell crank meets no opposition when the bell crank is rotated counter-clockwise, the lever 11 moves outwardly, and the table is rotated to its next step position. However, if a hub has stuck in the jig after its support I2 has descended, the arm |65 of the bell crank will strike the hub H and prevent rotation of the bell crank counter-clockwise and hence prevent lever 11 from moving outwardly. Pin remains in engagement with the table I I, and since the driving mechanism continues to operate, the excess resistance will cause the overrunning clutch mentioned in the preceding paragraph to become effective to release the driving connections. Since the table cannot be turned to a new position until the hub H is removed from the jig, it is not possible to jam a second hub into the same jig before the rst has been removed.

Still another solution of the above problem of preventing damage to the machine by a jammed hub is disclosed in Fig. 13. Here the distance through which pins 44 are raised is utilized to operate a safety mechanism. A single hub in the jig is raised a predetermined distance. If this hub is jammed and a second hub enters the jig before the rst hub has been removed, the jig and its pin 44 will obviously be raised a greater distance than normally. Any tendency to exceed the predetermined distance through which pin 44 is raised is caused to operate safety mechanism in the form of a clutch |18 for disconnecting the driving mechanism. For this purpose the flange 49 0n pin 44 is caused to engage a stop |1| carried by a lever I 12 pivoted at |13 on the fixed frame I0. The stop is set at the predetermined position to which the flange 49 on pin 44 is raised for drilling one hub. If this distance is exceeded (as in the case where a hub jams and a second hub enters the same jig before the first has been removed), the flange 49 will engage a stop |1| to rock the lever |12 which actuates an operating leverI15 pivoted at |16 on the'xed arm to disconnect clutch lill against the action of a spring il? which tends to keep the clutch in engagement. This clutch, like the overrunning clutch heretofore mentioned, may be interposed between the driving mechanism and the shaft 21 which carries the double pulley 26, 85.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principle and operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other equivalent means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

I claim:

1. In an automatic machine having an operating member, a turntable for supporting a plurality of articles to be operated on by said member, means for driving said turntable step by step to bring said articles successively into cooperative I relation to said operating member, said means comprising a star-wheel, a drive for said starwheel including a rotatable member supported for rotation about an axis displaced from the axis of the star-wheel, a pin carried by said member and adapted to enter the spaces between the teeth of the star-wheel to impart a throw to said star-wheel during each rotation of said member, and means whereby the position of said pin relative to said rotatable member and said star-wheel may be varied to vary the throw of the star-wheel with each rotation of said member.

2. In an automatic machine having an operating member, a turntable for supporting a plurality of articles to be operated on by said member, means for driving said turntable step by step to bring said articles successively into cooperative relation to said operating member, said means comprising a star-wheel, a drive for said starwheel including a rotatable member supported for rotation about an axis displaced from the axis of the star-wheel, a pin carried by said member and adapted to enter the spaces between the teeth of the star-wheel to impart a throw to said star-wheel during each rotation of ,said member, means whereby the position of said pin relative to said rotatable member and said starwheel may be varied to vary the throw of the star-wheel with each rotation of said member, a gear drive for said rotatable member including a gear carried by said member and a second gear meshing with said first gear, and means for moving the axis of said member linearly with respect to said star-wheel and said second gear to eiiect cooperation of said pin with the spaces between the star-wheel teeth.

3, In an automatic machine having an operating member, a turntable for supporting a plurality of articles to be operated on by said member, means for driving said turntable step by step to bring' said articles successively into cooperative relation to said operating'me'mber, said means comprising a star-wheel, a drive for said starwheel including a rotatable member supported for rotation about an axis displaced from the axis of the star-wheel, a pin carried by said member and adapted to enter the spaces between the teeth of the star-wheel to impart a throw to said ,star-wheel during each rotation of said member,

means whereby the position of said pin relative to said rotatable member and said star-wheel may be varied to vary the throw of the starwheel with each rotation of said member, a gear drive for said rotatable member including a gear carried by said member and a second gear meshing with said rst gear, and means for moving the axis of said member linearly with respect to said star-wheel and said second gear to effect cooperation of said pin with the spaces between the star-wheel teeth, the axis of said member and said gear being moved from a position a predetermined distance to one side of a normal drawn from the axis of the second gear to the plane of said linear movement to a position which is an equal distance on the other side of a normal whereby said linear movement does not affect the mesh of said gears.

a. In an automatic machine having an operating member, a turntable for supporting a plurality of articles to be operated on by said member, means for driving said turntable step by step to bring said articles successively into cooperative relation to said operating member, said means comprising a complete gear and a mutilated gear adapted during each revolution thereof to engage and disengage said first gear, and means for maintaining the synchronism of said gears, said last-named means comprising a, cam plate movable with said complete gear and having a groove, a detent coacting with said groove, and means whereby said detent is adapted to engage said groove when said mutilated gear disengages said complete gear and to disengage said groove when said mutilated gear engages said complete gear.

LEO ROBBINS.

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