US2404480A - Article-positioning mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 23, E946. M. g. FERNALD 2,404,480

ARTICLE-P05 ITIONING MECHANISM 4 Original Filed March 11, 1942 0 fill w 174 176' Fig. 3

W; 41mm Patented July 23, 1946 ARTICLE-fQSITIONINQ Mark E. Fernal'd, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New'Jer-sey Original application March 11, 1942, Serial No. 434,301, now Patent N 0. 2,381,893, dated August 6, 1945. Divided and this application March 30, 1943, Serial No. 481,113 V 23 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mechanism by which various articles may be positioned in a predetermined manner, it being of especial utility in determining the direction of advance of such headed articles as shells for cartridges. The present case is a division of the application for improvements in distributing apparatus filed in my name in the United States Patent Ofiice on March 11, 1942, and bearing the Serial No. 434,- 301 and issued August 14, 1945 as Patent No. 2,381,893.

When articles of definite form are taken from a heterogeneous mass for treatment, it may be desirable to deliver them in a predetermined manner, depending upon their form, an instance of this being furnished by the previously mentioned distribution or cartridge-shells. An object of my invention is to efiect such positioning of articles by mechanism simple in character, certain in action, and capable of being adapted readily to varying conditions. This object I achieve by combining with means, as a raceway or raceways, for delivering such articles as cartridge-shells, or the like, an inverting device separated by a space from the delivering means and to which the articles are advanced, this device being movable by the forward ends of the articles in the direction of advance from the delivering means until the articles at the rear have left the delivering means to fall into the space. In a cartridge-shell, this forward end may be that opposite the head. The reverse or head-end of the article may overbalance at the end of the delivering means without reaching the inverting mechanism, so all the articles assume like positions. The inverting device may also act as a support or guide for the article during its reception and inversion, and may have a member which is movable against the received article to complete its inversion. Into contact with the inverting device the articles are forced by a roll or other means, associated with the delivering means. The normal relation of the inverting device to the delivering means and the resistance of the inverting member to displacement are preferably variable to adapt these to the articles operated upon. The illustrated form of the inverting device includes a spring supported with its 1ength transverse to the end of the raceway, and a contact member carried by the spring and being displaceable by the advancing articles. The member is preferably in the form of a loop capable of acting as the above-mentioned support and guide for the advancing articles, and with the loop is shown an associated finger, which s app nFiss. ;1 and 4 c the.

. 2 by movement against the article engaging the loop completes its inversion. The .resistanceof the spri g to displacement of the loop, the normal relation of said loop'to the raceway or delivering means, and the vertical positions of the contact member and .finger may all be variable to adapt the device to operate effectively upon a wide range of sizes and weights of articles. It will be seen that the inverting means is a unitary device without complication in structure or mounting, and requiring the application of no power other than thatfurnished by the advancing articles. Since the portion of the articles which acts upon the inverting-device may vary in form, as in thecase of necked or'unnecked cartridge-shells, the necked shells-may engage the contact member or loop at their peripheries to-displace it, while associated with this member is a second abutment member, beyond the loop,

which is engaged by the leading edges of 'the open ends of the un'neckedshells. In thelatter case, the loop acts only as a support or guide for the articles. livered from a plurality of raceways, and here a convenient arrangement of the positioning mechanism consists of a series of vertical plates, between which are filler-pieces forming. discharge-throats and above which the respective raceways terminate. Between each ,pair of plates, the spring for the contact member or loop of the inverting device is supported, with said contact member opposite the end of the corresponding raceway, while upon the plates thea'diusting means for the springs are mounted.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating .a particular embodiment of this invention,

Fig; l is a view in side elevation of .my improvedpositioning mechanism, together .withlthe more closely associated elements, a necked shell, open end foremost, beingacted'upon Fig; 2 shows said inverting mechanism in. 61.6.,- va-tion as viewed from the left in Fig. 1 V

3 is. a separated perspective of elements of the-inverting device; 7 1

Fig.4, a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the path of a .shell proceeding flangedend foremost; and .7

Fig. 5, a like view in which theopenepd of a The invention as herein disclosed is adapted shells S or S, these'having g nera y drical' bodies or barrels, 011 15- Q eae hi h isclosedand has afiange 's,'whi1 e-;the ,0 Si

Usually the articles are de- 3 has a reduced neck s between which neck and the barrel is a shoulder s". Or, as the shell S is shown in Fig. 5, the barrel may be gradually tapered from near the flange to its open end, thus being without the neck or shoulder.

At W, in Fig. 1, appears a raceway structure, a transverse series of forwardly and downwardly inclined grooved bars being clamped between opposite supporting side-plates 88. These bars are shown as furnished by successive upper sections H4 and lower sections I24, there being between the sections of each raceway an open space I28. Projecting upwardly through each of these spaces is the transversely grooved periphery of a roll I30 fixed to a shaft I34, which is constantly rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, during the operation of the mechanism, by belt-gearing I40. Cartridge-shells S descending the raceways are engaged by the rolls and urged forward, proper contact with said rolls being ensured by leafsprings I52 attached to a cover-plate I50 of the raceways and bearing at their free ends upon the descending shells, a continual supply of which is furnished. from an unillustrated receptacle. There is consequently delivered positively from the end of each raceway, under the influence of the corresponding roll I30, a continuous series of shell end-to-end. The shells of each series beyond the roll, save that which is leading, are rearticles which are differently formed at their 0D- ated beyond the raceway-sections I24, the selecting and inverting mechanism I mounted upon a set of parallel vertical plates 92, Between adjacent plates and individual to each raceway, a discharge-throat I56 is formed between an inner filler-plate I58 and an outer filler-plate I60, ta-

perin-g downwardly and inwardly to a dischargepassage I62. At I63 the opposite edges of the filler-plates are grooved to facilitate the movement of the shells between them. The outer filler-plate is arranged by slot-and-pin mountings I64, I64, to swing outwardly and upwardly, so access may be had to the throat to relieve cloggoing. Supported at I56 between the upper portions of the plates 92 above each discharge-throat is a leaf-spring I68 extending transversely of the raceway, and having secured to its lower extremity a clamping plate I69 provided with front and rear spaced walls. Between these walls, by a bolt I10, spaced arms of a loop I1I are held for vertical adjustment. Also vertically adjustable by slots, through which the bolt passes, is a wall or abutment I14, lying outside the loop HI, and a contact-finger or projection I15 extending inwardly and upwardly therefrom. Each of the inverting devices, including the spring, 100D, abutment and contact member, is variable as to its normal position by engagement at the inner side with an eccentric stop I18, having projecting spindles rotatable in the plates 92 and which may be turned to different angular positions and fixed by a set-screw I19, threaded into one of the plates 4 92 and engaging one of the spindles. The tension of the spring maybe changed by a lever I00, fulcrumed between the plates 92 and bearing at its upper extremity against. the inner side of the spring, The lower end of each lever lies opposite openings I32 in the plates 92, and has an angular projection I84 extending into one of these openings. A screw I86 is threaded horizontally through the outer edge of each of the plates and into its opening where it carries nuts I81 engaging the opposite sides of the projection. As the screw is turned and the upper end of the lever swung thereby outwardly or inwardly, the spring IE8 is urged with greater or less force against an abutment I88 between the plates 92 and also against the stop I18. The tension of the spring is thereby increased or decreased, and the resistance to displacement of the lower end of the spring, and the elements which it carries, correspondingly altered. It will also be seen that provision is made by the eccentric I18 for varying the space between the entire inverting device and the end of the corresponding raceway; and by the slotted connection of the bolt I10 for changing the vertical position of the loop HI, and the time of engagement of the finger I15 with the top of the shell. Thus, the most advantageous conditions may be established for shells of widely differing dimensions and weights.

As appears in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the reduced open end of a leading necked shell S is forward. As the series of shells is forced ahead by the roll Hit, the neck passes into the space within the loop I11 which, at the bottom, supports it against falling and at the sides guides it laterally. The shoulder s" bears against the arms of the loop. The flanged end of the shell rests in proximity to the forward end of the raceway-bar I24. As the advance of the series of shells by the roll continues, the loo-p and. portion of the spring below the abutment I88 are deflected outwardly, the necked end of the shell passing above the groove in the upper edge of the filler-plate I50. This continues until the flanged end of the shell has left the raceway-bar I24. At this time, the deflection of the spring has brought the contact-finger I16 against the upper side of the shell, and exerts thereon a force urging the flanged end sharply down, so it'is turned into the throat I56 about the closed lower end of the loop I1I as a pivot. It therefore falls flange down into the discharge-passage I62, thence into a receiving passage 230. To render certain the downward direction of the flanged portion, the upturned end of the flng'er'continues the pressure upon the shell, as the spring I68 receives its final deflection/ Had the shell left the raceway flanged end first, the weight of this would have been sufficient to'overbalance it at the end of the raceway beforetheloop I1I had been reached. This is .as illustrated in Fig.4. This shell also would fall flange foremost into the discharge-passage. If shells or other articles have a portion beyond the flanged or'heavy end, cylindrical or gradually tapered throughout instead of necked at the open end, the space between the arms of the loop would be, of sufiicient width to pass this end of the shell without. defiection in the spring. Under such conditions the arms act merely as lateral guides, the bottom of the loop supporting the leading end of the shells as before. The wall I14 now. becomes effective to bend thespring outwardly, the ,delivery of the'shell, flanged end down to theidis'chargepassage, being as already described; It is to be noted that this wall I'M may also be utilized for the delivery of necked shells, the space between the arms of the loop being of a width which will readily pass the barrel as well as the neck.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with means for delivering articles, of an inverting device" to which the articles are advanced by the delivering means, said device including a member receiving contact of the end of the article and being movable by said article to eiTect its inversion and a member movable with the contact-receiving member and against the article as a result of the movement of the contact-receiving member to complete its inversion.

2. The combination with means for deliverin articles, or an inverting device to which the articles are advanced by the delivering means, said device including a member receiving contact of the end of the article and being movable by said article to effect its inversion, and means cooperating with the delivering means for forcing articles against the inverting device and thereby effecting its movement.

3. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring supported with its length transverse to the end of the raceway and a member carried by the spring and being displaceable by contact of the advanced shells.

4. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring, a member carried by the spring and being displaceable by contact of the advanced shells and a member carried by the spring and upon displacement of the first-mentioned member being movable against the shells.

5. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring, a member carried by the spring and being displaceable by contact of the advanced shells and a member carried by the spring and being movable against the shells, the last-mentioned member extending rearwardly and upwardly above the advanced shells.

6. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring and a member carried by the spring and being displaceable by contact of the advanced shells, an abutment for one side of the spring, an eccentric stop for the opposite side of the spring, and means contacting with the spring for forcing it against the abutment and stop.

7. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring, an abutment for one side of the spring, an eccentric stop for the opposite side of the spring, a member engaging the spring, and means arranged to vary the force of engagement of the member with the spring.

8. The combination with a raceway for delivering cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including a spring and a placeable by contact of the advanced shells', and a rotatable roll -co'-operating withthe raceway to forceshells against themember. M

9.. The combination with a racewayfor delivering" necked shouldered cartridge-shells, of a shell-invertingdevice to whichthe shells are advanced by the raceway, said device including aspring and a member carried by the spring and having portions between which the necks of the shells may pass, said portions'being displaceable by contact of the shoulders of 'the'advanced shells.

10.'The combination with a raceway for 'delivering headed cartridge-shells, of a shell-invertingdevice to which the shells are advanced by the raceway. said device including; a spring and a member-carried by the spring and having portions between which the open ends of the shells may pass, and a member carried by the spring and having portions between which the openendsofthe shell may pass and a member carried-by-the spring and displaceable by contact of the'leading edges of the open ends of the'advanced shells. a

'11. The combination with a'racewayfor delivering headed cartridge-shells, of a shell-inverting device to which the shells are advanced by the raceway,said device including a spring, a-member carried by the springand being displaceable by contact of the leading edgesof the open endsof the advanced shells and a member carried by the spring for engagement with the peripheries'of said shells. I

12. The combination with a raceway, of a spring 'supported at the end of the raceway, a loop carried by the spring opposite said end of the raceway and arranged to admit articles advanced from the raceway and to be displaced by said articles.

13. The combination with a raceway, of a spring supported at the end of the raceway, a loop carried by the spring opposite said end of the raceway and arranged to admit and guide articles advanced from the raceway, and an abutment carried by the spring at the side of the loop opposite the raceway and which receives contact 'of and is displaced by the articles. 14. The combination with a raceway, of a spring supported at the end of the raceway, a loop carried by the spring opposite said end of the raceway and arranged to admit and guide articles advanced from the raceway, an abutment carried by the spring at the side of the loop opposite the raceway and which receives contact of and is displaced by. the articles, and means arranged to vary the position of the loop and abutment longitudinally of the spring. 7

15. The combination with a raceway, of a spring supported at the end of the raceway, a loop carried by the spring opposite said end of the raceway and arranged to admit articles advanced from the raceway and to be displaced by said articles, and a finger extending from the spring toward the raceway and movable into engagement with articles leaving said raceway.

16. The combination with a raceway, of a spring supported at the end of the raceway, a

loop carried by the spring opposite said end of the raceway and arranged to admit articles advanced from the raceway and to be displaced by said articles, a finger extending from the spring means arranged to vary the relation between the loop. and finger.

. 17. The combination with a raceway, of a spring supported at the end of the raceway, aloop carried by the spring opposite saidendof the raceway and arranged to admit articles advanced from the raceway and to be displaced by said articles, and a finger extending from the spring toward the raceway and movable into engage: ment with articles leaving said raceway, said finger being turned upwardly andrearwardly from the loop.

18. The combination with a raceway, of a leaf spring depending beyond the end of the raceway, upper, and lower abutmentswith which opposite sidesof the spring contact, one of said abutments being furnished by an eccentric variable in position, and means carried by the lower end of the spring for engagement by articles leaving the raceway.

19. The combination with a raceway, or a leafspring depending beyond the end of the raceway, upper and lower abutments with which opposite sides of the spring contact, a member movable against the spring to vary its tension, and means carried by the lower end of the spring for engagement by articles leaving the raceway.

20. The combination with a series of vertical plates, of spaced filler-pieces situated between each. pair of adjacent plates and forming discharge-throats, a raceway terminating between each pair of plates above the discharge-throat, a spring supported between each pair of plates above the discharge-throat, an abutment supported between each pair of plates a leverfulcrumed between each pair of plates for engagement with the corresponding spring, and a screw threaded through one of the plates oi a pair and contacting with the lever to force it against the spring and said sprin against the abutment.

21. The combination with means for delivering articles, of an inverting device separated by a space from the delivery-end of said means and. including a member furnishing a support for the forward end of each article while the rear end of said article rests upon the delivering means, the inverting device being movable by the article in the direction of advance from the delivering means until the rear of the article has left said delivering means and falls inverted into the space.

22. The combination with means for delivering articles, of an inverting device separated by a space from the delivery-end of said means and including a member furnishing a support for the forward end of each article while the rear end of said article rests upon the delivering means, the inverting device being movable by the article in the direction of advance from the delivering means until the rear of the article has left said delivering means and falls inverted into the space, and means arranged to vary the resistance of the inverting device to movement by the advancing article.

23. The combination with means for delivering articles, of an inverting device separated by a space from the delivery-end of said means and including a member furnishing a support for the forward end of each article while the rear end of said article rests upon the delivering means, the inverting device being movable by the article in the direction of advance from the delivering means until the rear of the article has left saiddelivering means and falls inverted into the space, and means arranged to vary the width of the space between the delivering means and the inverting device.

MARK E. FERNALD.

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