US2439077A

US2439077A - Forming machine

Info

Publication number: US2439077A
Authority: US
Inventors: Guy O Conner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-05-29
Filing date: 1946-05-29
Publication date: 1948-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 1965-04-06

Description

April 6, 1948. r o. co 2,439,077

FORMING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOR Guy 0. Conner Fig.1.

April 6, 1948. e. o. CONNER FORMING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Guy 0. g c i er Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FORMING MACHINE Guy 0. Conner, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application May 29, 1946, Serial No. 672,957

6 Claims. (Cl. 164-436) closest together move laterally generally in the same direction. Such forming machines are disclosed, for example, in my Patent No. 2,406,808.

It has been customary, as, for example, in forming machines of the type disclosed in my said patent, to gear directly together opposed shafts on which opposed forming heads are respectively mounted. This has been entirely satisfactorywhen the distance between the axes of said shafts has been relatively short. As the distance between the shafts increases the pitch diameter of gears carried by the shafts and which intermesh with each other increases apace. But as the pitch diameter of the gears increases the peripheral velocity of the gears likewise increases in proportion for a given speed of operation of the machine in cycles per minute.

It may be desirable to space the respective shafts carrying the working heads widely apart, as, for example, to provide unusually great die space or to allow for the positioning of feeding or other means between the shafts. If the distance between the shafts is increased above that distance which causes the peripheral velocity of opposed intermeshing gears for the desired speed of the machine in cycles per minute to exceed about 5200 feet per minute gear wear increases very rapidly. It is important that the peripheral velocity of the gears be kept well below the critical value.

I provide means for operating a forming machine having the shafts which carry the forming heads widely spaced but which does not require the gears to operate at a peripheral velocity undesirably close to the critical, point even for the highest speeds at which the machine is likely to be operated. I do away with large directly intermeshing gears on the shafts which carry the working heads. Oh those shafts I provide gears of materially smaller pitch diameter than the distance between the shaft axes. I provide supplementalgearing for causing operation of the opposed shafts so that they rotate in opposite directions but at the same speed.

I provide a forming machine comprising op-.- posed parallel shafts, gears on said shafts, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance between the axes of said shafts, other gears meshing with said first mentioned gears whereby said shafts rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, eccentric means on said shafts and cooperating forming heads operable by said eccentric means so that upon rotation of 'said shafts said heads partake of motion toward and away from each other .and when closest together move also laterally generally in the same direction. I also preferably employ counterweight means counterbalancing the working heads. The counterweight means may be mounted on eccentrics on the shafts carrying the working heads but which eccentrics are different from the eccentrics on which the working heads are mounted.

I preferably provide shaft means additional to the shafts which carry the working heads disposed generally intermediate said shafts and parallel thereto and gears on said additional shaft means meshing with gears on the headcarrying shafts whereby the head-carrying shafts rotate in opposite directions at the same speed.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a forming machine, the section being taken transversely of the direction of feed of work through the machine, and

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure l.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a forming machine having an upper forming head 2, a lower forming head 3, an upper counterweight 4 and a lower counterweight 5. The upper head 2 and the upper counterweight 4 are mounted on two parallelupper shafts 6 and I. The lower head 3 and the lower counterweight 5 are mounted on two parallel lower shafts 8 and 9. All four of the shafts 8, I, 8 and 9 are parallel to one another, the shafts 6 and I lying in a horizontal plane and the shafts 8 and 9 lying in a lower horizontal plane. The shafts 6 and 8 lie in the same vertical plane and the shafts I and 9 lie in the same vertical plane.

The shafts 8 and I are rotated in one direction and the shafts 8 and 9 are rotated in the opposite direction. Referring to Figure 2, if, for example, the shafts 8 and I rotate clockwise the shafts 8 and 8 rotate counterclockwise. The outer or right hand ends of the shafts viewing Figure l are mounted in outboard bearings l0. All four shafts are rotated in unison at the same speed by driving mechanism now to be described.

The shafts 8, I, 8 and 9 carry respectively in plane A (Figure 1)

gears

45, 48, 41 and 48. These gears, as clearly appears in the drawings. have pitch diameters materially less than the distance between the axes of opposed shafts, as, for example, shafts 6 and 8, The gears 45 and 46 are geared together by a gear 49 keyed to a shaft 50. The gears 41 and 48 are geared together by a gear keyed to a shaft 52. The shafts 58 and 52 are parallel with the shafts 6, I, 8 and 9. The axis of the shaft 50 is disposed in the plane defined by the axes of the shafts 6 and I and is equidistant from said axes. The axis of the shaft 52 is disposed in the plane defined by the axes of the shafts 8 and 9 and is equidistant from said axes. The gears 49 and 5| are disposed in plane A.

In plane B there is keyed to the shaft 1 a gear 53 identical with the gear 46 and there is keyed to the shaft 52 a gear 54 identical with the gear 5|. Mounted generally between the upper and lower sets of shafts are two

intermediate shafts

55 and 56. In plane B there is keyed to the shaft 55 a gear SI'Which meshes with the gears 53 and In plane c there is keyed to the shaft 8 a gear 58 identical with the gear 41 and there is keyed to the shaft 50 a gear 59 identical with the gear 49. In plane C there is keyed to the shaft 56 a gear 60 which meshes with the gears 58 and 59.

As will be seen from the above explanation the opposed shafts 6 and 8 and the opposed shafts 1 and 9 are not directly intergeared but instead the respective shafts 6 and I are indirectly geared to the respective shafts 8 and 9 so that all four of those shafts rotate simultaneously at the same speed, the shafts 6 and I in one direction and the shafts 8 and 9 in the opposite direction. The driving mechanism may be operated by driving any one of the shafts 6, I, 8. and 9,'

a driving gear 6| being shown on the shaft 8 (Figure 1) adapted to be operated from any suitable source of power. The gear 6| may be replaced by an equivalent driving element such,

for example, as a pulley or a sprocket.

Thus the forming machine is driven by gearing composed of gears'of relatively small pitch diameters which operate the shafts in precisely the same manner as though opposed shafts were directly intergeared but without the employment oflarge gears which would operate at undesirably high peripheral velocities.

Each of the shafts 6, I, 8 and 9 comprises portions I I and I2 for journaling the shaft for rotation and, intermediate those portions, eccentric portions I3, I4 and Ma. The portion II is concentric with the shaft axis. The portion I2 is eccentric with respect to the shaft axis but is adapted to receive thereover an eccentric sleeve I2a (Figure 1) keyed thereto. When the eccentric sleeve I2a is applied to the shaft portion I2 the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve I2a is concentric with the shaft axis. Therefore, the shaft rotates in bearings cooperating with the portion II of the shaft and the sleeve I2a keyed to the shaft.

The eccentric shaft portions I3 and Ma form eccentrics for mounting one of the heads, as, for example, the upper head 2. The head straddles the counterweight which is mounted about the eccentric shaft portion I4. In Figure 1 the high points of the eccentrics I3 and [4a are disposed upwardly. The eccentric for mounting the counterweight is shown at I5, being keyed to the shaft and its high point extending downwardly or diametrically opposite the high points of the eccentrics I3 and Ma. The eccentric I5 is applied to the shaft at the eccentric portion I4 thereof as shown in Figure 1, being keyed thereto by a key I5a.

Each shaft has a radial flange I6 against which lies a member I! which through projections Iii carried thereby and which respectively enter recesses I9 in the flange I6 is held against turning movement relatively to the shaft. The member H has a circumferential series of teeth 20 facing axially toward the right viewing Figure 1.

An eccentric sleeve 2| having a radial flange 2 la is mounted on the eccentric I3 and has teeth 22 normally in mesh with the teeth 20. The sleeve 2I in its normal position is disposed relatively to the eccentric I3 so that the high point of the sleeve'is in the same plane containing and in the same direction from the shaft axis as the high point of the eccentric. In its end face the flange 2Ia has radial projections 23 which are radially aligned with each other and one of which passes through the high point of the eccentric sleeve. An annular member 24 is disposed about the shaft to theright of the sleeve 2I viewing Figure 1 and has in its left hand face viewing such figure aligned radial slots 25 and in its right hand face other aligned radial slots which extend at right angles to the slots 25. The bore of the annular member 24 is, as shown, much larger than the shaft so that the member 24 is free to move transversely of the shaft as well as angularly. The radial projections 23 enter and are guidingly received by the slots 25 so that the sleeve 2| and the-annular member 24 may not rotate relatively to one another but may partake only of relative movement longitudinally of the projections 23, this being permitted because the bore of the member 24 is larger than the shaft.

Mounted-over the eccentric I5 is an eccentric sleeve 3i having aligned radial projections 3Ia at its left and right hand faces, all of which projections are in the same plane containing the shaft axis which extends at right angles to a plane containing the shaft axis and passing through the high point of the eccentric sleeve 3|. In other words, the projections 3Ic on the end faces of the eccentric sleeve 3| lie in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper viewing Figure 1.

The projections 3Ia at the left hand face of the eccentric sleeve 3| are guidingly received by the slots 3Ib in the right hand face of the annular member 24. Thus the annular member 24 and the sleeve 3I may not relatively rotate but may partake of relative movement longitudinally of the interfitting projections 3Ia and slots 3Ib. The sleeve 3I is normally disposed with its high point in the same plane containing and in the same direction from the shaft axis as the high point of the eccentric I5.

Mounted next the sleeve 3I is a member 34 similar to the member 24 and having aligned radial slots 3Ic in its left hand face which extend at right angles to the plane of the paper viewing Figure 1 and aligned radial slots 36 in its right hand face, the slots 36 extending in the plane of the paper viewing Figure 1 and hence being disposed at right angles to the slots 3Ic sleeve 39 having a flange 39a having aligned radial portions 39b, the eccentric sleeve 39 being similar to the eccentric sleeve 2|. The projections 39b extend through the high point of the sleeve 39. The high point of the sleeve is normally in the same plane containing and in onto the shaft and bears against the right. hand 1 end of the sleeve |2a to hold the members assembled.

When one ofthe eccentric sleeves 2| and 39 and the shaft are relatively turned the mechanism just described results in correspondingly relatively turning the other of such sleeves and the shaft and also in relatively turning the eccentric sleeve 3| and the shaft to maintain parallel planes through the shaft axis and through the high points of the eccentric sleeves 2|, 39 and 3|. The result of this is to maintain the high points of the resultant eccentrics or eccentric and eccentric sleeve combinations for the head and counterweight respectively directly opposite each other relative to the shaft axis. This insures that the head andcounterweight will always act on the shaft in opposite directions. When the sleeve |2a is in place as shown in Figfrictional resistance when turned up tightly against the sleeve flanges to hold the sleeves against turning. When the screws have been turned up to engage the sleeve flanges and the outboard bearing in, nut 49b and sleeve l2a have been removed a special sleeve is fitted over the end of the shaft, being keyed to the shaft so as to be non-rotatable with respect thereto. Turning of such sleeve turns the shaft so that it rotates relatively to the sleeves 2|? and 39 which by the screws are fixedly held relatively to the head so that they cannot turn. The connections above described between the eccentric sleeves 2|, 3|- and 39 insure predetermined relative turning between the eccentric sleeve 3| and the shaft upon predetermined relative turning between the eccentric sleeves 2| and 39 and the shaft. As explained above, such connections insure that planes through the shaft axis and through the high points of the eccentric sleeves 2|, 3| and 39 are maintained parallel which in turn results in the force of the counterweight always being exerted at a point diametrically opposite the point on the shaft at which the force of the head is exerted.

When the shaft has been turned to the desired extent the special sleeve is removed, the screws 4| are threaded back clear of the sleeve flanges and the sleeve |2a, the nut 40b and the outboard ure 1 and the nut b is turned up against the end of that sleeve all of the eccentric sleeves 2|, 3| and 39 are fixedly positioned relatively to each other and relatively to the shaft just as though the sleeves ,were integral parts of the shaft. This is because the member I! is nonrotatably mounted on the shaft, the teeth 20 on that member are in mesh with the teeth 22 on the sleeve 2|, the sleeves 2| and 3| are held in fixed relation with respect to each other by the annular member 24, the sleeves 3| and 39 are held in fixed relation with respect to each other by the annular member 34 and the teeth 40 on the sleeve 39 are in mesh with the teeth 40a on the sleeve |2a, which sleeve |2a is keyed to the shaft. I

When it is desired to relatively angularly adjust the shafts and the sleeves carried thereby the outboard bearings III are removed, the nuts 40!) are removed from the ends of the shafts and the sleeves |2a are likewise removed. .This leaves the eccentric sleeves 2|, 3| and 39 loose upon their respective eccentrics |3, I4 and Ma and free to partake of sufficient movement axially of the shafts to disengage the

teeth

20 and 22. Of course when the sleeve |2a is removed the teeth 40 and 40a are disengaged. With all the teeth thus disengaged t e. sleeves 2|, 3| and 39 are free to turn relati ely to the shafts.

To relatively angularly adjust the eccentric sleeves and shafts I hold certain of the eccentric sleeves against rotation and turn the shafts therein. I hold the eccentric sleeves 2| and 39 against movement relatively to the head 2 by means of screws 4| which are mounted in threaded bores in the head andare adapted to be turned so as to thread inwardly or toward the shaft until their noses engage the flanges 2|a and 39a of the sleeves 2| and 39, respectively. The screws 4| have fiat heads so that they create sufllcient bearing l0 arereplaced. The sleeves are then held in fixed position relatively to each other and to the shaft and the machine is again ready for operation.

Since the shafts are all geared together for op ration in unison it is only necessary that ing nuts and sleeves. The holding sleeves corresponding to the sleeve |2a must be capable of movement toward the ends of the shafts far enough to permit complete disengagement of both sets of teeth corresponding to the teeth 29 and 22 and the teeth 40 and 400. After the adjustment has been effected all of the screws 4| should be turned back to clear the flanges of the eccentric sleeves and the holding sleeves and nuts should be applied to all four shafts. The outboard bearings shouldof course also be applied to all four shafts before the machine is again put in operation.

The above described mechanism for adjust= ment of the relative angular positions of the eccentric means and the shafts is claimed in my copending application Serial No. 611,081.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the inventioan it is to.

2. A forming machine comprising Opp sed parallel shafts, gears on said shafts, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance between the axes of said shafts, other gears meshing with said first mentioned gears whereby said shafts rotate in opposite directions at the same speed, eccentric means on said shafts, cooperating forming heads operable by certain of said eccentric means so that upon rotation of said shafts said heads partake of motion toward and away from each other and when closest together move also laterally generally in the sanie direction and counterweight means operable by other of said eccentric means counterbalancing said heads.

3. A forming machine comprising opposed sets of parallel shafts, shafts of the respective sets being opposed to each other, gears on said shafts, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance between the axes of opposed shafts, other gears meshing with said first mentioned gears whereby the shafts of one set rotate in the same direction at the same speed and the shafts of the opposed set rotate in the same direction contrary to the direction of rotation of the shafts of the first mentioned set but at the same speed as that of the shafts of the first mentioned set, eccentric means on said shafts and cooperating forming heads respectively operable by the eccentric means on the shafts of the respective sets so that'upon rotation of said shafts said heads partake ofmotion toward and away from each other and when closest together move also laterally generally in the same direction. v

4. A forming machine comprising opposed sets of parallel shafts, shafts of the respective sets being opposed to each other, gears on said shafts, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance betweenthe axes of opposed shafts, a pair of intermediate shafts parallel to said first mentioned shafts and disposed generally between the opposed sets, a gear on one of said intermediateshafts meshing with a gear on a shaft of one of said sets and also geared to the shafts of the other of said sets, a gear on the other of said intermediate shafts meshing with a gear on a shaft of the second mentioned set and also geared to the shafts of the first mentioned set, whereby the shafts of the first mentioned set rotate in the same direction at the same speed and the shafts of the second mentioned set rotate in the same direction contrary to the direction of rotation of the shafts of the first mentioned set but at the same speed as that of the shafts of the first mentioned set, eccentric means on the shafts of said sets and cooperating forming heads respectively operable by the eccentric means on the shafts of the respective sets so that upon rotation of said shafts said heads partake of motion toward and away from each other and when closest together move also laterally generally in the same direction.

5. A forming machine comprising opposed sets of parallel shafts, shafts of the respective sets being opposed to each other, gears on said shafts, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance between the axes of opposed shafts, a pair of intermediate shafts parallel to said first mentioned shafts and disposed generally :between the opposed sets, a gear on one of said intermediate shafts meshing with a gear on a shaft of-one of said sets. and also geared to the shafts of the other of said sets, a gear on the other of said intermediate shafts meshing with a gear on a shaft of the second mentioned set and also geared to the shafts of the first mentioned set, whereby the shafts of the first mentioned set rotate in the same direction at the same speed and the shafts ,of the second mentioned set rotate in the same direction contrary to the direction of rotation of the shafts of the first mentioned set but at the same speed as that of the shafts of the first mentioned set, eccentric means on the shafts of said sets, cooperating forming heads respectively operable by certain of the eccentric means on the shafts of the respective sets so that upon rotation of said shafts said heads partake of motion toward and away from each other and when closest together move also laterally generally in the same direction and counterweight means operable by other of said eccentric means counterbalancing said heads.

6. A forming machine comprising opposed sets of parallel shafts, each set comprising three shafts, the respective shafts of the respective sets being opposed to each other, gears on the outer two shafts of each set, the pitch diameters of said gears being materially less than the distance between the axes of the. opposed outershafts, a pair of intermediate shafts parallel to the shafts of said sets and disposed generally between the opposed sets, a gear on one of said intermediate shafts meshing with a gear on an outer shaft of one of said sets and also with a gear on the. center shaft of the other of said sets, a gear on the other of said intermediate shafts meshing with a gear on an outer shaft of the second mentioned set and also with a gear on the center shaft of the first mentioned set,- whereby the outer shafts of the first mentioned set rotate in the same direction at the same speed and the outer shafts of ,the'second mentioned set rotate in the same direction contrary to the directionlof rotation of the outer shafts of the first mentioned set but at the same speed as that of the outer shafts of the first mentioned set, eccentric means on the outer shafts of said sets and cooperating forming heads respectively operable by the eccentric means on the outer shafts of the respective sets so that upon rotation of said shafts said heads partake of motion toward and away from each other and when closest together move also laterally generally in the same direction.

GUY 0. CONNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 846,362 wift Mar. 5, 1907 1,973,515 Talbot Sept. 11, 1934 2,258,339 Sieger Oct. 7, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,848 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1939