US2520200A

US2520200A - Ram construction

Info

Publication number: US2520200A
Application number: US703011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred J Ersted
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-10-12
Filing date: 1946-10-12
Publication date: 1950-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-29

Description

Aug, 299 E95@ A. J. ERSTE@ RAM CONSTRUCTION 2 SheetS-Sheet l Filed Oct. l2, 1946 Am@ 2% E95@ A. J, ERSTE@ RAM CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dot, l2i 'i946 INVENTOR ALF/2Enl. EzsrED ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE RAM lCONSTRUCTION Alfred J. Ersted, Atherton, Calif. v

Application October 12, 1946, Serial No. 703,011

15 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a ram construction for bag turning machines.

One object of the present invention is to provide a ram construction` which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture and highly elflcient in operation.

Another object is to provide a ram construction which is extremely quiet in operation.

vAnother object is to provide a ram construction which is readily adjustable to any bag and which may be accurately adjusted during operation.

Another object is to provide a ram construction which automatically signals insufficient lubrication thereof.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a'plan view of the ram construction of the present invention illustrating the ram in its retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view similar to Fig. l showing the ram in its forward and expanded position, certain portions being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the ram structure shown in Fig. 1 taken along line 3-3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of the ram structure taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of a portion of Fig. 1 taken along line 5-5 thereof, certain part being shown in elevation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the crosshead of the ram structure taken along line I-S of Fig. 1. f

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section ofthe front end of one of the ram guide rods taken along line 8--8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section of a portion of Fig. 1 taken along line 9-9 thereof, certain parts being omitted.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section of a portion of the ram structure taken along line III-I0 of Fig. 1.

The ram structure of the present invention is adapted for use in connection with bag turning machines of the type as shown in Patent No. 2,295,940`issued Sept. 15, 1942, to A. J.' Ersted.

Itbeing understood however that its use is not limited to the particular type of bag turning machine referred to herein since it may beadvantageously used in connection with various other to those skilled inthe art.

Referring now to the drawings and especially Figs. 1 and 3 thereof I designates the frame structure of a bag turning machine provided with a rectangular opening 2. The entire ram structure 3 of the present invention is mounted on the frame structure I above the opening 2 so as to facilitate the connection thereof with the drive mechanism of the bag turning machine in the manner as disclosed in the patent above referred to. f

The ram construction (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6) comprises a crosshead 6 including a sleeve bearing 'l provided with a lug 8 within which a crosshead rod 9 is xed. The rod 9 is transversely disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve I bearing I and projects a considerable distance from the lug 6 ateither side thereof.

The sleeve bearing 1 is slidably mounted upon j a crosshead supporting and guide rod I I the reduced rear end. I2 of which is slidably disposed within a boreV I3 of a supporting bar I4 rigidly secured in spaced relation to the frame I of the vbag turning machine by means of bolts I5 and spacing sleeves I6 (Figs. 3 and 6). The front end Il of the crosshead supporting rod II is of reduced diameter (Fig. 5) and slidably disposed within a bore I8 of a bearing block I9 firmly secured to the frame I by means of cap screws 2|.

Disposed intermediate the bearing block I9 and aV shoulder 22 of the rod II and surrounding the reduced portion I1 thereof is a coil spring 23 for normally holding the supporting rod II in posi- A,tion against sliding movement relative to the bearing block I9 and supporting bar I4 and with the shoulder 24 of the rod in abutment with the supporting bar I4 (Fig. 6).

The sleeve bearing I of the crosshead 6 is further provided with a lug 3| (Fig. 6) at the lower side thereof to which a pitman 32 is pivotally connected by means of a .yoke 33k and pivot pin 34. The pitman 32 is in turn pivotally connected `to the actuating mechanism of the bag turning machine such as for instance disclosed in the Ersted Patent 2,295,940, previously referred to herein.

-Disposed adjacent the crosshead supporting rod I I are ram supporting and guide rods 36 and 31 (Figs. l, 2 and 3). The rear end of the ram guide rod 37 (Fig. 7) is slidably received within a bore 38. of a yoke 39 which in turn is pivotally connected by pivot pin 40 to the supporting bar Iii, whilethe rear end of the guide rod 3d is slidably disposed in the bore 4I of a yoke 42 in turn pivotally connected by a pivot pin 43 to the bar 3 I4. Each of the pivot pins d and d3 is held against upward movement by a Cotter pin 44 (Figs 3 and 7) while downward movement of these pins is prevented by the frame I. Consequently, both pins are securely held in place against accidental removal thereof.

The iront end of the ram guide rod 31 (Figs. 1. 2 and 8) is slidably arranged in a bore 5I of a yoke 52 pivotally secured by means of a pivot pin 53 to a square nut or block 54 .provided with.-`V a threaded bore within which" an'adjus'tmentV screw 55 is disposed. The front end of the rod 31 is provided with a bore 56 (Fig. 8) and dise posed within the same intermediate theffrodfi and the square nut or adjustment block 54 is a coil spring 51 which normally `prevents sliding movement of the rod 31 relativeY to the :yoke4 52,\ and block 54 as well as the yoke 39 and bar III- and normally holds the rear end of the rod-3151i. engagement with the bar I4.

The'ffront 'end Pof :thefrodra: (Figs 1,` .2' andg9) is slidably disposed in a vyokerV-S'I whichufisapivot-i allyifsecured: by -meansf off. ai pivotl pin=16 2 i to a square-nut or adjustingtbiock threadeduponthe fa'dfjusting': screw'l 55; while'fa: coilf. spring S1- arrangedin a bore .55 fin" theffron-t =end-v fxrod :35 'f and i disposed' intermediate; the samev and block f 631normaily prevents sli'dingrmovement vof .the rodi'. 36^relative to the' yokes. 6r and -42 'an-dholds fthe rod'iizinv engagement with the bar I4. f

tatably supported in the bearing block I9, previouslyreerred tog? and bearings `58y an-d-69secured by means-0f cap; screwsfifto .the frame -I.' One` enduorzthe adjustment screw 55 extends beyond th'ef bearing lG9 :and'skeyedto thefsamefis-fa vcrank handl'e 1 Il for lpermittingirotation L-of 'thef screwin ion'ef. or theeoth'er-` direction.: The :adjustment I screw 55 is provided. with:twonthreadedlfpoitions2 12iand'iiprovidedfwith' a leftvand right hand thread-grespectively.' The square"nutf5f1misfdis-P posedionf-thethreaded portiony 12` and-:thessquaref nut 63is 'disposedon `the#threaded portion 1-3 iso that upon :rotation of; the Graniti-,handle z1 I ,i the ntsEi-and': 63fmay:-.be moved:towardf1or awayfv from eachz other whereby'i arcorresponding move ment IVor fthe front endof f the fram =gnide:rods 36 :1 and'231 fiseiectedu4 The rods. 36"and' 31 farefangue: larly disposed with' respect to: each; other andiby:r

turning the `crank han'd-1e'1 I, .the-angular dis-50 position- 1 ofi' the ram' =guidefrods S f andnl'; ,relai-1 tiVeL-'toieach'otherrmay be-increased o1" reduced as-desiredzi. v Y

Suiiici'ent space between the front en'ds `of therv rods 35i and31 iandzblooks 163 fand 54 :is-provided@ andisufh'cient bearingzfsurfacefof thefrods Within thetyokes 6I fand;52 isestablished toXperrnitrelavv tive movement of the rods .with `r'espectto their yokes 5'! z' and: |52 as the "distance:betweenfz yok'es 6 If; v12.and 52, .39 is redcedi or fincreasedfzduringfi pivotalutmovement of thexrods:l 33 and@ 31 ,faboutz pivot 'pins flSlandfd, respectively'.

`A calibratedscale15,.attaehed to or'formingf. an-fiintegi-alipart 7of* .the bearing-i189 fandLextendingke parallel. to the: screwicooperating-wiwi as pointer lordine-1115i on the yoker 52 'Jisf-provi'deditov facilitate adjustmentiof Vthe ramfguiderod toma predetermined position.

Slidably mounted upon-each ram guide rod 436 and 31 '(Fi'gs. 1, 2Iand'7) are long ram bearings'` 'I8v and .19 of sleevelike" configuration. Eachl bearingfland 19 .comprises `a lugf'Bfto which a transverse bearing 8I'is pivotallyffconnected.by means AAof a pivot Apin 82. EachA transverse fbear; ing f8 I 'is slidablyfpos-itioned uponthetransverse'- rod 9, previously referred to, so that upon recipd rocation of the crosshead 6 by the pitman 32 during the operation of the bag turning machine the

bearings

19 and 19 are reciprocated therewith and are caused to slide along the ram guide rods 35 and 31 in diverging paths during the forward stroke of the crosshead 5 and in converging paths during the backward stroke thereof.

Since the bearings 8| are slidable on the cross rodl 9-they are' freel to shirtlater`ally.f"on1 the rod 9 according'to the"divergingor converging paths of travel of the

bearings

13 and 19. Furthermore, the pivotal connection between the bearingsfSIgand bearings 18 and 19 permit the angular adjustment between the rods 35 and 31 withoutTan-y1 binding between these bearings during the operation of the mechanism.

Attached 'to the'bearings 18 and 19 for reciprocation'therewith is a ram unit 9|, comprising a section 92 secured to thev bearing 19 and a section-93 .secured-.to the fbearing..19. Each rram section comprises aninner--andan outer .ram

vrod

95 and 96,respective1y, provided at-their .front ends witha-ram-head91r A Y The rearportions IIand.. III2of theramA rods and 96 are disposedadjacentandpara1lel toM each other` and` are` mounted# within and Weldedto supporting.bars |93' and.` |95 in turn securedbyV cap screws `|95to. pads |95 (Figs.

.8, '1.andl0) providedfon and forming anV integralpar-t .of .thel rambearings .18 and 19, respectively. The front portions |91'an'd'l99ofl theramrods 95-andf96ar.e.angularly disposed relative to .each Yother and-Lthe-.po-rtions I91`of- Athe inner ram rods 95 are disposed parallel.tothe:Y

ram guide r0ds36 .and 31,'respectively.v

The portions I91and'I8 oftheram..rods.95rA and95l'offeachram section92land 9343are slidlablyI supportedwithin .guids I IlandA II I, .re-

,spectively. The guide I Iis connectedibymeansl.

II1'h`eld-in place bythe cap: screwsII2 orJI I3,.

respectively, anda guideroller H9` rotatablyr mountedbetween the straps I I5 and I IS in spaced relation to-theLguide.block.V I|1by meansJof abolt I Zlf The ram portions 92-'.and 93are disposed 'wthin the guides I I9 and I I I, respectively,Y in such a manner that the-.portions |91"of the inner raml rods 95-contactthe vrollers I I9 and are guidedtherebywhile theouter ram rods 95 of both

ram sections

92 and 93 contactfand'areY guided by the guide blocks. II1 when the ram 9| is disposed Yin its rearmost'or fullyontractedf position `(Eig. l) When the-ram. 9| isin its fully expanded-and extreme forward -position '(Fig'.'l 2) Ithe ram rods l'andlill'are out Aof engagement" with the guide blocks I I1 and guide'rolls VI I9?.

Tli'estraps of the guides- I I9 'and IIIsupport the Vrain "sections 92` and"93"'in vertical direction,

as best seen from Fig. 4, and eiectively'elimil'late'V y,vertical 'whip'of the ram' sections? A1-1"- oftheb'earings 1;'19; 1'a= and 8| 'are provided L with oil wells |25 "within Ywhich oil 'retaining'felt pads aredis'p'osed'to assure-'atreven' and-'bontinuwith other parts of the machine the turning of the vbags presented thereto in the same manner as specically explained in my prior patent above referred to. If it is desired to change the width of the ram i. e. the spacing between the

ram sections

92 and 93 and the degree of eXpansion and contraction of the ram the operator turns the crank handle ll in one or the other direction whereby the nuts 54 and 63 are shifted toward or away from each other and a corre,- sponding adjustment of the ram guide rods 35 and 3l and ram

sections

92 and 93 with respect to' 'each other is obtained. In this way the ram may be quickly and easily adjusted to any desired width of bags without stopping the operation of the machine which heretofore has'beeny neces-A sary. Since the operator can observeand change the degree of adjustment while the ram is in operation a nicety of adjustment canbe accomplished which heretofore could not be obtained except by a laborious trial and error procedure and continuous starting and stopping of the machine.

During the initial phase and a substantial part of` the forward stroke of the ram, the

ram sections

92 and 93 are rmly guided by the guide rolls H9 contacting the portions lll'l of the inner guide rods 95 so that inward yielding of the ram sections during the initial phase of the bag turning operation, especially when bags of heavy material are handled, is prevented.

Due to the provision of large and efficient bearing surfaces and the arrangement of all parts of the structure in such a manner as to almost entirely eliminate all undesirable stresses and bending forces a very quiet operation ofthe ram structure is obtained.

It should further be noted that the crosshead guide rod I! and ram guide rods 36 and 3l are normally held in their rearmost positions by

springs

23, 5l and 64, respectively, but may be slightly shifted forward in their supports if vthe springs are compressed. Therefore if the attendant of the machine neglects to lubricate the bearings 1, 18 and 19 and the oil wells |25v thereof run dry, the increased friction overcomes the force ci the

springs

23, 51 and 64 and the guide rods Il, 36 and 31 shift back and forth during the reciprocation of the ram causing a chattering noise which warns the attendant to lubricate the mechanism before any damage has been done to the moving parts thereof.

The assembly and disassembly of the mechanism is extremely simple. Practically the entire mechanism can be disassembled by removing the bar Il! and pivot pin 33.

Irrespective of the manifold advantages of the present ram construction the same is` of rigid construction to withstand the continuous wear to which high speed bag turning machines are subjected in commercial use.

While I have described a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood however that various changes and modications may be made in the details thereof withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of theV appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A ram construction for bag turning machines comprising a ram unit having separate cooperating sections disposed adjacent each other, means angularly disposed relative to each other for guiding said sections for movement in diverging paths, means for simultaneously reciprocating said sections along said guiding means to thereby effect lateral expansion and contrac-` tion of said ram unit, and means for adjusting the angularity of said guiding means relative to each other to thereby increase or decrease the amount of expansion of the ram unit during reciprocation thereof 2. A ram construction for bag turning machines comprising a ram unit having separate cooperating sections disposed adjacent each other in spaced relation, guide means angularly disposed relative to each other for slidably supporting said ram sections, means for reciprocating said ram sections on said guide means in diverging paths to thereby effect lateral expansion and contraction of said ram unit, and means for varying the angular disposition of said guide means relative to each other to thereby vary the amount of lateral expansion of the ram unit during reciprocation thereof.

3. A ram construction comprising a ram unit having separate sections, means for guiding said sections for movement in diverging paths, a

crosshead slidably disposed intermediate said guiding means, means for pivotally and laterally slidably connecting said ram sections to said crosshead, and means for reciprocating said crosshead to thereby eiect reciprocation of said ram sections in diverging paths.

4. A ram construction comprising a ram unit having separate sections disposed in spaced relation adjacent each other, a crosshead, means for guiding said crosshead for reciprocation along a predetermined path, means slidably and pivot-` ally connecting said ram sections to said cross'- head for reciprocation therewith, and means for guiding said ram sections in diverging paths to thereby effect expansion and contraction of the ram unit incident to its reciprocation.

5. A ram construction comprising a ram unit having separate sections, means for guiding said sections for movement in diverging paths, a crosshead slidably disposed intermediate said guiding means, means for pivotally and laterally slidably connecting said ram sections to said crosshead, means for reciprocating said crosshead to thereby eiTect reciprocation of said ram sections in diverging paths, and means for adjusting the guiding means relative to each other for varying the divergence of the paths of travel of said ram sections.

6. A ram construction comprising a ram unit 7. A ram construction comprising a ram unit having separate sections, pivotally mounted guide means angularly disposed relative to each other for guiding said sections for movement in diverging paths, means for reciprocating said sections along said guide means to thereby effect lateral movement of said sections toward and away from each other, and means for pivotally moving said guide means relative to each other