US2529586A

US2529586A - Method of casting universal joints

Info

Publication number: US2529586A
Application number: US586368A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barber Jesse
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-03
Filing date: 1945-04-03
Publication date: 1950-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1950 J. BARBER 2,529,586

METHOD OF CASTING UNIVERSAL JOINTS Filed April 3, 1945 Sheets-Sheet l LNJ J55: B/i/PBER 3nventor J 5 (Zttorneg Nov, 114, 1950 J. BARBER METHOD OF CASTING UNIVERSAL JOINTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhmentor- JESSE B/IRBEE Filed April 3, 1945 NQVO 114, 1195'@ J, BARBER 2,529,586

METHOD OF CASTING UNIVERSAL JOINTS Filed April 3, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 2/5555 EHEBHF Zinnentor Patented Nov. 14, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- METHOD OF CASTING UNIVERSAL JOINTS Jesse Barber, Spokane, Wash.

Application April 3, 1945, Serial No. 586,368

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved method of casting universal joints, wherein the bilobar metallic joint members are precast, and then employed as solid cores in molding and casting the articular spider which thus connects these two joint members.

While the joint or coupling of the invention may be utilized for connecting adjoining shaft ends of various types and purposes, it is especially adapted as equipment for wheeled agricultural implements, such as sub-soil weeders. Weeders of this type employ a rotary weeding rod or shaft, angular in cross-section, which travels below the ground surface, and the weeding rod is provided with the universal joint. The coupling or joint also rotates and travels beneath the ground surface, and therefore its contour must be smooth, and free from obstructions that would create undue friction and retard the advancing movement of the weeder. The joint or coupling, for effective use, must also be free from unnecessary exterior voids in order to exclude accumulations of sub-soil that would interfere with the transmission of power through the coupled sections of the rotary weeder rod.

These desirable results are attained in the novel method of molding and casting and thus conheating the three joint members, including the spaced socketed fittings mounted upon the adjoining shaft-ends and the intermediate spider that connects these bilobar members.

In the accompanying drawings one example of the physical embodiment of the universal joint, and the steps employed in the method of molding and casting the joint, are illustrated and demonstrated; but it will be understood that changes may be made in these exemplifying drawings, within the scope of my appended claims without departin from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side view of the universal joint of my invention; Figure 2 is a view at the right end of Fig, 1; Figure 3 is a view of the connecting spider, detached; and Figure 4 is another view of the articular spider in a plane turned ninety degrees from that of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a mold or press, including a core box containing a precast or solid bilobar joint member, a rotatably adjustable and reciprocable die plate or head, and indicating an ejector for the joint member; and Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but turned into a plane at ninety degrees to the plane of Fig. 5.

Fi ure 7 is a face view of the die plate; Figure 2 8 is a side View of the die-plate; and Figure 9 is a front View of the die-"plate.

Figure 10 is an elevation of the core box of Fig. 5; and Figure 11 is a horizontal sectional. view of the core box'at line lI--ll of Fig-10, showing also the outer socket end of one of the joint members. Figure 12 is a view of a cleanout pin used in molding. Figures 13 and'l l'are views of a pattern employed to form a bed in a flask for a bilobar joint member. Figure 15 is a sectional View through a mold-box showing the parts in position for pouring the molten metal.

As indicated in Figures 1 through 4; the uni' versal joint or flexible coupling includes the two bilobar socketed joint members I and 2, each having a rectangular socket at its outer end for the reception and attachment of the complementary ends of a sectional rotary member or shaft. The joint members are fashioned with pairs of perforated ears or

lobes

3 and 4, provided with bearing holes 5, and as usual the four lobes are circumferentially arranged at ninety degree intervals about the axial line of the joint.

The joint members are connected by the intermediate, articulate spider, which includes a central hub 6, and four diametrically arranged, radial, trunnions arranged in pairs as I, 1, and 8, 8. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the rounded hub member or head 6 of the spider or connecting frame is slightly elongated along the line of the axis of rotation of the joint, and the four trunnions integral with the hub, project radially from the shorter diameter of the hub. The linearly elongated hub is thus arranged with its ends projecting beyond the tip ends of the

lobes

3, 3 and 4, 4, to reduce the size of the spaces between the hub and the joint members, and to provide a rotating part that Works the soil and, prevents an accumulation of soil in the spaces between the inner Walls of the sockets and the' hub.

As indicated in Fig, 2, the outer arcuate or segmental surf-aces of the four

lobes

3, 3, and 4, 4, provide an annular surface, with four slight-interruptions or narrow openings that insure a smooth rotary motion of the joint, and reduce to a minimum any collections of soil that would cause clogging as the rotating joint advances through the sub-soil.

In the casting operation, as the molten metalcomes in contact with the cold metal of the lobes, the molten metal forming the four lobes, is; slightly chilled, thereby contracting the trun-r nions-as they are cast in the bearing holes 5 of, .the lobes, thus. freeing the trunnions .intheir;

3 bearings for effective action of the articulated joint between the two joint members.

In the present method of manufacturing the universal joint the two joint members I and 2 are precast, and these members are mounted in separate core boxes of like form and size together with tamped green sand, to form the sectional matrix in which the molten metal is poured to form the hub and trunnions of the connecting spider or intermediate frame.

As seen in Fig. the precast joint member I is fitted in a core box 9, which by its attaching flange may be fixed to a table top or bench, with the two

lobes

3, 3, of the joint member projecting above the upper open end of the core box, and the upper edge of the core box is fashioned with two pairs of diametrically arranged seats [0, ID,

and II, II, in the nature of half round radially extending grooves.

These radial grooves l0, l0, and II, II, conform to four diametrically arranged half round grooves l2, l2, and l3, 13, arranged in pairs and formed in the face of a die-plate M, which is mounted to reciprocate above the loaded core box. An alined pair of half round grooves 10, together with a complementary alined pair of grooves 12, form two cylindrical radial open end cavities co-axial with the two alined bearing holes 5 of the two

lobes

3, 3. Green sand, indicated at S, is tamped lightly in the upper part of the core box, between the

lobes

3, 3, and around the lobes, to form a bed, below the upper edge of the core box.

In addition to the four intersecting half round grooves I2, 12, and l3, l3 in the face of the dieplate 14, the latter is fashioned with a central protruding, hub-forming boss l5; two laterally spaced lobe-forming bosses I 6, l6 arranged diametrically of the boss [5; and two laterally spaced, diametrically arranged lobe-receiving recesses l1, I1 into which the

lobes

3, 3, project as the die-plate is pressed down upon the sanded core box, which contains the joint member I.

The die-plate M may be depressed on its working stroke through the use of a vertical shaft I8 that is mounted in a tubular presser l9, and the latter may be reciprocated vertically in any suitable manner. For successive use of the die 'plate 14, it may be turned through an arc of ninety degrees by the handle 20 in co-action with the pin and slot connection 2l22 between the shaft l8 and the tubular presser 19.

By the pressing action of the die plate, it will be apparent that a half-matrix, or the section of a matrix, may be formed with a central depression 23 in the sand core of Fig. 5 that is intercepted by the holes 5 of the

lobes

3, 3, and this depression provides one-half of the mold for the hub 6 of the spider or articular frame of the joint.

By means of a vertically reciprocable ejector 24 that is elevated in suitable manner, this completed half of the casting mold may be pushed upwardly and then withdrawn from the core box 9, after the die-plate has been elevated from its working stroke.

The solid cylindrical clean-out pin 25 of Fig. 12 may be run through the cylindrical parts -42 of Fig. 5 and through the previously reamed bearing holes 5 of the

lobes

3, 3.

Inasmuch as the two joint members I and 2 are duplicates, a pair may be prepared in thesame core box 9, as indicated in Fig, 5; or, the

second member 2 of a pair may be prepared as a mold in another core box 9, which is identical with the first core box. Figure 6 shows the same core box and die-plate as Figure 5, but the View is at right angles to the view in Figure 5.

In order to insure accuracy in placing the joint members in the core box for casting, a split pattern 26, shown in Figs. 13 and 14, is employed in fashioning the sand bed.

By the use of the press or presses, the two joint members are thus prepared and adapted to be assembled in opposed axial alinement to form a sectional matrix in which the hub of the spider frame is to be cast, and the apertures in the intermeshing lobes are open to the hub cavities 23 to form four radial extensions of the cavity, or matrix.

The two pressed joint members are now set or assembled in a suitable sectional mold, or moldbox including a drag and a cope and provided with the usual sprue hole or ingate for the molten metal. As shown in Figure 15 the two members I and 2 are axially aligned and the lobe apertures 5 in the two members are aligned in a plane at right angles to the axis of the members I and 2 when the members are positioned in the sectional mold for pouring the molten metal. The complementary cavities 23 of the matrix receive the molten metal to form the hub of the spider frame, and the four apertures of the lobes receive the molten metal to form the several integral trunnions.

By contact with the cold metallic lobes, the molten metal flowing into the apertures is chilled, hardened, and slightly contracted in volume, to form the several trunnions. When the casting has cooled the trunnions are thus fitted in the apertures to form journal bearings having the necessary clearance for freedom of action of the joint,

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

1. The method of casting an articular frame including a hub and four radial trunnions, which consists in assembling a pair of universal joint members each having a pair of lobes fashioned with apertures in sand mold sections that cover all surfaces of the members except the surfaces defining said apertures and thereby forming a sectional matrix for the hub in communication with the apertures in the lobes, pouring molten metal into said matrix and apertures, and cooling the molten metal.

2. The method of connecting a pair of universal joint members each having a pair of lobes provided with trunnion receiving apertures by an integral hub and trunnion member having a radial trumiion in each aperture which includes the following steps; pressing a sand core into the space between the lobes of each of the bilobar members to a level below the lobe apertures, assembling the two members with the lobe apertures aligned and embedding the assembly in sand, thereby forming a cavity in sand for the hub portion, with the apertures in the lobes open to said cavity and filling the cavity and apertures with molten metal.

3. The method of making universal joints which comprises, providing two bilobar apertured joint members with complementary hollowed out cores between the lobes thereof and assembling the two members in asand mold in axial alignment with the apertures in the lobes in communication with the space provided between the hollowed out portions of the cores and pouring molten metal into the space, thereby filling the 5 space and. the apertures in the lobe to provide integral trunnions and a hub as the sole interconnecting means between the bilobar joint members.

JESSE BARBER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 336,458 Weber Feb. 16, 1886 Number 0 Number