US2547056A - Polishing machine for impeller wheels - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1951 H. c. STIEGLITZ POLISHING MACHINE FOR IMPELLER WHEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 18, 1948 I: Fez 7722.2"

April 3, 1951 H. c. STlEGLlTZ POLISHING MACHINE FOR IMPELLER WHEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 18, 1948 g 7 W j A mwm W r TY E Olu O v H km E m 1K V 2 I 1P" m 9 n n u u n 3s X lluuhnn |1||| m :m I 5- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 3, 1951 Filed March 18, 1948 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POI JI SHING MA CHINE FOR-IMPELIJER 3 WHEELS Henry C. Stieglitz, Oleveland;hio,.assignor to -Thomps0n- Products, Inc., Cleveland, 0hio,' a

corporation of Ohio Application March 18, 1948;:Serial-N0;"15;536

As'will'be recognized by those skilled in this art, the surfaces of the vanes of an' impeller wheel are of relativelybomplex configuration, for'themost part having in cross-sectional contour an arcuate configuration wherein the radius 1.

of curvature of successive portions of'the contour varies substantially. Heretofore, the quantity j-production of impeller-wheels has been subf stantiallyimpairedby virtue of the fact'that' the I polishing of. the vane surfacescould only be satis-.J1

factorily accomplished manually. Such manual operations not onlygreatly'increased the time and cost of production, but'had thefurther disadvantage of being dependent inza largeextent .upon the skill of the particular operator, and hence being subject to wide variations :in the quality and uniformity of surface finish obtained. "Accordingly'it is an object of this invention to provide-an improved polishing machine for complex arcuate'surfaces of a workpiece, andparticularly a machine that will rapidly; economically and uniformly efiect the polishing ofthewane surfaces of an impeller wheel.

A particular object of this invention is to pro- :vide a polishing machine wherein a moving abrasive belt is caused to be'trained over the vane surface ofan impeller'wheel to polish the same, and wherein the impellerwheel is inde'xably' carried on a platform'movabletransversely with respect to the belt so that the successive vanes thereof may be readily'withdrawn from contact with the beltv and the next vane moved into position to be: contacted'by the belt.

Still another object of this-"invention is to 5' provide an improved polishing'machinefor the vanes ofzan impeller wheel wherein a more'uniform polishing effectmay be produced upon the "successive vane surfaces by training a traveling abrasive belt successively over each of the vane surfaces J in substantially identical spatial 'rela--.,-

. tionship thereto.

Still another object: of this invention istofpiovide an improved belt I lifter mechanism for an i endless abrasive belt by which the "-belt may be :manually shifted to an. inoperative position with comeapparent to those skilled-in theart from the followingdetailed descriptionof the. annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of preferred ex- I ample-only, illustrate one specific embodiment of the invention.

- On the drawing: Figure 1 is aside elevational view of a polishing -machi-ne embodying this invention,- showing the polishing position of animpeller workpiece in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a plan view of ethe machineof Figurel;

- Figure 3 isva partiahplanview, illustrating the position of w the work supporting carriage when the workpiece is- 'w'ithdrawn from the polishing Figure 4 is .an enlarged scale sectional view taken on the plane IV-IV of Figure 3; and

-upon astand lfl formed-byweldedassemblage of structural steel members (and providing a hat table or-base portion Illa with depending side ---fianges lflband H10, respectively, along opposed longitudinal edges. A table extension unit ll is rigidly secured to side flange iilc of the table top 10d and provides support for apair of spaced, upstanding bearing brackets l2. A similar pair of bearing brackets l3--are mounted on the op- -posite side fiange 10b of :the tabletop Mia and are respectively aligned with the bearing brackets [2.

Each pair of opposed bearingbrackets 12 and it supports aslide -rod I 4 which extends transversely acrossthe table top la in overlying relationship thereto.

A work supporting platform orslide i5 is provided having-.aplurality of depending bearing members i6 rigidly-secured thereto asby bolts 16a by which'the slide I5 is slidabiy supported on the rod-lifor transverse movement across the :top of table I-Oa. Slide I5 is provided on its top surface with-an upstanding hub, portion llwhich is suitably dimensioned so. as to-mount an impeller wheel W thereon for indexing movement about :the axis of thewheel. Theterm impeller is usedherein in a. generic sense to define any element having circumferentially spaced fluid guide vanes. Whenthe slidefi is in its polishing posi- --ti0n,-i11ustrated in Figure 2, one .or more vane elements V ofthe impeller wheel W overhangsthe right handedge (bottomof Figure 2) of the base 46a, When-the slide it is shifted'to its loading and indexing position, as shown in Figure 3, then the vanes V of the impeller wheel W do not project over the right hand edge of the base iiia.

In accordance with this invention, an endless abrasive belt '20 is supported for peripheral movement adjacent the right hand edge or the base [a so as to contact one of the vanes V of the impeller wheel W when the work supporting slide I is shifted to its polishing position. The belt 20 is supported in extended relationship, with its abrasive surface on the inside, by a plurality of pulleys, respectively a pulley 2| and pulley 23. Pulley 2| is the driving pulley, being keyed to the shaft 22a of a suitable motor 22 which in turn is secured by bolts 22b in depending relationship to a support plate llld. The support plate Hid is secured in depending relationship to the table top Illa by a plurality of mounting bolts I96. Pulley 23 is journaled on the end of a support arm 24, which in turn is mounted 'on an upstanding angle bracket 25 secured to the top of table Illa. To conveniently adjust the peripheral path of the endless abrasive belt 20, the position of pulley 23 may be adjusted over a wide range by varying the angular position of the support arm 24 with respect to the angle brackets 25. This is accomplished by securing support arm 24 to angle bracket 25 by a bolt 26 and nut 22' which passes through a suitable hole in support arm 24 and through an elongated vertical slot 25a formed in the angle bracket 25.

To tension the belt 2!! during polishing operation, as well as to provide sufficient slack in the belt to permit the belt to be raised from the work surface. as will be later described, a be t tighten-' ing pulley 28 is provided which is journaled on the end of an arm 29 which has its other end pivotally mounted on a pin 3911 supported in a depending bracket 30 secured to the table portion Illa. A tension spring 3| operates between the arm 29 and a fixed portion of the table to resiliently urge the belt tightening pulley 29 in the direction to effect a tightening of the belt 29.

With the construction thus far described, it is apparent that the various vanes V of an impeller workpiece W may be successively polished by the simple expedient of moving the slide l5 to its polishing position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing wherein one of the vanes V will project into the path of and be engaged by the endless abrasive belt 20. After the polishing operation on such vane is completed, the slide i5 is moved laterally to its loading and indexing position, as illustrated in Figure 3, where the vanes are free of the belt 20, and the impeller wheel W is angularly indexed a distance corresponding to the angular spacing of the vanes V and the polishing operation repeated u on the next vane. However, it should be readily apparent that there would be an excessive abrading action produced upon the peripheral edge of any vane being polished, due to the initial picking up of the endless belt 20 upon the vane and the release of the belt 23 from the vane. when engagement or disengagement of the belt is accomplished solely by the lateral movements of the work supporting slide I5.

This undesirable effect is overcome in accordance with this invention by providing a belt lifting mechanism comprising a pair of rollers 35 journaled in spaced relationship on a support link 36. The rollers 35 are sufiiciently spaced so as to engage the endless belt 20 at points respectively ahead of and behind the position of a vane V upon which the polishing operation is being performed. The end of link 36 is pivotally mounted on a pin 39 suitably journaled in a bushing 31 rigidly secured to the table side flange I00. An operating handle 39 is also journaled on the pin 38 and is rigidly secured to the link 35 as by welding. Hence, manipulation of the handle 39 will effect a shifting of the rollers 35 from their inactive position shown in solid lines in Figure 1, to their dotted line belt raising position, and it is apparent that in this latter position the belt 20 will be raised out of engagement with the vane V being polished. Of course, the additional extension of the belt 2!! required to permit such raising is provided by a shifting of the belt tightening roller 28 against the bias of the spring 3|.

Since the belt 29 should be maintained in its raised position relative to the vanes V of the workpiece during both the operations of retracting a polished vane from the polishing position and reinserting an unpolished vane, this invention provides a manually operable locking mechanism 4|] for releasably retaining the belt raising mechanism in its non-polishing or raised position.

The latching mechanism Gil is best shown in Figure 5 and comprises a latching bar or slide 4! which is slidably journaled on the top of a block 42 which is suitably secured as by welding to the table side flange I00. The slide 4| overlies a recess 42a formed in bracket 42 and such recess is employed to accommodate a spring 43, which operates against the bottom end of a vertical pin M which projects through a suitable aperture in the slide bar 4|. A cover plate 45 is provided to guide the sliding movements of the slide bar 4| and such plate is provided with an elongated slot 45a through which the top portion of the pin 44 projects. The length of the slot 45:: thus determines the extent of travel 01 the pin 94, and hence of the slide bar 4|.

The end of slide bar 4| projects into the path of the handle member 35 of the belt shifting mechanism and has a cam surface 4|a formed thereon to permit the handle member to immediately cam the s ide bar 4| out of its path when such member is being shifted to its belt raising position. Having once passed the slide bar M, it snaps into overlying engagement with the top surface of the handle 39 and hence prevents the return of handle 39 to its inactive or polishing position. The belt shifting mechanism will thus be held in its belt raised or non-polishing position until the slide bar 4| is manually released by pushing the pin M to retract the slide bar 4| from the path of the handle 39. Having once latched the handle 39 in its non-polishing position, the operator can proceed with a great deal of freedom in shifting the slide [5 and indexing the workpiece W thereon without any substantial danger of inadvertently contacting the vane surfaces with the traveling abrasive belt 2!];

If desired, to facilitate the indexing operation, an indexing positioning device 50 may be provided. As is best shown in Figure 4, such device comprises a plunger 5| which is horizontally slidable in a suitable housing formed by the bolted assembl of two housing half parts 52 and 53, respectively. Half part 52 defines a recess 52a within which is mounted a spring 54. Spring 54 operates against the bottom end 'of'a vertical pin 55 which is mounted in a suitable aperture in the plunger 5| and projects upwardly through an elongated slot 53a formed in the top housing part 53. The plunger 5| is of sufficient i :ieng'tl'r toproject: intofthe pathiof-ithe 'vanes.1V:of

fsim'peller wheeliW wheninsuchiiplun erzzls1in1its:ex- -':tended 'position,iias'ishown. in Figure; 4. Torre- ;tduce Ithe"'po'ssibility'.of :marring "the vanes 'V .of

athezimpeller wheel W, .arcontact.buttonjlieof i relatively soft-:material may be :mounted' in the 'Ben'dJof'pIunger'BE and secured'therein by a set screw 51.

"In its normal position, the plunger 5| projects 'in between twoadjacent'vanes V of the impeller Wand-hence functions to 'angularly index the ":impelIer'W with respect to .the': slide support'lE. To shift the impeller W1aboutits'tsupport'post'll,

: the pin 55 'ismanually1graspedx'andimoved raadiallyioutwardly' relative; to thevimpeller to. re-

-'.tra'ct.the 1plunger.:'5| .from its position intermediate .the vanesfiwhereuponqthe' impeller may be freely rotated an angular distance :corre- {sponding to the-separationof vanes-whereupon *the pin 55.is releasedand the plunger El -moved backto.itsindexingrelationship with respect to =the next impeller vane.

The weight'of the belt lifting m'echanism'is suitably proportioned so'that' when the handle 39 is manually released,"the-entire mechanism will:

tend to pivot in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1,to.assume aposition' out of-engagement with the' traveling'belt 2G. The gravital tional movement of the belt lifting 'mechanism :is arrested in such inoperativepositionby en-' ngagementof a depending L,-shaped 'stopbracket 39a which is secured to'medial portion of the handle 39 and engages a rigid'projecting' pin 48 :mounted on the sideof the bracket which-sup- ,ports the latch mechanism.

. From the foregoing description-it is apparent that a polishing machineembodying .thisinventionpermits thepolishing of the main surface set an impeller. wheel to be accomplished rapidly, economically and accurately. In particular,

"with such a machina'there'is no danger of the polishing belt being inadvertently engaged with finished'surfaceportions "of the impel er wheel 1 workpiece so as to mar or gouge such. "Further- ":more, a very uniform degree of p'oli'shing'can be appended c aims.

vI claim es my invention:

'1.Machine for successively polishing. circum- "'ferentially' spaced "surfaces on a workp ece having "an opening therethrough, comprising an endless abrasive belt, aplurality of fixed pulleys supporting said belt in' extended relation, po er means for driving one of said pulleys, aca rriage having an upstanding hub member said' "workpiece bein 'positioned on sa d carriage with he "hub extending through the "workpiece opening and providing a pivotaxis for rotational indexing movements, means engaging said workpiece for -locking said workpiece against rotation during ""thefp'olishing movement of said belt, said. carriage and said' be t being'r'elatively' movable betweenremote positions. and fixed polishing positions wherein said belt contacts one of said surfaces of the workpiece, anda belt shifting mecha- 1.znismfselectivelyengageable'with'z said :b'elttoi'shift ttherbelt. :out. of engagement .with: the workpiece .1 to tpermit unipeded relative movementstbetween "said beltand carriage.

. .2. Machine for successively polishing "circum- :ferentially spaced; radially extending surfaces on ta Workpiecefhaving an" opening therethrough, .comprising anxendless abrasive belt, a plurality :of fixed pulleys supporting said belt'in' extended relation, power. means for driving onex-ofisaid pulleys, a spring"pressedmovable'pulley engaging said belt .totighten'the same; a carriage havinganupstariding hub member, said workpiece beingpositioned on'z'saidcarriage with'the' hub :imember. extending through the workpiece opensing and providing apivot laXlS .forrindexing ".movements Jabout the workpiece "axis, lock means engaging-said workpiece for locking" said workpiece against "rotation during polishing movement of the" belt means supporting said carriage for movement'transverse to the path' of said belt between positions remote and proximate to said belt, thereby permitting a selected arouatesurface of the workpiece to be immovably positioned in'the path of said belt, and manually operable means for shifting'said belt to. selectively'move said belt out of contact with the positioned workpiece, thereby-permitting movement of said carriage to and'from said polishing position without interference with said belt.

3.'Machine for'polishingi the vanes .of an imt'pellerwheel having an axial opening comprising: an". endless abrasive .belt, pulley means for driving and supporting' said belt in' open, extended relationship, a platform. movable transversely with respect to' said'belttoand'from a polishing position .adiacent'thebelt, an upstandring' hub on said platform extending through said axial opening? for "supporting an'irnpeller wheel for'free'rotary adjusting movement about its axis, thereby successively"positioningtthe vanes I thereof in'fixed position for engagement by said belt when said platform is shifted to'said polish- ;ingiposition;. an arm pivotally mounted" adjacent said belt; a pair of rollers mounted'on said arm,

"said." rollers being. constructed and arranged to trespectively engage portions of said belt ahead of and behindfthe polishing position'of a positioned impeller" vane, and manual means for shifting pulleys supporting said belt in extended relation, power means for driving one of said pulleys, a i'carriage' movable relative to said belt; a centering member on said carriagedisposed in said axial 'saidiarm' to raisesaid belt out of'contact with the 'fixedlypositioned impeller vane.

4. Machine for'successively polishing circumferentially spaced, complex'arcuate surfaces on a workpiece having an axial opening, comprisin c an endless abrasive belt, a plurality of fixed 'opening'for su porting the workpiece for free rotational indexing movements'about the workpi ce ax s, saidcarriage being movable relative to sa d belt between a" remote position and a fixed polishing position wherein said belt contacts one of said arcuate surfaces of the workpiece, a belt shi ting mechanism engageable with said belt to shift the beltout of-engagement with the workpiece to permit unimpeded relative movements between saidbeltand carriage, and means'for 76' releasably latchingsaid belt shifting. mechanism .in "its belt shifted position.

.5. Machine for polishing thevanes of an impeller-Wheel having; an axial: opening comprising anendlessabrasive-belt, pulley means for drivmg and.- supporting said. belt in open,-"extended relationship, a platform movable transversely with respect to said belt to and from a polishing position adjacent the belt, a centering member on said platform engaging in said axial opening for supporting an impeller wheel for free rotary indexing movement about its axis, thereby successively positioning the vanes thereof in fixed position for engagement by said belt when said platform is shifted to said polishing position, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent said belt, a pair of rollers mounted on said arm, said rollers be ing constructed and arranged to respectively engage portions of said belt ahead of and behind the polishing position of any positioned impeller vane, manual means for shifting said arm to raise said belt out of contact with the positioned impeller vane, and means for releas-ably latching said arm in its belt raising position.

6. Machine for polishing the vanes of an impeller wheel having an axial opening comprising an endless abrasive belt, pulley means for driving and supporting said belt in open, extended relationship, a movable belt tightening pulley, resilient means urging said belt tightening pulley in the direction to tighten said belt, a platform movable transversely with respect to said belt to and from a fixed polishing position adjacent the belt, a centering member on said platform engaging in said axial opening for supporting an impeller wheel for free rotary indexing movement about its axis, thereby successively positioning the vanes thereof for engagement by said belt when said platform is shifted to said polishing position, an arm pivotally mounted adjacent said belt, a pair of rollers mounted on said arm, said rollers being constructed and arranged to respectively engage portions of said belt ahead of and behind the position of a positioned impeller vane, and manual means for shifting said arm to raise said belt out of contact with the positioned impeller vane.

7. A machine for polishing the vanes of an impeller wheel having an axial opening comprising a base, a pair of spaced slide rods extending laterally across said base, a platform slidably mounted on said slide rods, a hub on said platform for engaging in the axial opening of said wheel and supporting the wheel for free rotary indexing movements about the wheel axis, locking means engaging said workpiece in successive indexed positions and rigidly holding said workpiece whereby successive vanes may be rigidly positioned in overhanging relation to the edge of I said base, an endless abrasive belt, a plurality of pulleys mounted on said base adjacent said edge for supporting said belt in an extended condition adjacent said edge of the base and abutting the surface of an overhanging vane, power means for driving one of said pulleys to peripherally move said belt, thereby polishing said vane surface, and a manually operable belt lifter mechanism having a pair of rollers engageable with said belt respectively on either side of the overhanging vane, said belt shifting mechanism being shiftable to a position wherein said belt is lifted off said vane surface.

8. A machine for polishing the vanes of an impeller wheel having an axial opening comprising a base, a pair of spaced slide rods extending laterally across said base, a platform slidably mounted on said slide rods, a vertical hub on said platform engaging in the axial opening of the impeller wheel and supporting the wheel for free rotary indexing movements about the wheel axis, whereby successive vanes of the impeller V rality of pulleys mounted on said base adjacent said edge for supporting said belt in an extended condition adjacent said edge of the base and abutting the surface of an overhanging vane, a movable belt tightening pulley engaging said belt, resilient means urging said pulley in a direction to tighten said belt, means for driving one of said pulleys to peripherally move said belt, thereby polishing said vane surface, a manually operable belt lifter mechanism having a pair of rollers engageable with said belt respectively on either side of the overhanging vane, said mechanism being shiftable to a position wherein said belt is lifted off said vane surface, and means for looking said belt lifting mechanism in its belt raising position.

9. A machine for polishing an impeller wheel having a central apertured hub and spaced vanes extending radially from the hub, comprising a base, a plurality of pulleys pivotally mounted on said base, a polishing belt disposed in a closed loop over said pulleys in a substantially vertical plane alongside the side face of said base, journals mounted on said base, a carriage having support rods slidably disposed in said journals for movement transversely of said base toward and away from said belt, an upstanding pivot hub on said carriage arranged to extend through the aperture of the wheel and guide it for free selective rotation about the axis of the hub, a bar slidably mounted on said base having an end portion movable to a position between adjacent blades on the wheel to prevent rotation of the wheel, spring means connected to one of said pivoted pulleys and arranged to urge the belt against a blade disposed inside the loop, and means acting against said spring means for moving said belt away from the workpiece prior to lateral movement of said carriage.

10. A machine for polishing the curved surface of a blade comprising a support structure, a carriage slidable on said structure, a pair of pulleys disposed for rotation adjacent said support structure, means for driving said pulleys, a belt disposed in a loop over said pulleys, means for locking a blade on said carriage in a position extending substantially normal to the plane of said pulleys, and means for spreading the loop of said belt, said carriage being movable on said support structure to position the blade inside said spread loop with the curved surface adjacent the belt.

11. A machine for polishing a workpiece having a central portion and spaced vanes radiating outwardly from the central portion, a carriage mounting the workpiece for rotation about its axis independently of movement of said carriage, an endless abrasive belt, a plurality of pulleys supporting said belt in extended relation, power means for driving one of said pulleys, said carriage and said belt being relatively movable between remote positions and fixed polishing positions wherein said belt contacts one of the vanes of the workpiece, and a belt shifting mechanism selectively engageable with said belt to shift the belt out of engagement with the workpiece prior to movement of said carriage to permit .unimpeded relative movement between said belt and said vane.

HENRY C. STIEGLITZ.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 700,293 Becker May 20 1902 998,351 Kroeze July 18, 1911 1,042,354 Kroeze Oct. 22, 1912 Number 10 Name Date Williams Feb. 8, 192? Yerkey Apr. 24, 1928 Aurori et a1. Oct. 4, 1932 Oakley Jan. 1, 1935 Maca Oct. 19, 1943 Morawski May 18, 1948 Brown Nov. 2, 1948

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