US2547290A - Centerless grinding device - Google Patents

Description

April 1951 F. J. STEVENS 2,547,290

CENTERLESS GRINDING DEVICE Filed June 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' "1 1 3 ER w h franl'dli'ferens,

April 3, 1951 F. J. STEVENS 2,547,290

CENTERLESS GRINDING DEVICE Filed June 1 1, 194s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. j ranlvllszeyek s',

April 3, 1951 F. J. STEVENS CENTERLESS GRINDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 11, 1948 INVENTOR. fianZJSZeyens,

Patented Apr. 3; 1951 CENTERLESS GRINDING, DEVICE .1. Stevens, NutIey,-N. J. Application .l'inieru, 1948, Sefi&l-N0. 32,434 eciaims. (01.51- 1 08 v Thisinvention relates toran 'improvementin a eenterlss sgrindi ng device and more particularly to a type thereof :arrianged to operate 4011 in sula'tor bodies.

'object of the ipresent invention is thefiprovision of an improved centei'less grinding device wherein cylindrical :blan-ks may the fed-continuou'sly to the .action "of .a cutting means :for .jgradu ally rand progressively pr'ofiling the cylindrical blanks. I

Another object "of :the invention is .fthe :provision, in a 'cen'terless grinding device, of ;a' work support shaving aassocialted a :work contacting means :to control the .movement :of the work :pieees through the support.

A further object :of the invention the provision .of :an improved icenterless grinding .device whereina cutting -origrinding means is :arranged 'ccentrically "with irespedt :to the gpath (of "work pieces so :as to .progressively profile the work pieces.

:The above andinunierousrother -.ob.iects act .the invention will :become apparent from .the .succeeding description sconsi'dered together with the accompanying drawings, "wherein:

Figure :1 isaaiplan yiew'rofan improved-reenter less grinding edeviee embodying the ipresent sinventihn.

T Figure ":2 i is Pa rfront zelevational viewof the :improved icenterless @grindmg device :shown in .Figure 1.

-Figure is J- a vertical t'sectional view taken along the dines-343 :of .iigure 2, docking in 'the direction ref thearrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view .ta-kentalongithe lines IA-+4 of i Figure 3, looking -.in the direction of the arrows.

l igurezfiiis can end elevational .view aofya-nylinflricaliblank typical f a work piece which may belzprofiled -by the device .0f uthB present :inven-' -tion.

Figure '16 is ian enil elevational "view of 2, ;,profiled w ork. piece after :its :dis'charge =.from .theidevice :and. illustrative :lOf the ;:profi1ing which email be zefiected @by the device.

Referring now :.in detail :to :the drawings, wherein ilike reference characters .indicate .like fpartsxthe fnumeral I .is emp10yed to designate, in htsomewhatigeneral manner, a centerless grinde ing device characteristic of 1' the v present invention. The ccnterlesssrinding device -.comprises eaibed plate :or 'platform'i-zwhich; ifdesired, may have at its corners the usual standardsH-legscor supports .to maintain ithe gplatform 1111 319. vatedipositionizor.easrwillebesunderstood,etheebed I plate may be ;-p1a,c ;d on a sui bl oundatien :89

as to maintain it in a fixed position. Mounted upon the bed plate is a slide or auxiliary mountins iplate dprovided 'iv-ithsuitable kerf s to accommodate' keys :5 .tormi-ng a part of the platform and thus the auxiliary mounting plate is interlocked with the bed ,plateliowever -.arranged to .move lon itudinally .relative thereto for the purpose to :be :made hereinafter apparent. Ellie slide ghas, ;a.t @118 end thereof, an upstanding apertured wall -6 wh chmax, as e ined, e ade integral therewith by any means r method 5. long as .it becomes a part of h sli Mounted upo What a be termed th ti side-race 'hof thesslide wall ,is a work piece sup- P0133 01 guide sring i8- vThis uide .ning. 10 Qu ted or annular forniation. may be secured .to the slide wall by any means stnonesshqwn) solong as it .is made removable since the illustrated guide ring is -.,only characteristic. of a. .type which may be used depending entirely upon itheutype of work-pieces .used and .the particular profiling desired. ,The work .piece support has at its lipper limits orin pmximity thereto ,a .feed .ordelivery chute 9 which is in V-thenature; of ya tubular member communicating with the vinterior or the work -,p'ie c.e .support. A mower .01 any such means not-shown) zmay be associated with the delivery chute to feed or .supply ;a' pont'inuqus stream {of work pieces L0 -...to the delivery {211111 9 and the glatter is made .offsuch configuration in section in eorder to accommodate easeries of superimposed work .pieces. ,As ;previously ;.in dicated, the .work pieces ,used .with the ,p11e sent structure .are Characterized .by .the cylindrical blank 1;: shown .in .Eigune v5110f the. drawings and this .blankzis preferably {made of .ceramic material. The :blank pieces .,are r-p fefera ly :formed by the extrusion .proces so,r v.any other method well known .or commonly .used Joy the ceramic industry. .iAlso-itemay -.be -.well.t,0 stateheregthat the completed; componentpr work piece l .2,.il1 u's- .trated-in Figure .6 of .thedrawing has been profiled-:as idesired. --with .a-kerf .oneroov-e 4 3 o med in ithegpcriph r-y thereof t adapt .th .sruoved blan'klto .beused asaninsulator or .Jous'hing.

:The .support .or .guide -,.ring-, stationary -.with respect .to ;the :s1ide, .is .;.of substantially cihannel shape in -,cr,oss .section. as @clearl-y .illustrated in FigUIKE A'TOf the. drawings .and. as .-.-s11 ;h.- lmt .0n as a .racewaysfor .the I.accommodation of a cpn .tinuoussiiowiof .blank'sethenethwueh 1Tb dc rin compris s .a ba ku .91 irccula sh arin wanIAQhfiV QEeZataQQ iedgajthetcefsaninwardly directed confining .iflanse .115 terminating in reentrant flange it which is parallel with and spaced a predetermined distance from its companion bearing wall. The other edge of the back-up wall merges with a short, circular retaining flange l! which is parallel with but shorter than its companion confining flange IS. The distance between the flanges l and l! and the distance between the wall 14 and flange 16 are such as to neatly accommodate and confine the blank II and allow the latter to progress in a true path along a given course within the support. As will be noted the bearing wall is provided with an opening as at l8 to allow the blanks entrance to the support as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. It is to be further noted that while the feed chute is illusbe aligned or associated with pulleys to develop trated at the top of the stationary support, the

relationship between the flanges l6 and I1 is such that the blanks will bridge the distance therebetween and thus prevent the blanks moving other than in the predetermined course in the support.

Substantially diagonally disposed from the feed chute is a discharge chute l9 formed by a tangential extension'of the circular bearing wall at (see Figure 3). This arrangement 20 of the bearing Wall presents an opening 2| in the support so that as the worked pieces enter this opening they are then free to roll out of the confines of the support to a container (not shown) disposed in a receiving position below the discharge chute. For the extent 'of the opening 2| the flanges l5 and l! are extended downwardly to present sides 22 of the discharge chute.

In order to control not only the flow of blanks into the stationary support but also to control the movement of the blanks from the feed chute to the discharge'chute there is associated with the stationary support, a cage or holding means 23 formed by a disc 24 having outstanding normally therefrom a plurality of equally spaced pins, fingers or studs 25. The studs are such that they extend into the stationary support through the short retaining flange side thereof and since the disc is arranged to rotate about an axis coincident with the center of curvature of the support the pins'will maintainat all times a constant relation with the wall and flanges ofthe stationary support. As will be noted from the drawings, the blanks are stacked above one another in the feed chute and. as the disc rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, a single blank I la will drop into the stationary support between adjacent fingers and the next upper blank llb will be retained in the feed chute until the space between the next adjacent fingers reaches a point beneath the feed chute and then blank I lb will drop thereinto. Thus a continuous and controlled flow of blanks enter the stationary support to be worked onas hereinafter described. Some control must be provided for the disc and toward the accomplishment of this function the slide, off to one side of the disc, has mounted thereon an electric driven motor 26 having mounted on a shaft thereof a double pulley 21. Positioned adjacent to the motor is a box 28 containing a set of reduction gearing (not shown) with dual or oppositely disposed shafts 29 and 30 extending therefrom. The shaft 30 is provided with a double pulley 3| which isin alignment with the motor pulley 21 and the motor and gearing pulleys are connected by an endlessbelt 32. Thu; force is transmitted from themotor to the reduction gearingI 'The purpose ofthe double pulleys is obvious, inthat since the motor'employed is of constant speed the belt may extending axially therefrom, a hub 33 sleeved over the gearing shaft 29 and removably secured thereto so that the disc will move or rotate in response to the action of the gearing shaft 29.

The profiling means for cutting or grinding the blanks is characterized by a wheel 34 which is of such a diameter to enter the confines of the stationary support through its aperture. Any suitable type of grinding wheel may be used or a plurality of spaced wheels may be housed within the support depending entirely upon the profiling design desired.

The grinding wheel is so disposed within the confines of the stationary support that its axis is spaced slightly from the axis of the disc or, in other words, the grinding wheel forms what may be termed an eccentric pattern with respect to the cage fingers or the stationary support. Because of this arrangement the periphery or outer surface of the grinding wheel gradually approaches the back-up Wall l4 of the stationary support. Since the distance between the grinding wheel and back-up wall gradually diminishe between the location of the feed chute and location of the discharge chute the grinding wheel is therefore arranged to cut into-the blanks as they progress between these two locations so that as the blanks pass the approximate point or station marked He in Figure 3 the profiling or grinding operation is completed. Further it will be noted that as a blank such as I la enters the stationary support it is held out of contact with the grinding wheel and it is not until the blank I la reaches the station lid that the blank is contacted by the grinding Wheel. At this station lld the blank is also in contact with the back-up wall M of the stationary support and profiling of the blank starts and is completed when the blank reaches the approximate position of the station He. By way of a more specific example in devices now in use embodying the present invention the cage is arranged to rotate at a speed of five revolutions per minute and the grinding Wheel is arranged to rotate in the same direction at a rate of approximately thirty-six hundred revolutions per minute. It is believed that the frictional value of the line contacts between the fingers and blanks and the back-up wall and blanks is less than the force of the contact between grinding wheel and blank and therefore while the cage acts as a retarding medium the grinding wheel completely profiles the blanks approximately between the stations lid and H0.

Since the grinding wheel is fixed longitudinally of the platform the slide is made adjustable longitudinally of the platform so that not only may the grinding wheel be withdrawn from the support to change the wheel after it has Worn beyond a permissible degree but also to position the grinding Wheel longitudinally of the device so that the profiling of the blanks may be located as desired. Toward the accomplishment of this function one end of the bed plate is provided'with an upstanding barrier 35 which has journaled therein a rotatable screw 36 arranged to be manipulated by a hand wheel 31. The screw extends longitudinally of the device through a suitable block 38 forming a part of the slide and because of this arrangement any manipulation of the hand wheel will move the slide axially of and relative to the grinding wheel.

The grinding wheel is mounted on a shaft 39 of 76 a suitable electric motor 40 and as viewed particiilarly in fl ligure .:-,3 iofathexdrawing :also t-rotates the. -same direction'rasathescage, namely, clock!- wise. Functioning as :a carrier for -i-the grinding "wheel motor :is an inverted channel section 42! leaving "the motor 40 securely anchored thereto intermediate the ends thereof. Disposed immediately beneath .the motor carrier is .a similar channel section or movableor slidable rest 42 which bears somewhat freelyupon the platform and is there r movable hiftable relative i:

Jex'tenils throughsuitable apertures in the motor carrier and thus the latter is :pivotally connected tothe slidablefrest and arranged to be pivoted vertically about a horizontal axis. Removed from the pivotal connection last referred to is an adjusting screw 45 having a threaded interlocking relation with the motor carrier. This screw has one end abutting the subjacent slidable rest and its upper end supplied with an operating wheel 46 so that upon a proper manipulation of this last namedoperating wheel the motor carrier will be pivoted about its journal and the grinding wheel will be moved vertically to accomplish the particular cut or profiling desired. When the grinding wheel becomes worn or if the depth of cut need be corrected a proper manipulation of operating wheel 46 will set the grinding wheel at a proper or desired location.

A third adjustment is believed necessary in the device to properly position the grinding wheel and compensate for wear which is inevitable in a grinding wheel. This third adjustment should move the grinding wheel transversely of the device and accordingly the bed plate is provided with a pair of parallel 01' longitudinally spaced keys or shoulders 47. These keys occupy neatly, suitable grooves 48 in the slidable rest to thereby arrange for the guidance of the slidable rest and its carried components transversely of the bed plate. Disposed along what might be termed the leading edge of the bed plate is a barrier 49 having journaled therein a screw supplied with an operating wheel 5|. The screw 50 is threadedly related with a leg 52 upstanding from the slide plate and accordingly any rotative action of the operating wheel 5| will result in moving the grinding wheel forwardly or rearwardly.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations may be made to the illustrated and described construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a centerless grinding device, the combination of, a plate, a curved support carried by said plate and having spaced feed and outlet chutes arranged respectively to receive and discharge cylindrical blanks, a cage carried by said plate and arranged to rotate about an axis coincident with a center of curvature of said support, means carried by said plate for rotating said cage, means on said cage extending into said support and arranged to control movement of said cylindrical blanks along said support, a grinding wheel within the confines of said support and driven at a greater speed than said cage; an axis of said grinding wheel being spaced from said axis of said cage so that as said cylindrical blanks approach Said discharge chute the distance between said 6 iggrindingwwheel and support W111 gradually ;de'1- .cr.ease, and means for :moving .said plate toward and away from said grinding wheel.

12.iIn 2a rcentei'lless grinding :device, the :combination of, a plate, a curved support mounted --'on said plate :and having .spac'ed feed and :outlet .chutes :arranged respectively to receive and dis- -=-cha-rge :cylindrical blanks, a cage carried :by said :plate and arranged to rotate about an axis coin- .c'ident withzarcenter of curvature of said support, fingers carried by said page extending intoconfines of said .support and arranged to control movement of .said cylindrical blanks along said support, .a grinding whee1 .of "less :diameter than ssaid cage and within the transverse limits :of' said fingers, said grinding zwheel being driven :at a speed inlexcessrof said :cage :rotation, said grind- --ing wheel :forming an eccentric pattern :withzsaid cage so that the distance between a periphery of said grinding wheel and said support will gradually diminish from said feed chute to said outlet chute, and means for moving said plate toward and away from said grinding wheel.

3. In a centerless grinding device, the combination of, a plate, a stationary support mounted on said plate and having spaced delivery and outlet chutes arranged respectively to receive and discharge a continuous flow of cylindrical blanks, a movable cage carried by said plate and having a plurality of spaced means extending into the confines of said support for controlling movement of said cylindrical blanks through said support, movable grinding means in radial alignment with said cage and support and having a portion only thereof extending into the limits of said support short of said cage means; a periphery of said grinding means gradually approaching a back-up wall of said support as said cylindrical blanks approach said outlet chute so that said cylindrical blanks will bear against said back-up wall as said grinding means profiles said cylindrical blanks, and means for moving said plate toward and away from said grinding means.

4. In a centerless grinding device, the combination of, a plate, a stationary support carried by said plate and having spaced delivery and outlet chutes arranged respectively to receive and discharge a continuous flow of cylindrical blanks, a movable cage spaced from said support and having a plurality of spaced fingers extending into confines of said support for the control of said cylindrical blanks through said support, said movable cage being carried by said plate, movable grinding means having a portion only thereof extending into the limits of said support and arranged to move at a rate greater than the rate of movement of said cage fingers; said grinding means forming an eccentric pattern withinsaid support so that said grinding means will gradually cut intosaid cylindrical blanks as the latter approach said outlet chute, and means for moving said plate toward and away from said grinding means.

5. In a centerless grinding device, the combination of, a, stationary annular support for carrying cylindrical blanks andlprovided' with a delivery chute and a discharge chute, driven means at one side of said support having fingers extending into said support for the control of flow of cylindrical blanks from said delivery chute to said discharge chute, and cutting means driven at a greater speed than said driven means, a single means for moving said support and driven means laterally towardand away from said cutting means, said cutting means being mounted eccentrically with respect to said annular support so as to urge said cylindrical blanks against said support and gradually profile said cylindrical blanks as the latter approach said discharge chute.

6. In a centerless grinding device, the combination of, a stationary annular support for carrying cylindrical blanks and provided with a delivery chute and a discharge chute, driven means at one side of said support having fingers extending into said support for the control of flow of cylindrical blanks from said delivery chute to said discharge chute, cutting means driven at a greater speed than said driven means, a single means for moving said supportand driven means transversely toward and away from said cutting means, said cutting means being mounted eccentrically with respect to said an- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

993,981 Grover May 30, 1911 1,999,321 Dunham Apr. 30, 1935 2,048,265 Hatebur July 21, 1936 2,397,459 Armbrust Apr. 2, 1946

Images