US2596342A

US2596342A - Machine for gauging bottleneck openings

Info

Publication number: US2596342A
Application number: US754A
Authority: US
Inventors: Anderson D Mcnutt; Robert L Newton
Original assignee: Owens Illinois Glass Co
Current assignee: OI Glass Inc
Priority date: 1948-01-06
Filing date: 1948-01-06
Publication date: 1952-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1969-05-13

Description

May 13, 1952 A. D. MCNUTT ETAL MACHINE FOR GAUGING BOTTLENECK OPENINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 13, 1952 A. D. MCNUTT ETAL 2,596,342

MACHINE FOR GAUGING BOTTLENECK OPENINGS Mak/W7@ www May 13, 1952 A. D. MCNUTT ETAL 2,596,342

MACHINE FOR GAUGING BOTTLENECK OPENINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 (ju/umm AAMNUTI RLNEWMN May 13, 1952 A. D. MCNUTT ET AL 2,596,342

MACHINE FOR GAUGING BOTTLENECK OPENINGS Filed Jan. 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 31m/umm JLMNUTT KLNEHTOM a, .www

May 13, 1952 Filed Jan. 6, 1948 A. D. MCNUTT ETAL MACHINE FOR GAUGING BOTTLENECKQOPENINGS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 www@ UNITED STATES PATENT oEFIcE MACHINE FOR GAUGIN G BOTTLENE CK OPENIN GS Anderson D. McNutt, Newark, and Robert L. Newton, Bridgeton, N. J., assignors to Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application January 6, 1948, Serial No. 754

9 Claims.

Our invention relates to mechanism for testing or gauging as to shape or dimensions, various articles including bottles, jars and the like, and includes means for segregating defective articles from those which pass the test, The invention providesamachine for gauging articles fed theretector comprising a pivoted arm 22 or tumbler to in rapid succession and automatically detect- Which is thrown to a switch-operating position ing and discarding defective articles. (as hereinafter described) when the downward The invention in the form herein illustrated movement of a gauging plug into the neck of a I and described comprises a machine designed and 10 Container is prevented. A SWitCh 25 (FigS 2 and adapted for gauging the neck openings of bottles 3) is arranged to be tripped by the tumblers 22, which are fed in rapid succession to the machine, thereby closing an electrical circuit for an elecand means for detecting defective bottles and tromagnet 24 and causing the latter to operate automatically separating them from those which an ejector 23 located at the ejecting station. A pass the test. stationary cam 26 resets the trip arms 22.

A primary object of the invention is to provide The endless belt conveyor |0 is driven by a a machine which will detect and eliminate concontinuously running electric mOtOl 27 (Fie 1) tainers with undersize or deformed neck open- Operating through a train 0f gearing including ings which would prevent satisfactory insertion Speed reduction gearing in 'a gear bOX 28, a drivof lling tubes such as used commercially in filling ing Chain 01 belt 29 driving a Vertical Shaft 30 the containers, and bevelled gear 3|. The latter drives a gear Other objects of the invention will appear here- 32 011 a hOliZOhtal Shaft 33 (Fig. 2) Which has inafter, driving connection through a sprocket chain 34 Referring to the accompanying drawings; With a dIVe Shaft 35 fOr the Conveyor belt IU.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken 25 The Spiral COHVBYOI' I3 iS driven by the motor 2l away, of a machine embodying our invention; operating through a horizontal shaft 36 extend- Fig 2 is a ppm view of the machine; ing from the gear box 28, bevel gears 31, 38, and

Fig, 3 is a Wiring diagram of the electrical Cira vertical shaft 39 geared to the spiral conveyor cuits for the motor and the aparatus for ejecting 3 defective articles; 30 The bottles B are fed onto the conveyor belt Fig. 4 is a. cross-sectional elevation of the ma,- I at the righthand end thereof and are advanced chine at the line 4-4 on Fig. 1 on a comparativewith the Conveyor between the spiral feeder I3 ly large scale; and a stationary guide rail 40. The timing feeder Fig. 5 is a part-sectional plan view substantial- I 3 is formed with a spiral thread 4| by which the ly at the line 5-5 on Fig. 4; 35 bottles are accurately spaced and positioned to Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation at the line B- be brought into register with the gauging heads on Fig. 5; I5. The guide rail 4U is adjustably mounted by Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevameans of brackets 42 permitting adjustment for tion at the line on Fig. 5; and containers of different diameters.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail showing 40 The upper and lower sprocket chains and I8 the gauging plug testing a defective bottle. to which the gauging units are attached are Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a brief description trained respectively over upper and lower driving of the machine will now be given, followed by a

sprocket wheels

43 and 44 mounted on the drive more detailed description. The machine comshaft 30. The sprocket wheels have a splined prises, in general terms, a continuously traveling 45 connection with the drive shaft by means of endless conveyor belt I0 and conveyor frame II splines or keys 46 secured to the sprocket wheels mounted on a framework I2; an infeed device and engaging vertical grooves 41 in said shaft, comprising a spiral timing feeder I3 by which the permitting vertical adjustment of the gauging workpieces, herein shown as bottles B, are timed mechanism to accommodate workpieces of difand centered under gauging heads I5 on gauging 50 ferent heights. The sprocket chains and I8 spindles I6. The gauging units, each comprisare also trained over upper and lower driven ing aspindle I6, are connected to upper and lower Sprocket Wheels 43 and 49 (Figl) mounted 0n endless chains I1 and I8 for continuous travel a vertical shaft 50 and Ialso having a splined conhorizontally in a closed path. The gauging nection therewith to permit such vertical adjustment of the gauging mechanism. The shafts 30 spindles are mounted for up-and-down movement under the control of a stationary cam 2|) and each gauging spindle carries a gauging element in the form of a plug 2| (see Figs. 7 and 8) movable downwardly into the container for testing the neck opening. Each gauging spindle carries a deand 59 are journalled at their lower ends in bearings 5I on a lower platform 52 on the framework I2, and at their upper ends in bearings 53 secured to a horizontal frame bar or plate 55 (Figs. l and 2). The plate 54 forms part of an upper framework or superstructure 55 mounted on a Y platform 55 and in which framework the gauging brackets 62, The shafts 53 vextend downwardly through a horizontal plate 63 (Figs. 1l to '6) and have a screw-threaded connection with nuts 61% attached at the lower side of the

plate

5,3. The gauging mechanism is supported from the plate 63 as presently described. The shaft 6| -is provided with a'hand crank 65 for rotating the shafts Y 5| and 58 and thereby adjusting the ,gauging mechanism up and down. The shaft 6| is also connected through bevelled gears 65 57| to avertical shaft 58 which has a screw-threaded connection |59V with the frame which carries the electromagnets 24 and ejector mechanism 23, for adjusting such mechanism up `and down with the gauging mechanism.

Each gauging spindle I5 comprises a vertical tubular shaft including upper and lower `sections l5 and 1| (Figs. 4, 7 and 8) having a telescopic connection permitting free relative vertical movement of said sections. The downward movement of the section 'Ii is limited by stop shoulders l2. The gauging head I5 comprises a disk 13 'attached by weldingto a nut i4 threaded on the .lower end of the section 'EI and held in position by a locking nut 75. The disk 'I3 isrformed with an opening through which the gauging plug .2| yextends, the walls 'I3 of said opening being upwardly tapered andV thereby providing a frustoconical'surface adapted to engage the bottle neck as the gauge is lowered and accurately register the gauge with the bottle, preliminary to Ythe testing operation.

Each gauging unit comprises a carriage 'I'I in which the spindle I5 is mounted for vertical movement. The carriage 'II is in the form of a casting comprising an upper head |8,.lower head r sides of the plate 53, the track including end 'seotions 82 concentric with the sprocket gears about which the chains rIl and I8 travel. The rails 6| are bolted to a bracket 53 seated on the plate v|53 and attached thereto by bolts 86. Rollers 85 running on the tracks 8| are journalled on the heads i8 of the carriages. Attache-d to each head I8 is a bracket 55 carrying a roll '81 running on the inner vertical face of the track 8| anda pair of rolls 8B running on the outer face of said track. The lower head 'i3 of the carriage has secured thereto arbracket 95 carrying rolls 9| and 92 corresponding to the rolls 8l and 88 and running on guide rails 93 bolted to a lower bracket 55. The carriages are thus held securely against lateral displacement or tilting movements during their travel. The sprocket chains I'| and I8 are attached to the carriages by means of plates 95 and bolts 56.

brackets

83 and 94 spaced from each other and from the sprocket wheels. The

sprocket wheels are mounted directly on a tubular shaft |25 surrounding the shaft 30 and connected 'theretoiby the keys 45, the shaft |25 being interposed between the shaft 35 and the shaft |2i. Nuts |26 and |21 threaded on the upper and lower ends respectively of the shaft |25 clamp the non-rotating parts together and to the stationary supporting plate B3. Y Vertical rods |23 extend through the tubular shafts 3|] and 5|), and are attached at their upper ends to the plate 51% and at their lower vends to the platform 52.

Each gauging' plug 2l has a screw-threaded l:connection 91 (Fig. 7) with a tubular stem S3,

the plug and stem Vbeing free for up-and-down movement within the shaft 15. rIhe downward movement of the plug is limited by a nut |55 attached `to the stem 99 vat the upper end thereof in position I`to 4seat on the upper end of the shaft 75. Connections between the cam track 23 and shaft 1-0 linclude 'a cam follower roll lill mounted on -a stud shaft |52. The latter is formed with a collar |03 by which it is clamped to the shaft 10. A roll |04 journa-lled on the shaft |52 is positioned between the vertical frame members Sli onv which it runs during the up-and-down movement of the gauging spindle, holding the latter against rotative movement.

During the forward travel of the gauging spindles over and with the containers B, the rolls lill run on the cam track 20 which, `as shown in Fig. 1, includes a downwardly inclined section 25a which permits lowering of the gauging spindle into engagement with the container, the conical surface '|6'serving to accurately align the container with the spindle.V When the gauging head seats on the container and is thus held from further downward movement, the upper section 'l5 of the spindle and the stem with the gauging plug 2| continue their downward movement so that the plug isgprojected through the neck of the bottle to the dotted line position, Fig. '7. If the neck Yopening is too small to permit the full downward movement of the plug or has a constriction vor malformation as at |05 (Fig. `8) obstructing and arresting the plug, the downward movement ofthe shaft section-'I6 relative to the plug causes a relative upward movementrof the stern 99. This operates to throw the tumbler or ydetector arm 22 inwardly from the full line position `to 'the operative position shown in dotted lines (Fig. 7), the said arm being connected by a pivot lIllli to a bracket |31 clamped to the 'shaft 10.

The switch '25 (Fig. 2) has a trip arm |58 extending into the path in which the arm 22 travels when the latter has beenrthrown to said operative position, so that when the arm 22 reaches the switch .'25, the switch is operated to establish a circuit for the electromagnet 24.

Referring to Fig. 3, the motor M is connected through a -switch |20 in a three-phase system comprising -mains a, b, and c. The electromagnet 24, when energized, operates the ejector 23 -attached by ain arm to a core of the electromagnet. When the detector arm 522, which has been actuated by a defective bottle asY above described, reaches the trip arm |55 and momentarily closes the `switch '25, the said bottle has reached the position 'B' in the path of the ejector 23, so

that the electromagnet operates to eject the defective bottle from the conveyor.

The detectors or tumblers 22 which have been actuated by defective ware are reset by the cam 2Sr which is formed with an inclined cam surface H5 (Fig. 6) in the path of the tumblers. The cam 26 is attached to a bracket H6 bolted t0 the plate 63.

Modications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. Gauging apparatus comprising a tubular spindle including telescoping sections, each of said telescoping sections being freely movable with respect to the other, and to its mounting, means for mounting the spindle in upright position, a gauging head mounted on the lower said section at the lower end thereof and adapted to seat on an article under test, a gauging plug, a stem to which the plug is connected, said stem extending lengthwise through said spindle, said plug and stem being mounted for free sliding movement up and down relative to said gauging head and lower sections of the spindle to and from a gauging position, and a detector mounted on the spindle and projecting into the path of said stem and movable thereby to an operative position by relative movement of said stem and spindle.

2. Gauging apparatus comprising a tubular spindle including telescoping sections, means for mounting the spindle in upright position, a gauging head mounted on the lower said section at the lower end thereof and adapted to seat on an article under test, a .gauging plug, a stem to which the plug is connected, said stem extending lengthwise through said spindle, said plug and stem being movable up and down relative to the spindle to and from a gauging position, and a detector mounted on the spindle and projecting into the path of said stem'and movable thereby to an operative position by relative movement of said stem and spindle, said gauging head being formed with upwardly convergent guiding surfaces arranged to contact the article to be gauged as said head is moved downward and hold said article in register with the spindle.

3. Gauging apparatus comprising a tubular spindle including telescoping sections, means for mounting the spindle in upright position, a gauging head mounted on the lower said section at the lower end thereof and adapted to seat on an article under test, a gauging plug, a stern to which the plug is connected, said stem extending lengthwise through said spindle, said plug and stem being movable up and down relative to the spindle to and from a gauging position, a detector comprising a tumbler pivotally mounted on the upper section of said spindle and projecting over said stem, and means for moving said upper section downwardly while the gauging head is seated on the said article, said stem and gauging plug being free to move downwardly with the telescoping section for moving the gauging plug to a gauging position, said stem being operative to throw the tumbler when the gauging plug is prevented from completing its said downward movement to said gauging position.

4. Apparatus for gauging the neck openings of hollow articles, comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor, means for driving the conveyor, gauging mechanism including a plurality of gauging units mounted above the conveyor, each said unit comprising a vertical spindle and a gauging head carried by the spindle, means for driving the gauging mechanism in synchrcnism with the conveyor and causing the said spindles to move in a closed path with thespindles directly over the said conveyor during a portion of their travel, said spindles and gauging heads being movable downwardly to cause said heads to seat on articles carried on the conveyor, each said gauging unit including a gauging plug movable downward by gravity relative to the gauging head for causing the gauging plug to enter the neck opening of the article, a stationary cam track, cam followers individual to the gauging units and operatively connected to the said spindles for controlling their up-and-down movements, detectors carried with and individual to the spindles, each detector comprising a tumbler pivotally connected to the spindle, operating means between each gauging plug and its associated tumbler for throwing the latter to an operative position when the gauging plug is prevented from normal downward movement into a said neck opening, an electromagnet, aswitch in circuit with the magnet winding and positioned in the path of the tumbler when the latter is in operative position, and an ejector operatively connected to and operated by said electromagnet.`

5. Apparatus for gauging the neck openings of bottles or other articles, said apparatus comprising a horizontally traveling conveyor, gauging mechanism mounted above the conveyor and comprising gauging units mounted to travel horizontally in a closed path, means for driving the gauging mechanism and conveyor in synchronism, each said unit comprising a vertical spindle and a gauging head on the lower end ci the spindle, said heads and spindles mounted for up-and-down movement during their travel for seating the gauging heads on the said articles and causing them lwhile seated to advance with the said articles during a portion of their travel, each spindle comprising telescopically connected tubular sections, the lower section carrying the said gauging head, a stationary cam track, each said unit including a cam .follower roll running on said track and connected to the upper telescoping section, said track being shaped to lower the spindle and seat the gauging head on an article to be tested and then move the upper said telescoping section downward relative to the gauging head, a gauging plug movable downward through the gauging head and into the neck opening of the article, a stem on which the gauging plug is connected, said stem extending upwardly through the spindle and movable up and down relative thereto, a tumbler pivotally connected to the upper telescoping section and projecting into the path of said stem and arranged to be thrown to an operative position by upward movement of said stem relative to the spindle, and ejector mechanism actuated 'by said tumbler, said ejector mechanism being positioned and arranged to eject articles from the said conveyor.

6. The gauging apparatus defined in claim 5 wherein the ejector mechanism comprises an electromagnet, an ejector arm operatively connected thereto, a switch in circuit with the electromagnet winding and positioned in the path of said tumbler when the latter is in operative position, and a stationary cam positioned and arranged to reset the tumblers.

7. Gauging apparatus comprising a vertical spindle, a supporting frame in which the spindle is mounted for up-and-down movement, said spindle comprising tubular telescoping sections,

each of said telescoping sections being freely movable 'with i'espect vto 'the other, kand to its mounting, 'a rgauging head attached to the lower end of the lower said section, said head formed with an opening therethrough with upwardly tapered walls for engaging and centering an article to be gauged, a gauging plug mounted for free movement up and down through the opening in said head, ya stem connected to said plug and extending `vertically through the spindle and mounted for ree sliding movement up and down relative lto the spindle, and a stop device attached to the 'upper end of the Ystem in position to engage the spindle vand limit the downward movement of the lgauging plug relative to the spindle, the gauging plug when at said limit of downward movement being in a position in which it protrudes downwardly through the opening Vin the gauging head, and being free for upward movement relative to the spindle sections.

8. 'Gaugi'ng apparatus comprising a spindle including tubular telescopically connected sections, each oi' said telescoping sections being freely movable with respect to the other, and to its mounting, Ya carriage in which the spindle is mounted 'in vertical position, said spindle as a whole being movable up and down in the carriage, means for driving the carriage in a horizontal path, a stationary cam track, means pro- Y viding operating connections .between the camV track and the upper said section of the spindle, said track being 'shaped and arranged to effect up-and-down movements of the spindle during the travel of the carriage, a gauging plug, a stem attached to the plug and extending vertically through the lspindle and mounted for up-anddownv movement relative thereto.

9. Gauging lapparatus comprising a spindle including `tubular ltelescopically connected sections, each of said telescoping sections being freely 8 movable with respect to the other, and to its mounting, a carriage -which the spindle is mounted in vertical position, said spindle as a whole being movable up .and down in the carriage, means for driving the carriage in a horizontal path, a stationary cam track, means providing operating I'connections lbetween Vthe cam track and the upper said 'section of the spindle, said track being shaped and arranged to effect upand-down movements of the spindle during the travel of the carriage, a gauging head carried on the spindle at the lower end thereof and formed with an opening therethrough, a gauging plug vmounted for up-and-down movement within said opening, a stem attached to said plug and extending upwardly vthrough the spindle and mounted for up and down movement relative to the spindle, and a detector projecting into the path of the said 'stem and operable by the movement of 'said stern relative to the spindle.

ANDERSON D. MCNUTT. ROBERT L. NEWTON.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the le of this :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS