US2634868A

US2634868A - Apparatus for holding collapsible tubes on supporting spindles

Info

Publication number: US2634868A
Application number: US80163A
Authority: US
Inventors: Remington Frederic; Richard A Tartaglia
Original assignee: Peerless Tube Co
Current assignee: Peerless Tube Co
Priority date: 1949-03-08
Filing date: 1949-03-08
Publication date: 1953-04-14
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-14

Description

April 14, 1953 F. REMINGTON ETAL 2,634,868

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLES 2 SHEETSSHEET l Filed March 8, 1949 2 l XLEV C 2/ 20 /6 7 474 l zz%r:

April 3 F. REMINGTON ETAL 2,634,868

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLES Filed March 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 O .75 1 4 1 l4 g m g Patented Apr. 14, 1953 APPARATUS FOR HOLDING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES ON SUPPORTING SPINDLES Frederic Remington, Elizabeth, and Richard A.

Tartaglia, East Orange, N. J assignors to Peerless Tube Company, Bloomfield, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application March 8, 1949, Serial No. 80,163

6 Claims.

This invention relates in general to machines for handling collapsible tubes during the manufacture thereof, and in particular the invention contemplates novel and improved apparatus for holding collapsible tubes on the spindles upon which they are supported during operations upon the tube, for example trimming and threading of the tube. According to the common general practice of holding collapsible tubes on spindles or mandrels, the tube-supporting mandrel or spindle generally comprises a main portion over which the body of the partially completed tube is nicely fitted, and a reduced end portion of a diameter slightly less than that of the internal diameter of the neck of the tube and having one or more segments of helical ribs of long pitch which upon relative rotation of the tube and spindle in one direction are in efiect screwed into the neck of the tube for holding the tube against rotation relatively to the spindle. Obviously the direction of rotation of the spindle during operations upon the tube is such that resistance to rotation of the tube caused. by the tools incident to said operations will tend to tighten the tube on the spindle; and special means is required to reverse the direction of rotation of the spindle and to hold the tube against rotation in such a manner as to unscrew or release the connection of the tube from the helical ribs on the spindle. Moreover, said heli-. cal ribs roughen the interior surfaces of the neck of the tube so that small particles of the displaced metal or burrs caused by the helical ribs may later contaminate the contents of the tube.

In some cases the displaced metal comprises long slim slivers, for example one-quarter of an inch in length. Serious injuries to the skin and mouth have been caused by such slivers of metal in tooth paste and similar substances.

Furthermore, it is dimcult if not impossible to thoroughly apply the usual inside coating to the rough or burred surfaces, the coating material having a tendency to flow away from the sharp edges of the burrs so as to leave the latter uncoated. As is known by those skilled in the art, such inside coatings are used to prevent chemical action between the contents of, the tube and the material of which the tube is formed, so that such failure to coat the rough or burred surfaces of the tube is serious.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method of and apparatus for holding a collapsible tube against movement relatively to a supporting spindle on which the tube is mounted during operations upon the tube so as to obviate the screwing of the tube on or other interlocking of the tube with the mandrel and thereby prevent roughening or grooving of the interior surface of the tube.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus whereby a collapsible tube can be held against both relative rotation and longitudinal movement on a supporting spindle by means disposed wholly exteriorly of the tube and which shall not bite into, groove or otherwise injure or deform the walls of the tube.

A further object is to provide a method and apparatus of this character which will also permit easy and quick removal, manually or otherwise, of the tube from the mandrel after the operation upon the tube has been completed.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of ap-' paratus embodying the invention for holding collapsible tubes on supporting mandrels or spindles, illustrating the apparatus in conjunction with a generally known type of tube trimming and threading machine;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar view approximately on the plane of the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a similar view approximately on the plane of the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 66 of Figure l; and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary composite longitudinal sectional and side elevational view of the tube-supporting mandrel and a collapsible tube thereon.

The invention may be embodied in many dif-' ferent types of tube working machines, but for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, the invention has been shown in conjunction with a generally known type of machine for trimming and threading collapsible tubes.

As shown, the machine comprises a base or frame I upon which is jou-rnaled a horizontal shaft 2, at one end of which is a mandrel or spindle 3 for supporting a collapsible tube A to be threaded.

This collapsible tube is shown as formed of ductile metal and comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion 5 and a neck 5 at one end thereof, the inner end of said neck being slightly tapered outwardly from the body of the tube as indicated at 1, while the outer end is intended to be threaded to receive a closure. During operation of the machine, the shaft 2 and mandrel 3 are rotated by any suitable means such as a belt-and-pulley connection 9 with a suitable source of power. In accordance with the invention, the collapsible tube is heldagainst movement relatively to the mandrel by applying to the tube a force tending to rotate the tube at the same speed and in the same direction as the rotation of the mandrel.

This apparatus is here shown as comprising a friction wheel if! having a suitable friction surface II, such as leather on its' periphery to frictionally engage the exterior surface of the collapsible tube 4 when the latter is on the spindle. The friction wheel i is journaled on a suitable shaft l2 which is supported by an arm 13 that is carried by and projects laterally from a shaft M which is journaled in a tubular shaft 15 which is in turn journaled in bearings 16 on the frame I of the machine.

The friction wheel H) is rotated at the same peripheral speed and in the opposite direction from the collapsible tube A on the spindle, and as shown the friction wheel is rigidly connected to a sprocket I! which is connected by a chain [8 to a sprocket 19 on the tubular shaft I; and said tubular shaft has a belt-and-pulley connection 28 with the main shaft 2.

In accordance with the invention, the shaft 2 and spindles or mandrel 3 are continuously driven during the operation of the machine and a collapsible tube is slipped on the spindle, manually or otherwise, the friction wheel H3 being spaced from the spindle and said tube. Then the friction wheel I0 is moved upwardly into frictional contact with the periphery of the tube A and maintained in such contact during the operations upon the tube. As shown, the shaft I4 has a lever arm 2| connected thereto and carrying a follower roller 22 which is normally pressed into contact with a cam 23 by a spring 24; and said cam is so shaped as to oscillate the lever 2'! and move the friction wheel into and out of contact with the collapsible tube on the mandrel in proper timed relation to the application and removal of the tube to and from the mandrel, respectively. With this construction, it will be understood that after the tube has been applied to the mandrel, the cam 23 will actuate the friction wheel I0 into contact with the tube and this frictional contact in conjunction with the rotation of the friction wheel at the same peripheral speed and in the opposite direction from the tube, will firmly hold the tube against rotation and longitudinal movement relatively to the spindle. After the operations have been completed on the tube, the cam 23 will move the friction wheel out of contact with the tube and the tube will be removed from the spindle manually or otherwise.

Any suitable means may be utilized for actuating the cam 23, but for simplicity we have shown a chain and sprocket connection 25 between the main drive shaft 2 and a counter shaft 2G journaled in bearings 21 on the frame and on which the cam is mounted.

Of course, there will be a suitable control mechanism actuable by the operator for controlling the application of power to the main shaft 2' for starting and stopping the apparatus. As hereinbefore indicated, the tube holding apparatus may be used in conjunction with many types of tube working machines, but for purposes of illustration, we have shown said apparatus associated with a tube-trimming and threading machine which includes a tool 28 that is normally disposed in an out-of-the-way relation to the mandrel 3 so that a collapsible tube may be manually slipped endwise onto the mandrel, and after the tube has been mounted on the mandrel, said tool is moved into alinement with the neck of the tube, then advanced into proper contact with said neck to perform the desired operation, for example trimming the neck. The tool is mounted on a stem or rod 29 which is slidably mounted on a bearing block 30 that is carried by a bracket which is in turn mounted on an actuating block 32 that is slidably mounted as by a dovetail connection 33 upon the top of the base I of the machine so as to move toward and from the mandrel 3. The shaft 29 is slidable by a lever 34 pivotally mounted on. the block 32 and. actuated by a cam 35 on a cam shaft 36 journaled in bearings on the base I. The block 32 is actuated in one direction by a cam 31 and in the other direction by a spring-38. Another tool, as shown a threading tool, 39 is mounted on another actuating block 40 like the block 32, which is actuated in opposite directions by a cam 41 and a spring 42 respectively.

The cam shaft may be driven in any suitable manner, for example from a separate source of power, but is shown as driven from the counter shaft 26 through a clutch 43 which is manually controllable through a hand lever 44'. The clutch should be closed after the tube has been applied to the spindle and engaged by the friction wheel.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the

cams

35, 31 and 4| and the speed of rotation of the cam shaft 36, will be such as to keep the

tools

28 and 39 in proper timed relation to each other, and if desired means may be provided for automatically stopping the cam shaft after one revolution thereof with the

tools

28 and 39 in their withdrawn position to permit removal of one tube from the spindle and the application of another tube thereto. The tube working machine per se is unimportant to the present invention which resides in the apparatus for holding the tube on the spindle against rotation and longitudinal movement relatively thereto.

While a now preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it should be understood that this is primarily for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and that the details of construction of the apparatus may be modified and changed and the apparatus may me embodied in many different machines, all within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relatively rotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means for rotating said spindle about its axis to frictionally rotate said tube therewith, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle against movement relatively t said spindle, said mechanism including, a revoluble friction element, and means independent of said tube for positively revolving said friction element. at the same peripheral speed as said tube but in the opposite direction, and means independent of saidtube for moving sa1d friction element into and out of frictional con tact with the exterior surface of said tube.

The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means for rotating said spindle about its axis, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle against movement relatively to said spindle, said mechanism including a friction roller, a lever arm on which said friction roller is mounted, means for oscillating said lever arm to move said friction roller alternately into and out of contact with the exterior surface of said tube, and means for revolving said friction roller at the same peripheral speed as said tube but in the opposite direction.

3. The combination of a main drive shaft having a cylindrical spindle at one end thereof to slidably receive and support a tube, means for rotating said shaft, for holding a tube on said spindle against movement relatively to the spindle, said mechanism including a tubular shaft, a driving connection between said tubular shaft and said main drive shaft, a secondary shaft journaled in and projecting at one end from said tubular shaft, an arm on said end of said secondary shaft, a friction roller journaled on said arm so that said roller will be moved into and out of contact with the exterior surface of a tube on said spindle upon oscillation of said secondary shaft, means for oscillating said secondary shaft, and a driving connection between said tubular shaft and said friction roller to rotate the latter at the same peripheral speed as said tube but in the opposite direction.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for oscillating said secondary shaft comprises a lever arm on said shaft and a rotatable cam for swinging said lever arm.

5. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relatively rotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means for rotating said spindle about its axis, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle against movement relatively to said spindle, said mechanism including an element engageable with the periphery of said tube, and means independent of said tube for actuating said element to rotate the tube at the same speed and in the same direction as said spindle.

6. The combination of a rotatable cylindrical spindle for relatively rotatably slidably receiving and supporting a tube thereon, means for rotating said spindle about its axis, and mechanism for holding a tube on said spindle against movement relatively to said spindle, said mechanism including an element having a friction surface to frictionally engage the peripheral surface of said tube, and means independent of said tube positively actuating said element to move said friction surface at the same speed as the said peripheral surface and in the same direction at the point of engagement of said friction surface and said peripheral surface.

FREDERIC REMINGTON. RICHARD A. TARTAGLIA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 816,694 Watzke Apr. 3, 1906 1,076,985 Knupfer Oct. 28, 1913 2,554,405 Grosshans May 22, 1951