US2638653A

US2638653A - Device for working in ceramics

Info

Publication number: US2638653A
Application number: US233715A
Authority: US
Inventors: Adams Leonard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-06-27
Filing date: 1951-06-27
Publication date: 1953-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1970-05-19

Description

May 19, 1953 L. ADAMS 2,638,653 DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS l Filed June 27, 1951 l 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1953 ADAMS 2,638,653

l l DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS Filed June 27. 1951 s sheets-sheet 2 My 19', 1953 L. ADAMS 2,638,653 n DEVICE FCR WORKING IN CERAMICS Filed June 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR WORKING IN CERAMICS Leonard Adams, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application J une 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,715

17 Claims.

My device relates generally to the art of pottery, and in particular to that branch of the art known as ceramics.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a combination device which shall enable the ceramist to perform all of the various operations required in the forming of ceramics.

Another object is to provide a device of this nature having a potters wheel and a variable speed drive mechanism for the wheel which are mounted in a case adapted to be supported in twopositions at substantially right angles to each other, to facilitate some of the various operations possible with the device.

Another object is to provide a speed control for the device which may be operated either by foot or by hand.

A further object is to provide a device of this nature which is substantially self-contained and is portable so that it may be used at any desired place in, for instance, a home by a ceramist. Moreover, my device is simple in design, durable in operation, and of such a nature that it may be easily and quickly adapted to the speciiic use of the ceramist.

The above objects and advantageshave been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is -a side View of the device, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, also partly in section; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side sectional elevation showing the device set up for use as a lathe;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of my device set up and designed to be used as a igger;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front face view of the vdevice showing it as a slip mixer and 'also showing the device adapted to be controlled by means of the foot of the operator;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the invention as shown in Fig. '1;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged plan view partly in section of the foot control means;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the foot control means;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line XI-XI of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 12 is 'a fragmentary sectional view of the foot control means and is taken on line XII- XII of Fig. 9.

My device comprises a casing l5, preferably of wood, which houses the power and speed control means. The casing is provided with two sets of feet I6, arranged on adjacent sides so that the' casing may be placed in two positions at right angles to each other for most convenient location for performing various operations.

Arranged over the o-pen top of the casing I5 is a top plate 20 having a peripheral ange 2| which is secured to the casing. The plate is also provided with a side wall 22 which is preferably inclined somewhat as shown in the drawings and which together with the bottom wall l1 forms a drainage trough 23. This trough Iis annular -in form and extends from the side wall to a point below the periphery of the wheel 24. The central portion 25 of the top plate is raised above the bottom of the trough, whereby liquids being thrown from the wheel or being deposited in the top plate will be collected in the trough and conducted therefrom by means of a drainage pipe 26 (see Figs. 3 and 4) which is connected to a sump 30 formed at one side of the trough. f

The wheel 24 is carried at the center of the top plate and is suitably mounted upon an antifriction bearing 3l, the inner race of which is secured to the wheel by means of a bearing ring 32, the outer race of the bearing being suitably mounted within the raised portion 25 of the top plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The power means for driving the wheel 24 is, for clearness of illustration, not shown in the drawings, but may be in the nature of a small electric motor suitably connected to a power transmission or torque converter 33. This torque converter is a standard article of manufacture, 4and will, therefore, not 'be described -in detail. It is of the type which is controlled lby the oscillation of its control shaft 34. The drive shaft 35 of the converter is arranged in coaxial relation with the wheel 24, and it is connected thereto by means of a two-part wheel shaft 40 having

parts

41 and 46. These shaft parts are connected together by means of -a clutch formed by a torque 45 and an engaging groove 46. The part 41 of the wheel shaft is mounted within a bore 4l formed in the bearing ring 32, and it is connected to the bearing ring and to the wheel by means of a pin 42 carried by the ring and disposed within a diametrcally arranged slot 43 formed in the upper part 41 of the clutch wheel shaft. The

shaft parts

41 and 48 are each formed with a clutch flange 44 and 50, respectively, between whch is disposed the spaced arms'52 of a clutch cam yoke 51. These arms extend forwardly from a yoke 53 which has a control rod accessi;

54 attached thereto. The end of the control rod extends forwardly beyond the outer conines of the casing where it is provided with a co-ntrol knob 14. From Fig.y 1 it will be observed that the arms 52 of the clutch cam yoke are joined to the yoke 53 by means of cam surfaces 55 whereby the parts 4l and i8 of the shaft 4B may be separated. by pushing the rod 54 inwardly, thereby causing the tongue 45 to be disengaged from the groove 45, and the whee124 thereby disconnected from the drive shaft 55 of the torque converter. A helical spring 45 is arranged between the bearing ring .72 and the flange 'd'4 of the part 4l of the wheel shaft, whereby this part of the shaft will be urged downwardly so as to bring the tongue l5 thereof into engagement with the slot 46 of the shaft part w38 when registering position and when the clutch cam yoke -is moved to itsl inoperative position.

`An opening 55 is provided at the front of the casing |5 over which a control plate 60 is mounted. This control plate is provided with a horiontally arranged slot 6i in which a control arm 52 is disposed. This arm consists of a sleeve 63 within which a control stud 6A is -slidably mounted. The inner end of the control stud is attached to a torque vcontrol arm 5", which is connected to the control shaft 34 of the converter. (A helical spring 65 is arranged between the leg 5B of the torque control arm 65 and the inner end of the control'sleeve 53 to cause thesleeve to be urged outwardly upon the stud-64. A friction collar lil is-adjustably mounted upon the inner end of the control sleeve, and bears against the karcuate surfaces of two spaced control flanges 5l which are carried by the control plate and are extended inwardly into the interior of the casing. The bearing surface of the collar is faced with suitable friction material. Under normal handcontrol conditions, the helical spring 65 serves to press the friction collar against the inner faces of the control flanges, so as to increase the frictional contact and thereby retain the control arm in its adjustedposition. A control knob 'i3 is preferably attached to the outer end of the control sleeve to facilitate its convenient operation.

The control plate has a handle lug 'i5 at each end thereof, and a handle 'i6 is-pivctally attached thereto by means of pivot studs 85 whichpass through the handle and into the lugs. These studs-providemeans for holding one end of Ythe sleeve of Aa wire foot control, to be hereinafter described Y 4-In Figs. 1, 2, 7, 9, and U11, the device is shown as arranged for manipulation by the footofthe operator, and the wire-control from the foot control disc `of Figs. 9 and 10 is shown as broken off but leading to the control platerof the' device, as shown in Fig. '7. V'As here shown, 'the wire 82 of the control -is attached to a wire stud 8| which engagescre'gistering apertures formed in the'control sleeve 63 and in the control stud 54. As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and llglthese aperturesY are in yregistration when `the sleeve yis pushedminwar'dly sofas to disengage y'the friction collar 'l0 from thecontrol flanges 57. When so engaged, the wire 8'2 of the wire control is passed through a registering aperture 83 formed in-thewire stud, and in the control stud 54-and sleeve'63. In order to compensate for the angularmovement of the control arm when it is being moved from one'position to the other b y means 'of-the foot controL'I provide la V-sha'ped Vslot -84 formed in each side of the stud 64 which merges into the opening formed therein. Thesleeve is also provided with a slot 85 through each side thereof at positions which register with the V- shaped slots a4 when the sleeve is pushed inwardly to its foot control position. The control wire is of the customary Bowden type which has a exible sleeve or sheath 86 surrounding and slid'ably supporting the wire 8-2. As shown in Fig. 11, the :outer end of the *sleeve 86 is mounted within a recess 95 formed in the pivot stud 80 and it is secured in place by means of the set screw 9| Vpositioned in handle lug 15 and the stud '85. Provision is made for the attachment of this end o'f the Bowden wire control at either side of the device, each of the pivot studs and adjacent handle lug vbeing provided with a screw-threaded aperture for the reception of the set screw 9|. After the sleeve and wire have been assembled, the wire 82 is fastened lin position by means of a set screw '92 which passes into the bottom of the wire stud 8| and is brought to bear against the wire mounted in the aperture of the stud. VVh'en the device is set up x'for the foot control, it will loe obvious that the friction 'collar T0 will be spaced from the control flanges, and that 'the control of the arm t2 will be under the influence of vthe foot control mechanism.

The foot control mechanism comprises a base |39 which provided preferably with rubber feet 93 so as to prevent its slipping when 'being operated. The control disc 54 is rotatably 'mounted upon Yth'e'base 52 and 'is 'preferably `fitted 'into an annular recess 95 vformed in the 'base. The disc is provided with an annular groove 95 'for the reception'o'f the`wire`82 of thecontrol. Thebase is also formed with an aperture |55 'extending across from one side thereo'fto the other and is located 'tangentially with `respect to the groove 95. The y'aperture '|50 is provided at each of its outer ends with 'a counterbore |0| 4forI the reception'o'f the outer end ofthe sleeve 85 ofthe control. A set "screw T02, engageablewith either aperture |03 formed 'inthe base, serves to lclamp the sleeve 86 in position. The adjacent end of the wire' ispre'ferablyformedwithan inturned end "|'0"4 which engages /with a =radial aperture |55 formed in the disc Aand lin'registratio'n with the groove 95. Thedisc is forrnecl'on its upper surface with aynumber of radiating vanes |06'to receivethe footcf "the operator in substantially non-slipping manner. Obviously, whenthe disc is'tobeactuatedthe operator twists his foot in either direction 'to brin-g about the desired `speed of thewheel.

An electric switch ||l is 'carried by the' control plate "at a position preferably underneath the control arm, and this is suitably 'connected in well known manner to the control motor ofthe devi'ce (not shown) 'and to a suitable sourc'eof electricenergy. l

Theiiange 2| of the top plate 2li is provided at each corner with fascrewthreaded aperture |2 for the reception of one 'of anumb'er of posts H3.. These posts, are shown in Figs. 3, v5 and 7, extend a suitable distance above the vflange oi' the plate and serve to support Various parts of the'm'achine whlebeing used. A yoke' |'4 serves to connect threeof'the 'posts when they are attached to the ange,"and`this`yoke comprises three yoke arms H5, a yoke head ||5 at the end of each of Athe and ayo'ke hub |20 at the center 'tlfiereof` -AEach'of the yoke heads I6 is -fformedlw'th-a slot|2|-vv and a clamping bolt |22 is passed through the slotted portion, whereby'each of the yoke heads may be securely clamped in position upon the engaged post. A clamping screw |23 is carried by the yoke head for clamping a number of the parts of the device in operative position. y

In order that the ceramist may use the device for accomplishing various steps and functions in his art, I provide a number f components which form parts of the complete combination. For instance in Fig. 5, I show the device arranged to perform -a jiggering operation and two posts ||3 are used. If desired, the yoke ||4 and the three posts may be used. As here shown, a tool supporting bar |25 is provided, one end thereof being pivotally mounted in a pivot block |26 whereas the other end is supported within a slot |30 formed in a stop block |3|. The bar carries a jigger blade |32 which is held in place by means of a jigger clamp |33. The pottery being formed by the jigger is shown at |34. The pivot block |26 and stop. block |3| are each mounted upon one of the posts ||3, which, for these operations, are arranged diametrically opposite each other. So as to be vable to accurately determine the posi- -tion of the jigger tool when the workpiece is finished, I provide a stop screw |35 which is carried by the stop block |3| and which limits the downward movement of the pivotally mounted tool supporting bar |25. The bar is provided at its outer end with a hook |36, which may be brought into engagement with the adjacent post ||3 to a hold the bar in its 'inactive position, as shown in l dotted lines in Fig. 5, thereby giving unhampered access to the table. Each of these blocks is provided wi-th a slot |31 which merges into the bore |40, and a clamping screw |4| passes through the slotted portion of each, whereby they may be clamped to the engaged posts at any desired position.

When the ceramist desires to use the device as a lathe and to produce an object similar to that shown in Fig. 3, all three of the posts |3 are used together with the yoke ||4. When the device is to be used in this manner, the pivot block |26 and the stop block |3| are engaged with two of the posts on the same side of the device, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The tool supporting bar is then clamped to the side faces of these blocks by means of clamping screws |4| and wing nuts |42.

When the lathe of my device is to be used, a tool rest |43 is provided which is carried by the supporting bar |25 and whichv comprises a tool rest block |44 suitably clamped in desired position to the supporting bar. A toolA rest post |45, which is preferably a part of the tool block, carries a tool rest |46 and a clamp screw |50 for securing the tool rest in desired position. For this opera- :tion a dead center |5| is employed to support the outer end of the workpiece or the core |52 carried by it. This dead center is carried by a rod |53 which is passed through the yoke head |20 and is secured in place by means of the screw |23. While this operation may, if desired, be performed with the workpiece in a vertical axial position, it may in some cases be preferable to operate upon the workpiece with its axis in a horizontal plane. To this end the casing may be turnedthrough 90 and the wheel 24 supported on its horizontal axis. The screws |4| of the stop block and pivot block are extended beyond the blocks so that when the casing is in this horizontal position, these screws will rest upon the supporting surface (not shown) and thereby steady the outer projecting end of vthe device.

' In order to provide means whereby the ceramist may mix his slip to a liquid consistency, I provide, in the periphery of the wheel 24, a number 0f radially arranged apertures |54 for the reception of the lower inwardly bent ends |55 of a number of rods |56. These rods are extended upwardly and pass lthrough suitable clamping means |60 which are engaged with the upper edge |6| of a container |62. The upper ends of the rods are screwthreaded and provided with wing nuts |64. The slip to be mixed is placed within thecontainer, and the rod |53 is secured in :the yoke head |20 and is extended well into the container where a paddle |63 is disposed. The paddle |63 is nonrotatably secured to the lower end of the rod |53, and it may be disposed in any desired position within the container and secured in such position by having the rod |53 clamped within the head |20 of the yoke by means of the clamp screw |23.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that when the potters wheel is to be used, the control knob '|4 is pulled out to connect the torque converter to the wheel shaft and the desired speed of the wheel is controlled by adjustment of the control lever 62. Should, however, it be desired to use both hands to manipulate the material being fashioned, the foot control means, illustrated in Fig. 9, are employed. It should be noted that for convenience of illustration,l the control lever is shown in its middle position, and it is obvious, that this lever is movable from one end of the slot 6| to the other in adjusting the speed of the wheel.

When the device is set up for foot operation and it is desired to actuate it by hand, the wire control 82 is disconnected from the control plate by loosening the set screws 9| and 92 and by re-g moving the control wire with its sleeve, after which the wire stud 8| is removed from the registering apertures in the sleeve 63 and stud 64. This will permit the helical spring 66 to push the sleeve outwardly so as to bring the friction collar 10 into engagement with the faces of the control flanges 1| which will cause the control arm to be retained. in any of its adjusted positions.

When it is desired to stop the rotation of the wheel for any purpose whatever, it is not necessary to interrupt the rotation of the motor and torque converter, since the control rod 54 may be pushed inwardly to disconnect the clutch and allow the drive shaft to rotate freely without actuating the wheel 24. When it is again desired to cause the wheel to rotate, it is only necessary to pull outwardly on the control knob '|4 which will bring the clutch cam yoke to its inoperative position and permit the engagement of the clutch.

When theceramist desires to mix glaze, the device may be used as a ball mill. When so used, the receptacle |62 may be clamped to the wheel as herein described and as shown in Fig. 7. Obviously, the paddle |63 and rod |53 are not used for this operation and the top iof the container is provided with a cover (not shown). The device is then pla-ced upon its side and the container rotated to grind the material in well known manner.

My device is so compact and the materials which are being handled are so controlled and restricted to their zones of operation that the whole device may be used at any desired and convenient place, for instance, the ceramist may take the device into a living room and there perform all of the operations desired without fear of disturbing the surroundings or the soiling of floor coverings or furniture.

the disc with the control plate and the control lever, respectively, whereby the lever may be actuated by a twisting movement of the foot of the operator.

10. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, the top plate having three triangularly positioned threaded apertures, three posts engageable with the threaded apertures for extension in a direction normal to the top plate, and stationary attachment blocks adjustably carried by the posts for securing various working tools thereto.

1l. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the` casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a variable speed torque converter mounted within the casing and having a drive shaft and a separate control shaft, a twopart wheel shaft for connecting the wheel to the drive shaft, a clutch associated with the wheel shaft and formed between the parts thereof, means for actuating the clutch to connect and vdisconnect'. the wheel to and from the drive shaft of the converter, and means connected to the control shaft for controlling the speed of the converter.

12. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, upon the casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a variable speed torque converter mounted within the casing and having a drive shaft and a separate control shaft, a twopart Wheel shaft, one part of the wheel shaft being reciprocally mounted, a clutch mounted between the parts of the wheel shaft, cam means disposed between the adjacent ends of the wheel shaft parts for actuating the clutch to connect and disconnect the wheel to and from the converter, and means connected to the control shaft for controlling the speed of the converter.

13. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having a drive shaft and a separate control shaft, a two-part wheel shaft connecting the wheel with the converter drive shaft, a clutch cam yoke having spaced cam arms disposed between the adjacent end of the Wheel shaft for connecting and disconnecting the parts of the latter, and means connecting to the control shaft for controlling the speed of the wheel.

14. A device for Working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having a drive shaft, a two-part Wheel shaft connecting the wheel with a stationary top plate mounted l il the converter drive shaft, one part of the wheel shaft being secured to the drive shaft, the other part of the wheel shaft being slidable within the hub of the wheel and having a diametrically arranged slot in its upper end, a stationary diametrically arranged pin carried by the hub of the wheeland slidably engaged with the slot formed in said other part of the wheel shaft, the adjacent ends of the Wheel drive shaft parts being formed with coacting clutch surfaces, and means for engaging and disengaging the clutch surfaces.

15. A device for Working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, the top plate being formed with a side wall and an annular drainage trough, the top plate having three triangularly positioned threaded apertures equidistantly spaced from the the axis of the wheel, a number of posts engageable with the threaded apertures for extension in a direction normal to the top plate, and adjustable attachment blocks carried by the posts for securing various Working tools thereto.

16. A device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a stationary top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters Wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, the top plate having a number of threaded apertures equidistantly spaced from the axis of the wheel, a number of posts engageable with the threaded apertures for extension in a direction normal to the top plate, stationary attaching blocks adjustably carried by the posts, and a tool supporting bar secured to the blocks, and forming tools carried by the bar,

17. A -device for working in ceramics comprising a casing, a top plate mounted upon the casing, a potters wheel rotatably supported by the top plate, a torque converter mounted in the casing and having a drive shaft and a contro1 shaft, a wheel shaft connecting the Wheel with the converter drive shaft, a control plate carried by the casing and having an elongated slot, a control lever mounted within the slot of the plate and having its inner end connected to the control shaft, a foot contro1 formed with a rotatable disc, and a push-pull wire engageable with the control lever at one end and having its other end disposed within an annular groove formed in the disc, whereby the control lever may be actuated by rotation of the disc by the foot of the operator.

LEONARD ADAMS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,613,500 Chamberlain Jan. 4, 1927 2,066,288 Hall Dec. 29, 1936 2,174,061 Perney Sept. 26, 1939 2,272,422 Miller et al. Feb. 10, 1942