US2844863A

US2844863A - Stock-feed mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2844863A
Application number: US468779A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur H Jobert
Original assignee: New Britain Machine Co
Current assignee: New Britain Machine Co
Priority date: 1954-11-15
Filing date: 1954-11-15
Publication date: 1958-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1975-07-29

Description

July 29, 1958y A. H. JoBERT 2,844,863

STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Filed Nov. 15, 1954 4 sheets-sheet 1l Arma@ H. aafr ATTORNEYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOR N EY5` A. H. JOBERT Nm. NY

NN if ululunwllldnhuulnmmw July 29, 1958 STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Filed NOV. 15, 1954 July 29, 1958 A. H. JoBER'r 2,844,863

STOCK-FEED MEcHANIsM Filed Nov. 15, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fie. 4. 3

Arran/Enf July 29, 1958 A. H. JoBERT STOCK-FEED MECHANISM v4 Sheets-Shale?.

Filed NOV. 15, 1954 .LK. rll A FIG. 5a.

INVENTOR.

HFT/fw? l/BE/PT BY E Arran/5y.;

United States Patent() STOCK-FEED MECHANISM Arthur H. Jobert, 'New Britain, Conn., assiguor 'to The New Britain Machine Company, New Britain, vConn.,-a lcorporation of 'Connecticut Application Novemberl, -1-954, Serial No. 468,779

My invention relates torotating machine tools, such as I automatic screw machines, and in particular to-a :stockfeeding mechanism therefor. ThisV application covers improvements over and modifications of the mechanism disclosed in my United States -Patent 12,659,127.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine of the character indicated.

It-is another object to 4provide animproved feed smechanism for a machine of the character indicated.

It is a further object to provide an improved means for automatically shutting down a part of the machine when automatically fed stock has :been consumed -to a point beyond which no further use may be made of fthe piece being fed.

It is also an object to provide .an .improved Afeed shutoif mechanism in an indexing machine ofthe character indicated, wherein the feed will not be shut oi until the last usable section `of -a piece of stock has been .fully worked and only when the spindle which needs stockreplenishment is in the indexed station at which {stockloading and feeding takes place.

It is a still further object to provide au improvedstockfeeding and restocking mechanism that may reduce .the number of pieces rejectable for having been insutliciently fed.

it is another object to provide an improved mechanism of the character indicated which will meet 'the above objects and at the same time provide vaccess to the spindle at the loading station, as for'setting the spindle-adjusting nut from the operators side of the machine.

It is a general object `to meet the above objectsl with a mechanism that -is completely automatic, that requires y a minimum of manual adjustments and which With certain additional elements may provide for a simplili'ed setting up and Yrestocking of the machine.

Other objects and various further features of the invention will be pointed out or will occur to v'those skilled in the art from a reading of the following "specilication in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Infsaid drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a machine incorporating features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially in the plane Z--Z of Fig. 1 and constituting essentially a rear elevation of my mechanism, with -the back plate and operating handle removed;

Briey stated, my ,invention contemplates an kimproved stock-feed mechanism which may employ conventional feed-cam .and feedfiingermeans, .but I .interpose novel means responsive .to failure Aof the feed-finger means -to maintain grasping contact with :the stock which is vbeing,

fed; upon disengagement Yof the feed-finger means .from the stock, the vfeed means `may he eifectively--disabledr In the indexing machine vin Yconnection with which a preferred form is to be disclosed, "this disabling `is arranged to occur after .the last .usablepiece of -stock v.has been completely worked '1(i. e. after cut-off) and when the collet or chuck containing .the useless piece of ystock is positioned for stock feeding. .In .addition `to `such automatic operation, the .stockfeed mechanism may'also 'be disabled Yat will, if desired.

The specific form to be described .represents great simplification over previous mechanisms, in kthat certain parts vof the actuating mechanism .are caused `to .perform a plurality of independent land interrelated functions. In particular, the mechanism maybe so compact andsimple a's to tit in alower quadrant of the works of themachine so that, in the case 'of application to ,a mu'ltiplespindle bar machine, the feedout or `loading-spindlestation .need not be one of the 'upper stations. This means that ready access may be available from the operators .side ofthe machine, as for Iperforming adjustments at ythe back end of fthe spindle at the tloading station..

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to a multiple-spindle automatic indexing machine, which maybe a bar machine. The` machine shown happens to be of thesiX-spindle variety,- and in Fig. f2 two` off the spindles 1Z0-I1 are shown revolubly supported in an indexible spindle carrier '12, within the `case 13 yat the rear end of the machine. The machine may include a number of -forming slides (not shown) Vvfor forming and cut-off operations when .the spindles (I0-11).are at the various indexed stations of the machine. YFor end-working operations, tools may be mounted at various .positions provided by a motor 18 to mechanism within the power case 17 iat .the right end of the machine, and 4a ldrivesha'it 18 i(.l-"ig, 2a) .may pass through the arbor 16 to transmit A stock power to a center gear 19, meshing with a plurality of spindle-drive gears 19 at the rear end of the spindles, all as more fully disclosed in the above identified patent.

The machine shown happens to be of the internallyfed variety. Thus, each spindle may be equipped with a collet to hold bar stock, as at 22 for the case of spindle 11. Since the invention is directed primarily to stockfeeding and collet-actuating functions taking place at the rear end of the spindle, the collet 22 does not appear in detail in the drawings, but will be understood to be actuable by longitudinally guided chuck-actuating means 25; means 25, via a collet tube 22l coacts with the collet opening-and-closing means of each spindle when it is indexed to the loading station, as is well known in the art. Collet-actuating forces may be supplied to the member 25 by a cam 30 carried by a cam drum 30 driven from main camshaft 21 which controls all automatic functions. The camshaft 21 may be rotated once for each indexed position of the spindle carrier, so that a collet or chucking operation may take place once Ifor each indexed operation of the spindle carrier lbut only at the spindle location or locations whichare to be loaded.

For stock-feeding purposes, I employ feed-finger means 32' at the forward end of a feed tube 32 (Figs. 2 and 2a) within each collet tube, and the feed-finger portion thereof is preferably as far forward as practicable. Feeding and withdrawing thrusts for the feed tube 32 may be applied at the outer ring 33 of an antifriction thrust bearing exposed beyond the rear end of the spindle and collet tube. In the form shown, the stock 22 is supplied to the various feed tubes for all the spindles from a stock-reel mechanism 34, which is indexible with the spindle carrier 12. The stock reel and various automatic features thereof may be as disclosed in my United States Patent 2,320,039, issued May 25, 1943.

Stock-feeding forces may be derived from a rise 37 on the cam drum 30, said rise 37 being timed to cause retracting displacement of the feed fingers 32 of tube 32 at the loading station 11 just prior to opening actuation of the collet means 27. The stock-feed cam prole 37 may provide feeding action for the feed tube 32 when the collet jaws are opened. The feed motion may be translated from the cam drum 30 to the tube 32 by means of a rocking feed lever, as in said Patent 2,659,127, but, in the form shown, the cam-follower roll 38 is carried directly by a feed slide 39 having means for supporting a feed-shoe part 40 and a retracting-shoe part 41, to be described in greater detail. The feed-slide means 39 is shown guided 'by twin arbors or bars 47--48, which may be supported at both ends in the frame of the machine and which, in the form shown, extend to the back plate 49 of the case 13. The same arbors 47-48 are shown also sldably supporting the chucking or colletactuating slide 25. A tension spring 51 may constantly urge the feed-slide means 39 in a feeding direction so as to load the follower roll 38 against the profile 37 of the feed cam. In the form shown, the spring 51 is anchored at the forward end to the frame of the machine, as to a fixed part (not shown) within the case 13, while the other end of spring 51 is engaged by means 52 to a bracket 53 on the feed-slide means 39.

In accordance with the invention, I provide means for automatically shutting down certain parts of the machine, including the stock-feed mechanism and preferably also such other functions as spindle-carrier indexing, `collet operation, and the like, as may be controlled from the main cam-shaft 21, such shutdown occurring whenever the stock 22 Within any particular spindle has been consumed to a point :beyond which it is no longer considered useful. The shut-down means may be effective wholly at the feed-out station; that is, while a given spindle is at the feed-out station, my mechanism may, not only detect a shortage of stock in said given spindle, but also shut down the camshaft soon enough so that new stock may be loaded into said spindle without the need to wait for a succession of indexing operations.

To detect the exhausted stock condition, I employ means responsive to a disengagement of the feed-linger means from a piece of stock that is too short. Such means may include a resiliently opposed lost-motion connection `between the feed-slide means 39 and the feednger means 32, the connection being stressed for one of the strokes (feed or drawback) of the feed-slide means 39. If there is sufficient stock 22 at the feed-out station 11, the frictional engagement of the feed-linger means or tube 32 with the stock may be as great as to compel take-up of the lost motion before said one stroke can be effective, but, if there is insuicient stock, the lost motion lmay not take place during said one stroke, and means responsive to the displacement of the lost motion connection during said one stroke may initiate the shutdown functions.

In the form shown, the lost-motion connection is arranged to be effective during the drawback stroke, and the shutdown functions may be initiated when or after the feed ngers of tube 32 have slipped olf the back end of a piece of stock 22 that is too short for further use. The lost-motion connection may include the drawback shoe 41, shown formed at one end 55 of an arm or lever pivotally supported on slide means 39 by a pin 56. The arm or lever 55 represents the lost-motion element between the feed-slide means 39 and the fingers of the feed tube 32, the lost motion being shown as an angular lost motion, as -best'appreciated in the aspect displayed in Fig. 4, in the displacement between the solid-line and phantom-line shapes shown. The lever 55 is shown to include a second end 62 supporting trip means 63 on an extension arm 64, to be described in greater detail.

Resilient means may be employed to urge lever 55 to a given limit of the lost motion; but, in the form shown, a spring 57 contained within a bore 58 in the feed slide 39 drives a guided abutment 59 against the heel of the lever 55, thereby serving a spring-detent function and resiliently urging lever 55 into the position shown in Fig. 4, regardless of the direction lever 55 may have been displaced away from said position. The slidable abutment 59 may have a reduced shank with a threaded end 60 projecting externally of the slide 39 so that, by means of a stop nut 61, a forward limit of spring-urged action may be determined.

With the parts thus far described, and for each feed of stock, the feed shoe 41 is solidly backed by abutment at 43 within the feed slide 39 so that, upon driving abutment of the shoe 41 with the thrust ring 33, there may be positive engagement between the feed slide 39 and the ngers of feed tube 32; on such occasion, of course, the new stock will have been fed out to the stock-stop 20, and the collet or chuck will have been actuated to hold the stock. Thus, for each drawback stroke and as long as a suliicient length of usable stock remains, the fingers 32 of feed tube 32 will be in tight dragging relation with the stock 22, so as to rock the arm or lever 55 clockwise in a compression of spring 57 and into a firm abutment of the lever end 62 with the abutment surface 43, the lever 55 then being in the position shown by phantom outline in Fig. 4. If, during the drawback stroke, the lingers of the particular feed tube 32 at the loading station 11 should slip off the end of the stock, the force of spring 57 is preferably suicient to displace the shoe 41 through its lost-motion travel to take up the solid-line position of Fig. 4, there being relatively little resistance then offered by the feed tube 32 and its thrust ring 33, even during the full course of the drawback stroke.

To initiate the shut-down functions, a trip member or pawl 63 may be poised to trip declutching means for the main camshaft 21 whenever the arm or lever 45 and :extension 264 are in the solid-line positions Avof Fig. 44 lduring a drawback stroke (representing the exhaustedstock condition). On the other hand, Aif itherefis usable stock 22 still to be fed, the drawback stroke may cause .the trip -63 to assume a displaced ,position out of possible .engagement with 'the tripping mechanism, so that no declutching of the main camshaft need then result.

The tripping mechanism to be actuated by member 63 may comprise essentially a longitudinally adjustably positionable abutment 65, shown formed at the `end of Aa bracket 66 and secured 'by clamp means 67 along an elongated bar, rod, or guide 68; in order that trip abutment 65 shall not be actuated .for normal feed cycles determined Vby cam 37, l prefer tosecure clamp 67 when cam 37 is on its high spot, and to allow a slight longiltudinal fc'learance between trip members 6.3--65 when clamp =67 .is set, as will lbe understood. The '-bar 68 is shown pivotally supported atene end by a bracket 69 Ion the feed slide 39 `and at the other end by the rear .frame plate 49 of the machine.

The tnippingimech'anism may further comprise alatchtrip arm :70 carried `by `the shaft or rod 68 and, therefore, 'actuated ywhenever trip V63 intercepts and angularly displaces abutment 65. The latch-trip arm 70 may have clogging engagement with a latch member 71 which may 'be pivotally mounted on a longitudinally extending `pin yor stud 72 on the inside of the rear frame member 49. A tension spring 73 -between latch members 70-71 may `serve to hold the latche'd position. When latched 'as 'show n in Fig. 2, with the .latch end of member 70 in the :notch 89' of member .71, the abutment 74 on the latch member '71 may clear the actuating button yof a vnormally closed electric switch '7S so that vthe contacts vthereof (through relay 76) may energize solenoid 77 yto .permit continuous automatic operation -of the machine.

The trip member 63 carried by the arm rand Iilever 64--55 is preferably in the nature of a pawl, pivoted at l"pin 46 and resiliently urged, as by spring means 45, ragainst an abutment 63 forming part `of the extension 64, for 'assumption of a normal position, best shown `in Fig. 3. With this relationship, positive coaction between trip member or pawl 63 and the disabling abutment or trip 65 is possible only during a ldrawback stroke; to prevent possible actuation of Vrocl 64 (and therefore also of latch members 7.0-71) during a feeding stroke, the spring 73 holding latch members .7.0--71 together is preferably substantially stronger `than the 'spring =45 for pawl 63, so that pawl 63 maypmerely ratchet or ride idly over abutment 65 during a feed stroke, as will be understood. As long as there remains suicient stock to be fed, the trip armor extension '64 (with its pawl 63) will be thrust Iaside (to the extent of the lost motion in the mounting yof lever 55) with each drawback actuation of the feed slide 39. This `action will mean that the pawl 63 may fail to .engage the abutment 65 and that the solenoid 77 `may remain 'energized as long as there is usable stock 22 :in the lspindle at the stoc'k feed-out station, at which spindle 1'1 is located in Fig. 2.

The stop nut 61 on the Vtail 160 of plunger l59 :will vbe Vseen as a means for adjusting the yresiliently urged limit of actuation of lever 55 and for thus accurately determining the offset position of the trip pawl 63 with respect to lthe trip abutment 65. This offset position of .pawl '63 must be longitudinally aligned with abutment 65 during drawback of slide 39 and after the feed 'fingers have `slipped off the end of a useless butt of stock 22.

When ie-energized, the solenoid 77 may form part `of a shut-down mechanism described in the above-mentioned Patent 2,320,039 for disengaging the main-camshaft clutch (not shown) and also, if desired, for applying braking means (not shown) to stop the main camshaft when the collet is open and ready to receive a new bar of stock. In Fig. 6, this shutdown mechanism is shown to `include two arms '78--79-, pivoted (to each other and to fthe frame) Vat 80 and effectively disconnected -as long as lthe solenoid 77 is energized. The arm 78 may continuously follow a :tripping cam 81 on the main camshaft 21, and the arm 79 may be in actuating relation with a rocker arm or lever v82. Arm 82 may engage a spool 83 for shifting a clutch throw-out .rod 84 for the main-camshaft clutch. In the form shown, the armature of solenoid 77 is linked b y a rod 85 and by a Vlatch rocker arm 86 to 'an extended part of the arm 78, as at the pivot 87.

As indicated, the lmotion of arm 78 in following the cam 81 may be purely wasted, as long as solenoid 77 remains energized. However, should the feed fingers at the collet end of tube 32 slip oft the end of a piece of stock during a drawback operation, spring 57 may act on drawback lever 55 to cause a kquick shift in the position of ytrip pawl 63 from its inoperative .position (phantom outline in Fig. 4) to its tripping or operative position (shown in solid lines in Fig. 4) and, therefore, into tripping alignment with the abutment 65. Continued drawback of the feed slide 39 may force the abutment 65 to ride upon the pawl 63 and thus to crank trip arm 70 counterclockwise from the position shown in solid outline in Fig. 2 to aposition of engagement with the notch 89 on trip latch 71. This tripping `of the latch follows the resilient urging of spring 73, so that the switch abutment 74 may actuate switch 75 from its normally closed position, thereby opening the circuit to relay 76 and terminating the supply of energy to the solenoid77. The spring 88 between members 78-86 will be immediately effec- .tive to latch .these members 78-86 togetherat 90 so that, in effect, the members 78-'79-86 constitute a unitary cam follower riding the profile of cam 81. vUpon the next rise of the cam-follower arm 78 .on cam 81, the members 78-79-86 will operate vas one to yenforce a clutch-disen- .gaging shift of the declutching rod 84, to the left in the `sense of Fig. 6.

It will be clear that by a proper setting of the tripping cam Si on the main camshaft 21 with relation to the collet-actuating cam (not shown) and to the feed cam 37, the feed mechanism, and, for that matter, vall operations .timed by the main camshaft 21,'may be shut down and the brake (not shown) automatically applied, so that the collet of the spindle at the feed-out station is open, and the feed slide 39 is fully forward to receive a new bar of stock, thus facilitating manual removal of the unusuable stock Abutt and the reloadingof spindle 11 with a new bar. Since the drawback surface 37 fof the `feedcontrol cam 3i) occurs immediately prior to the colletactuating function, the fingers of the feed tube 32 cannot slip on a piece of stock until the last usuable part thereof has been completely worked at all spindle stations, including the cut-off station (which may bealso the feed-out station). No partial indexing or cranking need, therefore, be performed manually or otherwise for a reloading operation, and a minimum of time isconsumed in reloading.

Before fully automatic operation of the machine is again possible, the latch members -7'1 lmust be reset into a ,position allowing switch to resume itsnormally closed condition, thereby :breaking :or .disabling .the connection between trip ymembers 78-79. In accordance wit-h ,a feature of the invention, I provide for this resetting by means of a multi-purpose manual-control arm `or hand crank 91 which is shown to have three possible positions and which is accessible behind the rear plate 49 of the machine frame. The normal positioning of the control arm or hand crank 91 (that is, the position calling for automatic operation) may be the lower phantom position l ldesignated A in Fig. 2; for semi-automatic operation, as

fin setting tools, the crank 91 may beset in the interme- `diate position B; and to condition the machine for `restocking an .empty spindle, such .as the spindle 11,'the -arm v91 may be shifted to the phantom position desigmated-C.

The arm 91 may be keyed to the guide bar 47 and, when shifted to the position C (to condition the machine for restocking the spindle 11), the angular displacement of bar 47 will shift a latch-resetting abutment 92 from the position shown in solid outline in Fig. 2 to an intermediate position shown by the phantom outline 92h, corresponding to the intermediate position B of arm 91, and finally to an extreme left phantom position 92e. In progressing from the position 921: to the position 92C, the latch-resetting abutment 92 will engage and drive latch member 71 (via an adjustable abutment 93) in a clockwise direction, against the action of spring '73 and for a sufficient displacement to enable spring 73 to actuate latch arm 70 into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, that is, in the position retained by the notch 89 of latch member 71. This movement of latch member 71 will result in withdrawing switch-actuating abutment 74 from control of switch 75 so that switch 75 may resume its normally closed condition, and the trip cam 81 may be rendered ineffective as long as usable stock remains.

It has been indicated that the control crank 91 may perform a number of functions and that, in the form shown, it may have three positions, best shown in Fig. 2. Each of these three positions A-B-C may be retained by detent means best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The detent may comprise an abutment member 94 carried by the back plate 49 of the frame and projecting for engagement with the underside of the boss or hub of handle 91. The detent 94 may coact with shallow recesses 95-96 when arm 91 is to be held in either of the positions C-B, respectively, but when in the position A, detent 94 is received in an enlarged recess 97 in the hub or boss of arm 91. In order that detent action may be resiliently applied, the guide bar 47 to which arm 91 is keyed is mounted for small longitudinal displacement action in response to the urging of a compressional spring 98, shown interposed between the latch-resetting member 92 and the inside surface of the back frame plate 49. The function of the enlarged detent recess 97 will be more fully explained below.

For ease of understanding the operation of the invention, the three positions A-B-C of the manual control 91 may be as follows (see also the tabulation appearing near the end of this specification). Position A may be termed the normal position in which fully automatic operation of the machine may proceed. The second or intermediate position B may be termed the set-up or intermediate position and holds the feed slide in full drawn-back position to effectively cancel the stock-feed function when checking the setting of tools or for running the machine with a semi-automatic operation, as when feeding stock in one spindle only and stopping he machine, as after each index, in order to check sizes or cutting dimensions; this position will thus be used when setting up a new job or when resetting tools aftera smash-up or other tool disturbance. The third and other extreme position C of the hand crank 91 may be termed the restocking position, as has been more fully explained above.

In addition to the use of detent action (at recesses 95-96-97) to retain positions of handle 91, I nd it desirable to employ positive limits to movement of crank 91 and have shown a stop pin 99 fixed to the rear plate 49 of the frame. Pin 99 is received in an enlarged recess between limiting abutments U-101, conveniently provided as a part of the latch-resetting member 92 and fixed to the guide bar 47 (see Fig. 2).

When restocking, and particularly when manually feeding a new piece of stock into the fingers 32 of the feed tube 32 for a particular spindle, it may be desirable that the drive to the spindles be disengaged. In the form shown, this function is accomplished by de-energizing the main motor 18 for the machine whenever the hand-control crank 91 is in the restocking position C. For this purpose, the latch-resetting member 92 may (in addition to its other functions described above) directly actuate a normally closed switch 103 to drop out a control relay 104 for the motor 18; however, in the form shown, this action is achieved through the intervention of the latch member 71 and occurs as latch member 71 is reset into the position shown in full in Fig. 2. Latch member 71 may, therefore, carry a further switch-actuating abutment 102. which only actuates switch 103 to open the same when arm 91 is in the restocking position C. It will be recalled that, in the restocking position C, latch member 71 is driven clockwise to permit latch engagement at 89. Subsequent actuation of hand crank 91 from position C to either position B or position A will allow latch member 71 to rotate partially counterclockwise for firm latched engagement at notch 89'; at the same time, and before reaching position B (in a shift from position C), switch 103 will be released for assumption of its normally closed condition, in which condition, of course, the motor relay circuit 104 is conditioned for operation. A manually operated switch 105 in series with switch 103 may then be used to start the motor 18 and the spindles, while the latch means 70--71, having been reset, is left ready to initiate another shutdown operation when the stock 22 at some other spindle may become exhausted.

In bumping stock, as during a manually-performed restocking operation, the feed tube 32 should be bodily displaceable for a substantial fraction of the length of a spindle so that the new piece of stock and the feed tube 32 may be rammed forward against a forward abutment in the spindle to allow the momentum of the stock to open the feed fingers. In the form shown, this forward abutment occurs upon thrust ring 33 striking the drawback shoe 41 and upon take-up of the lost motion in the rocker arm or lever 55. Depending upon the grip of the feed fingers on the stock, one or more such sudden abutments may open the feed fingers to permit the stock to extend fully forward, through the collet and to limiting abutment with the stock stop 20. The way may be cleared for the extended travel required by bumping-out operation, by detiecting the feed shoe 40 into the position shown in phantom outline in Fig. 4. This movement of the shoe 40 may be accomplished as the handle 91 is shifted into the restocking position C.

In the form shown, the feed shoe 40 forms part of a lever 107 having a tail 108 aligned with the path of movement 109 of an actuating abutment 110. Abutment 110 may be adjustably positioned and secured by clamp nut 111 at the end of a relieving or feed-shoe-actuating arm 112 having a hub or boss 113 slidably guided on the bar 47 and keyed thereto, as at 115 (see Figs. 2 and 5), so that angular actuation of bar 47 by handle 91 will result in corresponding travel of the abutment 110 along a path 109 (Fig. 2). A compression spring 116 may urge the feed shoe 40 into its normal position shown in full in Fig. 4, as limited by abutment at 117 with a part of the feed slide 39, and the arrangement of parts is preferably such that no actuation of the lever 107 (from the position shown in full in Fig. 4) results until after hand crank 91 has been moved from the intermediate position B and in the direction of the restocking position C.

In checking the setting of tools, as when setting up the machine or as after a crack-up in which some tools may have been damaged or dislocated, it may be desirable to operate the machine semi-automatically and to render the stock-feed functions inoperative in all spindle positions but one. For such eventualities, I provide the intermediate or set-up position B of the control handle 91. In position B, a one-way engaging clutch mechanism may hold the feed-slide means 39 in a substantially drawn-back position. Such clutch mechanism may utilize a ball element 118 to be wedged between a part carried with longitudinal movement of the feed slide 39 and a part referenced essentially to the frame. The bar 47 may 9 serve as the vframe reference anda .wedgesurface 1.119 may be formed in a 4ball-retaining grooveon one side of the bore in the hub 113 .of .the feedshoe actuating vmember 112. The radial limits .of .the wedge .slope 119 with respect to the radius of the bar 47 should be such as to bind the ball 118 between surface 119 and-bar4-7, -when ever the .slide 39 `is otherwise free @to follow the .urging of spring 51 in the feed direction.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, this freedom for feed action of slide' 39 is available only when the basic control handle 911isfin'p'ositionsA and C; in position B, clutch 118 is Yavailabletohold -back slide 39. In position B, a portion of the ball 118 is free Ito project a small distance (to the rear .oflhu'b 113') into alimited cam groove 120 (Figs. 2 and 5 )formed lina part '121' of the said slide means 39. However, in shifting lthe `control handle 91 out of position B and into :eitherip'osition .A or C, the otherwise smooth at surface 1'21' -of part .121 is forced against the ball 118, to cam or pry-the same out of wedging engagement between surface "119 and bar '47, and -against the actionof a leaf =spring 122,which lightly loads the one-way clutch element l:1118.

It will be understood that, when handle 91 is in either position A or position C, the ball -118is held clear -of wedging .surface v119 by thesurface 121' (see Fig. 5a) and that/ball 118 .rides the outside diameter of bar 47. However, when shifting to position B, groove 120 opens the .way for spring '122 to urge the ball yinto wedging contact between slope 1-1-9 and baI v47. This wedging contact may be effective to yhold the .feed-.slide means .against rthe force of spring 51, regardless `of the drawntbacksposition of the feed .slide 39, and if free access to the rear ends of the spindles is desired, `the .feed slide .may even be manually drawn back and held at the back :frameplate 49.

'lo complete .the identification of parts, I prefer that .a icollar 125 ior'other abutment means `be `carried by .the 4bar 47 and in p'ositionto'limit or to determine a foriward Alimit of feed of .the feed .slide .39. This limiting :forward positionm'ay correspond tofthat :maximumforvward-position determined .or permitted .by the profile .37

yofithe lfeed cam. Thus, 'ifthe feed s1ide39 is being fheld `retracted 'by .the one-wayiclutch -or vwedge mecha- 'nism .118, yas when the .handle T91 is set in .the intermediate position aB, a :shiftingpf the control handle :91 to either -of ,its :extreme positions A. .or C may release `hall 11S and allow spring P51 tto icarryftheislide 39 fortward .either yto 'the .limiting :abutment afforded "by the :collar i125 or tosome :other longitudinal position, ydeter- Aminedtby engagement "by camefollower roll 38 with Athe :'camr37.

In .a semi-automatic operation (position B of handle `9.1), .it :may be desirable Lto have the .machine shut fdown *the reamshaft 21 :('and .hence all operationsttimed thereby) for each rotation of the camshaft .21. Such 'semiautomatic operation may be effected by V-th'e .manual opening of v'a switch 126 in series with fthe normally .closed switch 175 :and with .the :relay 75. Thus, with `switch 126 closed .and with .the :hand-crank 291 in its intermediate position IB, the stock-feed :functions may [be disabled "(slide 39 held in drawn-back position by 'bau 118)., while' waitingfor the spindle carrier 122 lto index around :to the desired position, Vwhereupzni switch '1126 may be -opened @to Vshut down Iean'isha'ft 21 (at the clutch 4throw-out position of cam I"81). 'n "such case, the spindles will continue'to rotate, and 'by "throwing in the camshaft-clutch lever "82 `rthe camshaft 231 may again be started. However, as vlong as switch n1'276 iS open, the camshaft will .oper-ate only .onerevolution for each clutching operation of lever 82. After adjustments are made, the operator .maymove .control .handle 91 to its .normal or flower position .the feed tubes .32, which had been .effectively disabled, will .be automatically picked up again by the draw-back'shoe 41 .and

,to by the 'feed shoe '40 as `the Atubes 32. of successive' spin@ dles are automatically indexed into the feeding or loading station. It will be noted that, when the feed slide 39 is released from a drawn-back position, and should the feed tube 32 at the loading station be at a location forward of the feed Yshoe A41., the resilient action of vspring .57 vwill permit shoe 41 and lever 55 to ride idly over the thrust Yring 33 and to slip automatically to the position shown in full in Fig. 4, in readiness for fully' automatic operation. j

.If new stock has vjust heenloaded into the machine, it may be that the spindles will have been Irotating while the collet jaws have been open at the vfeed-out station and after the crank 91 .has 'been returned vto position A (as when starting the machine after restocking). In such event, the stock 22 will have been loosely held in the collet for a short period :tof time, and the stock may walk backward a small amount from the desired fedout position. If the collet jaws should then be clamped and if the machine should proceed through a full cycle of :indexed automatic operation, at least one piece of stock may have been so short as to require rejection.

In order to avoid this "sort -of Yditlicult-y, vl incorporate into the functions controlled Vby the handle -91 meansfor assuring the application of a nal incremental feeding thrust as the handle 91 is rreturnedtto its .normal position A. In the form shown, this additional move@ ment is derived from contrast l.in coaction of the abovenoted detent 94, on the one hand (position A) with the enlarged .detent recess 97 in the hub of handle 91, and on the other hand (positions B and C) with the smaller detent recesses 95-96. It will be appreciated lthat, when in the normal position A and as shown in full in Fig. 3, the handle 91 is urged by spring 98 to its furthest forward longitudinal extreme; however, when actuating handle 91 into either position B or C, the very much more limited detent recess 95-96 (Fig. 2) will not permit handle .91, and withit bar v47, to assume such a forward position. The iresult yis, in .positions B and C, to retain handle 91 and lbar 47 in a slightly drawnbaek position. Now, 'since assumption of any drawnback position is accompanied by one-'way-clutch engage- -ment at 118, -the feed slide '.39 will be incrementally withdrawn against the action :of spring 51, whenever .handle 91 is .moved from `position .A to position B (or position C). Because this action takes place in moving from lposition A `to position B, 'the feed 'shoe 40 'is thereby relieved from driving abutment with thrust ring 33 before the feed-shoe shift abutment '110 can actuate feed-shoe lever 107; easy yretraction of lever 107 is thus Vassured Awhen shifting handle y'91 to position C. Conversely, in shifting 'the Acontrol lever 91 'from position C to position B, and thereafter to .position A, 'the first 'function to occur is the movement of feed shoe 40 back into 'feeding position, aligned with thrust ring. 33. Continued motion of lever 91 allows .stock-feed spring 5.1 (through slide 39 and collar 125 and vbar 47) to vdri-ve the recess .97 of handle V91 down overdetent 94, thus .incrementally feeding .the said vslide 39 .and driving feed shoe 40 ,.rmly .against thrust ring 33; this incremental forward movement is sufficient to take up anyI slack in vthechain r'of feed parts .and .holds .the feed tube -32 and the new 'bar of stock 'into 4limiting abutment with the "stock stop 20 (against which the bar has been bumped).

lated functions are modified and multiplied by other controls, such as at S-126. i,

ARelations Determined by Setting o Hand Crank 91 (and res positioning ofthe single bar 47) ponsive to angular and axial Position A-Normal, automatic operation Position B-Setup, semiautomatic operation Position C-Restocking at loading station Feed-slide clutch 118 Feed shoe 40 Switch 75 (camshaft-clutch con- Swii'gllil (control of motor 18)-.

Free ol' guide and control bar 47. Aligned with thrust ring 33 In normally closed position,

as long latchcd at 70-71. In normally closed positlon Engagcable with bar 47 Aligned with tlirust ring 33.-..

Not closed, unless arm 91 has first been to position C. In normally closed position....

Free of guide and control bar Retracted out of alignment with ring 33.

In normally closed position;

if open, will be closed.

Opened, to stop motor 18.

Loosely engageable with 89 Latch members 70-71 Poised (as in Fig. 2) for trip Same relation as for Position release on engagement of A, unless latch has been inresponse to spring 73.

(i3-65. tripped; crank 91 can move from A to B without disturbing relation oi 70-71 i! these latch members have not been tripped; firmly engaged at 89', only when going from position C to position B. Detentcamtl Spring 98 keeps bar 47in for- Feed Slide 39 incrementally Feed slide 39 held 1n mward position. drawn back. crerirentally drawn-back pos ion. Stop 99 At limit 101 e. At limit 100.

For purposes of simplifying the drawingsand the description, I have shown and described my invention in application to a single-index type of machine wherein each spindle is indexed a single station for each operation. It will be understood, however, that the presently described form may be readily applied to multiple-index machines, such as those which perform duplicate operations simultaneously on two or more spindles and in which each index operation involves a spindle displacement of two or more stations.

It will be seen that I have described an ingenious mechanism for improving the e-liiciency of bar machines, particularly automatically indexed multiple-spindle bar machines. With the features provided by my invention there need be a minimum of time consumed in setting up the machine and in restocking a spindle in which the stock has been exhausted. My invention also provides assurance that stock will be consumed to the maximum extent possible. Simplicity of operation is assured by the employment of a multi-purpose single control means, with an incremental feed-and-hold feature that may materially reduce the number of rejects due to insuiiicient feeding, following any interruption of automatic operation of the machine.

While I have described my invention in detail for the preferred form shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. ln an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chucking means, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocable feed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means, longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in a stock-feeding direction, cam means in driving relation with said feedslide means against the action of said resilient means and for retracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means and including an elongated bar, said bar being longitudinally slidable in said frame, iirst abutment means coacting between said frame and said bar and determining a limit of forward feed of said bar, spring means continuously reacting between said frame and said bar and urging said bar to the said forward limit, second abutment means cooperating between said bar and said slide means for determining a limit of resiliently urged forward-feed movement of said slide means, manually operable actuating means for said feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relation with said bar, and means including a cam elfective upon angular displacement of said manually operable means to effect an incremental withdrawal of said bar against the action of operable means will through said abutment incrementally withdraw said feed-slide-means, so that, in subsequently starting the machine, further actuation of said manually operable means will assure resiliently loaded incremental feed of the stock until the stock has been chuckcd.

2. A machine according to claim l, in which said bar is journalled in a rear part of said frame, and in which said cam coacts between said manually operable means and said frame part.

3. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chuckng means, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocable feed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means, longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in a stockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with said feed-slide means against the action of said resilient means and for retracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means and limiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guide means including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating means for said feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relation with said bar, holding means including oneway-engaging clutch means effectively engaging said feedslide means to said bar and against the action of said resilient means'and independently of the instantaneous position of said cam means, said clutch means engageably connecting said bar and said feed-slide means in one angular position of said manually operable means and disengaging said clutch means for relative longitudinal movement of said slide means and bar in another angular position of said manual means.

4. A machine according to claim 3, in which said clutch means includes a rolling element, and a wedge carried by said slide means and jamming said element against said bar in response to an attempted feed movement of said slide means relatively to said bar.

5. A machine according to claim 3, in which said clutch means includes a ball, a ball-confining member longitudinally retained by said slide means and keyed to said bar, whereby angular displacement of said manually operable means develops corresponding relative angular displacement of said ball-confining member and of said slide means, and cam means carried by an angularly iixed part of said slide means in longitudinally-shifting relation with said ball upon angular displacement of said manually operable means between said one and said other angular positions.

6. In an automatic 'bar machine or the like, a spindle, drive means for said spindle, stock-chucking means carried by said spindle, stock-feeding means including a feed tube in said spindle and longitudinally reciprocable feedslide means for -feeding said feed tube, feed means connected in feeding relation with said feed-slide means, said feed-slide means including a yieldable abutment member in driving relation with said feed tube in a retracting displacement of the same, .spring means carried by said feedslide means and opposing yield-able displacement of said abutment member with a force less than the f'rictional grip of said feed tube on the stock but sufficient to move the said tube in the absence of a grip upon stock, a latch and tripping means for said latch, said tripping means including a longitudinally extending bar, a trip abutment longitudinally adjustably positioned along said bar and interceptable by said abutment member in an unyielded position thereof and clearing said labutment member when said abutment member has been yieldably displaced, whereby upon interception of said trip abutment by said yieldable abutment member said latch may be tripped, first disabling means for said feed means and positioned to effectively disable said feed means upon a tripping of said latch, second disabling means for said drive means, and a single manually operable resetting means for said latch, said manually operable means being manually movable in a first movement from a normal position to an abnormal position and actuating said second disabling means in such first movement, whereby said spindle may be stopped in response to such first movement, said manually operable means being manually movable in a second movement fromsaid abnormal position to said normal position and being connected to reset said latch means during said second movement, whereby upon said second movement of said manual means the functions disabled by both said disabling means may be enabled.

7. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a spindle including a collet, feed-finger meansfor said spindle for feeding bar stock therein, longitudinally movable feedslide means for said feed-finger means, and a camshaft including cam means in controlling relation with said feed-slide means and with said collet for operating said feed-slide means and said collet in timed relation, an abutment member movably carried by said feed-slide means for thrusting engagement With said feed-finger means, said abutment member and said feed-slide means including cooperating abutments determining first and second limiting positions of said abutment member relatively to said feed-slide means, resilient means carried by said feedslide means and urging said abutment member into the first of said positions, said abutment member being driven against the action of said resilient means to the second of said positions upon thrusting against said feed-finger means when said feed-linger means is engaging a piece of stock, said resilient means being sufficiently strong to move said abutment means to said first position when said feed-finger means becomes disengaged from a piece of stock, and longitudinally adjustably positionable camshaft-disabling means responsive to the positioning of said abutment member in said second position for disabling said camshaft when the position `of said member reflects a disengagement of said feed-finger means from the stock being fed, said disabling means being poised for actuation upon a movement of said abutment member from said rst to said second position and upon camcontrolled longitudinal displacement of said feed-slide means, whereby upon feed-finger disengagement from the stock there may be an actuation of said disabling means.

8. A machine according to claim 7, in which said member includes a shoe to abut said feed-finger means and a crank positioned in accordance with the position of said shoe, and in which said last-defined means includes latch means positioned to be tripped upon assumption of a given displacement of said feed-slide means.

9. In an automatic bar machine or the like, an indeXible spindle carrier, a plurality of spindles in said spindle carrier, collet means and a feed tube for each of said spindles for chu-cking and feeding bar stock therein, feed-slide means engageable with feed tubes successively indexed into a feed-out station for feeding the same at said station, cam means for actuating said collet means and Said feed-slide means in timed relation at said station, a first abutment shoe carried by said feed-slide means for feeding abutment with a feed-tube at said station, a second abutment shoe carried by said feed-slide means for withdrawing abutment with said feed tube at said station, one of said abutment shoes being movably carried by said feed-slide means, said one abutment shoe and said feed-slide means including cooperating abutrnents determining one limit of relativemovement thereof, spring means urging said one abutment shoe away from the position of engagement of said abutments and in the direction in which said one shoe is to be used for thrusting and with a force less than the frictional force of engagement of lsaid feed-finger means with a piece of stock, whereby said one shoe may be forcibly displaced to the position of engagement of said abutments for every movement of said feed-finger means in said direction as long as there is sufficient stock to be fed so that said shoe may be in one of two positions relatively to said feed-slide means depending upon whether said feed-finger means engages the stock, and longitudinally adjustably positioned means poised for actuation upon a movement of said shoe to the position representing no stock engagement'and upon cam-controlled longitudinal displacement of said feed-slide means, said last-defined means being connected to disable said cam means, whereby said cam means may be disabled while the empty spindle is at the feed-out station so as to permit restocking without delay at the feed-'out station.

l0. A machine according to claim 9, in which said movably carried shoe is said second abutment shoe, whereby said cam means may be disabled after a withdrawal of said feed-finger means should said feed-finger means become disengaged from a piece of stock during such withdrawal. v

ll. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chucliing means, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocable feed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means, longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in a stockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with.

said feed-slide means against `the action of said resilient means and for retracting the same, elongated guide means for said slide means and limiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guide means including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating means for said feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relation with said bar, holding means including oneway-engaging clutch means effectively longitudinally engaging said feed-slide means to said bar and against the action of said resilient means and independently of the instantaneous position -of said cam means, a feed shoe retractably carried by said feed slide means, means responsive to a first angular position of said bar for retracting said feed shoe when in said first position, said clutch means engageably connecting said bar and said feed-slide means in a second angular position of said bar, said clutch means being disengaged from said bar in said first angular position of said bar, whereby said clutch means will be disengaged when said feed shoe is in retracted position so that there may be no peening of clutch elements when stock is bumped with said feed shoe retracted.

l2. In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chucking means, stock-feeding means including longitudinally reciprocable feed-slide means for feeding stock to said chucking means, longitudinally acting resilient means urging said feed-slide means in a stockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with said feed-Slide means against the action of said resilient means and for retracting lthe same, elongated guide means for said slide means and limiting slide movement to longitudinal displacement, one of said guide means including an elongated bar, manually operable actuating meansffor said feed-slide means and connectedin angular-displacement-relation with said bar, holdingmeans including oneway-engaging .clutchmeans effectively engaging said feedslide means to said barand against the action of said resilient means and independently of the instantaneous position of said cam means, a feed shoe retractably carried by said feed-slide means, a feed-shoe-rocking lever slidably carried with said feed-slide means and keyed against angular movement with respect to said bar, said clutch means longitudinally engageably ,connecting said bar and said feed-slide means in one angular position of said manually operable means and including a clutch element engageable with said feed-shoe-rocking lever.

13. `In an automatic bar machine or the like, a frame, stock-chucking means, stock-feeding means -including longitudinally reciprocable feed-slide vmeans for feeding stock to said chucking means, longitudinally acting resilient means urging "said feed-slide means in a stockfeeding direction, cam means in driving relation with said feed-slide means against the action of said resilient means and for retracting the same, elongatedfguide'means for said slide means and including an elongated bar, said bar being longitudinally slidable in said frame, first abutment means coacting between said frame and said bar and determining a limit of forward feed `of said bar, abutment means cooperating between said bar and said slide means for determining a limitof resilientlyfurged forwardfeed movement of said slide means, manually operable actuating means for said feed-slide means and connected in angular-displacement relation with -said bar, cam means cooperating between said frame and said manually operable means `to effect an incremental withdrawal of'said manually operable means and of said bar upon angular displacement of said bar from a first position to a second position, and means longitudinally resiliently loading said bar and said manually operable means with respect to said frame so as to resiliently load the cooperating -elements of said cam.

14. In an automatic barmachine-or the like, a spindle including a collet, longitudinally movable feed-slide means, feed-finger meanscarried by said spindle for feeding stock to said collet, cam :means for operating said collet and said feed-slide means in timed relation, said feed-slide means including a-retracting element movably supported on said feed-slide means, abutment means coacting between said Vretracting `element and said slide means and determining .a limit of relative movement thereof, resilient means coacting between said slide means and said retracting element and urging -said retracting element away from said limit, said retracting `element engaging said feed-linger means and directly `retracting the same during a retracting displacement of said feedslide means, said resilient means being of sufficiently weak action to determine engagement of said abutment means when said feed-nger means engages stock for a retracting stroke of said slide means, said `resilient means being also of sufficiently strong action to prevent engagement of said abutment means when said feed-finger means becomes disengaged from the end of the stock, whereby said retracting element will `assume one of two positions during a retracting stroke of said slide means depending on whether said feed-finger means is or is not engaged with stock, and alongitudinally adjustably positionable trip positioned for interception by said retracting element when said retracting element is in the stock-disengaged position thereof during a retraction of said slide means, said trip being connected to disable said cam means when intercepted and being positioned for no interception when said retracting element is in the stock-engaged position thereof during a retraction of said slide means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,659,127 Jobert Nov. 17, 1953