US2859647A - Article feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1958 MET-[NIELSEN 2,859,647

ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 11, 1948 E 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Nov. 11, 1958. I M. H. NIELSEN 2,859,647 r 1 ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 11, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J5 J4 J0 INVENTOR.

76) a m orzfzl Jlzfim r 2,859,647 ARTICLE FEnDiNG MECHANISM Moritz H, Nielsen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Illinois Tool Works; Chicago, Ill;,a corporation of Illinois Continuation ofapplication Serial No. 79,837, March 5, 1949, which is a divisionof application Serial No. 64,844, December 1 1, 1948, now Patent No. 2,642,592, dated June 23,1953. This application May '12, 1954, l a ggfll g o. i u, 2 Claims. (Cl. 80-8) This invention relates to an article feeding mechanism, and'inore particularly to a mechanism'for feeding assemh lcd'screwand washer'units to a thread rolling mechfiisiniy Prior thread rolling mechanisms with which I am familiar have employed' a reeiprocaun nansrer mechanism to'feed "a'screw or'assembledsc rewand washer unit from the bottom end of afeed chute to a-thread rolling-mechanismor dies; Such transfer mechanisms are relatively ir effic ient in operation when considered from'the'stand point of the number'of screws or assembled units actually delivered to the thread rolling mechanism in a given period er" time. This inefficiency results from' the fact thatthe transfer mechanism is reciprocatory' in nature and it must therefore make two movements in order to deliver each screw' or unit, onem'overnent' being a backward movement and the other being a forward movement, and'it rnust also have-finite periods of rest between successive forward and backward strokes. These transfer mechanisms frequently fail to pick up a screw from the bottom of the "feed chute and thus frequently complete a cycle of movement without delivering a screw tothe'thre'ad'rollir'ig mechanism. 1 ""Infthe casebf the smaller sizes of screws, and the smaller assembled units," this failure to pick up a screw at" the bottom of the chute'inc re'ases to acha proportion that the thread rolling machines of which they form a part become completely unsatisfactorvfor thefabrication of such smaller screws and assembled units.

' "'It'is accordinglyan object ofthis invention. to provide a mechanism for feeding"screws,"an'd more particularly Screwand washer assmb'lydinits, from a feed chute or means to a thread rollingmecha'nism' at higher"rates"than heretofore possible and will'make possible the elimiiia'tion ofprior transfer mechanisms, while also making it PQSsible to'utilize thread rolling machines for the autotic high speed production "ofth'e smaller sizes of V siand'srna'ller'assmhly units. flu the priorthread rolling machines to which reference has" been made fhereto fore; the assembledscr'ews"and washersihave been delivered td' the thread rolling dies and to a starting mechanism associated therewith by a transfe r mechanismor'jblade operating at rightang'les to the l h d pushing' the lea'diiig unitat' thebottom of in "hute fjr'or n the chute into a position in front of the mechanism; the Blade while so moving-acting as some of the prior art with which I am familiar, the ented at' right angles to thepath 'oflthe As a restiltf'ltl'ie startirig mechanism to push'isorne or the blai k's' back up" iii'to the fth'ey were not prepeny positioned hy the trails- ;d 'r'e'straiiied against such retrograde a nsferimechanismf" atent ice or screw and washer assembly units may be delivered directly to the. starter mechanism and means by which the starter mechanism isintilized to control-the'feeding ofthe' units into the thread rolling mechanism so that: the proc essing 'of a screw or assemblycunit onieach operationv of the thread rollingdies is thereby assured. It is an object of this invention to provide, in a thread rolling machine of:th'e foregoing character, a mechanism serving both as a gate to release screw blanksfrom :a fe'ed'chute and as a 'starter for forcing the blanks in'to rolling engagement with the-dies. =5 Z: 'A further-object of this invention is to provide a thread rolling machine wherein a Supply chute converges upon the'path of thread'rolling at an acute angle for control of screw blanks by a combination gate and'starter meehanism. I' 1, -i j Yet another object of this invention is to provide a thread rolling machine of the-foregoing character wherein the feed chute at i-ts lower end is defined in part by the fixedthread rolling die, facilitating direct feeding from the chute to the dies and-leading to a minimum length of stroke of the combination gate and startermeinher with accompanying high speed of operation and-low vibration. Y k

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide athread rolling machine as comprehended -byf the last two precedingobjects-wherein the fixed thread rolling die forming a part of-the'feed chute-is relieved orbevelled further to facilitate entry of the screw blanks between the thread rolling-dies. U 1 Other objects'and advantages of the invention will be apparent from-the following desc ription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsiwherein': Fig. 1-is a view in vertical-elevationof athr ead rolling machine embodying the present invention; it Fig.2 is a fragmentary view'in section taken along the line2'-2ofFig.1; 1 i

Fig. 3' 'is afragmentary view in section taken along the line 33-ofFig. 1; r j; Fig. 4 is' a diagrammatic view in perspective of part of the machine} v l 5 Fig. 5 is'a detailed perspective view of a thread rolling mechanism and the screw andnwasher feeding mechanism; Figs. to 8 are diagrammatic planviews illustrating the operation of the feeding mechanismland the thread rolling mechanism; 7 T V Fig; 9 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a screw and washer assembly produced by the machine of Figs. lto 8.. j l, This application is a continuation of my copending application for Article Feeding, Mechanism, Serial-No. 79,837, filed March 5, 1949, now abandoned, silchacopending appli'cation in turn being a division of application entitled Method andtMachi ne for Assembling Washers .With Fasteners, Serial .No: 64,844, filed December 11, 1948, issuedlune 23; 1953, a's U. S. Patent No. 2,642,592. i i 2 As shown in Fig. l, the machine in which the present invention is embodied may comprise a screw thread rolling machin-eofstandard typefisuch as shown in Wilcox Patents No. 1534263 of Mayj 11, I926 and-No. 1,798,9l9'of March 31, 1931. 1 The standa'rd'type of thread rolling machine above referred to comprises a {main base or pedestal 2; an auxiliaryhase or body 4 secured to or formed integrally with thebase 2 and inclined at an angle of approaimate- 1y 3 degrees-to the horizontal; a hopper 6 for receiving a mass of screw blanks; ascre'w blank feeding mechanism 8 for discharging, hlanks roman hopper 16;. .a feeding chute 10; a pair of thieadrolling dies Hand ,14,

Figs. 1, 2, and 5 to 8; a combination gate and a starter mechanism 16 and driving mechanism 18.

. As shown in the Wilcox Patents No. 1,584,263 and 1,798,919, the screw blanks are transferred from the bottom end of the feed chute to the thread rolling dies by a laterally reciprocating transfer blade and screw head engaging clamping finger which carries the screw to a position in advance of the starter mechanism, which is normally positioned to expose the transverse slot along which the screw is carried by the transfer blade, the starter finger then moving forwardly to push the shank of the screw blank into position between the dies as the movable die begins its forward movement. 7

In order'to provide a continuous supply of screws to the thread rolling dies and to make it possible for this type of machine to handle smaller sizes of screws, and also the smaller sizes of screw and washer assembly units, applicant provides a screw feeding mechanism by which the screws or the assembled screw and washer units are fed by gravity continuously from the feed chute 10 to the thread rolling dies 12 and 14 and the drive for the starter mechanism is modified to utilize the starter finger as a gate controlling the feeding of the screws one by one into the thread rolling dies.

As shown in Fig. 5, the conventional feed chute 10 includes the spaced chute bars and 22. In place of the transfer mechanism of the assembly machine, applicant provides screw feeding means or mechanism 24, as best seen in Figs. 5 to 8, comprising a pair of guide blocks 26 and 28 having their confronting faces 30 and 32 forming a chute in extension of the chute 10, and having their confronting faces 34 and 36 extending at obtuse angles to their confronting faces 30 and 32 so as to form a guideway extending at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal plane of the chute 10 and delivering screws or assembled screw blanks and washers by gravity directly to the thread rolling dies 12 and 14 under control of the combination gate and starter mechanism 16. The feed means 24 also comprises a cover bar38 secured in the usual manner to the thread rolling machine and extending longitudinally over the chute 10 and the guide way formed by the confronting faces of the chute blocks 26 and 28. The lower end 40 of the cover bar 38 is bent at an obtuse angle so as to overlie the guideway formed by the confronting ' faces 34 and 36 of the chute blocks.

The thread rolling die 12 is the usual reciprocating die of the thread rolling machine and is carried by the usual slide 42 operatively connected by the pitrnan 44, Fig. 1, to the face of a continuously rotating gear 46 enclosed within the housing 48.

The die 14 is a modified stationary die of a standard thread rolling machine and is mounted in the usual manner on the auxiliary base or body 4.

More specifically the die 14 is provided with a bevelled or relieved surface or corner 41 forming a continuation of the adjacent side surface or face 36 of the guideway or feed chute continuation or termination 43 between the faces 34 and 36. This construction aids in guiding the screw blanks into the space between the dies, and shortens the stroke of the combination gate and starter mechanism, thus allowing faster operation while minimizing vibration.

The starter mechanism 16 includes the usual starting finger 50, the starter finger being formed at the forward end of a slide bar 52, Figs. 4 and 6 to 8, having at its rear end a stud 54 secured to an arm 56 in turn secured to a driving shaft 58. The shaft 58 is oscillated by a lever 60 secured to the outer end of the shaft, the lever being swung through a rod 62 secured vat its forward end to the lever and its other end to a lever 64 urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 66 anchored at one end to the outer end of the lever and the other end to a fixed support. The lever 64 is provided intermediately with a cam roller 68, which is held in engagement with an actuating cam 70 on the shaft 72, the shaft 72 being driven by suitable 4 gears on the main drive shaft 74 of the standard thread rolling machine.

In the standard thread rolling machine, the cam which drives the lever 64 is so formed that its portion of greatest radius extends throughout substantially threequarters of its circumference so that the starter finger rests in its rearmost position during three quarters of a revolution and during substantially the entire reciprocation of the reciprocatory die 12.

I have found that the transfer mechanism may be eliminated and screws continuously supplied in a con stant stream to the thread roller by inserting the guide blocks 26 and 28 between the chute 10 and the thread rolling and starting mechanisms if that standard cam is replaced by a cam such that the portion of smaller radius extends through substantially three-quarters of the circumference of the cam. The starter finger is thus normally positioned to cover the end of the guideway formed by the confronting faces 34 and 36 of the guide block, as shown in Fig. 7, and moves rearwardly as the die 12 begins its forward movement so as to uncover the chute and allow the foremost screw in the chute to gravitate into position between the reciprocating and stationary die, all as shown in Fig. 6, and thereupon move forwardly to force the screw into position between the dies so that it is carried forwardly and rotated by the engagement of the shank of the screw with the die faces. The starter finger remains in that forward position while the reciprocating die completes its forward movement, as shown in Fig. 8, and drops the screw, on which the shank has been rolled, into a suitable receiving pan, not shown. The starter finger thereafter remains in the forward position until the die 12 has completed its return or backward movement and begins its next forward movement.

As shown in my parent application, Serial No. 64,844, now Patent No. 2,642,592, previously mentioned, the standard thread rolling machine may be provided with additional and substitute or auxiliary mechanisms for converting the thread rolling machine into a machine for assembling screw blanks and washers and thereafter rolling the thread on the shank of the screw blank beneath the washer to provide a permanently assembled screw and washer unit 76, as shown in Fig. 9.

It is thus to be understood that by means of this invention both screws and screw and washer assembly units, even in the smallest sizes, may be fed continuous ly in an unbroken stream to the thread rolling dies and the starting mechanism enabled to perform an additional function, namely, to control, in the manner of an escapement, the successive delivery of screws, or screw and washer assembly units, to the thread rolling dies.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a mechanism for feeding screws and screw and washer assembly units from a feed chute or means to the thread rolling mechanism at higher rates than heretofore possible and which will make possible the elimination of those transfer mechanisms, while also making it possible to utilize thread rolling machines for the automatic high speed production of the smaller sizes of screws and smaller assembly units, and the means by which the assembled units may be delivered directly to the starter mechanism and means by which the starter mechanism is utilized to control the feeding of the units into the thread rolling mechanism so that the processing of a screw or assembly unit on each operation of the thread rolling dies is thereby assured.

The use of the combination gate and starter mechanism provides a materially simpler machine than heretofore known. The use of the fixed die, particularly with the relieved surface, as a part of the feed chute facilitates feeding of blanks to the dies, and shortens the stroke of the gate and starter member, thereby leading to more rapid operation with minimum vibration.

The invention is to be understood as including all that which falls within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a thread-rolling machine stationary and recip rocable die members, screw blank feeding means including a chute having a portion thereof inclined downwardly to the point of screw blank reception between said die members adjacent the corner of the stationary die member and providing a continuous and uninterrupted passage at all times for maintaining the screw blanks in contiguous position under direct gravity feed directly to the die members, the side of said chute adjacent the side of said stationary die terminating short of the de' livery end thereof and the side of said die extending in accordance with said chute and forming a continuation of said terminating side of the chute to its delivery end, the working surface of said die starting at the end of said chute at said corner of said die, a single combined gate and starter member reciprocable across the delivery end of said chute and providing the sole con trol of movement of screw blanks therefrom, and means for reciprocating said gate and starter member in timed relation to the relative reciprocation of said die members for releasing the lowermost screw blank from the next contiguous screw blank directly at the start of the working surface of said stationary die member and for forcing the released screw blank into thread-rolling position between said die members.

2. In a thread-rolling machine, stationary and reciprocable die members each having thread forming work ing surfaces, screw blank feeding means including a chute having a portion thereof inclined downwardly to the point of screw blank reception between said die members and extending at an angle to the working surfaces of said die members and providing a continuous and uninterrupted passage at all times for maintaining the screw blanks in contiguous position under direct gravity feed directly to the die members, the side of said chute adjacent said stationary die terminating short of the delivery end thereof and the corner of said die including its thread forming working surface being beveled in accordance with said angle of said chute and forming a continuation thereof to its delivery end, the Working surface of said die starting at the delivery end of said chute at the beveled end thereof of said die, said die member at the delivery end of said chute being so relieved to provide a continuation of the adjacent side surface of the chute for positioning a delivered screw blank substantially at the working surface of the die member, a single combined gate and starter member reciprocable across the delivery end of said chute and providing the sole control of movement of screw blanks therefrom, and means for reciprocating said gate and starter member in timed relation to the relative reciprocation of said die members for releasing the lowermost screw blank from the next contiguous screw blank directly at the start of the working surface of said station- -ary die member and for forcing the released screw blank into thread rolling position between said die members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,170 Rodgers Sept. 4, 1888 1,696,225 Blood Dec. 25, 1928 1,697,372 Schwietzke Ian. 1, 1929 1,798,920 Wilcox Mar. 31, 1931 1,820,193 Hubbell Aug. 25, 1931 2,337,696 Van Nest Dec. 28, 1943 2,348,644 Preziosi May 9, 1944

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