US2864334A - Apparatus for spraying spirally grooved cylindrical articles - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1958 E. T. STOCKER 2,864,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July 21, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z/ VVEN 717A? ETETUEKE F Dec. 16, 1958 E. T. STOCKER 2,364,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July 21, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 2 IN VEN 17/; 5. 7.- STUD/(5Q Dec. 16, 1958 E. T. STOCKER 7 2,864,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I J'NvE/v 7m 5. r5 TUE/(5A7 Il/II spray unit positioning means;

United States Patent f APPARATUS. FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROUVED DR CAL ARTHCLE Edward T. Stocker, Groveland, Mass., assiguor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y'., v a corporation of New York- This invention relates to spraying apparatus, particularly apparatus for spraying portions of articles while rotating.

During the manufacture of certain types of transformers for use in the communication arts, cylindrical articles or forms of fused quartz, of dilferent sizes so that one may fit within another, are provided with spiral grooves on their external surfaces. These spiral grooves are filled with copper to produce desired transformer windings. To accomplish this by an electrolytic process it is necessary that the spiral grooves be provided with a thin coating of a suitable conductive material. --The material preferred is silver paste but owing to the exceedingly small dimensions of the spiral g-rooves'and the surfaces thereof, there remained the problem of satisfactorily coating these surfaces with the suitable material and leaving the major portions of the grooves vacant or unfilled uniformly to receive the desired amount of copper.

The object of the invention is the solution -to this problem by the provision of a spraying apparatus'which is simple in structure, substantially automatic in opera tion and highly efficient in uniformly spraying material upon surfaces of an article. 7

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises an apparatus for sprayingmaterial on aperipheral portion of an article during rotation of the article.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the article is provided with a spiral groove having opposing surfaces. The article is rotated and advancedaxially in one direction relative to a spray unit to spray :one-of the surfaces of the spiral groove, after which, there is actuation of mechanisms to reverse the directionofrotation and the direction of travel of the articleand also to shift the spray unit to direct the material toward the other surface of the spiral grooven The apparatusis arranged so that after a sprayed article is removed from the rotating mandrel or holder and another mounted thereon, the operator need only actuate a lever-and-the apparatus will begin its cycle of operation 'inone direction, complete that half cycle, reverse the action iof the article rotating and advancing means and shiftthe spray nozzle to complete the other half oftheoperating cycle.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of -theaapparatus;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional-.views of-the Fig. '6 is a schematic illustration of the means of the apparatus; 1

Fig. 7 is thefragmentary isometric-view of the hand control lever;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan view-of -a finished article; Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional-view of air operating an article illustrating the relative pos'itions of the spray 2,854,334 Patented Dec. 16, 19 53 "ice unit during the two half cycles of operation of the apparatus;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the article at the completion of the spraying operation; -Fig. 11 is a schematic illustration of a master valve; and,

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of a portion of the spray unit.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is directed first to an article 15 which is one of different sizes of articles cylindrical in general contour and having spiral grooves 16 formed in the periphery thereof. The grooves 16 in actual structure, have side surfaces 17 and 18 and an inner connecting surface 19. These are the surfaces which are to be coated with silver or another suitable material by the spraying apparatus. The articles 15 are of different sizes and for this reason removable adaptor bushings 20, receivable in the articles 15 have apertures 21 adapted to receive the end of a mandrel 25 and thereby to be removably placed on the mandrel. The mandrel 25 of the apparatus has a threaded portion 26 and a square portion 27. The threaded portion 26 extends through a stationary nut 28 supported in an aperture of a vertical member 29 of a main support 30. A collar 31 fixed to the mandrel 25 at the juncture of'the threaded portion 26 and the square portion, 27 is rotatable in an aperture in a carriage 33 and provides the means to cause lateral movement of the carriage 3,3 during axial movement of the mandrel 25. The square portion 27 of the mandrel extends through a square aperture in a gear 34 which is one of a train of gears 34, 35, 36 and 37. The gear 37, in reality, is a pinion mounted on a shaft 39 of a fluid motor 40. The gear 361s an idler rotat7 able upon a spindle 41 supported by another vertical member 42. of the main frame 30. The gear 35 (Figs.

2 and 6) isv mounted on a cam shaft 43 which carries a cam 44 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The carriage '33 is fixed to a cam rod, 45 supported in any. suitable manner for longitudinal movement and carrying a cam 46 of the contour shown particularly in Figs. 3., 4 and 5. A spray unit indicated generally at 48 is mounted on an outer end of a swinging arm 49 the inner end of which is integral witha hollow spindle 47 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5 A spray unit 48 is fixedly mounted on an outer end of an arm 49, the inner end of the arm being integral with a member 50 having centrally aligned apertures 51 and 52 therein. Ahollow spindle 47","circular in cross section is welded to a vertical member 53 offlthe main support 30 and is adapted to rockably support the member 50. A pin 54 extends through the hollow spindle and aperture 52 of the member 50, the upper end .of the pin being secured to one end of an arm.55, while the lower end of. the pin extends through a spring. 56 and has a foot 57 fixed thereto. The foot 57 of thepin 54 is forced by the spring 56 .to ride on the cam 44 and vibrated or repeatedly reciprocated by the cam during rotation of the shaft 43. The aim .55 extends around the spray unit 48 and is connected at its other end to a pin 58 of an agitator 59. The pin 58 extends through an aperture in a cover 59 of a receptacle 60 for material 61 so that the material to be sprayed on the article may be kept thoroughly mixedat all, times during operation of the apparatus.

The-member 50 of the supporting means for the spray unit,- has a lever-like finger 62 integral therewith the outer end of which is connected to one end of a stabilizingsprin'g'63, the other end of the springbeing fixed at 64 to the vertical member 29. The member 59 has a projection 67 normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the. stabilizing spring ,63 but movable in either direction as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 when the cam 46' is moved in-thedirections oftherarrows in those figure Th spray unit 48 includes the conventional gun type struc-. ture 68 actuable by a trigger 69 to admit air under pressure from an air line 70 through its nozzle 71 and to thereby draw material 61 from the receptacle 60 throughline 72. The line 72 is a metal pipe of suflicient strength: to connect the receptacle to the nozzle -71 and themain structure of the spray to thereby support the receptacle for movement with the spray unit. Thetrigger .69iis under the control of a plunger 73 of a normally unopa erated unit 74. i

The carriage 33 supports a cam 76, having a high por-. tion 77 for operating a normally closed valve 78 through its roller supporting plunger 79 and a diagonal portion 80 to operate a normally closed valve 81 through its roller supporting plunger 82. The cam 76 carries an adjustable push rod 83 disposed in alignment with a plunger of a normally open valve 84 and a pin 85 interposed therebetween when a hand lever 86 is in its normal position. The pin 85 is movably disposed in a bushing-like member 87 fixed to the hand lever 86 at a position spaced from its pivotal support 88 so that when the hand lever 86 is actuated out of its normal position, the pin will be moved out of registration with the rod 83 and the valve 84. A spring 89 normally urges the pin 85 to the left (Fig. 7) to its starting or rest position.

Attention, at this time, is directed to Figs. 6 and 11, which illustrate the pneumatic system of the apparatus. A main supply line 90 for fiuid, such as air under pres sure, is connected to valve 84 and through lines 91 and 92 and to valve 78. The valve 78 is connected to the unit 74 through line 93, a portion 94 of which is flexible to allow movement of the unit 74 with the spray. unit 48. The spray unit, particularly the gun portion 68, has its line 70 connected to line 91 at 95. Attention is now directed to a master valve 97, Figs. 1, 6 and 11, which is of a commercially known type and receives its fluid under pressure through valve 84 (when open) and through line 98, which includes a flow control valve 99- The master valve 97 has a piston-like inner structure 96 formed in the conventional manner to alternately direct air under pressure from line 98 to lines 100 and 101 extending to the motor 40. The shifting of the valve or the inner portion 96 thereof to accomplish this result and to thereby control the direction of drive of the motor 16- lies upon bleeder valve 81 connected to one end of the master valve 97 through line 102 and a bleeder valve 103, connected to the other end of the master valve through line 104, and have a plunger 105 under the control of the hand lever 86.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the carriage 33 with the mandrel: 25 are at their starting positions at their extreme right. When in this position, the cam 46 will be at the right of the projection 67, that is, the opposite of that shown in Fig. 4. The cam 76 will be' in the position shown in Fig. 6 with the valves 78 and 81 closed and the normally open valve 84 closed through the action of the plunger 83 and the pin 85 when the cam 76 and the carriage reach their extreme right position. When in this positionwitlr the valve 84 closed, the fluid under pressureto the motor is cut ofl. and the mandrel remains idle until an article 15 is placed thereon. During this time, the spray unitis unoperated as the valve 78 is closed, cutting off air under pressure to the unit 74. After the article 15 is placed on the mandrel, the operator need only actuate the lever 86 about its pivot 88 to move the pin 85 from between the plunger 83 and the valve 84, freeing the valve. 84 to open and admit air to the master valve 97. Actuation of the hand lever 86 also operates the bleeder valve 103-, opening it and holding it open a length of time sufficient to allow the master valve to function to direct air under pressure through the proper lines of the motor 40 so that one will be a feed line and the other an exhaust line connected directly to an exhaust outlet 110 of the main valve. This action drives the motor to drive the mandrel 25 in .a given direction and at the same time cause axial move- .1 happeningpthe spray unit has been moved clockwise from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to position the nozzle 71 of the spray unit beyond a perpendicular line to the article or to the axis of the mandrel to direct the material 61 so that it will coat or apply a satisfactory covering of a predetermined thickness on the surface 18 and at least half of the surface 19 of the spiral groove. The shifting of .the spray unit takes place prior to operation of unit 74, and at the time this unit is operated to actuate the trigger 69, the article has moved so that the beginning of the surfaces 18 and 19 of this spiral groove will receive the coating material.

The hand lever 86 may be released after the apparatus starts its cycle of operation. This cycle includes movement of the mandrel and article to the left to coat all the convolutions of the surface 18 and portions of the convolutions of the surface 19. This operation continues until the diagonal surface 80 of the cam 76 engages and actuates the bleeder valve 81. Prior to this time, however. the. high portion 77 of cam 76 has passed beyond the plunger of the valve 78, allowing this valve to close, cf

- projection 67allowing the spray unit and the portion 65 thereof to move from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. Here it is held by the spring 63 until the motor 40 is reversed through the action of the bleeder valve 81 to reverse the direction of movement of the carriage, the mandrel and the article, causing the cam 46 to shift the spray unit into the position shown in Fig. 5 and also the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This shifting, stopping and reversing takes place automatically to complete the second portion of the operating cycle and to cause spraying of the surface 17 and the remainder of the surface 19 of each convolution of the spiral groove. This operation continues until the plunger 83 of the cam 76 engages the pin 85, forcing it against its spring 89 to actuate the valve 84 into closed position. This automatically shuts off the power, or air under pressure, to the motor 40, stopping it at the initial or starting position of the apparatus. This takes place subsequent to moving of the valve 78 into closed position to cut off air to the unit 74 to release the trigger 69 to stop the spraying of the material.

It is to be understood that the above described arran'gements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements maybe readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

, What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for successively spraying material on opposing surfaces of a spiral portion of an article com prising a holder for the article supported for rotation about its axis and a coincident centerline of the article, reversible means to rotate the holder in reverse directions for spraying the respective spiral surfaces successively, a unit to spray material on the surfaces successively, means to support the spray unit for movement into different spraying positions disposed at angles relative to each other and the article to direct material to said surfaces successively, mean's'responsive to the direction of rotation of the holder to move the holder axially at a speed comparable to the speed of rotation of the holder and article to maintain the surface of the portion being sprayed in the path of the material from the spray unit, and means responsive to the axial movement of the holder to shift the spray unit from one spraying position to another during reversing of said rotating means.

2. An apparatus for successively spraying material on opposing surfaces of a spiral portion of an article comprising a holder for the article supported for rotation about its axis and a coincident centerline of the article, reversible means to rotate the holder in reverse directions for spraying the respective spiral surfaces successively, a unit to spray material on the surfaces successively, means to support the spray unit for movement into different spraying positions disposed at angles relative to each other and the article to direct material to said surfaces successively, means responsive to the direction of rotation of the holder to move the holder axially at a speed comparable to the speed of rotation of the holder and article to maintain the surface of the portion being sprayed in the path of the material from the spray unit, and means responsive to the axial movement of the holder to shift the spray unit from one spraying position to another during reversing of said rotating means, and to hold the spray unit against displacement during axial movement of the holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,448 Edison Oct. 17, 1916 1,256,599 Schoop Feb. 19, 1918 1,690,344 Pohrt Nov. 6, 1928 2,077,187 Richter Apr. 13, 1937

Images