US2911762A - Strip sharpening machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. l0, 1959 C. DELAFONTAINE Y STRIP SHARPENING MACHINE Original Filed March 12, 195i 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

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now Patent No. 2,709,874, dated June 7, 1955. Divided and this application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,343

3 Claims. (Cl. 51-87) This invention relates to a machine for sharpening the edges of strips of metal, and has particular reference to a machine for continuously grinding, honing and stropping metal strips to be used for safety razor blades.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 215,127 filed in the United States Patent Ofce on March 12, 1951, now Patent No. 2,709,874, dated June 7, 1955.

One. of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a novel machine for continuously sharpening an edge or edges of thin metal strips to a high degree of ineness.

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,492,292 and No. 2,492,293, issued December 27, 1949, to George Douglas Jones, et al., and to George Douglas Jones, respectively, are disclosed various formsof razors employing a ribbon-type blade, that is, a blade of considerable length which is unspooled from a magazine to present successive unused portions as desired. This so-called ribbon blade presents sharpening problems unique in the industry. Accordingly, it is animportant object of my invention to provide a machine for sharpening strips of metal to be used as ribbon-type razor blades.

One of the diiculties encountered inthe production of ribbon-type razor blades is the inspection of the steel strips after sharpening. In the production of conventional safety razor blades, inspection of the sharpened blades is relatively simple, since the strip, after sharpening, is cut into the individual blades which may then be inspected individually without interference with the sharpening operation, and the faulty blades discarded. Finished ribbon-type blades of the character described are approximately forty inches in length, as opposed to the approximate one and one-half inch length of the conventional razor blades, and to reserve the inspection of these long blades until they have been cut to the desired length would require the rejection of an entire blade Where perhaps only a very short length of the same is defective. When the relatively high cost of the special steel required for these blades is considered, it will be understood that inspection in the manner described would be a wasteful and expensive process. Another object of my invention is, then, to provide a sharpening'ma.- chine having novel means for selective inspection -of the strip as it is being sharpened.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

Figures la, 1b and 1c are top plan views of a sharpening machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of that portion of the machine illustrated in Figure lc.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken substantially en the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and is partially broken away for clarity of illustration.

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Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 isla sectional elevation taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the general arrangement of the machine as shown in Figures la, 1b and lc -Will be briefly described. A coil of thin strip steel 30 is mounted on a supply reel 31 and the strip is fed through a grinding station generally indicated 32, a rough hone "station 33, a finish hone station 34, thence through a cleaner unit 35, and then through the stropping station 36. The strip 30 is then led through the pull-out station generally indicated 37, from whence it is formed into a loop 38 and led through the linal inspection station 39. The

strip passes through intermittent drive unit 40, is formed into a second loop 41, and then led through constant drive unit 42 where the finished sharpened strip is coiled on a take-up reel 43.

The various units forming the respective stations are mounted on a base generally indicated 44 which includes a pair of tubular rail members 45 extending substantially the entire length of the machine. The reel 31, which may include `a circular steel plate 46 having a central hub 46a, is journaled on a shaft 47 which is in turn supported on an arm 48 mounted on the base 44. Mounted adjacent the reel 31 on the arm 48 is a center guide ymeinber 49 through which the strip 30 is passed, the guide member serving to align the strip centrally of the machine. The guide member 49 maybe pivotally connected to the arrn 48 as at 50 to provide for adjustment thereof.

The grinding station 32 includes a pair of opposed parallel grinding rolls 51 and 52 each having stub shafts 53 and 54 respectively at either end journaled in bearing blocks 55 and 56. The bearing blocks 55 and 56 are secured to the blocks 58 and 59 which are in turn slidably supported at an angle on the base members 60 for adjustment of the grinding members with respect to the strip by manipulation of the wheels 61 and 62. This adjustment mounting is substantially identical with that provided for the honing stations and will be described with more particularity below. The grinding rolls `51 and 52 each includes a plurality of grinding wheels 63 and 64 of conventional design, the wheels on one ofthe grind-v ing members being staggered with respect to and interlocked with the wheels on the other member.V The grinding rolls rotate downwardly (in the direction of the arrows in Figure 4) with respect to the vertical strip 30 to grind the upper edge thereof and are driven by means of V-belt drives 65 and 66 from a motor 67 and a motor 68. The strip 30 as it passes between the grinding wheels 63 and 64 is lmaintained in the proper vertical position by means of hold-down rolls 69, one pair of rolls being on either side of the grinding rolls.

The ground strip proceeds from the above described measuring station to the rough hone station 33 which includes a pair of opposed parallel honing rolls 93 and 94 disposed `longitudinally in the direction of the strip. These rolls are of the helical or worm type and rotate downwardly against the upper edge of the strip 30 so that their operating surfaces advance towards the ground edge of the strip. The rolls 93 and 94 are carried on shafts 95 and 96 respectively which are journaled in suitable bearings on the arms 97 and 98. These arms are secured to block members 99 and 100 which are slidably mounted on base members 101 and 102. The base members are secured to the Vframe 103 which is mounted on the rails 45. f

The strip 30 moves from the rough hone station to the optical sizer or comparator generally indicated 200 3. where the width of the blade is checked to determine if the honing rolls 93 and 94. are properly set.

From the optical sizer the strip 30 proceeds to the finish hone stationv 34; Thiszstation is? substantially identical with the rough hone station previously described with the exception that the honing rolls are finer than those used at the rough hone station. As shown, the grinding rolls and transmission gears: are provided with cover members 218 and 219 respectively.

The strip is continuously pulled from the finish hone station to the cleaner unit 35 where coolant which adheres to the strip is removed from the sharpened strip.

The cleaned blade is givena nal polish at the stropping station 36 which is generally similar tothe grinding` station previously described, with the exception that the stropping rolls 245 and 246v are of a. material such as leather and. rotate in the opposite direction.

The pull-out station 37 is provided with.rolls for con tinuously pulling'the strip throughthe respective stations.

described above'. As shownv in Figures 1c, 2 and 3, this station includes a base member 295 secured to the rails 45` and carrying a support frame 296. Mounted on the frame is a pair of pull-out rolls 297 and 298' cooperating with a central pull-out roll 299 Which issecured to a shaft 300 journaled in bearings301. in the frame. The shaft is connected by meansof. coupler member 302 to the drive shaft 303 of the variable speed motor generally indicated at 304. The motor. is mounted on auxiliary rails 305 secured to the base 44 at one end and supported at the other end by a jack member. 306. A driving gear 307 is keyed to the shaft 300 beneath the pull-out roll 299'and is engaged with gear 308 on the roll 297 and gear 311 on roll 298 to drive the same in the direction of the arrows in Figure 3. As shown, the strip 30 is passed through the bite between rolls 297 and 299 and then around the roll 299 and through the bite between therolls 299 and 298. A semi-circular guide plate 310 is mounted on the frame and directs the strip around the roll 298 and forwardly therefrom to form the loop 38.

The rolls 297 and 298 are pivotally mounted with respect to the frame. The roll 297 is journaled on a pin 312 extending vertically upwardly from an arm 313 which is pivotally connected at one end to the frame by means of a pin 314. At the other end of the ann 313 a link 315 is pivotally connected by means of a pin 316. A tab 317 is secured centrally of the frame and adapted to underlie the link 315 as shown in Figure 3. The link is provided with a downwardly extending arm 318 through which is passed a screw member 319, the end of which bears against the tab 317, It will be understood from this description that the roll 297 may be disengaged from the strip by loosening the screw member 319 and` swinging the link 315 to the right While simultaneously pivoting the arm 313 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 3. The roll 297 may be forced against the strip and roll 299 by turning the screw member 319 in a direction to move the arm 318Yaway from the tab 317. The pivotal mounting of the roll 298 is similar to that described above,- with the exception that the arm 320 which carries the rolll and which is pivotally mounted at one end to the frame by means of a pin-321 is provided with a tab 309 at the other end. The link 322 which corresponds to the link'- 315 is inverted in effect and is pivotally connected to the frame by means of bracket 323 and pin 324.

As pointed out above, asithe strip 30 proceeds from the pull-out station it is formed into a loop 38. The loop is .supported by a table 330 which is mounted on a leg 331 secured to the frame 296.y The pair of holddown rolls 69d act as friction brake means in maintaining the loop in the proper position. The loop functions as a supply medium for the ntermittentdn've unit 40 (described more fully below) which serves to present successive portions of the stripto the ual inspection station 39, By means of this loop it will be understood that the portion of the strip between the supply reel 31 and the pull-out station 37 may be continuously in motion while that portion of the strip between the pull-out station 37 and the intermittent drive unit 40 may move intermittently with a dwell of suthcientA length of time to permit the s'liarpeed edge of a portion of the strip to be inspected at the inspection station 39.

The inspection station 39 consists of two identical visual inspection units 335 and'336, one on each side of the strip, and therefore only one will be described in detail. The units 335 and 336 are secured to a base member 337 mounted on the rails 45, the base member having a central support post 350 extending upwardly therefrom, as shown best in Figure 24.

Mounted on the post 350 is a strip guide block 351 having the usual hardened steel insert352', a pair of holddown rolls 69 being provided at either end of the block. The inspection unit 335l includes a microscope 353 mounted atan angle from the horizontal as shown, with the objective 354 directed at the sharpened edge of the blade. The microscope is provided with focusing wheels 355 and has an upwardly inclined eye piece 358. A cross bar 359 is secured to the rod 350 and carries a light source 360 which is directed horizontally at the sharpened edge of the strip. At the other end of the cross bar is supported a housing 361 having a ground glass face 362 and containing a bulb 363 or other suitable light source, the groundglass forming a background for the strip edge. Mounted above the housing is a light source 364 directed substantially downwardly onto the sharpened edge of the strip'. Control boxes 365 and 366 are mounted on the rails adjacent the respective inspection units and are provided with switches 367 for the various light sources.

The intermittent drive unit 40 includes a driving roll 376 and a driven roll 376 mounted on shafts 377 and 378 respectively. The shaft 377 is joumaled in suitable bearings 379 on the frame 380. A bevel gear 390 is carried on the lower end ofthe shaft 377 and cooperates with the mutilated gear 391 to intermittently turn the shaft 377 and drive roll 375. The gear segment 391 is mounted on a drive shaft 392, which shaft is coupled with an intermediate shaft 393 by means of a universal joint 394 (see Figure 2). The shaft 393 is coupled by means of thev universal joint 395l to a stub shaft 396 which is journaled in the frame 296'. A bevel gear 397 is carried on the end of the stub shaft and in engagement with a bevel gear 398A on the shaft 300 for rotation of the muti lated gear 391 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 5. A gear 370 is mounted on the shaft 377 and engaged with aV gear 371 on the shaft 378 to drive'the same.

Lock means are provided for preventing coasting of the shaft 377 upon disengagement of the bevel gear 390 from the gear segment 391, and as shown in the drawings this means may include the segmental ring 399 mounted about the periphery of the gear segment 391. This Vring cooperates with a lock member 400 secured to the shaft 377. The lock member 400 has a Hat end surface 401 which rides on the sui-face 402 of the ring, preventing rotation of the shaft while the bevel gear 390 is disengaged from the gear segment, the ringbeing provided with a gap adjacent thetoothed portion 403 of the mutilated gear to provide clearance for the. lock member while the gears are engaged. The relationship between the teeth of the bevel gear 390 and the mutilated gear 391 is such that upon disengagement thereof, the flat end surface 401 is in a position to engage the ring 399. Means are provided to cushion the action of the lock member 400 as it initially contactsthering 399, and as shown in Figure 5, this means may include the friction brake 404 on the shaft 377.

The driven roll 376 is pivotally mounted with respect to the frame much in the Vsame manner as the pull-out rolls 297 and `298, being provided'with an arm 405 pivot S ally connected to the frame at one end and having an adjusting link 406 pivotally connected to the other end, which link has an adjusting screw 407 engageable With a tab 408 on the frame. The sharpened and inspected strip is pushed from the intermittent drive rolls into a small loop 41 which leads to the constant drive rolls 42.

This unit 42 includes a driving roll 416 and a driven roll 417 which are generally similar to the intermittent drive rolls previously described. Here, however, the driven roll, which is mounted on drive shaft 418, is driven at a constant speed by a stub shaft 419 which carries a bevel gear 420 engageable with a gear 421 on the shaft 418. The stub shaft 419 is journaled in the frame 422 and is connected to the shaft 392 by means of a universal joint 423. It will be understood that by means of this drive connection the constant speed rolls are driven at exactly the same speed as are driven the pull-out rolls 297 and 298. Therefore, with the above-described arrangement of constant speed pull-out rolls 297 and 298, loop 38, intermittent drive rolls 375 and 376, loop 41 and constant drive rolls 416 and 417, I have provided means for feeding a strip continuously into one end of the machine and out of the other end of the machine at the same speed, |while causing the strip to intermittently dwell at a point intermediate the two ends.

A switch box 450 is mounted on the base 44 from which the conduit 451 leads to the various electrical motors previously described. The box is provided with switch buttons 452 for controlling the operation of the various elements of the machine.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a strip sharpening machine, the combination of a frame; a plurality of sharpening wheels mounted for rotation on said frame, power means for rotating said wheels, means for continuously pulling a strip to be sharpened across the wheels, means forming a loop in the strip after the same has been sharpened; and means for intermittently feeding the strip from said loop whereby successive stationary portions of the sharpened strip may be inspected, said last-mentioned means including a driving roll and a driven roll mounted on said frame to form a bite therebetween through which the strip may be passed, and means for intermittently rotating said driving roll in a direction to pull the strip through the bite.

2. In a strip sharpening machine, a frame, a first shaft journaled for rotation in said frame, a first gear carried on'said shaft, a second shaft journaled for rotation in said frame, a mutilated gear carried on said second shaft and engageable with the first gear to intermittently drive the first shaft, a segmental ring mounted adjacent the periphery of the mutilated gear, the ring having a gap adjacent the toothed portion of the mutilated gear, a locking member carried on said first shaft adapted to contact said ring upon disengagement of the gears to lock the first shaft against rotation, the gap providing clearance for said locking member when the gears are engaged, and a friction brake on said first shaft adapted to cushion the impact of the looking member as it contacts the ring.

3. In a strip sharpening machine, the combination of a frame; a plurality of sharpening wheels mounted for rotation on said frame, power means for rotating said wheels, means for continuously pulling a strip to be sharpened across the wheels, means forming a loop in the strip after the same has been sharpened; and means for intermittently feeding the strip from said loop whereby successive stationary portions of the sharpened strip may be inspected, said last-mentioned means including a driving roll and a driven roll mounted on said frame to form a bite therebetween through which the strip may be passed, and means for intermittently rotating said driving roll in a direction to pull the strip through the bite, said intermittent rotation means comprising a first shaft journaled for rotation in said frame and carrying said driving roll, a first gear carried on said shaft, a second shaft journaled for rotation in said frame, a mutilated gear carried on said second shaft and engageable with the first gear to intermittently drive the first shaft, a segmented ring mounted adjacent the periphery of the mutilated gear, the ring having a gap adjacent the toothed portion of the mutilated gear, a locking member carried on said first shaft adapted to contact said ring upon disengagement of the gears to lock the first shafty against rotation, the gap providing clearance for said locking member when the gears are engaged, and a friction brake on said first shaft adapted to cushion the impact of the locking member as it contacts the ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,902,022 Gaisman Mar. 2l, 1933 1,937,326 Pick NOV. 28, 1933 1,937,795 Sheehan Dec. 5, 1933 2,218,674 Eaton Oct. 22, 1940 2,254,766 Andren Sept. 2, 1941 2,353,683 Martines July 18, 1944 2,635,399 West Apr. 2l, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 616,114 Great Britain Ian. 17, 1949

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