US2985320A

US2985320A - Loading apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2985320A
Application number: US621224A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis J Kent
Original assignee: Baldwin Lima Hamilton Corp
Current assignee: Baldwin Lima Hamilton Corp
Priority date: 1956-11-09
Filing date: 1956-11-09
Publication date: 1961-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-23

Description

May z3, 1961 F. J. KENT 2,985,320

LOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTOR FRANCIS J. KENT b/lc/f/Lgr H Mc IHHHHHHIIVIHH AGENT.

May 23, 1961 Filed NOV. 9, 1956 F. J. KENT LOADING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FRANCIS J. KENT BY AGENT.

May 23, 1961 Filed Nov. 9, 1956 F. J. KENT LOADING APPARATUS FIG. 3.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR FRANCIS J. KENT BY May 23, 1961 F. J. KENT LOADING APPARATUS iled Nov. 9, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 AGENT.

united States Pat-em LOADING APPARATUS Francis J. Kent, Forest Hills, N.Y., assigner` to Baldwin- Lima-Hamilton Corporation, a corporation of Penu- Sylvania Filed Nov. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 621,224

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-.-1)

This invention relates to loading apparatus, and more particularly to loading apparatus for horizontalmetal working machines such as presses for the extruslon of copper, copper alloys, steel, light metals and the like.

In presses of the above type, a relatively long object such as a heated billet is inserted or charged into a receptacle or container and then extruded through a die by means of a reciprocable tool in the form of a plunger r pressing stem. A shorter object serving as an auxiliary tool or dummy block is interposed between stem and billet to protect the stem and prevent the billet material from adhering thereto. After pressing, an additional tool such as a closely fitting cleaning disk may be pushed through the bore of the container if required to remove `residue of metal therefrom.

For loading the billet and dummy block or the clean- :ing disk into the press, hydraulic or pneumatic jack means or the like are normally provided to lift the parts to be lloaded so that they may be charged into the container by -the advancing stem. In one type of press, the mechanism is such that it is necessary first to charge the billet alone into the container, then to retract the stem, and thereafter to charge the dummy block into the Press. Such procedure involves a loss of time and consequently a loss of heat in the billet. In another arrangement, the charging of the billet and block is carried out during a single stroke of the stem and with the aid of a single jack but diiculties are encountered since the jack must be retracted when the stem holder approaches the jack. This occurs before the dummy block is received in the container and it is necessary to provide a projection on the stem to engage a bore in the dummy block, or in the cleaning disk when loading the latter, to prevent these parts from dropping down. However, such projection on the stem is often undesirable. The same dificulties are encountered if a rocker arm alone is used and the hydraulic jack is eliminated entirely.

Therefore, it is desirable to load and support the billet and dummy block by means of a plurality of devices disposed one adjacent to the other along the path of the advancing stem and arranged to be retracted one after the other during one continuous stroke of the stem. However, prior structures of this type have been cumbersome and have not met operational requirements.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved loading apparatus for a metal working machine of the horizontal type, which eliminates the disadvantages previously encountered.

It is another object of the invention to provide a horizontal metal working machine with loading mechanism for parts such as a billet and dummy block, which operates smoothly and effectively in conjunction with one continuous stroke of a reciprocable tool.

lt is also an object of the invention to provide a horizontal metal working machine such as an extrusion press with apparatus in which two elements, for example a billet and dummy block, are first received by loading means allowing convenient operation and are then additionally guided by movable supporting means permitting fast withdrawal when a reciprocable tool holder approaches the supporting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide loading apparatus of the above type in which the movable supporting means is arranged to load an additional tool such as a cleaning element in the metal working machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above type having a station for loading material and for loading an auxiliary tool adjacent the retracted reciprocable tool of the metal working machine, and an additional tool loading station adjacent the receptacle of the machine.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view of an extrusion press provided with loading apparatus according to the invention, taken along line 1--1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the press according to Fig. l, showing the region of the container and loading mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the press, generally taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 6, 7, 9, 1l are fragmentary diagrammatic views generally similar to Fig. 1, and Figs. 5, 8, 10, l2 are fragmentary diagrammatic views generally similar to Fig. 3, illustrating various operating positions of the parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the horizontal metal extrusion press illustrated therein comprises a frame 20, a receptacle or container generally indicated at 22 and supported through a housing 23 on the frame 20, a liner 24 in the container, a die 25, and a reciprocable tool in the form of a plunger or pressing stem 26 mounted in a reciprocable stem holder 28 which is supported for movement along the axis of the press. The stem and its holder are actuated by a hydraulic ram 29 so as to exert pressure on the billet through an auxiliary tool such as a dummy block '30 (see Fig. 5) in the conventional manner. Four tie rods 32 serve to connect both ends of the press.

An inclined chute 34 (Fig. l) is provided to receive dummy blocks 30 which will roll down therein until the first block is stopped by a wall 36 of a lifting device 38 so that the block will rest on a slanted lifting table 40. When the table 40 is raised by means of a uid operated cylinder 42 and piston 44 to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. l, the dummy block will roll down from the slanted table 40 over the top of wall 36 and will then be handled together with a billet, whereas the table 40 will be lowered again to receive the next dummy block. A tail 46 attached to the table 40 prevents the next dummy block from moving forward before the table 40 has completed its upward and downward movements.

A heated billet 50 to be extruded will be conveyed to a iixed inclined plate 52 and will roll down therefrom onto a rocker arm 60 which likewise receives the dummy block 30 rolling down from table 40. The rocker arm 60 is provided with surfaces 62 (Fig. 7) to form a tray having a V-shaped groove and extending along the horizontal axis of the press through a distance sufiicient to simultaneously support the billet 50 and dummy block 30. Further, the rocker arm is provided with a stop member or jaw 64 having an effective surface 65, the stop member being linked to the rocker arm at 66. A cylinder 68 is pivotally mounted on the rocker arm vat 70 and its piston 72 is linked to the stop member 64 at 74. Member 64 is normally in the active position shown in Fig. l to cooperate with surfaces 62 and stop the billet and 3 sammy bleak if thcy @ad 'its $91.1 Qf the .raster in the'direction towards the press. Billet 50 may be longer than the width of arm 60 Lso thatit .projects therefrom k.in .the ydirection ltoward the container (.see Fig. 3), `provided theprotrii ing pyntipn amounts to lessV than half the billet in Qtheinltialposition S9 that the semer 0f gravity .0f the bills? is .sucenfly supported. To Tthis end, the width rof the arm i t than half the maximum length of the billet, .plus `the thickness of thegdummy block. i

As shown Vat 76, Vthe rocker arm is pivotally .mounted on la bracket 78 which :also carries a cylinder 8d piyotally connected to `'the bracket 778 at 82. Piston 84 (Fig. V44) of cylinder 80 l.is linked'toftherocker arm at tt?. i Arranged adjacent Vto the centainer'is 1a `supporting member 90"vvhich is adapted to participate in the charging operation and has top surfaces 92 (Fig. 9) Dforming a substantially V-shaped groove and entending `through -a dis- Vtance'shorterthanthe length of the surfaces 62 but sufficient to support at least the dummy block V3i). The support 90 is vertically movable by meanslof a cylinder 94 and piston 96 (Fig. 3) so that it may be raised and lowered-along a straight path like a hydraulic or pneumatic jack.

After the dummy block 30V and billet Si) have been received on rocker arm and before .the stem 26 leaves its retraeted'position,*pressure fluid is admitted `torcylinder 8 0 to swing the rocker arm transversely of the axis of the press from its initial position shown `in Figs. Vl to 3 to its charging position'close to the axis of the press as .illustrated in Figs.` 4 and 5. In this position, the billet and dummy block lare engaged by one of the surfaces `62 of afm'60 and/by the effective surface 65 of member 64 in such a manner that the axes lof the billet and dummy block substantially coincide with the anis of the press. Rockerv arm 60 entends from the region adjacent to the retracted stem 26 through more than half of the distance to 4the container. Cylinder 94 is actuated, preferably simultaneously with cylinder 80,'toraise'the supporting member 90 lfrom its lower rest position to its upper position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. vThe'position and dimensions of member 9i) are such that it substantially lills the space between rocker arm 60 and container 22, the top surfaces 92 of member 90bei`ng aligned with one of the surfaces 62 of arm 66 and' with the'eifective surface 65 of stop member A64..

Stem 26 will now be advanced to push the dummy block and billet along the top of rocker arm 6@ onto the supporting member 90 and towards the container. When the stem holder 2S approaches the rocker arm 650, care must be taken that no interference occurs and, therefore, the rocker a'rm must be withdrawn. This can readily be done since at this time the billet and dummy block have been moved off the rocker arm. While the stern 26 continues its advanceQcylinder 6,8 is actuated to swing the stop member 64 through the intermediate position shown in Fig. 6 to its lower inactive or open position in which it is spaced from stem 26 so as to clear the stem during the subsequent movement of rocker arm 6i). Cylinder 8% is then actuated to return the rocker arm 69 to its initial position, whereupon the stop member 64 may be lifted again. The parts are now approximately in the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and it should be noted that'a substantial portion of the billet has been in serted or charged in the container. The remainder of billet 50 and the dummy block 30 are safely supported and guided Y YLIt will be clear that the apparatus described is very advantageous. The combination of a loading member in the form of a rocker arm, on the one hand, and a supporting member performing a vertical motion, on the other hand, results in simple 'movements and avoids complicated actuating mechanism which would not operate satisfactorily in practice. The rocker arm permits to load the billet and dummy blockin a convenient and efficient manner, and the supporting member allows rapid withdrawal `upon approach of Athestem holderso .thatthe supporting member maybe retained in its active position during a relatively long period of time.

Moreover, the V,vertically .movable supporting member may readily be used for the loadingnof additional tools such as cleaning disks into the press if residue of metal must be removed from the container. This is the case, for example, when extruding copper and copper alloys wah .as brass When cleaning disks are used, they are normally of annular shape as indicated `at l106 in the drawings. They may be taken from a worktable 102 (Fig. 2) 'and then caused to roll down an inclined chute V104 until they are stopped by a feeding device 106 shown diagrammatically. The device 106 will be actuated when required and will cause one disk at a time to roll down a chute extension 10S disposed adjacent to `the container, until the disk is 4stopped by a rear wall l110 whereupon `it will drop through an opening 112 (Fig. l) in the chute. At this instant, the supporting or jack member 90 is in its lower position and the disk will be received thereon as shown in Figs. 9 and `10,. After the stern 26 has been withdrawn upon completion of an extrusion operation, cylinder 94 will be actuated to lift member 90 with the disk thereon as shown in Figs. 1l and l2. The disk 160 may now be pushed through the container by the stem 26 to remove residue such as a shell of metal adhering to the inner wall of the container bore. Supporting member 90 will be returned to its lower position by means of cylinder 94 when the stem holder 28 approaches the member 96 during its advance.

Thus, the loading station for the billet and dummy block is located adjacent to the retracted stern from where the billet and block may be pushed or charged into the container in one continuous stroke of the stem, whereas the loading station for the cleaning disk is located adjacent the container `so that a relatively short movement of the stem will be sufficient to insert or charge the disk in the container.

The operation of the various mechanism may be controlled by limit switches. is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 3 with regard to the withdrawal of the rocker arm 60 and supporting member 90.

Limit switches

120 and 122 are secured to the frame 2i) while a projection or cam 124 is mounted for movement with the stem holder 28. When the latter approaches the rocker arm 60, cam 124 will trip limit switch 120 which will cause the actuation of cylinder and the withdrawal of the rocker arm 60. When thereafter the stem holder approaches the supporting member 90, cam 124 will trip limit switch 122 to actuate cylinder 94 which will lower the supporting member 90.

As used herein, the term loading refers generally to the conveying of objects from a region remote from a horizontal path to a position proximate to or in such path, while the term charging refers to shifting the objects along the horizontal path for inserting them in a receptacle such as the container of the press described.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has' been described, it Will be understood that various modications and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as delined in the appended claims. The individual cylinder and piston assemblies of the apparatus may be operated hydraulically or pneumatically.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for simultaneously loading a longer object and a shorter object and supporting said objects for movement along a horizontal path, comprising a rocker arm movable generally transversely of said horizontal path, a fixed tray provided on said arm and extending along said path through a distance suiiicient for simultaneously supporting both of said odjects, said arm having an initial position remote from said path for receiving said objects, a movable jaw mounted on said rocker arm and normally positioned to retain said objects on said tray, actuating mechanism for moving s'aid arm between said initial position and a charging position close to said path, actuating mechanism mounted on said arm for retracting and raising said movable jaw, a substantially vertically movable supporting member disposed adjacent said arm and extending along said path through a distance shorter than that covered by said tray but sufficient to support at least said shorter object, and actuating mechanism for moving said supporting member between a lower rest position and an upper active position for supporting and guiding said objects, whereby said arm and member are adapted to cooperate in supporting said objects along said path but said arm is withdrawable to its initial position with its movable jaw retracted to clear said path while said member is still in its upper position.

2. Apparatus for simultaneously loading a rst object and a second, relatively short object and supporting said objects during a charging movement along a horizontal path and for subsequently loading and supporting a third, relatively short object, comprising a pivoted loading structure movable generally transversely of said horizontal path and extending along said path through a distance suiicient for simultaneously supporting both said rst and second objects, said structure having an initial position remote from said path for receiving said first and second objects, fluid operated mechanism for moving said structure between said initial position and a charging position close to said path, a fluid operated jack disposed adjacent said structure and extending along said path through a distance shorter than that covered by said structure, said jack having a lower rest position and an upper position for supporting and guiding said objects, said uid operated mechanism being operable to withdraw said structure from its charging position while said jack is still in its upper position, said jack being arranged for withdrawal from its upper position 'when said charging movement of the rst and second objects has been substantially completed, and a conveying device for feeding said third object directly to said fluid operated jack after said jack has been withdrawn to its lower position and before it is raised again to its upper position.

3. Apparatus for simultaneously loading ya longer object and a shorter object in a machine having a tool mounted on a reciprocable holder and for supporting said objects while charged by said tool alonga horizontal path into a receptacle of said machine, comprising a pivoted loading structure spaced from said receptacle but extending along said path through a distancev suicient for simultaneously supporting both of said objects, said structure being movable generally transversely of said horizontal path and having an initial position remote from said path 4for receiving said objects, actuating mechanism for moving said structure beween said initial position and a charging position close to said path, a substantially vertically movable supporting member disposed intermediate said receptacle and structure and extending along said path through a distance shorter than that covered by said structure, and actuating mechanism for moving said supporting member between a lower rest position and an upper active position for supporting and guiding s'aid objects, whereby said structure and member are adapted to cooperate in supporting said objects along said path but said structure is' withdrawable to its initial position to clear a portion of said path upon approach of said holder while said member still supports at least said shorter object, said member being withdrawable to subsequently clear the remainder of said path when said holder approaches said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS