US3011625A

US3011625A - Vibratory feeder bowl

Info

Publication number: US3011625A
Application number: US450444A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy W Bailey; Robert L Breest
Original assignee: DETROIT POWER SCREWDRIVER COMP
Current assignee: DETROIT POWER SCREWDRIVER Co; DETROIT POWER SCREWDRIVER COMP
Priority date: 1954-08-17
Filing date: 1954-08-17
Publication date: 1961-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 R. w. BAILEY ETAL 3,011,625

VIBRATORY FEEDER BOWL Filed Aug. 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j- INVENTORS Roy w. EMLEY. BY ROBERT L, BREEST.

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ATTORNEY Dec. 5, 1961 R. w. BAILEY ETAI. 3,0 1,6 5

VIBRATORY FEEDER BOWL Filed Aug. 17, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5. ROY w. BA LEY.

03E TL. 15 est 7? 1? as United States Patent 3,011,625 VIBRATORY FEEDER BQVJL Roy W. Bailey and Robert L. Breast, Detroit, Mich, assignors to Detroit Power Screwdriver Company, Betroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 17, 1954, Ser. No. 450,444 1 Claim. ((11. 198-22t)) The present invention pertains to a novel vibratory feeder bowl and method of making same.

A feeder of this general character and the means for vibrating it are shown in patent to Devol, No. 2,464,216 of March 15, 1949. The feeder contains a spiral track on a vertical axis, and the vibration is such that it has a horizontal component substantially along the track, as well as a vertical component. The movement is faster in the downward direction than upward, with the result that work pieces lying on the track are advanced upward.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a less expensive feeder or bowl assembly particularly in the mounting of the track therein. Another object is to assemble the track in the bowl in such a manner that it may be easily removed and replaced by a track in lieu of replacement of the entire bowl assembly for a difierent track dimension.

In the accomplishment of these objects, the inner wall of the bowl is formed with a spiral groove corresponding to the course of the track. The track consists of a straight strip of stock. One end of the strip is inserted edgewise in the upper end of the groove and is pushed inward to follow the groove to its lower end. In this operation the strip becomes coiled to form the spiral track.

The resiliency of the stock is ordinarily sutficient to retain the strip in the groove by the tension of the coil. If desired, however, the strip may 'be welded to the wall of the bowl at a few spots.

As indicated, only an edge portion of the strip is received in the groove, and the remainder forms the work supporting track. It may be desired to slope the track downward toward the wall of the bowl so that the pieces will hug the wall. For this purpose the upper and lower sides of the groove are sloped correspondingly.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing also the vibrating mechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a plan View;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

A vibrating assembly is shown in FIGURE 1, and although it is fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,464,216, it will be briefly described here. On a base 1 are mounted posts or studs 2 for supporting a frame and core 3 for a coil or winding 4. Upwardly sloping leaf springs 5 have their lower ends fastened to the base at 6. The upper ends of the springs are attached to a bowl mounting plate 7, and the bottom of the plate carries an armature 8 over the core member 4. As the winding 4 is rapidly energized and de-energized, the supporting plate 7, is vibrated in a short spiral movement as described in said patent.

The bowl or feeder has a circular base plate 10 having a crowned or conical upper surface 11 and a bottom, downwardly extending hub 12. A cover plate 13 is mounted on the mounting plate 7, and the hub 12 secured upon both these parts. The wall 14 of the bowl is a sheet metal plate bent around the base 16 and having its lower edge fastened to the periphery of the base by suitable means 15.

To support a track, the inner surface of the wall 14 is formed with a spiral groove 16 extending downward to the base i The track is formed from a strip 17 of sheet metal or other material that can be shaped into a substantially fiat coil. While in fiat condition, one end of the strip is inserted by an edge in the upper end of the groove 16 and worked downwardly along the entire groove to the bottom thereof. In this process the strip becomes a spiral track. The outward tension of the spiral bent track strip 17, due to the inherent resiliency of the sheet metal or the like, is ordinarily sufficient to retain the track in the groove, but the track may be welded to the wall 14 at a few points if desired.

The lower end of the strip 17 is received in a. notch 18 formed in the top of the base it and abuts the shoulder of the notch, into which it is secured by suitable means. The base it is preferably cast aluminum, and in such a case is overlaid with a polished steel or stainless steel plate 1? to avoid discoloring the work pieces. As determined by the nature of the pieces, the plate 18 may consist of another material such as rubber or plastic. The vibrating mechanism is preferably enclosed in a housing 29. Adjacent to the upper end of the track 17 is supported a chute 22, such as a tube or channel for carrying off the work pieces that have been elevated along the track in the manner indicated.

In most cases it is desired to slope the track transversely and downwardly toward the wall 14 so that the work pieces will hug the wall rather than slip ofi the free edge of the track. For this purpose the upper and lower sides of the groove 16 are sloped in the corresponding direction, whereby the track takes the described position.

Heretofore the track has been cast integral with the wall or coiled and welded edgewise thereto. The described method of fitting the stri into the groove in the wall is obviously more economical than the methods previously in use.

Moreover, the track is easily replaced by a track of different width as desired. If welded at a few spots, the welds are easily broken, whereupon the track may be pulled out and another inserted in the manner described.

What we claim is:

A vibratory feeder bowl comprising a bottom, a cylindrical side wall secured to said bottom, said bottom having a notch therein at a location adjacent said side wall and said side wall having a uniform, rectangular groove in the inner side thereof extending upwardly from said notch in said bottom along a spiral path and extending radially into said side wall in a downwardly inclined direction, a continuous fiat strip of resilient material of rectangular transverse cross section having its lower end seated in said notch and having its outer edge complementary to and seated in said groove to define a spiral track along said side wall upon which articles may be conveyed, said strip projecting freely radially inwardly from said side wall at an upward incline whereby articles on said strip are urged outwardly toward said side wall and being compressed by its resiliency radially of said side wall whereby said strip is supported by and maintained in firm seated engagement with said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS