US3095639A - Apparatus for automatically threading transverse ribs on to tubes, especially for heat exchangers - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1963 G SEIEN 3, 5, 3

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY THREADING TRANSVERSE RIBS ON TO TUBES, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l W$ WM July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 3,095,639

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY THREADING TRANSVERSE RIBS ON TO TUBES. ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jake/Mort s S July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 3,095,639

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY THREADING TRANSVERSE RIBS ON TO TUBES, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

Int enter? 5d r 1 z e g $417146,

July 2, 1963 G. SEIEN 5, 39

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY THREADING TRANSVERSE RIBS ON TO TUBES, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed Oct. 12. 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 -III if A

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY THREADING TRANSVERSE RIBS ON TO TUBES, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Giinter Seien, Wanne-Eickel, Germany, assignor to GEA Luftkuhlergesellschaft Happel Gesellschaft m.b.H., & Co. K.G., Bochum, Germany, a firm Filed Oct. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 62,228 Claims priority, application Germany Oct. 13, 1959 24 Claims. (Cl. 29-202) Inthe production of tubes provided with transverse ribs and intended particularly for heat exchangers, it is known to thread on to a tube at uniform, adjustable distances apart rib plates stamped out from a band of sheet metal and provided in the region of their aperture for slipping on to the tube with an annular collar effecting a sliding seat on the tube. Hitherto, the threading on of such rib plates was effected by slipping the individual stamped rib plates by hand on to the substantially smooth tube and pushing them together in such a manner that they are uniformly spaced, the uniform spacing being possibly determined by spacer tongues or thelike punched out from the rib plates. This known method is extremely circumstantial and expensive as the length of tube which can be provided with ribs by one operator per unit of time is relatively small. In addition, in threading the rib plates on to the tube by hand, it is often the case that the spacing of the ribs, especially when they are not provided with spacer tongues or the like, cannot be maintained with the accuracy required.

3,095,639 Patented July 2, 1963 front portion of which foot, as viewed in the feed direction, the pivot of the carrier is mounted and on the rear portion of which a sliding cheek is detachably fixed which bears against the supporting surface. The center of gnavity of the carrier provided with sliding foot and sliding cheek is so positioned that, when the carrier is in its operative position, it lies, as viewed in the feed direction, behind the pivot of the carrier and, when the carrier is in its inoperative position, below its pivot.

The supporting surface is preferably composed of 1a plurality of supporting cheeks which are mounted on a sec- To overcome these disadwantages of the known method,

the present invention provides an apparatus for automatically threading transverse ribs on to tubes, in which lib plates preferably delivered from a stamping machine are threaded with force fit on to at least one substantially smooth tube at preferably adjustable distances apart, which gomprises a circulating endless band, carriers pivotally mounted on said endless band, a guide movable in the opposite direction to the feed direction of said carriers, each carrier arranged to cooperate with said guide to suecessively pick up a rib plate as it is delivered by the stamping machine, to thread said plate on to the stationary tube, slide it into its extreme position on the tube and then to swing down and release the rib plate when this position is reached.

This apparatus, in spite of its relatively simple construction, enables a tube, which hitherto was invariably provided with ribs by hand, to be fitted with ribs entirely automatically, whereby not only outputs far greater than those obtainable by hand are obtained but also much greater accuracy in spacing is achieved.

The carriers preferably have sliding feet which are guided on a substantially even supporting surface movable in a direction opposite to the feed direction of the carriers and extending only up to the respective final position reached by the rib plate pushed forward by the carrier, in such a manner that, directly behind the final position of the rib plate, each carrier automatically swings into its inoperative position, counter to the feed direction, due to a torque exerted by its center of gravity. Thus, for guiding and holding the carriers in their operative positions in which they push forward the rib plates as well as for disengaging the carriers from the rib plates in the respective final positions of the rib plates and for swinging out the carriers into their rest positions, guiding and controlling means of extremely simple construction are sufli cient, which, nevertheless, ensure an extremely reliable operation and a high degree of accuracy as regards the spacing of the ribs.

In a preferred form of construction, the sliding foot is detachably fixed on the lower end of each carrier, in the 0nd endless band movable at least in a direction opposite to that in which the carrier band circulates. Both the carrier band and the endless band carrying the supporting cheeks may be constructed as link chains, especially sprocket chains.

Whereas the strand of the supporting cheek chain serving for supporting the carriers is of a length at least corersponding to that of the tube to be provided with ribs,

it is advisable to make the length of the supporting strand of the supporting cheek chain about the same as that of the working strand of the carrier chain. The supporting strand of the supporting cheek chain is, as a rule, guided substantially parallel to the working strand of the carrier chain situated above it.

According to another feature of the invention a rigid guideway is provided for the sliding feet of the carriers in front of the supporting surface formed by the supporting cheeks. This guideway is in alignment with the supporting surface and extends up to about the middle of the return curve of the carrier chain and serves for swinging the carriers into their operative position and holding them in this position in passing them over from the lower to the upper strand of the carrier chain.

To ensure that the carriers release the rib plates directly after they have carried them into their respective final positions, a carriage movable in the same direction and at the same speed as the supporting cheeks may further be provided which has resiliently mounted stops extending opposite the feed direction of the carriers, which stops effect an accelerated and sudden swinging of the carriers into their inopenative positions and consequently a sudden release of the rib plates after the sliding feet of the carriers have slipped ofl the last supporting check of the supporting cheek chain.

As a rule, it is advisable that the supporting cheek chain can be driven both in a counter direction and in the same direction of circulation as the carrier chain. This renders it possible to drive the carrier chain and the supporting cheek chain in opposite directions during the threading on of the rib plates, whereas the two chains can be driven in the same direction after completion of the fitting of the ribs so as to enable the supporting cheek chain to be returned into its initial position within the shortest possible space of time for threading ribs on to the next following tube. The carrier chain and the supporting cheek chain are conveniently connected to a common driving motor by means of at least one infinitely variable reduction gear, :a particularly simple and economical arrangement being attained by driving the carrier chain and the supporting cheek chain, at least during the threading on of the rib plates, by the driving motor of the stamping machine supplying the rib plates.

The movements of the carrier chain and the supporting cheek chain in opposite directions are so tuned to each other that the rib plates engaged and pushed forward by the successive carriers are released by the carriers after being fed along a path always becoming shorter by the same, preferably adjustable amounts. The spacing of the ribs can be adjusted in a simple manner, for example by reguliiting the speed at which the supporting cheek chain trave s.

It is also possible to provide a preferably adjustable limit switch which, after the last rib plate has been slipped into position, eliects the standstill of the carrier chain, of the supporting cheek chain as well as preferably also of the stamping machine supplying the rib plates. When the last rib plate has been threaded on to the tube and the entire apparatus has been switched off, the supporting cheek chain can be moved back in the opposite direction into its initial position either by hand or by means of a separate auxiliary motor or also, using an arrangement of suitable clutch and gear means, by the motor driving the stamping machine.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an apparatus according to the invention for automatically threading transverse ribs on to tubes;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing a guide for the carriers cooperating therewith;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of a canrier in vertical operative position together with its guide;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line IVIV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of an arrangement of drives, clutches and gears for the feeding elements of the carriers and supporting cheeks.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus according to the invention includes a substantially horizontal threading bench 2 on which at least one smooth tube 3 is arranged and which is directly connected to the discharge side of a supply means or stamping machine 1. The stamping machine 1 is a conventional eccentric press and preferably delivers rib plates 6 having a central aperture corresponding to the external diameter of the tube and provided with an annular collar to ensure a firm sliding seat for the rib plates on the tube. The rib plates 6 stamped out by punches 4 are conveyed from these punches by a feeding device (not shown) to the tube 3 fixedly mounted on the threading bench 2.

A holding means or mounting support 7 provided at the end of the tube remote from the stamping machine 1 securely holds the tube in the desired position, the end of the tube being embraced by a sleeve and fixed by means of a clamping screw 8. The mounting support 7 is preferably shiftable in the direction of the threading bench for adaptation to tubes of different lengths. Fitted on the end of the tube adjacent the stamping machine is a horn-shaped catch pin 5 which is so arranged that the stamped rib plates 6 coming from the feeding device of the stamping machine are successively threaded on to the tube by means of this catch pin and engaged by conveyor means including carriers 9 for sliding the rib plates 6 along the tube.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the carriers 9 are pivotally mounted on an endless conveyor band or carrier chain 10 having its working strand guided parallel to the axis of the tube, the carriers being adapted to turn about horizontal pivots 11 arranged at right angles to the feed direction x of the carriers. The pivots l1 serve at the same time as chain studs and as running axles for the carrier chain 19 and for this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, rollers 12 are fitted on their ends and laterally guided in U-shaped guide rails 13 of the threading bench 2. Rotatably mounted on the pivots 11 directly inside the rollers 12 are driving rollers 14 which serve for engaging a chain driving drum 15 (FIG. 1). In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the carriers 9 are provided in their upper portions with two recesses .16 in Which the tubes to be fitted with ribs are situated. The recesses 16 are larger than the external diameters of the tubes, but smaller than the rib plates 6. In the case of a threading hench of wider construction, it would be naturally also possible simultaneously to provide with rib plates even more tubes arranged side by side. The tubes can be fitted with both separate rib plates which are independent of each other and rib plates which are commonly threaded on to several tubes, thus constituting connecting elements for several tubes. The carriers 9 are secured at their lower corners to swinging supports 17 by means of screws 18 or the like. Another swinging support is arranged in the middle of the lower edge of the carrier and constructed as a sliding foot 19. This sliding foot 19 extends substantially in a direction opposite to the feed direction x of the carriers 9 and is provided on its underside with a sliding check 21 secured thereto by means of screws 20 or the like. This construction ensures that a torque in the sense of a swinging movement opposite to the feed movement of the carriers 9 is always exerted on these carriers.

For taking along the rib plates 6, the carriers 9 are held in their vertical position by the sliding movement of their sliding cheeks 21 on control means including a supporting surface composed of guide members or supporting cheeks 22. These supporting cheeks 22 are attached to a control band such as a chain 23. In the embodiment shown, the supporting cheeks 22 are connected by means of extensions 24 to the chain links of the supporting cheek chain 23 and extend substantially over the length of two chain links, as can be seen from FIG. 4. The supporting cheek chain 23 is, as shown in FIG. 2, also constructed as an endless band or circulating link chain and has a working strand which is at least as long as the tube to be fitted with ribs, only about halt" the chain being provided with supporting cheeks 22. The working strand of the supporting cheek chain 23 is guided parallel to the working strand of the carrier chain 10 in such a manner that the sliding cheeks 21 of the carriers 9 rest against the supporting cheeks 22 parallel thereto. The working strand of the supporting cheek chain 23 is, during the fitting of the rib plates 6, driven in a direction opposite to the teed direction of the carriers 9 on the working strand of the carrier chain 10. The supporting cheek chain 23 is, as shown in FIG. 1, guided over a driving wheel 26, a reversing wheel 27 and a tension wheel 28.

In FIG. 2, the reversing wheel 27 is constructed as the tension wheel and rotatably mounted in a fork 36. A bolt 37 connected with this fork 36 passes, in this form of construction, through a strut 38 of the threading bench 2 and is supported against the action of a pressure spring 39. The pressure spring 39 bears at one end against the strut 38 and at its other end against a tightening nut 40. The wheel 26 of the supporting cheek chain 23 serves, as is also shown in FIG. 1, as a driving wheel. A hand crank 35 (FIG. 1) is fixed on the driving shaft for the driving wheel 26 of the supporting cheek chain 23 and serves for returning the supporting cheek chain into its initial position by hand when the fitting of the rib plates 6 is completed, so that it is ready for dealing with the next tube.

It will be clear that the portion of tube 3 projecting from the mounting support 7 towards the stamping machine 1 extends along the path of the carriers 9 in such a manner that the carriers move along the projecting portion of tube 3 towards the mounting support 7 for successively placing the rib plates 6 on this projecting portion of the tube.

In the event that the supporting cheek chain 23 does not extend right up to the reversal point of the carrier chain 16 at the end thereof facing the stamping machine 1, a rigid guideway 41 is provided for the carriers 9 at the height of the supporting surface formed by the supporting cheeks 22 and extends into the range of the curved guide rail 13 conducting the carrier chain 10 into the upper strand, the front end of the rigid guideway 41 in the feed direction x of the lower strand of the carrier chain 10 (which is not shown in FIG. 2) being bent downwards in arcuate shape to about half the distance between the upper and lower strands of the carrier chain in such a manner that the carriers 9 are swung into their vertical operative position in which they are held until they are conducted by the guideway 41 on to the supporting cheeks 22 on which they travel up to the end of a last supporting cheek 25. To ensure a position of the carriers 9 as steady as possible shortly before they are disengaged from the rib plates 6 owing to their swinging over when their sliding cheeks 21 run off the supporting surface, the last supporting check 25 is made about twice as long as the other supporting cheeks 22.

The rib plates 6 are provided with spacer tongues 45 which, however, can be dispensed with when the centers of gravity of the carriers 9 are so positioned that as soon as the sliding cheeks 21 leave the last supporting cheek 25, a sufiiciently high torque is exerted on the carriers to cause an instantaneous disengagement of the carriers from the rib plates.

This sudden disengagement of the carriers 9 from the rib plates 6 can be assisted by coupling a carriage 42, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, which is equipped with springs and provided with stops (not shown), with the supporting cheek chain 23 preferably by means of a clamping lever 43- in such a manner that the springy stops come into contact with the carriers 9 above their pivots .11 at the same time as, or preferably slightly earlier than, the sliding cheeks 21 of the carriers 9 leave the last supporting check 25.

Arranged at the end of the threading bench 2 adjacent the stamping machine is an adjustable limit switch 44 (FIG. 1) which is actuated by the impact of a part of the, supporting cheek chain 23 or of the carriage 42 arranged near the last supporting cheek 25 and effects the stoppage of the driving motor of the stamping machine and consequently of the entire apparatus.

Infinitely variable gears are disposed between the carrier chain andthesupporting cheek chain 23 on the one hand and the driving motor of the stamping machine 1 on the other hand. The gear between the carrier chain 10 and the'driving motor of the stamping machine serves substantially only for tuning the feed speed of the carrier "chain so finely to the operating speed of the stamping machine that each time a rib plate 6 is threaded on to 'the tube 3, the rib plate is directly engaged by a carrier 9 and shifted along the tube. For this purpose, a transmission or gear 59 is provided, as shown in FIG. 5, which directly follows a drive 33 for the stamping machine, and by regulating this gear, the relative speed between the carrier chain 10 and the supporting cheek chain 23 and consequently the spacing of the rib plates 6 in their final positions are not changed. On the other hand, a transmission or gear 34 between the supporting cheek chain and the driving motor of the stamping machine is variable within wider limits and serves for adjusting the spacing of the rib plates, a lower speed of the supporting cheek chain in relation to the feed speed of the carrier chain resulting in closer spacing of the rib plates and analogously, relatively higher speed producing wider spacing of the rib plates.

To be able to bring the supporting cheek chain 23 back into its initial position ready for a new rib threading operation after it has completed the previous rib threading operation, the supporting cheek chain can be brought back into its initial position by means of the hand crank 35 after a clutch between the driving wheel and the driving shaft has been disengaged. However, when returning the supporting cheek chain into its initial position, all the carriers 9 being in the working strand of the carrier chain and swung into the horizontal position in front of the last supporting check 25 must be raised from their horizontal position back into their vertical position by hand so that the supporting cheeks 22 can be passed below them and the sliding cheeks 21 of the carriers 9 can again rest against the supporting cheeks 22.

As this manipulation is very circumstantial and timeconsuming, an arrangement such as that shown in FIG. 5 is recommended which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages; In this arrangement, the drive 33 of the stamping machine 1 acts through the intermediary of driving wheels, a belt drive 32 and the infinitely variable gear 59 on a driving shaft 48 which, turn, drives a driving shaft 46 for the carrier chain 10 through the intermediary of driving wheels and a drive 49, as Well as the supporting cheek chain 23 through the intermediary of a drive 30, an infinitely variable gear 34, a drive 50 and a double clutch 52, the drives being so constructed that a feed movement y of the supporting cheek chain 23 is in opposite direction to the feed movement x of the carrier chain 10. The driving wheel 26 of the supporting cheek chain 23 land a normally disengaged clutch shaft 55 are in alignment with the driving shaft 46 for the carrier chain 10-. The clutch shaft 55 can be connected by means of a clutch 56, and the driving wheel 26 by means of the clutch 52 with the driving shaft 46 for the carrier chain 10, the clutch 52 at the same time disengaging the driving wheel 26 from a driving wheel 57 driven by the drive 50. This clutching operation is preferably effected simultaneously with the aid of a hand lever 58. The clutch shaft 55 is connected to an auxiliary drive 47 through the intermediary of a gear 54. Furthermore, the driving-wheel driven by the belt drive 32 can' be disengaged from the shaft 48 by means of a clutch 31.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 5 operates in the following manner:

During the threading of the rib plates 6 on to the tube 3, the clutch 56 is disengage-d, the clutch 31 engaged and the double clutch 52 in a position connecting the driving wheel 57 with the driving wheel 26 and disconnecting the latter from the shaft 46, so that the working strand of the carrier chain 10 moves in the direction x and the working strand of the supporting cheek chain 23 moves in the direction y. After the apparatus has come to a standstill at the end of the rib fitting operation through the actuation of thelimit switch 44, the clutch 31 is disengaged, the clutch 56 engaged and the double clutch 52 operated in such a manner that the driving wheel 26 is disconnected from the driving wheel 57' and connected with the shaft 46. If the clutch shaft 55 is then driven by means of the auxiliary motor 47 in the same direction of rotation as that in which the driving shaft 46 was hitherto driven, the

working strand of the carrier chain 10 will still be moved in the direction x whereas the direction of movement of the working strand of the supporting cheek chain 23 will be reversed so that the two working strands will run in the same direction. The auxiliary drive 47 is permitted to operate until the last support cheek 25 has again reached its initial position for carrying out the next rib fitting operation. If the diameter of the driving wheel 26 is chosen of such a size in relation to the diameter of the driving wheel 15 of the carrier chain 10 that the speed of the carrier chain is at least equal to that of the supporting cheek chain, the last supporting cheek 25 will, during its return movement, not encounter any carrier swung into the horizontal position.

When the last supporting cheek 25 has again reached its prescribed initial position for carrying out the next rib threading operation and the auxiliary motor 47 is switched ofif, the clutch 56 will be disengaged, the double clutch 52 reversed and the clutch 31 engaged, with the result that the apparatus is ready for the next rib fitting operation.

:It is also possible to disengage the driving motor of the stamping machine from the stamping machine and to con struct the infinitely variable gear 34 as a reversing gear so that the auxiliary drive 47 can be dispensed with.

Another possibility of conducting the supporting cheek chain 23 into its initial position ready for the next rib fitting operation consists in that the supporting cheek chain is driven in the same direction y either by means of an auxiliary motor or the driving motor of the stamping machine, with the stamping machine and possibly also the carrier ohain disengaged, until the last supporting check 25 has again reached its initial position ready for the next rib fitting operation. Herein the first supporting check 22, on encountering the sliding cheeks 21, successively swings the horizontal carriers 9 back into their vertical position.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyor means including a set of carriers for rib elements and being movable in one direction for moving the rib elements along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carriers move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing the rib elements on said portion and for moving the rib elements along said portion; and control means moving along said path in a direction opposite to said one direction for successively actuating said carriers to separate from the rib elements on said portion so that the rib elements are disposed on said portion of said elongated object in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said control means relative to the elongated object at the time of the actuation of the respective carrier.

2. In an apparatus for placing annular rib elements on an elongated tube, in combination, conveyor means including a set of turnable carriers for annular rib elements and being movable in one direction for moving the rib elements along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated tube in a position in which at least a portion of the tube extends along said path in such a manner that said carriers move along said portion toward said holding means for successively pressing the rib elements onto said portion and for moving the rib elements along said portion; and control means moving along said path in a direction opposite to said one direction for successively actuating said carriers to turn so as to separate from rib elements pressed onto said portion so that the rib elements are disposed on said portion of said tube in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said control means relative to the tube at the time of the actuation of the respective carrier.

3. In an apparatus for placing annular rib elements on an elongated tube, in combination, supply means for supplying rib elements; conveyor means including a set of turnable carriers for annular rib elements supplied by said supply means to said carrier and being movable in one direction for moving the rib elements along a path, each of said carriers being turnable on said conveyor means between an operative position for transporting the rib elements along said path and an inoperative position withdrawn from said path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated tube in a position in which at least a portion of the tube extends along said path in such a manner that said carriers in said operative position move along said portion toward said holding means for successively pressing the rib elements onto said portion and for moving the rib elements along said portion; control means moving along said path in a direction opposite to said one direction for successively actuating said carriers to turn so as to move to said inoperative position so as to separate from rib elements pressed onto said portion so that the rib elements are disposed on said portion of said tube in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said control means relative to the tube at the time of the actuation of the respective carrier; and means for operating said supply means, said conveyor means, and said control means in a selected timed relationship and at synchronized speeds.

4. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyor means including a set of carriers for rib elements and being movable in one direction for moving the rib elements along a path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of the object extends along said path in such a manner that said carriers move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing the rib elements on said portion and for moving the rib elements along said portion; control means moving along said path in a direction opposite to said one direction for successively actuating said carriers to separate from the rib elements on said portion so that the rib elements are disposed on said portion of said elongated object in spaced positions corresponding to the positions of said control means relative to the elongated object at the time of the actuation of the respective carrier; drive means; and transmission means connecting said drive means with said conveyer means and said control means for driving the same, said transmission means including an infinitely variable transmission device for varying the relative speed of said conveyor means and of said control means, whereby the spacing of said rib elements on said elongated object may be adjusted.

5. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, supply means for supplying rib elements; conveyor means including an endless conveyor band having a part extending to said supply means and a set of carriers for rib elements mounted on said endless band for turning movement between an operative position for transporting the rib elements and an inoperative position releasing the rib elements, said carriers tending to turn to said inoperative position; drive means for moving said conveyor band in one direction so that said band part moves away from said supply means while said carriers on said band part in said operative position move along a predetermined path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of said object extends along said path into the region of said supply means in such a manner that the carriers on said band part move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing said rib elements on said portion and for moving said rib elements along said portion; and control means including guide means slidably engaging said carriers on said band part for supporting said last-mentioned .carriers in said operative posit-ion so as to prevent movement of the same to said inoperative position, said control means being driven from said drive means at a speed synchronized with the speed of said conveyor band part so that said guide means moves in a direction opposite to said one direction away from said holding means for successively rcleasing said carriers in positions spaced different distances from said holding means so that the released carriers turn to said inoperative position and separate from rib elements disposed on said elongated object whereby rib elements are placed on the elongated object in spaced positions.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guide means includes a plurality of guide members articulated relative to each other and having guide faces engaging said carriers and moving along a path parallel to said path.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said control means includes an endless control band, wherein said guide members are mounted on said control band, and wherein the distance between said carriers on said endless conveyor band is greater than the length of each of said guide members.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and including a horn-shaped member located in the region of said supply means and adapted to slidably support rib elements successively supplied by said supply means, said hornshaped member having a discharge end portion aligned with said holding means and adapted to project to the end of said elongated object remote from said holding means, said carriers in said operative position being adapted to engage rib elements on said horn-shaped member and to place the rib elements on the end of said 9 elongated object by sliding the rib elements from said horn-shaped member onto the workpiece.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim wherein each of said carriers has a first part for supporting a rib element, and a second part extending at an angle to said first part in a direction away from said holding means and slidably engaging said guide means, the turning axis of each of said carriers on said conveyor band being disposed so that each carrier tends to turn in a directlon in which said first part moves away from said holding means and from the elongated object to said inoperat1ve position when said second part is released by said guide means.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said second part includes a detachable slide member.

11. In an apparatus for placing rib elements on an elongated object, in combination, conveyor means including an endless conveyor band and a set of carriers for rib elements mounted on said endless band for turning movement between an operative position for transporting the rib elements and an inoperative position releasing the rib elements, said carriers tending to move to said inoperative position; drive means for moving said conveyor band in one direction so that said conveyor band part moves toward said holding means while said carriers on said band part in said operative position move along a predetermined path; stationary holding means for holding an elongated object in a position in which at least a portion of said object extends along said path in such a manner that the carriers on said band part move along said portion toward said holding means for successively placing the rib elements on said portion and for moving said rib elements along said portion; and control means including an endless control band, and a plurality of guide members articulated relative to each other and secured to said control band, said slide member sl-idably engaging said carriers on said conveyor band part for supporting said last-mentioned carriers in said operative position so as to prevent movement of the same to said inoperative position, said control band moving in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said conveyor band so that said guide members move in a direction opposite to said one direction away from said holding means for successively releasing said carriers in positions spaced different distances from said holding means so that the released carriers turn to said inoperative position and separate from rib elements disposed on the elongated object whereby the rib elements are placed on the elongated object in spaced positions.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said conveyor band and said control band are link chains.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said guide members are provided on only a part of said control band, said part of said control band having a length adapted to correspond to the length of the portion of the elongated object which is to be provided with rib elements. I

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said guide members have a total length corresponding to the distance between said holding means and the free end of the elongated object.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said conveyor band and said control band have parallel portions adapted to extend parallel to an elongated object held in said holding means, said last mentioned portion of said control band being located below said last mentioned portion of said conveyor band.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said control band is an endless chain, having outwardly projecting extensions, said guide members being mounted on said extensions.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said chain comprises interconnected chain links, each of said guide members having a length at least corresponding substantially to the length of two of the links.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the last guide member trailing in the direction of movement of said control band is substantially longer than the other guide members.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 and including wheel means for guiding said control band so that the same has a straight portion extending to said wheel means and a curved portion about said wheel means, said straight portion of said control band extending parallel to said object and to a corresponding part of said conveyor band; and including a stationary rigid guideway extending parallel to said part of said conveyor band in the region of said curved portion of said control band for slidably guiding said carriers While said guide members pass over said curved portion of said control band.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said transmission means include means for reversing the movement of said control band so that said control band and said guide members are returned to an initial position after a selected number of rib elements has been placed on an elongated object.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said means for reversing includes reversing clutch means, and shafts rotating in opposite directions and connected by said reversing clutch means.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein one of said shafts drives said conveyor band, another of said shafts drives said control band, said last mentioned shafts being connected by a reversing clutch; and including a stamping machine for supplying rib elements to said carriers, said stamping machine being driven by said drive motor means, and wherein said reversible clutch means include a reversible clutch for connecting the drive shaft of said control band with said drive motor means.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 22 and including an auxiliary motor and a coupling means for coupling the drive shaft of said conveyor band with said auxiliary motor, and another coupling means for coupling said drive shaft for said conveyor band with the drive shaft for said control band for returning said control band to its initial position.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 and including an electric motor means for driving said conveyor band and said control band, and a limit switch connected into the circuit of said electric motor means and being actuated by said control means to stop said motor and thereby said conveyor band and control band in a selected position when the last trailing guide member has passed in said opposite direction beyond the portion of the object to be provided with rib elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,996,566 Boerger Apr. 2, 1935 2,006,383 'Boerger July 2, 1935 2,782,904 San-gster Feb. 26, 1957

Claims (1)

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR PLACING RIB ELEMENTS ON AN ELONGATED OBJECT, IN COMBINATION, CONVEYOR MEANS INCLUDING AN SET OF CARRIERS FOR RIB ELEMENTS AND BEING MOVABLE IN ONE DIRECTION FOR MOVING THE RIB ELEMENTS ALONG A PATH; STATIONARY HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING AN ELONGATED OBJECT IN A POSITION IN WHICH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE OBJECT EXTENDS ALONG SAID PATH IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID CARRIERS MOVE ALONG SAID PORTION TOWARD SAID HOLDING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY PLACING HE RIB ELEMENTS ON SAID PORTION AND FOR MOVING THE RIB ELEMENTS ALONG SAID PORTION; AND CONTROL MEANS MOVING ALONG SAID PATH IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID ONE DIRECTION FOR SUCCESSIVELY ACTUATING SAID CARRIERS TO SEPARATE FROM THE RIB ELEMENTS ON SAID PORTION SO THAT THE RIB ELEMENTS ARE DISPOSED ON SAID PORTION OF SAID ELONGATED OBJECT IN SPACED POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE POSITIONS OF SAID CONTROL MEANS RELATIVE TO THE ELONGATED OBJECT AT THE TIME OF THE ACTUATION OF THE RESPECTIVE CARRIER.

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