US3189340A

US3189340A - Work holder apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3189340A
Application number: US108161A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick F Desel
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1961-05-05
Filing date: 1961-05-05
Publication date: 1965-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1982-06-15

Description

3,189,340 WRK HOLEER APPARATUS Frederick li'. Desel, Baltimore, Md., assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 108,161 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-20) The present invention relates to work holder apparatus and more particularly to apparatus as suited for use in a low-distortion hanged-axle heat treating method and apparatus such as disclosed and described in copending United States patent application Serial No. 5,143 filed January 28, 1960, now abandoned and from which continuation application Serial No. 239,415 was filed November 2.0, 1962, both assigned to the assignee of the present application.

In low-distortion heat treating apparatus as heretofore employed for performing the method as set forth in the above-identified patent application, a clamping means is employed which is operated initially to firmly clamp a face of the axle flange .against a surface, either continuous or interrupted, which is perpendicular to the axis of aligned axially-spaced-apart shaft centering means, while such shaft is held located coaxially with said centering means at its opposite ends. Subsequently, during scanning of the axle by induction heating coil and quench means, such clamping means maintains the axle ange firmly clamped as above, while the axle and clamping means are caused to rotate about the axis of the centering means.

It is a prime object of the present invention to provide an improved axle iiange clamping apparatus for lowdistortion iianged axle heat treating apparatus of the aforedescribed type.

In accord with the preceding object, it is another object of the present invention to provide an axle ange clamping apparatus which facilitates introduction and removal of the flanged axle prior to and following heat treatment, respectively.

. Other objects and advantages of the invention wil-l become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View, partly in outline and partly in section, of the flange clamping apparatus embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view partially brokenaway, of the flange clamping apparatus as viewed in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1, with parts of the workpiece shown in phantom outline.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the drawing, the improved flange clamping apparatus of the present invention as exemplified herein comprises a rotatable axle-hangeaccommodating member 1 which is mounted on roller bearings 2 which in turn are mounted on an immobile member 3 associated with the frame (not shown) of the `axle heat treating apparatus in which such clamping apparatus is embodied. Member 1, as shown, preferably is of generally cylindrical configuration and is provided with a central cavity 4 to accommodate disposition of the liange 5 of a flanged axle workpiece 6 which is to undergo heat treatment. A central opening 7 extends outwardly from cavity 4 through the member 1 to permit the shaft portion 8 of the fianged axle workpiece 6 to project outwardly therethrough to a centering means 9 in form of a yieldable centering pin cooperable with the shaft end remote from the iiange 5. To provide for location of the inner annular face 10 of the flange 5 of the anged axle workpiece 6, the member 1 is provided with a finished annular surface 11 which extends radially outward from the opening 7. A tapered pin member 12 y United States Patent O 3,189,340 Patented lune 15, 1365 ICC aligned with centering means 9, is provided which is slidably mounted for movement in an axial direction within a bore 13 in member 1 for actuation. by such as fluid pressure piston means 14 into abutment with a tapered central recess 15 in the flanged end of the axle workpiece 6 to force its iiange 5 into contact with annular surface 11 at iange faceltl while holding such flange centered with respect to the axis of aligned pin member 12 and the centering means 9, which also preferably 'takes the form of a tapered pin as shown.

In accord with a prime feature of the invention, referring to FIG. 2, the cavity 4 in the axle-flange-accommodating member 1 is generally cylindrical in shape, as defined by a peripheral wall 17, to permit coaxial disposition of flange 5 therein with `slight radial clearance, and such cavity opens outwardly through member 1 in a iange-accommodating portal 18 of a width which is equal to the diameter of cylindrical wall 17 and is defined by parallel spaced-

apart side walls

19 and 20.

The iiange-locating surface 11 and opening 7 of member 1 are formed` in a rigid, relatively thick, abutment modating slot 23 of width as defined by

edge walls

24 and 25 greater than the diameter of the shaft portion 8 of the flanged axle workpiece 6. The shaft-accommodating slot 23 registers centrally with the flange-accommodating portal 18 and extends in an axialwise direction i into merger therewith. Theannular flange-locating surface 11 of portion 22 is interrupted only at the slot 23.

Referring to FIG. 1, the width of the cavity 4 and portal 18 between abutment portion 22 and the portion 28 of member 1 through which member 12 extends is greater than the thickness of the workpiece flange 5 to afford freedom for axialwise manipulation of the anged axle workpiece when its flange is disposed in such cavity.

In operation, the flanged axle workpiece 6 will be disposed parallel to the axis 33, with its iiange 5 in alignment with portal 18, and advanced to a position of alignment with such axis; the portal 18 of member 1 permitting entrance ofthe workpiece flange 5 into the cavity 4, while the slot 23 permitsl the workpiece shaft 8 to enter the opening 7.

Following such introduction of the iianged axle workpiece, the piston mean 14 is operated to cause the member 12 to move axialwise from a retracted position, indicated by the dot-and-dash `outline 32 of its tapered end, to the position shown in FIG. 1 in centering and thrusttransmitting Contact with the wall of the central tapered recess 15 in the flanged end of workpiece 6. During such movement of member 12, the shaft is advanced longitudinally into centering contact with the yieldable centering pin 9, the conical end of which slides into a conical recess .-30 in the center `of the shaft end, and the flange 5 of axle workpiece 6 is clamped into contact with the abutment portion surface 11 of member 1 by considerable force, 1,000 to 1,500 pounds, for example, to assure that the flange 5 of workpiece 6 will be strongly urged toward a position of perpendicularity with respect to the axis 33 along which opposite ends of the axle 6 are centered. The yieldable aspect of the centering pin 9 permits axialwise movement of the shaft portion 3 of the workpiece 6 during such flange-clamping movement of the member 12.

The clamping force applied by member 12 to the flange S urging same against surface `11 is of a magnitude capable of forcing such iiange to `assume the proper perpendicular attitude with respect to the axis 33, and this force is maintained during, for example, subsequent axialwise areas/io @D scanning of the workpiece by an induction heating coil and quench nozzles (not shown), for heat treatment of the workpiece.

Following such heat treatment, the piston means 14 is released for retraction of the member 12 and unclamping of the iiange of the quenched workpiece 6 which is then removed from the apparatus by passage of such flange and immediately-adjacent shaft portion S outwardly through portal 1S and slot 23, respectively. Simultaneous or subsequent axialwise movement of the axle workpiece 6 permits the projecting shaft portion thereof to be freed of the iniiuence of tapered centering pin 9 which assumes a fully extended position defined by engagement with a stop 3S under influence of such as a spring 36 which affords the yieldab-ility of such pin 9. Y With respect to the feature of the invention as including the novel generally-cylindrical rotatable flange clamping member 1vhaving portal 1S for radialwise entry of the workpiece flange into cavity 4 and slot 25 for similar entry of the workpiece shaft into opening 7, although such member as exemplified is axially immobile and the clamping force is initiated through the medium of the axiallymovable member 12, it will be appreciated that it is the relative movement between these members 1 and 12 which effects the clamping action and that the same result might be obtained, at expense of somewhat added complexity, by axial movement of member 1 while member 12 is held fixed.

While the invention has been described with a degree of particularity, it will be apparent that it is intended to embrace minor modifications which will occur to those versed in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of such invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Rotary work holder apparatus for an elongated workpiece having a flange at one end, comprising a generally cylindrical rotatable member having a cylindrical flangeeaccommodating cavity for disposition of the flange of the workpiece and having a circumferentially-distributed inwardly-extending radial labutment portion for engagement with a face of said flange while a projecting portion of the workpiece extends beyond said abutment portion, said generally cylindrical member having a flangeaccommodating portal opening radialwise into said angeaccommodating cavity and a radial slot extending from said cavity axialwise through said abutment portion, whereby the flanged workpiece may be advanced sidewise While in an attitude parallel to the axis of said cylindrical member to a position in which the workpiece iiange is disposed in the aforesaid cavity of said member adjacent to its aforesaid abutment portion and the projecting portion of the workpiece extends axially therebeyond, and a tapered pin member actuated by iiuid under pres-` sure into engagementwith a central tapered recess in the flanged end of the workpiece to center such end and strongly urge the workpiece flange into contact with the abutment portion of said rotatable member.

2. Rotary work holder apparatus for clamping and centering one end of an axle having a ange at such end and a shaft portion extending axitlly therebeyond, comprising a generally cylindrical rotatable member having v a cylindrical tlange-accommodating cavity for disposition of the llange of the flanged axle and having a circumferentialiy-distributed inwardly-extending radial abutment portion for engagement with aface of said flange while the shaft portion of the workpiece extends axialwise beyond said abutment portion, said generally cylindrical member having a liange-acommodating portal opening radialwise into said iiange-accommodating cavity and a radial shaft-accommodating `slot extending from said cavity axialwise through said abutment portion, whereby the flanged axle workpiece may be advanced sidewise while in an attitude parallel to the axis 'of said cylindrical rnernber to a posit-ion in which the workpiece flange is disposed in the aforesaid cavity of said member adjacent to its aforesaid abutment portion while the workpiece shaft portion extends axialwise therebeyond, and a tapered pin member actuated by iiuid under pressure into engagement with a central tapered recess in the rlanged end of the axle to center such end and strongly urge the workpiece flange into contact with the abutment portion of said rotatable member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS `2,051,965 8/36 Roth 279-89 2,381,143 8/45 StriCkland 219-1067 2,686,683 8/54 Fausel 279--89 2,849,907 9/58 Moosman Y 269-25 2,896,487 7/59 Scale 269--25 OTHER REFERENCES German printed application 1,030,656, May 22, 1958.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiner.

Claims

1. ROTARY WORK HOLDER APPARATUS FOR AN ELONGATED WORKPIECE HAVING A FLANGE AT ONE END, COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ROTATABLE MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL FLANGE-ACCOMMODATING CAVITY FOR DISPOSITION OF THE FLANGE OF THE WORKPIECE AND HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-DISTRIBUTED INWARDLY-EXTENDING RADIAL ABUTMENT PORTION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A FACE OF SAID FLANGE WHILE A PROJECTING PORTION OF THE WORKPIECE EXTENDS BEYOND SAID ABUTMENT PORTION, SAID GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A FLANGEACCOMMODATING PORTAL OPENING RADIALWISE INTO SAID FLANGEACCOMMODATING CAVITY AND A RADIAL SLOT EXTENDING FROM SAID CAVITY AXIALWISE THROUGH SAID ABUTMENT PORTION, WHEREBY THE FLANGED WORKPIECE MAY BE ADVANCED SIDEWISE WHILE IN AN ATTITUDE PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MEMBER TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE WORKPIECE FLANGE IS DISPOSED IN THE AFORESAID CAVITY OF SAID MEMBER ADJA-