US3196653A

US3196653A - Ball sizing machine

Info

Publication number: US3196653A
Application number: US178099A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gazan George Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-03-07
Filing date: 1962-03-07
Publication date: 1965-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-27

Description

July 27, 1965 G. A. GAZAN BALL SIZING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 7, 1962 y 7, 1965 G. A. GAZAN 3,196,653

BALL SIZING MACHINE Filed March 7, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. G'dkGE A. 6424 ATTOIE'IVI/ United States Patent 3,196,653 BALL SIZING MACHINE George Anthony Gazan, 22050 Telegraph Road, Southfield, Mich. Filed Mar. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 178,099 2 Claims. (Cl. 7275) This invention relates to a machine for ball sizing cylindrical holes and more particularly to production apparatus which will allow a plurality of workpieces to be sized rapidly, using a single ball repetitively.

The technique of forming a cylindrical hole to an exact diameter, by first forming an undersized hole and then forcing through the hole a precision hardened ball having a diameter greater than the initially formed hole, is well known. By exerting forces on the sides of the hole in excess of the elastic limit of the hole material, the ball enlarges the hole. The accuracy of the process is largely dependent upon the precision to which the ball is formed and its ability to retain its initial shape, and to avoid deformation while being forced through an undersized hole. For the later reason, it is essential that the ball be very hard relative to the material that is to be worked upon.

Previous hole sizing machines for use in production work have commonly employed a first reservoir of balls which may be singly fed to a pressing apparatus operative to force a ball through a hole to be sized. Another reservoir retained the balls after they were passed through the hole. Periodically, the contents of the returned ball reservoir would be transferred to the first reservoir. Because a plurality of balls were utilized in such a process, an economic limit was placed upon the cost of each ball, and therefore upon the accuracy and hardness of each ball. Additionally, since the balls were stored in contact with one another, both before and after the pressing operation, the surface finish of the balls would become marred.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a production hole sizing machine, employing a single ball which is returned to an initial position along a soft track under the force of fluid or mechanical pressure after being passed through a hole. The use of a soft track and fluid or mechanical pressure both insure the retention of the initial surface finish on the ball and provide a controlled atmosphere as an environment for the ball.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention, which will subsequently be described in detail, takes the form of a C-fran1e of a relatively soft plastic and metal material, having a cylindrical channel slightly greater than the diameter of the ball to be utilized, passing from one opposed edge of the frame, around the frame to the opposite opposed edge. The frame is normally disposed in a vertical position but can be used horizontally. A springloaded ball retention mechanism is associated with the upper end of the track and operates to support a ball above a workpiece disposed in the gap of the frame. A powered ram is attached to the frame on its upper side. On proper actuation, it forces the ball through the spring-loaded retaining mechanism and through an undersized hole in a properly positioned workpiece. After passing through the hole, the ball is dropped into the lower leg of the track, and gravity carries it to the tracks lower extremity. A fluid conduit (in the preferred embodiment the fluid is air) is disposed in an extension of this lower track extremity. After the ball has settled in the lower track are-a, valve means inject air into the track at the ball in such a direction as to force the ball up the vertical leg of the track and across the forward leg so that it settles in the springloaded ball retaining mechanism. The apparatus is then in position for operation on the next hole.

Other objects, advantages and applications of the pres- "ice ent invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation sectional view of the track portion of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the track portion of the preferred embodiment taken along lines 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the track portion taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the spring-loaded ball retaining mechanism, partly broken away, taken along lines 55 of FIG. 3.

The apparatus may be effectively utilized in connection with a C-frame press generally indicated at 10. The press has a horizontal base section 12 which supports the ball sizing apparatus and an overhanging ram support section 14. A fluid cylinder 16 is supported from the overhead section 14 and has a pair of connecting tubes 18 which deliver and return fluid under the control of normal valve mechanism (not shown) at an appropriate point in the operational cycle of the device. Motion of a piston within the cylinder 16 causes the extension or retraction of a downward depending rod 20.

A work support fixture 22 is disposed upon the base 12. A handwheel actuated screw 24 passes through the wall of the fixture 22 and locks the ball track fixture with respect to the base 12. A table 26 dovetails with the fixture 22 which allows it to be adjusted horizontally and locked in any position by a set screw 28 for the purpose of accommodating various size workpieces.

On its upper surface, the table 26 contains a slide 36 which may be moved horizontally along the table limited only by the presence of a forward stop 32 and a similar rear stop which is not shown. A V-shaped work retainer 34 is adjustably supported on the slide 30 by means of slots 36 and a set screw 38. A workpiece 4%), shown to be a cylindrical collar having a central hole, may be positioned with respect to the operating mechanism by placing it in the apex of the V of the work retainer 34 and moving the slide 30 back against the rear stop.

The ball track mechanism generally indicated at 42 comprises a C-frame preferably formed of a rigid yet relatively soft plastic or metal material. Although harder metal tracks will function, they are generally less desirable.

The track 42 is formed of a first plastic or metal block 44 having a semi-cylindrical groove 46 formed in one of its surfaces. The groove 46 extends continuously from a ball input section 48 which terminates at the upper edge of the lower leg of the C to a ball output section 59 located in the upper leg of the track mechanism 42. A flat plastic plate 52 attaches to one side of the block 44 so as to completely enclose the groove 46. The cover 52 is removably attached to the block 44 by a plurality of screws 54. Adjacent the forward edge of the lowermost section of the groove 46, a fluid passage 56 connects to the outer forward face of the block 44. A threaded coupling 58 allows the passage 56 to be coupled to an air line 60.

A spring-loaded ball retaining mechanism connects to the forward upper end of the track mechanism 42 and receives balls from the output section 50 of the groove. It comprises a cylindrical collar 62 which has a flange 64 in its lower end which abuts the lower edge of the upper arm of the mechanism 42. At its upper end, the collar 62 is inwardly flanged as at 66 to provide a slidable bushing for the cylinder rod 20.

The lower flange 64 carries three inwardly directed,

equi-distant spaced ball retaining probes 68. The probes 68 are biased in an outer direction by loading springs 70 which are retained within hollow set screws '72. The set screws thread within the flange 64 so that rotation of them adjusts the radially inward extension of the probes 68. The position of the probes is adjusted so that they retain a ball 74 which is dropped on top of them from the output in 50 of the ball groove 46. Yet,'when the ball 74 is' pressed by the cylinder rod 20, the probes 68 retract and allow the ball to pass downwardly. The exact position of the collar 62 may be adjusted by a pair of screws '76 which pass horizontally through the side of the mechanism 42.

In operation, a workpiece having a pro-formed hole with a diameter slightly less than the desired finished diameter is loaded into the machine by inserting in the apex of the V of the work retainer 34 and sliding the work retainer back against the rear stop of the fixture. At this point, the ball 74 is supported directly above the upper end of the hole in the workpiece on the ends of the probes 68. The fluid cylinder 16 is then actuated so as to cause it to extend its rod 20 which is normally disposed with its end just within the bushing 66. The downward motion of the rod forces the ball 74 against the probes 68 so that they retract against their loading springs '70 and allow the ball to be pressed through the undersized hole of the workpiece.

After passing through the workpiece, the ball moves through the input section 48 of the groove 46. The groove has sufiicient clearance to allow the ball to freely roll to its lowest point. After the ball 74 has settled there, air is admitted through the passage 56 directly against the ball.

The force exerted by the air on the ball causes it to move up through the groove 46 across the top leg of the groove and to settle against the upper edges of the probes 68.

The device is at this point ready for another cycle and the ball has passed through the operational cycle without contacting anything other than the soft surface of the groove, the rod 2th of the cylinder (which may be tipped with a soft material) and the workpiece.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A ball sizing machine, comprising: a C-shaped frame member disposed in a vertical position and having a central, generally circular track extending through the frame and terminating at each extremity thereof; spring retaining means associated with the frame at the upper extremity thereof and operative to receive balls expelled from the upper end of the track and to retain such balls, said ball retention means being spring loaded so that downward force exerted on a ball disposed therein is operative to release the ball from the retention means; ram means cooperative with said ball retention means and operative to press a ball through said retention means, through an undersized hole in a workpiece disposed in the gap of the frame, into the lower extremity of said track; a fluid passage associated with the lowest point on said track operative to permit entrance of fluid into said track; an a ball having a diameter substantially equal to the desired diameter of said hole normally disposed within said track.

2. A machine for ball sizing holes, comprising: a C- shaped frame member; a substantially circular groove disposed Within said frame member and terminating adjacent the opposed ends of the C; a ball retaining mechanism asociated with the upper leg of the frame and operative to receive balls passing through the upper termination of the said groove; a ball having a diameter substantially equal to the desired diameter of said holes normally disposed within said groove, press means operatively connected to said ball retention mechanism in such a manner as to force a ball retained within said mechanism through an undersized hole in a workpiece disposed within a gap in said C in such a manner that the ball is returned to the lower terminus of the groove and falls to the lowermost section of the groove; and an air passage through the frame connecting to said groove adjacent to the lowermost section thereof and operative to permit the injection of air at such time as the ball is suspended at the lowermost point in the groove so as to return the ball through the groove to the ball retention mechanism.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 906,495 12/ 08 Hock 29-90 1,360,55 8 11/20 Mattison 299O 720,375 7/29 Parker 2054 2,790,500. 4/57 Jones 221 310 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD H. EANES, WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON,

Examiners.

Claims

1. A BALL SIZING MACHINE, COMPRISING: A C-SHAPED FRAME MEMBER DISPOSED IN A VERTICAL POSITION AND HAVING A CENTRAL, GENERALLY CIRCULAR TRACK EXTENDING THROUGH THE FRAME AND TERMINATING AT EACH EXTREMITY THEREOF; SPRING RETAINING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRAME AT THE UPPER EXTREMITY THEREOF AND OPERATIVE TO RECEIVE BALLS EXPELLED FROM THE SUPPER END OF THE TRACK AND TO RETAIN SUCH BALLS, SAID BALL RETENTION MEANS BEING SPRING LOADED SO THAT DOWNWARD FORCE EXERTED ON A BALL DISPOSED THEREIN IS OPERATIVE TO RELEASE THE BALL FROM THE RETENTION MEANS; RAM MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID BALL RETENTION MEANS AND OPERATIVE TO PRESS A BALL THROUGH SAID RETENTION MEANS, THROUGH AN UNDERSIZED HOLE IN A WORKPIECE DISPOSED IN THE GAP OF THE FRAME, INTO THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID TRACK; A FLUID PASSAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOWEST POINT ON SAID TRACK OPERATIVE TO PERMIT ENTRANCE OF FLUID INTO SAID TRACK; AN A BALL HAVING A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DESIRED DIAMETER OF SAID HOLE NORMALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TRACK.