US3222935A

US3222935A - Stepping device

Info

Publication number: US3222935A
Application number: US228473A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fetzer Frederick
Original assignee: Hollymatic Corp
Current assignee: Hollymatic Corp
Priority date: 1962-10-04
Filing date: 1962-10-04
Publication date: 1965-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-14
Also published as: NL298612A; NL122943C; BE638067A; GB1024020A; FR1378954A

Description

Dec. 14, 1965 F. FETzr-:R 3,222,935v

STEPPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Five?? Tf F. FE1-2ER STEPPING DEVICE Dec.` 14, 196s 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1962 Dec. 14, 1965 F. FETZER 3,222,935

STEPPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 a Z6 @a Z1/" .Z.

60 4,5 J4 f y United States Patent O 3,222,935 STEPPING DEVICE Frederick Fetzer, Strongsvilie, Ohio, assigner to Hollymatic Corporation, atcorporation of `Illinois Filed Oct. 4, 1962, Ser. No. .228,473 3 Claims. (Cl. 743.52)

This invention relates to a stepping device for moving a movable reaction member by an operating member after a selectively predetermined amount of movement of the operating member.

Such stepping devices are used for many purposes and customarily employ an apparatus that is movable through successive increments in a cycle with means at the completion of the cycle for moving a reaction member. The operating member is then returned to its initial condition to start a subsequent cycle.

One of the features of this invention therefore is to provide an improved stepping device formoving a movable reaction member only after a selectively predetermined amount of movement of the operating member with this cyclical amount of movement being repeated after each movement of the reaction member.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a meat patty molding apparatus employing one embodiment of the stepping device of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the machine of FIGURE 1 with the top cover of the stepping device removed for clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken from the right-hand side of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the stepping device of this invention with the `top cover removed.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 7-1 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the rotatable member in a different position.

In the drawings there is illustrated a patty molding and separator sheet applying apparatus of the type disclosed and claimed in the Richards and Holly copending application Serial No. 116,141, filed .Tune 9, 1961, now U.S. Patent 3,126,683 and assigned to a common assignee. This apparatus, as is explained in the copending application, is for molding a patty of a plastic material such as meat, sh and other edible plastic products and for applying a separator sheet thereto. The molding portion of the apparatus is disclosed and claimed in H. H. Holly copending application Serial No. 803,212, nowPatent 3,061,872, dated November 6, 1962, and also assigned -to a common assignee. The illustrated patty molding apparatus is only one example of an apparatus to which this invention can be adapted.

Before describing the stepping device of this invention, the patty molding and separator sheet applying portions of the apparatus will be briey described. This apparatus comprises a cabinet 10 on which is located an endless belt 11, one end of which passes over an adjustable pulley 12. This belt 11 is driven by electrically operated means (not shown) in the customary manner andis located so as to receive patties falling from a rotatable mold plate 13 containing four equally spaced mold openings 14 of patty shape adapted to be lled with the moldable material such 3,222,935 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 ICC as ground meat under pressure by .feeding means not shown here but shown in the above-mentioned patent.

The pattyis removed from each mold opening 14 after the plate has been rotated to move the opening and the contained patty beneath a vertically movable knock-out ring 15. This knock-out ring is mounted on `the outer end of an overhanging arm 16 which is vertically movable with a vertical post 17 to which the end of the arm opposite the ring 15 is attached. This post 17 slides within a vertical cylinder 18.

As the patty (not shown) falls from the mold plate 13 it picks up a separator sheet of paper that is retained within a paper holder frame 71. This separator sheet is taken from the bottom of a stack of sheets (not shown) held in a magazine A19. The paper feed portion of the mechanism is driven from a vertical shaft that rotates within a vertical housing 20. The details of this paper feed, the vertical shaft and the gearing required are disclosed in the second above-mentioned copending application.

The vertical shaft 21 within the housing 20 operates through gearing to rotate continuously a sprocket 22. This sprocket 22 rotates by means of a chain 23 and a second sprocket 24 which is mounted on the outer end of a rotatable member or shaft 25 of the stepping device 26.

The stepping device has a metal casing 27 with opposite sides 28 and a front 36. The shaft 25 extends between these opposite sides 28 with the outer end 29 of the shaft beyond its adjacent side 28 having fastened thereto the sprocket 24.

Mounted on the shaft 25 for rotation therewith is a collar 30 within the casing 27 having an outwardly projecting spur 31. Surrounding the shaft 25 at the area where it passes through the side wall 28 is a bearing 32 in which the shaft 25 is rotatable and also slidable longitudinally relative thereto. Between the collar 30 and the bearing 32 is a compression spring 33 surrounding this portion of the shaft and urging the shaft 25 to the right as viewed in FIGURE 4.

The end of the shaft 25 opposite the spring 33 carries a lever 34 extending from a collar 35 attached to this end of the shaft 25.

Extending through the front wall 36 of the casing 27 is a shaft 37 on the outer end of which outside the front 36 is mounted a control knob 38. The inner end of this shaft 37 within the casing 27 carries a stop member 39, here exemplified by a sprocket 40 provided with a hub 41. This hub 41 carries on its inner surface an inwardly extending stop 42 in the form of a pin having a rearwardly and downwardly sloped stopsurface as viewed in FIGURE 4. The shaft 37 and stop member 39 can be rotated by means of the knob 38 through slightly'less than 360. The extent of rotation is governed by a projection 43 on the outer surface of the sprocket 40 engaging a second 'projection 44 on the inner surface of the front wall 36 of the casing.

As can he seen, the two projections 43 and 44 engage eachother to deline each end of the arc of rotation of the stop member 39.

Attached to the bottom 45 of the casing 27 is a bracket 46 having an upwardly extending flange 47 parallel to and spaced inwardly of the inner surface 48 of the hub `41. Mounted on this flange 47 and extending toward lthe surface 48 is a stub shaft 49 which is axially aligned with the knob shaft 37. Rotatable on this stub shaft 49 is an operating member 50, here exemplified by a collar 51 having one end adjacent the flange 47 and on `which is mounted a sprocket 52. The sprocket 52 is the same size asthe sprocket 40 and has the same number of teeth.

Extending outwardly from the surface of the collar 51 that is opposite the sprocket 52 is a stop engaging pin 53. This stop engaging pin has an outer end sloped similarly but opposite to the outer end of the pin 42 so that when the pins are in engagement with each other, as shown in FIGURE 4, the stop pin 42 prevents further movement of the operating member 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of FIGURE 4.

In order to retain the stop member sprocket in the position to which it has been turned by the knob 38, there is provided a housing 54 for a spring 55 which urges a ball 56 into engagement with the successive spaces between each pair of adjacent teeth of the sprocket 40.

The operating member is adapted to move a reaction member 57 after a selectively predetermined amount of movement of the operating member 50. In the illustrated embodiment the reaction member 57 is in the form of a hinged plate having a lower end hingedly mounted on a transverse shaft 58 at the bottom of the casing 27 and the upper end positioned between the hub 41 and collar 51 on one side and a slidably mounted plunger 59 on the other side. This plunger is mounted for movement in an opening on one side of the casing 27 and when moved to the right, as shown in FIGURES 4-6, is adapted to close a switch 60. The plate 57 is moved to this switch closing position either by engagement of the plate S7 with a pin 61 extending radially from the hub 41 or pin 62 extending radially from the collar 51 of the operating member 50. The hinged plate 57 is constantly urged toward the hub 41 and collar 51 by means of a helical spring 63 around the shaft 58 having one end bearing against the casing 27 and the other end bearing against the hinged plate 57. The urging of the plate 57 to the left, as viewed in FIGURES 4-6, causes the end of the pin 62 to be held in a recess 64 in the plate 57 until the plate is moved to the right against the urging of the spring 63.

This movement of the hinged plate or reaction member 57 further to the right from the position shown in FIGURES 4-6 is brought about by means of the lever 34. This lever which projects from the collar 35 is provided with an inner sloped surface that is sloped from a relatively sharp leading edge 66. Rotation of the lever 34 causes this sloped leading edge 66 to engage a similar but oppositely sloped edge 67 on the hinged plate 57 and move the plate further to the right, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. Furthermore, this engagement of the edges causes the plate 57 to be retained in this locked position for a short time.

The collar 51 is hollow and contains a coil spring 68 having the inner end attached to the shaft 49 and the outer end attached to a pin 69 on the collar 51. This spring 68 always urges the operating member 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the front of FIG- URE 4.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the stop member 39 is turned to the position shown in the drawings by the knob 38, the pin 61 is in contact with the hinged plate reaction member 57 to hold the switch 60 closed. Because the spring 68. holds the operating member pin 53 of the operating member 50 against the stop pin 42, the pin 62 is also in contact with the plate 57. The closing of the switch 60 causes the belt 11 to move continuously so that patties are deposited thereon in series or, in other words, in stacks of one. Thus the device now is operating solely to hold switch 60 closed.

The number of rotations of rotatable member shaft 25 to cause switch closing movement of the reaction member plate 57 is controlled and preset by the knob 38. Thus, when the parts are in the positions shown in FIGURES 4-6, stop member 39 has been turned until pin 61 thereon engages plate 57 as shown and holds it to the right. This presses plunger 59 to the right to close switch 60. This causes the conveyor 11 to run continuously so that the patties deposited thereon are in stacks of one each. Pin 61 is long so that it holds plate 57 far enough to the right to permit the sharp edges 65 of lever 34 to pass in front of the sharp edge 67 of reaction member 57 (FIG. 8) during the continuous rotation of shaft 25.

If stacks of more than one are desired the knob 38 is turned to the right, as viewed from the front of FIG- URE 4, to position the stop pin 42 of stop member 39 a desired clockwise distance from operating member pin 53. This position can be predetermined by counting the number of clicks as the teeth of sprocket 40 of stop member 39 pass over the spring pressed ball 56. Because

sprockets

40 and 52 are identical, the total number of clicks will be the number of patties that will be arranged in each stack.

This rotation presetting of the stop member 39 by turning the knob 38 clockwise aslo moves operating member 50 as spring 68 causes member 50 to follow member 39 with stops 42 and 53 in contact. It also moves pin 61 away from reaction member plate 57 and permits spring 63 to force plate 57 to the left in contact with sprocket 52. This puts plate 57 to the left of the path of rotation of lever 34. On rotation of the continuously rotating shaft 25 the lever 34 on this shaft passes behind reaction member plate 57. (As can be seen, the only function of pin 61 is to close switch 60 when continuous operation of conveyor 11 is desired, that is, when the device is not operating as a stepping device.)

The continuously rotating shaft 25 of the device, preset as described for producing stacks of patties, causes spur 31 to engage each tooth of sprocket 52 of the operating member 58 in succession. This moves the operating member 50 one increment (equivalent to the distance between adjacent teeth) of the total distance the pin 62 must be moved to engage the plate 5'7. These total increments move the operating member 50 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the front of FIGURE 4 in steps eventually to engage the operating member pin 62 with the plate 57 and again close the switch 60. As soon as this switch is closed the conveyor 11 is moved to place the conveyor in position to receive the next stack.

Between increments of movement of the operating member 50 this member is held stationary by engagement of the top of the edge portion 67 of plate 57 beneath a tooth on the sprocket 52. This engagement is permitted because up to the time the pin 62 engages the lever 57 at the end of the stepwise movements there is nothing to prevent the spring 63 from forcing the hinged plate 57 to the left against the sprocket 52. Because the plate section 67 is of less height than the remainder of the plate the top edge of this portion 67 easily passes under a tooth of the sprocket 56. When lever 57 is thus out of engagement with pin 62 and pressed forwardly by spring 63 to engage sprocket 52, the lever 34 which is continuously rotated by shaft 25 passes behind or to the right of plate 57, as viewed in FIGURES 4-6.

When the operating member 50 has thus been moved in increments until the pin 62 engages the hinged plate 57 to move it to the right and close the switch 60 as described, this engagement of pin 62 and plate 57 is maintained by reason of the pin being held in recess 64. However, on the next complete rotation of shaft 25 the edge 65 of lever 34 engages edge 67 of the plate 57 (FIGURE 8) and moves plate 57 further to the right, as viewed in FIGURES 4-6, to release the pin 62 from recess 64. Stretched spring 68 thereupon snaps operating member 50 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG- URE 6, to its initial position where its stop 53 engages the stop 42 of stop member 39. The movement in increments again takes place until switch 60 is once more closed to again move the conveyor 11. During the time when the increments are being accumulated to a suicient number to close the switch, the conveyor is stationary because switch 60 is open and the shaped patties are dropped to form a stack on the stationary conveyor.

In order to change the number of patties in the successive stacks, it is only necessary to turn the control knob 38 to change the position of the stop member 39 stop 42.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A stepping device, comprising: a reaction member movable to a moved position; an operating member engageable with said reaction member for said movement thereof; a stop member; means for moving said stop member to a variable desired location from an ultimate initial position; means for urging said operating member into stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location; means for moving said operating member in increments from said stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location into engagement with said reaction member for movement thereof, the total of said increments of movement of said operating member determining the total movement of said operating member required to engage and move said reaction member; means for retaining said engagement of the operating member with the reaction member; means for releasing said engagement, said means for urging thereby returning said operating member to said stopping engagement with said stop member after said moving of said reaction member, said desired location of said stop member determining the number of said increments required to move said operating member into said engagement with said reaction member; and means on said stop member for retaining said reaction member in said moved position when said stop member is at said initial position.

2. A stepping device, comprising: a reaction member movable to a moved position; an operating member engageable with said reaction member for said movement thereof; a stop member; means for moving said stop member to a variable desired location; means for urging said operating member into stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location; means for moving said operating member in increments from said stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location into engagement with said reaction member for movement thereof, the total of said increments 6 determining the total amount of movement of said operating member required to engage and move said reaction member, said moving means comprising a member rotatable through successive units of rotation; means operatively connected to said rotatable member for moving said operating member one of said increments upon each unit of rotation of said rotatable member until said engagement of the operating member With the reaction member; meansretaining said operating member against movement between each successive pair of increments; and means releasing said retaining means subsequent to the last of said increments for return by said urging means of the operating member to engagement with said stop member.

3. A stepping device, comprising: a reaction member movab-le to a moved position; an operating member engageable with said reaction member for said movement thereof; a stop member; means for moving said stop member to a variable desired location; means for urging said operating member into stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location; means for moving said operating member in increments from said stopping engagement with said stop member at said desired location into engagement With said reaction member for movement thereof, the total of said increments determining the total amount of movement of said operating member required to engage and move said reaction member, said moving means comprising a member rotatable through successive units of rotation; means operatively connected to said rotatable member for moving said operating member one of said increments upon each unit of rotation of said rotatable member until said engagement of the operating member with the reaction member; means retaining said operating member against movement between each successive pair of increments; second means retaining said operating member against movement when in engagement with said reaction member; and means releasing both said retaining means subsequent to the last of said increments for return by said urging means of the operating member to engagement with said stop member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,522 4/ 1948 Ost 74-526 X 2,548,604 4/1951 Hickey 200--38 X 2,589,139 3/ 1952 Reynard et al 20G-38 2,688,912 9/1954 Laneri 74-3.54 X

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A STEPPING DEVICE, COMPRISING: A REACTION MEMBER MOVABLE TO A MOVED POSITION; AN OPERATING MEMBER ENGEAGEABLE WITH SAID REACTION MEMBER FOR SAID MOVEMENT THEREOF; A STOP MEMBER; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID STOP MEMBER TO A VARIABLE DESIRED LOCATION FROM AN ULTIMATE INITIAL POSITION; MEANS FOR URGING SAID OPERATING MEMBER INTO STOPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP MEMBER AT SAID DESIRED LOCATION; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID OPERATING MEMBER IN INCREMENTS FROM SAID STOPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP MEMBER AT SAID DESIRED LOCATION INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID REACTION MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THEREOF, THE TOTAL OF SAID INCREMENTS OF MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING MEMBER DETERMINING THE TOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID OPERATING MEMBER REQUIRED TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAID REACTION MEMBER; MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID ENGAGEMENT OF THE OPERATING MEMBER WITH THE REACTION MEMBER; MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID ENGAGEMENT, SAID MEANS FOR URGING THEREBY RETURNING SAID OPERATING MEMBER TO SAID STOPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STOP MEMBER AFTER SAID MOVING OF SAID REACTION MEMBER, SAID DESIRED LOCATION OF SAID STOP MEMBER DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF SAID INCREMENTS REQUIRED TO MOVE SAID OPERATING MEMBER INTO SAID ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID REACTION MEMBER; AND MEANS ON SAID STOP MEMBER FOR RETAINING SAID REACTION MEMBER IN SAID MOVED POSITIONED WHEN SAID STOP MEMBER IS AT SAID INITIAL POSITION.