US3660665A - Photocell controlled pattern tracer - Google Patents

Photocell controlled pattern tracer Download PDF

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Publication number
US3660665A
US3660665A US34721A US3660665DA US3660665A US 3660665 A US3660665 A US 3660665A US 34721 A US34721 A US 34721A US 3660665D A US3660665D A US 3660665DA US 3660665 A US3660665 A US 3660665A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
pattern
drive
steering
point
tracing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US34721A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ronald J Luker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westinghouse Canada Inc
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Canada Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Canada Inc filed Critical Westinghouse Canada Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3660665A publication Critical patent/US3660665A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
    • B23Q35/00—Control systems or devices for copying directly from a pattern or a master model; Devices for use in copying manually
    • B23Q35/04—Control systems or devices for copying directly from a pattern or a master model; Devices for use in copying manually using a feeler or the like travelling along the outline of the pattern, model or drawing; Feelers, patterns, or models therefor
    • B23Q35/08—Means for transforming movement of the feeler or the like into feed movement of tool or work
    • B23Q35/12—Means for transforming movement of the feeler or the like into feed movement of tool or work involving electrical means
    • B23Q35/127—Means for transforming movement of the feeler or the like into feed movement of tool or work involving electrical means using non-mechanical sensing
    • B23Q35/128—Sensing by using optical means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K7/00—Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames
    • B23K7/002—Machines, apparatus, or equipment for cutting plane workpieces, e.g. plates
    • B23K7/004—Seam tracking

Definitions

  • a friction drive and steering mechanism for a pattern tracing machine including a drive wheel frictionally engaging a drive surface and steerable about an axis intersect- [30] Forelgn Application Priomy Data ing the drive surface at a point displaced from the point of en- July 13, 1969 Canada ..055,983 gagemem of the drive wheel with the Surfaceand a P P tical tracing head arranged to view an area on the drive sur- [52]
  • U.S.Cl ..250/202 face close to Said Steering Taxis and means for Steering the 5 Int CL os 1/01 viewed area about the steering axis in such a manner that a 58] Field f Search I 250/202 line is maintained between a point in
  • This invention relates to pattern cutting machines primarily of the type utilizing cutting torches for producing shaped patterns from metal sheet in accordance with an optical pattern.
  • This pattern may consist of a physical pattern'followed by-a mechanical tracer, a magnetic pattern followed by a magnetic follower or as in the present case an optical pattern followed by an optical pattern following apparatus.
  • One of the common methods of driving the mechanism is to cause a friction drive wheel to engage a surface parallel to the surface of the pattern to be traced and to the surface of the material to be cut, drive the wheel at a constant velocity determined by the cutting capability of the cutting apparatus-and steer the wheel at the same time in accordance with the desired pattern. If the wheel is maintained tangential to the edge of the pattern by means of some pattern following apparatus and is driven at constant velocity then the wheel will trace out a path corresponding to the desired pattern.
  • a co-ordinate drive machine which consists of a carriage mounted for motion in a single direction, for example, in the X direction on a bridge which is in turn mounted for motion in a further direction at right angles thereto, for example, the Y direction. If the electro-optical tracer, which is to be maintained tangential to the pattern, and the friction drive wheel, which is to provide direction and velocity to the carriage, are both mounted on the carriage and coupled together so as to maintain the same tangential direction the convolutions of the path of the drive wheel will be repeated by the electro-optical viewing device and the device will thereby be kept over the pattern.
  • Machines of the foregoing type are all well known and in common use.
  • a broken-arm machine which consists of a simple articulated arm at the end of which is mounted a cutting torch.
  • Efforts to use this type of machine for pattern tracing have been limited to simple situations where the pattern is arranged above the torch and the drive wheel is coincident axially with the torch.
  • Manual pattern tracers have been provided in the past for this type of machine but automatic optical followers have not been available.
  • FIG. I is a plan view ofa broken-arm machine, in schematic only, of the type referred to as the prior art
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; along section line 2-2;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view of a machine in accordance with my invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a section of the apparatus of FIG. 3 along section line 4-4;
  • FIG. 5 is an electro-optical tracing head and drive mechanism in accordance with myinvention
  • FIG. 6 is a fragment in section of the portion of the apparatus of FIG. 5;
  • FIG. 7 is a block schematic diagram of the associated electrical circuitry.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 it will be seen that in these figures there is illustrated, very schematically, a broken-arm machine which consists of two beams 8 and 9 pivoted at pivot 10 and mounted for rotation on shaft 11. At the end of arm 9 is mounted a gas cutting torch l2 and directly above torch 12 and coaxial therewith is a tracing point 13.
  • the material to be cut such as a metal sheet 14 is suitably supported on bed 15 and the pattern to be traced is supported on the lower surface of table 16. Tracing point 13 may now be moved around the pattern manually, by observation or by some other means and if the torch 12 is operating an article will be cut from sheet 14 in'a shape determined by the pattern on the table 16.
  • the tracing point 13 is now replaced by a driven friction wheel, it is possible, by steering the friction wheel, to cause it to follow the pattern.
  • the torch, the steering axis of the drive wheel, and the optical viewing point all effectively follow the same path and a line joining the steering axis of the optical viewing device and the steering axis of the drive wheel must be maintained parallel to a fixed line.
  • the pattern is on the under side of the table which is a substantial disadvantage.
  • FIG. 3 there is shown a broken-arm machine in accordance with my invention.
  • the machine consists of a pair of beams 17 and 18 pivoted at a point 19 and mounted for rotation around the shaft 20.
  • the arm 18, however, consists of a U-shaped member as is more clearly seen in FIG. 4.
  • the upper leg 21 supports an electro-optical pattern I tracing device 22 and a lower legs 23 supports the cutting torch 24.
  • a table 25 supports the pattern to be followed and a bed 26 supports a sheet of material to be cut 27.
  • the bed 26 may also provide the support for 7 column 28 on which is mounted the shaft 20.
  • the friction drive wheel referred to previously has designation 29 and is driven by virtue of its being rigidly mounted on shaft 30, which in turn is connected to wheel 31.
  • Wheel 31 frictionally engages the face of a gear 32 which gear is driven by pinion 33 on the shaft of motor 34.
  • the gear 32 is mounted for rotation in the body or housing of the apparatus 35 by means of an extended quill 36, which is retained in bearings 37 and 38, mounted in the body 35.
  • a photo-optical viewing device 39 is mounted between wheels 29 and 31 and consists of a block 40 more clearly seen in FIG. 6 in which is mounted a pair of photocells 41 and 42. Also mounted on the block 40 is a lamp 43.
  • the whole block 40, together with the photocells and the lamp is mounted for transverse adjustment by means of a threaded shaft 44 which is manually rotatable by means of a knurled nut 45, which is axially fixed but free to rotate in the steerable assembly 46.
  • This steerable assembly in turn is rotatably mounted within the quill 36 by means of a hollow shaft 47.
  • the shaft is hollow to accommodate the necessary electrical conductors from the photo-optical tracing head which are carried up through the center of the hollow shaft and connect to various slip rings 48, 49, 50 etc., mounted on an insulator at the top end of shaft 47.
  • brushes 51, 52, 53 etc. connections can be made from the photo-optical tracer to other components in the system.
  • the upper end of shaft 47 is connected to motor 54 by means of a coupling 55.
  • each connecting line may represent a plurality of conductors and include devices such as slip rings 48 and brushes 51.
  • the motor 54 will rotate with a speed and direction which is a function of the degree of overlap of the field of view of photocell 41 and the pattern as compared to the degree of overlap of the field of view of photocell 42 and the pattern.
  • the motor 54 is mechanically coupled to the mechanism 46 which steers the drive wheel 29 and, if all components are properly oriented, causes the drive wheel 29 to be maintained parallel to a line tangential to the pattern.
  • the steering motor rotates the photocells, it similarly rotates the drive wheel and the tracing head 22 traces the pattern at a velocity determined by the speed of rotation of the drive wheels.
  • the torch 24 follows the same convolutions as the tracing head 22. In this way, when operative, the torch will cut from material 27 a piece shaped in accordance with the shape of the pattern on surface 25.
  • a pattern tracing machine including a friction drive wheel rotatable about a drive axis parallel to a drive surface and steerable about a steering axis perpendicular to said drive surface and a photo-optical tracing head arranged to view a pattern on said drive surface and maintain said drive axis perpendicular to a tangent to that portion of the pattern viewed by said tracing head and the steering axis intersecting the pattern, wherein the point of contact of the drive wheel and the drive surface is close to the point of intersection of the steering axis and the drive surface, but displaced along a line parallel to said drive axis and wherein said tracing head is mounted for rotation about said steering axis with the portion of the pattern viewed by said tracing head lying on said tangent and almost coincident with the point of intersection of the steering axis and the pattern.
  • a pattern tracing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said friction drive wheel and said photo sensitive device are mounted for rotation about said steering axis by a common steering motor.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Machine Tool Copy Controls (AREA)
  • Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
US34721A 1969-07-03 1970-05-05 Photocell controlled pattern tracer Expired - Lifetime US3660665A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA876459A CA876459A (en) 1969-07-03 1969-07-03 Pattern controlled cutting machine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3660665A true US3660665A (en) 1972-05-02

Family

ID=4085424

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US34721A Expired - Lifetime US3660665A (en) 1969-07-03 1970-05-05 Photocell controlled pattern tracer

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3660665A (de)
CA (1) CA876459A (de)
CH (1) CH533494A (de)
DE (1) DE2027771A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2050468B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1248023A (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2357945A1 (fr) * 1976-07-08 1978-02-03 Boc Ltd Suiveur photo-electrique de trait
DE2951206A1 (de) * 1976-07-02 1980-07-10 Ibex Inking Systems Corp Farbbandspule
US4333635A (en) * 1979-11-26 1982-06-08 Anton Koukal Follow-up control means in swinging-arm flame-cutting machines
WO2000013847A1 (en) * 1998-09-07 2000-03-16 David William Thomas Profile cutting apparatus
US20040173952A1 (en) * 2003-03-04 2004-09-09 Wagner Jefferson Louis Cutter duplication apparatus

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE9106658U1 (de) * 1991-06-02 1991-08-22 Eisenbach, Bernhard, 6259 Brechen Bohr- oder Fräsvorrichtung

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3385122A (en) * 1965-10-19 1968-05-28 Westinghouse Canada Ltd Drive mechanism
US3496437A (en) * 1966-04-18 1970-02-17 Air Reduction Variable lead device for indicium tracers
US3497694A (en) * 1966-01-07 1970-02-24 Vyzk Ustav Matemat Stroju Optical scanning head with four optical transmission lines and photosensors
US3514862A (en) * 1967-02-17 1970-06-02 Heinrich Helgemeir Super-flevation and gradient measuring devices for track

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3385122A (en) * 1965-10-19 1968-05-28 Westinghouse Canada Ltd Drive mechanism
US3497694A (en) * 1966-01-07 1970-02-24 Vyzk Ustav Matemat Stroju Optical scanning head with four optical transmission lines and photosensors
US3496437A (en) * 1966-04-18 1970-02-17 Air Reduction Variable lead device for indicium tracers
US3514862A (en) * 1967-02-17 1970-06-02 Heinrich Helgemeir Super-flevation and gradient measuring devices for track

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2951206A1 (de) * 1976-07-02 1980-07-10 Ibex Inking Systems Corp Farbbandspule
FR2357945A1 (fr) * 1976-07-08 1978-02-03 Boc Ltd Suiveur photo-electrique de trait
US4333635A (en) * 1979-11-26 1982-06-08 Anton Koukal Follow-up control means in swinging-arm flame-cutting machines
WO2000013847A1 (en) * 1998-09-07 2000-03-16 David William Thomas Profile cutting apparatus
US6576183B1 (en) 1998-09-07 2003-06-10 David William Thomas Profile cutting apparatus
US20040173952A1 (en) * 2003-03-04 2004-09-09 Wagner Jefferson Louis Cutter duplication apparatus
US6939507B2 (en) 2003-03-04 2005-09-06 Jefferson Louis Wagner Cutter duplication apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH533494A (de) 1973-02-15
CA876459A (en) 1971-07-27
FR2050468A1 (de) 1971-04-02
GB1248023A (en) 1971-09-29
DE2027771A1 (de) 1971-01-14
FR2050468B1 (de) 1973-02-02

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