US3774740A

US3774740A - Interlocking device for presses and transferfeeders

Info

Publication number: US3774740A
Application number: US00161131A
Authority: US
Inventors: I Kubota
Original assignee: Komatsu Ltd
Current assignee: Komatsu Ltd
Priority date: 1970-07-15
Filing date: 1971-07-09
Publication date: 1973-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-27
Also published as: DE2135483C3; DE2135483B2; DE2135483A1

Abstract

In a press line including presses and transferfeeders provided between said presses, an interlocking device has the function such that if any over-load should be caused while said presses and transferfeeders are being interlocked and synchronously driven through a transmission driving system, the interlocking movement is simultaneously shut off, whereby breakage of the whole relative machineries can be prevented and safety thereof can be secured.

Description

Uted States atent [1 1 1 Nov. 27, 1973 Kubota [54] INTERLOCKING DEVICE FOR PRESSES 2,649,121 8/1953 Reck 192/148 X AND TRANSFERFEEDERS 3,298,488 1/1967 McDonald 192/150 X 3,602,345 8/1971 Rattenberg 192/18 A [75] Inventor: lchiro Kuhota, lshikawa-ken,

Komatsu-shi, Japan [73] Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Primary ExamllnerflAnan Hermann v Seisakusho, Tokyo, Japan Att0rneyDavid Toren et a1.

[22] Filed: July 9, 1971 l. 1 [21] App No 16 ,131 ABSTRACT Foreign Application ri y Data In a press line including presses and transferfeeders July 15, 1970 Japan 45/61502 provided between said presses, an interlocking device has the function such that if any over-load should be [52] US. Cl 192/150, 192/18 A, 192/ 148 baused while said presses and transferfeeders are [51] Int. Cl. F16p 7/02, Fl6d 67/04, F16d 71/00 being interlocked and synchronously driven through a [58] Field of Search 192/18 R, 18 A, 18 B, transmission driving system, the interlocking move- 192/ 148, 149, 150 ment is simultaneously shut ofi, whereby breakage of the whole relative machineries can be prevented and [56] References Cited safety thereof can be secured.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 10/1950 Kuhn 192/150 x 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENTEUNOVZ? I973 3,774,740

' sum 16F 3 INVENTOR. I HlQo KUB 0T1;

mam;

Pmminnnvzv 191a 3,774,740 SHZET 2 c; 3

Has

I N VEN TOR.

BY v M A INTERLOCKING DEVICE FOR PRESSES AND TRANSFERFEEDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In a press line including presses and transferfeeders provided between said presses, it is necessary to provide a safety device which'applies to an emergency stop of the driving when any overload is caused in any one of the interlocking driving systems comprising a driving shaft of a press and a driving shaft of a transferfeeder through a gearing mechanism and a shafting system; elements on the press side; and elements on the transferfeeder.

That is, due to any interference of elements in the interlocking device of the press and the transferfeeder and also due to any interference between transferring articles and relative elements in the case when said transferring articles are taken out of the preceding press and then transferred towards the following press and also are fed into said following press, an overload is caused sometimes.

The conventional interlocking devices have drawbacks such that in the case of shutting off the interlocking movement between the driving force transmission system from the press side and the same system in the transferfeeder side, the movement of said driving force transmission system of the transferfeeder is continued by inertia, becuase the engagement portion of each of both systems is merely released. Accordingly, in these devices it is impossible to prevent any accident in the relative machineries.

In the device in which a driving shaft of a press and a driving shaft of a transferfeeder are connected so as to transmit or shut off the driving force, the present invention is to provide a safety device having the function such that in the case when any overload is caused for some reason, the driving system applies an emergency stop.

More particularly, the present invention is to provide an interlocking device for a transferfeeder which is effective and appropriate and which satisfies the abovementioned requirement. The device of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises an actuating mechanism provided at the connecting position of the driving shaft of the press and the driving shaft of the transferfeeder, said actuating mechanism being adapted to cause a releasing when either the driving side or the driven side is overloaded, a transferfeeder side member of said actuating mechanism made movable on the transferfeeder side in the axial direction, a gear portion provided on said member, said gear portion being so arranged that it engages when the actuating mechanism is released, with an internalgear portion of the press side member made rotatable by a motor provided separately, an air cylinder provided on the transferfeeder side member of said actuating mechanism, said air cylinder moving axially the transferfeeder side member of said actuating mechanism, and further, a limit switch is interconnected to obtain air switching signals of said air cylinder and drive stopping signals of the transferfeeder, whereby when an overload is caused, the driving of the shafting on the transferfeeder side is stopped by engagement of-thegear portion of the transferfeeder side member of the actuating mechanism and the internal gear portion of the press side member and 1 all the driving portion are stopped rapidly by the power stopping operation caused by the operation of the limit switch following the actuating mechanism releasing displacement on the transferfeeder side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking device for synchronous driving of presses and transferfeeders.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for stopping simultaneously the whole driving systems by shutting off said interlocking device in the case when any overload is caused for some reason in any one of the presses, the interlocking device, and the transferfeeders.

Further object of the present invention is to provide the devicefor preventing any breakage and accident with respect to the relative machineries by shutting off the interlocking system and stopping simultaneously the whole driving systems.

Still further object of the present invention is to provide the device for operating only the transferfeeder without relation to the press as ocassion demands.

7 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a systematic diagram of the device according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of the actuating mech anism, and

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an operation of the essential part of the actuating mechanism, and

FIG. 4 is a enlarged detail showing of a portion of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention will now be described referring to an example as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, an actuating mechanism 3 is provided in a system connecting a driving shaft 1 of the press A and a driving shaft 2 of the transferfeeder B.

The actuating mechanism 3 is provided with a press side actuating member 4 positioning at the end of the shafting which include the driving shaft 1 of the press A and a transferfeeder side actuating member 5 positioning atthe end of the shaftingwhich. includes the driving shaft 2 of the transferfeeder B, and said actuating mechanism 3 is so adapted as to be releasable by overload thrust from either side.

In FIG. 2, the actuating mechanism 3 is constructed as described below:

A bevel gear 7 is fixed on the shaft portion 6 forming one end of the press side actuating member 4 by a key 8 and a stopping plate 9. An engaging portion 10 is formed at the other end of said actuating member 4. A

circular-mounting member 14 is fixed in an opening 12 of a casing 11 by bolts 13. The shaft portion 6 of the press side actuating member 4 is set rotatably but immovably in the axial direction by

bearings

15 and 16 fitted on the mounting member 14. Bearings l7, 18 are fitted on the side near the engaging member 10 of the shaft portion 6 of the actuating member 4. A holding member 19 is supported rotatably by said bearings 17, 18. A cylindrical engaging element 21 is mounted on the holding memberl9 by a stopping screw 20. A

flange portion 22 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical engaging element 2l-and an internal gear portion 23 is formed on the inner wall at the end of the cylindrical engaging element 21. A worm wheel 26 is mounted on the flange portion 22 of the cylindrical engaging element 21 by a bolt 24 and a nut 25, and said worm wheel 26 is engaged with a worm 27, and said worm 27 is formed rotatably by the worm driving system.

Referring to FIG. 1, the worm driving system is constructed as illustrated below:

A gear 30 is provided on a shaft 29 rotated by a motor 28. The worm 27 is fixed on a shaft 32 on which a gear 31 is fixed. When the worm 27 rotates through the

gears

30, 31 in engagement with each other, by the motor 28, the cylindrical engaging element 21 is rotated with the worm wheel 26 integrally.

Numeral 32 in the press side actuating member 4 is a key for fixing the holding member 19 and the cylinrical engaging element 21.

Nextly, the transferfeeder side actuating member is constructed as illustrated below: 7

A spline portion 33 is formed on the inner wall of the transferfeeder side actuating member 5, an engaging portion 34 is formed at the end of the outer peripheral surface of said actuating member 5, also a gear portion 35 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the engaging portion 34. The actuating member 5 is mounted on the rotating shaft 2a by means of the engaging spline portion 33 of the actuating member 5 and a spline por tion 36 provided at the end of the rotating shaft 2a. Said rotating shaft 2a is supported rotatably by a bearing 39 fitted on the mounting member 38 which is fixed in an opening 37 of the casing 11, but said rotating shaft 2a is immovable in the axial direction. A cylindrical portion 40 of the actuating member 5 is held in a cup-shaped member 41 by bearings 42, 43 and a stop ring 44, said bearings 42, 43 are fitted within said cupshaped member 41.

The end portion of a lever 46 is fixed on a supporting shaft 45, and a base portion of an, actuating lever 48 is fixed on the supporting shaft 45 by a key 47. The lever 46 and the actuating lever 48 are made integrally swingable with the supporting shaft 45. A free end of the actuating lever 48 has a bifucated portion, and each of said bifucated portion is an engaging portion 49. The engaging portion 49 is engaged with an outer peripheral engaging portion 50 of the cup-shaped member 41. In this case, said engaging portion 49 is contact with the cup-shaped member 41 so as not to interfere with its rotation, but so as to move the cup-shaped member 41 in the axial direction by the swing motion of the lever 48. Another end of the lever 46 is pivoted on the outer end of a rod 52 by a pin 51. The inner end of the rod 52 is fixed to a piston 54 fitted within an air cylinder 53. A limit switch 55 is provided near the lever 46 and can be contacted with, the side wall of the lever 46, as occasion demands. Accordingly, when the rod 52 reciprocates, the lever 46 swings with the supporting shaft 45, and simultaneously the actuating lever 48 swings with the lever 46. The cup-shaped member 41 is moved along the axis of the rotating shaft 2a, and simultaneously the actuating member 5 is moved along the spline of the rotating shaft 2a, because the engaging portion 49 of the actuating lever 48 is engaged with the engaging portion 50 of the cup-shaped member 41. The end surface of the engaging portion of the press side actuating member 4 is provided with a stage portion 56, an inclined surface 58 is provided in boundary area between said stage portion 56 and a flat portion 57 of the end surface of the engaging portion 10, and said inclined surface 58 is in conformity with the diameter of the engaging portion 10. The end surface of the engaging portion 34 of the transferfeeder side actuating member 5 is provided with a stage portion 59 and a flat portion 60, a boundary area between the stage portion 59 and the flat portion 60 forms an inclined surface 61 which can be closely contacted with the inclined surface 58 as shown in FIG. 3. There is a circular hole 62 with a bottom in a central portion of the end surface of the engaging portion 10 of the actuating member 4. The fitting portion 64 of the rotating shaft 2a is inserted rotatably into a bearing 63 fitted in said circular hole 62. When the actuating member 5 is moved downwardly (FIG. 2) along the axis of the rotating shaft 2a, the inclined surface 61 of the engaging portion 34 is disengaged from the inclined surface 58 of the engaging portion 10, and then the gear portion 35 of the actuating member 5 is engaged with the inner gear portion 23 of the cylindrical engaging member 21 of the actuating member 4.

V The supply and discharge of the compressed air to the air cylinder 53 is carried out by means of a solenoid valve 65 to be changed by the limit switch 55, see FIG. 1. When the engaging portion 34 is disengaged from the engaging portion 10, the limit switch 55 is operated by swinging the lever 46, and then the whole driving system of the press driving system and the transferfeeder driving system is stopped by a signal from the limit switch 55.

In FIG. 1, numeral 66 is a slide of the press A; 67 is a bolster which mounts a mold in case of press working; 68 is a drive shafting of the press A; 69 and 70 are intermediate gears; 71 and 72 are intermeditate gears for rotating a rotary cam box 73.

In the example in FIG. 1, three

cams

74, 75, and 76 are fixed on the driving shaft 2 of the transferfeeder B. A lever 77 is swung by the functional surface of the cam 74 at a supporting point 79 through a follower 78 pivoted on said lever 77, and a loading carrier 81 is reciprocated through a link 80. A lever 82 is swung by the functional surface of the cam at a supporting point 84 through a follower 83 pivoted on said lever 82, and an unloading carrier 86 is reciprocated through a link 85. A lever 87 is swung by the cam 76 through a follower 88 pivoted on said lever 87, an actuating lever 89 which is pivoted on the upper end of the lever 87 is re ciprocated by the lever 87, and simultaneously segment gears 91, 91 are swung by the actuating lever 89 through links 90, pivoted on both ends of the actuating lever 89, and lift

bars

94, 94 which are inserted into

lift cylinders

93, 93, respectively, are moved toward the upper and lower directions by

rack portions

92, 92 engaged with the segment gears 91, 91 respectively. Thus, a frame 95 is moved in the upper and lower directions integrally with the

carriers

81 and 86 mounted on the frame 95.

Numeral 96 is a fork fixed on the

unloading carrier

86 and 97 is a fork fixed on the loading carrier 81. The fork 96 takes the formed article out of the preceding press viewed from the transferfeeder B. The fork 97 feeds the formed article into the following press viewed from the transferfeeder B. In this case, the supporting point of each of

levers

77, 82 and 87 is fixed with a shaft 98.

When the driving shaft 2 is rotated integrally with

cams

74, 75 and 76, the

forks

96 and 97 are moved with a rectangular cyclic motion in the vertical direction through the

levers

77, 82 and 87, whereby the formed article taken out of the preceding press is placed on rails (not shown), and said formed article is transferred on said rails by feeding

nails

99, 99 and then said formed article is fed into the following press by the fork 9'7.

The rectangular cyclic motion of the

forks

96 and 97 consisting of the lifting, advancing,'lowering and retracting motions is controlled so as to carry out smoothly the operations for discharging and feeding the formed article from and into presses.

Numerals

100 and 101 are respectively a reaction cylinder for press-contacting

followers

78 and 83 with the functional surface of the cams 74 and 75; 102 and 103 are respectively an air tank; 104 is a control unit; 105 is a press-consent connected with the air line of the workshop.

In the ordinary interlocking state, the transferfeeder actuating member 5 is urged with the press side actuating member 4 through the lever 46 which is operated by the air cylinder 53, whereby the inclined surface 61 of the engaging portion 34 is press-contacted with the inclined surface 58 of the engaging portion so as to transmit the rotating force while keeping the clutchengaged state. FIG. 4 shows an example of a control circuit for operating the limit switch 55 and the solenoid valve 65 in an interlocked relation. In FIG. 4, 106, 107 designate the contacts of the limit switch 55; 108 is an operating coil for the solenoid valve 65; 109 is an operating coil of the solenoid valve for supplying and stopping air to a clutch-brake unit of the press; 110 is an auxiliary relay; 111, 112 are contacts of the relay 110; 113 is a button switch for starting the press, and 114 is a button switch for stopping the press.

The device according to this invention operates as illustrated below:

The power is transmittedto the transferfeeder B from the press A. When the overload is caused in the transferfeeder B, the actuating member 5 is disengaged from the actuating member 4 by operating the air cylinder 53. That is, as the inclined surface 61 of the actuating member 5 is press-contacted with the inclined surface 58 of the actuating member 4, as shown in FIG. 3, the rotating force of the actuating member 4 is transmitted to the actuating member 5; the rotating shaft 2a is rotated by the actuating member 5, because said rotating shaft 2a and said actuating member 5 are connected by means of a spline; the driving shaft 2 is rotated by the rotating shaft 2a connected with the driving shaft 2; and the transferfeeder B is operated by rotating the driving shaft 2.

In FIG. 3, the turning force is shown by a vector a, the thrusting force is shown by a vector b, and the resultant force of the vector a and vector b is shown by'a vector 0.

In the ordinary state wherein the driving force is transmitted to the transferfeeder B from the press A, the pressing force d produced by operating the cylinder 53 is applied to the actuating member 5 through the lever 46, and the pressing force d is balanced with the thrusting force shown by the vector b, whereby the normal driving force is kept in the stable state.

When any overload is applied to the actuating mechanism 3 by the interference caused between the transfer of the formed article and the relative elements'in the apparatus according to this invention, the vector a becomes large in the press-contact portion between the inclined surface 58 and the inclined surface 61, and consequently the vector b becomes large in proportion to the increase of the vector a. When the vector b becomes larger than the vector d, the engaging portion 34 is disengaged from the engaging portion 10, whereby the transmitting force is not applied to the actuating member 5 from the actuating member 4. Summarizing the above-mentioned operations, when any overload is applied to the transferfeeder B, the actuating member 5 is disengaged from the actuating member 4 against the resisting force produced by acting the air cylinder 53, and then due to the displacement of the actuating member 5, the piston rod 52 of the air cylinder 53is pulled out against the air pressure, and at the same time the lever 46 contacts with the limit switch 55, thus a signal is sent for switching the solenoid valve 65, whereby an air pressure is supplied to the opposite side of the piston 54 and the actuating member 5 is moved in the direction to be further disengaged.

In FIG. 4, the relationship between the solenoid valve 65 and the limit switch 55 is shown. When the starting button switch is pushed, the relay 1 10 is excited and the contacts 111 and 112 are closed. With the closure of the contacts 1 11 and l 12, the coil 109 is excited so that the press is started and the transferfeeder, which is in interlocked engagement with the press, also commences operation. When the press and the transferfeeder are operated in an interlocked and synchronized state, if an overload is applied to the tranferfeeder in some way, the lever 46 is displaced and contacts the contact pieces of the limit switch 55. As a result, the contact 106 is closed and the coil 108 is excited, which actuates the solenoid valve 65 and the cylinder 53 is operated, and at the same time, the contact 107 is closed, the coil 109 is demagnetized, and the press is stopped by the opening of the coil 109. Thus, the stopping of the press results in the stopping of the drive shafting system 68 of the press and of the press side actuating member 4.

With this displacement of the actuating member 5 the gear portion 35 of the actuating member 5 engages with the internal gear portion 23 of the cylindrical engaging element 21, and the rotating shaft 2a of the feeder side driving system stops instantly for the reason that the worm 27 cannot be rotated from the side of the worm wheel 26. At the same time, all of the power sources of the press A and the transferfeeder B are cut off by the signal from the limit switch 55 and the whole mechanism is stopped instantly and smoothly.

When it is necessary to operate the transferfeeder B alone without driving the press A, firstly the actuating member 5 is disengaged from the actuating member 4 of the actuating mechanism 3, and then the motor 28 is started while keeping the gear portion 34 of the actuating member 5 in engagement with the internal gear portion 23 of the actuating member 4, whereby the worm wheel 26 is rotated by the worm 27, and the gear portion 35 is rotated by the internal gear portion 23, the rotating shaft 2a is rotated by the actuating member 5, and the transferfeeder B is operated by the driving shaft 2 through the rotating shaft 2a, thus the above purpose is achieved.

Thus, with the device according to the present invention, it is possible, in an interlocking system of a press and a transferfeeder, to stop the whole driving system at the moment when any overload is caused, and it is easy to design a device having a large strength because of its simple construction, and when necessary, the driving of transferfeeder side alone is also possible.

What is claimed is:

1. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system so as to be rotatable but immovable in the axial direction of said press side shafting system, an internal gear portion positioned on said press side actuating member, a transferfeeder side actuating member positioned at the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system adjacent the end of said press side shafting system and arranged so as to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction and also arranged to be removably interlocked with said press side actuating member, said transferfeeder side actuating member having a gear portion thereor nan air cylinder, means connecting said air cylinder to said transferfeeder side actuating member so that said air cylinder urges said transferfeeder side actuating member toward and into engagement with said press side actuating member, said internal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member are released from engagement, a limit switch in communication with said air cylinder and arranged in the path of movement of said means for connecting said air cylinder to said transferfeeder side actuating member for providing an air switching signal for said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, so that if any overload is caused, the interlocking engagement of said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member is released and the connection between said drive shafting system on the press side and said drive shafting system on the transferfeeder side is broken and the engagement of said internal gear portion positioned on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member is effected, and by the operation of said limit switch following the releasing displacement of said actuating mechanism on the transferfeeder side thereof the driving action of the press line is stopped.

2. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system, and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system, wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press line drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system, said press side actuating member having an engaging portion on its end adjacent said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, a cylindrical engaging element having an internal gear portion thereon is rotatably mounted on said press side actuating member, a worm wheel fixed on said cylindrical engaging element, a worm positioned in engagement with said worm wheel, a transferfeeder side actuating member located on the end'of said transferfeeder drive shafting system adjacent the end of said press side drive shafting system and having an engaging portion positioned on its end adjacent said press side actuating member and said engaging portion having a gear portion provided on its outer periphery, said transferfeeder side actuating member is rotatable and is axially displaceably mounted on said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, a cup-shaped member mounted on said transferfeeder side actuating member, an air cylinder, a lever connected to said air cylinder and to said cup-shaped member so that through the medium of said lever said air cylinder urges said transferfeeder side actuating member toward said press side actuating member, said internal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said actuating mechanism is released, a limit switch disposed in communication with said air cylinder and arranged in the path of movement of said lever connected to said air cylinder for providing an air switching signal for said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member arranged for interlocking engagement so that if any overload is caused, the interlocking engagement of said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member is released and the connection between said drive shafting system on the press side and said drive shafting system on the transferfeeder side is broken and the engagement of said internal gear portion on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member is effected and by the operation of said limit switch following the releasing displacement of said actuating mechanism on the transferfeeder side the driving action of the press line is stopped.

3. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system, and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system, wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system and said press side actuating member having an engaging portion at its end adjacent said transferfeeder side shafting system, a cylindrical engaging element rotatably mounted on said press side actuating member and having an internal gear portion thereon, a worm wheel fixed to said cylindrical engaging element, a worm disposed in engagement with said worm wheel, a transferfeeder side actuating member located on the end of said transferfeeder drive shafting system adjacent the end of said press side drive shafting system and having an engaging portion on its end adjacent said press side actuating member and said engaging portion having a gear portion on its outer periphery, said transferfeeder side actuating member is axially displaceably mounted on said transferfeeder side shafting system, a cup-shaped member mounted on said transferfeeder side actuating member, an air cylinder, a lever connected to said air cylinder and to said cup-shaped member for urging said transferfeeder side actuating member toward said press side actuating member, said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member arranged to be disposed in releasably interlocking engagement, saidinternal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member are released from interlocking engagement, said engaging portion on said press side actuating member and said engaging portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member each having an inclined surface at its end surface in juxtaposition to the other for affording a press-contact between said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member, a limit switch disposed in communication with said air cylinder and arrangedin the path of movement of said lever connected to said air cylinder for providing an air switching signal to said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, so that if any overload is caused, and a thrusting force between said inclined surfaces on said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member becomes larger than the pressing force produced by said air cylinder, said transferfeeder side actuating member is disengaged from said press side actuating member and the interlocking engagement between said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system is broken by the engagement of said internal gear portion on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member and by the operation of said limit switch following the displacement of said transferfeeder side actuating member the driving action of the press line is stopped.

Claims

1. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system so as to be rotatable but immovable in the axial direction of said press side shafting system, an internal gear portion positioned on said press side actuating member, a transferfeeder side actuating member positioned at the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system adjacent the end of said press side shafting system and arranged so as to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction and also arranged to be removably interlocked with said press side actuating member, said transferfeeder side actuating member having a gear portion thereon,an air cylinder, means connecting said air cylinder to said transferfeeder side actuating member so that said air cylinder urges said transferfeeder side actuating member toward and into engagement with said press side actuating member, said internal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member are released from engagement, a limit switch in communication with said air cylinder and arranged in the path of movement of said means for connecting said air cylinder to said transferfeeder side actuating member for providing an air switching signal for said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, so that if any overload is caused, the interlocking engagement of said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member is released and the connection between said drive shafting system on the press side and said drive shafting system on the transferfeeder side is broken and the engagement of said internal gear portion positioned on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member is effected, and by the operation of said limit switch following the releasing displacement of said actuating mechanism on the transferfeeder side thereof the driving action of the press line is stopped.

2. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system, and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system, wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press line drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system, said press side actuating member having an engaging portion on its end adjacent said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, a cylindrical engaging element having an internal gear portion thereon is rotatably mounted on said press side actuating member, a worm wheel fixed on said cylindrical engaging element, a worm positioned in engagement with said worm wheel, a transferfeeder side actuating member located on the end of said transferfeeder drive shafting system adjacent the end of said press side drive shafting system and having an engaging portion positioned on its end adjacent said press side actuating member and said engaging portion having a gear portion provided on its outer periphery, said transferfeeder side actuating member is rotatable and is axially displaceably mounted on said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, a cup-shaped member mounted on said transferfeeder side actuating member, an air cylinder, a lever connected to said air cylinder and to said cup-shaped member so that through the medium of said lever said air cylinder urges said transferfeeder side actuating member toward said press side actuating member, said internal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said actuating mechanism is released, a limit switch disposed in communication with said air cylinder and arranged in the path of movement of said lever connected to said air cylinder for providing an air switching signal for said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member arranged for interlocking engagement so that if any overload is caused, the interlocking engagement of said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member is released and the connection between said drive shafting system on the press side and said drive shafting system on the transferfeeder side is broken and the engagement of said internal gear portion on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member is effected and by the operation of said limit switch following the releasing displacement of said actuating mechanism on the transferfeeder side the driving action of the press line is stopped.

3. An interlocking device for use in a press line between a press and a transferfeeder comprises a press side drive shafting system, and a transferfeeder side drive shafting system, wherein the improvement comprises an actuating mechanism positioned between and at the location of the adjacent ends of said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system, said actuating mechanism comprises a press side actuating member positioned at the end of said press side shafting system adjacent the end of said transferfeeder side shafting system and said press side actuating member having an engaging portion at its end adjacent said transferfeeder side shafting system, a cylindrical engaging element rotatably mounted on said press side actuating member and having an internal gear portion thereon, a worm wheel fixed to said cylindrical engaging element, a worm disposed in engagement with said worm wheel, a transferfeeder side actuating member located on the end of said transferfeeder drive shafting system adjacent the end of said press side drive shafting system and having an engaging portion on its end adjacent said press side actuating member and said engaging portion having a gear portion on its outer periphery, said transferfeeder side actuating member is axially displaceably mounted on said transferfeeder side shafting system, a cup-shaped member mounted on said transferfeeder side actuating member, an air cylinder, a lever connected to said air cylinder and to said cup-shaped member for urging said transferfeeder side actuating member toward said press side actuating member, said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member arranged to be disposed in releasably interlocking engagement, said internal gear portion arranged to engage said gear portion when said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member are released from interlocking engagement, said engaging portion on said press side actuating member and said engaging portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member each having an inclined surface at its end surface in juxtaposition to the other for affording a press-contact between said press side actuating member and said transferfeeder side actuating member, a limit switch disposed in communication with said air cylinder and arranged in the path of movement of said lever connected to said air cylinder for providing an air switching signal to said air cylinder and a drive stopping signal for the press line, so that if any overload is caused, and a thrusting force between said inclined surfaces on said press side actuating member and transferfeeder side actuating member becomes larger than the pressing force produced by said air cylinder, said transferfeeder side actuating member is disengaged from said press side actuating member and the interlocking engagement between said press side drive shafting system and said transferfeeder side drive shafting system is broken by the engagement of said internal gear portion on said press side actuating member and said gear portion on said transferfeeder side actuating member and by the operation of said limit switch following the displacement of said transferfeeder side actuating member the driving action of the press line is stopped.