US793000A - Ball-winding machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

A. MANTENFEL.

BALL WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.12,1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. A. MANTENPEL.

BALL WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.12, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 798,000 PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905. A. MANTENFEL.

BALL WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.12,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented June 20, 1905.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QFFIcE.

AUGUST .\I.'-\NIENFEL, OF GHlCM-IU, ILLINOIS.

BALL-WINDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,000, dated June 20, 1905.

Application filed October 12, 1904. Serial No. 223,212.

To (/J/ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUeUs'r )L-iN'lIGNFlQL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball-\Vinding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ball-winding machines intended especially for use in the constrnction of base-balls, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character in which the yarn will be wound in true spherical form and in hard compact condition and one wherein as the winding progresses the ball carrying and guiding mechanism will be moved rearward from the ball-turning wheel and automatically lock upon the ball attaining a certain predetermined size.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an improved adjustable tension mechanism for holding the ball-carrying device to its work, a tension device for automatically tensioning the belt during movements of the carrier which sustains the ball-supportingdevices, and an alarm which will be automatically sounded upon the ball attaining the proper size.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide an improved shifting mechanism for imparting alternate longitudinal movement to the ball-sustaining rollers relative one to the other.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of con struction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation partly in section. Fig. a is a perspective view of the belt-tensioning device. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the carriage-locking member. Fig. I is a plan view of the carriagetensioning means. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the side plates employed in the carriage-tensioning device. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the shaft-boxes,

showing the parts thereof disconnected. Fig. I nally of the base-plate l is a carriage 16,hav- I00 9 is a perspective view of the shifting-cam employed in connection with the ball-retaining rollers. Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views, respectively, of the primary and secondary roller-supporting frames employed in the ball retaining and guiding mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a bed 0r base plate provided at its forward end with lateral extensions 2, on each of which is disposed one of a pair of oppositely-disposed vertically-uprising and perforated blocks 3, which receive, respectively, the lower ends of vertical posts or standards at, these posts being provided at their upper ends with substantially Ushaped bearing-heads 5, into the opposite vertical arms or portions of which are tapped set-screws 6, while the lower ends of the standardsiare secured fixedly in place within the blocks 3 by means of set-screws 7. Disposed in each of the bearing-heads5 and clamped therein by means of the set-screws 6 is a tubular bearing-sleeve or journal-box 8, and these bearing-sleeves which are arranged in axial endwise alinement have journaled therein a shaft 9, on which is fixed a ball turning or rotating wheel 10, preferably provided with a roughened surface, as shown, there being also lixed upon said shaft, which carries a main belt-wheel 11, a grooved belt-pulley 12, suitable collars 13 for maintaining the shaft against endwise movement being lixed upon the shaft by set-screws or otherwise. The journal-boxes S are each formed in two sections of semicircular form in cross-section provided with corresponding perforated cars 14: for the reception of screws or bolts by means of which the sections are detachahly connected, while the lower box-section has at its longitudinal center a substantially U-shaped bearing portion or collar 15, the ends of which all'o rd bearing for the set-screwsG while clamping the boxes within the heads It is to be observed that under this construction the amount of wear upon the jourmil-boxes is minimized and that the sections of the boxes may be readily disconnected for packing the latter or removing them from the heads 5 when impaired by wear or other causes.

Arranged for sliding movement longitudiing at its rear end a handpiece or loop 17 and attached at its forward end to a pair of springs 18, which are in turn engaged with a member or pin 19, extended between a pair of spaced side plates 20, bolted or otherwise secured to the base-plate 1 beneath the wheel 10, these plates being provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings 21, designed to receive the pin 19 and permit adjustment of the latter for varying the tension of the springs 18. The carriage 16 has its longitudinal edges downwardly and outwardly beveled or inclined and is retained in position upon the base-plate 1 by means of guide members or plates 22 23, the inner edges of which are beveled to correspond with the adjacent edges of the carriage. These plates are secured in place by bolts or the like, and the plate 23 is slotted transversely, as at 24, for the reception of its attaching-bolts to thus permit of its adjustment toward and from the carriage 16 in order to compensate for wear occurring during the operation of the device, while the plate 22 has formed therein adjacent to its rear end a vertical socket or keeper 25, designed for the reception of the depending portion 26 of a latch 27, pivotally mounted upon the carriage-plate 16. This latch normally rides over thcface of the plate 22, and when the plate 16 reaches thelimit of its rearward movement the latch automatically engages the keeper for locking the carriage against further movement, the latch being provided with a finger-piece 28, whereby it will be readily manipulated for releasing the carriage.

Attached to the carriage-plate 16 is a substantially U-shaped frame 29, having oppositely disposed and spaced side portions 30, provided with bearings for a series of shafts 31, 32, and 33, of which the shaft 33 has pivoted thereon and adapted to be fixed by suitable set-screws 34 a primary shifting-frame 35, which is slotted at its upper ends for the reception of a shaft 36, upon which is loosely journaled for rotation and longitudinal movement a concaved roller 37, provided at its longitudinal center with a peripheral groove 38, this roller being adapted to cooperate with a cylindrical roller 39 for retaining and guiding a ball during the operation of winding the latter. The roller 39 is journaled loosely for rotation and longitudinal movement on a shaft 41, mounted in suitable bearing-sockets at the upper end of a secondary shifting-frame 42, pivoted upon the shaft 31 and adapted to be fixed in position thereon by means of setscrews 43, attention being directed to the fact that the ends of the shaft 36 are fixed by means of set-screws in bearings formed in the frame 29, while the ends of shaft 41 are likewise fixed by set-screws in bearings formed in adjustable guide plates or hangers 44, attached by slot-and-bolt connections with the side plates 30 of the frame.

The shaft 32 has fixed thereon at its longitudinal center a diagonally-inclined shifting member or cam 45, the peripheral edge of which engages U shaped throat pieces or blocks 46 47, fixed, respectively, upon the shafts 31 33, while upon the shaft 32 there is also fixed a grooved belt-pulley 48, connected by a belt49 with the pulley 12, fixed upon the main drive-shaft 9, this latter shaft being driven from any suitable source of power, preferably by means of a belt working upon the pulley 11. nection that when the shaft 9 is driven the ball-turning wheel 10 will be rotated and at the same time rotary motion will be imparted, through the medium of the pulley and belt connections, to the shaft 32 and the cam fixed thereon, and that during rotation of the latter a reverse longitudinal reciprocation will be imparted to the shafts 31 and 33, thereby causing the shifting-frames fixed upon said shafts to move the rollers 37 and 39 in reverse directions longitudinally of their respective shafts 36 41, thus imparting to the ball 40, retained between its rollers, a rotary motion in one direction-or, that is, in a direction longitudinally of the rollers 37 39--while a rotary motion in a direction transversely of said rollers will be imparted to the ball by the action thereon of the turning-roller 10. Thus it will be seen that during the operation of the device the ball is subjected to auniversal rotation for winding the yarn smoothly and evenly thereon. As the ball 40 increases in size during the winding operation it will serve to force the carriage 16 rearward, and in order that the carriage may have a proper movement for this purpose the belt 49 is of an appropriate length, and when the carriage is in its forward position or in intermediate positions the slack therein will be taken up by means of a tension mechanism now to be described and in which 50 is a grooved tension-roller journaled in a vertically-adjustable fork 51, having a slot-and-bolt connection with the outer end of an arm 52, pivoted at its inner end between bearing-ears arising from a base-plate 53, bolted or otherwise secured to the bed 1 in position for the roller 50 to bear upon the lower run of the belt 49, there being engaged at one end with the arm 52 a tensionspring 54, the other end of which engages a standard 55 arising from the plate 53. The spring 54 acts to swing the arm 52 rearward on its pivot and cause the roller 50 to exert the proper amount of tension upon the belt 49 for maintaining the latter tight upon the pulleys 12 and 48 throughout the movements of the carriage 16, it being noted that forward movement of the carriage toward the wheel 10 is limited by means of a bolt or other stop member 56.

Mounted upon the guide-rail 23 is a hell or gong 57, adjacent to which is pivoted a springcontrolled hammer 58, having adjacent to its It is to be noted in this conpivot a projecting portion or linger 59, designed to lie in the path of an abutment 61), fixed upon the carriage 16 in such position that when the latter reaches the limit of its rearward movement at the completion of the ball-winding operation the abutment 60 contacts with the cam-linger 59, thus actuating the hammer for sounding the gong, while at the same time. the portion 26 of the latch member engages the keeper 2-5 for locking the carriage against further rearward movement.

Arising from the carriage 16 adjacent its rear end is a post or standard 61, having a forked upper end in which is pivoted a tension device (32, comprising a rigid member or base 63 and a pressiu'e-spring 64, secured at one end to the base and having its other end free for movement. The free end of the spring seats between a pair of lateral members or flanges at the forward end of the member 63 and is tensioned by means of a screw 65, while through the base 63 is tapped a screw (if), which maybemanipulated for rais ing the free end of the spring to relieve the pressure exerted thereby, it being noted that the flange member 67 at one side of the forward end of the spring is pivoted and may be turned downward to permit introduction of the yarn beneath the spring, after which the screws 5 and 66 may be regulated for properly adjusting the pressure exerted by the spring (A upon the yarn,and thus regulate the tension of the latter while being wound upon the ball, it being obvious that after the parts have been once adjusted a uniform tension will be exerted upon the yarn throughout the entire winding operation and that the yarn in feeding from the tension device to the ball seats within the groove 38 of the roller 37.

In the general operation of the machine a suitable core of rubber or other appropriate material is arranged between the rollers 37 39 and wheel 10, and the yarn which may be drawn from any suitable source of supply after being properly engaged with the tension device has its end started upon the core. The shaft 9 is then set in motion whereby the wheel 10 will act, as heretofore explained, for rotating the ball and power will be transmitted from the shaft 2) to the shaft 32, thereby operating the shiftingmechanism for causing the rollers 373$) to feed the ball back and forth across the face of the wheel 10. As the ball increases in size the carriage l6 and its attendant parts move against the action of the tension-springs l8, while the belt-tensioning mechanism yields to permit the belt to distend during the rearward movement of the carriage. soon as the ballhas reached the proper predetermined size the gong 57 will be sounded, as heretofore explained, while the latch 27 will simultaneously lock the carriage against movement. After the completed ball has been removed the latch may be manipulated for releasing the carriage,

which will then move forward under the influence of the springs 18 until comingin contact with the abutment 56, while at the same time the spring 54: will move the tensioningroller 50 to take up slack in and maintain the belt at) taut.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple el'licient device which in practice will admirably perform its functions to the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may he resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Ilaving thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- I. In a device of the class described, a retary turning-wheel, a carriage movable toward and from the wheel, ball-retaining rollers carried by the carriage and adapted for rotation, means for moving the rollers in reverse directions longitudinally of each other, and means for driving the turning-wheel.

2. In a device of theclassdescribed, a main d rive-shaft, a tu rning-wheel carried thereby, a carriage movable toward and from the turning-wheel, a pairof ball-retaining rollers carried by the carriage, a cam-shaft, a cam mounted thereon and operatively engaged with the ball-retaining rollers and operable for moving the latter in reverse directions longitinlinally, and means for driving the main and cam shafts.

3. In a device of the class described, a main d rive-shaft, a turningavheel carried thereby, a carriage movable toward and from the wheel, ball-retaining rollers carried by the carriage and movable in reverse directions longitudinally, a cam-shaft sustained upon the carriage and having a cam operatively connected with the rollers for shifting the latter, a belt connecting the main and cam shafts, and a tension device for maintaining the belt taut.

at. In a device of the class described, a main drive-shaft, a turning-wheel carried thereby, a carriage movable toward and from the wheel, a frame sustained by the carriage, a pair of ball retaining rollers mounted within the frame and movable in reverse directions longitudinally, roller-shifting frames sustained within the first-named frame and adapted to act upon and move the rollers, a cam-shaft provided with a cam operatively engaged with and for actuating the shifting-'frames, and means for driving the main and cam shafts.

In a device of the class described, a rotary turning-wheel, a carriage movable toward and from the latter, ball retaining and shifting devices carried by the carriage, means for automatically moving the carriagetoward the turning-wheel, said carriage being movable from the wheel by the action of the ball while being wound, and means for automatically locking the carriage at the completion of the winding operation.

6. In adevice of the class described, a main drive-shaft, a turning-wheel mounted thereon, a carriage movable toward and from the turning-wheel, a pair of ball-retaining" rollers carried by the carriage and movable longitudinally in reverse directions, a earn-shaft sustained upon the carriage, a cam fixed upon the shaft and operatively connected with the rollers for shifting the latter, a belt operatively connecting the main and cam shafts, atension means acting to draw the carriage toward the turning-wheel, said carriage being movable in the reverse direction by the action of the ball while being wound, and a tension device for maintaining the belt taut during the movements of the carriage.

7. In a device of the class described, a ballwinding mechanism including a movable carriage, an alarm, means operable by the carriage for sounding the alarm on the completion of the ball, and means for simultaneously locking the carriage against movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST MANTENFEL.

WVitnesses:

XVILLIAM RUF, HERMAN BRUTZKE.

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