US793212A - Automatic blank-feeding apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

J. H. MOELROY.

AUTOMATIC BLANK FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

J. H. MOELROY.

AUTOMATIC BLANK FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

J. H. MOELROY.

AUTOMATIC BLANK FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.27, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT FFICE.

JOHN IIOIVARI) MoICLltOY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC BLANK-FEEDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,212, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed August 27,1903. Serial No. 170.955.

.To 1/ 117mm if HHII'I/ (o/merit:

Be it known that I, Joux IImvium McEnnoY, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Blank-Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention is concerned with certain new and useful improvements in automatic blankfeeding mechanism which I have devised primarily for feeding the blanks to a can-body machine, but which may be employed for any similar purpose.

I will first describe the mechanism in which I have embodied my invention and finally in the claims pointout what I consider to be the novel features thereof.

To illustrate my invention, I annex hereto three sheets of drawings, in which the same reference characters are used to designate identical parts in all the figures, of which Figure l is a side elevation of my invention as applied to a can-body lock-seamer of any reci procating-feed type. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section. Fig. 4: is a top plan view.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line A A of Fig. I. Fig. (i is a detail illustrating a medllication. Fig. I is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections employed in connection with the form previously illustrated. Fig. 8 is a detail showing the contacts. Fig. E) is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. T, but illustrating a modification; and Fig. 11) is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modification and the electrical circuits employed in connection with apparatus for controlling the operation thereof.

In carrying out my invention I employ a pair of frame-pieces 11, which are suitably secured on the framework 12 of the machine with which the mechanism is employed. A transverse piece 12) connects the side pieces and serves as a support upon which the corner-pieces II are adjustably secured in order that the apparatus may be adjusted for different-sized blanks. The two corner-pieces ll, together with the front piece 15, which is pivotally mounted on the rod 16, connecting the two side pieces 11, form the blank-holder.

The front piece 15 is held rigidly in a vertical position by the bar 16 cooperating with apertures 17 in the frame-pieces, and by removing the bar 16 the front piece 15 can be swung down to insert a fresh supplyof blanks. The blanks are supported upon the verticallymovable table 18, which is secured to one or more rack-bars 19, which are raised slowly by the gear-wheels 20, secured on the shaft 21, journaled in suitable bearings in the side pieces 11. The roller 22, also journaled in the side pieces, serves to hold the rack-bar in engagement with the gear-wheels. To rotate the shaft 21 at the proper rate of speed to keep the blanks 23 at the proper level as they are carried away one by one, I employ the lever 2 t, which is swung at certain distance at each operation by the cam 25, secured on the shaft 26, which is operated by mechanism to be subsequently described. A pawl .27 on the lever 24 engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 28 to advance the same one or more notches at each rotation of the shaft 26. A detentpawl 23) holds the ratchet-wheel in its advanced position.

A pair of angular guiding and supporting pieces 30, supported from the main machine, extends out over the blank-holder, the horizontal flanges being cut away just over the holder to permit a blank to be raised without interfering therewith. The blanks are fed forward by the reciprocation of the bars 31, extending from the main machine and provided with the yielding spring-pressed pawls 32, which advance the blanks forward step by step, as is customary in this class of devices. To raise the blanks, I employ adhering lifters 33, which are seen red upon the bar 3t, extending across the top of the blank-holder and very loosely pivoted by the ears upon the pair of arms 36, which is pivoted at 37 on stub-shafts supported by the side pieces 11. To raise and lower the arms 36, and thereby the lifters 33, at each operation of the machine, .I journal in the side pieces 11 a shaft 26. previously referred to, which has a pair of cams on its ends in the proper plane to cooperate with the arms 36, preferably through the medium of the antifriction-rollers 39, mounted on said arms above the U- LOG shaped recesses 40, formed therein, to permit the arms 36 to be lowered without interfering with the shaft 26. Rigidly secured to the cross-piece 34, preferably by the arm 41, by which it is loosely fulcrumed at one end, is the arm 42, the outer end of which is screwthreaded and provided with the weight 43, which can be secured thereon in any desired position of adjustment to cause the arm 42 and its weight to counterbalance the weight of the cross-piece 34, the lifters 33, and the blank 23. This weight is so adjusted that if the lifters carry up a single blank they will not be overweighted and the arm 42 will remain resting on the shaft 26. If on account of the adhesion of the blanks two or more are lifted simultaneously, they will overbalance the arm 42 and weight 43, and as the parts are raised the lifters will swing down relatively to the arms 36, and this swinging movement is utilized to release the blanks before the carrier-bars 31 can pass beneath them, and thus carry more than a single blank to the machine. If the lifter is pneumatic, as illustrated in Fig. 6, where 33 is the customary pneumaticlifter, the release of the adhesion may be effected by having the valvestem 44 extend over a rod 45, connecting the outer ends of the arms 36. From a consideration of this construction it will be apparent that if the front end of the balance is overweighted by the adhesion of more than one blank as the arms 36 are raised the bar 34 swinging down relative to the arms 36 will cause the valves 44 to be lifted and the adhesion of the lifter released.

The features of my invention which have hitherto been described may be employed in connection with any kind of a lifter, such as any kind of a suction device or a permanent magnet; but I prefer to employ electromagnets as lifters and energize them at each .operation of the machine, preferably by closing the circuit in which they are included.

The electromagnets 33 are of any desired construction, but preferably have their cores made of Swedish iron, which demagnetizes quickly to allow the blanks to drop when the circuit is broken with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3. To prevent any failure of the demagnetization, I preferably employ in connection therewith hammers'46, which are carried by the frame 47, pivoted at 37 and having the cross-piece 48, which engages with the cam 49, secured on the shaft 26. This cam raises the hammer gradually, but allows it to fall very abruptly, the effect of gravity being increased, if desired, by the coiled springs 50, cooperating with the frame 47 and put under tension as it is raised. The striking of the cores of the electromagnets by these hammers serves to release the blanks certainly not only by the demagnetization, but also by the ordinary physical jar, the latter feature of which might be employed in connection with permanent magnets.

To prevent the blanks which have been advanced by the pawls 32 from being carried back by friction therewith, I may employ, in connection with each space, one or more electromagnets 51, which may be continually energized, but which are preferably in circuit with the magnets 33, so that they are energized only while the bars 31 are moving outward to receive fresh blanks. The lift of these magnets 51 may be adjusted so as to simply overcome the effect of friction, or it may be adjusted so that the blanks will be raised entirely off of the bars 31. These magnets 51 are conveniently supported from crosspieces 52, which are held in position upon the brackets 53, extending up from the angleirons 30. To permit the movement of the angle-irons, the cross-pieces 52 are connected therewith by pin-and-slot connections, as shown at 53. I

In the preferred form of my invention, which is illustrated more especially in Fig. 10, instead of employing ordinary electromagnets I employ solenoids 33", with the cores loose therein and adapted to drop down on the blanks, while the coils remain stationary, being supported by across-piece 34", suitably supported from the side pieces. I arrange the circuit so that it is broken just as the bars 31 reach their outermost position,

and the blank 23, with its'attached cores, drops I onto the bars 31 in advance of the hooks by which the blanks are carried away from the cores, which then drop the remaining distance and rest upon the uppermost blank. As soon as the bars 31 are drawn from over the pile of blanks the circuit is closed, and the pull of the solenoid lifts the cores and the attached blank above the plane of the top of the bars 31,thus dispensing with the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 4 for lifting the magnets with the attached blanks. To insure the lifting up of the blank with the cores, I may insert in the center of the soft-iron core a small permanent bar-magnet, which will always adhere to the blank, but not with sufficient force to seriously resist the action of the bars 31 in pulling it loose. The strength of the current in this form is adjusted so that the lifting force of the solenoids will be just suflicient to carry up a single blank; but if more than one blank adheres the strength of the current will not be sufficient to lift them, and they will stay down, this electric balance, as it were, taking the place of the physical balance shown in Figs. 1 to 6. A simple arrangement of the circuit for this and the other form is shown in Fig. 7, where the solenoid-wire 33 is in circuit with a resistance 54, by which the exact amount of current necessary to secure the balance described can be applied, an ammeter 55 being included in the circuit, so that in case the current should become reduced the attendant can know when a sullicient amount of resistance has been thrown out, the exact current necessary to the proper operation being of course known to the attendant. To make and break the circuit at each rotation of the shaft 26, I secure on the under side of the bar t2 two separated contacts 56, which rest on a disk 57, secured on the shaft 26, half of which is insulated, so that the circuit will be closed during half of the rotation of the shaft and opened the other half. in case the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is employed the tilting of the arm at! will raise the contacts 56 off of the disk 57 and break the circuit in case two or more blanks are lifted. A modilicatitm of this construction is indicated in Fig. 9, where instead-of breaking the circuit in case it is overbalanced I employ an additional contact 58, which slides over an additional resistance 59, so as to automatically decrease the lifting power by thus throwing in additional resistance in case more than one blank is lifted. \Vith this modification the contacts 56 will have to cot'iperate with a segmental plate 57, so as to permit a considerable movement of the arm 42 without breaking the circuit at that point.

Referring now to Fig. 10, I have therein illustrated certain additional mechanism by which the operation of the feed apparatus is controlled under certain contingencies. \Yith this construction the solenoid-lifter 3?), with the movable cores, is employed, and the connections of the circuit (l, in which it is included, are substantially the same as those shown in Fig. 7, except that the arm i2 is omitted, as the electrical balance is en'iployed. In case the apparatus by which the blanks are kept at a certain level does not work satisfactorily I employ mechanism and alarms to either correct the difliculty or call the attendants attention, so that he may correct it in case no automatic mechanism for correct;- ing it is employed. If the mechanism should feed too rapidly and the supply of blanksbecome too high, I employ two contacts (it) and (31, which terminate in position so that if the blanks are at the proper level they are just below or possibly on a level with the contact 61), which is separated from the contact at by a space of more than the thickness of a sheet of tin, so that the circuit is not closed as a single sheet of tin is lifted. It will be apparcut that I might use these contacts for breaking the main circuit if two or more sheets of tin were lifted by separating the contacts sufliciently so that they would not be closed by the passage of one sheet, but would be closed by the passage of two or more. In the present construction, however, I arrange to have the contacts closed when the pile gets high enough to begin to interfere with the movement of the bars 31. These contacts (it) and 61. are an electrical circuit c, which includes a solenoid 62, carried by the lever 2st and having its core 63 secured to the pawl 27, so that when the circuit is closed the pawl is lifted out of engagement with the teeth of the wheel 28, and the upward feeding of the blanks ceases until the pile is lowered sulliciently to break the circuit, when the spring 64; or gravity carries the pawl 27 back into engagement with the wheel 28 and the feeding of the blanks is resumed. This circuit also includes an alarm (55, which begins to ring and calls the attentionof the attendant to the fact that the blanks are above the normal level, which may be produced by a failure of the feeding mechanism to carry them off, so that he can remedy the dilliculty. If, on the other hand, the supply of blanks should fall too low, 1 employ a contact 66, which is insulated from the pile of blanks and which has a pivoted contact (37 cooperating therewith and held out of engagement therewith by the blanks when they are above or at the proper level. \Vheu they get too low, the contact (37 falls on (it; and the circuit closed through the alarmbell (35, but not the solenoid 62, so that the attention of the attendant is called, but the op eration of the blank-supply mechanism is not stopped.

It is desirable to employ an alarm-bell by which the attendautcan be advised of the fact that the supply of blanks is nearly exhausted by the plate to nearing the upward limit of its movement, and in case the attendant does not respond before the supply is entirely exhausted it is desirable to have the machine automatically stopped. 'lo ellect this result, I employ another circuit 0, in which is a contact (38, carried by the bottom of the plate 18, and coi'iperating therewith is a contact 69, which is held in engagement therewith by a spring, provided the number of blanks resting on the top of the vertical rod 71), sliding through the plate 18, is small. If the weight of the blanks is great, the contacts will beheld apart. \Yhen the supply of blanks is stilliciently reduced, the circuit is closed and the alarm-bell 71, which is preferably of a dillerent tone from (35, so that the attendant may distinguish between them, is rung. If the attendant does not replenish the supply in time, when the last blank is removed the contaetTQ, which is similar to (59, but weaker, so that it will be held away from the contact 68 by a single blank, is closed, and the solenoid T3 in this circuit is energized and its core H, which is connected to the beltshifting lever 75, is pulled in and the belt 76 is thrown from the driving-pulley T7 to the idle pulley 7S and the machine is stopped. It will be apparent that the effect of closing the circuit when thesupply is reduced or entirely exhausted might be effected by contacts properly positioned to be closed by the advance of the plate 18 to a certain specilic point, thus dispensing with the spring mechanism shown.

IVhile I have shown and described my invention as embodied in the forms which I at present consider best adapted to carry out its purposes, it will be understood that itis capable of some modifications and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the following claims except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a blank-feeding apparatus, the combination with the blank-holder, of means for raising the blanks therein, means for carrying away the blanks one by one as they are separated, a driving-shaft, a vertically-movable support, lifters carried by said support, a cam on the driving-shaft, and a lever cooperating with the cam and engaging the support to raise the lifters at each operation of the machine to separate a blank from the pile beneath.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of means for raising the blanks therein, means for carrying away the blanks one by one as they are separated, a driving-shaft, a vertically-movable support, lifters carried by said support, a pair of cams located near the ends of the driving-shaft, a pair of levers having lugs thereon engaging with the cams, and connections between said levers and support so that both ends of said support will be raised uniformly to operate the lifters.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, an electric circuit in which the separator is included, a rotating shaft, two circuit-terminals adjacent thereto, and a circuit-closing support carried by said shaft and closing the circuit through said terminals at each rotation.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic solenoid, the core adapted to rest on the blanks, an electric circuit including the solenoid, means for energizing the solenoid at regular intervals to lift the core and attached blank, and a member adapted to carry away the lifted blanks one by one.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, means for energizing said separator at regular intervals, and mechanism for striking the core of said separator after the energization has ceased.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the magnetic separator, and means for striking said separator a sharp blow to insure the release of the blank. V

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic solenoid, the core adapted to rest on the blanks and having a permanent magnet carried thereby, an electric circuit including the solenoid, means for energizing the solenoid at regular intervals to lift the core and attached blank, and a member adapted to carry away the lifted blanks one by one.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, an electric circuit in which the separator is included, means for breaking the circuit at regular intervals, and mechanism for automatically breaking the circuit as the separator advances if it carries more than one blank.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, an electric circuit in which the separator is included, means for breaking the circuit at regular intervals, and mechanism for automatically breaking the circuit as the separator advances if it carries more than one blank, consisting of a balance mechanism adapted to be over weighted by extra blanks. 10. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the separator, and a balance mechanism cooperating therewith to release any extra blanks.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the separator, a balance mechanism upon which it is mounted, and means for releasing the attraction of the separator if the balance is destroyed.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the separator, an adjustable balance mechanism upon which it is mounted, and means for releasing the attraction of the separator if the balance is destroyed.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, an electric circuit in which the separator is included, means for breaking the circuit at regular intervals,mechanism for automatically breaking the circuit as the separator advances if it carries more than one blank, said mechanism consisting of a balance adapted to be overweighted by eX- tra blanks.

1 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, means for energizing said separator at regular intervals, and means for automatically diminishing the current if the separator carries more than a single blank.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, means for energizing said separator at regular intervals, and means for automatically diminishing the current if the separator carries more than a single blank, said means consisting of a balance mechanism cooperating with resistance to increase the resistance as the balance is destroyed.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of a verticaIly-reciprocating frame, a balance pivoted in said frame, an adhering lifter carried by said balance, and means for automatically destroying the adhesion of the lifter if the weight of the blanks adhering thereto is too great.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, means for energizing said separator at regular intervals, and means for striking the core of said separatmafter the energization has ceased, said means consisting of a pivoted hammer and a rotating cam to raise it and allow it to descend abruptly.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination with the reciprocating carrier having the dogs to advance the blanks, of the magnets to prevent the return of the blanks with the carrier.

1f). In a device of the class described, the combination with the reciprocating carrier having the dogs to advance the blanks, of the eleetromagnets to prevent the return of the blanks with the carrier, and means for breaking the circuit while the carrier moves forward.

20. In a device of the class described, the combination with the blank'holder, of means for separating the blanks one by one, means for carrying away the blanks, the verticallymoving support upon which the blanks rest, the rack-bar connected to said support, a shaft, a pinion on said shaft engaging the rack-bar, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, an operating-lever for the ratchet-wheel, a pawl carried by the operating-lever engaging the ratchet-wheel, a stop-pawl also engaging the ratchet-wheel, and a driving-shaft having a cam thereon serving to operate the pawl-carrying lever.

21. In a device of the class described, the combination withtheblank-holder, of the electromagnetic separator, an electric circuit in which the separator is included. an adjustable resistance in the circuit by which the magnetic force may be regulated, and means for breaking the circuit at regular intervals.

In a device of the class described, the cmnbination with theblank-holder, of the vertically-movable support adapted to raise the blanks in said holder, arack-barconnected to said support, a shaft, a pinion on said shaft, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, an operating-lever for the ratchet-wheel, a pawl engaging the ratchet and carried by the lover, a stoppawl also engaging the ratchet, a drivingshaft, a lifter-support, lifters carried by said support, a lever coi'iperating with the liftersupport, and cams on the driving-shaft adapted to swing the levers and raise the lifters and actuate the. rack-bar; substantially as and for the purpose described.

23. The combination with the blank-holder, of means for raisingtheblanks therein, means for carrying away the blanks one by one as they are separated, a driving-sl aft, a vertically-moving lifter-simport, lifters carried by said support, a cam on the driving-shaft, a lever cotiperating with the cam and engaging the lifter-support, and means for controlling the rate of raising the blanks therein.

271:. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the loose and driving pulleys thereon, a belt-shifter, the automatic blank-feed apparatus therefor, and means set in motion by the removal of the last blank for moving the belt-shifter, said means consisting of an open circuitclosed by the removal of the last blank, and an electromagnet in said circuit acting on the beltshifter.

25. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the loose and driving pulleys thereon, a belt-shifter, the automatic blank-feed apparatus therefor, and mians set in motion by the removal of the last blank for moving the. belt-shifter, said means consisting of an open circuit closed by the removal of the last blank, and an electromagnet in said circuit acting on the beltshifter through a swinging lever terminating in a yoke en'ibracing the belt and a curved solenoid-core on the other end cooperating with said electromagnet.

26. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the automatic blankfeed apparatus therefor, and means for sounding an alarm when the blanksupply is about exhausted.

27. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the automatic blaukfeed apparatus therefor, and means for sounding an alarm when the blanksupply is about exhausted, consisting of a circuit containing an alarm and spring-contacts held apart byacertain weight of blanks.

28. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the automatic blank-feed apparatus therefor, means for sounding an alarm when theblank-supply is about exhausted, and means for automatically stopping the machine when the blanks are entirely exhausted.

29. In a device of the class described, the combination with the machine, of the automatic blank-feed apparatus therefor, an electric circuit containing an alarm and an elec tromagnet, and two sets of open contacts in said circuit, one set being closed when the supplyof blanks is nearly exhausted and serving to ring the alarm, and the other set being closed by the removal of the last blank and serving to utilize the electromagnet to set in motion mechanism to stop the machine.

30. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, said mechanism including a ratchetwheel and a swinging actuating-pawl, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism if the supply exceeds a certain level, consisting of an electromagnet adapted to attract the pawl and carry it from engagen'ient with the ratchet- Wheel when the circuit is closed by the position of the blanks.

81. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism and sounding an alarm if the supply exceeds a certain level.

32. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism and sounding an alarm if the supply exceeds a certain level, including an electric circuit whose closing is controlled by the position of the blanks.

33. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism and sounding an alarm it the supply exceeds a certain level, until said supply has reached its normal level.

34. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism and sounding an alarm if the supply exceeds a certain level, until said supply has reached its normal level, said means including an electric current whose closing is controlled by the position of the blanks.

35. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for sounding an alarm if the supply falls below a certain level.

36. In a device of the class described, the

combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of delivery mechanism for carrying the blanks away from said supply one by one, and means for sounding an alarm if the operating mech-' anism ceases.

37. In a device of the class described, the combination With operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for stopping the operation of said mechanism if the supply exceeds a certain level and for sounding an alarm if the supply falls below a certain level.

38. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for sounding an alarm if the supply falls below a certain level and for sounding an alarm and stopping the operation of said mechanism if the supply exceeds a certain level.

39. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of means for-sounding an alarm if the supply falls below a certain level, said means consisting of an open circuit containing an alarm, and contacts held apart by the blanks when they are above a certain level.

L0. In a device of the class described, the combination with operating mechanism for keeping the supply of blanks at a certain level, of controlling mechanism connected therewith and including an open electric circuit having contacts adjacent to the normal level and separated by a greater distance than the thickness of the blank.

JOHN HOWARD MOELROY.

W'itnesses:

S. E. HIBBEN, H. G. BARRETT.

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