GB1312582A - Apparatus for abrading edges of glass heets - Google Patents

Abstract

1312582 Grinding LIBBEY-OWENS-FORD CO 29 April 1971 [4 May 1970] 12177/71 Heading B3D [Also in Division B8] Apparatus for edge treating glass sheets S comprises means 300, 301 for moving the sheets along a defined path, a tool 435 having a abrasive surface mounted for movement toward and away from the path, means 426 for moving the tool, and monitoring means operable when a sheet reaches a predetermined position in the path to move the tool under pressure toward the path and to reduce the pressure when the tool is in working engagement with an edge of the sheet. As described, the apparatus has three tools for operating on the upper corner of the edge, lower corner of the edge, and vertical surface between the corners, respectively. The means for moving the sheets along the path consist of upper and lower pairs of roller chains 301, 302, the links of which are provided with rubber blocks, 304, Fig. 9, between which the sheets are gripped as they are received from a conveyer 389 and passed over a roller on a driven shaft 391. After treating, the sheets pass over a roller on a driven shaft 396 to a conveyer 389<SP>1</SP>. The chains are driven from a single input 327. Each tool is substantially the same and consists of an abrasive belt 435 driven by a motor 426 and supported by a member 415. The members are carried by brackets from carriages 401 movable transversely to the path of the sheets by piston- and-cylinder devices 410. The brackets are angularly adjustable on the carriages and hold the members so that the belts 435 of the tools 40a, 40b, 40c engage the upper corner, lower comer and vertical surface, respectively, of the edge of the sheets. Each device 410 is associated with a respective roller 500 for engaging the edge of the sheet and normally is pressurized to urge the abrasive belts away from the path of the sheets. When a sheet is fed along the path it engages the arm 507 of a switch 505 which actuates its associated device 410 to advance its carriage and abrasive belt at a rapid speed towards the edge of the sheet until the roller 500 carried by the carriage engages the edge of the sheet and actuates a valve to reduce the pressure supplied to the device 410. As the roller 500 follows the contour of the edge of the glass sheet, the device is actuated to maintain its belt in contact with the edge at a constant pressure. Each abrasive belt is controlled in a similar manner to grind the upper and lower corners and the vertical face of the edge.