GB1313755A - Machine system for use in the manufacture of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1313755 Machine tool details INGERSOLL MILLING MACHINE CO 20 April 1970 [22 April 1969] 20431/69 Heading B3B [Also in Division B8] Articles which are to be worked on at machine stations S1, S2 ... are indexed along track members 11 by pairs of pawls 16 gravitationally biased to operate positions and mounted on a reciprocating member 12, but if a space to which an article is about to be indexed is already occupied, the pawls 16 are displaced out of their operative positions during the forward stroke of the member 12. This is effected by a cam bar 18 supported at one end by an article-detecting member 20 which, as shown in Fig. 4, causes the pair of pawls at the preceding position to be pivoted to their inoperative positions. The frequency of reciprocation of the member 12 is higher than the cycle repetition frequency of the fastest cycling machine in the stations S1 ... To prevent an article being moved away from a station before the machine cycle is complete a power operated device 32 is selectively or automatically operable to hold the associated cam bar 18 raised when the machine cycle is in progress. In a modification, Fig. 6 (not shown), an article detecting member comprises an elongated lever (21) coupled to a pair of pawls (16) by a pin and slot connection and pivotally mounted on the reciprocating member (12). On a further modification, Fig. 7 (not shown), a pair of pawls (16) is connected to a detecting member (26) by an over-centre spring-controlled toggle lever (24). The reciprocating member may comprise a plurality of elements to enable the track to follow a non-linear path. For some machining operations, a machine may be designed to receive two articles simultaneously. The articles may be supported on carriers.