GB1561240A - Device for supporting bar or tube stock - Google Patents

Description

(54) DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING BAR OR TUBE STOCK (71) We, LIPE-ROLLWAY COR PORATION, a corporation of the State of New York, United States of America, of P.O. Box 1415, Syracuse, New York 13201, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a device for supporting bar or tube stock, of round, square, hexagonal or other cross-section.

The device is particularly useful in supporting such stock coaxially with a turning machine spindle.

The device of the invention may be advantageously used as a liner in the hollow spindle of a turning machine, as a liner in the hollow stock feed tube of a multi-spindle turning machine, as a liner in a hollow tube used as a stock support for a machine tool.

The device can also form part of an arrangement for feeding bar or tube stock through a turning machine spindle, or as part of an arrangement for gripping a length of bar or tube stock and pulling or pushing it through a turning machine spindle and chucking device. With a cooperant stand, the device can serve as a simple exterior bar support and stabilizer. In combination with a driving station the device can serve as an automatic bar or tube feeder.

Variously sized models can serve any spindle or draw tube size.

The invention provides a device for supporting bar or tube stock comprising a tube, a plurality of rings pivotally mounted in the tube and having projecting tongues, a plurality of actuating elements spaced along the tube and arranged so that sliding movement thereof longitudinally of the tube causes pivoting of the rings, and pusher-puller means extending longitudinally of the tube and interconnecting the actuating elements so that longitudinal movement of the pusher-puller means can cause pivoting of the rings and thus movement of the tongues towards and away from the axis of the tube to grip or release bar or tube stock extending through the tube.

The number of rings employed in a particular case will be chosen according to the length of stock to be supported.

The diameter of the defined opening along the fixed centreline of the tube is continuously variable and dependent upon the angle of inclination of the rings The tongues can be of slightly arcuate configuration and can be disposed tangentially to the line of maximum outside diameter of the rings and spaced 1800 from each other, with one tongue extending on one side of its ring and one extending on the other side of its ring. The tongues of each pair thereof move toward and away from the centreline as their rings are swung on their respective pivots to define a radially expansible and contractible through-opening. The tongues serve, in the manner of a chuck, for internally gripping the stock at spaced points along its longitudinal axis and radially outwardly of its centreline.

By use of the device of the invention, the usual arsenal of tubes of various inner diameters supporting bushings and the line is replaced, set-up and change-over time is drastically reduced, stock surface finish or profile is not damaged. Stock whip in the spindle is reduced or eliminated, and stock of varying degrees of straightness is readily accommodated. Improved finish of the turned surface and reduction of push-back or part slippage in the machine holding device are also achieved. Further advantages are realized in the elimination of the usual problems of stock feeding, supporting and reloading, all recognized as troublesome considerations in normal turning machine operations, and accordingly, ob vious increases in operator productivity are obtained.

It is well recognized in the art that the feeding of bar stock limits the cutting quality in the work area, if the stock is vibrating on the opposite side of the chuck. Known feeder tubes and liners allow the tube and bar stock to wobble or turn off centre. In the absence of constraining means, they bend out, and worse, perform much in the manner of large cranks with obvious deleterious results.

The device of the present invention serves to upgrade turning machine performance at any speed, especially high speeds. Turning speeds can be increased by as much as 35 to 40%, allowing the turning of a 2" stock at as much as 3000 rpm, without any working of the chuck collet pads.

The device of the present invention is a single piece of equipment now replacing a plurality of some of the prior art conventional devices, leading to significant economies in space as well as set up time and offering salient advantages in that it: adds ridigity to the stock, supports and stock and maintians it on centre, allows a smoother turning operation, solves noise problems even without any dynamic balancing of units, avoids bar sloshing to allow chuck jaws to maintain a better grip against the turning forces with almost no pushback, and allows an even and well centred gripping action.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the support of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the device, with parts broken away for clarity, and showing the components in their first stocknon-gripping relationship; Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the Figure 1 device, but showing the components in one of their second stockgripping relationships; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a part of the device to a greatly enlarged scale; Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; Figures 5 and 6 are end views showing the tube and a pair of rings of the device cooperantly supporting bars of relatively larger and smaller diameters respectively of the device of Figures 1 to 4; Figures 7 and 8 are generally schematic views illustrating the functioning of one ring of the device of Figures 1 to 6, without, and with its cooperant tongues respectively (Fi gure 7 being included for comparison pur poses and showing a construction outside the scope of the invention); and Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged fragmentary views in top plan showing a pusher-puller annulus and its cooperant ring and the interconnecting means therebetween all of the device of Figures 1 to 6 and 8, Figure 9 showing the components in the driving relationship, the pusher-puller annulus having driven its associated ring to a stockgripping position, and Figure 10 showing the components in the pulling relationship via the interconnecting means, the pusherpuller annulus pulling its associated ring returnably to upright position for defining a through opening of maximum diameter.

For orientation purposes, outboard and inboard directions are indicated in various of the figures by identified arrows.

An outer cylindrical longitudinallyextending tube 10 serves as an outer supporting shell and is provided at its outboard end with an externally threaded head 12 and a tube locking ring 14. A pair of opening and closing nuts 16 and 18 respectively are threadedly engaged with the threads of the head 12 and are provided with a pair of pusher-puller strip bearings 20 disposed therebetween on diametrically opposite sides of the head 12.

The opening and closing nuts 16, 18 bear against the pusher-puller strip bearings 20 as each is, in turn, rotated to move pusherpuller strips and part-spherical ring 30 connected thereto, (which pusher-puller strips and part-spherical rings 30 will be described in detail later) the closing nut 18 being rotated to move the pusher-puller strips in the outboard direction and hence the partspherical rings 30 in their openingdiminishing directions, and the opening nut 16 being rotated to move the pusher-puller strips in the inboard direction and hence the part-spherical rings 30 in their openingenlarging directions.

In lieu of the opening and closing nuts 16, 18, centrifugal actuators, as exemplified in my United States Patent No. 3,927,585 could conceivably be employed.

The tube 10 may be inserted at its inboard end into a spindle (not shown) so as to be supported thereby. Where appropriate, it may be supported by a conventional stand (not shown) so as to lie in horizontal disposition at a desired height. The spindle and the stand are not shown since they do not form part of the invention. If a draw tube is employed, the tube hereof could be disposed therewithin. Where a manual chuck may be involved, the tube could be adapted to fit directly upon the spindle.

For purposes of exemplification, assume the spindle hole to be two and five eighths of an inch in diameter and the tube opening to be two and one eighth of an inch in diameter. As will be made clear, the tube through opening will be adjustable in infinite increments from say a maximum of two inches in diameter to a minimum of say half an inch in diameter.

Each ring 30, has a part-spherical outside surface such as to allow a constant bearing relationship with the inside surface of the wall of the tube 10 as the angular orientation of the ring 30 relative to the tube 10 is varied by pivoting the ring 30 on its aligned pivot pins 34 which interconnect the ring 30 and the tube 10.

Each ring 30 has a pair of arcuate tongues 32 welded thereto at diametrically opposite positions in such manner that each said tongue 32 provides a part-spherical outside diameter to allow a constant bearing relationship with the inside tube wall.

Pusher-puller annulae 40, (one associated with each ring 30) are each provided with a respective arcuate tongue 42 integral therewith or welded thereto and extending parallel to the axis of the annulus 40. Diametrically opposite the tongue 42 and at the same side of the pusher annulus 40 is an inwardly extending clearance recess 44.

The annulae 40 are interdigitated with the rings 30; that is, the arrangement is one of alternating rings 30 and annulae 40 throughout the length of the tube 10. A so-called "section" of such arrangement comprises a pair of the rings 30 and a pair of annulae 40.

Adjacent rings 30 are trunnion mounted on axes at 900 as to each other so that a first such ring 30 is pivotable about a first axis and the next adjacent such rings, inboard and outboard thereof, are pivotable about second axes parallel to each other and at 90" as to the first axis.

It is to be interjected here that these axes need not necessarily be disposed at 90" as to each other, it being entirely conceivable that they might be otherwise disposed.

The tongues 32 on the adjacent ring 30 are disposed on axes at 90" as to each other so that, in a section, the outer free ends of the tongues 32 provide bearing surfaces in four arcuate areas relative to the periphery of any stock being served, the areas or regions being at 900 as to each other, as can best be appreciated by reference to Figure 5 and 6 where, in Figure 5, stock S is shown as having a relatively large diameter, and in Figure 6, stock S' is shown as having a relatively smaller diameter.

The annulae 40 are likewise disposed coaxially as to each other, it being preferred that the tongues 42 of adjacent annulae 40 may be disposed at 90" to each other about the axis of the tube.

The annulae 40 are fixed, as by securing means 52, to longitudinally-extending pusher-puller strips 50 extending along slots 53 provided on diametrically-opposite sides of the tube 10, each said strip 50 being secured to its respective radially outwardlyprojecting strip bearing 20 adjacent its outboard terminal.

While through slots 53 are exemplified, they may be replaced by longitudinallyextending recesses in which windows may be provided at suitable spacings therealong to allow access to the annulae 40 for ensuring inter-engagement of the pusher-puller strips 50 and the annulae 40.

The components of the sections function in unison when the pusher-puller strips 50 are actuated, in an outboard direction by rotation of the closing nut 18 so that it moves toward the bearing 20, or in an inboard direction by the rotation of opening nut 16 so that it moves towards the bearing 20.

The tongue 42 of each annulus 40 will be observed to push on inboard rim of the next-adjacent ring 30 outboard thereof as the pusher-puller strips 50 are actuated in an outboard opening-diminishing direction toward the head 12, whereby each ring 30 is caused to pivot about its own axis.

As each ring 30 is rotated by the tongue 42 of its respective annulus 40, the aligned outboard tongue 32 is swung inwardly toward the centre line of the tube 10 and the inboard tongue 32 is likewise swung inwardly, sweeping through the clearance recess 44. The clearance provided by the recess 44 thus permits the disposition of the rings 30 and the annulae 40 in closer adjacency as to each other, lengthwise of each other.

The pusher-puller strips 50 can be returned in an inboard opening-enlarging direction by the rotation of the opening nut 16.

One method for returning the rings 30 to their upright or opening-enlarging positions is provided, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, in a subassembly which includes a finger 70 fixed to each annulus 40 and extendable radially outwardly therefrom in outboard direction and having a ball 72 fixed thereto, the ball 72 being nestingly receivable in a suitable opening in the wall of the adjacent ring 30 being served. Return inboard movement of the annulus 40 serves to pull the relevant ring 30 therewith.

Another interconnecting system, shown in Figures 9 and 10, envisions the provision, on the outer surfaces of tongue 42 of the annulus 40 and the ring 30 served thereby, of aligned grooves 80 and 82 respectively and connecting through openings 84 and 86 respectively at opposite extremities, in which grooves and openings a cable 88 may be seated with buttons 90 at opposite cable extremities being fixed to the respective components by way of seating engagement in the respective openings 84 and 86.

Such arrangement serves to drive the rings 30 in the return or inboard direction for resetting, or for shifting to accommodate stock of different dimensions.

As will be observed by reference to Figure 7 (whose construction is outside the scope of the invention), if a tongueless ring 130 were to be employed, the throughopening of maximum diameter with the ring in its upright position would be A, while the through opening of a smaller diameter obtained when the ring 130 was swung through an arc of X" would be B.

However, from Figure 8, it will be observed that in the case of a ring 30 having radially-outwardly extending tongue 32, its opening of maximum diameter is likewise represented by the letter A but its opening of smaller diameter is represented by the letter C as the ring is swung through the identical arc of X".

It will thus be obvious that the support range is optimised in the invention, which is to say that the tongues extend the support range for more travel or turning motion of the rings 30.

Whereas rings 30 have been illustrated here as being operable in a pair, along with a pair of annulae 40, within a section, it is to be understood that conceivably a trio or a quartet or other multiple number of the rings 30 could be employed conjointly so as to provide the desired opening-defining and stock supporting features.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for supporting bar or tube stock comprising a tube, a plurality of rings pivotally mounted in the tube and having projecting tongues, a plurality of actuating elements spaced along the tube and arranged so that sliding movement thereof longitudinally of the tube causes pivoting of the rings, and pusher-puller means extending longitudinally of the tube and interconnecting the actuating elements so that longitudinal movement of the pusher-puller means can cause pivoting of the rings and thus movement of the tongues towards and away from the axis of the tube to grip or release bar or tube stock extending through the tube.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rings, in their stock-nonsupporting position have maximum through-opening diameters, actuation towards the stock-supporting position serving to lessen the through opening diameter steplessly.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which each ring has a pair of said tongues, the tongues extending from diametricallyopposed positions on opposite sides of the ring.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, in which the through-opening diameter of the rings is variable in indirect proportion to the degree of ring angularization, with greater angularization reducing the throughopening diameter as determined by the extension of the tongues into the path of the tube-through-opening.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim further including means for mechanically and selectively driving the pusher-puller means in the one direction and in the opposite direction.

6. A device for supporting bar or tube stock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 and 8 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. for resetting, or for shifting to accommodate stock of different dimensions. As will be observed by reference to Figure 7 (whose construction is outside the scope of the invention), if a tongueless ring 130 were to be employed, the throughopening of maximum diameter with the ring in its upright position would be A, while the through opening of a smaller diameter obtained when the ring 130 was swung through an arc of X" would be B. However, from Figure 8, it will be observed that in the case of a ring 30 having radially-outwardly extending tongue 32, its opening of maximum diameter is likewise represented by the letter A but its opening of smaller diameter is represented by the letter C as the ring is swung through the identical arc of X". It will thus be obvious that the support range is optimised in the invention, which is to say that the tongues extend the support range for more travel or turning motion of the rings 30. Whereas rings 30 have been illustrated here as being operable in a pair, along with a pair of annulae 40, within a section, it is to be understood that conceivably a trio or a quartet or other multiple number of the rings 30 could be employed conjointly so as to provide the desired opening-defining and stock supporting features. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A device for supporting bar or tube stock comprising a tube, a plurality of rings pivotally mounted in the tube and having projecting tongues, a plurality of actuating elements spaced along the tube and arranged so that sliding movement thereof longitudinally of the tube causes pivoting of the rings, and pusher-puller means extending longitudinally of the tube and interconnecting the actuating elements so that longitudinal movement of the pusher-puller means can cause pivoting of the rings and thus movement of the tongues towards and away from the axis of the tube to grip or release bar or tube stock extending through the tube.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the rings, in their stock-nonsupporting position have maximum through-opening diameters, actuation towards the stock-supporting position serving to lessen the through opening diameter steplessly.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which each ring has a pair of said tongues, the tongues extending from diametricallyopposed positions on opposite sides of the ring.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, in which the through-opening diameter of the rings is variable in indirect proportion to the degree of ring angularization, with greater angularization reducing the throughopening diameter as determined by the extension of the tongues into the path of the tube-through-opening.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim further including means for mechanically and selectively driving the pusher-puller means in the one direction and in the opposite direction.

6. A device for supporting bar or tube stock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 and 8 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.