US2316058A - Car wheel grinding machine - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1943. c. G. FLYGARE ETAL 2,316,058

CAR WHEEL GRINDINGMACHINE Filed March 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l EHRL EFL YEHHE HERBERTH 5/L.VE/\/ April 6, 1943. c. G; FLYGARE ET AL 2,316,058

I CAR WHEEL GRINDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 flwuc-nfow V EHHL EFL YEHE'E HEREE'Fr TH 5/1. VEN

April 1943- c. G. IELYGARE ETAL 2,316,058

CAR WHEEL GRINDING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 CF/R1. EFL YEHRE HERBERTH 5/1.. VEN

Wm.wn W

Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE can WHEEL camnmc MACHINE barl G. Flygare and Herbert A. Silven, Worcester, Mass., assignors to Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 18, 1942, Serial No. 435,214

6 Claims.

The invention relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to a gauging device for a car wheel grinding machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a double head grinding machine with a visible indicating type gauging apparatus whereby two spaced portions of a work piece may be readily ground to the same diameters. Another object of the invention is to provide a double head car wheel grinding machine with a visible type gaug-- ing apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide an electrically actuated visible fied in the structure to be hereinafter described,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the car wheel grinding machine, on a slightly reduced scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the right-hand end thrust member, as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation,- partly in section, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 68 of Fig. 1, showing one of the visible gauging units and the electric wiring diagram therefor;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 'I-l of Fig. 6; and i v Fig. 8. is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 8-8 of Fig-6, showing the. contour gauging device.

A car wheel grinding machine has been illustrated in the drawings, comprising a base II which serves as a support for a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels H and I2 which are mounted upon wheel slides l3 and I4, respectively. An electric motor I5 is mounted on the upper surface of the wheel slide [3 and is provided with a multiple V-groove pulley l6 which is connected by multiple V-belts II with a multiple V-groove pulley i8 mounted on the left-hand end of a rotatable wheel spindle IS. The wheel spindle I9 supports the grinding wheel ll at its right-hand end (Fig. 1).

Similarly, an electric motor 20 is mounted on the upper surface of the wheel slidle I4. The motor 20 is provided with a multiple V-groove pulley 2| which is connected by multiple V-belts 22 with a multiple V-groove pulley 23 whch is mounted on the right-hand end of a rotatable wheel spindle 24 the otherend of which supports the grindingwheel 12. The wheel spindles i9 and 24 are joumalled in suitable bearings (not.

shown) vmounted inthe wheel slides l3 and I4,

' respectively.

A manually 'operable; traversing mechanism is provided, including a rotatable hand wheel 25 which is connected to actuate a nut and screw mechanism.'(not shown) to traverse the wheel slide i3 longitudinally to produce a relative longitudinal movement between the grinding wheel H and the work piece to be ground.

A manually operable feeding mechanism is provided comprising -a rotatable hand wheel 25 which is operativelyconnected to actuate a nut and feed screw mechanism (not shown) which are arranged to feed the wheel slide [3 and grinding wheel ll transversely to, feed the wheel toward or from the axis of the workpiece to be ground as desired. a v a Similarly, a manually operable hand wheel 21 is operatively connected to actuate a nut and screw mechanism (not shown) to traverse the wheel slide l4 longitudinally to impart a relative longitudinal movement to the grinding wheel l2 to traverse it longitudinally relative to the work piece to be ground. A manually operable feed wheel I28 is operatlvely connected to a nut and screw mechanism (not shown) which are arranged-to impart a transverse feeding movement to the wheelslide l4 and grinding wheel l2 .to

move the same toward and from the work axis so as to produce the desired grinding action;

The grinding wheel traversing and feeding mechanism for the wheel slides l3 and 14 have not been illustrated in detail since they are not considered to be a part of the present invention. These mechanisms may be substantially iden-.-

a car Wheel axle 30 having a pair of spaced car wheels 3| and 32 fixedly mounted thereon for a grinding operation. The work driving and supporting mechanism, as shown inplan view in Fig. 1, is substantially identical with that shown in the prior U. S. patent to C- H. Norton and Carl G. Flygare, No. 1,948,866 dated February 2'7, 1934, to which reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein.

The car axle assembly, comprising the axle 30 having the two spaced car wheels 3| and 32 fixedly mounted thereon, is provided with outwardly extending journals 33 and 34 and is mounted for rotation on spaced work supporting members so that the periphery of the car wheels 3| and 32 may be ground as desired. As illustrated in the drawings, the work supporting members comprise a pair of spaced V- shaped members 35 and 36 which are supported in vertically adjustable brackets 3'! and 38 on the base |0.

In order that the V-shaped bearing surfaces may be aligned with the surface being supported, the V-shaped supports ,35 and 36 are preferably pivotally mounted by means of trunnion l5 and H6 to the vertically adjustable members 31 and 38, respectively. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when the car wheel assembly is placed in the machine, the journals 33 and 34 engaging the V- block supports 35 and 36 will cause the V-blocks to rockand align their bearing surfaces with the peripheral surfaces of the journals 33 and 34, respectively, on the car axle 30.

A car wheel grinding machine of the type illustrated is particularly adapted for grinding sur-. faces of car wheels after they have been used, to eliminate the worn surface having flats and other irregularities due to uneven wear. The journals 33 and 34 of successive car wheel assemblies vary in size, due to wear in use of the assembly and also due to the amount of grinding which has heretofore taken place. It is, therefore, desirable that a suitable adjusting mechanism be provided for adjusting the ends of the car axle assembly vertically so that the axle of the car wheel assembly may be moved to coincide with the axis of the rotating driving member.

The vertically adjustable supporting members 31 and 38 are provided with guide rods 39 and 46 which slide within corresponding apertures in brackets 4| and, respectively. The guide rods 39 and 40 serve to hold the members 31 and 381 in proper alignment. A suitable clamping device is provided, comprising clamping screws 43 for locking the guide rods 39 and 48 in a fixed position with relation to the brackets 4| and 42, respectively, after the V-shaped bearing supports 35 and 36 have been adjusted.

The members 31 and 38 carry a depending screw threaded member 44 which meshes with a rotatable nut 45 supported within the brackets 4| and 42. The threaded bushings 45 are provided at their upper ends with a bevelled gear 46 which meshes with a bevelled gear 41 On 3 zontally extending shaft 48. The outer end of the shaft 48 is provided with a manually operable hand wheel 49 by means of which the operator may raise or lower the V-shaped supporting members 35 and 36 as desired.

In driving a pair of opposed car wheels mounted on an axle, it is necessary that the axle be held against endwise movement, since it is necessary to grind up to and adjacent the flange on the car wheel. To prevent endwise movement of the axle 30, suitable anti-friction bearing members 58 and 5| are supported on spaced brackets 52 and 53, respectively. The bearing member 52 is provided with a readily accessible adjusting screw 54 which may be turned by means of a hand wheel 55 and adjusted to position the car axle 30 in proper relationship for grinding. A screw 54 meshes with a thread extending longitudinally within a spindle 56 which may be clamped in adjusted position by means of the clamping screw 57. For further details as to the construction and operation of these anti-friction end thrust members, reference may be had to the prior U. S. patent to Norton, No. 869,194 above referred to.

In grinding work of this type, it is necessary that the work be driven by the center portion of the axle 3|] between the car wheels 3| and 32. As

illustrated in the drawings, this driving member 4 so that, as shown in Fig. 3, the car axle 30 may be readily dropped into position with its axis coinciding with the axis of the driving spindle 6| and gear 64. The gear 64 is provided with a plurality of spaced brackets 66 each of which carries a clamping screw 61 which are equally spaced to engage the axle 36 so as to transmit a rotary motion from the driving gear 64 to the axle 36 and the car wheels 3! and 32 during the grinding operation.

A pair of spaced driving pinions l6 and H are mounted on shaft l2 and l3, respectively. The shafts 12 and I3 carry driving gears 14 and 15 which mesh with a single. driving pinion 16 on a shaft H. The shaft Tl carries a worm gear '18 which meshes with a worm 19 formed on a drive shaft 80. The outer end of the shaft 86 is provided with a multi-V-groove pulley 8| which is' ways in mesh with the driven gear 64 so that when the U-shaped gap 65 turns so that the teeth of the pinion H Fig. 3) run out of mesh With the driven'gear 64, the driving pinion 10 is in mesh and continues a uniform rotation of the gear 64. Before the U-shaped slot 65 rotates so that the teeth of the driving pinion 16 run out of mesh, the driving pinion again meshes and continues the rotation of the driven gear 64 and the spindle 6|. This driving arrangement eliminates the necessity of providing a gear segment to close the U-shaped slot 65, thereby saving the loss of time necessitated by inserting and removing a visible gauging device whereby the wheels may be simultaneously ground and in which if one wheel is reduced to size and contour, a visible indication thereof serves as a signal to stop the grinding on one car wheel while grinding proceeds on the second wheel until it also is reduced to an equal size. The gauging device may com-- prise a shaft 85 which is supported by brackets 86 and 81 which are fixedly mounted relative to the machine base I8. The shaft 85 serves as a support for a pair of spaced gauging devices which are arranged to engage and gauge the car wheels 3I and 32 during a grinding operation.

These gauging devices comprise feeler arms 88 and 89 which are supported by needle bearings on the shaft 85. The feeler arms 88 and 89 'are provided with a car wheel engaging or contacting element 98 and 9I, respectively. These contacting elements 98 and 9| may be of an extremely hard substance such as, for example, a diamond to eliminate the element of wear during the grinding operation. A pair of arms 92 and 93 are respectively yoked around or straddle the hub portion of the feeler arms 88 and 89, respectively. The arms 92 and 93 are clamped in adjusted position on the shaft 85. A pair of counterbalanced or weighted arms 94 and 95 are adjustably clamped to the shaft 85 adjacent to the arms 92 and 93, respectively. The counterbalance arms 98 and 95 are arranged to counterbalance the weight of the feeler arms 88 and 89 and also the arms 92 and 93 so as to maintain the contact elements 98 and 9|, respectively, in operative engagement with the peripheries of the car wheels 3| and 32, respectively. Both of the gauging, devices are identical in construction, consequently only one of these devices has been illustrated in detail in Figs. 6, '7 and 8. The lower 'end of the arm 93 is a hollow box-like member I 88 which serves to enclose and adjustably support a normally open limit switch IN. Th switch I8I is supported on aplate I82 which is arranged so that it may be adjusted vertically by means of threaded bushings I83 and I84 and clamped in adjusted position by means of clamping screws I85 and I88, respectively.

An actuating plunger I81 is slidably mounted in a hub portion I88 extending upwardly from the housing I88. A compression spring I89 serves normally to hold the plunger I81 in an uppermost position so that the limit switch IN is normally open. The electric power is supplied from any of the well-known sources, such as is illustrated diagrammatically by the power lines II8. An electric light bulb II I is connected in series with the limit switch I8I so that when the switch is closed in a manner to be hereinafter described, the light bulb III will be illuminated visibly to warn the operator that the car wheel has been ground to the desired and predetermined size. A compression spring I I2 is interposed between the housing I88 and the arm 89. The spring II2 surrounds a screw I I3 which is rotatably and slidably adjustable within a threaded sleeve I I4. The spring H2 is interposed between the under side of the threaded bushing H4 and a washer II5 which surrounds the screw H3 and bears against the upper surface of a projection N8 of the housing I88. A pair of nuts II1 on th screw II3 serve to limit the upward movement of the arm 89 under the compression of the spring I I2.

A stop screw I I8 is screw threaded through the arm 89 and is arranged in the path of the actuating plunger I81. A lock nut H9 is provided to lock the screw I I 8 in adjusted position. 1 An identical gauging device is provided in connection with the feeler arm 88, the limit switch arm 92, and the counterbalance arm 94. Consequentlythis structure has not been illustrated in detail since reference may be had to the disclosur contained in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

After a grinding operation has been completed, the counterbalance arms are lifted so that the gauging devices may be left in an inoperative position while the ground car wheel assembly is removed from the machine and a new assembly inserted there instead. A latching arm I28 is pivotally supported by a stud I2I on the counterbalance arm 95. -'When the counterbalance arm 95 is raised, that is, moved in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 6), the latch arm I28 will swing under the influence of gravityinto position I28a with the end of the latch arm I28 resting on a stop surface I22 on the base I 8.

Assuming that the car wheels 32 and 3I ar of different diameters, the bracket or arm 93 moves upwardly due to the counterbalance lever 95. The feeler arm 89 moves upwardly, that is, in a clockwise direction with. the bracket or arm 93 due to the spring II2 until one of the contact elements 9| or 98 carried by the feeler arms 89 and 88, respectively, contacts the largest diameter car wheel and the spring I I2 compresses and the lever or feeler arm 89 makes contact with the bracket or arm 93 through the adjusting screw H8 and causes a downward movement of the switch actuating plunger I81 to close the limit switch I8I which lights the electric light bulb III in front of the operator. The lighting of the first electric light bulb indicates the largest diameter car wheel. The grinding operation continues on the larger diameter wheel by manipulation of the wheel feeding mechanism until the limit switch IN on the other sizing or gauging head is closed to light the second electric light bulb. When both of the lights are lit, a visible indication is imparted'to th operator that both of the car wheels 32 and 3 I have been ground to identical diameters. I The peripheral surface of a car wheel, as indicated, is not a true cylindrical surface but is slightly tapered, consequently it is essential that the gauging contact elements 98 and 9| engage the respective car wheels in the same relative positions, that is, on an identical taping line around the car wheel. In order to facilitateset ting up the gauging devices, a profile gauge "I25 is ing machine will be'readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure. Assuming a car wheel'assembly, comprising the axle 38- together with the car wheels 8| and 32 fixedly supported thereon. is mounted in an operative position on the supports 35 and 38 and the end thrust members 58 and SI adjusted to take up the end thrust of the axle 30, the grinding operation may proceed. The operator may manually feed the grinding wheels H and I2 toward the car wheels 3| and 32, respectively, by manual manipulation of the. hand feed wheels 26 and 28, respectively. After a preliminarygrinding operation during which operation any flats on the car Wheel peripheries are "removed, the latch arm I20 may be removed from positions l20a so that the counterbalance arms 94 and 95 will swing the brackets or arms 93 and 92, respectively, in a clockwise direction (Fig. 6) similarly to swing'the feeler arms 89 and 88 in a clockwise direction. Unless both of the car wheels 3| and, 32 are ground. to the same diameters, one of the contact elements 9i or 90 will engage the larger diameter car wheel and the light bulb lll or Illa will be illuminated, thus visibly indicating to the operator that the other car wheel, that is, the car wheel 3| is the smaller in diameter.

Assuming the car wheel 3! to be smaller in diameter than the car wheel 32, the contact element 9| will engage the larger diameter car wheel 32 and due to the counterbalance arm 95 tending to rotate the shaft 85, the spring H2 will be compressed by the swinging of the arm 93 into the position illustrated in Fig. 6 to close the limit switch llll so as to close the circuit to illuminate the electric light bulb H I. This indicates to the operator that the wheel 32 is larger in diameter than the car wheel 3i. The operator then stops the infeeding movement of the grinding wheel ll andcontinues actuation of the feed wheel 28 to feed the grinding wheel l2 to grind the car wheel 32' to a smaller size or diameter. When the car wheel 32 has been ground to the same size or diameter as the car wheel 3i, the contact wheel 3|, thus actuating the second normally open limit switch to close'a circuit and illuminate the electric light bulb Illa, indicating to the operator that the car wheel 32 has been ground to the same diameteflas the car wheel 3|, thus completing the grinding operation. As previously mentioned, in the grinding of car wheels, either the new wheel or a reground wheel, the contour of the vwheel peripheries and equal diameters of each pair of car wheels is essential.

While this invention, as above described, is applicable tofacilitate the grinding of car wheels, it will be readily apparent that it is equally applicable in grinding other work pieces having two spaced portions to be ground to the same or different diameters.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments, may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a car wheel grinding machine having a base, a rotatable support for a car wheel assembly including an axle and two spaced car wheels thereon, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinal traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely to grind the peripheries of said car wheels. and a size indicatelement 90 will engage the periphery of the car arms which are arranged to be closed by movement thereof, an electric light bulb connected in series with each of said switches, and a counterbalance mechanism for said arms and switches whereby the feeler arms may be moved toward the surfaces of the car wheels being ground, said feeler arms being arranged so that one of them may be moved into operative engagement with the car wheel after a preliminary grinding operation to indicate a difference in diameter of the wheelsso that the larger diameter wheel may be readily reduced to the size of the smaller diameter wheel by manipulation of the feeding mechanism.

2. In a grinding machine having a base, a rotatable work support for a work piece having two spaced portions thereon to be ground to equal diameters, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinal traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely, and a size indicating device comprising a rock shaft, a pair of adjustably spaced feeler arms thereon each having a work engaging contact point, a normally open limit switch associated with each of said feeler arms which are arranged to be closed by movement thereof, an electric light bulb connected in series with each of said switches, and a counterbalance mechanism for said arms and switches whereby the feeler arms may be moved and maintained in operative engagement with the work piece, said feeler arms being arranged so that they may be moved into operative engagement with the work surfaces after a preliminary grinding operation to indicate a difference in diameter of the work portions so that the large diameter portion may be readily reduced to size by manipulation of the feeding mechanism.

3. In a car wheel grinding machine having a base, a rotatable work support for a car wheel assembly including an axle and two spaced car wheels thereon, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinal traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely to produce a grinding operation, a size indicating device therefor including a pair of adjustably spaced feelers which are movable toward and from the peripheries of said spaced car wheels, a visible indicator associated with each of said feelers, one of said indicators being arranged visibly to indicate the larger diameter car wheel after a preliminary grinding operation, the other of said indicators being arranged visibly to indicate when the larger diameter car wheel has been ground to the diameter of the smaller, and means to maintain said size indicating device in an inoperative position during a preliminary grinding operation.

4. In a car wheel grinding machine having a base, a rotatable work support for a car'wheel assembly including an axle and two spaced car wheels thereon, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinal traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely to produce a grinding operation, a size indicating device therefor including a pair of adjustably with a work piece.-

,latch to maintain said size indicating device in an inoperative position during a preliminary grinding operation.

5. In a car wheel grinding machine having a base, a rotatable work support for a car wheel assembly including an axle and two spaced car wheels thereon, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinally traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely, and a size indicating device therefor including a rock shaft supported in brackets on the machine base,

an arm adJustably clamped to said shaft, a housing within said arm, a normally open limit switch within said housing, an electric light bulb connected in series with said switch visible to indicate the size of a car wheel, a feeler arm pivotally mounted on said shaft having a work engaging contact element, an adiustably mounted stop screw on said feeler arm which is arranged to actuate said switch, a compression spring nor- 6. In a car wheel grinding machine having a base, a rotatable work support for a car wheel assembly including an axle and two spaced car wheels thereon, a pair of spaced rotatable grinding wheels, an independent longitudinally traversing mechanism for each of said wheels, an independent wheel feeding mechanism independently to feed each of said wheels transversely, and a size indicating device therefor including a rock shaft supported in brackets on the machine base, a pair of spaced arms adiustably clamped on said, shaft, ahousing within each of said arms, a normally open limit switch within each of said housings, an electric light bulb con-'- nected in series with each of said switches visibly to indicate the relative size of said car wheels,

. a pair of spaced feeler arms pivotally mounted on said shaft each having a work engaging contact element, an adjustably mounted'stop on each mally to hold said am and feeler arm apart,

and a counterbalance arm adiustablysupported on said rock shaft to counterbalance said arms to move said feeler arm into operative contact of said feeler arms which are arranged to actuate said switches, a compression spring normally tohold said arms and feeler arms apart, and a counterbalance arm adjustably supported on said .rock shaft to counterbalance said arms, said size indicating device being arranged so that one of said electric light bulbs is illuminated after a preliminary grinding operation to indicate the larger diameter car wheel, the other of said elecwheel has been ground to the same diameter as i the smaller car wheel,

CARL G. FLYGARE.

:IIH' 1H A, SEVEN.

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