US2526378A - Bank compressing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 17, 1950 E. l.. MALI-no1' BANK .COMPRESSING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l5, 1947 MNE/V701? L. MAL/07 2 M Arran/fr Oct. 17, 1950 E. L. MALHIOT BANK coMPREssING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April l5, 1947 A TTOR/VFV Oct. 17, 1950 E. l.. MALI-QT BANK "COHPRESSING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1947 5.- Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORIV/ lllllllllllll I4 Patented ct. i7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,526,378 n BANK COMPRESSING APPARATUS Eugene L. Malhiot, Maywood, Ill., assigner to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application April 15, 194i, serial No. 741,502

(Ci. 22a-'23s) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a compressing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for simultaneously compressing a pair of step by step banks to permit the clamping bolts thereof to be tightened.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for compressing articles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a base plate on .which a compressing head is mounted for vertical reciprocatory movement with respect to a drawer, having a nest for supporting a pair of banks side by side and slidable on the plate from a loading position, where the banks may be placedV in or removed from the drawer, to an operative position where the banks are located in a predetermined position under the compressing head and under a pair of pressure plates also mounted under the compressing head and connected together by a pair of equalizing links. A iiuid actuator responsive to the movement ofthe drawer to its operative position operates to move the compressing head downwardly to carry aligning pins thereon to aligning position with respect to the parts of the bank and thrust members on the compressing head engage the equalizing links and vthrough them transmit an equal pressure to the pressure plates for compressing the banks. The banks in their compressed condition may then have their clamping boltstightened by tools applied through suitable apertures in the apparatus.

The invention may be more fully understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention wherein Fig. l is a side elevational view of the apparatus with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View of the fluid actuator of the apparatus and the electrical control circuit for controlling the operation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus with a portion of the housing broken away and with the loading drawer thereof shown in its open position; y

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 showing the drawer moved to its closed position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan sectional view ofv a portion of the apparatus taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view 2 of a portion of the apparatus taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the loading drawer of the apparatus with parts shown in section;

Figs.,9 and l0 are detailed sectional views taken on the line 9 9 and Ill-'ID of Fig. 8, respectively;

Fig. 1l is a plan view of the step by step bank of the type which may be compressed in the present apparatus; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the bank taken on the line |2|2 of Fig. l1.

The apparatus herein disclosed is designed to compress step by step banks I5 by simultaneously applying a predetermined equal pressure to a pair of banks which may vary slightly in height so that, while they are held in a compressed state, the clamping bolts passing therethrough may be tightened to retain the banks in their compressed condition. The banks l5 (Figs. l1 and 12), comprise a plurality of card units loosely clamped together in superposed relation between upper and lower clamping plates I8 and I9, respectively, andheld in assembled relation by a plurality of clamping bolts 2B. The hexagonal heads 2| of the bolts 20 engage the upper clamping plate I8, the Shanks of the bolts 20 pass through aligned apertures in the clamping plates and the card units, and the threaded lower ends of the bolts threadedly engage the threaded apertures in the lower clamping plate I9. Apertures 25- 25 are formed in the card units to facilitate the proper alignment thereof and apertures 21-21 are provided in the projecting ends of the clamping plates I8 and I9, whereby the bank may be mounted on framework (not shown).

The compressing apparatus generally comprises a base plate 3| (Fig. 1) mounted in a suitable table or bench (not shown) and a compressing head 32 reciprocably mounted on the base plate 3| and operatively connected to a fluid actuator 35 operable under control of an electrical control system. A drawer or tray 31, provided with a nest 38 to receive a pair of banks |5 sidev by side, is slidably mounted on the base plate 3| to position the banks underneath the compressing head 32, having a plurality of aligning pins 39 and 40 (Figs. 5 and '7) extending downwardly therefrom and under a pair of pressure plates 42 and 43 connected together by a pair of equalizing vlinks 44-44, through which the pressure of the compressing head is transmitted equally to the pressure plates for cempressing a pair of banks |5.

The compressing head 32 comprises an inverted channel member or cross head 4b* secured to the upper ends of a pair of spaced, vertically reciprocable rods iS-i8 mounted in guide members '5G-5t on the base plate 3l. The rods 48-48 pass through the guide members 5D and the plate 3| and are secured at their lower end to a channel-shaped cross head 52, from the lower central portion of which extends a lug 54. The cross head 52 has upwardly extending lug portions 53- 53 engagea-.ble with the base plate 3l to limit the upward movement of the heads 32 and 52. The attened sides of a pin 5E rotatably mounted in the lug 5e engage in the slotted end of a lever 53, fulcrumed at 5@ to a bracket 60 mounted on the underneath side of the table 3l. The other end of the lever 53 is pivotally connected to a piston rod 52 or the fluid actuator 35, which is supported from the under side of the table 3| by a bracket 513.

The sliding drawer Si comprises a bottom wall 65 in the form of a flat plate having a central recess el and a pair of side portions E38 and 69. A block it, on the upper surface of which is formed the seat or nest 38, is secured to the bottom wall B6. Positioned on the block lt, in a predetermined location., are the apertured, tapered aligning pins ia-'l adapted to t into the apertures 21-2'i oi the lower clamping plate I S to accurately position the banks E5 on the nest 3S. The block le is provided with an irregular groove l2 (Fig. 3) and recesses le to accommodate the embossments on the clamping plate lli and the ends of the clamping bolts 2li, respectively, of the banks l5. A front wall i5 extends upwardly from the bottom wall SG and has a handle lli secured thereto, by means of which the drawer may be moved from one position to another.

Rollers 'lil and (Figs. 3, 4, 8 and 9) rotatably carried by brackets Si) and el, which are yieldingly mounted on the side portions of the bottom wall et, support the drawer 3l for free rolling movement on the base plate 3l. The brackets S6 and 8l are mounted for vertical movement on shouldered studs 83 secured to the bottom wall 66, and are urged into engagement with the wall 6E by coil springs 85 mounted on the studs 83. The rollers le and 'i9 are rotatably mounted on pins 8S secured to depending lugs Si extending downwardly from brackets Se and SI. The parts are so arranged that the rollers normally support the drawer 3?, with its bottom wall Se spaced from the base plate El to provide free and easy rolling movement or" the drawer and to permit vertical movement of the drawer relative to the rollers into engagement with the base plate 3| during the compressing of the banks I. The drawer 3l is positioned between the rods i3-48 and underneath the compressing head 32 and is guided for reciprocatory movement on the base plate 3| by a plurality of rollers Sil-90 engaging upwardly extending guide rails 92-92 on the base plate 3l. The guide rails 92 are relieved at 93 to provide clearance for the rollers 95 when the drawer 3l is in its closed position (Fig. 4) so that the drawer, in this position, is ree to move laterally, slightly, if necessary, when the aligning pins 39 and de on the compressing head 32 engage the apertured pins I2 on the drawer. A stop member 94, engageable with the front wall 'I5 of the drawer, limits its movement in the forward direction and a stop S5 on the base plate 3I is adapted to be engaged by a member 98 ad- .iustably mounted in the block le to limit the 4 movement of the drawer in the rearward direction.

A pair of banks I5 may be placed on the nest 38 when the drawer 3'! is in its open position, as indicated in Fig. 3, after which the drawer may be moved to the closed position, as indicated in Fig. 4, to locate the banks in a predetermined position underneath the pressure plates and in substantial alignment with the aligning pins 39 and llt. The aligning pins 39 and are secured to the underneath side of the cross head i5 by a retaining plate 96 and a backing plate 9?. The aligning pins 40, with their tapered ends, are arranged to enter the apertures 25 in the relatively loosely assembled card units i? oi the banks le to properly align the card units. The lower ends of the aligning pins 3Q are formed with cylindrical and tapered surfaces 99 and Sile, respectively, adapted to engage in the aperture of the aligning pins I2 of the drawer 3'! to coaxially align the aligning pins 39 and l2. The upper portions of the aligning pins 39 are formed with tapering portions Ill! and a cylindrical portion which latter portions are adapted to iit into the apertures 2l in the upper clamping plates le oi the banks I5 to aid in the proper alignment of the clamping plates I 8.

The pressure plates 42 and 43 are suitably apertured at me and H35, respectively (Figs. 5, 6 and 7), to provide clearance for the aligning pins 359 and fie, and are also provided with a series of apertures 36 to provide clearance for the heads EI of the clamping bolts 2l) in the l5. Each of the pressure plates is mounted for vertical movement on three guide rods its and is moved upwardly against its respective head ll'j on the rods by coiled springs III. Extending upwardly on the pressure plates and intermediate their ends are lugs I It, in which pivot pins lle are secured. The pivot pins H5 engage in apertures in the ends of the pressure equalizing links iii and serve to pivotally connect the links to the pressure plates. Intermediate their ends, the links 44 are recessed, as at Il?, to receive cylindrical pressure transmitting members I i8 mounted on the compressing head 32.

The parts are so arranged that, with a pair of banks properly positioned underneath the compressing head, the aligning pins, as the compressing head 32 rmoves downwardly, will properly align the individual card units and the clamping plates of the banks, after which the thrust members IIS will engagethe equalizing links lLl and move the pressure plates t2 and t3 downwardly to apply an equal predetermined pressure simultaneously to each of the pair of banks thereunder. With the banks in this compressed condition, a tool passed through aligned apertures I2@ in the cross head 34, the retaining and backing plates Sie and 97, respectively, and the apertures Ii in the pressure plates may be applied t0 the heads 2l of the clamping bolts 2d to tighten them to a predetermined degree of tightness.

In order to prevent the iluid actuator from lowering the compressor head 32 except when the drawer 37 is in its closed position so that the banks are properly located under the compressing head, a safety device is provided comprising a movable segmental plate I 25 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) positioned on the underneath side of the base plate 3l and mounted on a pin I26 for rocking movement about a vertical axis. The plate V25 is interposed between a rod |28 forming an extension of the piston 62 and an aperture i229 formed in the base plate 3|, through which aperture the rod |28--is adapted to move during the operation of sition, the lever |32 is rotated through a predetermined arc and, in turn,.rotates thesegmental plate |25 from a position (Fig. 3) blocking the movement of the rod |23 to a position (Fig. 4) not blocking the 'rod |23. Thus it will be seen that the segmental plate |25 acts to prevent the movement of the actuator 35 when the drawer 31 is in the open position and permits the operation of .the actuator and the compressor head 32 only when the drawer has been moved to its inner or closed position,l at which time the banks are properly placed tobe acted on by thecompressing head 32. f

The fluid actuator 35 comprises a piston |35 (Fig. 2) positively actuated in opposite directions Within a cylinder |35 by a fluid admitted alternately to opposite ends thereof through a valve |31, which is moved from one operating position to. another under controlof a pair of solenoids |38 and A|33 in an electrical controlI circuit. The solenoid |38 is connected to a lineV |4| of a pair of power supply lines Uil and |32 and is connected to the line |42 through the normallyclosed switch contacts |34 of a relay |46. The solenoid |39 is connected to the line |42 and, through normally open switch contacts |48 of the relay, is connectible to the line 14|. The relay |46 is spring-returne-d to its normal operating position, indicated in Fig. 2, and may be actuated to its other operating position upon energization ofthe relay coil |56, which is connected. to the line |42, and is connectible, through a normally open microswitch |52 and a microswitch |54, to the line llii. When the apparatus is in its normal non-compressing condition, with the head 32 up and with the drawer 31 open, a circuit is completed through the solenoid |38 and the closed contacts |34 to actuate the solenoid valve |31 and hold it in a position where it causes the actuator 35 to moveY and maintain thehead 32 in its raised position.

yThe microswitch |52 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) is mounted on the upper side of thebase plate 3| in the path of movement of the end of the drawer 31 and is adapted to be engaged and closed by a member |56 adjustably mounted on the end portion of the bottom wall 66 thereof when the drawer is moved to its rearmost or fully closed position, as indicated in Fig. 4. When the microswitch |52 is closed, the circuit-to the relay coil |56 is completed, causing the energization thereof and the actuation of the relay |36 to its operated position. This causes the deenergization of solenoid |38 and the energization of the solenoid |39 to effect the 'movement of the control valve |31 to its other position, resulting in the upward movement of Vthe piston |35. The rod |28, moving upwardly with the piston |35, actuatesthe microswitch |54 in its path to cause the switch lever |58 to disengage the contact |59 and engage the contact |60. The contact |60 is connected in series with switch contacts |62 of the relay |36 and serves to Ycomplete a holding circuit through switch contacts |62 for locking the relay |46 in operated position.

VWhenthecompressor head 32 is moved down-L wardly by the upward movement of the piston.

|35, the tapered ends of the aligning pins 39 and 40 carried thereby enter the apertures 25 in the card units I1 on the banks l5 and cause a slight forward movement of the drawer 31 as the banks l5 are properlyr aligned by the aligning pins.-

This slight forward movement of the drawer 31 opens the microswitch |52. The actuator 35 -causes the compressor head 32 to apply a predetermined "pressure to the banks, which con-- tinues `until the tightening operation is completed, after which themovement of the Yactuator 35 and the compressor head 3 2 may be reversed by the opening of a switch |66 connected in the line |42. The opening of the switch |66 breaks the circuit to the coil |56 and causes the return to normal of the relay |46 which, in turn, causes the reversal of the valve |31 and the consequent movement` of rthe piston |35 to the position shown in Fig.,2.

A plunger |68 (Fig. 4), mounted on base 3| for reciprocable movement in a housing |63 and urged forwardly by a springl |13, is provided to engage the end of the bottom -wall 56 of the drawer 31 when'the drawer is in its closed position and apply pressure to the drawer, tending to move it to open position so that, on completion ofthe return stroke ofthe compressor head 32,

and as soonl as the aligning pinsare withdrawn froml the banks i5, the drawer 31 is moved forwardly a short distance. This short forward movement Aof thedrawer further separates the microswitch operating member |56 from the microswitch |52 and thereby eliminates the possibility of accidental reactuation of the switch |52.

A protective housing is provided tosubstantially enclose the entire apparatus above the plate 3|' and comprises a stationary housing |15 (Figs. 1,` 3, 4, y5, 6 'and 7) having side walls |16-,|16, a'top wall |11, transverse wall portions |16 and |19, and front wall portions |83 and IBI, which latter are spaced apart to provide an opening sufficient to receive the front wall 15 ofthe drawer 31. The movable portion |82 is rectangular in shape and comprises vertical end walls IBB- |63 and front and rear walls |36 and |35, respectively, joined to a top wall |83 and arranged in telescoping relation with portions ofthe stationaryl 3; with the channel of the cross head i5 to permit access to the apertures in the various members through which the tightening tools may be insertedV during the operation of tightening the clamping bolts 26 in the banks I5. It will thus beseen that when the drawer is closed, the upper portion of the apparatus above the base plate 3| is entirely enclosed by the housing |15 and the wall 15 of the drawer 31, except for the opening |88, through which the bolt tightening tools may be applied to the bolts 26 of the banks being compressed. f

In the operation of the compressing apparatus, with the drawer 31 in its open position, a pair of banks are placed on the nest 38 thereof with the aligning pins 12-12 fitting intol the apertures 21 of the lower clamping plate I9 of the banks |5. .The operator then pushes the drawer rearwardly to a closed position until the member 98. engages th-e stop 96 to stop the drawer in its are located under the pressure plates 42 and 43, compressing head 32 and with the apertures 25 thereof in substantial alignment with the aligning pins 39 and 4B. During the rearward movement of the drawer, the safety plate 125 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction from a position in the path of movement of the rod |28 of the actuator 35 to the position shown in FigA, where the rod 128 is free to move upwardly. When the drawer 31 is moved toits closed position, the member |56 on the rear portion thereof engages and closes the microswitch 152 and completes the circuit to energize the relay |46 and cause the energization of the solenoid |39 to shift the valve |31 and effect the actuation of the actuator 35 and the downward movement of the compressor head 32. As the piston |35 of the actuator 35 moves upwardly, the rod 128 thereon engages the microswitch 154 and moves the switch lever |53 from engagement with the contact |59 into engagement with the contact |68, which completes a holding circuit for the coil |59 through the holding contacts |452. As the compressing head 32 moves downwardly, the aligning pins 39 and 43 carried thereby enter, respectively, the apertures 21 and 25 in the upper clamping plate and the card units of the banks and serve to align the parts of the bank relative to each other. This aligning of the parts of the banks caus-es the drawer 31 to be moved forwardly a slight distance on the order of which allows the microswitch |52 to be moved from its closed to its .normally open position. As the compressing head 32 continues its downward movement, the thrust members ||8 carried thereby engage in the notches ||1 of the equalizing links 44 and transmit the downward pressure of the head 23 through the links 44 to the pressure plates 42 and 43. The pressure plates 42 and 43 are thus moved downwardly into engagement with the pair of lbanks and apply a pr-edetermined equal pressure thereto.

The bottom wall S5 of the drawer 31, which is normally supportedior sliding movement on the plate 31 in spaced relation thereto, is moved into contact with the base plate 31, which serves as a backing member to receive the thrust of the pressure plates 42 and 44 and the head 32 during the compression of the banks. While the banks are thus under compression, and with the predetermined pressure being steadily applied thereto by the actuator 35, the operator may insert a tool through the aligned apertures in the compressing head and pressure plates to engage the heads 2| of the clamping bolts 2B and tighten them with a predetermined torque. After the clamping bolts in each of the banks 15 have been tightened, the operator may press the button |68 to open the switch |56 in the line 142, deenergizing the coil |50 and allowing the relay |45 to be returned to its normal position. This will eiiect the reversal of the valve |31 and the actuator 35, causing the piston |35 and the compressing head 32 to return to their normal positions. On the upward mov-ement of the head 32, the pressure plates 42 and 43 function as stripper members to strip the banks from the aligning pins 39 and 40. As the aligning pins 39 and 4B are withdrawn from' the banks 15, the plunger |58, under the force of the spring |10, acts to move the drawer 31 forward a short distance so as to increase the distance between the member |55 and the microswitch |52 and thus avoid the possibility of an accidental or unintentional reclosing of the mi- V`closwitch |52 and the initiation of another compressing cycle of operation. The drawer 31 may then be moved forwardly to its open position and the tightened banks removed therefrom.4

What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus for compressing a composite article comprising a supporting base member, an apertured movable head for compressing said article against said base plate, a pair of rods secured to said head and extending downwardly therefrom, apertured guide members on said base plate through which said rods extend and are guided for vertical reciprocation, a cross head secured to the lower end of said rods underneath said base plate, means operatively connected to said cross head for actuating said compressing head, a drawer slidabl-e on said base plate and having a bottom wall engageable therewith, a seat on said bottom wall for receiving an article thereon in predetermined position, means on said base plate for guiding said drawer for movement between an open position where an article may be applied to or removed from the drawer and a closed position where the article in the drawer is located in alignment with said head, an apertured housing secured to and movable with said head and having vertical wall portions surrounding said head, a stationary housing on said base plate enclosing portions of said apparatus and having vertical wall portions telescopingly engaging said movable housing and provided with an opening in one vertical wall to accommodate the draw-er, a vertical wall portion on said drawer adapted to close said opening in said vertical wall of the stationary housing when said drawer is closed whereby said apparatus above the base plate is entirely enclosed during the compressing operation except for the aperture in said movable housing through which ap-erture and the aperture in said compressing head a portion of said article is accessible for further processing while under compression.

A2. An apparatus for compressing a composite article comprising a supporting base plate, an apertured compressing head for compressing said article against said base plate, a pair of rods secured to said head and extending downwardly therefrom, guideways in said base plate through which said rods extend and are guided for Vertical reciprocation, means including a iiuid actuator operatively connected to the lower ends of said rods for actuating said compressing head, a drawer slidable on said base plate and having a bottom wall engageable therewith, a seat on said bottom wall for supporting an article in predetermined position thereon, means on said base plate for guiding said drawer for movement between an open position where an article may be applied to or removed from the drawer and a closed position where the article in the drawer is located in alignment with said head, a, stationary housing on said base plate enclosing portions of said apparatus and having vertical wall portions disposed to partially encircle the compressing head and provided with an opening in one wall thereof to accommodate the drawer, a member extending from said head and having portions telescopingly engaging the vertical walls of the stationary housing, a Vertical wall portion on said drawer adapted to close said opening in the vertical wall of the stationary housing when the drawer is closed whereby said apparatus above the base plate is entirely enclosed during the compressing operation except for a portion of said compressing head through the aperture in which a portion of the article is accessible for further processing while under compression, and control means operable in response to the moving of the drawer to its closed position to4 cause the actuation -of"saidactuator toeiect the compressing movement oisaidpompressing head.

3. An apparatus for compressipg a pair of composite laminated articlescomprisingV a base member, a head for compressing said articles against said base member, power means for actuating said head, means for supporting apairfof articles side by side on said base ymember in a predetermined position underneath said compressing head, a pair of pressure plates. engage-eable with said article-s, means on said baise meinber for mounting said pressure plates independently of each other between said head and said base and for guiding said pressure plates 'for movement independently of each other toward and away from said base member, spring means yieldably supporting said pressure plates and for moving said pressure plates individually away from said base member, and a pair of pressure equalizing members pivotally attached at their ends to said pressure plates intermediate the ends of said plates and adapted to be pivotally engaged by said compressing head midway between the ends thereof whereby force transmitted by said head to said equalizing members will be distributed to the pressure plates for com-- pressing each of said articles with equal pressure.

4. An apparatus for compressing a pair of composite laminated articles comprising a base member, a movable head for compressing said articles against the base member, means for reciprocating said head, a tray engageable with the base member and having a nest thereon for supporting a pair of said articles side by side in a predetermined position thereon, means on said base for guiding said tray for movement thereon between a loading position where the articles may be applied to or removed from the tray and ,4

an operative position where the articles are in alignment with said head, a pair of pressure plates individually engageable with said articles and actuatable by said head to transmit a predetermined pressure to said articles, and members pivotally connected at their ends to each of said pressure plates and intermediate their ends pivotally engageable with said head during the compression of said articles whereby said pressure plates are movable relative to each other to accommodate a pair of articles of different heights and are arranged to apply simultaneously equal pressures thereto.

5. An apparatus for compressing a pair of composite laminated articles having apertures therein comprising a supporting member to support said articles for compression, a movable head for compressing said articles against said supporting member, means for reciprocating said head relative to said supporting member, means for locating said articles side by side in a predetermined position on said supporting member in alignment with said supporting head, aligning members on said head and movable therewith into the aperture of said articles to align the component parts thereof, a pair ci pressure plates underneath and in spaced relation to said head and said supporting member and e-ngageable with said articles positioned on said supporting member, means guiding said presure plates for movement individually toward and away from said supporting member, spring means for moving said pressure plates individually away from said supporting member, means for limiting the extent of movement of said pressure plates away from said supporting member, a plurality -of pressure equalizing members pivotally attached at their ends to4 said pressure plates, and thrust members mounted on said head and engageable with said 4equalizing `members intermediate their ends,"said pressure plates being arranged relative to'said head so that on the down strokeof'said headthe aligning members .6..An .apparatus fory compressing a pair of K composite laminated articles leach having'aligning apertures in the component parts thereof comprising a base member, a movable head for compressing said articles against the base member, means for reciprocating said head relative to the base member, a tray engageable with the base member, means on said tray for supporting said articles side by side in a predetermined position thereon, means on said base member for guiding said tray for sliding movement thereon between a loading position where the articles may be applied to the tray and an operative position where the articles are in substantial alignment with said head, aligning members on said head and movable therewith into engagement with the aligning apertures in said articles to align the component parts of said articles, a pair of pressure plates engageable individually with said articles, means on said base member for individually mounting said pressure plates between said head and said base member and for guiding said pressure plates for movement toward and away from said base member, spring means for yieldably supporting said pressure plates and for moving said pressure plates away from said base member, means for limiting the movement of said pressure plates away from said base member, a plurality of pressure equalizing members pivotally connected at their ends to said pressure plates and pivotally engageable intermediate their ends with said head during the compressing of the articles whereby said pressure plates may move vertically relative to each other to accommodate articles of diiierent heights and whereby the pressure equalizing members serve to transmit the pressure from the head simultaneously and equally to each of said pressure plates.

'7. An apparatus for compressing a pair of cornposite laminated articles having aligning apertures therein comprising a base member, a pair of apertured pressure plates, members on said base for guiding said pressure plates for movement toward and away from said base, spring means yieldably supporting said pressure plates and for moving said plates away from said base, means for limiting the movement of said plates away from said base, pressure equalizing means comprising a member pivotally connected at its ends to the pressure plates intermediate the ends of said pressure plates, a tray having seats for supporting a pair of said articles side by side, means guiding said tray for movement on said base from a loading position where said articles may be loaded onto and unloaded from said tray to an operative position under said pressure plates, a cross head mounted for movement toward and away from said base, actuating means for reciprocating said cross head, means l on said cross head engageable with said pressure equalizing member intermediate its ends for applying predetermined pressure to said pressure equalizing member and said pressure plates, and aligning pins on said cross head movable into engagement With the aligning apertures in said articles to align the component parts thereof during the movement of said cross head toward said base, said pressure plates serving as stripping members to strip the articles from said aligning member during the movement of said cross head from said base.

EUGENE L. MALHIOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number l2 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Weber Jan. 29, 1901 Thul May 3, 1904 Wilson July 18, 1905 Menne Apr. 10, 1928 Langford May 14, 1929 Burr July 26, 1932 Hilliard Feb. 21, 1933 Garbe Nov. 24, 1942 Malhiot June 13, 1944 Tyler Nov. 5, 1946 Johndrew Dec. 14, 1948

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