US2765076A - Tube or rod gauging apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1956 A. F. CASLER ETAL TUBE 0R ROD GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1952 Invewkovs: Advien F. Castev,

Cuwtis D. Spica,

jobev s zC an PieLd,

a%.. Their A t kofneg.

Oct. 2, 1956 A. F. CASLER EI'AL TUBE OR ROD swam; APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheer, 2

Filed Dec. 51, 1952 Invenfiors: Adrien "F. CasLev, Curtis D. Spicev,

Robe1-k Can FieLd,

Oct. 2, 1956 A. F. CASLER ETAL TUBE OR ROD GAUGING APPARATUS 5 sneaks-sheet 3 Filed D80. 51, 1952 r d uJ v a wcqm m w TFD M wns a b-Tfi hfiw w A R UQ b O w w Oct. 2, 1956 A. F. CASLER ETAL TUBE OR ROD GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnveyvtor's. Adrien F. Castev, Cur-l7is D. Spicer, Robert CEiTTF'EBLd Their A k tovne q.

Filed Dec. 31, 1.952

Oct. 2, 1956 Filed Dec. 31, 1952 A. F. CASLER ET AL TUBE OR ROD GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnven borsz Advien E Caster, CUFCHS D. Spicer, Robevt Can FieLd,

Their- A t bovneg.

United States Patent TUBE 0R ROD GAUGING APPARATUS Adrien F. Casler, Chardon, Curtis D. Spicer, Beechwood,

and Robert H. Canfield, Euclid, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 31, 1952, Serial No. 329,058

3 Claims. (61. 209-88) Our invention relates to apparatus for gauging tubes or rods, and more particularly to automatic apparatus for gauging the outside diameter of glass tubes or rods and sorting them into groups of corresponding size. The gauging function of the apparatus includes the determination of excess taper in the tubes or rods without regard to the size thereof, and the segregation of those tubes or rods determined to have excess taper. For convenience, the tubes or rods will hereinafter be referred to simply as tubes.

The glass tubes used in the high speed automatic manufacture of lamps and other glass containing articles must be uniform within rather narrow limits. Accordingly, such glass tubes are classified into groups of common limited size range capable of being used successfully upon proper adjustment of the manufacturing apparatus for the different groups, and to that end high speed gauging and sorting apparatus have been developed. Difficulty has been experienced in the use of such prior art gauging and sorting apparatus in certain instances because of a lack of the required degree of accuracy and because of excessive maintenance of the apparatus. Another objection was unsatisfactory operation of the apparatus occasioned by high operating speeds and by taper in the tubes.

An object of our invention is to provide automatically operated apparatus for sorting glass tubes into groups of a relatively limited range of outside diameters and taper. The apparatus must also be capable of operating at high speed in a satisfactory manner without repeated readjustment and repairs.

Another object of our invention is to provide gauging apparatus adapted to determine taper in tubes by a direct comparison of the outside diameter of selected portions of the tubes and without regard to the actual size thereof. A further aspect of this object is to provide apparatus for making determinations of taper in the tubes by comparing the sizes of a plurality of portions thereof, and preferably to make the comparison at the same portions of the tube as those engaged by size gauging means. This latter feature of the taper gauging apparatus causes it to reject those tubes which could not be classified in any one size group by the size gauging means and accordingly prevents such tubes from interfering with the operation of said size gauging means. Further advantages to the ganging apparatus appear when said measurements are made of portions of the tubes critical to the use thereof, as for instance to portions of tubular fluorescent lamp envelopes which are to be scaled to stems.

Another object of our invention is to provide a gauging and sorting machine which is not readily damaged by broken glass and not subject to false determinations effected by vibration and distortion in the frame portion thereof. Broken glass is invariably present in and around a machine of this type and special provisions must be provided to prevent it from effecting rapid wear with consequent improper operation of the gauge blocks and the working parts thereof.

2,765,076 Patented Oct. 2, 1956 "ice A particularly advantageous form of machine constructed according to our invention provides for the advance of tubes to gauging means located along a path by a conveyor preferably comprised of three endless chains arranged to engage spaced portions of said tubes and ad- Vance them laterally along said path. The tubes are introduced into pockets in the conveyor at a point near the base of an upwardly directed run or leg thereof comprising the front face of the machine by suitable means such as a rotatable notched drum and are gauged in the course of the further movement of the conveyor upward in the front face and then downward in the back face thereof. Rejecting means adjacent each of the gauging means in both faces of the machine force from the conveyor those tubes determined to be within the size range selected by said gauging means and result in tubes of corresponding size characteristics being collected at stations along both faces thereof.

Each gauging means comprises stationary and movable gauge blocks located upon respective sides of the path of movement of the tubes, and independent means, separate from the frame of the machine, for maintaining cooperating stationary and movable blocks at the proper relation to each other. In certain instances, it has been found desirable to mount the movable gauge blocks by means of flexible metal straps or bands permitting the desired degree of movement of the gauge blocks without interference from broken glass. It has also been found desirable to make both movable and stationary gauge blocks of a relatively hard synthetic plastic compound which sheds glass dust, presumably because of the electrical charge it asarranged along the conveyor in a manner whereby the end portions of the tubes first pass between cooperating pairs of blocks adjusted to engage oversize end portions and then pass into engagement with associated means for effecting the rejection of tubes found to be oversize. Next in the course of movement of the conveyor are three gauges of the taper gauging means which are arranged in succession along said course and which determine excessive variation in size between two specific portions of the tubes. All three taper gauges effect the rejection of excessively tapering tubes at a station following the taper gauging means. The comparison of size of the said portions of the tubes is made by cooperating pairs of gauge blocks; however, each gauge is arranged to compare portions of a tube different from those compared by the two other gauges. One gauge compares one of the critical end portions and a center portion of the tubes, another gauge compares both critical end portions of the tubes, and a third gauge compares thecenter portion and the critical end portion other than that engaged by the first-mentioned gauge. All three gauges of the taper gauging means are mounted upon a rigid subframe and are, accordingly, free from the effects of flexure and misalignment of the main frame of the machine, and may, if desired, be taken to a work bench for adjustment. A

' series of six size gauging means of like construction are and from the drawing.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a tube gauging machine comprising our invention.

Fig. 2 is a substantially horizontal section through the upwardly moving leg or run of the tube conveyor comprising one face of the tube gauging machine, said section being taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the oversize gauge means of said machine.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the gauges of the oversize gauge means and an adjacent conveyor portion.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the control switches of the oversize gauging means, the time delay device and the rejection means controlled by said oversize gauge means.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one pair of gauge blocks of the taper gauging means.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the taper gauging means.

Fig. 7 is a substantially horizontal section through the end portion of the taper gauging means opposite the first or half span gauge along the course of movement of the conveyor and along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the actuating and size comparing means associated with the first half span gauge of the taper gauging means.

Fig. 9 is an upward view of the taper gauging means with the beams of the first half span gauge and'the adjacent portion of the conveyor broken therefrom to show the beams of the full span gauge.

Fig. 10 is a substantially horizontal section through the downward moving leg of the tube conveyor comprising the back face of the machine, said section being taken along line 1010 of Fig. 1 and showing one of the size gauge means associated with said face.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a size gauge in operative relation to a tube portion.

The tube gauging machine shown in the drawing is a self-operated unit requiring only that the glass tubes 1 to be gauged be introduced therein at station A and that the tubes 1 of a particular size be taken from the respective collection stations B to I inclusive along the upward and downward moving legs or runs of a conveyor 2. The tubes 1, which in a particular case may be 48 inches long, and which have a diameter range within that usually encountered in drawing a single nominal size of glass tubing, are placed upon the moving belt 3 of feeding means 4 at station A. The belt 3 and other portions of the feeding means provide for individual tubes 1 to be introduced in each of a regular succession ofpockets 5 on the three moving chains 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) comprising the conveyor 2, which chains 6 are located at spaced intervals along the relatively broad face of the apparatus. The tubes 1 are placed in a lower portion of the upwardly moving leg of the conveyor 2 and, in the regular course of its movement, are carried between the rollers 7 and 8 of gauging means adjusted to determine if said tubes 1 are larger than the maximum size rangeto be selected. The oversize gauge means makes contact with portions of the tubes 1 adjacent both ends thereof and, on the basis of its findings, causes those tubes 1 containing portions of greater than a nominal size to be pushed from the conveyor2 at station .13 so that such oversize tubes roll down the incline 9 and collect at one location adjacent the machine.

Thenext gauging function of the machine occurs further along the upward moving leg of the conveyor 2 where the tubes 1 pass in succession between cooperating gauge blocks 10 and 11 of the gauges of the taper gauging means and, on the basis of a comparison of portions of each tube, determine if said tube tapers excessively. The determinations are made, in the instance of each gauge, by two cooperating pairs of gauge blocks 10 and 11 located to engage spaced portions of the tube 1 at one of the three gauging positions shown in Fig. 1. As indicated inFig. 6, the taper gauging means effects a comparison, first, be-

tween one end portion and the center of the tube, then between said end portion and an opposite end portion and then, finally, between the center and the last-mentioned end portion of the tube. Such tubes 1 as are found to taper excessively by any of the comparisons remain in the conveyor 2 until the motion thereof carries the tubes to station C, whereupon said tubes are pushed onto the incline 12 and roll to collecting means (not shown).

The separation of the tubes 1 into limited size ranges takes place during the following movements of the conveyor 2 when said conveyor and said tubes have passed around the top of the machine and are carried along the downwardly moving leg thereof. The tubes 1 at such times pass succesively into operative relation to pairs of gauge blocks 13 and 14 of corresponding gauging means which are adjusted to find successively smaller sizes of the tubes and which effect the discharge of those tubes found to be larger than said sizes onto the adjacent inclines 15 at the stations D, E, F, G, H and 1. Each gauging means is comprised of a pair of gauges simultaneously contacting opposite end portions of the tubes 1 as shown in Fig. 10 and will, through the cooperative function of said gauges, effect the selection of a limited size range of the tubes 1 because of its association with the other gauging means of the machine. The six size ranges selected by the means along the downwardly moving leg of the conveyor 2 represent the acceptable tubs 1 segregated by the machine. Those tubes 1 which may be still smaller in size are dropped from the conveyor 2 in the course of its movement across the bottom of the machine.

The details of the various portions of the illustrated gauging machine will now be described, beginning with the feeding means associated with the introduction of the tubes 1 into the conveyor 2. The tubes 1 are placed on the moving belt 3 of the feeding means and are moved into the machine by the motion of the belt. The function of the moving belt 3 is to advance the tubes 1 against the peripheries of a pair of drums 16 (only one being shown) each interposed between adjacent ones of the three chains 6 spaced across the face of the machine and making up the conveyor 2, so that the synchronized rotation of said drums 16 with respect to the movement of the chains 6 causes single tubes 1 to be caught in the pockets 17 in said drums and advanced to positions to be picked up by the pockets 5 in said chains 6. Each pocket 17 within the drums 16 is only large enough to hold a single tube 1 and will, accordingly, select one of said tubes 1 from the plurality on the belt 3. The drums 16 are both mounted upon the shaft. 18 extending between corresponding bearing blocks 19 on the frame portions 20 at opposite ends of the machine. The rate of rotation of the drums, 16 is such as to carry a tube 1 into each of the pockets Sin the chains 6 which, in turn, lift said tube 1 fromthe pockets 17 in the drums 16. The drums 16 and conveyor chains 6 extend around sprockets 21, 22 and 23 on the triangularly arranged shafts 24, 25 and 26 at the lower corners and top of the end frame portions 20, and

. the synchronized movements of said drums and chains are produced by a common drive means for both. Said drive means comprise a chain indicated at 27 and passing around the. sprocket 28 upon shaft 18, the sprocket 29 upon shaft 24 and the other sprockets 30, 31 and 32 on shafts 33,

34 and .35, respectively, projecting beyond the near or proximate portion of the frame 20 in Fig. 1. An electric motor 36operating shaft 34 and sprocket 31 through the speed reducer 37 in a conventional manner is the source of the operating force for the chain 27, the main operating source of all portions of the machine.

Alternate pockets 5 on conveyor 2 are defined by U-shaped bracket portions 5' (Fig. 3), and intermediate .pockets by flat pad portions 6 combined with the proximate legs of said bracket portions 5 on alternate links of 7 each of the three chains 6. Because of the inclination of said chains 6, the tubes 1 roll to the portions of the portion of the links.

greases pockets which are lowermost and adjacent the connected The moderate inclination of the chains 6 is sufiicient to keep the tubes 1 within the pockets 5 inasmuch as said chains 6 are held in position during the course of their movement adjacent the feeding means and the first gauging means by the pressure of the rollers of the chains 6 against the guides 41 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and are accordingly prevented from being deflected out of position. The guides 41 also direct the chains 6 so that the opposite ends of the tube 1 pass between the rollers 7 and 8 of the duplicate gauges comprising said first gauge means. The relative positions of the gauge means and the guides 41 are such that the rollers 8, which have a fixed position, lift the tubes 1 from the bases of the pockets 5 in the conveyor 2 and, accordingly, prevent said conveyor 2 from holding said tubes 1 at positions to deflect the movable roller 7 and effect a false determination of size thereby.

The rollers 7 and 8 of each gauge of the gauging means are arranged to rovide separate determinations as to the sizes of the respective end portions of the tubes 1 engaged thereby and, in the present instance, determine if either -or both of said end portions are larger than the maximum of the size groups to be selected by the machine. The tubes 1 are determined to be oversize by either gauge when the roller 7 thereof, which is rotatably mounted upon a stud 42 (Fig. 3) at one end of a beam 43, is pushed out from its normal spaced relation to the fixed roller 8 and said beam 43 is swung about the pin 44 retained by the extending end of the adjustable slide 45. The beam 43 normally holds the roller 7 at a spaced relation to the fixed roller 8 allowing all but oversize tubes 1 to pass therebetween without touching it. The expansion force of a helical spring 46 located between a lateral projection 47 of the slide and nuts 48 upon a stud 49 extending through said projection 47 to the beam 43 keeps said beam 43 tilted against the end of the stop screw 50 on said projection 47 at which position the roller 7 is at the proper relation to roller 8. The only effective function of the oversize gauging means will occur when one or both end portions of the tube 1 is of a size to deflect the roller 7 and will cause the totally enclosed switch 51 on the opposite end of the beam 43 therefrom to move away from the end of control screw 52 on the projection 47 so that an electrical circuit is completed through said switch 51. This function will, as immediately hereinafter described, subsequently effect the ejection of the oversize tube 1 at station B further along the conveyor 2.

A feature of the oversize gauging means and the taper gauging means further along the course of movement of the conveyor 2 is the manner by which they are mounted completely independently of the frame 20 of the machine and are therefore unaffected'by any misalignment, deflection and variations in said frame 20 as is normally experienced because of the large size and conditions under which said machine is used. The oversize gauging means, for instance, has the fixed rollers 8 of both gauges on the mounting studs 53 retained by blocks 54 attached to two tie bars 55 of a sub-frame which includes the three heavy and, therefore, rigid channel beams 56 extending across the full face of the machine at positions adjacent the tie-in columns 57, the transverse angle bars 58 along the top and bottom of the end beams 56 and said tie-in columns 57. The movable rollers 7 of the oversize gauging means, on the other hand, are mounted upon the sub-frame by means of the slides 45 which are located within ways in blocks 59 carried by a rigid bar 60 on the outer ends of the lowermost tie-in columns 57 thereof. The only fixed connection between the sub- 7 frame and the frame of the machine is two bolts 61 .(indicated in Figs. 6 and 7) which fasten the uppermost channel beam 56 to the edges of the frame portions 20 at opposite ends of the machine. The mounting for the oversize gauging means also has incorporated therein means for permitting it to be adjusted to suit the over- 45 and the adjusting screw 62 which is held by a lip 63 on the block 59 and which moves said slide 45 within ways in said block 59 when screwed in or out.

The rejection of the oversize tube 1 from the conveyor 2 does not occur until said conveyor 2 has advanced said tube from engagement with the oversize gauging means and arranged it at station B at a position opposite the incline 9. This manner of operation requires that the electrical signal made by the actuation of one or the other of the switches 51 of the oversize gauging means be retained until such time as the conveyor 2 has advanced the oversize tube 1 to station B and, to this end as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, is effected by first causing said electrical signal to register in the time delay device 65 and then causing said time delay device 65 to actuate the tube rejecting means opposite said station B at the proper interval. As shown in Fig. 4 the switches 51 are connected in parallel in a circuit to the time delay, or so-called memory, device 65 which may be one of the commercial products for this purpose or the type device disclosed in A. F. Casler et al. application Serial No. 274,622, filed March 3, 1952. The time delay device 65 shown is both operated and synchronized with the operation of the machine by the movement of the driving chain 27 thereof which engages the sprocket 30 on a shaft 33 extending beyond one end thereof and the end portion '20 of the frame. At the proper interval, the time delay device completes an electrical circuit to the solenoid valve 66 so as to shift the control cylinder 67 thereof so that the compressed air source represented by pipe 68 is connected through a transverse passage therein to the piping 69 leading to the air cylinder 70 which is the actuating source for the tube rejecting means. The effect of the operation of the air cylinder 70 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) is to have the push rod 71 thereof cause a partial rotation of a shaft 72, which extends across the face of the machine, by its engagement with the arm 73 thereon and, in so doing, swing the fingers 74 at opposite ends of the shaft 72 against and into the path of movement of the oversize tube 1 so that said oversize tube is pushed from the pockets 5 of the conveyor chains 6. When the period of operation has passed, the time delay device 65 breaks the circuit to the solenoid valve 66 and the expansion force of the helical spring 75 thereof pushes the control cylinder 67 so that the transverse passage therein vents the piping 69 from the air cylinder 70 to the atmosphere through the bleeder opening 76. Under these conditions, the helical spring 77 returns the piston and the push rod 71 of the air cylinder 76 to their original position and the helical spring 78 (Fig. 2), which is connected between posts extending beyond the shaft 72 and one of the two brackets 79 holding said shaft 72 beyond the beam 56, turns said shaft 72 so as to retract the fingers 74 from the path of movement of the tubes 1. The oversize tubes 1 roll down the incline 9 to collecting means (not shown) which permit their ready removal from the area of the machine.

The next gauging operations to be applied to those tubes 1 carried further through the machine by the conveyor 2 are a series of three taper gauging operations comparing the size of various portions of said tubes and, upon the basis of this comparison, effecting the rejection of those which taper excessively. The taper gauging means is a closely arranged grouping of three corresponding gauges located along the course of movement of the conveyor 2 and comprising pairs of opposed gauge blocks 10 and 11. The three gauges which operate simultaneously engage the three tubes 1 in alternate pockets 5 along one portion of said conveyor 2. The tube 1 is first examined by a half-span gauge comparing one of the previously gauged end portions thereof and a middle portion, then by a full-span gauge comparing both previously gauged end portions thereof and, finally, another halfforttheir arrangement in the apparatus. gauge blocks 10, on the other hand, are bolted to the thereto.

'tion of said tube 1 adjacent the middle chain '6 thereof and, to this end, has duplicated pairs of movable and stationary gauge blocks 10 and ,11 atthe spaced relation of said portions and said chains 6. Both gauge blocks '10 and 11 of the pair comprising each of the three gauges .ofthetaper gauging means are, in'-this particular instance, made of a'relativelyhard resinous synthetic plastic, as

"for example that marketed under the name T extolite as composition 'No. l398ywhichytends to shed glass dust,

it isbelieved,-because of the'static charge it assumes and which resists'to *a high 'degreethe wear caused by sharp glass particles. The-stationary gauge blocks 11 in both :instances are clamped directly to mounting blocks 80 (Figs. and 7) by the action of claws 181 at opposite ;ends thereof and depend upon the position said mounting blocks 80 are bolted to the upstanding ,rails 82 and 83 on the tie bars 55 and 55' respectively,,of the sub frame The movable -outer ends of substantially end-to-end arranged beams or levers 84 and 84' which are retained by flexible metal bands 85 and 85', respectively, extending from the fixed channel member 86 of the sub-frame and which are held at positions determined by actuating means operating *through respective straps 87 and 87 (Fig. '8) attached :and 85' in V form and which fasten them to the beams 84 'and 84' and the channel member 86, respectively, permit the gauge blocks to be tilted to an inoperative position outwardly away from the path of movement of the tubes 1 by the actuating means during the interval said tubes are advanced to and from operative relation The tilting of the gauge blocks 10 and beams 84 and 84' results from similar tilting of the respective gauge arms 99 and 90 (Fig. 8) to which'they are attatched by the straps S7 and 87' and occurs when the ;98 and 93' extending through holes in the operating arm 91-from the gauge arms 90 and 90', respectively, and which keep said arms 90 and 90' seated against depending buttons 99 at the end of the operating arm 91. Athird helical spring 1th) bearing against the top surface of the operating arm 91 anda nut 1M on a stud 1&2 extending up from the channel member 86 through openingsin the gauge arms 98 and9tl and the operating arm 91,.keeps said operating arm 91 tilted so that the screw 103, at the end thereof and extending through openings inthe gauge arms 90 and 90', seats-against the projecting stud 92 on shaft 93. Other portions of the actuating means, which have the function of timing the operation of the othertwo taper gauges in addition to the taper gauge presently described, comprise an interconnected system for transferring the cam actuated motion of a lever 104 (Fig. 1) located adjacent a portion of the shaft 35 protruding beyond the end frame portion 20 opposite to that shown in Fig. 1 A cam (not shown) fastened :to the shaft'35 ata point adjacent the opposite frame portion and shaped like the cam-105 brings about the travel thereof.

movement'of the lever 104 byturning 'different 'peripheria l portions into engagement with roller 106011 said lever 104,-with theresult that, said lever 104 is turnedabout the-pin 107. A push rod 108 transfers'the motion of lever -104to-the crank 109 which, in turn, causes rotation of the intermediate shaft 110 in the bearing 111 on the column 57, and turning of the crank 112. A bar 113 (-Figs.=6'and 9) connects the crank 112 to a crank 114 upon-the projecting end of the shaft 93 which is journalled in the side flanges of the channel member 86.

The operative interval of the described taper gauge, during which it compares the size of the two portions of the tube 1 between the two pairs of gauge blocks 10 and 11, occurs when the shaft 93 is turned'momentarilyso astoforcetheoperating arm 91 in a direction away from said tube '1 and, through the respective springs 97, 97

and studs 98, 98', effect a corresponding motion in the gauge arms 90, 90 and the beams 84, 84'. This motion of the gauge advances both movable gauge blocks 10, 10 against portions of the tube 1 directly over the stationary gauge blocks 11, 11 which have raised said tube '1 from the base of the pocket 5 in the conveyor 2 because of their shape and position in relation to the direction of If both movable gauge blocks 10, -10 move to the same relation to the stationary gauge blocks 11, 11, as is the case when both portions of the tube I contacted thereby are of the same size, both gauge arms 90 and 90' will move correspondingly and no further function will occur in the taper gauge. On the other 'hand, should the movable gauge blocks 10, 10 contact different size portions of the tube 1, the gauge arms 90 and 90 will be displaced different amounts and one or the other of the totally enclosed switches 115 and 115 located upon the ends thereof will be actuated upon a predetermined minimum difference in the degree of such displacement. Each switch 115 or 115 is mounted upon an upstanding flange 116 or 116 on one of the gauge arms90 or 99 and has the operating button thereof directly below an adjusting screw 117 or 117 of a portion of the flange 116' or 116 extending from the opposite gauge arm 90' or 96. Accordingly, any difference in the movement ofeither of the gauge arms 99 and 90' will causethe adjusting screw 117 or 117 associated with the further moving arm 90 or 9% to push the operating button on the switch 115' or 115 on the opposite arm 90 or 99 so thatanelectrical control circuit therethrough is completed. This electrical control circuit, as will'be explained, is arranged in combination with the corresponding means of the other gauges of the taper gauging means and will effect the discharge of the tapered tubes l-at station-C. in order to prevent a false condition'in the actuating and size comparing means which is different from that-found by the movement of the beams'84 and .84, relatively stiff plates 118 are fastened to opposite sides of the middle portions of the straps 87 and 87 to and 84"of the first taper gauge, but does not differ otherwise therefrom. The actuating and size comparing means 120 of the present full-span taper gauge is a duplicate of that associated with thefirst half-span taper gauge and similarly completes an electrical control circuit when a tapering tube 1 is discovered.

The next gaugeof the taper gauging means along the course of movement of the conveyor is again a half-span gauge and corresponds exactly to the first half-span gauge except that it is arranged to compare the sizes of the center and the 'opposite endportion of the tube 1 gauged by said first gauge. The actuating and size comparing means 123 (Fig. 6) of this second half-span taper gauge is operated in combination with the full-span taper gauge by a bar 124 connecting the corresponding cranks 114, 125 and 126 of all three gauges of the taper gauge means. A helical spring 127 located between crank 126 and a fastening attached to the channel member 86 assists in returning the interconnected operating system to cause the roller 106 (Fig. 1) on the lever 104- to follow the contour of the operating cam (corresponding to cam 105) of said system.

The rejection of those tubes 1 found to taper excessively by any one of the three gauges of the taper gauging means and effected when said tubes 1 are advanced to station C, must necessarily be initiated some time after said tapering tubes 1 have closed one or the other of the circuit controlling switches 115 or 115' in the actuating and size comparing means of each gauge. The delay in the case of each taper gauge must correspond to its distance from station C and, accordingly, the switches 115 and 115 of each gauge are arranged to control separate circuits to the time delay device 65 (Fig. 4) in the manner of the switches 51-51 of the oversize gauge means and, at the appropriate interval thereafter, circuits are controlled by the time delay device 65 which actuate an air valve (corresponding to the valve 66) connected to an air cylinder 128 of the tube rejected means at station C. The air valve, the air cylinder 128 and the movable fingers 129 represent parts of tube rejecting means duplicating the rejecting means located at station B and which swings the fingers 129 into the path of movement of the tubes 1 so as to cause said tubes to be pushed onto the incline 12. Inasmuch as the presently referred to rejecting means is constructed like that means at station B no further reference is made thereto.

The next operation occurring to the tubes 1 carried by the conveyor 2 is brought about after said tubes 1 have been advanced over the top of the machine and are moving down in the leg of said conveyor 2 constituting the back face of the machine. At that time, the tubes 1 pass successively to operative relation to six size gauging means, each comprised of a pair of duplicating gauges arranged to engage the opposite end portions of said tubes 1 previously engaged by the oversize and taper gauging means and adjusted to discover and effect the ejection of progressively smaller size tubes at an adjacent station, E to I inclusive. All the six size gauging means operate simultaneously during a moment when the conveyor 2 holds respective tubes 1 between the cooperating movable and stationary gauge blocks 13 and 14 of each of the pair of gauges 1330 (Figs. and 11) thereof and, in operating, bring the movable gauge blocks 13 down to specific relation to the stationary blocks 14 or into engagement with a tube 1 should said tube be of a size to be ejected from the conveyor 2 as being within a specific size range.

The details of operation can best be understood when reference is made to the size gauging means located adjacent station G and appearing in Figs. 10 and 11. As shown, the three chains 6 comprising the conveyor 2 at such times ride upon the straight edges of angle bars 131 mounted between the end frame portions 20 and, accordingly, follow a predetermined course of movement in relation to each of the size gauging means 139. In the course of the advance of the conveyor 2 past each gauging means, opposite end portions of the tube 1 pass up onto the edges of the stationary gauge blocks 14 and, in so doing, are separated from all portions of said conveyor 2 which could interfere with the proper examination thereof by the gauging means. The movable gauge block 13 located opposite each stationary gauge block 14 in each of the gauges is fastened to an adjustable mounting arm 132 on the carriage 133 and takes its mobility because of the flexibility of flat metal strips 134 and 135 which extend from opposite ends of said carriage 133 to 1O spaced portions of one arm of the U-shaped frame 136. The flexibility of the fiat strips 134 and 135 in a direction perpendicular to the course of movement of the tube l provides for the gauge block 13 to be moved to and from an exactly controlled relation to the stationary gauge block 14 on the opposite arm of the U-shaped frame 136. Normally the expansion force of a helical spring 137 located between a heel plate 138 on said carriage 133 and one arm of a bracket 139 clamping the strip 134 to the frame 136 forces said gauge block 13 towardthe stationary gauge block 14 to the limit determined by the engagement of the end of screw 140 in said heel plate 138 with the end of operating lever 141. The advancing movement of the gauge block 13 toward the tube 1 and the stationary gauge block 14 results when the arm 142 and the screw 143 of actuating means are moved in a direction away from the operating lever 141 and said operating lever 141 is turned about the pivot pin 144 projecting beyond the side of the frame 136 under the expansion force of the helical spring 145 located between an end portion of operating lever 141 and an adjacent portion of the frame 136. This advancing motion of the gauge block 13 reaches the specific limit for the particular gauge 130 when the end of the operating lever 141 seats against the end of the adjusting screw 146 on the bracket 147 extending from the frame 136. However, during all periods of operation of the machine excepting the moments when the gauges 130 are operating, the actuating means is in control of the position of the gauge block 13 and the shafts 148 and 143', which are located adjacent the gauges 130 on opposite ends of the machine, are turned so that the arm 142 adjacent each gauge 130 bears against the operating lever 141 thereof. The timed movements of the actuating means associated with the shaft 143' result from engagement of irregularities in the edge of the cam 105 (Figs. 1 and 10) with a roller 149 on one end of the lever 151) so that said lever 150, which is connected to said shaft 148' by the rod 151' and crank 152', turns said shaft 148' about supporting brackets 153 extending from the machine frame 20 in accordance with its motion about a pin 154 retained by said frame 20. The shaft 148 associated with the gauges 136 adjacent the opposite end of the machine is actuated by a duplicate cam (not shown) upon the opposite end of the shaft 35 from cam 165 and by duplicate parts correspondingly numbered to those associated with shaft 148'. If the size of the tube 1 is smaller and therefore not within the range selected by any one of the six size gauging means, the movable gauge blocks 14 thereof do not seat upon said tube 1 at the limit of the movement of the operating levers 141 as is deter-mined by the seating of said levers 141 against the end of the adjusting screws 146. Tubes 1 within said selected size range, on the other hand, obstruct the movement of one or both the gauge blocks 13 and prevent one or both of the carriages 133 and screws from following the full motion of operating levers 141. In the latter instance, either or both of the gauges 130 of the size gauging means provide for the ejection of the tube 1 at the immediately following station along the conveyor 2 by the completion of an electrical control circuit initiated by the independent portion of the movement of the operating levers 141 thereof which motion carries them against the control buttons 155 of totally enclosed switches 156 mounted upon laterally extending wings of the carriages 133. The switches 156, representing a part of the size measuring means of the pair of gauges 130 of each size gauging means, are connected in parallel in the control circuit in the manner of the switches 51 and 51 (Fig. 4) shown in combination with oversize gauging means and, as in said combination, are connected to the time delay device 65 which effects operation of an air valve (not shown) and the air cylinder 157 of ejection means associated therewith. The gauges 130 are especially suited for adjustment to very critical limits, in part because all '1 1 free motion of the lever 141 on the pin 144 is eliminated by the pressure of a helical spring 158 located between the side of operating lever 141 and an overhanging-bracket 139extending from the frame 136 and because duplicate fixed guards 159 (only one being shown) are provided on opposite sides of the carriage 133 to prevent its accidental displacement and damage to the spring leaves 134135 and other associated means. The guards 159 are formed by projecting portions of the frame 136. Further accuracy is assured in the gauges 130 by having the moving and stationary gauge blocks 13 and 14 mounted upon the opposite legs of the U-shaped frame 136 so that they can more easily be maintained at the proper relation and be examined and tested at a location away from the machine.

Each of the size gauging means controls ejecting means having an air cylinder 157 arranged to rotate a shaft 160 through its engagement with an arm 161 thereon so as to force a pair of fingers 162 against and into the pat of movement of the tubes 1 to cause said tubes 1 to be discharged from the conveyor 2. The tubes 1 so discharged fall onto one or the other of the inclines 15 at the stations D, E, F, G, H and I which direct them to convenient collecting means. Normally all tubes 1 have been ejected from the conveyor 2 by the time it passes station I and is directed around the sprockets 23 and to the front face of the machine for a repeat cycle of operation. The

tubes not ejected are dropped from the conveyor 2 as it passes around the sprockets 23 and can be caught in a container (not shown) located beside the machine.

Although the invention has been disclosed in a preferred embodiment, it should be understood it is not to be limited thereto but that it may be varied as to the specific construction and arrangements of parts within the spirit and scope of said invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for automatically gauging and sorting tubes or rods comprising a conveyor adapted to advance the tubes individually in a side-by-side relation along a course of movement, taper gauging means located along the conveyor and comprising a pair of gauges having opposed movable and stationary cooperating gauge blocks on respective sides of the course of movement of the conveyor and arranged to simultaneously engage spaced portions of a tube on the conveyor, a pair of oppositely arranged levers in substantially end-to-end relation with the movable gauge blocks mounted upon the remote ends thereof, means supporting each of said levers from the conveyor support at a point intermediate its ends for pivotal movement thereabout, actuating means engaging the proximate ends of the levers for pivoting said levers to cause the gauge blocks thereon to advance toward and move away from the stationary gauge blocks, and control means responsive to a predetermined minimum difference in displacement of said levers and movable blocks toward the associated stationary blocks resulting from excessive taper in the tube, ejecting means located at a station farther along the conveyor for causing a tube having excessive taper to be removed from the conveyor thereat, and means connecting said ejecting means with said control means to be actuated thereby.

2. Apparatus for automatically gauging and sorting tubes or rods comprising a conveyor adapted to advance the tubes separately in the side-by-side relation along a course of movement, taper gauging means located along the conveyor and comprising a pair of gauges having opposed movable and stationary cooperating gauge blocks on respective sides of the course of movement of the conveyor and arranged to simultaneously engage spaced portions of a tube on the conveyor, a pair of oppositely arranged levers in substantially end-to-end relation with the movable gauge blocks mounted upon the remote ends thereof, a rigid frame, pivots for the center portions of the levers each comprising a flexible strap in the form of a V with end and center portions attached to the frame and the levers respectively, actuating means for each of said levers and engaging the proximate ends of the levers for pivoting said levers to cause the gauge blocks thereon to advance toward and move away from the stationary gauge blocks, each of said lever actuating means being moveable relative to the other, and control means responsive to a predetermined minimum difference in displacement of said lever actuating means resulting from excessive taper in the tube, ejecting means located at a station farther along the conveyor for causing a tube having excessive taper to be removed from the conveyor thereat, and means connecting said ejecting means with said control means to be actuated thereby.

3. Apparatus for automatically gauging and sorting tubes or rods comprising a conveyor adapted to advance the tubes separately in a side-by-side relation along a course of movement, taper gauging means located along the conveyor and comprising a pair of gauges having opposed movable and stationary cooperating gauge blocks on-respective sides of the course of movement of the conveyor and arranged to simultaneously engage spaced portions of a tube on the conveyor, a pair of oppositely arranged levers in substantially end-to-end relation with the movable gauge blocks mounted upon the remote ends thereof, means supporting each of the said levers from the conveyor support at a point intermediate its ends for pivotal movement thereahout, lever actuating meansconnected to the proximate ends of said levers for pivoting them to cause the gauge blocks thereon to advance toward and move away from the stationary gauge blocks, common actuating means connected to move both the said lever actuating means in unison with provision for a predetermined amount of relative movement of either lever actuating means with respect to the other and control means comprising a switch mounted on each lever actuating means, each said switch being arranged to be operated by the lever actuating means carrying the other switch upon a predetermined minimum difference in dis placement thereof resulting from excessive taper in the tube, and ejecting means located at a station farther along the conveyor and connected to and actuated by the said center means when one of the switches thereof is operated for causing a tube having excessive taper to be removed from the conveyor thereat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,463 Hazard May 25, 1920 2,011,931 Dreyer Aug. 20, 1935 2,016,420 Engst Oct. 8, 1935 2,219,155 Wilcox Oct. 22, 1940 2,352,507 Aller et a1. June 27, 1944 2,385,038 Snyder Sept. 18, 1945 2,525,050 Spicer et al. Oct. 10, 1950 2,531,317 Baney et al Nov. 21, 1950 2,569,564 Gulliet Oct. 2, 1951

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