US3040515A - Automatic machine for assembling lazy tongs linkage from strips of link plates - Google Patents

Description

June 26, 1962 F. MUELLER ETAL 3,040,515

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING LAZY TONGS LINKAGE FROM STRIPS OF LINK PLATES Filed Dec. 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS' JOSEPH J PFISCFILL.

30 30 -7 BY FR/TZ MUELLER FITTORNEYS June 26, 1962 F. MUELLER ETAL 3,040,515

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING LAZY TONGS LINKAGE FROM STRIPS OF LINK PLATES Filed Dec. 15, 1958 r 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JOSEPH J. PHSCHLLA FR/ z MUELLER HTTORNEYS June 26, 1962 F. MUELLER ETAL AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING LAZY TONGS LINKAGE FROM STRIPS OF LINK PLATES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 15, 1958 IN VENTORS 511. JOSEPH J PHscHLL FRITZ MUELLER HTTORNEYS June 26, 1962 F. MUELLER ETAL 3,040,515

AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING LAZY TONGS LINKAGE FROM STRIPS OF LINK PLATES Filed Dec. 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS I JOSEPH J. PHSCFILL.

Fhvrz AJUELLER Unite York Filed Dec. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 780,358 14 Claims. (CI. 59-13) The invention relates to a machine for automatically inserting eyelets in lazy tong style of expandible band such as wristbands for jewelry, watches and the like. There has been disclosed in the Valli Patent Number 2,829,488 a method of assembling the links of a chain by punching one set of links into a metal strip metal and punching the second set into a second metal strip in a a particular manner but leaving the links in both strips rernovably retained in its strip. When these two strips overlay each other, the links in one strip are so positioned with respect to the links in the other that by insertion of an eyelet in the center and each of the end eyelet holes and upsetting or curling the end of each eyelet, the links,

arepivotall'y linked together. This dispenses with'the individual handling of links. The assembling machine herein is designed for putting the eyelets in this arrangement of links and upsetting the end of the eyelet to secure it in the holes.

It is an object of the invention to construct an assembling machine for inserting eyelets through the holes in the links which are retained in the superimposed metal strips of material and securing the same therein.

Another object of the invention is to construct an assembling machine which automatically inserts eyelets in the links of an expandible band and which is constructed so as not to insert eyelets in the side holes after a predetermined number of links have been so connected so that when the links are strpped from the strip material, the bands are disconnected at the desired number of links.

Another object is to construct an assembling machine of the type described in which the number of links in the band may be selected as desired.

Another object is to construct an assembling machine which is automatically stopped if the holes of the band should get too far out of alignment to be shifted into alignment.

.Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the assembling machine which is a punch press in its basic form;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the head with its aligning means, and eyelet carriers positioned above the anvil and punches;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the anvil;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the end of the double eyelet feeder chute, solenoid and cam in section;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in'longitudinal section of an eyelet carrier and its mount;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the anvil;

. FIG. 7 is a section through the anvil taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the eyelet carriers approaching the holes in the links and the punches;

FIG. 9 shows the end eyelets and thecenter eyelet in dot dash being inserted in the holes but prior to upsetting the ends of the eyelets; r

FIG. 10 is a section showing the eyelets after having sa e Patent G their lower ends punched or upset so that they are irremovably retained in the holes of the links;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the strip feeder;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged side view of the bottom of the center hole eyelet chute and cam;

FIG. 13 is a detail of the chute cam with its blade;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the ratchet mechanism; and

FIG. 15 is a top view of the strips or hands with the links carried thereby.

The eyelet machine is basically a punch press having a frame 10 and a slide 11 which reciprocates on ways 15 on the frame and is reciprocated by an eccentric or crank drive 12 in usual punch press fashion. The two metallic strips 13 and .14 have the wrist band or bracelet links L punched and restored into the strips so that theyare retained thereon and have the center and the two end eyelet holes punched therethrough. The links are positioned angularly with respect to each other, as shown in 'FIG. 15 so that when the strips are superimposed with the center hole of two overlying angularly disposed links L1 and L2 in alignment, then one end of one link L1 has its eyelet hole in alignment with the end hole of the preceding link L3 and the eyelet hole at the other end of this link is in alignment with the hole in the end of the following link L4.

In order to assure that the links in the two strips are properly aligned, a head '17 which is carried on the slide, and additionally guided by posts 16 carries an aligning pin 18 which enters the center holes of two superimposed links in order to assure that the center hole of the links of one strip is in alignment with the center hole of the links of the other 'strip. The eyelets to be inserted are fed by eyelet feeding means in which the eyelets are carried in hoppers 19 and passed to positioning means 20 of any suitable kind so that the rim or flange of the eyelet is up when fed down an eyelet passage in a chute 21 at the mouth ordelivery end 22 of which, the eyelet is removably retained such as by spring means in known manner.

A center hole eyelet carrier or pin 25 is slidablywarried in a holder 26 and pressed downwardly by a spring 27. This holder may be of any suitable construction and is carried by the head 17 to be reciprocated thereby. The center hole eyelet feeder or second feeding means, FIG. 12, is shown located in the back of the machine so that its chute 21 projects forwardly. The chute 21 is pivotally mounted on a pivot, not shown, but is similar to the pivot 28 of another eyelet feeder so that the end of the eyelet chute is projected forwardly underneath the center eyelet carrier so that the eyelet in the delivery end' 22 of the chute 21 is in alignment therewith. A spring 23 has one end attached to the chute and the other end attached to an anchor 24 carried by a guide means 32. As the head moves downwardly, FIGS. 7-10, the eyelet carrier enters the hole in the eyelet after which the eyelet chute is pivoted rearwardly and the eyelet is removed from the chute and is now carried on the carrier pin. Continued downward movement of the head brings the carrier with its eyelet into the center hole CH of two links. Continued downward movement and the end of the carrier mount 26 presses the lower end of the eyelet against a second punch means of a punch mechanism having a punch 29 secured to a base 30. The carrier retracts in the mount. An anvil 31 is slidably mounted in guide'means 32 and pressed upwardly by a spring 33 and receives the punch 29 as well as the other punches in holes therethroughl The center hole eye-let carrier or pin 25 is spaced a short distance or a few holes to the right of the centering of aligning pin 18. The center hole eyelet usually, though not necessarily, is larger than the end eyelets. The guide means 32 carries guide plates 34 on the top thereof which extend over the central space between the spaced guide members which with the guide means and the top of the anvil guide the link strips over the anvil.

To the left of the centering or aligning pin 18 are a pair of spaced end hole or outside eyelet carriers or pins 37 and 38 carried by similar holders 26. They are positioned to enter the aligned eyelet holes in the ends of two different superimposed links. The end hole eyelets are fed down through a single eyelet chute or a first eyelet feed means 39 which has a pair of spaced channels 35 and 36, one for each of the two eyelets, so that when the end of the chute is pivoted to the right to bring the delivery end of the chute and the eyelets in position in alignment with the carriers or pins 37 and 38 on the downward movement of the head, each carrier enters the hole in its eyelet. Thereafter the chute is pivoted to the left away from the carriers and an eyelet Y is on each carrier. Continued downward movernent of the head and carriers projects the carrier and its eyelet into its aligned end holes EH until the end of each eyelet engages the first punch means of a punch mechanism including its respective punch 4i and 41. The end of the carrier mount presses the eyelet against its punch which curls the end of the eyelet and permanently aflixes it in the end holes of two links as shown in FIG. 10. The anvil is pressed downwardly in the last part of the downward movement.

Means are provided to pivot the chutes or eyelet feed means underneath the respective pins and move them away. This means is essentially the same for each chute. There are various ways of accomplishing this and the means particularly illustrated for shifting the ends of the eyelet chutes away from alignment, includes a cam 44 for each chute 21 and 39, carried by the head 17 and a cam follower 45 suitably secured to its respective chute. The cam follower has a slot 46 in which the cam 44 slides. The slot 46 for chute 39 .is a closed slot. The cam also carries a blade 47 which is slidably mounted in a slot in the cam so that one edge is in alignment with cam edge 56 and the other edge is in alignment with cam edge 51. A spring 43 engages the end of the blade and presses the blade downwardly. A balancing spring 48 is attached to the positioning means 20 for the eyelet fed to the chute 39 since the weight of the structure normally pivots the delivery end of the chute 39 to the right aligned with the eyelet carriers. The same construction is used for the chute 21 except for the spring 23 and the slot 46 for the chute 21 is shown as an open ended slot.

Upon the downward movement of the head towards the anvil, the delivery end of each eyelet chute is under its carriers 37, 38 and 25. The end of the sliding blade 47 engages the top surface of the cam follower and retracts until the cam surface 49 engages the left hand edge of the slot 46 which cam or cam surfaces propels the cam chute 39 to the left out of the way and similar action propels the chute 21 rearwardly out of the way. The eyelets are removed on these chute movements. This brings the blade 47 clear of the shoulder so that it is propelled downwardly by its spring to its down position so that upon, upward or return movement of the head and cam, the left hand edge of the blade rides on the left end of the slot 46 and retains the eyelet chutes 39 and 21 away from the carrier pins. When the blade is raised above the cam follower 45, the eyelet chute pivots to the right and the chute 21 pivots forwardly so that the edge of the slot engages the cam surface 50 which brings each delivery end underneath its carriers for the next downward movement of the carriers to pick up another set of eyelets and the operation repeats.

Any suitable means is provided to feed the two link strips through the guide means and over the anvil, the means shown being suitable feed rollers 52, 53. Roller 53 is oscillated by an arm 54 connected with a link 55. This link is connected with a feed eccentric 56 carried by the main shaft 57 of the punch press. This feed eccentric has a slot 58 therein for adjustment of the position of the end of the link 55 with respect to the center of the shaft and thereby permits the length of the stroke of the link to be adjusted and the extent of oscillation of the feed roller 53. The arm 54 turns the feed roller 52 in one direction through a one direction friction clutch mechanism 59 which is on the market. A gear between roller shafts turns the upper gear. The eyelets, securing the strip 13 to the strip 14, feeds the latter through the machine. The upper roller is pressed against the lower roller by a spring 68 and mechanism is provided to raise this roller for each downward movement of the head. This mechanism includes a lift lever 60 pivotally mounted on the roller frame on a pivot 61. The left ends of the lift lever engages under the bearing blocks for roller 53 and the other end extends under a finger 69 carried by the head. The end of the lift lever is spaced below the finger so that after the strip has been fed, the rollers are separated so that the aligning pin is not restrained by the feed rollers to align the holes in the strips.

Safety means is provided to disconnect the press clutch provided with such presses and stop the reciprocation of the head in the event that the link strips 13 and 14 are not in sufficiently close alignment so that the aligning pin can enter the center holes of two links and align the center holes and the hands. This is accomplished by the aligning pin 18 being slidably mounted, FIG. 2, and normally held against movement. Means is provided to disconnect the press clutch when this occurs, the means shown being conveniently electrical. The aligning pin carries a grooved head 62 which is slidably mounted in a hole 63 carried by the head 17 and a spring 64 in the hole resiliently holds the aligning pin 18 downwardly and propels it downwardly if raised. In the groove of the head is received the end of a switch pin 65 which is slidably mounted in the head and operates a normally closed switch 66. When the aligning pin descends and the center holes are not in suflicient alignment so as to be aligned by the aligning pin, the latter fails to enter one or both center holes so that it moves upwardly relatively to the head which forces the end of the switch pin out of the groove and to the right and presses the switch pin 65 to the right as shown in FIG. 2 to open the switch 66. The switch is electrically connected with a solenoid 77 which operates a lever 94 to control the driving clutch 67 of the press to connect and disconnect the clutch or driving connection with the eccentric 12.

Counting mechanism is provided to count the number of links which have been connected together so that when the desired length of link band or a band with the desired number of links has been formed, the end eyelets are not inserted and hence not punched for this count. Since the end eyelets are the connection between links, failure to link the ends at any selected number of links provides a series of connected links of the number. The center eyelet is inserted and punched for every center hole however. The counting mechanism may be variously constructed that shown being a ratchet mechanism which also may take various forms. The ratchet mechanism shown includes a ratchet wheel shaft 70 on which is mounted at least one ratchet wheel 71. The ratchet wheel shaft is mounted on the frame 10 of the press. A pawl 72 is carried by a part of the reciprocating mechanism such as the head 17 and engages the ratchet wheel. For each reciprocation of the head, the ratchet wheel is advanced at least one tooth. Withdrawing means is provided which is operated by the counting mechanism when it has made the desired count to hold the end of the chute 39 away from the carriers for one reciprocation of the head. Upon the completion of one revolution, a switch operator 73, shown as a groove in the ratchet wheel, closes a solenoid switch 74 to energize a solenoid 75. The solenoid armature is connected through a spring 76 and cam follower 45 with the eyelet chute 39 for the end holes of the links and holds it to the left so that the end of the chute is not projected beneath the descending eyelet carriers 37 and '38. Since these carriers do not pick up eyelets, the ends of the links are not connected together so thatwhen the links are stripped from the bands or strips, these links are unconnected and the connected links of the proper number of links only are connected together.

For a different number of links a ratchet wheel with a different number of teeth may be mounted on the ratchet wheel shaft. Preferably, however, a series of ratchet wheels such as 84 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85 having different number of teeth are rotatably mounted on the shaft and connected by bolts 86 to rotate together. By positioning the pawl 72 along the adjustable pawl mount 87 to engage the desired ratchet wheel, the number of links to be connected may be selected as desired. A slot 88 in the pawl mount enables adjustment to be made for any particular ratchet wheel.

Some of the ratchet wheels may be used for two different lengths of bands or two different numbers of connected links. For example a ratchet wheel with 36 ratchet teeth may count 36 connected links however, by varying the position of the end of the pawl 72 with respect to the ratchet wheel by means of a screw 89 to rotate the ratchet wheel two ratchet teeth then a band will be formed having 18 connected links. By projecting the end of the pawl slightly away from the ratchet wheel,.it will engage each ratchet tooth. This is accomplished by adjustment of thescrew 89. Similarly a 40 tooth ratchet wheel may be operated to make a band of 20 connected links by rotating the same two teeth. Other combinations may be provided including advancing a ratchet wheel three teeth for a ratchet wheel having a number of teeth-which is a multiple of three. By adjusting'the vertical position of the pawl or its holder 90 with respect to the pawl mount 87 through a slot 91, the pawl may advance the ratchet wheel one or more teeth for each reciprocation of the head.

The anvil guide 32 may carry an aligning pin guide 78 having a guide hole 79 for the aligning pin 18 to assure that the aligning pin is not bent or flexed out of proper aligning position. The aligning pin 18 should be relatively close to the eyelet carriers and a convenient location is between the center hole carrier and the end hole carriers although it may be located in any other adjacent location. I

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in an eyelet'assembling machine. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skliled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

1. An extensible band assembling machine for connecting links carried by a pair of link strips having a plurality of holes regularly spaced lengthwise of the link strips comprising a frame, a head, means carried by the frame mounting the head for reciprocal movement, an anvil carried by the frame in alignment with the head, means connected with the head for reciprocating the same towards and away from the anvil, guide means to guide the pair of strips insuperimposed relation over the anvil, punch mechanism projecting into the anvil including a first punch means having at least one punch and a second punch means including a punch, means to feed a pair of superimposed link strips through the guide means and over the anvil, an eyelet carrier for each of the punches, the carriers being carried by the head with each carrier in alignment with its punch, a first eyelet feeding means for at least one eyelet carrier and having at least one eyelet passage, said passage having an eyelet delivery end, a second eyelet feeding means for another eyelet carrier, means mounting each eyelet feeding means for movement of its delivery end into the path of its eyelet carrier and away therefrom, operating means for the first eyelet feeding means and connected therewith to move the same into alignment with and away from its carrier for successive movements of the head towards and away from the anvil, operating means for the second eyelet feeding means and connected therewith to move the same into alignment with and away from its cmrier for each movement of the head towards and away from the anvil, counting mechanism for counting the reciprocations of the head, and withdrawing means operated upon a predetermined count of the counting mechanism and connected with the first eyelet feeding means to hold the same away from under said cooperatingeyelet carrier for. one re ciprocation of the head.

2. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 1 in which the counting mechanism includes ratchet mechanism operated by the machine on each reciprocal cycle thereof, and said withdrawing means operated by the ratchet mechanism upon a predetermined number of reciprocations of the head to hold the delivery end of the first eyelet feeding means away from under said eyelet carrier for one reciprocation of, the head.

3. An extensible band assembling machine asin claim 2 in which the ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet wheel mounted for rotation on the frame and a pawl carried by the head and engaging the ratchet wheel, and said withdrawing means including a switch operator rotatable with the ratchet wheel, a switch operated once on each revolution of the switch operator, and a solenoid connected with the eyelet feed means and electrically connected with the switch.

4. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 1 in which one punch means is spaced at least two holes forwardly of the other punch means and their respective eyelet carriers are correspondingly spaced, and an aligning means carried by the head positioned to enter a. corresponding hole in the two strips and being positioned between the eyelet carriers. a

5. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 1 in which the operating means for each eyelet feeding means includes a cam carried by the head, the eyelet feeding means having a ,slot receiving the cam and a shoulder at the side of the slot, a retractible blade carried by the cam and engaging the shoulder when the head is descending and the delivery end of the chute is under the eyelet carriers and entering the slot when the cam withdraws the eyelet feeding means away from alignment with the eyelet carrier to hold the eyelet feeding means away during the return movement of the carriers.

6. An extensible band assembling machine for connecting links carried by a pair of link strips each link having a center hole and a hole at each end thereof comprising a frame, a head, means carried by the frame mounting the head for reciprocal movement, an anvil carried by the frame in alignment with the head, means connected with the head for reciprocating the same towards and away from the anvil, guide means to guide the strips over the anvil, three spaced punches projecting into the anvil, means to feed a pair of superimposed link strips through the guide means and over the anvil, a pair of end hole eyelet carriers and a center hole eyelet carrier carried by the head with each carrier in alignment with a punch, a first eyelet feeding means for the pair of eyelet carriers for the end holes having a double channel with an eyelet delivery end, a second eyelet feeding means for the eyelet carrier for the center hole having a delivery end, means mounting each eyelet feeding means for movement of its delivery end into the path of its eyelet carrier and away therefrom, operating means for each eyelet feeding means and connected therewith to move the same under and away from the carriers for each movement of the head towards and away from the anvil, withdrawing means to move the double channel eyelet feeding means away from alignment with the carriers during at least the initial downward movement of the head until the aforesaid operating means becomes effective, and counting mechanism operable by each reciprocation of the head and connected with the withdrawing means to actuate the latter upon a predetermined number of reciprocations of the head.

7. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 6 in which the withdrawing means includes a switch operated by the counting mechanism at a predetermined count thereof, and a solenoid electrically connected with the switch and connected with the chute to withdraw the end thereof from under the eyelet carriers.

8. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 7 in which the counting mechanism includes ratchet wheel means having at least one ratchet wheel, means mounting the ratchet wheel means for rotation as a unit, a pawl carried by the head and engaging said ratchet wheel means to rotate the same, and the solenoid switch being operated by each rotation of the ratchet wheel means.

9. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 8 in which the ratchet wheel means includes a plurality of ratchet wheels secured together and adjustable mounting means for the pawl to position the same to engage a selected ratchet wheel.

10. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 6 in which the operating means for each eyelet feeding means includes a cam carried by the head, a cam follower carried by the eyelet feeding means and engaged by the cam to propel the delivery end of the eyelet feeding means away from the path of the carriers, a shoulder carried by the eyelet feeding means, and a retractible blade carried by the head having an end engaging the shoulder in carrier aligned position of eyelet feeding means to retract the blade as the head descends until the eyelet feeding means is moved by the cam and having an edge engaging the eyelet feeding means to hold the eyelet feeding means away from aligned position during the rest of the movement of the head.

11. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 6 in which the operating means for each eyelet feeding means includes a cam carried by the head, a cam follower carried by the eyelet feeding means and engaged by the cam to propel the delivery end of the eyelet feeding means away from the path of the carriers and having a shoulder, a slot in the cam, and a retractible blade carried by the cam slot having its end engaging the shoulder until the cam moves the eyelet feeding means away from aligning position after which the blade edge engages the cam follower during the rest of the reciprocal movement of the head.

12. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 6 including aligning means carried by the head and located between the center hole eyelet carrier and the pair of eyelet carriers.

13. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 12 including mounting means slidably mounting the aligning means, spring means propelling the aligning means outwardly, and means releasably retaining the aligning means in outward position.

14. An extensible band assembling machine as in claim 13 including a clutch for the head reciprocating means, clutch operating means, and a switch operated by releasing movement of the retaining means and actuating the clutch operating means to disconnect the clutch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 502,327 Stimpson Aug. 1, 1893 504,435 Jones Sept. 5, 1893 786,504 Lewis Apr. 4, 1905 1,448,946 Schaffer Mar. 20, 1923 1,505,691 Barkstrom Aug. 19, 1924 1,572,932 Jones Feb. 16, 1926 1,932,420 Nokes Oct. 31, 1933 2,357,889 Gookin Sept. 12, 1944 2,550,680 Ewing et a1. May 1, 1951 2,686,671 Gooperton Aug. 7, 1954 2,700,870 Green Feb. 1, 1955 2,829,488 Valli Apr. 8, 1958

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