US801267A - Machine for making metal slugs. - Google Patents

Description

8 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED 00T. l0, 1905.

M. REID. MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1904.

No. 801,267. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

` M. REID.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED Amma, 1904.

a snsmssnnm z.

Jj@ 2f.

@fw @am f A M5 @A No. 801,267. PATBNTED OCT. l0, 1905.

M. REID. I

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1904.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3. I

m .JL f@ QM. @am @y @NMY w. l T w m m l r l l l l l1 fk 0 1N n T M i W m D s W m w mm M@ T .U A L P S4 Lw um W B2 Mm UGA mmm RKn .AF MM@v Rn mm Em mA m m hw. 7. SDM 6 5. 2 E@ L S/V w @Mw 1 No ma d f1# U1 d PATENTED OCT. l0, 1905. M. REID.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.Z3, 1904.

ya@ QM@ @6245@ @y Y @JT PATENTED 00T. l0, 1005. Ml REID.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS,

APPLICATION FILED APR.23, 1904.

8 SHEETS-SHEET l'.

L/9 i 24 y "u i #e 53 @4f/0 n j@ g,

L m\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\:\ y WW v No. 801,267. PATENTED OCT. l0, 1905.

M. REID. MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL SLUGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR,23,1904.

No. 801,267. PATENTBD OCT; 10, 1905.

MACHINE POR MAKING METAL SLUGS.-

APPLIUATION FILED APR. Z3, 1904.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

MARCELLUS RElD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR -TO AMERICAN BALL COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION` OF RHODE ISLAND.

MACHINE Fon MAKING METAL SLUGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Oct. 10, 19(15.

Application filed April 23, 1904. Serial No. 204,521.

To nl?, zult/)771, it ntfty/ concern:

Be it known that I, MARCELLUS REID, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Metal Slugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of metal slugs or vball-blanks of approximately spherical form adapted to be converted into practically perfect balls by a suitable grinding operation.

The invention consists in certain improvements in mechanism for making approximately spherical slugs, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Figs. 8 and 9 represent views similar to Fig. 7, showing different stages of the operation. Fig. 10 represents a view similar to a portion of Fig. 6, certain parts being removed. Fig. 11 represents a section on line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 represents a section on line 12 12 of Fig. 7. Fig. 13 represents a section on line 13 13 of Fig. 4. Fig. 14 represents a plan Vview of the knocking-off finger and slide shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 15 represents a section on line 15 15 ofFig. 14. Figs. 16 and 16u represent a modication hereinafter referred to. Fig. 17 represents a top view of the cutters shown in Figs. 1, 2, and other figures removed from the machine. Figs. 18 to 24, inclusive, represent various stages of the operation of making' a slug in accordance with my invention. Fig. represents a perspective view of one of the completed slugs.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the iigures.

In the drawings, 2O 2O represent a pair of rotary cutters, which are preferably discoidal plates arranged edge to edge in the same plane and each having a V-shaped cutting edge 21. In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 17, 18, 19, and 2O the edges of both cutters are in the same plane, each extending only partly around the periphery of the plate on which it is formed and each having a minimum projection from the said periphery at its forward end 22, Fig. 17, the projection graduall-y increasing to make a portion of the cutting edge eccentric to the axis of the cutter, the eccentricity terminating between the forward end 22 and the rear end 23 of the cutting edge, so that the rear portion of the cutting edge is concentric with the axis of the cutter. This formation enables the eccentric portions of the cutters to coperate in severing from a rod 24 a slug 25 having tapered or approximately hemispherical ends, as indicated by Figs. 19 and 20, the concentric portions ofthe cutters supporting the rod and preventing it from dropping between the cutters while the severed slug is being removed and presented to a pair of pressing-dies. The interruption of the continuity of the cutting edges enables the rod to drop between the cutters after the rear ends of the cutting edges have passed out of contact with the rod, all as hereinafter described. One of the cutters 2O is affixed to a shaft 26, which is journaled in fixed bearings in the supporting-frame of the machine. The other cutter 2O is affixed to a shaft 27, which is journaled in adjustable bearings 28 28, which are movable in guides on the frame toward and from the shaft 26, the object of the adjustability of the shaft 27 being to compensate for wear of the cutting edges of the cutter. To the shaft 26 is affixed a bevel-gear 29, meshing with a bevelgear 30, axed to the driving-shaft 31. The shaft 26 is driven by the described connection between it and the driving-shaft 31 and is provided with a gear 32, which imparts rotation through an intermediate gear 33 to a gear 34, aflixed to the shaft 27, the gear 33 being located at one side of a line intersecting the axes of the shafts 26 and 27 to permit the' described adjustments of the shaft 27 without adecting the connection between said shafts. The bearings 28 28 are secured to a guide 35, Fig. 2, on the supporting-frame by bolts 36 and nuts 360 thereon. Said bolts and nuts positively secure said bearings in any position to which they may be adjusted. When the nuts 360 are loosened, the bearings 28 may be adjusted toward the bearings of IOO Figs. 2, 3,

the shaft 26 by means of adjusting-screws 37, engaged with internally-threaded portions of the supporting-frame, the inner ends of said screws bearing against steps 38, Fig. 4, inserted in sockets formed for their reception in the bearings 28.

Between the bearings for the upper ends of the shafts 26 and 27 is a vertical guide 39 for the rod 24, said guide being formed and arranged to present the rod to the nip of the cutters 20. The guide 39 is tubular and has inner and outer walls, forming an annular chamber surrounding the portion of the rod that is within the guide. Means are provided for heating said chamber to prevent undue cooling of the rod in its passage to the cutters, it being desirable to keep the portion of the rod that is being acted on by the cutters at a red heat. The said chamber may be heated by a gas-flame directed into an opening` 40, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, in the lower portion of the guide. To prevent injury to the cutters by heat conducted through the lower portion of the guide, I provide said lower portion with radiating-anges 41, which radiate sufcient heat to accomplish the desired result. The guide 39 is adjustable in such manner that it can be maintained exactly central over the nip of the cutters, thus compensating for any movement of the adjustable cutter. To this end the guide is provided with a bracket 42, and 5, litted to slide in a guide 35, aiiixed to the supporting-frame, the bracket 42 being secured to the guide 43 at any position to which it may be adjusted by a bolt 44, having a nut 45, Fig. 3.

The rod 24 is fed by gravitation through the guide 39 and is supported foreach blanksevering' action of the cutters by means of a supporting-stop 46, Figs. 7, 8, and 9, which is movable, said stop being attached to a slide or carrier 47, which is movable crosswise of the path of the rod, so that the stop 46 is alternately held in the path of the rod and caused to support the same, as shown in Fig. 7, and out of said path, as shown in Fig. 8. The slide 47, supporting the stop 46, is provided with a trundle-roll 48, entering a camgroove 49 in a disk 50, affixed tothe shaft 26, the major portion of said cam-groove being concentric with the axis of the shaft, while a minor portion 49() of said groove is abruptly curved, as shown in Fig. 2. The concentric portion of the cam holds the stop 46 in its projected position, and the portion 49() gives the stop a quick backward movement and then quickly returns it to its projected position. The slide 47 has a base or extension 470, (see Figs. 2 and 5,) which is movable in a fixed guide 51 on the supporting-frame.

52 and 53 represent blank-pressing dies adjacent to the cutters, each die having a hemispherical cavity. The upper die 52 is afxed to the frame of the machine, and the lower die 53 is supported by a vertically-movable carrier 54, engaged by a link 540 with an eccentric stud 55, Fig. 3, on an operating-sllaft 56, journaled in bearings on the frame of the machine. To said shaft is aiiixed a gear 57, meshing with a gear 58 on the driving-shaft 3l. The rotation of the shaft 56 causes the lower die 53 to approach and recede from the die 52. Mechanism is provided for carrying each blank from the cutters to a point between the dies when the lower die is depressed and holding the blank until the lower die rises sufciently to engage the ends of the blank with the die-cavities. Said mechanism comprises a pair of jaws 59 59, aliixed to arms 60 60, which are pivoted at 61 61, Fig. lO, to ears 62 62, Fig. 1l, aiiixed to a slide 63, which is movable between fixed horizontal guides 64 64, Fig. 6, on the supporting-frame. The slide 63 is reciprocated horizontally by a cam 65, afixed to the gear 57 on the shaft 56, the slide having a stud 650, Fig. 3, engagingsaid cam. The jaws 59 have recessed edges forming a cavity 66, Fig. l0, formed to grasp the blank, said jaws being held in yielding' engagement with the blank by springs 67 67, interposed between the arms 60 and {ianges 68 on the ears 62. When the rod descends between the cutters, the carrying-jaws are out of the path of the rod, the lower end of the latter entering a cavity 800, formed by the recessed edges of two steadying-jaws 80 80, Fig. l2, hereinafter described, located just above the stop 46, said steadying-jaws holding the end portion of the rod while the same is being severed to form a slug. The carrying-jaws 59 move to position to grasp the slug while the latter is held and steadied by the jaws 80. The carrying-jaws are provided with heels 590, which during the return or slugengaging movement of the jaws bear on opposite sides of the rod during the latter part of the severing operation and aid in steadying the slug just before it is grasped by the carrying-jaws. The carrying-jaws then move forward and carry the blank to a point between the pressing-dies while the lower die is depressed. The carrying-jaws hold the blank between the dies until the lower die is raised sufficiently to cause the die-cavities to engage the ends of the blank, and then the jaws are retracted, their yielding hold on the blank permitting them to slip off from the latter and leave it between the dies. The lower die continues to ascend after the retraction of the jaws, so that the dies exert pressure on the ends of the blank, compressing the latter endwise, as indicated in Fig. 23, the blank being thus brought to an approximately spherical form, as shown by Fig. 24. When the lower die again descends, the blank is discharged therefrom by an ejector 69 into a spout70, Figs. 5 and 6, which surrounds the lower die and is inclined downwardly from one side thereof, so that the blank is discharged from the machine into a suitable receptacle, from IOO IIO

Vwardly between the jaws.

which it is subsequently removed to be ground and polished. The ejector 69 is a pin movable longitudiaally in an orifice in the lower' die and extending below the latter, its lower end bearing on an arm 71, afxed to a vertical rod 72, which is adapted to slide infixed guides on the carrier 54. A spring 73 normally holds the ejector below the cavity of the lower die. rlhe descent of the lower die causes the rod 72 to strike a fixed stop 74, Figs. S and 5, thus arresting the downward movement of the rod, its arm, and the ejector before the die reaches the extreme of its downward movement, the ejector being thus projected into the die-cavity and caused to eject the blank. The upper die is provided with an ejector 75, which is a rod movable endwise in said die and engaged at its upper end with a cross-bar 76. A spring 77 normally retracts the ejector 75 from the upper diecavity. IVhen the lower die-carrier has nearly reached the downward extreme of its movenient, the cross-bar 76 and ejector 75 are depressed through a pair of rods 7 8, connecting the cross-bar with the lower die-carrier, the ejector being thus caused to force from the upper die-cavity any slug which may have become lodged therein.

It will be seen that the cutters in severing a slug from the rod form a gradually-deepening \l-shaped peripheral groove in the rod the sides of which ultimately constitute conical ends 240, so that each slug after the first one severed from the rod has two tapering ends or heads which are preferably slightly convex from base to apex. These heads conform approximately to the die-cavities, as shown by Fig. 22, so that the amount of metal displaced by the dies in pressing the slug to an approximately spherical form is much less than would be the case if the ends or heads of the blank were substantially fiat. In other words, the end portions of the blank are given an approximately hemispherical form by the cutters before the pressing operation, Aand the Work devolving upon the dies is therefore correspondingly reduced. The displacement of the metal by the cutters results in the formation of burs or flanges at the bases of the conical heads, these anges being of greater diameter than the intermediate body of the slug, so that the upper flange overhangs the jaws 59 and prevents the slug from slipping down- Vhen the pressing-dies close upon the slug, they act first upon the pointed ends of the conical heads and convert said heads into two end zones a? separated by the unformed central portion of the blank, as shown by Fig. 23. Thereafter the continued pressure of the dies upon the blank forms the intermediate Zone y of thc sphere by reducing the distance between the end Zones, and thus decreasing the length and increasing the diameter of the intermediate port'on of the blank. The slug is thus given a spherical form by first conforming the conical ends to the die-cavities, an operation that requires only a minimum expenditure of power and displacement of metal, owing to the con'- ical form of the said ends, and then conforming the central portion of the slug to the portions of the die-cavities not occupied by the end Zones, thus forming the central zone. I find that the formation of the central Zone involves less displacement of metal in the form of a iin at the equator of the central Zone than would be the case if the ends of the blank were flat, in which case the end Zones and the central zone would be formed simultaneously and more metal would be displaced outwardly at the equator of the central Zone in the form of a iin. The amount of metal that has to be removed by grinding is therefore reduced to the minimum.

If, with the ordinary method of forming slugs the ends of which are Hat instead of tapered, the pressure exerted by the dies is suflicient to cause the metal to completely fill the die-cavities, an objectionably-wide finis formed at the equator of the slug. If to avoid this a lighter pressure is employed, there is a liability that the slug will not completely fill the die-cavities.v so that flat areas will be left. The wide fin is usually too bulky to be removed by grinding and has to be trimmed off. The fiat areas require the removal of a considerable portion of the surface of the slug to render the same spherical. rIhese objections are entirely obviated by my invention.

In connection with the slug-feeding jaws 59 I employ a pair of slug holding or steadying jaws 80 80, Fig. 12. which are interposed between the jaws 59 and the stop 46 when the jaws 59 are in their rod-grasping position. The jaws 8O are pivoted at 8l to the slide 47 and do not move with the jaws 59 to carry the slug to the pressing-dies. The jaws 80 are, however, held by the slide in position to grasp the rod when the latter is fed downward between the cutters, and they are engaged with the rod when the feeding-jaws return to position to engage the rod before the cutters sever the slug. The steadying-jaws therefore prevent the feeding-jaws from displacing' the rod when they are engaging it.

ICO

Springs 82 exert a relatively light closing pressure on the jaws 80, this pressure being lighter than that exerted on the jaws 59 by the springs 67. Hence the jaws 59 in moving forward are able to readily remove the slug from between the jaws 80.

As before stated, the slide 47 has a quick backward-and-forward movement imparted to it at intervals, the rod-stop 46 and the steadying-jaws 8O moving with the slide. The object of this movement is to enable a fixed arm 83, located between the jaws 80 and above the stop 46, to eject from between the jaws and from the stop an imperfectly-formed slug which is too short to be grasped by the IZO carrying-jaws, such slug being', for example, the remnant of the rod after the last operative slug has been formed. Said` remnant when arrested by the stop is below the carrying-jaws and is not moved by them. Then the slide, with the stop and steadying-jaws, is moved backward, the arm 83 standing stationary forces this remnant off from the stop and causes it to fall, so that it will not obstruct the descent of the next rod to the stop. The imperfect slugs thus ejected may escape through a suitable outlet in the machine. The arm may be aflixed to a stationary bracket 84 on the .frame of the machine.

85, Fig. 4, represents a wedge shaped block which is interposed between one of the movable bearings 2S of the cutter-shaft 27 and the corresponding' lixed bearing E280 of the shaft 26, the said bearings having oblique faces bearing on the sides of the wedge. When the adjustable bearing i8 is adjusted, the wedge is correspondingly adjusted by a screw-threaded bolt 86, Fig. 3, which is journaled in a fixed bearing in the frame, its thread engaging' a nut 87, engaged with the wedge. The wedge provides for the secure maintenance of any desired space between the said iixed and movable bearings. As shown in Fig. 3, the wedge is provided with a vertical passage 88, through which the imperfect slugs fall. 89 represents a slug-displacing finger adapted to wipe off from the lower die a slug which may fail to be dislodged therefrom into the spout 70. Said finger is pivoted at 90 to a slide 91, movable in aguide 92 on the carrier 5a. Then the slide 63 moves forward, with the feeding-jaws, a projection 630 thereon strikes the slide 91 and Yforces the finger 89 across the lower die, so that the finger strikes the projecting portion of the slug. A spring 94 forces the slide and linger backwardly when the slide 63 is retracted.

The stop t6 is mounted to move vertically in holder or housing 97, afiixed to the slide 4T, the stop being' supported by a spring' 98, Fig. 13. 'lhe stop is thus adapted to yield and conform to the elongation of the rod due to the action of the cutters in severing the slug.

ln 16 and 16 I show a modified construction of the cutters, in which each cutting edge is a helical rib, so that the cutters act continuously, each cutting edge having a gradually-increasing height for a portion of its length.

l claim 1. A machine of the character described comprising a pair of rotary cutters mounted to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, said cutters being provided with eccentric cutting portions, and also with rod-supporting portions adapted to support a rod after a portion has been severed therefrom.

Q. A machine of the character described comprising a pairof rotary cutters mounted to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, said cutters being provided with tI-shaped eccentric cutting portions and also with rodsupporting portions adapted to support a rod after a portion has been severed therefrom, said rod-supporting portions being separated from the forward ends of said cutting portions by openings, which permit the feeding of a rod between the cutters.

3. The combination with a pair of rotary cutters mounted to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, said cutters being provided with eccentric cutting portions, and also with rod-supporting portions adapted to support a rod after a blank has been severed therefrom, of a stop adapted to arrest the rod as it is fed between the cutting portions before the blank is severed.

a. 'lhe combination with a pair of rotary cutters mounted to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, said cutters being provided with eccentric cutting portions, and also with rod-suj'iporting portions adapted to support a rod after a blank has been severed therefrom, said rod-supporting portion being separated from the forward ends of said cutting portions, whereby said rod is released, of a stop located below said cutters and adapted to arrest the rod as it passes between said separated portions.

5. A machine of the character stated, cornprising slug-severing cutters, a rod-stop below said cutters, steadying-jaws above said stop, and feeding-jaws movable in a path above the steadying-jaws, and below the cutters.

6. A machine of the character stated, comprising slug-severing cutters, a red-stop below said cutters, steadying-jaws above the stop, means for giving said stop and jaws short reciprocating movements in unison, a lixed rod or stop located between the steadyingjaws to dislodge from the jaws and stop an imperfect slug, and feeding-jaws movable in a path above the steadying-jaws, and below the cutters.

7. A machine of the character stated, comprising cutters having ii-shaped cutting edges for severing conical-ended slugs from a rod, and a rod-stop below said cutters having a yieldingmovement to compensate for the elongation of the rod by the cutters.

8. A machine of the character described comprising a Vertical shaft mounted in fixed bearings, a companion shaft mounted in movable bearings, rod-cutters mounted on said shafts and each provided with eccentric cutting portions and also with rod-supporting portions adapted to supporta rod after a blank has been severed therefrom, a wedge-block interposed between said fixed and movable bearings, and means for adjusting said wedgeblock.

9. A machine of the character describ l IOO lIO

comprising' a vertical shaft mounted in fixed bearings, a companion shaft mounted in movable bearings, rod-cutters mounted on said shafts and each provided with eccentric cutting portions and also with rod-supporting` portions adapted to support a rod after a blank has been severed therefrom, a wedgeblocl interposed between said iXed and movable bearings, means for adjusting said wedgeblock, means for moving said movable bear- IQ ings relative to said fixed bearings', and an adjustable rod-guide.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MARCELLUS REID. /Vitnesses:

CHARLES A. WILSON, ALBERT V. MoULToN.

Images