GB1596567A - Grinder - Google Patents

Description

(54) A GRINDER (71) We, JOHN ROUSE (GLASS MACHIN ERY) LIMITED, a British Company, of Butlers Leap, Clifton Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to a grinder and is particularly, but not exclusively concerned with a grinder for removing sharp corners from glass sheet as the sheet passes through an edge grinding machine.

When grinding edges on a rectangular glass sheet, as the sheet moves through an edge grinding machine, sharp corners are inevitably formed which can be a danger to persons subsequently handling the sheet. An object of the invention is to provide a grinder which can be used for removing such sharp corners from glass sheet.

According to the invention there is provided a grinder comprising first and second spaced apart grinding portions, deflectable support means for said first and second grind ing portions and a workpiece engaging mem ber arranged between the grinding portions, the support means allowing the grinding portions to move to a deflected position clear of the workpiece as a leading part of the workpiece engages the first grinding portion, and said workpiece engaging member being arranged to maintain the grinding portions clear of the workpiece until the trailing end of the workpiece clears the member whereupon the second grinding portion is allowed to move into momentary engagement with a trailing part of the workpiece.

Preferably the grinding means comprises two grinding wheels mounted for rotation on a common deflectable support means. The grinding wheels may be coaxial and may be formed with frusto-conical grinding surfaces which face opposite directions.

The workpiece engaging member may project radially beyond the peripheries of the grinding wheels. Pivotal mounting means may be provided for the deflectable support means to enable the deflectable support means to pivot in pendulum fashion.

Adjustable bias means may be arranged to bias the deflectable support means normally towards the workpiece.

A grinder in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of grinder in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a view of the grinder shown in Figure 1 on the line II--II in Figure 1.

A glass sheet edging machine has a bed 1 supporting two glass sheet conveyors 2 (only one of which is shown) each of which cooperates with associated sheet holding apparatus 3. The apparatus 3 may be of the kind described in our co-pending British Patent Application No. 4050/78. (Serial No.

1590714) A leg 4 is connected by a pivot 5 to the bed 1 and carries an electric motor 6 at its upper end. An arm 20 projects from the leg 4 and slidably supports a weight 21. The lower end of the leg 4 carries a cylindrical support 7 for two coaxial and frusto-conical grinding wheels 8, 9 mounted on a common shaft 11.

Drive to the grinding wheels is transmitted from the motor 6 through a belt 10 and pulleys 10a, lOb on the motor 6 and shaft 11 respectively. The left-hand side of the support 7 as viewed in the drawings carries a block 12 one end of which defines a curved continuation 12a of the frusto conical surface of grinding wheel 8. The other end of the block terminates relatively abruptly adjacent the periphery of the larger diameter end of grinding wheel 9. The block supports a roller 13 rotatable about a vertical axis Y. The block may be adjustably mounted on the support 7.

In, use a sheet of glass G passing through the machine in the direction of arrow A (see Figure 2) approaches the grinding wheel 8.

As seen in that Figure, the frusto-conical surface of the wheel 8 lies in the path of one corner 14 of the sheet. As the corner 14 engages the rotating wheel 8, the wheel grinds the corner but is simultaneously deflected against the bias of the weight 21, the leg 4 swinging about the pivot 5 in the direction of arrow B (see Figure 1). Continued move ment of the sheet G causes the curved surface 12a of the support 7, and subsequently the roller 13, to ride along the right hand edge of the sheet so as to hold the wheels 8, 9 clear of the sheet. Eventually the trailing right hand corner 15 of the sheet G rides along the block 12 and thefrusto-conical surface of the rotating wheel 9 swings into engagement with that corner as the corner clears the block. In this manner, the corners 14, 15 are ground automatically as the sheet moves through the machine. Normally a second grinder in accordance with the invention will be arranged on the opposite side of the machine for grinding the left hand corners of the sheet.

The position of the weight 21 on the arm 20 can be varied to alter the bias which tends to urge the grinding wheels 8, 9 towards the glass sheet G.

If desired, a simple grinding wheel could be used for providing a chamfer on one corner only.

Instead of mounting the grinding wheels on a pendulum-like support, they could be mounted on an alternative supporting structure which would allow the wheels to be pushed to one side.

Although the grinder is particularly applicable to glass sheet edging machines, it may be useful for grinding corners from sheet metal or timber as it emerges from machinery which results in the formation of unwanted sharp corners.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A grinder comprising first and second spaced apart grinding portions, deflectable support means for said first and second grinding portions and a workpiece engaging member arranged between the grinding portions, the support means allowing the grinding portions to move to a deflected position clear of the workpiece as a leading part of the workpiece engages the first grinding portion, and said workpiece engaging member being arranged to maintain the grinding portions clear of the workpiece until the trailing end of the workpiece clears the member whereupon the second grinding portion is allowed to move into momentary engagement with a trailing part of the workpiece.

2. A grinder according to Claim 1, in which the first and second grinding portions comprise two grinding wheels mounted for rotation on a common deflectable support means.

3. A grinder according to Claim 2, in which the grinding wheels are coaxial.

4. A grinder according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the grinding wheels are formed with frusto conieal grinding surfaces which face opposite directions.

5. A grinder according to Claims 2, 3 or 4, in which the grinding wheels are beltdriven from a motor mounted on the common deflectable support means.

6. A grinder according to any of Claims 2 to 5, in which the workpiece engaging member projects radially beyond the peripheries of the grinding wheels.

7. A grinder according to any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the said workpiece engaging member defines a surface one portion of which forms a curved continuation of the grinding wheel which engages said leading part of the workpiece, said surface terminating abruptly adjacent the grinding wheel which engages said trailing part of the workpiece.

8. A grinder according to Claim 7, in which said means supports a roller which engages an edge of the workpiece between the leading and trailing parts as the workpiece moves past the grinder.

9. A grinder according to any preceding Claim, in which pivotal mounting means is provided for the deflectable support means to enable the deflectable support means to pivot in pendulum fashion.

10. A grinder according to any preceding Claim, in which adjustable bias means is arranged to bias the deflectable support means normally towards the workpiece.

11. A grinder constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ment of the sheet G causes the curved surface 12a of the support 7, and subsequently the roller 13, to ride along the right hand edge of the sheet so as to hold the wheels 8, 9 clear of the sheet. Eventually the trailing right hand corner 15 of the sheet G rides along the block 12 and thefrusto-conical surface of the rotating wheel 9 swings into engagement with that corner as the corner clears the block. In this manner, the corners 14, 15 are ground automatically as the sheet moves through the machine. Normally a second grinder in accordance with the invention will be arranged on the opposite side of the machine for grinding the left hand corners of the sheet. The position of the weight 21 on the arm 20 can be varied to alter the bias which tends to urge the grinding wheels 8, 9 towards the glass sheet G. If desired, a simple grinding wheel could be used for providing a chamfer on one corner only. Instead of mounting the grinding wheels on a pendulum-like support, they could be mounted on an alternative supporting structure which would allow the wheels to be pushed to one side. Although the grinder is particularly applicable to glass sheet edging machines, it may be useful for grinding corners from sheet metal or timber as it emerges from machinery which results in the formation of unwanted sharp corners. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A grinder comprising first and second spaced apart grinding portions, deflectable support means for said first and second grinding portions and a workpiece engaging member arranged between the grinding portions, the support means allowing the grinding portions to move to a deflected position clear of the workpiece as a leading part of the workpiece engages the first grinding portion, and said workpiece engaging member being arranged to maintain the grinding portions clear of the workpiece until the trailing end of the workpiece clears the member whereupon the second grinding portion is allowed to move into momentary engagement with a trailing part of the workpiece.

2. A grinder according to Claim 1, in which the first and second grinding portions comprise two grinding wheels mounted for rotation on a common deflectable support means.

3. A grinder according to Claim 2, in which the grinding wheels are coaxial.

4. A grinder according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the grinding wheels are formed with frusto conieal grinding surfaces which face opposite directions.

5. A grinder according to Claims 2, 3 or 4, in which the grinding wheels are beltdriven from a motor mounted on the common deflectable support means.

6. A grinder according to any of Claims 2 to 5, in which the workpiece engaging member projects radially beyond the peripheries of the grinding wheels.

7. A grinder according to any of Claims 2 to 6, in which the said workpiece engaging member defines a surface one portion of which forms a curved continuation of the grinding wheel which engages said leading part of the workpiece, said surface terminating abruptly adjacent the grinding wheel which engages said trailing part of the workpiece.

8. A grinder according to Claim 7, in which said means supports a roller which engages an edge of the workpiece between the leading and trailing parts as the workpiece moves past the grinder.

9. A grinder according to any preceding Claim, in which pivotal mounting means is provided for the deflectable support means to enable the deflectable support means to pivot in pendulum fashion.

10. A grinder according to any preceding Claim, in which adjustable bias means is arranged to bias the deflectable support means normally towards the workpiece.

11. A grinder constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.