GB683177A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for gauging and classifying work-pieces - Google Patents

Abstract

683,177. Sorting-gauges. PATENT-UND VERSUCHS-ANSTALT. Nov. 23, 1950, No. 28673/50. Class 106 (ii). Apparatus for gauging and classifying workpieces according to tolerance groups comprises members arranged to form a wedgeshaped gap into which the workpieces are pressed for gauging, one of the members being movably mounted, a device arranged to measure the depth of insertion in the gap, the indicator of the device being locked, rendered visible and/or rendered effective by an arrangement controlled by the movable member forming the wedge-shaped gap. A device for gauging the diameter of a cylinder 2 comprises a horizontal surface 1 along which the cylinder is rolled to lift an inclined plane 4 and displace the plunger 3 of a dial gauge 5 until its pointer brushes a fixed contact 6 whereupon an electric circuit is closed to light a lamp 30 to enable the reading of a dial gauge 9 whose plunger 7 has been displaced horizontally to an extent depending upon the deviation of the diameter of the cylinder 2 from standard. The dial 9 is graduated so that cylinders may be classified according to the deviations of their diameters from standard and the scale of the graduations depends on the inclination of the plane 4 which may be mounted on a pivoted arm so as to be adjustable by screw means. To use the device for a different standard, another fixed contact may be suitably placed on the dial 5. The dial gauges 5, 9 may be interchanged. The dial gauges may be replaced by electrical indicating devices using capacitance or inductance effects. Sorting. A device for sorting after gauging, Fig. 3, comprises an inclined surface 4 and two plungers 3, 7 actuating switch plates 15, 18 respectively, the plate 15 being earthed and pivoting between contacts 16, 17, while the plate 18 is connected to the contact 17 and slides longitudinally over a series of contacts 19. The contacts 19 correspond to the categories into which the cylinders 2 are to be sorted and are connected to the positive terminal of a battery 26, whose negative terminal is earthed, through a series of electromagnets 22 which, when energized, pivot open flaps 21 to expose receptacles below. When closed the flaps 21 form a slideway 20 leading to the first open receptacle. Latches 23 hold the flaps 21 open after their electromagnets 22 are deenergized and electromagnets 24, when energized, release the latches. When a cylinder 2 is rolled beneath the inclined plane 4 it lifts the plate 15 from the contact 16 and opens parallel circuits through the latch control electromagnets 24. the plate 18 slides over a number of contacts 19 according to the category to which the cylinder belongs and determined when the plate 15 reaches the contact 17 to close circuits through these contacts 19 and their corresponding electromagnets 22 to open corresponding flaps. The circuit is opened by an electromagnet 25 actuating a switch which is held open by a latch 28 which has already been freed by its electromagnet 29 in parallel with the other latch control electromagnets 24. The cylinder is pushed on to roll down the slope 20 into the first open receptacle while the plate 15 has returned to the contact 16 to energize the electromagnets 24 to free the latches 23 after a sufficient delay caused by an appropriate capacitor 27 placed in parallel with the electromagnets 24 and 29. The sensitivity may be preset by adjusting the screw spindle 14. The cylinder 2 may be moved manually or mechanically. The device may be set to gauge cylinders of another diameter by adjusting contact 17 relative to contact 16. Selective signalling. Instead of the direct connection between the plate 18, contacts 19 and electromagnets 22, the displacement of the plunger 7 may be used to produce electric impulses which control a step-by-step switch gear, e.g. a rotary switch of automatic telephone line selector type or a group of cooperating relays, which then influences the electromagnet circuits. The impulses may be generated directly by contact elements or indirectly by induction or capacitively or by a shutter operated by the plunger 7 and interposed between a light source and a photoelectrical converter. Numerous alternative arrangements of the parts and surfaces 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 shown in Fig. 1, are described, some wherein the workpiece remains stationary, relative displacements being resolved into two components for operating the two gauging devices.