US2537792A - Rotary processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 1951 A. 1. scHLoss ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 26, 1947 INVENToR A 1. DEN I. 5CH/ 06.5.

A. l. SCHLOSS ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUS Jan. 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. ALDEN l. CSC/4L 05s.

...,...........................,-..5 IHHH Filed Nov. 26, 1947 T`1z| .4.

H TTRNEYS Patented Jan. 9, 17.951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEl 2,537,792 l ROTARY PROCESSING APPARATUS Alden I. Schloss, New York, N. Y. Application November 26, 1947, Serial No. 788,187

4 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains to improvements in rotary processing apparatus.

An object of the invention is to provide resilient mounting means for rotary lprocessing members such as buling wheels and the like.

A further object is to provide mounting means of the above nature adapted to permit angular shifting of a rotary buier to follow irregular contours of objects being processed.

Another object is to provide means to guide and4 regulate the angle of shift of the buffer and the degree of flexing of the mounting means.

A still further object is to provide means by which the normally flexible mounting means may be rendered rigid when desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of oneform of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the same in the plane 2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view of a typical formed guide rod;

Figure 4 illustrates the angular exing of the device to follow lthe contour of a surface being buied;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a similar view of a third embodiment, and

Figure 7 is a similar view of the third form illustrating the application of end plates to render the mounting rigid. 'l

Referring to Figures l and 2, the numeral I designates a buffer spindle on which are mounted inner and outer hub plates II and I2 respectively. A plurality of longitudinal cylindrical springs I3, preferably made of rectangular stock as illustrated, are removably secured to the plates II and I2 in circumferentially spaced relation to form a mounting cage. The means of securing the springs to the plates may be by means of set screws I4 extending radially through terminal collarsl I welded to the ends of the springs, the inner ends of the set screws bearing on iianged bushings I5 disposed inside the collars l5. Rods Il', extending through the bushings i6 and retained by terminal nuts I8, brace the structure and may be dimensoned and' formed to limit and guide the flexing of the springs i3 as hereinafter set forth.

The springs I3 are adapted to carry a plurality of vadjacently disposed buing sections I9 of any suitable type herein illustrated as of the annular fabric construction disclosed and claimed in vcopending application Serial Number 776,302, led on September 26, 1947. Gripper rings have extruded inner cylindrical portionsf 2l adapted to embrace the springs I3, and also have axially directed points 22 for gripping the buffer sections I9 near the inner edges of the latter. Adjustable clamps 23 are provided to grip `the springs I3 on both sides of the gang or assembly of buffer sections, thereby retaining the latter longitudinally and pressing them together as a unit. Y

The outer hub plate may be fitted with an inner key 24 engaging a key-way 25 in the shaft I. A cap 25, threaded on the outer end 21 of the hub plate member I2, engages the end of the shaft or spindle I0.

In assembling the buffer sections on the sup-v porting cage, they are rst placed on the springs i3 inthe general position shown in Figure l, but with the rods I'I mounted loosely to allow longitudinal movement. The cap 26 maythen be turned on the hub end 2l, thus drawing the plate l2 outward after the manner of a Wheelpuller and thereby stretching the springs I 3to a greater extent than it is desired to have them tensed when the ldevice is in operation. The buffer sections with their Aretaining structures are next pressed together and the clamps 23 are tightened to grip the springs. The shaft cap 26 is then retracted, allowing-the springs I3 to contract to the tension desired in operation. The contraction of the springs between opposing clamps 23 tends to draw the latter toward each other, thus pressing the buifer sections and their gripper rings more tightly together. At the same time the longitudinal contraction of the springs I3 causes a slight increase in their outer diameters, thereby further tightening the grip of the Clamps 23 and assuring proper retention of the buier gang in position during operation. The hub plate I2 is then locked to the spindle I0 by means of a set screw 28 and the rods I1 are secured tightly in place.r

Figure 4 illustrates the manner in which the flexible mounting permits the assembly I9a of buffersI E9 to swing laterally to follow angular surfaces on a work-piece 29. With ordinary rigid mounting such contours must be followed either by forcing the buffer itself to yield, which is destructive to the buffer and produces irregular work, or by swinging the Work itself to accommodate the rigidly mounted bui, which latter proceeding is laborious and often impractical in the case of large work-pieces such as automobile bumpers.

For certain classes of work wherein it is desired to provide rigid radial backing for the buffer assembly While permitting angular flexing, rods Ila, interchangeable with the straight rods I l, may be made with various guiding surfaces such as that illustrated in Figure 3. In the latter figure the central portions 3B of the rods Ila are enlarged to substantially the interior diameter of the springs i3, the profiles 3| of the central portions 30 comprising circular arcs with their center 32 in the axis 33 of the driving spindle. It will be'evident that when such rods are used, the

iiexing of the buffer sub-assembly is guided spherically after the manner o a universal joint, While radial yielding of the mounting is restrained. Similarly, various degrees and types of restraint and guidance may be provided by interchangeable rods of suitable size and contour, the extreme condition being in which it may be desired to render the mounting substantially rigid. In the latter case the rods may have cylindrical central portions tting the interiors of the springs I3.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification in which a single large cylindrical spring 34 forms the resilient mounting for the buffer sections i9 instead of the previously described cage springs i3. In this modification the Welded end rings 35 of the spring 34 are secured directly to the hub plates 36 and 31 by means ci screws 33. The gripper rings 39 are formed with extruded cylindrical internal rims 40 embracing the exterior of the drum spring 34, and the end clamps lll are adapted to press the buier sections together as previously described. In the manner also previously described, the spring drum may be stretched by means or" the screw cap 26 to permit easy initial location of the buffer gang, after which partial retraction of the cap causes longitudinal contraction and diametral expansion to tighten the clamping of the buffer gang thereon. It will be noted that in installing or removing the butler gang from the mounting means shown in Figure 5, it is unnecessary to remove the plate 3l or any other part of the mounting means, thus providing for quick and easy interchangeability of buffer sections or gangs.

A central guiding and limiting member 42 of any desired shape but herein illustrated as of spherical exterior contour, may be secured on the spindle l!! within the drum-spring 34. The member 42 is adapted to guide and limit the flexing of the mounting means in the same manner as explained with respect to the rods Ha, Fig'- ure 3.

Figure 6 illustrates a type of ilexible buier in which the yielding quality is embodied in central discs forming individual radial supports for the builer sections. In this embodiment each multilayered outer bufiing annulus S3 has secured therein by sewing or the like a disc ill of rubber or other suitable resilient material. The discs Ml are bonded to central bushings l5 of rigid material fitting on the driving spindle d. The bushings 45 have forward external tapers 4l and corresponding rear internal tapered surfaces 48.

In assembly a plurality of the buler sections are placed together on the spindle 48, the bushings 45 being clamped together in nested driving relation between a nut 49 and an externally Vtapered driving hub 59.

In the described assembly shown in Figure 5 the resilient supporting discs it supply the yield necessary to allov.T the outer annular buiier portions 43 to follow irregularities in the work surfaces for certain types of service. This action enables the fabric annular portions to be made relatively dense and relieves them of the necessity for destructive spreading and yielding among the individual layers of the sections. When it is desired to convert this typeto a rigidly mounted type for buiiing surfaces having no .irregularities requiring flexibility, the assembly may be clamped between removable end plates 5i and 99 disposed on the spindle 46 behind the nut 49 and the driving hub 5i! respectively, as shown in Figure 7.

While the invention has been described in premit angular tipping of said annular members as a unit with respect to the axis of said shaft, means including clamps individually embracing each of said cylindrical mounting means to secure said annular members to said mounting means, and rigid means to limit radial flexing of said resilient mounting means.

2. In a rotary processing device, in combination, a rotary spindle, flexible mounting means secured to said shaft and including adjustable longitudinal helical spring means adapted to normally support a rotary processing member in concentric relation with said shaft and means to lock said member to said helical spring means, said spring means being flexible to permit angular tipping of said rotary processing member as a unit with respect to the axis of said shaft.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cage comprising a pair of spaced plates secured to said shaft and a plurality of longitudinal helical springs terminally secured to said plates in circumferentially spaced and separated relation, rigid rods extending through the interiors of said springs and secured to said plates, and means to secure a plurality oi rotary buing sections to said springs.

.4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a rotary shaft, a cage comprising a pair of spaced plates secured to said shaft and a plurality of longitudinal helical springs termlnally secured to said plates in circumferentially spaced and separated relation, rigid rods extending through the interiors of said spring and secured to said plates, and means to secure a plurality of rotary buing sections to said springs, said rods having shaped central portions adapted to engage the interior surfaces of said springs to guide and control lateral flexing of said springs.

ALDEN I. SCHLOSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fue of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,097 Abbe May 8, 1883 352,087 Fullerton Nov. 2, 1886 496,836 Messer May 2, 1893 y497,477 Post May 16, 1893 551,019 Webster Dec. 16, 1895 1,314,125 Burlew Aug. 25, 1919 1,352,204 Leitch Sept. 7, 1920 1,544,521 Sosa June 30, 1925 1,666,746 Maynard Apr. 17, 1928 2,140,208 Murray Dec. 13, 1938 2,146,284 Churchill Feb. 7, 1939 2,226,625 MacFarland et a1. Dec. 31, 1940 2,295,282 Mall Sept. 8, 1942 2,455,099 Seelenfreund .n..- Nov. 30. 19411

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