US2718895A - Die cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept' 27, 1955 J. 1. THOMAS ETAL DIE CLEANING MACHINE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April 27, 1950 dd Z 7 @maw/UM MyW/ e www M www@ @JJ y Spt. 27, 1955 J. J. THOMAS ET AL DIE CLEANING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Apri1 27, 195o ...III :lllll .IIII ...i-IIN Innen/22219: @694m 5. @4P/D, fof/DH i Cf/WQ/erz ma JOHN JT -7HOMQ5 /e/f aff/@J DIE CLEANING MACHINE John J. Thomas, Joseph E. Schwartz, and Gerald S. Clapp, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 27, 1950, Serial No. 158,446

2 Claims. (Cl. 134-83) The present invention relates to die cleaning apparatus and more particularly to a continuous die cleaning machine especiallyl suitable for cleaning wire-drawing dies.

In the servicing of wire-drawing dies, it is necessary, from time to time, to rework the inner contours of the dies as they become worn from use in drawing wire. The reworking of the dies involves ripping or lapping operations which are ordinarily followed by sizing and polishing steps to condition the inner contours of the dies before they are put out into the wire mills for further wiredrawing use. Inasmuch as the conventional wire-drawing die is made of tungsten carbide it is necessary, due to the hardness of this material, to make use of powdered abrasive materials, such as silicon carbide, boron carbide, diamond powder, etc., suspended in carrying mediums, such as olive oil, in order to remove or rework the surface of the die contours. After each ripping, lapping or die sizing operation, it is necessary that the abrasive material and its carrying agent be removed from the die prior to each succeeding ripping or lapping operation in order to avoid the intermingling of the coarser with the succeeding finer grades of abrasive powders used in these operations.

Prior to our invention it was necessary to clean each die by hand, making use of solvents, such as gasoline, naphtha, carbon tetrachloride, etc., which solvents are toxic to many individuals thus causing infections among the workers. In addition to being a health hazard, the hand cleaning operation was also time consuming and resulted in lower production per man since it was necessary that he clean each and every die by hand before proceeding with the next lapping, sizing or polishing step.

lt is accordingly an object of our invention to provide a die cleaning apparatus which will automatically and continuously feed dies through a bath of cleaning solution which, together with properly directed jets of compressed air, will thoroughly clean and dry the dies without the need of a workmans hand coming in contact with the solvent cleaning fluid.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the invention with the cover removed;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, taken on the line II-iI of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates an elongated tank in which is positioned a track 4 for conveying dies W therethrough. Track 4-` is made up of a downwardly sloping entrance portion 6, an intermediate horizontal portion 8, and an upwardly sloping exit portion 10. The tank 2 contains a solvent l2, such as gasoline, naphtha, carbon tetrachloride, etc.. The tank is filled with solvent 12 up to a nited States Patent O level which will cause the intermediate horizontal portion 8 of track 4 to be completely submerged. A die feed magazine 14 is located at the entrance end 16 of the tank and carries a stack of dies to be cleaned. A pusher arm 18, actuated by an eccentric 20 through levers 22 and 24 and link 26, feeds a die from the magazine 14 for every revolution of the eccentric 20 and thus successively pushes the preceding dies W on track 4 through tank 2. The eccentric 20 is actuated by motor 21 through gear reducer 23. The dies enter and are submerged beneath the cleaning solution level at point A and pass over air nozzles 28 which are connected to a main air chest 30. The air nozzles 28 are located below the solution level directly beneath and in line with the center of the track 4 and the openings in the dies. The track 4 is made up of two sections 32 and 34 spaced apart from each other so as to allow for circulation of the solvent and air through the dies which slide along track 4 with the openings thereof in registry with the open space between rails 32 and 34. Two air nozzles 36 are located above the track and have their nozzle openings at approximately the solution level or slightly therebelow. Air nozzles 36, similarly to air nozzles 28, are connected to air chest 30 but are suspended directly over the track` so that the air jet issuing therefrom will be directed to the open space between the track sections and the die openings in registry therewith.

The dies emerge from the cleaning solution 12 at point B and travel up the sloping exit portion 10 of track 4. Immediately above and below the exit portion 10 are disposed pipe manifolds 38 and 40, respectively, which are also connected to air chest 30 and which have drilled therein small openings 42 in line with their lengths whereby compressed air is emitted and directed downwardly from manifold 38 and upwardly from manifold 40. The openings 42 are so positioned that the compressed air is directed toward the open space between the track sections and thus toward the openings of the dies traveling on the track. The compressed air emitted from the openings in manifolds 33 and 40 serves to dry the dies before they emerge from the exit end of the tank 2. Upon reaching the end of track portion 10, the dies simply drop off the end of the track into a suitable container, such as a box or carton (not shown), positioned thereunder.

The top of tank 2 may be covered with a removable cover plate 46 which has bent up end portions 48 and 50 at the entrance and exit ends of tank 2, respectively, to provide restricted openings for passage of the dies entering and leaving the tank.

The combined action of the solvent 12 and air agitation from the nozzles 28 and 36 within the bath does a thorough job of removing the abrasives and the oil carrier therefor from both the exterior surfaces of the die casings and the surfaces of the inner contours of the die openings. Whenever the machine is not in operation, the abrasives settle to the bottom of the tank and remain undisturbed when the machine is next put into operation because the agitation is localized within the vicinity of the track and the solution level which is some distance above the bottom of the tank, as best seen in Figure 2. It may be remarked here that the number of nozzles either above or below the track may bevvaried as desired. Also, the top and bottom nozzles may be positioned in different vertical planes, as shown in Figure 2, or the top and bottom nozzles may be opposed in the same vertical plane if desired. We have used both arrangements and obtained satisfactory results. Also, manifolds similar to the manifolds 38 and 40 may be substituted for the nozzles 28 and 36 to obtain the desired results. If it is desired, air nozzles or manifolds may be used only below or only above the track instead of both above and below as shown.

A drain valve (not shown) may be attached to lthe bottom of tank 2 to facilitate removal of the used solvent 12.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modificationsI may be Vmade without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim.:

1. Die cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated tank adapted to contain a solvent bath, a track in said tank along which dies are adapted to slide, said track being composed of a pair of spaced rails adapted to support dies with their openings in registry with the space between the rails, said track including a portion sloping downwardly into the tank at each end and an intermediate portion beneath the solvent bath level connecting said sloping portions, a plurality of air nozzles located below the solvent bath level directly beneath and in line with the center of the intermediate track portion with their openings terminating a short distance from said track and adapted to discharge Huid jets through the openings of dies traversing said intermediate portion of said track, and a plurality of air nozzles disposed above said track directed downwardly and in line with the center of the intermediate track portion with their openings terminating immediately above the solvent bath level, the nozzles above said track being oli-set vertically from those disposed below said track.

2. Die cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated tank adapted to contain a solvent bath, a track in said tank along which a plurality of dies having substantially at bottoms are adapted to slide on their bottoms and in abutting relation, said track being composed of a pair of spaced rails adapted to support dies with their openings in registry with the space between the rails, said track including a portion sloping downwardly into the tank at each end and an intermediate portion beneath the solvent path level connecting said sloping portions, pusher means on the upper end of one of said sloping portions for pushing the endmost die of said plurality of dies to move said dies along said track, a plurality of air nozzles located below the solvent bath level directly beneath and in line with the center of the intermediate track portion with their openings terminating a short distance from the said track and adapted to discharge lluid jets through the openings of dies traversing said intermediate portion of said track, anda plurality of air nozzles disposed above said track directly downwardly and in line with the center of the intermediate track portion with their openings terminating immediately above the solvent bath level, the nozzles above said track being off-set vertically from those disposed below said track.

References Cited` in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,547 Schwarzenbach Aug. 28, 1906 969,238 Wright Sept. 6, 1910 1,393,6.33 Moltrup Oct. 11, 1921 1,508,828 Wholey Sept. 16, 1924 1,561,503 Barry Nov. 17, 1925 1,705,544 Schmidt Mar. 19, 1929 1,736,846 Cole Nov. 26, 1929 2,114,782 Kohler Apr. 19, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 255,067 Switzerland Jan. 3, 1949 616,151 Great Britain 1949

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