US3546780A - Apparatus for checking the profiles of gear teeth,especially bevel gears - Google Patents

Description

ec. S, 1970 K. H. WEBER 3,546,780 APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE PROFILES OF GEAR TEETH, ESPECIALLY BEVEL GEARS Filed June 21, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet l K. H. WEBER Dec., l5, 1970 CHECKENG THE PROFILES OE GEAR TEETH, ESPECIALLY BEVEL GEAEs APPARATUS FOR Filed June 21, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /nven/ar: Wn/Z Mz?,-

ec. 15, i970 K. H. WEBER 3,546,786

APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE PROFILES OF GEARy TEETH, ESPECIALLY BEVEL GEARS Filed June 2l, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l /nve/l lar.' KARL f/E/Nz wggg Dec. l5, 1970 K. H. WEBER CHECKING THE PROFIL ES OF GEAR APPARATUS FOR TEETH, ESPECIALLY BEVEL GEARS 4 Sheets-Shea*l 4 Filed June 21 1968 lnvenlor:

United States Patent Int. cl. G6111 /20 U.S. Cl. S23-179.5 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Gear checking apparatus having a base member in which a rst shaft for supporting a gear is supported on a carriage mounted on the base member for movement transverse to the axis of the first shaft with simultaneous rotation of the shaft in the carriage. The carriage is adjustable in the direction of the shaft axis and also angularly relative to an axis vertical to the axis of the first shaft.

A second carriage on the base member has a second shaft rotatable therein. The second carriage is adjustable on the base member transversely to the axis of said second shaft with simultaneous rotation of said second shaft. A feeler adjustably carried by said second shaft engages the gear on said first shaft. A lever interconnects the carriages for simultaneous transverse movement thereof.

The second shaft is arranged for axial movement in said second carriage.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for checking the profiles of gear teeth, especially bevel gears.

Such apparatus generally includes a support for the gear to be checked and a support for a feeler and a base common to the supports; the supports are adjustable angularly about an axis vertical to the base, each support comprising a carriage. A lever pivoted on the aforementioned axis interconnects the carriages for simultaneous movement. Movements of the carriage pertaining to the gear support causes rotation of the gear to be checked that is mounted thereon. Movement of the carriage pertaining to the support Afor the feeler causes rotation of the feeler. The supports are adjustable relatively to accommodate lfor dif- -ferent types and sizes of gears and the feeler is adjustable on its support during rotation of the gear being checked and the feeler, the feeler follows the profile of a tooth of the gear. The present invention concerns an improvement in apparatus of the abovementioned type according to which the rolling cylinder associated with the feeling device is supported by a stationary shaft. This shaft may according to a specific embodiment of the said apparatus support a further rolling transmission lfrom which is derived an additional movement. The purpose of this additional movement is a movement of the `feeler in the direction of the height of the teeth.

It is an object of the present invention to provide additional means to bring about the said additional movement according to the present invention, the transverse carriage associated with the stationary shaft is connected to adjustable inclined guiding means which impart onto the shaft bearing and thereby also onto the shaft with the feeler device connected thereto an axial movement which is adjustable as to its magnitude. A device of this type is characterized by a particular simplicity.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing an apparatus according to the invention with a device for axially displacing the feeler head.

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FIG. 2 shows the measuring of the profile with a measuring feeler displaceable in axial direction.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement for a feeler head for producing a movement of the measuring feeler on a ball surface about the tip of the partial cone.

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement for a feeler head, the measuring feeler of which moves on the profile of the normal cut of the replacement tooth.

FIG. 4a is an isometric view of an apparatus as one example in which the feeler mechanism likewise carries out a turning movement in conformity with the reference gearing While the feeler head is additionally displaced in the direction of the height of the teeth.

Similar to the apparatus disclosed in assignees above identified copending application, the rolling cylinder 6 is supported by a carriage 5 which, in its turn, is guided on a rotatable ibase 8, while the rolling cylinder 25 associated with the feeler device 17 is mounted on a stationary shaft 20. A circular disc 94 provided with inclined guiding means 95 is rotatably and arrestably arranged in the broadened table surface 93. The inclined guiding means 95 may be adjustable parallel or inclined at will with regard to the direction of movement of the transverse carriage 27. A stud or pivot 97 inserted in the shaft bearing 96 engages the inclined guiding means. If the inclined guiding Imeans is in inclined position and the transverse carriage 27 is displaced, a displacement of the shaft bearing and of the shaft 20 in the direction of its axis will result. The shaft 20 is coupled to the rolling cylinder 25 for rotation therewith by means of a key 20a. In this way it is possible to impart to the radial adjustable feeler device 17 connected to shaft 20 the desired additional movement in the direction of the height of the tooth when the feeler device 20 exerts a rolling movement.

As shown in FIG. 2, the measuring dome or peek 18 of the Ifeeler moves along a helical line 98 of a cylinder 99 for the radius of which it has been adjusted and which cylinder is circumscribed around the axis 21. This is due to the rotation of the rolling cylinder 25 brought about the rolling bands during the displacement of the transverse carriage 27 and due to the rotation of the shaft 20 and is, furthermore, due to the simultaneous displacenient in the direction of its axis as caused by the pivot or stud 97. This helical line, when the cylinder is developed into a plane, corresponds to a straight line and with a corresponding angular adjustment of the inclined guiding means 95 corresponds to the engaging line of the plane appropriate gearing of the bevel gearing (Tredgolds approximation). According to the transmission ratio adjusted by the roller Iband' and lever transmission in conformity with the rolling of the workpiece on the reference gearing, the measuring dome of the feeler always contacts the profile or flank of the workpiece at points pertaining to the common engaging line of the supplementary gearing and records the deviation of the shape of the flanks of the workpiece to be checked Vfrom the rated shape.

With the arrangement according to FIG. 3 which represents an alternative solution to that of FIG. 2, the measuring dome 18 does not move on the surface of a cylinder but on a ball surface circumscribed by the common partial cone tip of the workpiece to be tested and reference gearing. The feeler device 17 is radially adjustably mounted on an arm of a two-arm lever 100. This lever is connected to a shaft 101 which is rotatably journalled in a yoke bearing body 102, which, in its turn, is connected to the rolling cylinder 25. The second yoke-shaped arm of lever 100 extends a bolt 103 which in its turn is connected in an angle piece screwed fast onto shaft 20.

The operation is as follows: While the work to be tested and the rolling cylinder 25 rotate at their transmission ratio, the shaft 20 rotating with the rolling cylinder will Patented Dec. 15, 1970 be axially displaced in conformity with a correspondingly adjusted inclined guiding means 95. The rod 103 brings about a rotation of lever 100 with the feeling device about the shaft 101 which rotates together with the rolling cylinder. The measuring dome 18 therefor, moves on the surface of the ball 105 for the radius of which it has been adjusted and upon said ball 105 moves along a curve which very much resembles the spacial engaging line of the bevel gear ring, inasmuch as rotations by small angles are involved.

With the spiral cone gears, due to manufacturing conditions, the straight line flank profile is obtained in normal section of the reference gearing. Therefore, it is expedient to adjust the measuring feeler for the normal cut of the reference gearing,

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement which permits this adjustment. A supporting frame 106 is connected to the rolling cylinder 25 while the front side of said frame which faces the workpiece to be checked is provided with a guiding path 107. In this guiding path there is guided a carriage 108 which is radially adjustable and arrestable by means of a screw 109. On the said carriage 108 there is mounted a cylindrical disc 110 which has a rectangular window 111, said disc 110 being rotatably adjustable and being arrestable by any convenient means not shown. Within said window there is pivotally journalled a bearing body 112 which is pivotable about its axis which is perpendicular to the axis 21. In said bearing body 112 there is axially adjustable and nonrotatably guided a rod 113 which has its front end carrying the feeler device 17 with the measuring dome 18 whereas the other end of said rod 113 carries a roller 114 journalled therein. A spring 115y presses the rod 113 against a plane abutment surface 116 at the front end of shaft 20. By rotation of the cylinder disc 110 in conformity with the inclined or spiral angle of the respective tooth and when pivoting the bearing body 117 toward the normal angle of engagement, the displacement of the rod 113 with the measuring feeler in the direction of the straight ilank profile as brought about by the axial movement of the shaft 20 may be adjusted in the normal cut of the reference gearing. The radius by which the measurement is to be effected is adjusted by the carriage 108. The diameter of the engaging surface 116 must be so great that the roller 114 will still engage the same by all occurring adjustments.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specic embodiments referred to above. Thus, for instance, the inclined guiding means for producing the axial supplemental movement may, contrary to the examples referred to above, act directly upon the shaft rather than upon the shaft bearing.

It is considerably more favorable to employ a pointshaped feeler and to move the same during the measuring operation additionally in the direction of the height of the tooth so that in its path it will act like a measuring edge. Such operation is possible with the design according to FIG. 4a.

Fundamentally, the device according to FIG. 4a. corresponds to that of FIG. 4 in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 738,986, Seybold, iiled concurrently herewith on June 21, 1968 and belonging to the assignee of the present invention. The arrangement of FIG. 4a comprises the shaft 20 associated with the feeler mechanism, in addition to the described roller transmission 23'-25' cooperating with the transverse carriage 27', additionally equipped with a further roller transmission, namely, shaft 20', roller bands 38 and carriage 39. Shaft 20 is, by means of a set screw 40' secured against rotation, whereas the roller cylinder is freely rotatable on the shaft 20'. Fixedly connected to the roller cylinder is an angle member 41' with machined-in guiding groove 42' for the carriage 39'. This carriage 39 has connected thereto the ends of the roller bands 38. The carriage 39 supports a substantially U-shaped member 44 which is radially adjustable in the guiding groove 43. Between the legs of U-shaped member 44 there is rotatably journalled a shaft 45. Shaft 45 is adjustable, inclined by the meshing angle 0f the workpiece to be checked with regard to a plane perpendicular to the axis 21. Shaft 45 has its central portion provided with a stud or pin 46 which is guided in a groove 47 of a cylindrical disc 48. Connected to disc 48' is a rod 49 with the feeler 50', said rod 49 being guided in the neck of a rocker 51 and is secured by a key 52' against rotation. The inclined position of groove 47' is adjustable in conformity with the respective prevailing conditions. The rocker 51 is journalled in bearings 53 on a base member 54' which is adjustably connected on a guiding body 55 by nonillustrated means. The said guiding body 55' is connected to the legs of the angle member 41'.

The ends of the shaft 45 are journalled in ball cups of sliding shoes 56' which are adapted to be displaced in guiding grooves 57 in the legs of the member 44. Shaft 45' consists of three telescopically interengaging members which are pressed apart by springs 58. When pivoting the rocker 51' about the axis of the stud 46', the slide shoes 56 slide in the guiding grooves 57', and the sections of the shaft 45 move into or out of each other. In the adjusted pivoting positions about the axes 0f members 46 and 53, the rocker is adapted to be clamped fast by any convenient means not shown in FIG. 4a.

OPERATION OF THE DEVICE ACCORDING TO FIG. 4a

The operation of the device of FIG. 4a is as follows:

The U-shaped member 44' arranged on the carriage 39 is radially adjusted with regard to the axis 21 in such a manner that the feeler dome 18 rakes the profile of the workpiece to be checked at the predetermined distance from its pitch cone tip when by turning the hand crank 29 the imaginary reference gearing and the workpiece to be checked roll upon each other. So far, the movements correspond to those of the device according to FIG. 1 of the aforementioned copending application. According to FIG. 4a there is an additional movement of the feeler head in the direction of the height of the tooth. If, namely, the angle member 41 together with the roller cylinder 25 turns about the axis 21 and the carriage 39 follows this movement, said carriage 39' simultaneously moves in groove 42 due to the rolling on the stationarily held shaft 20 as forced by the roller bands 38. The member 44 is thus moved along. Shaft 45', stud 46 and inclined guiding means 47 bring about an axial displacement of the rod 49' and thereby the desired additional movement of the feeling device 50J with the feeler dome 18 in the direction of the height of the tooth.

Due to the tiltability of the rocker 51 about two axes arranged perpendicularly to each other, the rod 49' can, within certain limits, be adjusted in conformity with any desired direction relative to axis 21. In this way it will be possible to move the feeler in conformity with the rectilinear protile of the tangential sections of the flanks of the reference gearing bevel gears with straight or inclined teeth and also in conformity with the rectilinear prole of the normal section of the reference gearing of bevel gears Iwith spiral teeth. inasmuch as the measuring feeler which moves along a straight path in both instances represents a prole of the reference gearing, the transmission ratio for the turning movements of the reference gearing and of the workpiece to be checked, i.e., of the rolling cylinder 25' and the spindle upon which the workpiece is tested as shown in the aforementioned copending application is to be adjusted in conformity with the pitch cone angle of the workpiece 1' to be checked.

If desired, in view of the adjusting possibilities, the rod 49 carrying the measuring feeler may also be adjusted in the direction of the rectilinear normal profile section of a non-roller spur bevel gear with spiral teeth. In order then to check the flank prole of the teeth of a gear associated with said spur bevel gear, it is necessary to adjust the transmission ratio of the rolling cylinder 25 and the receiving spindle upon which the workpiece is tested as shown in the aforementioned co-pending application in conformity with the teeth ratio of the workpiece to be checked to the spur bevel gear while the angle of the axes 3 and 21 must equal the axis angle of the transmission.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for checking the profiles of gear teeth, especially bevel gear teeth: a base member, a first support member mounted on said base member for pivotal movement thereon about a first axis perpendicular to the base member, a second support member mounted on said first support member for movement thereon radial to said first axis, a third support member mounted on said second support member for movement thereon transverse to the direction of movement of said second support member, a first shaft rotatable in said second support member, means for rotating said first shaft in response to movement of said third support member on said second support member, a fourth support member on the opposite side of said first axis from said first support member and supported on said base member for movement therein in a direction at right angles to a radius from said first axis, a fifth support member adjacent said fourth support member and moveable radially of said first axis, a second shaft rotatable but nonaxially moveable in said fifth support member, a cylindrical portion nonrotatably but axially moveably carried by said second shaft and rotatably but nonaxially `moveably mounted in said fourth support member, means responsive to movement of said fourth support member on said base to rotate said cylindrical portion and said second shaft, the line of intersection of the planes perpendicular to said base member and containing the axes of said first and second shafts being coaxial with said first axis, a lever pivoted on said first axis and having one arm engaging said third support member and another arm engaging said fourth support member for simultaneous movement of said third and fourth support members, means for mounting a gear on the end of said first shaft adjacent said first axis, a feeler, means for mounting said feeler on one of said second shaft and cylindrical portion adjacent said first axis for engaging the teeth of said gear, and means for adjusting said fifth support member together With said second shaft means radially of said first amis.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 which includes a yoke connected to said cylindrical portion, a third shaft in the yoke having its axis intersecting the axis of said second shaft, a two arm lever rotatable on said third shaft, said feeler being mounted on one arm of said two arm lever, the other arm of said two arm lever being fork shaped, a bracket fixed to said second shaft, and a rod fixed to said bracket and engaging said fork shaped arm of said two arm lever.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 which includes an abutment disc on the end of said second shaft, a bracket connected to said cylindrical portion, a first member slidable on said bracket perpendicular to the axis of said second shaft, a second member angularly adjustable on said lirst member, a push rod extending through said first and second members and having one end engaging said abutment member, spring means urging said push rod toward said abutment member, a pivotal connection between said push rod and said second member, and said feeler being mounted on the end of said push rod opposite said one end thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,270,425 9/1966 Tishler et al 33-179.5(5) 3,321,840 5/1967 Pedersen 33-179.5(5)

SAMUEL S. MATTHEWS, Primary Examiner

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