US3824877A

US3824877A - Indexing workpiece supporting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3824877A
Application number: US00394099A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Mazue
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-09-07
Filing date: 1973-09-04
Publication date: 1974-07-23
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-23
Also published as: JPS4993976A; FR2197696A1; FR2197696B1

Abstract

The rotatable table of the indexing workpiece supporting apparatus is carried by a vertical shaft which is rotatably mounted within a lower casing. This shaft is connected by bevel gears with a first inner shaft radially disposed within the casing with respect to the vertical shaft, this first inner shaft being in turn connected by interchangeable spur gears with a second inner shaft laterally situated with respect to the vertical shaft. A Geneva cross gearing connects this second inner shaft with a third one disposed in line with respect to the first inner shaft, but on the other side of the vertical shaft. This third shaft is in turn connected with a fourth shaft parallel to the second inner shaft, but situated on the other side of the vertical shaft, and this fourth shaft is driven by means of a vertical worm, the lower end of which projects below the casing to form an inlet shaft, and of a corresponding worm mounted loose on the said fourth shaft, but angularly retained thereon by a torque limiting coupling. The interchangeable gears and the Geneva cross gearing are disposed in opposed lateral recesses of the casing and are easily accessible through removable covers.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Mazue 1451 July 23, 1974 INDEXING WORKPIECE SUPPORTING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Jack Mazue, Saone-et-Loire,

Mercurey, France 22 Filed: Sept. 4, 1973 21 Appl.No.:394,099

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Hake .Q 74/820 Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander & Dowell [5 7 ABSTRACT The rotatable table of the indexing workpiece supporting apparatusis carried by a vertical shaft which is rotatably mounted within a lower casing. This shaft is connected by bevel gears with a first inner shaft radially disposed within the casing with respect to the vertical shaft, this first inner shaft being in turn connected by interchangeable spur gears with a second inner shaft laterally situated with respect to the vertical shaft. A Geneva cross gearing connects this second inner shaft with a third one disposed in line with respect to the first inner shaft, but on the other side of the vertical shaft. This third shaft is in turn connected with a fourth shaft parallel to the second inner shaft,

' but situated on the other side of the vertical shaft, and

retained thereon by a torque limiting coupling. The

interchangeable gears and the Geneva cross gearing are disposed in opposed lateral recesses of the casing and are easily accessible through removable covers.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENIE 111231914 SHEEI 1 [IF 2 4i. no. 6 ca .2

I l INDEXING WORKPIECE SUPPORTING APPARATUS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to indexing workpiece supporting apparatus of the kind comprising a rotatable supporting plate mounted on a casing which encloses a step-by-step advancing mechanism, such as a Geneva cross gearing, and a set of interchangeable gears disposed between this mechanism and the table to permit of varying the angle of advance of the latter at each operating cycle of the apparatus. The apparatus further generally comprises means to lock the table at each indexed position between the successive advancing steps.

It is an objet of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind in question wherein the interchangeable. gears and the Geneva cross Zgearing are easily accessible through lateral removable covers provided on the casing.

It is a furtherobject of the present invention to provide such an apparatus wherein the vertical shaft means which drive the rotatable plate are connected through a pair of bevel gears with a first inner shaft radial to the said shaft means, this first inner shaft being in turn connected by interchangeable gears, disposed in a first lateral recess of the casing, with asecond inner shaft laterally disposed with respect to the said means and itself connected'through by a Geneva cross gearing, disposed in a second lateral recess of the casing, with a third inner shaft disposed in line with the aforesaid first inner shaft, but on the other side of the vertical shaft means, and the said third inner shaft being in turn connected through a pair of gears with a fourth inner shaft disposed on the other side of the vertical shaft means with respect to the said second inner shaft; the said first and second recesses being closed by removable covers and are thus easily accessible. h Still a further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus as abovedefined, wherein the fourth inner shaft carries a worm wheel with which it is frictionally connected by torque-limiting means, this worm wheel being driven by a vertical worm the lower endof which projects downwardly from the casing to form the inlet shaft of the apparatus. j i I The invention also includes an-apparatus of the kind above defined, wherein the fourth shaft is formed as a cam to actuate a locking member slidably mounted within the casing and which is'urged by spring means towards the table to lock same in position between the successive advancing. steps of the apparatus.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is an axial vertical section of an apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section thereof corresponding to line II-II of FIG, 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental section illustrating the worm and worm wheel gearing through whichthe apparatus is driven.

FIG. 4 is a fragmental vertical sectioncorresponding to line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

The indexing workpiece supporting apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a table 1 carried by a vertical tubular shaft 2 rotatably mounted in a casing 3 by means of antifriction bearings such as 4; As shown shaft 2 has an annular radially protruding portion 2a which is clamped by means of screws's between table 1 and a socket 6 the lower end of which is formed as a bevel gear 6a. This gear 6a meshes with a bevel pinion 7 carried by a horizontal shaft 8 supported within casing 3 by antifriction bearings 9. Casing 3 is approximately rectangular in horizontal cross-section (see FIG. 2) and its smaller sides are formed with lateral recesses, respective 3a and 3b. Shaft 8, which is of course directed radially with respect to shaft 2, extends into recess 3a, the latter being normally closed by a removable cover 10. A spur gear 11 is removable mounted on shaft 8 within recess 3a. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, a hub 8a is fixed on shaft 8 and gear 11 is secured to the said hub by means of screws such as 12.

Gearll meshes with anotherspur gear 13 also disposed within recess 3a and removably secured, as for instance by means of an axial screw 14, onto the end of a lateral shaftlS parallel to shaft 8, this lateral shaft being supported within casing 3 by means of antifric-' ing- 3 by antifriction bearings 22. It will be observed that in the embodiment illustrated, shaft 21 is co-axial to shaft 8.

The Geneva cross mechanism 18-19-20 has not been detailed in the drawings since it is well known in the art. In the present embodiment wheel 18 is in the form of a flat disc having. on its side which faces cover 17 a number of projections 18a which determine a series of radial passages for rollers 20, as for instance four at right angles to each other, the circular path followed by rollers 20 being tangent to the said passages in the conventional manner.

Plate 19 is formed with peripheral teeth which mesh with a pinion 23a provided on the closed end of a socket 23 mounted on a second lateral shaft 24 parallel to the above mentioned lateral shaft 15 and carried within casing 3 by antifriction bearings 25. Socket 23 is longitudinally slidable on shaft 24 but it is angularly fixed thereon, as for instance by means of a longitudinal key, not illustrated. Shaft 24 has an axial extension 24a of smaller diameter, which passes through the end wall'of socket 23. The end of this extension is screwthreaded and it receives a nut 26 which presses resilient spherical washers 27 against socket 23. The latter is thus urged'towards the right in FIG. 2 against a worm wheel 28 loose on shaft 24, this wheel resting in turn against an annular radially projecting portion 24b of the said shaft.

Wheel 28 is in mesh with a vertical worm 29 carried within casing 3 by antifriction bearings 30 (see FIG. 3). The lower portion of this worm 29 extends outwardly below casing 3 and it is connected with the shaft (not illustrated) of an electric motor 31 carried by the lower side of the casing.

Shaft 24 is formed in a transverse plane substantially radial to shaft 2, with a groove 24c (FIGS. 2 and 4) of arcuate transverse cross-section which extends through somewhat more than The bottom 24d of this groove plays the role of a cam for a follower roller 32 carried by a horizontal arm 33. The latter is clamped on a cylindrical rod 34 vertically slidable in a corresponding bore ofcasing 3 (in which it may be guided blind bore which opens downwardly, its lower end being slidable on a cylindrical block 35 secured to the casing by a screw 36. The upper end of rod 34 is conical as indicated at 34a. The lower tubular portion of rod 34 further contains a compression spring 37 which takes rest against block 35, thus urging rod 34 upwardly.

Plate 1 is of the kind described in my French Pat. No. 1,581,154. It comprises a peripheral skirt 38 (see FIG.

' 1) having an inner ring 380 secured to its lower end. An

intermediate annularmember 39 is disposed between ring 38a and the lower side of table 1, this member being clamped by screws 40 on a stationary sleeve 41 which rests on an inner portion of casing 3 into which screws 40 are screwed. A first annular diaphragm 42 is disposed between annular member 39, its outer edge being fixed to the skirt 38 while its inner edge is slidably received between member 39 and a shoulder of the sleeve 41. A second annular diaphragm 43 of quite smaller outer diameter has its inner edge fixed to sleeve 41, while its outer edge bears slidingly on a shoulder of the inner ring 38a. As explained in my aforesaid French patent, such diaphragms define an annular chamber into which compressed air may be injected, when dey by means of balls, if desired). This rod has an axial sired, to act on the inner ring 38a which is thus applied against the upper side of the inner portion of easing 3, thus locking in position the'said ring itself, skirt 38 and table 1.

It will further be noted that casing 3 is formed with a third recess 3c (see FIG. 2) which may be considered as a lateral extension of recess 3a, this recess 3c being also closed by a removable cover 44. Recess 3c contains a microswitch (see FIG. 4) actuated by a finger 46 fixed to arm 33 to detect the number of revolutions of shaft 24 and consequently the indexing advance of table 1.

The operation is a follows:

When motor 31 (FIG. 3) is rotated, it drives wheel 28 through worm 29. If the torque required does not exceed the limit fixed by the resilient spherical washers 27, shaft 24 and socket 23 are rotated. The latter in turn drives the Geneva cross pinion 19-20 which imparts a jerked angular motion to the Geneva wheel 1818a. This motion is transmitted to table 1 through lateral shaft 15, the

interchangeable gears

13, 11, shaft 8 and bevel pinion 7. In the example illustrated pinion 19 comprises two rollers 20 and the diameter of the pitch circle of its toothed periphery 19a is twice the corresponding diameter of the toothed portion 230 of socket 23, in such manner that socket and

shaft

24, 23 effect a full revolution for each advance of the Geneva cross wheel 18. Since the latter has four radial passages, this corresponds to a quarter of a revolution of the said wheel and consequently of lateral shaft 15. The resulting angular advance of table 1 is of course dependantof the fixed transmitting ratio of the bevel gears 7-6a and of the interchangeable spur gears 13-11 which may be varied at will.

At each revolution of shaft 24 roller 32 is actuated to 6 4 of them actuates an electromagnetic distributor which controls the injection of compressed air into the space defined by diaphragms 42 and 43 (FIG. 1). Here again table 1 should be released during the period of rotation of the Geneva wheel 18 and locked as soon as this period is ended.

It will be noted that with the arrangement described the interchangeable spur gears 11-13, the Geneva cross mechanism 18-19-20 and the micro-switch 45 are easily accessible by only removing the corresponding covers l0, l7 and 44. This is'of considerable interest since it facilitates the modification of the angular advance of the workpiece supporting table whenever this is necessary, and the adjustment of the operation of the compressed air distributor in order that the table may be released and locked at the precise time required in the operating cycle. It is further to be remarked that in the case of an overload, as for instance if for any reason the table were not released at the proper time by the compressed air distributor, the parts are not liable to be damaged owing to the presence of the frictional coupling formed of socket 23, wheel 28 and portion 24b of shaft 24.

I claim:

1. An indexing workpiece supporting apparatus comprising:

a casing having at least first end side and a first lateral side, with said first lateral side being formed with a first outwardly lateral, recess;

. a rotatable supporting plate mounted on said first end side of said casing;

driving shaft means to carry said supporting plate and to rotate same, said shaft means being rotatably supported in said casing;

a first inner shaft rotatably carried within said casing to drive said shaft means, said first inner shaft being substantially perpendicular to said shaft means, and having a first end and a second end, with said firstend extending into said first lateral recess;

gear means to positively connect said first inner shaft with said shaft means to cause same to rotate in unison;

a second inner shaft also rotatably carried within said casing, said second inner shaft being substantially parallel to, but spaced from said first inner shaft, and having a first and a second end with said first end of said second inner shaft extending into said first lateral recess;

a pair of interchangeable gears removably mounted within said first lateral recess on said first and second inner shafts to connect same with each other;

means within said casing to rotate said second inner shaft through a determined angle to cause said supporting plate to advance from an indexed position to the next one;

and first removable cover means to close said first lateral recess.

2. In an indexing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said said second end of said second inner shaft extending into said second recess; said means to rotate said second inner shaft through a determined angle comprising: a. a third inner shaft rotatably carried within said casing, said third inner shaft being substantially parallel to but spaced from said second inner shaft, and having an end extending into said second recess;

b. a Geneva cross mechanism disposed within said second recess and including a driving pinion carried by said third inner shaft and a driven wheel carried by said second inner shaft; c. and means to rotate said third inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed;

and said apparatusfurther comprising second removable cover means to close said second lateral recess.

4. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 3, said third inner shaft being substantially radial to said shaft means.

5. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 3, said means to rotate said third inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed including:

a fourth inner shaft rotatable carried within said casing and having a first end and a second end, with said second end extending into said second recess;

gear means within said second recess to positively connect said fourth inner shaft with said third inner shaft; and means to rotate said fourth inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed. 6. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 5: said casing having a second end side opposed to said first end side; and said means to rotate said fourth inner shaft including: a. a worm wheel loosely carried by said fourth inner shaft; b. means to frictionally retain said worm wheel at a fixed angular position with respect to said fourth inner shaft, so as to realize a torque limiting connection between said fourth inner shaft and said worm wheel; 0. and a worm rotatably carried by said casing in meshing engagement with said worm wheel, said worm having an axis substantially perpendicular said gear means to positively connect said fourth inner shaft with said third inner shaft including a pinion angularly fixed on said fourth inner shaft but longitudinally slidable thereon;

said fourth inner shaft being formed with a radially protruding portion forming a shoulder, with said worm wheel abutting against said shoulder;

and said means to frictionally retain said worm wheel at a fixed angular position on said fourth inner shaft including resilient means carried by said fourth inner shaft and acting on said pinion to'urge same against said worm wheel so as to frictionally clamp said worm wheel between said pinion and said shoulder.

8. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said first and third inner shafts being substantially radial to said shaft means and said shaft means extending in said casing between said second and fourth inner shafts.

9. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 5:

means within said casing to lock said rotatable supporting plate at successive index positions, said means including a rod member slidable within said casing in a direction substantially parallel to said shaft means and spring means to urge said member into engagement with said plate;

and said fourth inner shaft being formed with a camshaped portion to actuate said member against said spring means to liberate said plate during a portion of each revolution of said fourth inner shaft- 10. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 9:

said casing having a third lateral side formed with a third recess;

and said apparatus further comprising:

a. electric switch means within said third recess, said switch means being actuated by said rod member to generate indexing electric pulses;

b. and third removable cover means to close said third recess.

Claims

1. An indexing workpiece supporting apparatus comprising: a casing having at least first end side and a first lateral side, with said first lateral side being formed with a first outwardly lateral recess; a rotatable supporting plate mounted on said first end side of said casing; driving shaft means to carry said supporting plate and to rotate same, said shaft means being rotatably supported in said casing; a first inner shaft rotatably carried within said casing to drive said shaft means, said first inner shaft being substantially perpendicular to said shaft means, and having a first end and a second end, with said first end extending into said first lateral recess; gear means to positively connect said first inner shaft with said shaft means to cause same to rotate in unison; a second inner shaft also rotatably carried within said casing, said second inner shaft being substantially parallel to, but spaced from said first inner shaft, and having a first and a second end with said first end of said second inner shaft extending into said first lateral recess; a pair of interchangeable gears removably mounted within said first lateral recess on said first and second inner shafts to connect same with each other; means within said casing to rotate said second inner shaft through a determined angle to cause said supporting plate to advance from an indexed position to the next one; and first removable cover means to close said first lateral recess.

2. In an indexing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said second inner shaft being substantially radial to said shaft means and said means to positively connect said first inner shaft with said shaft means being formed of a pair of bevel gears.

3. In an indexing apparatus as claimed in claim 1: said casing having a second lateral side opposed to said first lateral side and formed with a second lateral recess; said second end of said second inner shaft extending into said second recess; said means to rotate said second inner shaft through a determined angle comprising: a. a third inner shaft rotatably carried within said casing, said third inner shaft being substantially parallel to but spaced from said second inner shaft, and having an end extending into said second recess; b. a Geneva cross mechanism disposed within said second recess and including a driving pinion carried by said third inner shaft and a driven wheel carried by said second inner shaft; c. and means to rotate said third inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed; and said apparatus further comprising second removable cover means to close said second lateral recess.

5. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 3, said means to rotate said third inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed including: a fourth inner shaft rotatable carried within said casing and having a first end and a second end, with said second end extending into said second recess; gear means within said second recess to positively connect said fourth inner shaft with said third inner shaft; and means to rotate said fourth inner shaft at a substantially uniform angular speed.

6. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 5: said casing having a second end side opposed to said first end side; and said means to rotate said fourth inner shaft including: a. a worm wheel loosely carried by said fourth inner shaft; b. means to frictionally retain said worm wheel at a fixed angular position with respect to said fourth inner shaft, so as to realize a torque limiting connection between said fourth inner shaft and said worm wheel; c. and a worm rotatably carried by said casing in meshing engagement with said worm wheel, said worm having an axis substantially perpendicular to said second end side and projecting outwardly through said second end side to form the inlet shaft of said apparatus.

7. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 6: said Geneva cross pinion embodying a circular plate carrying means to cooperate with said Geneva cross wheel, said plate having a toothed periphery; said gear means to positively connect said fourth inner shaft with said third inner shaft including a pinion angularly fixed on said fourth inner shaft but longitudinally slidable thereon; said fourth inner shaft being formed with a radially protruding portion forming a shoulder, with said worm wheel abutting against said shoulder; and said means to frictionally retain said worm wheel at a fixed angular position on said fourth inner shaft including resilient means carried by said fourth inner shaft and acting on said pinion to urge same against said worm wheel so as to frictionally clamp said worm wheel between said pinion and said shoulder.

9. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 5: means within said casing to lock said rotatable supporting plate at successive index positions, said means including a rod member slidable within said casing in a direction substantially parallel to said shaft means and spring means to urge said member into engagement with said plate; and said fourth inner shaft being formed with a cam-shaped portion to actuate said member against said spring means to liberate said plate during a portion of each revolution of said fourth inner shaft.

10. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 9: said casing having a third lateral side formed with a third recess; and said apparatus further comprising: a. electric switch means within said third recess, said switch means being actuated by said rod member to generate indexing electric pulses; b. and third removable cover means to close said third recess.