US3291388A - Electromagnetic interposer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 A. B. PATAKI ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERPOSER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1965 CONTROL I I I AGENT United States Patent C) 3,291,388 ELEIITROMAGNETIC INTERPOSER MECHANISM Andrew B. Pataki, Lansdale, Pa., assignor to Sperry Rand Qorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 517,289 8 Claims. (Cl. 234-115) This invention relates to electromagnetic interposer mechanisms which, while of broader applicability, are particularly useful for controlling randomly actuated devices, such as punches.

The invention is characterized by its improved and economical construction and operation as compared to known prior art devices.

Briefly described the invention comprises an interposer operable between inoperative and operative positions by reciprocating electromagnetic means, or held inoperative by fixed electromagnetic means.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view partly in section of a punch mechanism embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show operational conditions of the electromagnets;

FIG. 6 is a motion diagram; and

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram.

In accordance with this preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a pair of electromagnets 10 and 12, a punch mechanism 14 and a light weight interposer assembly 16.

Electromagnet 10 comprises a coil 18 wrapped around the base 20 of an inverted U-shaped core having long and short depending legs 22 and 24 respectively, the core being suitably attached to fixed structure 26 for support. Electromagnet 12 is positioned beneath electromagnet 10 and comprises a coil 28 wrapped about the base 30 of a U-shaped core having upwardly extending short and long legs 32 and 34, respectively. The core is suitably secured to a carriage block 36 slidably mounted on fixed structure 38 for oscillating movements, left and right as see-n here, as by a cam 40 fixed to shaft 42. Rotation of shaft 42 is by motor means notshown. Th carriage 36 is held in contact with the cam by spring means, such as the coil spring 44, having one end attached to the carriage at 46 and its other end attached to a collar 48 freely mounted on shaft 42.

The electromagnets are closely spaced and have a common armature 50 positioned between the short legs 24 and 32 thereof. The armature is of sufficient length to bridge the gap between the legs of either electromagnet. It is fixed to and supported in its operative position adjacent to but spaced from its left hand end by a flexible but self supporting element 52, such as a piano wire. The left end of the wire is slidably captured in grooves 54 formed in the lower end of long leg 22 of electromagnet 10 and the upper end of long leg 34 of electromagnet 12, as by removable plastic plugs 56 (see FIG. 2) which fit tightly over the ends of the legs. The wire extends to the right and has the interposer 58 fixed to its right hand end and resting on a striker bar 60 for movement to and from its punch operating position between the striker bar and the punch 62 which is slidably mounted in between friction retaining pads 63 in the punch block 64.

When the interposer is in its extended operative position, as shown in FIG. 1, the striker tbar moves the punch upwardly through the card path 64 into the punch die 66 to effect a punching operation, as on the card 68. The striker bar is moved through a punch cycle by drive link ICC 70 with each rotation of an eccentric 72 by suitable means, not shown, but all in accordance with well known practice. Punch 62 may be retained in its operative conditions in any suitable manner, such as that described in assignees Romeo et al. patent application Serial Number 410,217, filed November 10, 1964, for Record Perforating Device. Or, it may be as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the striker bar 60 is provided with an inverted L shaped arm 73, the horizontal stripper foot 74 of which extends into a notch 75 in the side of the punch.

In its operation: shaft 42 with its cam 40 is rotated continuously to oscillate carriage 36 and electromagnet 12 between extended and retracted positions whereby interposer 58 may be moved between its operative and inoperative positions relative to punch 62 and striker bar 60; eccentric 72 is rotated continuously to reciprocate the striker bar between its extended and retracted positions; and one of the coils 18 or 28 of electromagnets 10 and 12 is always energized, as shown in FIG. 7. Normally, with a no punch instruction, coil 18 is energized to hold armature 50 (FIGS 3 and 4) and consequently interposer 58 in its inoperative retracted position. Electromagnet 12 is deenergized, therefore its oscillations by cam 40 will have no etfect upon the interposer assembly 16.

Now, if a signal or instruction, either manual or by Way of a control device, such as indicated by the box 76 in FIG. 7, gives a punch instruction, the actuator 77 opens switch 78 breaking circuit 80 to coil 18 and closes switch 82 making circuit 84 to coil 28. Armature 50 is released from electromagnet 10 and is picked up by electromagnet 12 when it reaches its retracted position with the low side 86 of cam 40 against the left sidewall of carriage 36. Subsequent rotation of the cam 40 to its high side 88 urges the carriage 36 to the right moving the electromagnet 12 and armature 50 to their advanced position (FIG. 5) carrying interposer 58 to its operative position between punch 62 and striker bar 60 while the eccentric is almost fully retracted.

The high side 88 of cam 40 is formed on a substantially constant radius through a suificient angle to hold the interposer in its operative position throughout a punch cycle. The timing of this cycle is illustrated in FIG. 6. At position A (0) on this figure, cam 40 starts rotating from the center of its low dwell side 86 and the eccentric from its low position, shown in broken line in FIG. 1. At position B the cam-as indicated by line Wreaches its high dwell portion 88, fully advancing the interposer just prior to its con-tactline Xwith the bottom of the punch-line Yat position C. The end of the stripper foot 74line Z-is now riding free in punch notch 75. At 180 (position D) the eccentric completes the punch portion of its cycle (FIG. 1) and the striker bar and interposer start downwardly. At position E the stripper closes the gap between its lower edge and the bottom of notch 75 and carries the punch downwardly with it to its retracted position. Also at position E there is clearance between the bottom of the punch and the interposer so that the interposer is free to be retracted beginning at position F. All elements continue to their fully retracted position at H (360") to complete the cycle.

The movement of electromagnet 12 is adjusted to eliminate impact of the armature with the long legs of the cores thereby eliminating the need for plating or hardening of these parts. The ends of short legs 24 and 32 of the cores may be coated with a suitable anti-friction material 90 to prevent wear as a result of their sliding relationship with the armature 50.

It will be understood from the above that by selective energization of coils 18 and 28 during operation of the mechanism, either a no punc or a punc cycle may be effected in any order.

Thus, it can be seen that by reason of the small inertia involved that a significant high speed operation may be attained with no bounce upon reaching either interposer position. Because of the elimination of impact and the easy interchangeability of parts, less expensive construction is provided. Also, less expensive operation is attained through its compact arrangement, and its small power consumption; the electromagnets are used only for holding after the armature is in closed position.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electromagnetic interposer mechanism comprising:

(A) a first electromagnet;

(B) a second electromagnet;

(C) a common armature for said first and second electromagnets;

(D) an interposer fixed to said armature;

(E) means for elfecting relative movement between said electromagnets; and

(F) means for selectively energizing said electromagnets whereby said armature may be retained by one or the other thereof during said relative movement, and said interposer may be moved thereby selectively between retracted and advanced, inoperative and operative positions.

2. An interposer mechanism according to claim 1 and further including:

(A) means supporting said first electromagnet in a fixed position; and

(B) means mounting said second electromagnet for oscillating movements relative to said first electromagnet whereby said interposer is moved between its inoperative and operative positions.

3. Interposer mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said electromagnets comprise:

(A) opposing U-shaped cores; and

(B) an electrical coil wrapped around the base of each core; and wherein (C) said armature is of suflicient length to bridge the gap between the ends of each core thereby to provide a magnetic circuit through the core when the coil is energized magnetically to lock the armature selectively either to the fixe'd or to the movable electromagnet whereby said interposer may be held in its retracted inoperative position or moved to its extended operative condition.

4. An interposer mechanism according to claim 3 wherein:

(A) said interposer is connected to said armature by a self supporting but flexible element for movement transverse to its direction of movement by said movable electromagnet.

5. A construction according to claim 4 wherein:

(A) each of said cores includes a short leg and a long leg, the short legs both being positioned between the long legs; and wherein (B) said flexible element comprises a flexible wire, one end of said wire having said interposer fixed thereto and its other end having said armature fixed thereto with portions of said wire on each side of said armature passing through and slidably supported in the ends of said long core legs.

6. A construction according to claim 5 wherein:

(A) the ends of said long legs are slotted to receive said wire; and

(B) means are provided to plug said slots to retain said wire therein.

7. In combination with an interposer constructed in accordance with claim 1:

(A) a punch mechanism, comprising:

(1) a punch positioned adjacent one side of said interposer;

(2) a striker positioned on the opposite side of said interposer and upon which said interposer rests; and

(3) means for cycling said striker to move said interposer transversely to the direction of movement of said interposer by said second electromagnet through a punch or no punch cycle, depending upon the position of said interposer.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means for effecting relative movement between said electromagnets (E in claim 1) comprises:

(A) cam means having a high dwell portion to hold said interposer in its operative position for a period sufiicient to permit punching during a punch cycle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERPOSER MECHANISM COMPRISING: (A) A FIRST ELECTROMAGNET; (B) A SECOND ELECTROMAGNET; (C) A COMMON ARMATURE FOR SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELECTROMAGNETS; (D) AN INTERPOSER FIXED TO SAID ARMATURE; (E) MEANS FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID ELECTROMAGNETS; AND (F) MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENERGIZING SAID ELECTROMAGNETS WHEREBY SAID ARMATURE MAY BE RETAINED BY ONE OR THE OTHER THEREOF DURING SAID RELATIVE MOVEMENT, AND SAID INTERPOSER MAY BE MOVED THEREBY SELECTIVELY BETWEEN RETRACTED AND ADVANCED, INOPERATIVE AND OPERATIVE POSITIONS.

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