US3203139A - Machine and method for surface finishing objects - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 31, 1965 E. J. GIESE 3,203,139

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE ATTORNEYS 8 1965 E. J. GIESE 3,203,139

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR ELROY J. GIESE a 79 ATTORNEYS E. J. GIESE Aug. 31, 1965 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE a ATTORNEYS E. J. GIESE Aug. 31, 1965 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ELROY J. GIESE Fay 5 170g ATTORNEYS MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Filed Feb. 14, 1963 E. J. GIESE Aug. 31, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mx TE m6 WJ Y O R L E ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,203,139 MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SURFACE FINISHING OBJECTS Elroy J. Giese, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Tomlinson Industries, Inc, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 258,493 13 Claims. (Cl. 51-140) This device relates to a machine for surface finishing a work piece having a plurality of surfaces.

The use of abrasive belts as a surface finishing technique has greatly increased during the past few years. The popularity of this technique is, in large part, attributable to the speed and economy with which a surface may be finished. However, due to factors of commercial appeal, as well as technical perfection, there are many items having a plurality of surfaces that require a finishing operation. It is in the area of multi-surfaced objects that it has been recognized that, although abrading belts are superior to most other techniques, still greater economy would be desirable. The same need for economy is present in surface finishing a multi-surfaced work piece by techniques other than abrading belts, as for example, milling machines and grinding wheels.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine for surface finishing a work piece having a plurality of surfaces.

It is a further object of this invention to offset greater economy in the surface finishing of a multi-surfaced workpiece by providing a multiple head grinder with each of the heads operating simultaneously on the piece.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device for surface finishing a hexagonal work piece wherein a minimum amount of manual manipulation of the work piece is required.

It is another object of this invention to provide a surface finishing machine wherein the machine may be adjusted to receive a wide range of different sizes of work pieces.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a device wherein a work piece holder reciprocates the work piece past a plurality of simultaneously operating grinding heads with the work piece holder being rotated at the conclusion of its stroke thereby to present different surfaces of the piece to the grinding heads on the return stroke.

The embodiment of the invention includes a work piece holder with means for periodically reciprocating and indexing the holder during the operation of the machine. Timing means are provided for the reciprocating and indexing means so that the work holder is indexed through a predetermined angle at the completion of each stroke of the reciprocating means. A plurality of abrading belts are arranged adjacent to the path of reciprocation of the holder whereby the abrading belts are in operative contact with a work piece carried by the holder.

With the disclosed arrangement the operator need only place a work piece on the holder and start the machine whereupon the holder will move the piece past the abrading belts to grind or polish a portion of the surfaces on the piece. At the completion of the first pass of the piece past the belts, the machine automatically indexes the holder through a predetermined angle followed by the return stroke of the holder. Since the holder has been rotated, different surfaces on the work piece are presented to the abrading belts on the return pass, thereby completing the finishing operation. The operator then removes the finished piece from the holder and substitutes an unfinished piece and the cycle is repeated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing of the abrading belts ice and work-piece holding mandrel as the mandrel begins its downward stroke;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel at the completion of its forward stroke as it is being rotated;

FIG. 3 is a View similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel as it begins its return stroke;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mandrel as it is being rotated at the completion of its return stroke;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus showing the relationship of the abrading belts and the work-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a plan view similar to FIG. 5 showing more in detail the work-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 77 of FIG. 6 showing in elevation the work-piece supporting mechanism;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of one of the abrading belts and its support;

FIG. 10 is a view taken along line 1010 of FIG. 9 showing the adjustable base for the abrading belt support; and

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 1111 of FIG. 9.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, and in particular to FIG. 5, the four principal components of the machine are illustrated in their operative relationships. Reference numeral 1 indicates generally the work-piece support and operating mechanism therefor. Three identical grinding belt driving mechanisms are indicated generally by the reference numeral 2. As is clearly evident from FIG. 5, the grinding belt drives are equally spaced by around a common point of convergence, although other spacings may be used depending on the shape of the articles.

Turning first to the work-piece support and operating mechanism in FIG. 7, there is provided a frame 3 secured by bolts 4 to the floor or to a suitable base plate. The frame 3 includes an upright member 5 secured by gussets 6 to the base 7 of the frame. Secured to the upper portion of upright 5 by bolts 8 is a support member 9 having spaced apart side portions 10 and a base portion 11. Carried by the base portion 11 is a conventional fluid cylinder 12. The cylinder 12 is seated vertically on the support 11 with its reciprocating piston arm 13 projecting downwardly through a cutout portion in the support 11. The cylinder 12 is provided with conventional fluid supply lines 14 and 15. Also carried by the support 11 is a guide 17 having a dovetailed groove 18 formed therein and reinforced by a Web member 16.

Slidably received in the dovetail groove 18 is a sliding member 19. At the lower extremity the sliding member 19 is an integral projection 20 which is secured by threaded nuts 21 to the piston rod 13 of the cylinder 12. At the side of member 19 opposite to projection 20, a work supporting platform 22 is secured by bolts 23. The heads of the bolts 23 are received in a T-shaped slot 24 formed in the member 19 whereby the platform 22 may be secured in adjusted positions along the length of the member 19. The platform 22 includes a lower leg 25 which is normal to the sliding member 19 and a gusset plate 26 which acts to rigidify the cantilever leg 25.

Mounted at the outer end portion of the cantilever leg 25 is a work supporting unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 27. The work supporting unit 27 includes a base 28 internally of which is a conventional reversible indexing mechanism (not shown). The indexing mechanism is operatively connected to a mandrel support 29 which is rotatably mounted on the member 28.

Carried in an internal recess in the support 29 is an elongated mandrel 30 secured by screws 31.

As is shown in FIG. 7, the mandrel includes a lower shank portion 32 and an upper reduced end 33 having a pointed free end 34. The reduced portion 33 of the mandrel 30 provides a shoulder portion 35 which serves as an abutment against which the hex stock rests during the grinding and polishing operations. A rubber washer may be interposed between the end of the stock and the abutment 35 in order to provide a better frictional relationship between the hex stock and the mandrel'and thereby prevent relative movement of the hex stock during the grinding operation.

Returning to the upright member 5, there is provided at one side thereof a projection 37 secured by welds 38. Passing through the projection 37 and fixedly secured thereto is a rod 39 having spaced collars 4d slidably secured to the rod 39 by set screws 41. Secured by welds 42 to the collars 40 and extending transversely to the length of the rod 39 are projecting rods 43 with each of these rods 43 having at the outer end thereof a flat platelike member 44.

Secured to the sliding member 19 is a control valve 45. The control valve 45 includes an air supply inlet 46 and outlets 47a and 47b. The valve 45 is of a conventional construction and includes plungers 48 adapted to co-operate with the plates 44- to thereby control the flow of the air through a selected one of the outlets 47a and 47b. The outlets 47a and 47b are connected by an appropriate means to the fittings 49a and 4% on the member 28. An exhaust fitting 50 is also provided for ex haust of the air from the indexing mechanism in the member 28.

It may be seen that movement of the sliding member 19 causes the valve 45 to be positioned such that one end of the plunger 48 engages one of the plates 44, thus causing the air supply to be directed through one of the outlet fittings 47a and 47b and into the indexing mechanism through one of the inlet fittings 49a and 4%. Movement of the sliding member 19 in the opposite direction causes the opposite one of the plungers 43 to engage the other of the flat plates 44 and thereby close the flow of the air through the one. line and allow the air to go through the other of the fittings 47a and 47b through the other of the inlet fittings 49a and 49b and into the indexing mechanism. This reversal of flow causes the indexing mechanism to rotate in a reverse direction and thereby index the mandrel 30 in the opposite direction.

Turning to FIGS. 6 and 8, it may be seen that the sliding member 19 has a T-shaped groove 51 disposed in one side and extending the full length thereof. Slidably secured in the T-shaped groove 51 are threaded bolts 52. Carried by the bolts 52 are upper and lower actuator members 53 and 54, respectively. As most clearly shown in FIG. 6, these actuators consist of an upright portion 55 and an integral L-shaped lower portion 56. By virtue of the T-shaped slot 51 and the bolt 52 disposed therein, the position of the actuators 53 and 54 may be varied along the length of the sliding member 19.

Secured to the upright member 5 by bolts 57 are supporting brackets 58 carrying upper and lower switches 59 and 60, respectively. Each of these switches includes a member 61 adapted to co-operate with the actuators 53 and 54- in the upper and lower positions of the sliding member 13, respectively. These microswitches 59 and 60 serve as stroke limiting devices for the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 12 and thereby control the upper and lower limits of vertical reciprocation of the mandrel 30. A conventional hydrocheck, indicated generally by the reference numeral 62, is provided whereby the speed of the vertical reciprocation of the sliding member 1% and the mandrel 30 may be varied.

Turning to FIG. 9, there is shown one of the grinding belt assemblies. Each of the grinding belt assemblies are supported-on a column 63 which in turn is secured by welds 64 to a plate 65. The plate 65 has flanges 66 on opposite sides with each of these flanges 66 being slidably received in grooves 67 of a guide plate 68. The guide plate 68 is secured tov base 69 by Welds 70. Upstanding lugs 71 are secured to the base plate 69 and threadedly receive adjustment screws '72. The adjustment screws 72 serve as a means for securing the plate 65 in an adjusted position along the guide plate 68. It should be noted that a T-shaped slot and bolt arrangement also might be used in lieu of the flange and groove.

At the upper end of the column 63 is a cross guide 73. The cross guide 73 is slidably received over the column 63 and secured by set screw 74, whereby the guide may be adjusted vertically along the length of the column. The guide 73 includes a bore through which passes cylindrical'bar 75. Secured at one end of the bar 75 is a bearing 76 which rotatably receives the shaft 7'7 of a pulley 73. At the other end of the bar 75 there is mounted a motor 79 which is drivingly connected to a pulley 80. A grinding or abrading belt 81 is received around the pulley 78 and 80.

At the extreme upper end of the column 63 there is secured a fiat plate 82 which supports at one end a vertical rod 83. Secured to the rod 83 by a conventional clamping means is a bracket 84 which may be adjusted lengthwise of the rod 83. The bracket 84 supports a pneumatic feeding device, generally indicated by the reference numeral 85. The pneumatic feeding device 85 includes a cylindrical container 36 having pneumatic inlet and outlet fittings 87 and 88, respectively. A suitable timing and control device is employed in connection with the pneumatic feeding device 85 to meter upon the grinding belts 81 at predetermined times a suitable amount of lubricant and/ or grinding compound.

Turning to the operation of the machine, attention is directed first to FIGS. 1 to 4. With the mandrel 39 in the upper position, a piece of hexagonal stock is placed over the mandrel so that it abuts the rubber washer carried on the reduced portion 33. The grinding belts are in continuous operation and, it should be noted, that the direction of rotation of the grinding belts is in a counterclockwise direction.

As the grinding belts are rotating the cylinder 12 is actuated whereby the sliding member 19, the platform 22 and the mandrel 30 are caused to be moved to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 7. As the cylinder 12 moves the mandrel 30 to the lower position the grinding belts 81 pass along the associated surfaces of the hex stock and perform the finishing operation. Due to the counterclockwise rotation of the grinding belts the hex stock, which is otherwise unrestrained, is frictionally forced by the rotation of the grinding belts in a direction downward against the shoulder 35. It may be seen that should the grinding belts be operated in an opposite direction the frictional force exerted by the grinding belts would tend to lift the hex stock 01f the mandrel as the mandrel is moved downward.

After the mandrel has been moved to its lowermost position, which is determined by the adjustable actuator 54 and the micro-switch 60, the plunger 48 on the control valve 45 abuts the flat plate 44 on the lowermost arm 43, thereby causing the air supply to pass through different pairs-of the inlet and outlet fittings 47a and 47b and 49a and 4%, thus causing the index mechanism (not shown) to rotate through a predetermined angular movement. By virtue of the indexing operation, different surfaces of the hex stock are now aligned with the three grinding belts so that as the piston 13 begins its return stroke the grinding belts 81 will operate on the unfinished surfaces of the stock.

As the mandrel reaches its uppermost point, as determined by the adjustable actuator 53 and the micro-switch 59, the control valve 45 will abut the plate 44 on the uppermost of the arm 43, thereby reversing the fiow of air into the indexing mechanism causing the indexing mechanism to rotate the mandrel 30 in an opposite direction.

. At the same time, the operator will remove the hex stock from the end of the mandrel and replace it with another unfinished piece and the sequence of operation will begin anew.

A considerable degree of flexibility is inherent in the device hereinabove described. Due to the adjustable mounting of the grinding belt assemblies, various widths of work-pieces may be accommodated. Utilizing the adjustable actuators 53 and 54, as well as the adjustability of the platform 22, work-pieces of diverse lengths may be finished with only a minimum of simple adjustments required. Also, it is believed apparent that any number of grinding wheel assemblies may be utilized depending upon the number of surfaces on the piece of stock to be finished.

As used herein, the terms finishing and surface finishing contemplate not only the use of abrading belts, but also other devices such as grinding wheels and milling machines that perform an operation on the material as the material passes by the tool,

The foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and it should be understood that variations may be made without departing from the true spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device for surface finishing a work-piece having a plurality of sides comprising,

a holder for said work piece,

means for reciprocating and indexing said holder,

finishing means positioned adjacent to the path of reciprocation of said holder,

timing means for said reciprocating and indexing means, whereby said holder is indexed at the end of each stroke of said holder to thereby present an unfinished surface to said finishing means on the return stroke.

2. A machine for finishing hexagonal work pieces comprising,

a holder having a free end adapted to receive the workpiece thereover,

means for periodically reciprocating and indexing said holder,

a plurality of finishing means comprising a plurality of grinding belts adjacent to the path of reciprocation of said holder,

means rotating said belts in a direction to assist in re taining the work-piece on the free end of the holder during the grinding operation; and

timing means associated with said reciprocating and indexing means and operable to cause indexing of said holder at the completion of each stroke of said reciprocating means.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said timing means are adjustable to vary the length of stroke of the reciprocating means and the point in the reciprocation cycle wherein the indexing occurs.

4. A work holding mechanism comprising a frame,

a fluid cylinder having a piston rod fixedly secured to said frame,

a guide member secured to said frame adjacent to said hydraulic cylinder,

said guide member having a dovetailed groove formed therein,

a slide member movably received in said dovetail groove of said guide member,

means interconnecting said sliding member with said piston rod of said cylinder,

a work supporting platform secured to said slide member,

a Work receiving mandrel mounted on said platform,

indexing means operably connected to said mandrel to periodically rotate the same,

.a control valve for said indexing means mounted on said sliding member,

spaced apart actuating arms carried on said frame and adapted to actuate said control valve,

adjustable stops carried on said sliding member,

spaced apart limit switches carried on said frame and l 6 adapted to co-operate with said stops to thereby limit the stroke of said cylinder.

5. In a surface finishing machine, a reciprocating work support comprising,

an upright frame,

guide means on said frame,

means including a platform co-operating with said guide means and movable between an upper and lower position,

a work supporting upright mandrel supported on said platform with said mandrel having a free end,

indexing means on said platform and operable to periodically rotate said mandrel,

means carried on said frame for reciprocating said platform,

limiting means on said frame and co-operable with said reciprocating platform means to define the upper and lower limits of the reciprocation,

timing means operatively connected with said indexing means and operable to cause indexing of said mandrel at each of the upper and lower points of reciprocation.

6. In the machine of claim 5,

,a plurality of grinding means;

said grinding means being convergent on said mandrel;

and

adjustable bases supporting each of said grinding means for movement toward and away from said mandrel.

7. A method of machine finishing a multi-surfaced object with a machine having a work-holder for receiving the object, means for vertically reciprocating and indexing said holder and finishing means adjacent to the path of reciprocation of said holder comprising the steps of,

placing the object on the work holder,

moving the holder with the object in a first vertical direction past the finishing means to finish a part of the surfaces of the object,

indexing the holder to align the remaining unfinished surfaces on the object with the finishing means,

and moving the holder with the object in a reverse vertical direction to complete the finishing operation.

8. A machine for surface finishing work pieces comprising:

a holder having a free end adapted to receive a work piece thereover;

means associated with the other end of said holder for periodically reciprocating and indexing said holder;

a plurality of finishing means angularly arranged around said holder and convergent on the adjacent path of reciprocation of the free end of said holder; and

timing means associated with said reciprocating and indexing means operable to cause periodic indexing of said holder.

9. A surface finishing device comprising a frame;

a guide member secured to said frame, with said guide member having adovetailed groove formed therein;

a work supporting platform;

means received in said groove and connecting said platform to said guide member for movement relative thereto;

actuating means on said frame for imparting movement to said platform;

a mandrel mounted on said platform adapted to receive a work piece thereon;

a plurality of surface finishing means adjacent said mandrel, said surface finishing means being angularly displaced around said mandrel and convergent thereon whereby a plurality of surfaces on a work piece carried by said mandrel may be finished by said surface finishing means as said platform and mandrel are .actuated by said actuating means.

10. The surface finishing device of claim 9 wherein said means interconnecting said platform with said guide means includes a slide member movably received in the dovetail groove of said guide member; and

adjustable means interconnecting said slide member with said platform whereby the position of said platform on said slide member may be adjusted.

11. A surface finishing machine comprising:

a vertical frame; 7

guide means on said frame, with said guide means having a vertically extending groove formed therein;

platform means operatively received in the groove in said guide member and being movable between an upper and lower position;

a vertically extending Work-supporting mandrel rotatably carried by said platform means;

indexing means on said platform means operatively associated with said mandrel periodically to rotate said mandrel;

actuating means on said frame for reciprocating said platform member between said upper and lower positions;

timing means [operatively connected with said indexing means and being operable to actuate indexing of said mandrel at predetermined points in the reciprocation of said platform means;

aplurality :of rotatable surface finishing means angularly displaced around said mandrel, with said surface finishing means being convergent on said mandrel whereby the surfaces on a work piece carried by said mandrel may be finished by said surface finishing means as the mandrel reciprocates through the area of convergence of said surface finishing means.

12. The combination of claim 11 including:

means for rotating said surface finishing means in a direction to assist in retaining the work piece on the holder during the finishing operation.

13. A method ofsurface finishing a multisurfaced object comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of rotatable surface finishing means equal in number to at least one-half of the surfaces on the object to be finished;

providing a mandrel adapted to receive a multisurfaced object over one end thereof;

arranging the surface finishing means angularly around the mandrel, with the surface finishing means converging on the mandrel;

passing the mandrel with the object thereon in a first direction through the area of convergence of said surface finishing means thereby to finish a part of the surfaces on the object;

rotating the mandrel and the object at the end of travel in the first direction to align the remaining unfinished surfaces on the object with the surface finishing means;

passing the mandrel and the object in a direction opposite to the first direction through the area of convergence of said surface finishing means thereby to complete the finishing operation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,812 12/96 Longden 51-140 1,850,799 3/32 Junge 51-2165 2,206,492 7/40 Westenberger et a1. 51-2165 2,740,236 4/56 Flygare et al 51-921 2,753,670 7/56 Carapucci 51-140 X 2,802,311 8/57 Linden et a1. 51-140 2,945,332 7/60 Gury et a1 51-140 2,998,678 9/61 Belock et al 51-2165 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

5 JOHN C. CHRISTIE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR SURFACE FINISHING A WORK-PIECE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SIDES COMPRISING, A HOLDER FOR SAID WORK PIECE, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING AND INDEXING SAID HOLDER, FINISHING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THE PATH OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID HOLDER, TIMING MEANS FOR SAID RECIPROCATING AND INDEXING MEANS, WHEREBY SAID HODER IS INDEXED AT THE END OF EACH

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