US1057183A - Plate-handling machine. - Google Patents

Description

L. G. STEELE.

PLATE HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l2, 1912` 1,057,183, Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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lwenm WITN ESSESI p MLK Atty's y L. (LSTBELE. PLATE HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

1,057,183, v y Patented 1v1fir.25,1913.

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` UNITED srarns PATENT onirica.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE,`OF BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATE-HANDLING MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, LAWRENCE C. STEELE, residing at Beaver', in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Handling Machines, of which iniproveinent the following is a specication.

The invention described herein relates to machines for handling sheets of metal and like articles; and theobject of the invention is to provide a simple and eiicient machine whereby plates may be successively handled as desired, and without the attention of a workman.

In the accompanying drawings Atwo machines are shown illustrating embodiments of the invention, one machine being adapted to remove, successively, plates of sheet metal from a liquid bath, and the other machine being adapted to arrange such plates in an even and regular manner upon a pile.

In these drawings, which form part of the specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of the plate removing machine shown in connection with a Water-bosh and a tin-plating machine; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view .of a plate engagei1 taken on the line III-III, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line IV-IV Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the plate piling machinegand Fig. 6 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, taken on the line VI-Vl, Fig. 5.

In the several figures like numerals are used to designate like parts.

rlhe invention may be more clearly understood by first describing the preferred form of plate engager, which forins a part of each of the machines shown herein. Such plate-engager is particularly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and, as shown therein, consists of a perforated or port-provided cylinder 1, rotatably mounted upon disks 2 and 3, and connected to a sprocket wheel 4e, which in turn is rotatably mounted upon a flanged sleeve 5, rigidly secured to a frame 6. Within the cylinder 1 a pipe T and a valve chamber 8 are arranged., The said pipe is rigidly secured to the disks 2 and 3 and to the sleeve 5; and a plurality of liexible pipe connections 25 extend between the chamber S and the said pipe 7, which is also suitably connected at its outer end to a conduit leading to an exhaust pump (not shown).

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 191.2. Serial No. 703,304.

TheA

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

yalve chamber 8 may be trough shaped having its open side continuously closed by means of the rotatable cylinder 1` and is se.- cured to the disks and 3 byI means of tongues S) formed integrally with the said chamber and extending into 4suitably pro- -vide'd recesses 10 in the said disks; the arrangement bing such that the trough may h ave a limited radial movement with relation to the cylinder 1, but will be held from rotation. ln order to prevent the chamber 8 from bearing too heavily upon the inner surface of the cylinder 1 when air is ex hausted from the said chamber, a spring l1 may be placed within the recess 10 of each disk 2 and 3, such spring bearing, 'at its opposite ends, against the tongue 9 and the bottom of the recess l0, as shown.

In operation, the above described plate engager is placed upon a plate, whichk may be lying on a plane surface and which is to be moved, the plate engager being placed in such a position thatl the open side of the chamber 8 will be adjacent to such plate. By exhausting air from the chamber 8 the plate will, on account of the unequal pressure on its sides, adhere to the ports or perforations in the portion of the cylinder covering the open side ofthe said chamber, so that, by rotating the cylinder, the plate will be advanced along its supporting surface. It will be understood that the effective power of such a plate engager is dependent upon the number and cross-sectional size of the cylinder pcrforations, and also upon the degree of vacuity in the chamber 8.

Referring now to the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pile of plates 12 are shown resting on the floor of a water-bosh 13; and, at the side of the water-bosh, there is a tinning apparatus 14 adapted to receive plates from the lwater-bosh` such plates passing through directing rolls 15, 16, and along guides 24. The direct- ing rolls 15 and 16 are mounted upon shafts 17 and 18, respec.

tively, the shaft 17 being driven through the belt wheel 19. On the shaft 17 a rigid frame 6 is pivotally mounted, and two plate engageis 20 and 20, the construction of which is described above, are secured to the said frame, which frame may also be provided with a suitable counterweight 3S. These plate engage-rs have different elfective powers and are arranged to act on opposite sides of a plate and in opposing directions. plate engager 20 is, as shown, placed above The ' is drawn through move it tothe r1 sloping guide 26,

lower passageways and to -the left of the plate engager 2Q,

.which has fewer perforations through its the shaft 17V By driving the shaft 17 in a right hand direction in order to cause plates to be advanced into the guides 24, it will be seen that the sprocket wheel 22 will be driven in a reverse direction so that the cylindeis of the plate engagers 20 and 20 will be rotated in a left handed direction. The plate engager 20, bearing on the top plate of the pile 12 willy engage such plate and 'ght along an upwardly which is suitably secured to the frame 6. The lower plate engager 20, contacting with the lower surface of theadvancing plate, but with less en aging force'than, the engager 20,'will be e ective to proven/t a second plate, which might be sticking to the under side of the top plate, from being simultaneously advanced with the top plate.

The connection of the pipes 7 of the plate engagers 20 and 20 to a suitable air pump or` exhauster may be made by a pipe 27, which extends from the plate-engager 20 to the plate-engager 20a and along the frame 6 to the shaft 17. A flexible joint is provided in the pipe 27 at the shaft 17, so that the pipe carried by the pivoted frame 6 may move freely therewith; and a suitable liquid trap 28 and reservoir 29 are arranged to interrupt thecontinuity of the pipe 27a to the end that whatever liquid is taken into the chambers 8 of the plate engagers and the pipes 27 and 27 a may be trapped and retained inthe said reservoir for use when a second pile of plates have been placed in the water-bosh 13.

The guide 24V is provided with upper and 30 and 31, ,and means are provided for causing the successively fed plates to pass in alternation through such passageways. The means shown herein for such `purpose consist of a series of ingers ixedly secured to a pivoted shaft 32, which extends transverselyof the line of advance ofthe plates. Two fingers 33 and 34 lie inone plane and the third finger 35 is perpendicularly disposed with relation to the said other fingers. When the several lingers are in the position shown in I"ig.'2 a plate, passing between the directing rolls 15 .and 16, will strike the` underside of the finger 33, and, being turned downwardly thereby, will strike the finger 35 and move it so that the shat't 32 will rotate. vln the further travel of the plate, the ends of. the fingers 33 and 35 will bear upon 30. In order to prevent the Ysuch pile.

recting rolls v15 and 16 and to the plate enr" gagers 20 and 2Oa through belt wheel '19,

name prevent two plates from advancing snnul-- lower passageway 31. When such plate has passed beyond the finger-provided shaft 32 the finger 33 will be inclined downwardly, so that the next'following late will strike against the top of the said nger andk thereby be directed into the upper passageway turning after a and before the lollowing plate strikes the fingers of the shaft, a suitable spring 3G may be arranged in the bottom of the guide 24, as shown. After passing down the passageway 30 or 31 of the guide 24 each plate is further directed through the tinning apparatus by means of suitable directing rolls 37, there preferably being two pairs of such rolls i-n each ot the said passageways.

In the operation of the above described platehandlmg machine, the plates are first arranged in an even and regularvpile 12 in the water-bosh 13, and in such a position that the plate-engager 2O will bear lightly upon-the outer border of the top plate of Power is then applied to the dishar't 17, sprocket wheels 23 and 22, and chain 21; and, simultaneously with the operation of such mechanism, the exhauster being-connected to the pipe 27, is put in operation so that a partial vacuum is created in the cylinders 8 of the plate engagers 20 and 20a. The top plate of the'pile 12 will be engaged by the plate engager 2O and moved to the right where the plate engager 20a, o erating in opposition to the first plate engager, will be effective to taneously to the tinning bath. The plate thus being advancedalong the guide 26 will be engaged by the directing rolls 15 and 16, and lpassed into the guide 24 and through thepassageway 30 or 31 thereof, depending upon the position of the finger-provided shaft 32. vIn this operation the fluid drawn into the chambers 8 of the plateengagers 20 and 20a will, as it is drawn through the. pipe 27a, be trapped in the chamber 29, and may be returned to the water bosh 13 when the next pile of plat-es is arranged therein.

In the machine illustrated in Figs. 5 and shaft 32 from A late has passed beyond it.

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6- theinvention is shown in its adaptation 42 and 43. To the opposite end of the said frame a plate-engager 44, of the same construction as heretofore described, is mounted; and the frame is suitably counter-balanced by weights 45, as shown. Between the the top of shaft-41'and the plate-engager 44 -a shaft the plate and cause it to pass down the 46 is mounted inthe frame 40, and su'ch 48,148 and 48h. methaan, which has a f series of belt Wheels 49, 49, and 49b secured to it may be driven, from any suitable source of power, through the belt Wheel 50; and the plate engager may be driven by a sprocket wheel 5]. secured to the shaft 41, sprocket wheel 52 rotatably mounted on the frame 40 to 4mesh with the sprocket wheel 51, and chain'53. By such arrangement of driving parte it will be seen that the cylinder of the late engager 44 will be rotated in a right plates engaged'thereby to the left, and that the conveyer belts Will be effective to carry plates from right to left. In order to change the posltion of the plates. as they advance from the directing rolls 42 and 43 to the plate-engager 44, the conveyer belts 48, 48a and 4 8 are driven atdiferent relative speeds by making the pulley Wheels 49, 49a and 49b of different relative sizes, 'as shown. The plate-handling machine extends from the directing rolls 42, 43 to a 'stacking box consisting of` a bottoni 54 and sides 55. Afplate, passing between the said directing rolls is carried bythe conveyors 48, 48a and 48h to the bottom portion 54 of the stacking box; and, in its-travel upon the conveyer, such plate is partially turned so as to be in the position indicated by the dotted vlines 56 when it reaches the plate engager 44, which further advances the plate until its' sides are brought tirmly against the side Walls 55. Each -successive plate is similarly piled upon the onepreceding it until there is an even and regular pile ofthe required number of plates.

I claim as my invention: l'

1. Ina plate-handling machine, the combination of a frame, an exhaust chamber secured to said frame and having an opening in a side thereof, a perforate cylinder sur-` rounding said chamber and lclosing by its inner Wall said opening therein, means for holding said chamber immovable With relation to said frame, and means for rotating said cylinder over said chamber opening.

2. In a plate-handling machine, the combination of a frame, an elongate exhaust chamber immovably secured thereto, there being a longitudinally disposed slotted opening in a side of said chamber, a cylinder surrounding said chamber and closing by its inner Wall said slotted opening therein, said cylinder wall provided With a plurality ofsperforations equally spaced throughout the entire circumferential extent thereof, and means for rotating said cylinder over said chamber opening.

anded'direction Aso as to move 3. In a plate-handling machine the com bination with a'frame, of a plate engager consisting of a chamber immovaoly secured to said rameand provided with 1n el'onf. gated openin a perforated vrotata'b'y mounted cylin er inclosing the said chamber'and formin a continuous closure for the said opening t erein, and means for rotating the said cylinder on 'its own axis.

4. In a plate-handling machine, the combination ofa frame, a pair of plate engagers secured to said frame and arranged to act in opposition to each other and on opposite sides of a plate and means for operating the said plate-engagers to advance said chamber and closing by its inner Wall said opening therein, means for holding said chamber immovable with relation to said frame, and means for rotating vsaid cylinder over said chamber o ening.

'6. In a plate-hand ing machine, the combination of a frame, a chambered member the comsecured theretol and having communication with an air-exhauster, a perforate cylinder rotatably mounted upon and surrounding said chambered member, a valve chamber within said cylinder and having an opening therein adjacent to and covered by the inner Wall of said cylinder, said valve: chamber mounted for radial movement With relation to said cylinder Wall, andlexible connect-` ing members alording communication between said chambered member and said valve chamber.

7. In a machine for removing platesimmersed in a liquid bath, the combination of a movably mounted plate-engager adapted to bear upon a pile of plates and-remove each plate successively therefrom, said plate engager having as a part thereof an exhaust chamber in communication with an air-exhauster, aconduit leading from said chamber to such air exhauster, and afiuid trap communicatingwvith said conduit and adapted to? remove the liquid mingled with the air flowing throughsaid conduit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.`

` g LAWRENCE C. STEELE.

Witnesses: l

PAUL N. CRrroHLoW,

FRANCIS J. ToMAssoN.

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