US1419817A - Ball-rolling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

F. M. CANDA.

BALL ROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27| 1919.

Patented June 13, 1922.

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F. M. C'ANDA.

BALL ROLLING: APPARATUS.

APPLlGATlON FILED Aus.27. 1919.

Patnted June 13, 1922.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG-27. 1919.

Patented June 13, 1.922.

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I APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, I9I9- 1,419,817, PatentedJune 13, 1922.

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F. M. CANDA.

BALL ROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27. 1919.

Patented June 13, 1922.

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BALL-ROLLING APPARATUS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d J 13 19 Application filed Au ust 27, 1919. Serial No. 320,174.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FnnniNANi) l\/I()RA CANnA, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of New lork, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Rolling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for forming balls, and is particularly intended for forming, from wrought iron or steel, balls adapted to be used in crusher mills and the like, but is also adapted and intended for forming balls of various other materials and for other uses,-for example, lead shrapnel bullets, lead shot, glass balls of various types and uses, and even balls of non-metallic materials, such as pills used in medical practice, confectionery articles, etc. More particularly, however, I contemplate use of apparatus embodying my invention for forming from steel, particularly hard steel, balls of relatively large diameter particularly intended for'use as crusher balls, since at the present time large diameter crusher balls are made by a process, relatively expensive as compared with rolling operations, and involving the use of presses or hammers.- In mentioning the above, however, I do not intend to suggest that I do not also contemplate the use of apparatus embodying my invention for making balls of smaller size, for my apparatus is adapted for making small balls as well as large balls.

In the machine herein described two annularly related rolling members are used, one of these members, usually the inner one,

(though, as explained hereafter, the outer member may be helically grooved and the inner member ungrooved, or one may have a helical groove and the other a straight groove), and the material to be formed into balls is introduced into the space between these members, one of which rotates with respect to the other, and by the action of said grooves (or, to be more precise, by the'action of the ribs between which the grooves are) the said material is not only drawn along between said members in a generally axial direction, but which finally issue from between said members. Owing to ,the fact that the helical groove or grooves of the apparatus may have any desired number of turns, and any desired pitch, the rate of reduction of the material acted on, i. e., its change of shape, may be slow or quick, as desired, and may be more rapid in one portion of the apparatus than in another, if desired; and this without variation in the diameter of the apparatus; also, and for similar reasons, the character of the treat-' ment to which the material acted on is subjected may be varied greatly, as may be desirable in the treatment of various materials.

I may say at this point that while my apparatus is particularly intended for the production of articles of generally spherical form, yet it is obviously adapted for the production of articles of other forms but generally of the nature of objects of rotation; for example, ellipsoids; and such objects I include within the general term balls.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various forms of apparatus embodying my invention are illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims. In the said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 an end elevation of my apparatus, in elemental form; Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are elevations of the two rolling members in various alternative structural forms, the outer rolling member being shown in central longitudinal section; Figure 7 shows an end view of the Figure 6 arrangement; Figure 7 is an end elevation of amodified form of the arrangement of Figures 6 and 7 Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, illustrating an alternative construct-ion; Figures 9, 10, and 11 are other views similar to Figures 3, 4

and 5, but illustrating further alternative constructions; Figure 12 is a fragmentary end elevation of the construction shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is a view similar to Figures 3, 4 and 5, except that a plain stationary mandrel and a grooved rotatable shell are shown; Figure 14 is a view similar to Figures 3, 4 and 5, except that the parts are shown with their axes vertical instead of horizontal; Figure 15 is an elevation of complete ball rolling apparatus including driving means, yielding pressure means employed in connection with a shell composed of separable segments, and means for holding the material to be worked into balls, while it is being fed into the ball forming apparatusa certain delivery chute being shown in section; Figure 16 is an end elevation and partial section of the ball rolling apparatus of Figure 15, illustrating the segmental construction of the shell and the connection of the yielding pressure means there with; Figure 17 is a. fragmentary side elevation of ball forming apparatus provided with an alternative form of work holding means; and Figure 18 is a transverse section on the line 1818 of Figure 17.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2: 1 designates a suitable housing, adapted to contain a suitable shell 2, the latter constituting one of the ball rolling members, as hereinafter described, and 3 designates the other ball rollingmember, being a mandrel mounted for rotation in a bearing pedestal 4, and arranged to be driven by any suitable means, as for example a gear wheel 5. will be pointed out more fully hereafter, it

is immaterial whether shell 2 or mandrel 3 .rotate, and in fact, both may rotate; .What

is important is, that the one rotate with respect to the other; and so long as this is the case, they may even rotate in the some direction, though at different rotative speeds. At least one of the two ball-rolling members, 2 and 3, is commonly helically grooved, and in the drawings I illustrate various forms of shells and mandrels.

In Figure 3 I show one such combination of shell and mandrel. It is to be understood, with reference to this and similar succeeding views, that the shell and mandrel shown are adapted for use in the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 3, 2" designates a shell of cylindrical contour internally, and 3 a taper mandrel, helically larger end. In rolling balls with this ap-. paratus, the material to be rolled, preferably grooved, the helical groove starting with a nearly flat contour near the smaller end of the mandrel, and gradually merging into an approximately semi-circular contour at its in the form of a. round bar, is introduced between the shell and mandrel at that end at which the clearance between said members is greatest, i. e., at the right-hand end, in Figure 3, and such material, as so introduced, is engaged by the helical rib or thread 6 of the rotating mandrel, and thereby the said material acted upon is gradually drawn into the space between the mandrel and shell, and is gradually grooved, while being rotated between the mandrel and shell, so that said material is eventually divided, progressively, into a series of balls, which issue at the enlarged groove, 7 at the left-hand end of the apparatus. so formed will be of nearly perfect spherical contour; but for many purposes, as for example,. balls intended for use in crusher mills, it is immaterial whether the balls be of nearly perfect form, and in particular it is immaterial whether the balls have someframe 2 In general, the balls what rough or'imperfect surfaces near the axes about which they have been turned in the process of rolling; and indeed, it is 1mmaterial if the balls be not completely severed fromone another as they issue into the.

tract, and such contraction may be obtained by employing a tapered mandrel and a cylindrical shell, as indicated 1n Figure 3, or

by employing a mandrel and shell both of which are tapered, as indicated in Figure 4, wherein 2" and 3 designate the shell and mandrel respectively. Some materials acted upon are not only deformable but also more or less compressible, while other materials are deformable but practically incompressible; for which reason it may be necessary to use a mandrel and a shell such as shown in Figure 5, wherein both shell and mandrel, here designated by numerals 2 and 3 respectively, are tapered in the same sense. The important thing is, thatsuflicient material be taken in by the first turn of'the thread of the mandrel to insure substantial filling. of the final groove of the mandrel without overplus of material, bearing in mind the degree of compressibility of the material; and the intelligent designer, having knowledge of the qualities of the material to be rolled, will readily design the shell and mandrel to accomplish this end.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 the working surface of the shell is not grooved, and in such apparatus 'the material acted upon will in general have a planetary rotation about the axis of the mandrel and shell (which two members have, in general, the same axis) in addition to rotation about its own axis. But if preferred the shell may itself have a groove8, (Figure 7-) parallel to the axes of the mandrel and shell, whereby'the planetary rotation of the material acted'upon is prevented; and in such case, it maybe convenient to provide in this groove 8 antifriction rollers 9, to facilitate rolling of the material acted on. In such acase, the two rollers 9 become in fact one single rolling member, complementary to the grooved mandrel, and the shell (2 becomes a mere frame for the support of the rollers; consequently, and as indicated in Figure 7 a mandrel, so that a plurality of rods to be converted into balls, may be in process of may be substituted for the shell.-

plurality of .rollers 9, may be provided about a single eter of the finished balls.

having ribs throughout,

.tical instead of horizontal.

be inclined in either direction, according to circumstances.

The apparatus shown in Figures 3 to 8 inclusivework into ball form material having an initial diameter slightly less than that of the finished balls. In Figures9 to 12 inclusive I .show apparatus adapted to produce balls from rods having, initially, a diameter slightly greater than that of the finished balls. This, of course, involves the initial grooving of the rods to a width between grooves somewhat less than the diam- Figure 9 illustrates one such apparatus, the mandrel, 3, 6 which are of the same pitch but are broad in the initial portion of the mandrel but grow progressively narrower, the groove between them growing progressively w1der,

in accordance wlth the progressively increasing breadth of the partly formed balls. The contour of the groove is such as to tend to force the material at the sides of the partly formed balls up toward the sides and center thereof. In Figure 10 another such apparatus is shown, the ribs, 6 being of the same breadth throughout, but of progressively increasing pitch, so that the groove between the ribs grows progressively wider, as in Figure 9. The arrangement shown in Figures 11 and 12 is similar to that of Figure 10, except that the initial turn, 6, is separated from 1 the other turns of the rib 6 and is radially perpendicular to the axis of the mandrel and formed as a cutter, which will completely sever the rod, as introduced, into separate cylinders, which thereafter will progress separately through the machine, being formed into balls, however, in the same manner as if-they were connected. I

As indicated in Figure 13, the mandrel,

here designated as 3 may be stationary and plain-surfaced, and the shell, here designated as 2 may rotate and may be grooved helically; 4 designating bearings for the rotating housingl of this form of the apparatus, and 5 designating gear teeth provided on the housing whereby the shell may be rotated. This form of apparatus is of course the mere converse of that shown in Figure 3. As-indicated in Figure 14, the axes of the mandrel and shell may be ver- This form of apparatus is particularly well adapted to work on material in the form of blocks already cut to lengths proper for forming balls individually. Obviously the various alternashell (including the tive features of structure hereinbefore illustated may be employed in vertical apparatus as in horizontal apparatus.

It will furthermore be understood that in any of the constructions illustrated, the surface of the mandrel, or the surface of the surfaces of the rolls 9 and 7*), or both, may be roughened, as by knurling or the like, to improve the driving qualities of the apparatus with respect to the material being worked. This is a common rolling expedient. In Fig. 6, I have indicated that the mandrel and in Figures 7 rolls are roughened in this manner.

Since in most of the forms of apparatus shown 'the rods from which the balls are formed have a planetary motion during their progress through the apparatus, it is desirable, particularlywhen the bars are of large diameter, to provide means for supporting the bars in such manner that they will follow this planetary motion, in whole or in part, prior totheir entry into the ballmaking apparatus proper. Figure 15 illustrates one such apparatus. Two vertical rods, 10, provided with roller carrying hooks 11 at their lower ends, are mounted on crank-pins of cranks 12 and 13, cranks 13 being on a shaft'14 driven by suitable gearing 15, a vertical shaft 16, and other ing 17 from the main driving gear '5. 10 are cross-connected, for stiffness, by a suitable frame 18. 19 designates the rod being fed into the machine. It will be apparent that the hooks 11 have a circular motion corresponding to the planetary motion of the rod 19., The gearing 15 and 17 .will be proportioned, in design, to impart motion to hooks 11 at the pro er rate.

Figures 17 and 18 i1 ustrate an alternative means for the same purpose. mounted loosely on an extension of the mandrel 3,- and is provided with gear teeth whereby it may be rotated by driving means 21 at a suitable rate. In this disk 20 is an aperture 22 through which the rod 19 to be fed into the ball forming machine may pass. A strut 23 is provided with a similar aperture, which, however,-is coaxial, or substantially so, with the mandrel 3. The rod A disk 20 is 19, being hot and therefore flexible, will readily pass from 'the axial aperture in strut 23 to the eccentric aperture 22.

Figure 16 also illustrates that the shell 1 I of the ball-forming apparatus may be formed in separate and separable segments 2 movable radially outward, but normally pressed inward by yielding pressure means, such as are employed for pressing together the rolls of ordinary rolling mills; forexample, rams 24 of hydraulic cylinders 25.

This construction, which is of course applicable to the shells of any ofthe'various types of ball-making apparatus previously illustrated and described, permits yielding I as to put exceptional stress on the appain case the material being worked is" so hard ratus; it also permits regulation of the pressure exerted-on the material, just as does device of an ordinary rollvided with means for drawing the matedirection between said members duce such material to ball form.

rial acted on in a generally axial direc-v tion between said members, one of said members being provided with means for reducing the material acted upon to ball form. v

2. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination of two rolling members annularly related relatively, both members being fixed against axial movement, one of said members mounted for rotation with respect to the other, and one of said members provided with helical grooves adapted to draw the material acted. on in a generally. axial 3. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination ofa mandrel and a shell completely enveloping said mandrel circumferentially, both mandrel and ,shell being .fixed against axial movement, ,0116 of said members mounted for rotation with respect to the other, one of. said members being provided with means. for drawing the material acted on in a generally axial direction between isaid'members, and one of said members being provided with means for reducing the materialaacted upon to ball form.

'4. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination of a mandrel and a'shell completely enveloping said mandrel circumferentially, both mandrel and shell being fixed against axial movement, one of said members mounted for rotation with respect to the other, and one of said members provided with helical grooves adaptedto draw the material acted upon in a generally axial direction between said members andto reduce such material to ball form. 5. In a ball rolling apparatus, thecombination of two rolling members annularly related relatively, both members being fixed against axial movement, one of said members mounted for rotation, with respect to the other, and one of said members provided with a helical groove, the said members adapted by reason of their relative roand to retatability todrawbetween them, in a generally axial direction, material to be acted upon, and to formQsuch material into general ball-shape.

6. In a ball rolling apparatus, the4zombination of two rolling members annularly related relatively, both membersbeing fixed against axial movement, one of said mem'- bers mounted for rotation with respect to. pro-. vided with a helical groove the profile of the other, and one of said members which varies progressively from an initial form adapted for the reception of the material to be acted upon to' a form corre sponding to that of the finished article.

7. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination of two rolling members annularly related relatively, one of said members mounted for rotation with respect to the other, one of said members provided, on its face adjacent to the other said member, with a helical groove, and one of said members tapered on its face adjacent to the other said member.

8. In a ball rolling apparatus, the com bination of two rolling members annularly related relatively both members being fixed against axial movement, one of'said' members mounted. for rotation with respect to the other, said members being provided, on their adjacent faces, with ball-forming grooves, one of which is helical,

9. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination of two rolling members, one of which is rotatably mounted with respect to the other, one of said members comprising a helical ball-forming groove and the other of said members comprising a plurality of rotatable rollers together forming a coacting groove. I

10. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination of a rolling member having a helical ball-forming groove, and complementary helical rib, the width of said groove varying progressively, the initial portion of said rib being sharp and constituting a cutter to sever the material acted on. into sep-' arate blocks, and means for holding material to be acted on in said groove.

'11. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination with ball-rolling means adapted to impart a planetary motion to the material acted on while drawingit in and forming it into balls, of supporting and guiding means for the material acted on arranged to follow such planetary motion.

12.. In a ball rolling apparatus, the combination with ball-rollin means adapted to impart a planetary motion to the material acted on while drawing it in and forming it into balls, of supporting and guiding means for the material acted on .arranged,to fol f I low such planetary motion, and means for bination of a plurality of coasting ballrolling members, one of which is formed in a plurality of similar segments, and yielding pressure means tending to force said segments toward another of said members. 14. In a ball rolling'apparatus, the combination of a mandrel and a shell annularly related, said shell being formed in a plurality of similar segments, and yielding pressure means tending to force said seg- 10

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