US2581602A - Tool slide - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1952 f c. D, PULSIFER 2,581,602

TOOL SLIDE Filed Dec. 12, 1946 mrl Ckmeflce 12 Pa [597?! BY Z Z ATTORNEYS,

Patented Jan. 8, 1952 s PATENT OFF ICE TooL SLIDE Clarence D. Pulsifer, Farmington,

to The New Britain Machine Britain,

Conm, assignor Company, New

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 12, 1946, Serial No. 715,896

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a tool slide or the like and more particularly to means for adjusting the fit between two relatively slidable members.

Tool slides and the like frequently employ a dovetail slot and dovetail for slidably engaging a tool slide or the like with its base. It is common practice to make the dovetail and slot on an angle of about 45. A lesser angle is in many cases much more desirable, but with a lesser angle of contact there is great likelihood that the slide will stick upon the application of substantial lateral or twisting force. Some dovetail slot connections have included an adjustable gib for varying both the lateral and the vertical fit between the dovetail and its slot. However, where both the lateral and vertical fits are determined by the gib or gibs, there is also likelihood of sticking or binding upon application of a heavy lateral or twisting force, and this tendency to binding or sticking becomes more pronounced as the angle of the dovetail and the slot is diminished.

It is an object of my invention to provide improved means for adjusting the fit between two relatively slidable members connected by means such as a dovetail slot means.

It is a further object to provide a slidable connection between two members such as a tool slide and its base, wherein the tendency to bind or stick is reduced to a minimum.

It is a further object to provide a slidable connection between a pair of members so arranged that the lateral fits and vertical fits are separately adjustable.

It is a further object to provide improved means for adjusting the lateral fit between a pair of relatively slidable members connected by a lug and slot type of connection.

It is a further object to provide improved means for adjusting the vertical fit between two relatively slidable members connected by means of a slot and lug type of connection. In general, the object is to provide an improved sliding con- Broadly speaking, my invention may be embodied in a slide connection involving slots and lugs slidable in such slots. Such a connection may be, though it is not necessarily, embodied in a dovetail slot connection. The lateral fit between the two relatively slidable members, in accordance with my invention, is determined by improved means independently of the vertical fit between the two members; and the vertical slidnection between a tool slide or the like and its base.

The invention, in the illustrative form shown, is embodied in a dovetail slot type of connection.

In the drawings whichshow, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a slide and base illustrative of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.. i

In the illustrative form shown, one of the slidable members has a dovetail, while the other member has a dovetail slot. As illustrated specifically, the base 5 is provided with a dovetail, while the slide 6 is provided with a dovetail slot interfitting with the dovetail. The usual com mercial incline of a dovetail is about 45", but by 'reason of my invention I am able to employ a dovetail and slot having a substantially lesser angle as indicated at l, and that angle may be reduced still more.

The dovetail has opposed outwardly turned lugs 8--8, which in the preferred form have flat lateral bearing surfaces 9-"). The flat longitudinal bearing surface 9 is slidably engaged with a bearing surface I I, preferably also flat, and in the preferred form the bearing surface II in the bottom of the dovetail slot is relieved, as indicated at l2, so as to provide spaced apart bearing points or bearing zones between the dovetail and slot, as indicated at l3|3., The dovetail at the opposite side i 0, in the preferred form, does not engage the adjacent bottom of the dovetail slot directly as does the side 9, but engages adjustable means for forcing the dovetail laterally and adjusting and determining the lateral fit between the dovetail and the slot.

-In the form illustrated, I employ adjustable shoe means between the right-hand side of the dovetail and the slot, and such a shoe l4 may be carried in a recess I5 in the bottom. of the dovetail slot. The shoe I4 may be adjusted as by means of a screw l6, which may be locked in adjusted position as by means of a lock nut I1. I preferably employ two such shoes spaced longitudinally of the dovetail slot connection, as is clearly indicated in Fig. l, and since both shoes and their adjustment are identical or quite similar, a description of the one will suflice for both. It will be seen, then, that what I term the lat eral or sidewise fit between the dovetail and the dovetail slot may be determined by the adjustment of the shoes l4 and when both shoes (when two are employed) are adjusted, there will be spaced apart bearing surfaces which will tend to avoid any binding or substantial resistance. to

I longitudinal sliding.

adjustment in accordance with my invention is determined by laterally adjustable gib means secured to the slide and having a bearing thereon and on the dovetail so arranged that lateral movement will cause a tighter or looser fit be tween the dovetail and its slot and thus determine the vertical fit of the lugs in the slots. As illustrated, the slide carries two adjustable gibs |8-l9, which may be and preferably are. dupli-- cates of each other so that only one need be described. The bearing face 2!) of eachgib isarranged at an angle to the bearing surface 2|. so thatwhen the gib is adjusted laterally, the face will move into tighter or looser engagement with'the corresponding face on the lugv 8. As illustrated, where the bearingface 20 is at an angle, the face 2| may be horizontal (in. a relative sense, of course) The gibs l8|9. are secured in position as by means of screws 22 which passthrough oversize slotsin the slide while the heads are seated in a counterbore and the screws are threadedin'tothe gibs as shown at 24. A sufficient numberof such screws 22 are employed so as to hold the' gibs with the required security and rigidity. As stated, the gibs are adjustable so as to vary the vertical fit between the dovetail and the. slots.

7 The preferred form oiadjustment .is.by means of a cam pr eccentric so that very fine gradations of adjustments may be made. As illustrated each slide is provided with screws 25 having eccentrics so as to secure the exact vertical fit'de'sired the holding. screws 22 are tightened so. as to hold the gibsiin position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided means for. determining the lateral fit of the slide and its base and have provided entirely independent means for determining the vertical fit. Since in thelpreferredv form-the points or zones of contactbetween-the sides of the dovetail and the bottomsof the-dovetail slot are at spaced. apart points and since the: lateral fit and. thevertical fit are determined independently or eachother, it. will be clear that there will be little or no tendency of theslide to. bind during its sliding movement on thezbase. Furthermore, because of the independent adjustments there will be no necessity for the expensive scraping in of bearing'surfaces and therefore hardened slide surfaces (which cannot be scraped) may be em:-.

ployed. With hardened surfaces there will be little or no wear .and such Wear. as does occur may be readily compensated for by the simple adjustmentsofzlateral and vertical fit.

Theinvention has been described as embodied in a dovetailslottype of connection but it is to V be understood: that the principles of the invention are applicable. to other forms of. lugand slotconnections...

While the invention has been described inze'one' siderable detailand a preferred form illustrated. 1t 15 to be understood that variouschanges may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the .appendedclaims. I claim:

1. In .a device of the character indicated, a

"member having a dovetail slot, a member havin .widely, separated and being located generally oppositesaid firste'mentioned lateral bearing engaging surfaces, whereby said dovetail .and slot will be in slidingbearing engagingcontact at two widely. separated. points at each side tominimize stickingof said dovetail in said slot, and a adjustabl'eigib. means forming a part of said slot and. serving .toholdsaid dovetail in said slot.

2.;Iri.a device. of the character indicated, a member. havinga dovetail slot, a memberhaving a dovetail tofitinsaidslot, at least.one side. of said dovetail islot being defined by an adjustable gib, said 'gib having-a horizontal bearing surface on the member. carrying said. gib, vertical Screw meanssecuringsaid gib to its member, means for adjusting. ,said .igib. laterally... and horizontally,

saidigib andthe undersideof said dovetail have ing sliding. surfaces at..a smallv angle to. the horizontalwhereby horizontallan d lateraladjustmentofsaid gib will varythe vertical fit .of said dovetail in said. dovetail slot, said dovetailand ing a dovetail relatively slidable in said slot, said 7 dovetail slotbeing defined at at leastone side by an adjustable gib, said gib and the coacting surface on said-dovetail being inclined at a small angle to thehorizontal, a plurality of eccentrics between themember having the slot and said gib for adjusting the .gib laterally of the'slotl screws .for clamping said gib toits member, whereby lateraladjustment of said .gibwill de terminethe. vertical fitof said dovetail and slot and said .gibwillbe. held .in adjusted position by. ,said' -.;clamping. screws, a shoe. engageable laterallybetweenone sidev of said dovetail and the adjacent side of the slot, and means foaadjusting the.-p'osition.of said shoe to determine the fitof saiddovetail laterally in said slot.

. CLARENCE D. PULSIFER.

REFERENCES CITED The. following. references. are. or. record in the '.file 0L thislpatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name- Date 1,225,726 Becker May 8, 1917 1,811,508 Klages June 23; 1931 2,340,450 Bouschor Feb. 1, 1944 2,435,849? Schlitters Feb. 10, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number-z: Country Date.

587.2% France .Jan.":.15; .1925

Images