US875837A - Machine for feeding sheets of metal, &c. - Google Patents

Description

No. 875,837. PATENTED JAN. '7,-1908.

P. MQINTYRE,

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS OP METAL, 8w. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14,1906.

- e SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Nu, 875,837. PATBNTED'JAN. 7, 1908.

' P. MOINTYRE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS OP'METAL, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.14,1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 875,837. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908. F. MOINTYRE. MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS 0F METAL, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 875,887. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

F. MQINTYREE MACHINE EOE FEEDING SHEETS 0E METAL, am.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1 14 1906.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Jaye/@2297:-

No. 875,887. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

' P. MoINTYRE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF MET-AL, &o.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14,1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

No. 875,837; PATENTED JAN.A7, 1908. F. MOINTY'RE.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS or METAL, m.

APPLICATION FILED BEPI. 14, 1906.

6 8HEETSBHBET 6.

FINLAY MCINTYRE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SHEETS OF METAL, 850.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed September I4, 1906- Serial No. 334,673.

To all w]: m it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FINLAY McIN'rYRE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use- "ful Improvements in Machines for Feeding- Sheets'of Metal and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to. be a full and exact description'thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for feeding sheets of metal and the like, and has particular reference to machines for feeding sheets of tin plate.

The. common usage of the present time is to handle metal sheets by hand-in feeding.

themto slitters, formers or other metal working machines. This method is ex ensive and disagreeable by reason of the p ysical discomfort in, handling sharp edged metal sheets.

My purpose in this. invention is to .take boxes of tin plate as they come from the factory, knock the box from around them, and

. place the sheets in the machine without dis turbingthe pile or further handling except for cleaning purposes.

My feedin mechanism is ap licable to any form of machine forworking s eets of metal and the like, and while I herein describe it in its'application for slitting machines, I would not be limited in the scope of my invention by so doing.

My invention consists, first, in an automatic device for carr ing the sheets of metal and the like separate y to the metal working machine.

It consists, second, in the mechanism for automatically elevating a plurality of sheets of metal and the like to a position wherfrom they may be successively picked up by the said carrying mechanism.

It consists, third, in the variousnovel devices and combinations of the same nature, 1 herein illustrated andv described, together with their mechanical equivalents, and pointed out with moreparticularity in the claims ap ended hereto.

Iin'the drawings, Figure I represents a'plan view of my device. Fig. II is an elevation taken from the end opposite the .cutting rolls. Fi III is an elevation of oneside, and Fig. I V an elevation of the opposite'side, parts being broken away in each view to better expose the mechanism. FlgfV is a sectional plan view taken through the line 5 of Fig. II. Figs. VI to XI inclusive show enlarged details of my device.

More particularly described, A represents the frame of my machine, supported by the standards A A. To the forward end of my machine is journaled' parallel shafts B, B, which carry at one end gears b and 1) respectively. The gears b and b mesh, thereby giving the shafts B and B coincident movement. Upon the shafts B and B are mounted cutting-rolls of'any desirable form,

1) and b respectively, which rolls serve the purpose of slitting the sheets fed into them by the feeding mechanism hereinafter described. Upon the shaft B op osite the gear I) is mounted the belt pulley throu h which the power-is transmitted to the shafts B and B and the cutting rolls b and b The shifting pulley 12 rotates freely upon the shaft B and is intended to hold the power belt I) when the cutting rolls are at rest. A shifting fofk b of usual construction is provided to move the belt I) from pulley b to pulley b and back again.

A guide a is provided at the forward end of the machine to carry away the waste of the sheet in slitting. 1

My feeding mechanism 1- describe as follows :Upon the frame A, at right angles to the cutting roll shafts B and B, I construct parallel roller tracks C C. These tracks are rovided with recess a and the slope c The forward wall of the recess 6 or the one nearest the cutting rolls b 1) is sloping, while the rear wall or the one-farthest removed from the cutting roll is erpendicular or nearly so. The angle of the slbpe c is of the same pitch as that of the said forward wall of the recess 0.

A roller rack D is provided fitted with rollers'd d d d, opposed to and engaging with the tracks C, C. The rack D is provided with slotted cross arms (1 d, which carry secured thereto the magnets (1 d A rocking frame consisting of uprights d and d, joined at the top by the cross arm (1 is secured to either side of the rack D, and is designed to move the same along the track C. The securement of the said rack D to the said frame is effected by the sliding engagement of the ins d, projecting from the sides of the said ame, with the elongated slots (1 d in the upper ends of the arms d and d. This sliding engagement is necessary to allow the rack D to slide along the track C while the moving frame rocks on a pivot. The said ries of levers to the power or the 'machine.

The table upon which the sheets to be slit are laced consists of the square bed E.

whic 1 is fitted at its corners with sleeves E,

which have sliding engagement with the up right rods e, e. I the ribs e e e, adjustably connected therewith by the adjusting screws 6 e These ribs c e are-so constructed that the upper face slopes upward toward the'centerof the length, and upon these ribs the sheets are intended to-rest. The slo ing upward allows the topsheets of the ie placed upon the table to separate from t e others at the ends, as the tendency of a singlesheet of metal is to rest fiat and not bend to the conformation of its resting place, as will a pile of sheets. This insures the read lifting of the single sheet by-the magnets 2 d j 3 I In operationthe uprights d and d rock on their pivots d d and carry the rack 1) along said track C until the rollers dd engage the slopes of the recesses c and 0, when the rack'D drops into said recesses and the site directionand carry the rack D out of the recesses c and a, and forward along the track magnets d d engage the sheets to'be'slit. The uprights d? andd then rock in the oppo- C, thereby lifting one sheet S, and carrying it of the said sheet; I On the op osite side ofsented to the'cutting rolls at right .angles;" A back guide F is fixed to the frame of the 55 ism,- itis seenjthat the magnets Wlll pick 11? .lotatably fixpn? end-0f an arm J which is is;

forward tofthe cutters b 'and b which en-. .35

gage the sheet and disengageitby force from the magnets d d Y In the operation 7 by the magnets d d, the position of the sheet is liable to be shifted. and the edge of the sheet not be presented at right angles to the said cutting rolls. I therefore-provide a means of guiding the sheet accuratel' to ,the said cutting rolls, towit:On one si ,e of the frame A ofthe machine I provide a fixed channel guide F and opposed to'one side edge themachine'andiopposed tot e other side edge of the sheet I rovide a swinging arm F pivoted to the rack D at f. The lower or free end of the'arm F en ages the roller faced dogf' whichis pivotef to the frame A. This dog is normally held pressed inward toward'the sheet S by a small spring f. The "small spring. f serves to normally hold the arm F outward from the sheetfi; The arm -F moving with the rack D engagesthe dog f by which engagement it forces the sheet 8' against the guide F and the sheet S is premachine and is designed to act as a stop at the rear of the said sheets, .to prevent t em from slipping backwards.

In the construction of the fe ."mechan Upon this bed E are placedof picking upthe sheet S the sheets at levels varying in'range from the level of the track 0 to the level of the recesses c and c. I must therefore provide means for elevating the sheets within the said range of the magnets just described. I rovide a screw E one end of which is rigid y secured to the bottom face of the table bed E. This screw projects downward and engages the mechanism fixed to the lower bed G 'of the machine. This mechanism consists first of a nut g which engages the screw E Uponthe outer face of the not 9 is cut a bevel gear which meshes with another gear 9, fixed to a shaft g extending to the side of the frame A. 3

Upon this shaft g is fitted a ratchet wheel 9 Opposed to the said ratchet wheel is a pawl 9 w ch is secured to an arm -g-which is rotatably connected to said shaft 9 The connection of the said pawl with the said arm is con structed as follows. Through a perforation in the arm g I pass a headed bolt 9 and upon it against the outside face ofthe pawl g I place a spring disk A set screw 9 en-' gages the side of said bolt 9 and holds it in place. The spring disk 9 bears against the .pawl g4 and holds it hits adjusted position against the force of gravity. U on the upper face of the-pawl I rovide two iu'gs g and g,

the purpose of WhlOh willinow be described. 1 I

A spring controlled plunger H fitted perpend cularly in the frame" of said machine. ts u per end lies opposed tothe rack D and is a a ted twengp'ge therewith when said pack h 1 Its oweren 'av'ing 3 Mi e a ement with a slotted bracket h fixed o ed G is fitted with a foot h and lies op psed to said pawl g between the lugsg and g. Y

In operation, when a sheet S is picked up by the magnetsd d and "carried forward to the rolls, the rack D returning-to engage the magnets d (1 with a succeeding sheet, drops 0 s'i'nto e recesses-c and c lea into the recesses c and'c' until the magnets make coiitactwith the top sheet S. If the said sheet i's near the lowest level of the said range of the magnets, the'rack D'strikes the upper end of the plunger H, driving it. downward so that the foot h engages with the lug 9 70f the said pawl g. The pawl g is thereby engagedwith the ratchet g and is held in such engagementjay the spring disk 9. The

pawl is forced in a circle on'its rotating'arni 9 until the lug. g. engages the foot h when pawl g is disengaged from the ratchet 'As theratchet g is thus revolved, the

the 3 shaft g is made to revolve and-through the said bevel gears g and g the screw E is, turned and the table bed E and the sheets thereon elevated the distance desired to 51%" Itis intende This effected asfollowsiTo the upright 3 adiustab'ly connected at its other end with an arm j at an elongated slot Also ad- -fustablyengaged with said sloti j is an arm jtwhic'h' is connected at its free end with a crank pin 7r fixed to the power shaft K. The other and free end of the'arm is fixed to a rock'shaft jhjournaled to the bed G. An arm j is 1givoted atone end to the arm j and at the ot er end to the arm 9 of the pawl 9 The power-conveyed from the shaft K.

through the arm by means of the crank pin 76 rocks the arm back and forth on the shaft j and the armd connecting with the mechanism of the rack D and the arm j connecting with the mechanism of the table bed E, being both connected with the rocking arm the action of the two mechanisms is reciprocal. The adjustment of this reciprocation is effected by manipulating the adjustable connections of the arms J and j zqith the slotted arm j.

To the outer end of the shaft 9 I fix a crank if, which with the pawl g" disengaged from t e ratchet wheel may be used to lower the table E whenit is desired to place a new su ply of sheetsflthereon.

Vhi le I describe herein the use of magnets as themeans for carrying the sheets forward to the metal working mechanism, there are other automatic means which may be employed to effect the same purpose, such as vacuum devices of, various kinds, and I would. not be limited in my invention to the articular means described herein. 1 ;I. would not be limited in the details ol my construction and any modification for mechanical economies may be made which come within the spirit of my invention. The means of effecting the reciprocating action of the raising of the table and the feeding' the sheet may be modified. I'show one form which to me seems preferable.

"It is .my intention that my invention shall be applied to the slitting of sheets of metal, paper, felt or any other kind of material which may be conveniently fed to the cutting device in sheets, and the ex ression used herein, .sheets of metal and t 1e like is intended to refer to sheets of any material,

metal paper, felt or whatever kind which may be so fed in sheets.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working mechanism, of a feed in mechanism consisting of a roller track, a roller mounted rack engaging said track, automatic car-' rying means fixed to said rack, and means for automatically moving said rack along said roller track.

2 In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working'mechanism, of a feeding mechanism, consisting of a roller track, recesses fitted in v the face thereof, a roller bearing rack adaptworking mechanism, of 'a feeding mechanism consisting of a roller track, a rack having sliding engagement with said track, automatic sheet carrying means attached to said rack, and means for actuating said rack, consisting of lever arms attached at one end to said rack, pivoted to the frame of said machine, and ada )ted to engage at its free end the power sha t of said machine.

4. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and thelike, the combination with a metal working mechanism, of a feeding m chanism consisting of a track, a roller bearing rack engaging said track, magnets iitted to said rack, and means for automatically moving said" magnets into contact with said sheets and automatic means for actuating said rack.

5. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working mechanism, of a feeding mechanism consisting of a track, a roller bearing rack engaging therewith, automatic carrying means fixed to said rack, means for automatically moving said rack along said track, and a movable table adapted to hold said sheets and means for automatically moving said table into contact with said automatic carrying means.

6. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working mechanism, of a feeding. mechanism, consisting of a recessed roller track, a rack engaging therewith, automatic sheet carrying means fixed to said rack, means for automatically moving said rack on said track and into engagement with said recesses, a sheet carrying table lying opposed to said automatic sheet carrying means, and means for automatically elevating said table 7. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working mechanism, of a feeding mechanism consisting of a roller track, recesses fitted in the upper face thereof, a roller bearin rack adapted to slidingly engage said tracI: and recesses, magnets fixed to said rack, and a sheet carryingtable opposed to said magnets, and means for'automatically moving said table reciprocally with the action of said magnet bearing rack.

8. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a roller track, a magnet bearing raclchaving sliding engagement with said track, means on said track to change the elevation of said rack at a fixed point in its said sliding engagement,

and the like, the combination with a roller rack, amagnet bearing rack having sliding engagement with said track, means on said track to change the elevation of said rack at a fixed point in its said sliding engagement,

of a table opposed to said rack'at the said point of change of elevation and means for raising-said table,,consisting of a-screw attached to said table and rneansfor automat= I v 1 chine, a shaft .avmg beveled engagement with ically turning said screw.

10. In a :ma'chine for feeding sheets "of? imetal and the like, the'icomhination with a metal working rnechanism and a feeding mechanism, consisting of a magnet bearing rack horizontally opposed to said ,metal working mechanism, and means for dropping said rack to a lower level at a fixed point, of

a sheet bearingtable o posed to said magnets and means fore evating said tabla. reciprocally with'the action ofsaidrack, con- .sisting of a screw fitted to said table,- anut "engaging said screw and bearing on the frame of same machinda spring -controlled plunger 1 ry'ing arm upon said shaft.

fitted to said machine and adapted to engage saidrack'at the saidpoint of dropping to 'a lower elevation,-and means for cooperating saidplunger-anfd said-nut.

11L1 1 a machine forfeedingsheets of metal working mechanism. and a ,feeding mechanism, consisting of a magnet bearing raclradapted to slide horizontally on said machine and to drop to a lower level at a fixed point, of a sheet bearing table opposed to said'raclr-at. the point of"v its said lower level, and means for elevating said table reciprocally with the action of said rack, consisting of a screw fixed to said table, a nut engaging said screw and bearing on the frame of said machine, a bevel gear fitted on said nut, a shaft journaled to. the frame of said machine, fitted with a bevel gear at one end, meshing with said bevel gear fitting on said nut, and fitted at its other-end with a ratchet wheel, a .pawl. engaging said ratchet wheel adapted to rotate with the said shaft as an-axis, a spring controlled plunger adaptpawl and said rack and ed to engage sai means of rotating said pawl on said axis.

12. In a machine for feeding sheets of metal and the like, the combination with a metal working mechanism, and a feeding mechanism, consisting of a magnet hearingv rack adapted to slide horizontally on the frame of. said machine and to drop to a lower level at afixed point, of a sheet bearing table, a screw attached thereto, a-nnt engaging said screw andbearing on theframeof said 'masaid nut, a ratchet wheel mounted on said shaft, a rocking" arm engaging said shaft,-a pawl rotatably attached to said arm, a spring plungerfitted to the frame of said machine,

adapted to engage said rack at the .point' where it drops to a'lower level, the lower end of said plunger engaging said front and rear lugs, whereby said pawl is respectively engaged with and disengaged from said ratchet Wheel, and, means for rocking said pawl car- ,13. In amachine for feeding. sheets of metal and the like, the combination witha metal working mechanism and 1 a feeding mechanism, of:a sheet bearing table, and

vmeans for periodically elevating s'aid1table',

consisting of a screw, a nut engaging said screw, ashaft engaging said nut and adaqotedautomatic means for actuating said rockingarm, and means for automatically engaging said pawl with said ratchet wheel, and disen gaging it therefrom.

FINLAY MOINTYRE. Witnesses:

JAMES F. DAGLEY,

, A. M. BROW

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