APPARATUS FOR ROTATING A CURVED WORKPIECE

Abstract: Apparatus for rotating a curved workpiece, for laminating, turning or otherwise surface-treating the workpiece with the purpose of rotating the workpiece in such a way that the surface-treatment material feeding device or the surface treating members, such as the means feeding the fabric to be used in laminating or the lathe tools, may be kept stationary while the piece rotates. The apparatus comprises a frame (1), a shaft (2) with workpiece clamping heads (3, 3'), a drive (4) arranged to rotate the shaft, and attached to the shaft a turning means (41) with guiding elements (8, 9, 10, 42). To the turning means has been connected a clamping head, and the components have been disposed to turn the curved workpiece in a plane passing through the shaft and rotating therewith, guided by the guiding elements, while the locus of the centres of the workpiece's cross sections is tangent to the axis of rotation. The turning means may comprise a drive arm (5, 6) non-rotatable with reference to the shaft and movable in the direction of the shaft, the drive arm and shaft being provided with an axially centered guide bearing (8, 9, 10) including operating and adjusting elements (11, 12, 13) and the clamping head (3) being connected to the shaft and to the drive arm overturning arms and a turning lever (14, 15, 16, 17, 18). The shaft (2) and the drive arm (5, 6) may consist of tubes located within each other and mutually displaceable in axial direction. The turning means (41) may consist of a power means, such as an electric motor or a cylinder operated by a pressurized fluid.

Description: Apparatus for rotating a curved workpiece The present invention concerns an apparatus serving to impart a rotary motion to a curved workpiece, said apparatus comprising a frame, a shaft with workpiece clamping heads, rotatably carried in the frame, and a driv arranged to rotate said shaft. Operations in which wor pieces deviating from straight shape, rhat is curved workpieces, are rotated with reference to the axis of the piece, that is the locus of the centre-points of its cross sections, have to be contemplated e.g " . in connection with lamination by mechanical means of fibre-glass pipe bends and with the turning of pieces on a lathe. Λn apparatus intended to be used in sich connections is known in prior art, where the member serving- the laminating operation revolves about the workpiece. Such apparatus is complex of its construction and cpramands a high price. Moreover, the revolving laminating member imposes special labour safety requirements on the guards needed for the annaratus, which causes restrictions of its use. .It is furthermore to be noted that the material to be laminated in laminating operations has to be carried on a circular path around the workpiece, and this is inconvenient from the viewpoint of flexible working and in_ articular regarding the adding of fabric spools or equivalent tn be used in the process. The object_ of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, of simpler construction and lower price than those of prior art, for rotating a curved workpiece. A further object of the invention is to provide said apparatus, in the use of which the surface treating material or members, such as a fabric to be applied by a lamination process or lathe tools, can be kept stationary while the workpiece rotates. Tt is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus of which the use and protection can be more simply and less expensively implemented than in apparatus of prior art. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus which eliminates the drawbacks apparent in the state of art. Regarding the features which are characteristic of /i invention, reference is made to the claims section. The invention is described in detail in the following with the ._ 1 embodiment examples, reference being made to the attached drawing, wherεiπ:- Fig. 1 displays schematically, in elevational. view, an apparatus according " to the invention; Fig. 2 presents schematically, in elevational view, another apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 3 presents schematically, in elevational view, a third apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 4 presents schematically, in elevational view, a fourth apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus depicted in Figs 1-4 serving ro rotate a curved workpiece comprises a frame 1, a shaft 2 with workpiece clainoing heads 3,3' rotat- able by the aid of a drive means 4, such as an electric motor for in¬ stance, being rotatably carried in said _ * -.-ιme; the direction in which the shaft rotates being indicated with an arrow " 50. Λs taught by the inven¬ tion, the apparatus comprises a turning means 41 non-rota ably attached to the shaft 2, with guide elements 8,' "* ,10,42, and the clamping head 3,3 ** being attached to said turning means. The components just neπtioned have been disposed to turn or swivel the curved workpiece in a planα passing through the axis, under guidance by.the guide elements and so that the locus of the workpiece centres is tangent to the axis of rotation. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the shaft 2 comprises at least one drive arm 5,6 movable in the axial direction. The drive arm has been provided with axially centered guiding bearing 8,9,10 Including drive and adjustment elements 11,12,13 for displacing and controlling the drive arm in the shaft's direction while it is rotating. The damning head 3,3' is con¬ nected to the shaft and to the drive arm over the turning arms 14,15,17, 18,18 ** and the levers 16,16' in a way such that the curved workpiece .fixed to the clamping heads 3,3' is swivellable by means of the shaft, drivebrm, turning arms and levers and of the clamping head, carried by these and under guidance by guide bearings and elements, so that the locus of the cross section centres of the workpiece is tangent to the axis of rotation, that is, the curved workpiece fixed to the cla pLng head rotates on the centre-line of the axes. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the shaft 2 and driv * . arms 5,6 consist <> . tubes one inside the other and movable with rr-ferpnce to nach othc.r axi¬ ally. The shaft 2, that is the outermost o ' said tubes, has been cirried rotat_bly in the frame 1 with the bearing 20, which permits disnl;)..ι.w.nt of the shaft in its longitudinal direction. Fiirth-rmori?, rhe shaft - haπ been provided with a guide bearing 8; similarly ..ho shaft-like dri-i-. arms 5,6 concentric with the shaft have each been fitted with a guide bearing 9,10, the .shaft and drive arms, respectively, bein fr ..ly rotatahly con¬ nected with these guide bearings so that the shaft and/or one or both of the drive arms can be mov- * d and adjusted in axial direction by moving the respective guide bearing in axial direction. Moving of the guide bearings is accomplished by controlling the control means 11. ,11' ,11" , which are e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical force _eaπs, with the aid of a control means 12, such as a plate guide, counter. The drive motor 4 for the shaft 2 has in this embodiment been non-ro -tably connected to the innermost drive arm 6 of the shaft 2. The shaft 2, with its drive arras 5,6 non-rotatably thereto attached, is then rotatahly carried by the bearing 26 and the guide bearings 8,9,10, and the outermost sleeve shaft and the tubular in crmndiate shaft 5 therein located, and the innermost inner shaft 6, can be displaced with reference to each other in axial direction, while at the same time the shaft with its drive arms is rotating. The other end of the shaft 2, and likewise the drive arms 5,6, .incorporate fixed pivot lugs 31,32,33 projecting to one side, and .on the outer shaft 2 and on the_ inner shaft disposed therewithin, that is on the drive arm 5, have bean shaped slots for the respective pivot lugs, these slots permit¬ ting axial displacemen 'of the pivot lugs. To rha tirst element in the group consisting of the drive arms 5,6 and the shaft 2, i.e., in this embodiment to the innermost among them, has bwen nivot-illy attached the turning lever 16, with the aid of supporting pi"ot 21 through the said pivot lug 33. The second element 2 in the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft, that Is in this embodiment the outermost, has been attached by the pivot luj? 31 over the turning arm 14 and with the aid of the pivot 34, to the clamping head 3. The third element in the group con¬ sisting of the drive arms 5,6 and the shaft 2, that is in this embodiment the middle one, has been connected by the pivot lug 32 over the arn 1.5 -mil pivotalLy to the turning lever 1.6. The turning lo e Ifi lias further been connected by the aid of the pivot 35 with the clamping head. The pivots mention ~ed are. all fitted for pivotal motion in o mnme. and passing through the shaft axis. * i For using the apparatus of Fig. 1, the motor 4 is stnrtp.d, whereby the shaft 2 with its drive arms 5,6 and with the turning arms 14,15 attached to these and with the levers 16, and with the clamping heads 3 connected to these latter and with the workpiece 20, begins to turn about the shaft axis. In order to turn (to Gwivel) the clamping head 3 and the workpiece 20 clamped " thereto, in a plane passing through the shaft axis (the plane of the drawing) in vertical direction, the shaft 2 mny be displaced by mediation of the. guide bearing 8 with the aid of the operating member 11 under control by the control element 12 in axial direction, whereby the turning arm 14 begins to turn the end of the clamping head closest to the • workpiece 20 in the upward/downward direction by displacing the drive arm 5 and/or 6 over the guide bearing 9,10 with the aid of the operating mem¬ bers 11 ** and 11"", respectively, under control by the control element 12 with reference to each other, causing the turning arm 15 and/or the lever 16 to turn the said other end of the clampin head in the vertical plane in conformity with the movements of the guide bearings. Thus, the clamping bead 3 may be moved at both ends, whenever desired, upward and downward, the movement being so controllable that the workpiece mounted on * the clamping head will move in vertical direction to the point desired and will in addition turn in the vertical direction into desired position. Moreover, the whole shaft 2 with its drive arms and with the working heads and the workpiece thereto attached can be displaced In th axial direction, thus enabling the locus of the centres of the workpiece's cross sections to be * kept on the axis of rotation at all times, that is, the certtre-point of the diameter of the curved piece is held exactly on the axis of rotation at all times. The embodiment depicted in Fig. 2 is equivalent in Its main features to that of Fig. 1. Tn this case one element of the group consisting of the drive arms 5,6 and the shaft 2, namely, the third,, 5, has been connected by means of a turning arm 17 to a transmission wheel (pulley) 22 rotatahly carried on the arm 6 and the turning lever 16, this wheel having been connected by means of a transmission member 23, a sprocket chain for instance, with another transmission wheel 24 mounted by the axle 25 on the clamping head 3, the clamping head being pivoted to the turning lever.to be turnable about said axle. The turning in the vertical plane of the clamping head 3 and of the workpiece 20 mounted thereon is then accom- plished in part, by mediation of the lever 16 like: in Fig. I, and partly hy " mediation of the transmission wheels 22,24 and ι ' ι._ ransmission number 23. In the embodiments shown in Figs 1 and 2, the clamping head 3 is fre with reference to the axle of rotatLon 2 in the opposite direction, that is, the clamping head has only been connected to the apparatus by one en This renders possible the handling of bigger and longer pieces by the apparatus in question. In Fig. 3, in contrast, the apparatus incorporate two consecutive shafts 2,2' with clamping heads 3,3', the workpiece 20 being mountable between these latter. In Fig. .3, the ξhafts 2 and 2' have both been provided with one drive ar 5,5' / with guide bearings 3,9 for the shaft and for the drive arms (the guide bearing with operating and control members of only one shaft has been depicted) in order to illustrate the construction. To the shaft-lik drive arm 5,5' disposed within each shaft 2,2' has been pivotally linked turning lever 16,16' with the aid of a supporting pivot 21,21', the clamping head 3,3' being pivoted on said turning lever. The turning leve 16,16' has been connected over the turning arm 18,13' with the respectiv shaft 2,2', whereby both clamping heads can be turned In a plane passing through the sh- * ft axis by displacing the shaft and the respective drive arm with reference to each other. The motion in the vertical plane defin by the said levers and pivots, of the workpiece between the clamping heads 3,3", is then completely controlled, similarly as it is i the preceding embodiments, and the workpiece 20 can be rotated by the ai of the rotation shaft of the apparatus in such a way that the centre of the cross section of the curved workpiece is held exactly on the axis of rotation at all times, while the piece is being turned (swivelled) in a plane passing through the shaft axis, i.e., "in the vertical plane in the figure. The shafts 2,2" with the clamping heads .3.3' and with the work- piece 20 thereto attached can be displaced in the axial direction under control by an electric control unit 1.3, with the aid of displacement motors 11,11' (the drive and control elements of one of the shafts only being depicted in the igure). Further, the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 comprises a guiding slide 26, disposed in radial direction at a distance from the clamping heads 3,3", for feeding the material 28 to be vised for lamination upon the workpiece 20 as this latter is rotating. The guiding slide 26 carries a spool 27 for the laminating material and it has been provided with displacement means (not depicted) for moving the slide in axial direction. In th drive arms 5,6 all are fitted with guide bearings and they are displace¬ able with reference to the frnme 1 in the axial direction. It is then also possible to displace the workpiece 20 freely In the axial direction of the apparatus. In case displacement of the workpiece in the axial direction of the apparatus is not necessary, however, one of the shafts 2 and of the drive nrras 5,6 may be fixed in axial direction t-Lth reference to thα frame 1. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 2 presents a projection 44 protruding to one side from the axial direction and to which the clamping head 3 has been pivoted over an axle, that is in the figure to be turnable in a vertical plane. The turning means 1, disposed at the pivotal point of the clamping head and of the projection 44 of the shaft 2, consists of an electric motor, by the aid of which the clamping head can be turned (swivelled) In said vertical plane. The electric motor 1 is controlled by the aid of a control element 42, that is an electric control means, over a lead 3 passing through the shaft 2. In Fig. 4, che laminating material 23, such as a glass fibre strand for instance, is conducted from the spool 27 with the aid of a guide 45 having its place between the workpiece and the turning means. The turning arms, levers and guide elements presented in Che embodiment examples may be replaced, if desired, e.g. with hydraulic, pneumatic or other means known in themselves in the art. It is further oossible to use in connection with the apparatus any kind of guide element or unit known tn itself in the art. The embodiment examples are meant to illustrate the invention, without confining it in any way whatsoever.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for rotating a curved workpiece, comprising a frame (1), a shaft (2) with workpiece clamping heads (3,3"), which is rotatahly carri in the frame, and a drive (4) arranged to rotate the shaft, characterize in that the apparatus comprises a turning means (41), affixed to the sha (2), with guide elements (8,9,10,42), and to which turning means the clamping head (3,3") has been connected, said components being arranged turn the curved workpiece in a plane pusslng through the shaft and rotating therewith, guided by the guide elements, whereat the locus of t centres of the workpiece's cross sections is tangent to the axis of rotation. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized tn that with the shaft (2) connects at least one drive arm (5,6) which can be moved in the direction of the shaft and which is non-rotatnble with reference to the shaft, that at least one member of the group consisting of the drive arm ■ and the shaft has been provided with a guide bearing (3,9,10) concentric with the shaft and including operating and control means (11,12,13) for displacing and adjusting the drive arm and the shaft with reference to each other in the direction of the shaft while this is rotating, that th clamping head (3) has been attached to the shaft and to the drive arm ov turning arms and a turning lever (14,15,16,17,18) in a manner such that the curved workpiece (20) mounted on the clamping head can be turned in plans parallelling the shaft by mediation of- the shaft, drive arm, turni arms and lever and the clamping head, carried by these and guided by the guide bearings and elements as it rotates with the locus of the workpiec cross section centres tangent to the axis of rotation. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the shaft (2) and the drive arm (5,6) consist of tubes disposed within each other anti movable with reference to each other in axial direction. 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or . , characterized tn that the apparatus comprises two drive arms (5,6), that to one member (6) of the group consisting of the drive arras and the shaft (2) has been pivotally attached a turning lever (16) with the aid of a supporting pivot (21), a second member (2) of the group consisting of the drive arris and the shaft has been connected by pivots and over a turning arm (14) with the clampin head (.3), and the third member (5) of the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft has been connected by pivots and over a turning arm (15) with the turning lever, that the turning lever has been pivotally attached to the clamping head so that the turning lever together with the clamping head thereto pivoted can be t-urned with reference to the supporting pivot in a plane passing through the shaft by displacing with reference to each other the first .and second members of the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft, and the clamping head can be turned in the said plane by displacing the third member of the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft with reference to the preceding, whereby the clamping head is free with regard to the drive arm at its opposite end. 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 1, characterized In that the apparatus comprises two drive arms (5,6), that to the first member (6) of the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft (2) has been pivotally attached a turning lever (16) with the aid of a supporting pivo (21), the second member (2) of the group consisting of the drive arms and the shaft has * been connected by pivots and over a turning arm (14) with the turning lever, that the third member (5) of the group consisting of the drive arras and the shaft has been connected over a 'turning arm (17) with a transmission wheel (22) rotatably carried on the turning lever and connected by the aid of a transmission member (23) with the clamping head (3) turnably about the turning pivot;. 6. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the apparatus comprises two shafts (2,2") mounted one after the other and eac provided with one drive arm (5,5") with guide bearings (8,9) for the shaf and drive arms, and operating and adjusting elements (11,12,13). 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized, in that to each shaft (2,2') .or alternatively to each drive arm (5,5') has been pivotally attached a turning lever (16,16') with the aid of a supporting pivot (21,21'), the clamping head (3,3') being pivotally attached to said turning lever, which has been connected by the aid of a turning arm to th respective drive arm (5,5') or alternatively to the respective shaft (2,2' ) , whereby each clamping head can be turned in a plane passing through the shaft by displacing the shaft and the respective drive arm with reference to each other. 8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that the operating element (11) consists of a guide arm deriving its guidance ""from a guide plate or alternatively from a rod guide (12). 9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that the operating element (11) consists of a cylinder operated by pressurized fluid, 10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2-4, characterized in that the apparatus comprises an electrical guide unit (13) which has been arranged to give guidance to the shaft (2) and to the guide bearings (8,9,10) with the aid of displacement motors and/or displacement cylinders. 11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 2-10, characterized in that the drive arms (5,6,5',6'), the levers (16,16') and/or the turping arms (17,18,13') consist of hydraulic cylinders. 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the shaft (2) forms a projection (44) protruding to one side from the axial direction and to which the clamping head (3) has. been pivotally attached to be turnable in a plane passing through the shaft, and that the turning means (41) consists of a power means, such as an electric motor or a ^ cylinder operable by the aid of a pressurized fluid.

Inventors: ISONIEMI P
Applicants: ISONIEMI P
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B65H81
IPC codes: B23B5, B29C53