MODULAR WORKPIECE-FEED MECHANISM FOR USE WITH WOODWORKING MACHINERY

Abstract: The workpiece feed mechanism disclosed is designed for use with woodworking machinery, and comprises a bear­ ing structure (3) with a set of floating bearers (18) that carry feed rollers (1) driven by an assembly of components accom­ modated within a housing (4). According to the invention, the bearing structure and housing are embodied in modular sec­ tions which can be fitted together and separated at will; a preferred embodiment of the mechanism would incorporate a speed variator (14), mounted to the bearing structure like­ wise in modular fashion.

Description: Modular workpiece-feed mechanism for use with wood- working machinery. The invention described herein relates to a modular workpiece-feed mechanism for use with woodworking machines. Numerous woodworking machines, such as circular saws and band saws, sanders, etc., are designed to operate in conjunction with feed mechanisms which convey workpieces through a redtilinear path into the cutting, planing or other work stroke. A feed mechanism of the type consists of a bearing structure, one upright bulkhead of which carries a set of mutually aligned feed rollers mounted to respective floating bearers and driven by shafts disposed parallel with one another. A sprocket is keyed to each shaft at a point between the upright bulkhead and a transmission housing attached thereto, and a single chain engages the cogs of each sprocket so as to synchronize the rollers. A gear, keyed to one of the parallel shafts at a point inside the housing, meshes with a gear keyed to a further shaft disposed parallel to the roller shafts and integral with a worm wheel, this in turn meshing with a worm that is driven by a motor integral with the bearing structure. The bearing structure further comprises a guard covering the feed rollers, and a set of stops limiting downward travel of the floating bearers. Such is a typical prior art embodiment. Mechanisms of the above type duly permit of feeding workpieces into the woodworking machine, though are beset by a number of drawbacks; in particular, the number of rollers that can be fitted is fixed, once the type of mechanism has been decided upon. Those persons skilled in the art will know that there are mechanisms with two, three, four and more rollers, though once having opted, say, for a three-roller feed, there is no possibility of subsequent modification whereby, for instance, four-roller feed can be obtained, since the bearing structure and transmission housing are cast. Another disadvantage of prior art feed mechanisms is that of limited speed variation; in practice, speed can only be altered at the prime mover, generally a two-speed electric motor, and by switching the two gears in constant mesh. This particular drawback can be overcome by incorporation of a variator between motor and worm gear unit, though such modifications must be specified at the moment of ordering, likewise because the cast bearing structure cannot subsequently by altered It would be obvious to think in terms of embodying a bearing structure that will accept a greater number of feed rollers and incorporate a variator, even for more compact versions of the mechanism, with a view to possible enlargement at some future time; this type of approach is disqualified on the grounds of cost, however, and in any event the feed mechanism would not operate as intended. The object of the invention described herein is that of eliminating the drawbacks of prior art workpiece feed mechanisms as described above; accordingly, the invention as claimed herein provides an answer to the problem of how a feed mechanism may be embodied according to the prior art, though with provision made for extensive conversion and/or enlargement as dictated by diverse engineering requirements. A feed mechanism as described herein affords the advantage, not merely of being more functional, but also of costing much less to construct than current prior art embodiments. Marked economies are achieved by virtue of the fact that certain components, for instance, the basic bearing structure, remain identical whatever the type of feed, with additional modules being added only as and when necessary. A further advantage of the feed mechanism described herein is that a purchaser possesses the facility of modifying its embodiment, in situ, to suit specific operating requirements. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: -fig 1 shows the side elevation of a modular workpiece feed mechanism as described herein, seen from the transmission housing side, with certain parts omitted better to reveal others; -fig 2 is the section through Il-Il in fig 1; -fig 3 is the section through Ill-Ill in fig 2; -fig 4 is the sectional view of detail IV in fig 1. The workpiece feed mechanism as embodied in figs 1 and 2 is designed for use with woodworking machinery and consists of a set of workpiece feed rollers 1, a bearing structure 3, a protective housing 4 enclosing the feed roller transmission, and a motor 11. Each feed roller 1 is carried by a respective floating bearer 18 mounted to an upright bulkhead 33 of the bearing structure 3, and driven by a respective shaft 2 which passes through the bulkhead 33 at a point suitably strengthened by a boss 34; the method by which drive is transmitted to the rollers will be explained in due course. Each bearer 18 is tensioned by a spring (not illustrated) that biases it downwards into contact with a stop 20, and is embodied in such a way as to transmit drive from a relative shaft 2 to a relative feed roller 1. The depth of the upright bulkhead 33 is such that the feed rollers 1 project downward beyond its bottom edge in order to make contact with the workpiece beneath; the workpiece is denoted 17 in fig 1. The shafts 2 are disposed parallel with one another, and will be regularly spaced apart (see distance p) in a conventional embodiment. 5 denotes a drive component keyed to each shaft 2 at a point separated from the feed roller 1 by the upright bulkhead 33; in the drawings, such components are embodied as sprockets, around which a single chain 6 is looped. One of the shafts 2, generally the central one of the set, also carries a first gear 72; this meshes with a second gear 73 having a dissimilar number of teeth to the first 72, and the two thus constitute a mechanical drive transmission 7. The second gear 73 of the transmission 7 is keyed to a drive shaft 8 which is disposed parallel with the roller shafts 2 and carries a worm wheel 9, this in turn meshing with a worm 10 in receipt of drive from the motor 11. The bearing structure 3 of a workpiece feed mechanism according to the invention consists of a basic unit 31, and where appropriate, of at least one additional module 32, both of which exhibit a cross section substantially of T shape, the vertical member of which represents the upright bulkhead 33 and, in the embodiment illustrated, is bent through 900 so as to create a bottom horizontal panel 35 for the protection of the transmission components driving the feed rollers 1. 12 denotes holes at either end of the basic unit 31 and of the additional modules 32, disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the basic unit 31. Such holes 12 are designed to accept relative fasteners, say, bolts 13; the holes 12 provided in the basic unit 31 are threaded, whereas those in the addition awl modules 32 are plain through holes (the reason will become clear in due course). As figs 1 and 2 demonstrate, the basic unit 31 exhibits three strengthening bosses 34 affording support to the three shafts 2 driving the rollers 1; such bosses 34 are set apart at equal distance p in order to ensure a smooth feed. By contrast, each additional module 32 exhibits two holes 16 with strengthening bosses 34 set apart at a distance less than p, but calculated such as to permit fitment of the module at either end of the basic unit 31 whilst maintaining a regular distance p between the boss 34 of the additional module farthest from the basic unit, and the boss of the basic unit nearest to the addition module (see fig 2). The transmission housing 4 comprises a top panel 41 enclosing the basic unit 31 uppermost, a side panel 42 enclosing the basic unit at one side, a pair of transverse bulkheads 44 enclosing either end of the basic unit 31 or of the additional module 32, an additional side panel 43 enclosing the side of each additional module 32 added, and an additional top panel 47 enclosing each additional module uppermost. The top and the side panels 41, 47, 42 and 43 of the housing are provided with holes (not illustrated) by way of which they may be connected to the basic unit 31 and additional module 32, respectively, whereas each transverse bulkhead 44 is provided with through holes 12 located in exactly the same positions as those of the basic unit and additional modules. Fit ment of the transverse bulkheads to the basic unit or module involves location of the bolts 13 in the threaded holes 12 of the basic unit 31, or in the through holes 12 of the additional modules, in this latter instance, engaging relative nuts 24. The various panels of the transmission housing 4 are provided with a peripheral lip 21 (see fig 4) which is designed to locate in a corresponding peripheral channel (not illustrated) offered by the adjacent component. The side panel 42 of the basic unit is provided with an opening 46, and a relative cover 45, affording access to the change gears 72 and 73 keyed to the meshing roller shaft 2 and the drive shaft 8, for the purposes of altering feed speed. The top of the basic unit 31 may be provided with a set of holes (not illustrated) in which to locate the clamp bolts of a housing 15 accommodating an infinitely variable speed control, or variator 14; modular fitment of such a variator is made possible, according to the invention, inasmuch as the assembly is simply inserted between motor 11 and worm 10. It will be observed from figs 2 and 3 that pairs of sprockets 5 are keyed to two of the shafts 2 carried by the basic unit 31. A chain denoted 61 is looped around one of the sprockets on the endmost shaft 2 of the basic unit, and around the sprocket 5 of the shaft 2 carried by the additional module 32, thereby permitting transmission of drive to the additional feed roller 1. The option likewise exists of replacing the chain 6 with a longer loop that will engage all such sprockets 5 as the basic unit 31 and the additional module or modules 32 happen to comprise.

Claims: Claims 1) A modular workpiece-feed mechanism for use with woodworking machinery, comprising: -a set of mutually aligned feed rollers (1), each mounted by way of a respective floating bearer (18) to the upright bulkhead (33) of a bearing structure (3), which are in receipt of drive via such floating bearers from respective horizontal shafts (2) dis posed parallel one with another and passing through the upright bulkhead; -respective drive components (5) keyed to the shafts (2) at the side of the upright bulkhead opposite to the side occupied by the feed rollers; and, -a gear (72) keyed to one of the parallel shafts and rotated by a drive system (11-10), characterized - in that the bearing structure (3) consists of a basic unit (31) to which at least two floating bear ers (18) are mounted, together with the drive system (11-10), and where appropriate, of one or more iden tical additional modules (32) each of which carrying at least one floating bearer (18) and one parallel shaft (2) with a relative feed roller (1) and drive component (5); and, - in that the basic unit (31) and additional modules (32) exhibit identical cross section, substantially of T shape, and are provided with holes (12) at each end with axes disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the basic unit, in which fasteners (13) may be located in order to enable assembly of the bear ing structure (3) in modular fashion. 2) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, the bearing structure (3) of which is enclosed uppermost and at one side, together with the drive components (5), by a trans mission housing (4), wherein such a housing (4) con sists of a top panel (41) enclosing the basic unit (31) uppermost, a side panel (42) enclosing the bas ic unit at one side, a pair of transverse bulkheads (44) enclosing either end of the basic unit (31) or of the additional modules (32), an additional top panel (47) enclosing each additional module upper most, and an additional side panel (43) enclosing the side of each additional module; and wherein the side panel (42) of the basic unit is provided with an opening (46), enclosed by a relative cover (45), which affords access to the drive transmission (7). 3) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein drive compon ents (5) keyed to the parallel shafts (2) carried both by the basic unit (31) and by additional mod ules (32) of the bearing structure (3), are inter connected by a single transmission loop (6). 4) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein two drive com ponents (5) are keyed side by side to at least one of the parallel shafts (2) carried by the basic unit (31), and a second transmission loop (61) engaging the outermost of two such components similarly en gages the. drive component keyed to the shaft (2) of an additional module. 5) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein additional modules (32) of the bearing structure (3) can be fitted to either end of the basic unit (31) regard less. 6) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the basic unit (31) of the bearing structure (3) is designed to carry three parallel shafts (2), and wherein two drive components (5) are keyed to at least one of the two endmost shafts. 7) Feed mechanism as in claim 6, wherein two drive com ponents (5) are keyed to both of the endmost paral lel shafts (2). 8) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the gear (72) keye-d to one of the parallel shafts meshes with a second gear (73) keyed to a drive shaft (8) which is integral with a worm wheel (9) meshing with a worm (10) driven by a motor (11), and wherein the worm is in receipt of drive from the motor by way of a speed variator (14) mounted in a relative housing (15) that can be fitted to and separated from the basic unit (31) of the bearing structure (3). 9) Feed mechanism as in claim 5, wherein the parallel shafts (2) carried by the basic unit (31) of the bearing structure (3) are spaced apart at a regular distance (p), and wherein each additional module (32) exhibits two holes (16) for the accommodation of such shafts, set apart at a distance such that a shaft located in the hole farthest from the basic unit will be separated from the shaft of the basic unit nearest the additional module by the same dis tance (p) that separates two adjacent shafts of the basic unit. 10) Feed mechanism as in claim 1, wherein the upright bulkhead (33) of the basic unit (31) and of the additional modules (32) constitutes the vertical member of the T shaped cross section of the bearing structure (3), and is bent through 900 at bottom in order to create a horizontal bottom panel (35) af fording protection to the assembly of components transmitting drive to the feed rollers (1).

Inventors: GRASSI, GIORGIO
Applicants: SAMCO INDUSTRIA S.P.A.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B23Q3
IPC codes: B23Q3