Abstract:
A machine for producing a corrugated wheel spacer for use between tandem truck wheels includes top and bottom corrugated rollers which are driven in synchronism with an annular spacer blank therebetween to corrugate the blank. The top roller is suspended from a carriage for vertical movement towards and away from the bottom roller so that an annular blank can be placed on the bottom roller when the rollers are spaced apart and the rollers can be moved together to effect a corrugating operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a machine for producing corrugated truck wheel spacers. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     Cylindrical or annular wheel spacers have long been used with spoked dual wheel assemblies. One such spacer is disclosed by Canadian Design Registration No. 68,541, issued to Aciers Robond Inc. on May 14, 1991. Another type of wheel spacer is defined by blocks, defining small sections of a circle. Examples of block type wheel spacers are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,746, issued to F. W. Burger on Apr. 21, 1942; U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,709, issued to R. K. Williamson on Sep. 24, 1974 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,074, issued to R. A. DeRegnaucourt et al on Feb. 20, 1990. More recently annular, corrugated wheel spacers have been adopted. Corrugated wheel spacers provide support around the entire periphery of a wheel rim, and are significantly stronger than a planar spacer of the type disclosed by the above referenced design registration. However, the production of such corrugated spacers can be difficult and/or time consuming. 
     GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a simple apparatus for quickly and efficiently producing a corrugated wheel spacer. 
     Accordingly, the invention relates to a machine for producing a corrugated wheel spacer comprising: 
     (a) a frame; 
     (b) a first corrugated roller mounted on said frame for receiving an annular spacer blank; 
     (c) a second corrugated roller mounted on said frame in opposition to said first roller, said second roller being movable between a first position spaced apart from said first roller permitting mounting of a spacer blank on the first roller, and a second position proximate the first roller in which the spacer blank is sandwiched between the first and second rollers. 
     (d) teeth on each said first and second roller for meshing during rotation of said rollers to form corrugations on a spacer blank sandwiched therebetween; and 
     (e) a drive for simultaneously rotating said first and second rollers, whereby corrugations are formed in a spacer blank located therebetween. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blank used to form a corrugated wheel spacer; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a corrugated wheel spacer produced using the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of a machine for producing the corrugated spacer of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the machine of FIG. 3 with parts omitted; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bottom roller used in the machine of FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a top roller used in the machine of FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 7 is an end view of the bottom roller of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is an end view of the top roller of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the machine of FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of a major portion of a drive assembly used in the machine of FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rear end of the drive assembly of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a guide arm assembly used in the machine of FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 13 is a top view of the guide arm of FIG. 12; and 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the front end of the machine of FIG. 1 during a spacer forming operation. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the machine of the present invention is designed to shape an annular blank generally indicated at  1  to form a corrugated wheel spacer generally indicated at  2 . The blank  1  is defined by a cylindrical steel body  3  with a radially extending, annular flange  4  around the periphery of each side thereof. By the same token, the spacer  2  includes a corrugated cylindrical body  6  with radially extending, annular corrugated flanges  7  at each end thereof. 
     With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the corrugating machine includes a skeletal frame generally indicated at  8  defined by corner posts  9 ,  10  and  11 , central posts  12  (one shown), top bars  14  and  15  interconnecting the upper ends of the posts  9 ,  10  and  11 , bottom bars  16  and  17  interconnecting the lower ends of the posts  9 ,  10  and  11  and diagonal top braces  18 . It will be appreciated that various crossbars (not shown) extend between the rear posts  11  and between the top bars  14  and  15 , and bottom bars  16  and  17  for strengthening the frame  8 . It is merely necessary that the frame  8  be strong enough to support the remaining elements of the machine. The various posts and bars are formed of square cross section, steel tubing. For strength purposes, two corner posts  9  and  10  are welded together at the front end of the machine where spacer corrugation occurs. 
     A table  20  is mounted in the frame  8 . The table  20  includes a top plate  21  supported by a rectangular frame  22  and a plurality of legs  23 . Cross braces  24 , diagonal braces  25  and gussets  26  secure the table  20  in the frame  8 . The table  20  carries a bed  28  defined by a stainless steel block with a semicylindrical front end  29 . Pillow block bearings  30  on the bed  28  support a shaft  31  (FIGS. 4 and 10) carrying a corrugated bottom roller  32 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bottom roller  32  includes a corrugated, generally cylindrical body  34 , i.e. an elongated cylindrical body with alternating, longitudinally extending ridges  35  and grooves  36  thereon. A pair of annular flanges  37  on the ends of the body  34  retain a blank  1  or corrugated spacer  2  on the bottom roller. A longitudinally extending central bore  38  receives the shaft  31  for rotating the roller  32 . The portion of the shaft  31  passing through the roller  32  and the bore  38  have an octagonal cross section, preventing rotation of the roller  32  relative to the shaft  31 . 
     The bottom roller  32  is opposed by a top roller  40 . Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, the top roller  40  is defined by an elongated, generally cylindrical, corrugated body  41 , i.e. a generally cylindrical body with alternating, longitudinally extending ridges  43  and grooves  44  thereon. An annular, corrugated reduced diameter portion or shoulder  46  is provided on each end of the body  41  for corrugating the flanges  4  of a blank  1 . As shown in FIG. 8, the shoulders  46  include alternating ridges  48  and grooves  49  which are radially aligned with the ridges  43  and  44 , respectively. During use, the corrugated body  41 , including the shoulders  46 , extends into the gap between the end flanges  37  of the bottom roller  32  to engage and shape the blank  1 . The body  41  and hubs  51  on the ends thereof contain an octagonal cross section bore  52  for receiving a similarly shaped portion of a top shaft  53  (FIG.  10 ). The shaft  53  is also mounted in pillow block bearings  55  suspended from shims  56  and a movable platen  58 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, while the corrugations on the bottom roller  32  are symmetrical, the corrugations on the top roller  40  are asymmetrical . By trial and error, it has been found that if the corrugations on both rollers  32  and  40  are symmetrical, the corrugations on the spacer  2  are not uniform, i.e. they are asymmetric. During formation of a corrugated spacer, the rollers  32  and  40  are contra-rotating. The metal of the blank is deformed, and with symmetrical rollers, the resulting corrugated spacer does not contain regular corrugations. Accordingly, the ridges  43  of the top roller  40  have a leading side  60  (in the direction of rotation of the roller) which is steeper than the trailing side  61 . The result is a spacer  2  with uniform corrugations. 
     The platen  58  is slidably mounted in the frame  8  for vertical movement between an elevated position (FIG. 3) in which the top roller  40  is spaced apart from the bottom roller  32  and a lower position (FIGS. 4 and 10) in which the top roller  40  presses downwardly against a blank  1  sandwiched between the rollers  32  and  40  to shape the blank  1 . Sleeves  63  are mounted on the bottom corners of a rectangular top plate  64 . The cylinders  63  are sandwiched between the top plate  64  and a lower support plate  66 . Shafts  67  extending out of the cylinders  63  pass sleeves  68  in the platen  58 , so that the platen  58  can slide vertically on the shafts  67 . The platen  58  is moved by a piston  70  extending out of a cylinder  72  suspended from the top plate  64 . Plastic blocks  73  are provided on the inner sides  74  of the posts  10 , defining tracks or guides for the platen  58 . The sleeves  68  have annular flanges  69  for securing the sleeves in the platen  58 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11; the shaft  31  carrying the bottom roller  32  is connected by a U-joint  76  to a large drive shaft  77  for rotating the roller  32 . The shaft  77  is connected to a third shaft  78  by a second U-joint  79 . The shaft  78  is rotatable in bushings  81  and  82  mounted in casings  83  and  84 , respectively, which are mounted on blocks  86  and  87  on the table  20  between rear center posts  88  (FIG.  11 ). 
     Similarly, the shaft  53  carrying the top roller  40  is connected by a U-joint  89  to a large shaft  90 . The shaft  90  is connected to a shaft  91  by another U-joint  92 . The shaft  91  is rotatably mounted in bushings  94  and  95  in the casings  83  and  84 , respectively. Meshings  96  and  97  are mounted on the shafts  78  and  91 , respectively so that the shafts are rotated in unison and in opposite directions. 
     It will be appreciated that with the arrangements of shafts, U-joints and gears described above, the top roller  40  is driven in unison with the bottom roller  32 , and the top roller  40  can be moved vertically towards and away from the bottom roller  32  as the platen  58  is moved vertically by the piston  70  and the  1 n cylinder  72 . As the platen  58  moves vertically, the top roller  40  moves towards or away from the bottom roller  32 . Simultaneously, the front end of the shaft  90  (at the U-joint  89 ) moves vertically, pivoting around the horizontal axis of the U-joint  92 . During operation the shafts  31  and  77  do not move vertically. 
     Revolutions of the shafts  31 ,  77  and  78 , and consequently of the bottom roller  32  and the top roller  40  are counted by a counter mechanism generally indicated at  99 . The counter mechanism  99  includes a toothed wheel  100  on the shaft  78  and a commercially available pushbutton counter  102  carried by a bracket  103  mounted on the casing  84 . The shaft  78  is connected to a drive shaft  104  extending out of a transmission or gear box  105  by a flexible coupler  106 . 
     As best shown in FIG. 11, the transmission  105  is mounted on bars  108  at the rear end of the table  20 . A pulley  109  on a shaft  110  at the input end of the transmission  105  is connected to a pulley  111  on the drive shaft  113  of an electrical motor  114  by a belt  115 . The motor  114  is mounted on an inclined plate  116  one side of which is welded to a cylindrical bearing  118  mounted on the table  20 . Thus, the plate  116  can be rotated around the longitudinal axis of the bearing  118  to tension or release the tension on the belt  115 . When the tension on the belt  115  is released, the belt  115  slides on the pulley  109 , i.e. the shafts  78  and  104 , and consequently the rollers  32  and  40  do not rotate. When tension on the belt  115  is restored, the rollers  32  and  40  start rotating. 
     The plate  116  carrying the motor  114  is rotated by means of a hydraulic cylinder  119 , the piston rod  120  of which is connected to one edge of the plate  116  by a lever  122 . Downward movement of the plate  116  to tension the belt  115  is limited by a stop in the form of a bolt  123  mounted in a nut  124  welded to the plate  116 . The stop can be adjusted to change the tension on the belt  115  in the drive position by moving the bolt  123  vertically in the nut  124 . 
     When a blank  1  or spacer  2  is between the bottom and top rollers  32  and  40 , it is important that the workpiece be stabilized, i.e. remain in position between the flanges  37  of the top roller  40  without wobbling. This is achieved by means of centering assemblies generally indicated at  126 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4,  12  and  13 , each centering assembly  126  includes a hydraulic cylinder  127  mounted between blocks  128  and  129  on the outer end of a generally T-shaped arm  130 . The blocks  128  and  129  are interconnected by rods  131  and nuts  132  on the threaded outer ends of the rods. The arm  130  is tubular, the top thereof being rotatably mounted on a shaft  133  extending between supports welded to the front post  9  and the center post  12  on each side of the frame  8 . Rotation of the guide arm  130  around the longitudinal axis of the shaft  133  is controlled by movement of the platen  58 , i.e. when the platen  58  moves upwardly or downwardly, the arm  130  is caused to rotate. For such purpose, a pivot arm  136  extends between the bottom of the platen  58  and the arm  130 . The top end of the pivot arm  136  is pivotally connected to the platen  58  by a clevis  137  and a pin  138 . The other end of the pivot arm  136  is pivotally connected to a bracket  140  defined by a pair of spaced apart plates  141  by a pin  142 . The plates  141  extend between and are welded to the blocks  128  and  129 . 
     A rod  144  with a threaded outer end  145  is pivotally mounted on a pin  146  in the bracket  1440 . The threaded outer end  145  of the rod  144  extends through a to lug  147  welded to the arm  130 . A nut  149  on the outer end of the rod  142  acts as a stop. Removal of the nut  147  from the rod  144  is prevented by a disc  150  welded to the outer free end of the rod. By moving the nut  147 , the inclination of the pivot arm  136  is changed. Thus, the position of the centering assemblies with respect to a blank  1  or spacer  2  can be changed. A generally C-shaped jaw  152  is mounted on the outer free end of a piston rod  153  extending out of the cylinder  127  for movement toward and away from the block  129  (FIG.  13 ). The jaw  152  includes a rectangular end plate  154  connected to the piston rod  153 , and a pair of spaced apart sides  155 . A block  156  is slidably mounted on a pair of shafts  178 . A threaded rod  158  extends through the sides  155  and the block  156 . Nuts  159  and  160  on the rod  157  permit adjustment of the block  156  between the sides. A plastic plate  162  is mounted on the outer end of the block  156  for bearing against the body of the blank  1  and spacer  2 . Spaces between the sides  155  of the jaw, and the block  156  and plate  162  receive the flanges on the blank  1  and spacer  2 . 
     The jaw  152  is retained in position, i.e. properly aligned with respect to the blank  1  and the spacer  2  by a pair of shafts  164  extending from the rear side of the plate  154 . The shafts  164  are slidably mounted in the block  129  for movement between a retracted position (FIGS. 3 and 12) and an extended position (FIG.  3  and in phantom outline in FIG. 13) in which the jaw engages a blank  1  or spacer  2  retaining the workpiece centered on the bottom roller  32  during spacer formation. Movement of the jaw  152  with the piston rod  153  is limited by a pair of sleeves  165  on the free ends of the shafts  164  and a sleeve  167  on one of the shafts  164  between the block  129  and the end plate  154  of the jaw  152 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 3 and 14, in operation, with the roller  40  in an elevated position (FIG. 3) spaced apart from the roller  32 , a preformed cylindrical blank  1  is placed on the bottom roller  32  between the flanges  37 . The cylinder  72  is actuated to move the platen  58  downwardly pressing the top roller  40  against the blank  1  to start shaping thereof. As the platen  58  moves downwardly, the centering assemblies  126  also move down from an elevated starting or rest position. In the lowermost position of the platen  58 , the jaws  152  engage the blank  1  on each side of the top center thereof, preventing twisting of the blank as it passes between the rollers  32  and  40 . Lowering of the platen  58  also results in rotation of the shaft  90  around the horizontal pivot axis of the U-joint  92  to bring the roller  40  into contact with the blank  1 . The cylinder  72  maintains sufficient pressure on the platen to ensure that the rollers  32  and  40  properly shape the blank  1 . With the rollers  32  and  40  rotating in opposite directions, the blank  1  is transformed into a corrugated spacer  2 . 
     The counter  102  keeps track of the number of rotations of the rollers  32  and  40 . Once the number of rotations is sufficient to form a complete spacer  2 , tension on the belt  115  (FIG. 11) between the motor  114  and the transmission  105  is reduced to stop rotation of the rollers  32  and  40 . At the same time, the cylinder  72  is again actuated to move the platen  58  upwardly, releasing the spacer  2  for manual removal from the machine. A new blank  1  is placed on the bottom roller  32  and the process repeated.