Patent GB-986187-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the lapping or grinding of balls
IPC: B24B11/06
Filed: 1964-02-21
Abstract: 986,187. Grinding and lapping balls. S. MESSERSCHMIDT. Feb. 21, 1964 [March 15, 1963], No. 7406/64. Heading B3D. A process for grinding or lapping balls between discs 1, 3 which experience rotation relative to each other, at least one of the discs having concentric ball-guiding grooves 3, comprises feeding the balls from each groove or group of grooves to a magazine inlet 29 and removing the balls from the magazine outlet in a continuous sequence, the balls being guided between the discs and through the magazine in a series of circuits which constitute an endless path and being radially transferred from each groove or group of grooves to the next adjacent groove or group of grooves or between the innermost or outermost grooves or groups of grooves during completion of each of the circuits. The lapping disc 1 is formed with the concentric ball guiding grooves 5 and is mounted on a support 2 which rotates about an axis concentric with that of a stationary support 4 carrying the lapping disc 3 which has a sector 8 for receiving guides 22, 23 leading to a magazine ring 9 eccentrically disposed relative to the discs. The ring 9 rotates in the direction of the arrow 12 which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the disc 1 as indicated by the arrow 11. The magazine is provided with tracks 13 . . . 16 which are formed by a wall 18 carried by the ring 9, and stationary walls 17, 19 spaced from the ring. The guide 23 consists of four semicircular tracks which connect the groove 5 of the disc 1 to the tracks 13 ... 16 of the magazine, the outer track 34 being connected to the inner groove and outer track 16, and the inner track 31 being connected to the outer groove and inner track 31. The guide 22, however, has three semi-circular tracks 24, 25, 26, track 26 being connected to the outer track 16 and the innermost but one groove, and track 24 being connected to the outer groove and innermost but one track 14. The guide 22 also has a track 28 which leads from the innermost groove over or under the tracks 24, 25, 26 to the innermost groove 13. The arrangement is such that a ball passes .in an endless path and in succession through the grooves in the disc and the tracks in the magazine. The balls may be arranged to travel from the smallest diameter groove to the largest or vice versa. In another embodiment, the disc and magazine rotate in the same direction, the guides for transferring the balls from the discs to the magazine are arranged to cross one another, and the magazine ring has grooves instead of tracks. In a further embodiment for lapping small balls, the grooves in the lapping disc are arranged in a number of groups, each group being associated with a track in the magazine. The lapping discs may rotate in a vertical plane and the ring-like magazine be replaced by a bucket-elevator system having buckets subdivided in accordance with the number of grooves or groups of grooves in the lapping discs. Alternatively, two conveyer belts moving in opposite directions may be used, the belts having troughs or cooperating with separating walls.