Patent GB-706105-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for successively feeding flanged-stem articles from a magazine into a holder
Inventor: HOLROYD ERIC
IPC: B29C37/02
Filed: 1951-03-06
Abstract: 706,105. Feeding articles from magazines and hoppers DUNLOP RUBBER CO., Ltd. Jan. 24, 1952 [March 6, 1951], No. 465/51. Class 117 [Also in Groups XXII, XXIII and XXX] Apparatus for successively feeding flangedstem articles from a magazine to a holder comprises a magazine having a series of equispaced orifices each having a diaphragm of flexible resilient material for supporting an article flange extending across the orifice and through which an article stem can project, said magazine being movable to bring each orifice in turn to a feeding position, a holder having a series of equispaced receptacles for the reception of the stems of the articles and movable under the magazine to bring each receptacle in turn into the feeding position in register with one of the orifices, means for intermittently moving the holder and magazine to bring successive pairs of receptacles and orifices into register, and means located in the feeding position for effecting transfer of each article from an orifice to a receptacle when a receptacle and an orifice are in register. The apparatus is designed for use in a machine for fitting a ferrule to a cycle tyre valve stem and for trimming and buffing a rubber flange. attached to the stem. Feeding arrangements.' The magazine comprises a turntable 1 having nine equally spaced holes 2 around its circumference, the holes being provided with rubber diaphragms 5 which have slits 7 and holes 6 and support the flange of the valves placed in the holes 6 by the operator. The feeding machanism 9 comprises a plunger 11 slidable in bearings 12 and 13 and actuated by a rocker 14 through a link 15, the rocker being actuated by a rod 17 reciprooable by means of a cam 19 on a main shaft 36, cooperating with a follower 20. A telescopic portion 16a including a compression spring 16b resiliently transmits the thrust. A pip 21 on the end of the plunger 11 is provided. for locating with the hole in the end of a valve stem. Mounted adjacent to the plunger are a pair of pivoted arms 22, 23, Fig. 4, which support the valve stem located in a hole 6 and projecting below the turntable 1 during transfer to the adjacent receptacle, and are movable towards and away from each other by means of spring-loaded cam followers 26 co-operating with cam surfaces 28 on the plunger 11. The receptacles consist of nine two-piece dies 34 equally spaced around the circumference of a rotatable disc 33, the turntable and disc being moved to bring a valve into the feeding position together with an empty die. The plunger 11 descends and thrusts the valve flange through the rubber diaphragm 5 and pushes the stem of the valve into the die 34, and the turntable and disc are then indexed so that an adjacent valve is brought into the feeding position and the operation repeated. A crank 41 on the main shaft 36 operates a cross-head 42 slidable on guides 43, and a link 47 having a lost motion slot 46 is pivotally attached to the crosshead 42 and co-operates with a pivot 45a on a pawl arm 45 freely mounted on the spindle of the disc 33, a pawl tooth on the end of the arm 45 driving the disc 33 through a ratchet wheel 48 rigidly mounted on the disc spindle. The nine pegs 50 are provided on the upper surface of the disc 33 and engage with a pawl and ratchet mechanism under the turntable 1 so that indexing of the disc 33 and turntable 1 takes place simultaneously, the turntable being secured in each position by means of a spring-loaded fork 3a which engages with one of the nine pegs 3b on the turntable 1, and the disc 33 having on the underside nine locking holes which co-operate with a spring- loaded locking pin cam operated from the main shaft. A continuous frictional resistance is provided by an annular brake 33a mounted beneath the disc 33. The lost motion device 46 allows the disc 33 to remain stationary for a short period so that the valve transferring and subsequent operations can take place. Valve ferrules are contained in a hopper 78 having a rotatable bottom 77 and a vane 78a for deflecting ferrules towards the opening 84 of the shoot 40, the shoot being pivotally mounted on a bracket 85 attached to the frame 9 and provided with guide rails 86, 87, which guide the flange of correctly disposed ferrules so that they slide down the shoot, incorrectly disposed ferrules sliding on top of the rails and into a shoot 92 to a suitable receptacle. The lower end of the shoot 40 is provided with a slot within which the stem of a valve in the feeding position slides and is also provided with a spring pin 89, Fig. 4, which supports a 'ferrule in the feeding position and slides in its supporting hole when a valve stem passes through a ferrule and the ferrule is freed from the end of the shoot. A follower 90 cooperating with a cam surface 39 on the plunger 11 moves the end of the ferrule shoot in and out of the feeding position. Ferruling the valve stem: When a valve has been transferred to thebore of the inner die piece 34a, Fig. 4, with its untrimmed rubber flange resting on the cutting edge 34h the disc 33 is indexed to its next position and the valve is carried to a position beneath the swaging head 53 which is operated through toggle links 60, 61, bell crank lever 63, and eccentric disc 65a on the main shaft 36 to contact the end of the valve stem under considerablepressure so that the ferrule is displaced inwardly to grip the stem adjacent to the rubber flange by reaction with the equally spaced portions 34f formed in the die 34a. Trimming the rubber flange. The valve is then carried by the disc 33 to the next position beneath rotatable cutters 67 which co-operate with the cutting edge 34h to trim the rubber flange, as described in Specification 677,100, [Group VIII]; the cutters being movable towards the cutting edge, and driven around it by the spindle 66. The spindle 66 comprises telescopic portions including a compression spring 69a, is provided with extension 75 driving the hopper bottom 77, and is driven through gearing 72, 73, by an electric motor 74. Buffing the rubber flange. The valve is next carried to the buffing !position, the continuously driven buffing mop 93 being mounted on a rocker 97 which is pivotally mounted at one end on a bracket 101 and at the other end is attached to a follower 103 held in contact with a cam 105 on a shaft 106 by a tension spring. The shaft is driven through a chain and sprocket from the main shaft, and through gearing 109, 112, and 114, 115, drives a bevelled flange 117 which contacts the underside of the rubber flange of the valve stem, which is lifted clear of the die by a ramp (not shown) as the valve is moved into position. In this way the flange 117 rotates the valve and the mop 93 is moved by the cam 105 to contact the rubber flange and buff its upper. surface. Two die pitches further on an air jet is directed through the bore of a die piece to blow the cycle valve into a shoot (not shown), the jet being controlled by a cam-operated valve in the valve box 119. The apparatus is mounted on a hollow base 35 forming a housing and oil sump for the driving mechanism, ah oil pump 42b being actuated by the cross-head 42. The plunger 11 may alternatively be operated by means of an air piston formed on the end of the plunger and located within a cylinder. Articles other than cycle valves having flanged stems may be handled by the feeding mechanism.