Patent GB-770159-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to tube and rod gauging apparatus
IPC: G01B5/10
Filed: 1953-03-03
Abstract: 770,159. Sorting by gauging. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. March 3, 1953 [March 3, 1952], No. 5881/53. Class 106 (2). A gauging device 5, Fig. 1, through which a rod or tube 1 is pulled by tractor chains 2, is flexibly mounted so as to float vertically with the motion of the rod or tube 1 and comprises a pair of gauge rolls 12, 13, Fig. 2, for engagement with diametrically opposite portions of the rod or tube 1, said rolls 12, 13 having electrical switch means associated therewith that are operated whenever the rod or tube between the rolls is above or below a predetermined size range, there being means 9, Fig. 1, for marking the oversize or undersize portions of rod or tube. Cutting means 4 for severing the tube into equal lengths, and selecting means 10 for rejecting cut lengths of abnormal diameter are included; there being memory means 11 for delaying a reject operation of the selecting means 10 until the length or lengths of abnormal diameter reach the selecting means 10. Gauge rolls. Both gauge rolls 12 and 13 are mounted on a frame 14, Fig. 2, capable of vertical movement by means of spring leaves 15 and 16 coupling it to a sleeve 21 on a support column 17. The lower gauge roll 12 is on a spindle 28 attached directly to the frame 14, and the upper roll 13 is on a spindle 29 extending g from a plate 30 mounted for vertical movement between rollers 31. Indicating lamps. Whilst the tube or rod is of a desired diameter a lamp 7, Fig. 1, is illuminated. If the diameter varies beyond predetermined minimum or maximum diameters the resulting displacement of the upper roller 13 causes switch means to be closed, the lamp 7 to be extinguished and lamps 8 or 6 to be illuminated. Marking means. When either of the rolleroperated switches are closed, due to a sufficient displacement of the upper roller 13, a tool 9, Fig. 1, is energized to mark the abnormallysized portions of the rod or tubing. Memory device and selecting means. When either of the roller operated switches are closed, due to the passage of an abnormally sized length of tubing between the gauge rolls, one of a number of normally retracted pins 78, 78<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 4, in either of two slowly revolving wheels 79, 79<SP>1</SP>, in the memory means 11, is caused to move forward by solenoid means 69 or 70 so that in its path of movement the pin 78 or 78<SP>1</SP> will eventually close, momentarily, a switch 110 (not shown), or 110<SP>1</SP>. After operating and passing the switch 110 or 110<SP>1</SP> a cam 141 (not shown), or 141<SP>1</SP> forces the pin 78 or 78<SP>1</SP> back into its retracted position. The wheels 79, 79<SP>1</SP> are geared to the forward motion of the tube 1 such that whereas an unsevered abnormallysized tube length passing through the gauge rolls 12, 13 causes a pin 78 or 78<SP>1</SP> to move forward, the switch 110 or 110<SP>1</SP> is not operated by the pin 78 or 78<SP>1</SP> until the said length of tubing reaches the selecting means 10. A momentary closing of the switch 110 or 1101 energizes a solenoid 107, Fig. 5, to tilt a deflector 102 to the left so as to cause the abnormallysized tube 1<SP>1</SP> to roll to the right. If the next length of tube is of correct diameter there will be no forwardly moved pin 78 or 78<SP>1</SP> to momentarily close the switch 110 or 110<SP>1</SP> and the deflector 102 will be tilted back to the right by a solenoid 108 controlled by a normally open time switch 120 actuated by a cam 121 on the drive shaft of the memory device 11. The time lag between the operation of the roller actuated switches and the action of the deflector 102 may be adjusted by angularly displacing the switches 110, 110<SP>1</SP> relatively to the pin-actuating solenoids 69 and 70. For this purpose, the switches are mounted on a rotatable ring gear 130 adjustable through a shaft 135. The whole apparatus is so arranged that the action of the gauge rollers is not effective over the portions of tubing that will eventially comprise tube ends. For this purpose the circuits to the solenoids 69 and 70 are made through cams 73 and 74 respectively, each cam having an electrical contact embracing less than half its peripheral surface. Thus, while such end portions are being gauged, even though an impulse may be sent to the pin actuating solenoid 69 through the cam 73, an impulse to the pin-actuating solenoid 70 is prevented by the non-electrically conductive surface of the cam 74. The cams are driven at such a speed that whilst one cam controls the length of the gauging operation for one tube length the other cam controls the length of the gauging operation for the next tube length. The cams 73 and 74 are mounted on a main drive shaft 75 of the memory means 11. The wheels 79 and 79<SP>1</SP> each have six pins 78 and 78<SP>1</SP> respectively and these wheels are turned by gearing at one-sixth the speed of the drive shaft 75. The pins 78 and 78<SP>1</SP> in the wheels 79 and 79<SP>1</SP> are not directly opposite each other but are spaced midway between each other. Specification 480,423, [Group XXIII], is referred to. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifcation 718,881.