Patent GB-541421-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in devices for controlling the degree of movement imparted to a driven apparatus by its driving means
IPC: B65B65/02
Filed: 1940-06-10
Abstract: 541,421. Electric follow-up system. ROSE, A. G., and ROSE BROS. (GAINSBOROUGH), Ltd. June 10, 1940, No. 10069. [Class 40 (i)] [Also in Group XVII] A device for controlling the degree of movement imparted to a driven apparatus by its driving- means comprises a movable member in engagement with the driving-means and provided with a starting device, and a controlling member arranged to engage the movable member to start the driving-means and to be moved to a pre-determined point while maintaining such engagement, the movable member being stopped when the normal positional relation between it and the controlling member is restored. The device as shown applied to a packing machine of the kind described in Specification 535,347, [Group XVII], in which part of the apparatus is raised or lowered by screwed shafts 18, 19, Fig. 1 and other parts are moved horizontally to and from one another by screwed shafts 29, 31, 32, 33 in order to adjust the machine to accommodate containers of various sizes. The shafts 18, 19 are driven from a reversible electric motor 38, and the other shafts are driven from a similar motor 39. The device comprises two units each geared to one of the sets of screwed shafts. Each unit comprises a vertical shaft 10, Fig. 4, geared to one of the shafts and having secured to its upper end a pair of arms 106, 107. A semicircular plate 117 is pivoted to the arm 106, and a similar plate 121 is pivoted to the arm 107, both plates being urged upwards by springs 157. The operative ends of the plates are separated by a gap 122, Fig. 5. Micro-switches 126, 127 carried by the hub of the arms 106, 107 ara engaged beneath the plates 117, 121 respectively, and are closed when the plates are depressed and open when the plates rise, the switches being connected to the circuit of the motor 39 and its brake, the switches causing the motor to rotate in opposite directions. Mounted co-axially with the shaft 101 is a member 131 carrying a two-armed lever 132 one end of which is provided with a handle 137 and the other end moves over a scale 93. Rotation of the lever by the handle 137 causes rotation about the same axis of a controlling member consisting of an arm 154 which carries at its outer end a roller 156 that engages the plates 117, 121. Normally the roller 156 rests in the gap 122 between the plates 117, 121 allowing the plate to rise to such a position that the switches 126,. 127 are open. When the parts of the packing machine are to be adjusted to operate on containers of a different size, the lever 132 is turned by the handle 137 to a pre-determined point indicated by the scale 93. Rotation of the levers causes a corresponding rotation of the arm 154 and the roller 156 moves on to one of the plates 117 or 121 and depresses it and thus closes one or the other of the switches 126, 127. This causes the motor 39 to rotate in one direction or the other and move the parts of the packing mechanism. The shaft 101 also rotates and moves the plates 117, 121, in the direction in which the roller 156 has moved, until the gap 122 again comes beneath the roller when the motor 39 stops, the parts of the packing machine being adjusted to the degree indicated by the position of the lever 133 on the scale 93. In order to prevent damage to the packing machine, a feeler bar 171, Fig. 1, is so placed that it is engaged by the containers passing through the machine. The bar operates micro switches 176 in the circuit of the motors 38, 39 to prevent the operation of the adjusting device when containers are passing through the machine. In a modified construction the movable member 117, 121 is not rotatable but is arranged to slide back and forth, the controller member 156 also being carried by a slider. Specification 528,187, [Group XXX], is referred to. According to the Provisional Specification, the device may be used for controlling the movement of a gun turret in accordance with the sight-readings.