Patent GB-658786-A (GB)
Title: Work loading means for machine tools
IPC: B23F23/04
Filed: 1948-11-17
Abstract: 658,786. Gear-cutting. FELLOWS GEAR SHAPER CO. Nov. 17, 1948, No. 29922. Convention date, Dec. 2, 1947. [Class 83 (iii)] [Also in Group II] A gear-shaping or other cutting machine embodies means for feeding workpieces W to the workholder comprising a magazine 20, Fig. 1, which is movable to and from the workholder of the machine, a channel 24 in the magazine for containing a row of workpieces, a pusher 44 movable along the channel so as to press the workpieces towards the delivery end thereof, a retainer 32 which holds the endmost workpiece in the delivery end of the channel and is displaceable from holding position against yieldable means, and feeder means operable upon relative movement between the workpieces and the feeder means to feed workpieces successively from the channel to the retainer to be yieldingly held thereby after each delivery movement of the magazine. The invention is described as applied to a gear-shaping machine employing a rotary and reciprocating cutter C co-operating with a blank W mounted between an adaptor 16, Fig. 5, on a rotating work spindle 10 and a rotatably-mounted tailstock 12. The magazine 20, Fig. 1, is secured on a slide 21 which is reciprocated by a lever 28 engaging at one end between depending lugs 30, 31 on the slide and at the other a notched disc 26 on an oscillating shaft 25; this shaft is operated by a cam 59, Fig. 7, which is driven by a shaft 56 and is acted upon by a spring-controlled arm 63 on the shaft 25. The retainer 32 is pivoted on the slide 21 and urged by a spring 33 so that its notched end holds the endmost blank W against the opposite wall of the channel 24. The pusher 44, which moves in a guideway 45, has a finger 46 extending into the channel 24 behind the row of blanks and exerts pressure thereon by means of a weight 47 connected to the pusher by a cord 48 passing over pulleys 49, 50. The feeder for advancing the blanks in the channel consists of a wedge-shaped finger 39 on one end of a lever 36 which is pivoted to the machine base and has its outer end pressed by a spring 40 into engagement with a cam 43 adjustably mounted on the slide. Movement of the magazine away from the workholder causes the retainer 32 to be withdrawn from the blank then positioned between the workholder and tailstock, and the finger 39 to be projected by the cam 43 into the channel 24 so as to urge forwardly the blanks in front of the finger until the endmost blank is gripped by the retainer; on reverse movement of the magazine, the cam permits the spring 40 to withdraw the finger, the pusher 44 acts to close up the row of blanks, and the endmost blank is set in operative position. Advance movement of the magazine is stopped when the blank held by the retainer is aligned with the spindle 10 of the workholder by an adjustable screw 52 on the slide engaging a fixed abutment. The shaft 56 carries two cams 57, 58, Fig. 5, acting through levers 66, 69 to control, respectively, a work-ejecting rod 68 mounted axially in the workspindle and adaptor 16, and a rod 71 for actuating the tailstock 12. The upper end of the rod 71 engages a lever 72 which has a forked attachment 74 engaging a flange 78 on the tailstock and is urged downwardly by a spring 79. The three cams 57, 58, 59 are timed to (a) withdraw the tailstock 12 and advance the ejector rod 68 to release a finished workpiece which is then knocked off by an air blast from a nozzle 681, (b) withdraw the ejector rod and cause the magazine to feed another blank to the workholder, and (c) permit advance of the tailstock to engage the blank and then return the magazine. A cartridge 82, Fig. 1, filled with blanks is adapted to be detachably connected by a dovetail joint in aligned relation with the magazine so as to partake of the movement of the latter, the pusher 44 being then caused to enter the channel in the cartridge so as to propel the blanks into the magazine.