Patent GB-825722-A (GB)
Title: Means for imparting intermittent movement to rotary tables or other conveyors
Inventor: ALLAWAY REGINALD AUGUSTUS
IPC: B65G23/00
Filed: 1957-07-02
Abstract: 825,722. Endless-belt conveyers; rotary conveyers. CANNING & CO. Ltd., W. June 20, 1958 [July 2, 1957], No. 20820/57. Class 78 (1). Means for imparting intermittent motion to a circular table 3, Fig. 1, or endless belt conveyer, comprises a Geneva mechanism, the driving member 9 of which is rotated by a pair of fluidactuated piston rods 13 and during rotation actuates valves for changing the direction of movement of the pistons, a fluid-actuated locking device 17, 18 adapted to engage the driven member 7 at the end of each revolution of the driving member, and time-controlled means for initiating disengagement of the locking device and the start of a revolution of the driving member. The table carries rotary work supports 6 and is mounted rotatably on a shaft 4 upstanding from a base 5. The driven member 7 is secured to the underside of the table and has a number of equispaced slots 8 formed in its periphery which are engaged successively by a roller 10 mounted on the driving member 9. The shaft 11, on which the member 9 is fast, carries also a disc 12 provided with a crank pin to which the ends of the piston rods 13 are connected. A cam 15 on the disc 12 actuates valves 16a, 16b and 16c which control the admission of fluid to the cylinders 14 to determine the direction of movement of the piston rods. The roller 18 of the locking device moves in and out of a slot 8 and is actuated when air is admitted to the cylinder 19. The piston rod of this cylinder is connected to the lever 17 on which the roller 18 is mounted. An arm 20 on the lever 17 actuates a spring-loaded valve 21 for controlling the supply of air to the cylinders 14. At the end of an operation on a workpiece the appropriate solenoid of an electromagnetically actuated valve 22, Fig. 3, is-energized by an electric timer 23 to admit air to the cylinder 19 in a direction to cause the removal of the roller 18 from locking position. Movement of the lever 17 opens the valve 21 to allow air to pass to the valve 25 which is movable between open and closed positions by air supplied to its opposite ends by pipes b, c. At the commencement of a. cycle valve 25 is open and air passes through the pipes d, e, f to the valves 26, 27, 28. Air passing through pipe e sets valve 27 to pass air to the inner end of cylinder 14 to project its piston rod 13. Pressure air for this purpose is supplied by pipe g. Similarly air is supplied through pipe h to the outer end of the associated cylinder 14 to retract its piston rod and the table commences to rotate. When the cam 15 opens the valve 16a, air is supplied through the pipe i to the valve 27 to reset it to reverse the movement of its associated piston and air is supplied through the pipe c to the valve 25 to close it. Similarly when the cam actuates the valve 16b, the direction of movement of the other piston rod is reversed. When the cam actuates the valve 16c, air passes through the pipe k to the valve 26 to close it and cut off the supply to the valve 27. At the same time air is supplied through the pipe b to the valve 25 to reopen it ready for the next cycle and the table comes to rest in the position shown. A switch 29 has been actuated by a cam 30 mounted on the driving member 9 to cause the actuation of the other solenoid of the valve 22 before the actuation of the valve 16a by the cam 15, thus directing air to the opposite end of the cylinder 19 to re-engage the locking device 18 and at the same time to allow the valve 21 to close. Another cam 31 on the member 9 closes a switch 32 in the circuit of the timer 23, the arrangement being such that the timer can only initiate a sequence of operations by means of the valve 22 if the parts are in appropriate positions. A manuallyoperated valve 33 is provided which when opened allows air to pass from the mains to the valve 25 to open it if for any reason it has remained closed.