Patent GB-1030176-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to tooth cutting machines with work handling mechanisms
IPC: B23F23/04
Filed: 1965-03-16
Abstract: 1,030,176. Gear cutting. GLEASON WORKS. March 16, 1965 [April 2, 1964], No. 11089/65. Headings B3B, B3K and B3T. [Also in Division B8] A tooth-cutting machine comprises a work carrier 18, 23 adjacent each of two parallel work spindles 4, 10, the work carriers being indexable about axes parallel to the spindles to present work to the spindles, and an endless conveyer 22 to carry workpieces from one carrier to the other, the conveyer being operated intermittently between movements of the carriers. Two cutters C-1, C-2 are carried on a spindle on an axis 3, the cutters each having a gap between the last and first blades to permit indexing of the work. The spindle 4 is tilted about an axis 7 to present the work to the cutter C-1, the spindle being carried on a slide 8 adjustable vertically on a horizontally-adjustable column 9 to accommodate various cutters and gears. The spindle 10 is tilted about an axis 14 on a slide 13 to present a roughed gear to the finishing cutter C-2. The slide 13 is adjustable vertically on the column 9 and can be reciprocated thereon. The column 9 is adjustable horizontally on ways 15. The adjustment referred to may be carried out as in Specification 989,529. Workpieces W are loaded on to a conveyer 17 and delivered to the carrier 18, wherein they are retained by plungers 27, Fig. 4 (not shown). The carrier is indexed successively to carry a workpiece to the cutting station II, an idle station III and a station IV where the roughed blank is transferred to a conveyer 22. The conveyer 22 delivers the blanks to the carrier 23 from which finished gears are ultimately discharged down a shoot 25 by a fixed cam 62. The carrier 18 is reciprocated on the slide 8 by a varrel cam 35, Fig. 3 (not shown), and is indexed by Geneva mechanism having a driving pin 45 and a restraining flange 47 to ensure a positive drive at all times. The carrier is exactly positioned by a fixed pin 49 entering an apertured disc 52. On each downward movement a new blank is placed on the work-spindle 4 and a machined gear on the conveyer 22. The barrel cam is driven by a fluid-operated reciptocating rack 55 which, through ratchet type gearing, rotates the cam intermittently. The conveyer 22 has links 63, Fig. 8 (not shown), carrying supports 64 which rest on plates 72 and carry work-holders 21. The blanks are for sector gears and the holders have cammed recesses 77 to rotate each workpiece to a predetermined position. The supports 64 are rotated through 180 degrees at two points 79, 81 in their paths to orient each holder correctly in positions determined by a spring- pressed plunger 83. Portions 98, 99 of the conveyer supports are mounted on pivots 97 to allow portions 85, 87 to move with the slide 13. The conveyer 22 is advanced by two reciprocatpawls operated by fluid-pressure devices 101, 109 which act in unison. A similar device advances the conveyer 17. Each workpieee is mounted during cutting in a chuck as described in Specification 1,030,175 and is supported by a centre 129, Fig. 12 (not shown), operated by a piston 133. In a modification, bevel gear blanks G, Fig. 14 (not shown), having axial bores, are delivered one-at-a-time down a gravity shoot 162. A plate 167 carrying two pairs of jaws is then lowered along an axis 168 to pick up the blank and to grasp a roughed gear on the work-axis 6. The two gears, each gripped by jaws such as 172, Fig. 16 (not shown), are then lifted and swung to deposit them respectively on the work-spindle and on the conveyer 22. The jaws 172 snap over a workpiece G which abuts a spring-pressed plate 199. A roughed gear is located by plungers 210. The work-holders 175 on the conveyer 22 are recessed to accommodate the jaws 172 and carry a centring pin 204. At a delivery station, a gear is stripped by spring-pressed plungers as the carrier is raised.