Patent GB-756636-A (GB)
Title: Machine for assembling resilient bushings of the elastic rubber insert type
IPC: B25B27/28
Filed: 1954-08-10
Abstract: 756,636. Assembling rubber bushings. GENERAL TIRE & RUBBER CO. Aug. 10, 1954 [Aug. 13, 1953], No. 23235/54. Class 108 (3). The invention relates to machines for assembling resilient bushings of the type comprising a rubber insert positioned under radial compression and axial elongation between an outer rigid sleeve and an inner rigid core. According to the invention, the machine comprises a press having relatively-movable sleeve-clamping members 2, 5, comprising sleeve-positioning sockets 7, 8 a bore 12 opening into the socket 7, means for forcing an insert A into a sleeve B held between the members 2, 5, a core inserting plunger 38 in the bore 12, insert-expanding pilots 15, means for feeding a pilot 15 and core C into the bore 12, and means for advancing the plunger 38. The lower half of the socket 7 is formed by a supporting member 33 carried by a piston 34 normally outwardly-urged by air pressure in a cylinder 35. The socket 8 is disposed between a funnel 9, and a further supporting member 32 for the sleeve B. The member 5 carries a piston 20 which is slidable within a cylinder 6, the chamber 26 of which is connected with a source of compressed air. A tubular plunger 11 is rigidly mounted in the cylinder 6 so as to be coaxial with the socket 8. The plunger 11 is adjustable axially by rotation of a threaded mounting member 30. Inserts A, sleeves B, cores C, and pilots 15, are fed to the positions shown in Fig. 6 from shoots 60, 61, 62, 63, respectively, by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Each shoot has a pair of fingers 66, 67, connected to the armature of a first solenoid 74. When the solenoid 74 is energized, the finger 67 is retracted from the position shown, to feed a pilot 15 by gravity. The finger 66 is projected to hold back the remaining pilots 15. The solenoid 74 is immediately de-energized, and the weight of the armature returns the fingers to the position shown. The plunger 38 is projected by the action of a one-revolution clutch which is released on energization of a second solenoid. The member 2 is mounted on a slide 3 and can be projected towards the member 5 by the action of a piston (not shown) connected to a bracket 2a. The piston works in a pneumatic cylinder having pipe connections from each end to pressure and exhaust lines respectively via a valve which can be operated by energization of a third solenoid. This has the effect of reversing the pipe connections to each end of the cylinder. A fourth solenoid, when energized, opens the cylinder 35 to exhaust. The four solenoids are energized in timed relation by four respective switches (Fig. 11, not shown), operated by cams on a common motor-driven cam-shaft. The pilots 15 may be balls of steel or hard rubber. Operation.-When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6, subsequent to energization of the solenoid 74, the third solenoid is energized resulting in the member 2 being driven to the right. The piston 34 is driven resiliently into the cylinder 35 and the sleeve B is thus gripped between the sockets 7 and 8. When a part 37 of the member 33 engages the member 5, the latter is driven against air pressure in the chamber 26. The insert A comes into abutment with the fixed plunger 11 and is thus projected into the sleeve B. The second solenoid is then energized, and the plunger 38 projects the core C, preceded by the pilot 15, into the insert A. The pilot 15 passes out of the other end of the insert A and falls into a shoot 75 (Fig. 5), and is transferred by a conveyer 76 and shoot 80 into the delivery shoot 63. Just prior to de-energization of the third solenoid and consequent retraction of the member 2, the fourth solenoid is energized to connect the cylinder 35 to exhaust. This enables the assembled bushing to fall from the machine (Fig. 10, not shown). Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 660,626.