Patent GB-1261553-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and method of automatically assembling anti-friction bearings
IPC: F16C43/04
Filed: 1969-01-24
Abstract: 1,261,553. Feeding balls. TOYO BEARING MFG CO. Ltd. 24 Jan., 1969 [3 Feb., 1968; 24 Feb., 1968], No. 4137/69. Heading B8S. [Also in Divisions F2, G1 and G4] A method of automatically assembling bearings comprises computing electrical signals obtained by independently measuring the groove diameters of co-operating rings to provide a single signal which is used to select appropriate rolling elements. Ring measurement.-Inner and outer rings roll down shoots 1, 2, Fig. 1, to measuring means 3, 4, the measured values being passed to an adding unit 5. Rings are paired in a unit 8 and passed to a storage region 9. The device 3 comprises a pair of inner-ring- contacting gauge blocks 14, 20, Figs. 3 and 5, the latter being mounted on a lever 15 on a pivot 17 urged downwardly at one end by a pneumatic device 32. When a ring is present, the device 32 is released and a spring 35 urges the blocks together. The groove diameter is indicated by a plus or minus gauge 28, having a rod 30 contacting a projection 19 on the lever 17, and the actual diameter is also measured by a detector 23. The device 32 is then actuated and the gauges are withdrawn. Outer rings pass down a shoot 84, Fig. 9, and are stopped opposite a gauging means 50 by a plunger 93. A switch actuated by the ring causes actuation of a pneumatic device 52 to advance a slide 55 carrying gauging balls 80, 81 on a pivoted arm 66 and a ball 78 on a block 72. When a stop 76 engages a fixed plate 77, an arm 60 carrying a roller 65 continues to advance until the roller enters a recess 68 in the arm 66. A spring 82 then raises the balls 80, 81 into the ball-grooves of the ring and raises the ring until stopped by the engagement of the ring with the ball 78. A switch (94) actuated by movement of the arm 60 actuates a pneumatic device 90 to retract the plunger 93 to free the shoot 84 and also actuates, for a set time, a vibrator 91 which raps the ring to ensure correct engagement of the balls in the groove. The position of the lever 66 is gauged by a detector 79 which measures the actual diameter and by a dial gauge 87. When measuring is completed, the slide 55 and supported parts are retracted and the plunger 93 is released to stop the next ring in the shoot. The measuring devices 23, 79 each have a sliding stem 116, Fig. 12 adjusted axially by a stop screw 121 against a spring 120. When adjusted, the stem is clamped by a screw 119 acting through a ring 117. Ring pairing and rejection.-A pair of measured rings drop respectively down shoots 130, 131, Fig. 15, on to the surface of a sliding block 140 in the unit 8. The presence of the rings is detected by switches 188, 189. A pneumatic double-piston device 141 moves the block 140 to allow the rings to drop on opposite sides of the block into alignment with a through-hole 146. A device 181 is then actuated to push the inner ring right through the block and into the bore of the outer ring. A rod 186 actuated with the device 181 then moves a slide 147 to allow the paired rings to drop into a shoot (137). Hence they are removed manually or automatically to the ball exit shoot 409, Fig. 23. If a pair of rings is to be rejected because they would require balls of a size not available, the double-piston device 141 is actuated to move the block 140 so that the rings may pass straight through into reject channels. (Alternatively, such a pair of rings, having been classified by the dial gauges 28, 27 as "+", "O" or "-", may be released into appropriate shoots before reaching the pairing mechanism.) If no ring should arrive in one of the shoots 130, 131, the switch 188 or 189 on the empty shoot causes the ring in the other shoot to be rejected. If two rings arrive in one shoot, a switch 188<SP>1</SP> or 189<SP>1</SP> causes rejection. In a modification, each outer ring passes down a shoot 202, Fig. 21, controlled by an escapement mechanism 213, 214 and an inner ring is inserted into it by a pusher 207. A block 217 is actuated to bring passages 219, 220 opposite the delivery shoots 201, 202 when rejection is desired. A fluid-operated plate (223), Fig. 22 (not shown), prevents inner rings falling over until the pusher 207 is advanced. Cam control.-The machine incorporates a number of cam switches rotated by a motor or motors 441, Fig. 1, to operate the devices in a timed sequence in operation with switches on the machine operated by moving parts. (In a modification, the cams operate alone to time the operations.) The cam switch I releases a pair of   rings for measuring and switch II operates the electromagnetic valve 23 of the measuring device for the inner races and the cylinder 52 for the outer races. Ball selection.-Different-sized balls are stored in containers 306, Fig. 23. Each container is connected to its own delivery slide 311 by a vibratory supply means 308, 309. Each slide 311 contains a specific number of balls when full. When pairing of two rings is complete, the adding unit 5 selects the appropriate slide 311 and moves it into alignment with a discharge port 312. The balls pass down a shoot 319 into one of the storage containers 326 on a disc 324. The slide 311 is then moved back and is automatically refflled. The shoot 319 is then indexed to lie over the adjacent container 326 and brings a proximity switch 357 opposite a rod 327 to initiate the next measuring operation. If the switch is not operated, the cam-driving motor (441) is stopped. On the disc 324 there are thus stored sets of balls corresponding to the stored pairs of rings. The shoot 319 and the disc 324 are stepped round by fluid-pressure-operated reciprocating rack- and-piston means 361, 359, ratchet-and-pawl means 347, 343, micro-switches such as 404, and indexing plungers 402, (328). Ball delivery.-The containers 326 are each closed by a spring-held plate 405, Fig. 32. The plate 405 is operated by a lever 411 to release the balls down the shoot 409, Fig. 23, and is retained open by a cam 415 to ensure that no ball is left in a container. To insert the balls in between the rings, the outer ring 420, Fig. 34, is placed against two pins 424, 425 and actuates a switch 427 to move a lever 411 and thus a cover 405 to allow the balls to drop down the shoot 409.