Patent GB-1409516-A (GB)
Title: Glass plate edge grinding machine
IPC: B24B9/10
Filed: 1974-01-11
Abstract: 1409516 Endless conveyer belts BANDO KIKO CO Ltd 11 Jan 1974 01500/74 Heading B8A [Also in Division B3] A glass plate edge grinding machine comprises grinding means 5, Fig. 4, and means to support the plate 1 as it moves past the grinding means, the support means including an endless beltconveyer 4B arranged to support the glass against the force exerted on it by the grinding means, the belt of the conveyer being supported by a plate 7, the face 7a of which adjacent the grinding wheel is concavely curved about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyer. As described, the machine has a feeding section A, Fig. 5, a grinding section B and a delivery section C. The feeding section consists of an endless belt 11 driven over pulleys 13 by a drive pulley 12, the glass plate being supported in a position slightly inclined to the vertical by rollers 18 on a frame 17. After passing through the grinding section, the plates are delivered by a roller conveyer 81 in the section C. The glass plates from the feeding section A are received between opposed belts 4A, 4B, Fig. 6 and 10, of conveyers 19, 20 for carrying the plates past a series of ten grinders 21 ... 30, Fig. 7. The belt 4A is guided over pulleys 32, 33 mounted on a frame 42, pulley 33 being adjustable to control the tension of the belt and the frame 42 being adjustable by gearing 48, 49 rotated by a hand wheel 46 to vary the spacing between the belts. The frame 42 rotatably supports inclined rollers 3 in bushes 84 of resilient material, such as rubber, the rollers acting to press the belt 4A so as to hold the glass plate against the belt 4B which is wider than belt 4 whereby it can support the lower edge of the plate at the grinding position. The belt 4B is likewise supported over pulleys 34, 35, pulley 34, 35, pulley 35 adjusting the tension of the belt, on a fixed frame 43, the belt bearing against a concave backing plate 7 which ensures that the lower edge of the glass plate is supported by the belt. The pulleys 32, 34 of the belts are driven by reduction gearing from a common motor. As the glass plate is carried past the grinding units, unit 21 grinds the lower edge of the plate, units 22 to 25 are slightly inclined to the plates (Fig. 14, not shown) and grind the lower parts as shown in Fig. 10, units 26, 27 lap the surfaces and units 28 to 30 buff or polish the surfaces. The grinding wheels are belt driven from respective motors and each unit consists of a spindle 58, Fig. 13, which carries the grinding wheel and is supported by bearings 59 in a supporting tube 60 carried by resilient members 61 adjustable by rings 62B in a frame 65, the members permitting the grinding wheels to be axially and radially movable to accommodate unevenness of the glass plate. The frames 65 are adjustable by hand-operated screws vertically and axially of the spindles. The rings 62B of the grinding units 26 to 30 are acted upon to resiliently press the grinding wheels against the plate by cams 76, Fig. 16, on arms 75 movable about pivots by the rod 79 of an air cylinder 78 actuated by limit switches 26b ... 30b, Fig. 7.