Patent GB-810143-A (GB)
Title: Sealing head orienting apparatus for electric lamp-making machines
IPC: H01J5/20
Filed: 1956-08-14
Abstract: 810,143. Making electric incandescent lamps. SYLVANIA ELECTRIC PRODUCTS Inc. Aug. 14, 1956 [Aug. 17, 1955], No. 24886/56. Class 39(2) A lamp sealing machine comprising a turret with a plurality of rotatively driven heads mounted at regular intervals thereon and arranged to be moved intermittently to a series of work stations is provided at one station with apparatus for angularly orienting each head preparatory to a particular operation on the lamp, the said apparatus comprising an arresting finger 24 which is moved into temporary engagement with a member 27 projecting at the periphery of each lamp head 21, Fig. 3, and a movable track or guide member such as 28 or 29 which is moved inwardly to engage a flat portion 30 of the oriented head and maintain its orientation during its dwell at a work station such as D or E, Fig. 1. In the example each head 21 of the turret comprises a seat 17 which supports a lamp bulb above a mount inserted in the head so that the two can be moulded together after being heated. In order to increase the rate of operation the turret is double indexed, so that the head 21 shown at station A, Fig. 1. is moved successively to stations C, E, G, &c. while the head at station B is indexed in turn to stations D, F, H, &c., the operating mechanisms at adjacent stations such as A and B, being duplicated. Each head 21 is provided with a coaxial sprocket 23 which is engaged by a driving-chain 22 and thereby rotated during its indexing movement to, and while at, stations D or E, where the bulb is heated by burner flames (not shown), which soften it before it passes to moulding apparatus of known type at station F or G. The fingers 24 which are movable into engagement with the projecting members 27 secured on the heads 21, as shown in Fig. 3, are linked together at their outer ends, remote from the turret, by a cross-bar 33, Fig. 2, which is engaged within a slot in the upper end of a substantially vertical rocking lever 36 secured on a pivoted shaft 37 linked to a camoperated rocking-lever 39 which acts in opposition to a tension spring 46. The guide members 28, 29 which maintain oritation of the heads at stations D and E after the fingers 24 have been withdrawn from their head stopping position are slidably mounted in a base 25 to and from a position in which they abut against a flat 30 on the head 21, movement being effected through a cam operated linkage system comprising rocking lever 61, rod 64, and bell crank 56 with a vertical arm slotted to engage a cross-bar 50 secured on the outer end of the guide 28. A lost motion connection is provided between the cross bar 50 and the outer end of the guide 29, comprising a stud 52 fixed in the outer end of the guide 29 and slidably within a hole in the bar 50, a compression spring 54 being interposed between the guide 29 and bar 50. The arrangement and timing of the orienting devices is such that, during a dwell of 1.6 seconds after indexing, the heads 21 rotate for 1 second whereupon the two fingers 24 move inwardly, and during the next .4 second the members 27 of the heads at stations D and E, Fig. 3, come to a stop against the fingers 24. The guides 28 and 29 are now moved in by their cam control and each contacts a flat 30 on the respective adjacent head during the remaining .2 second of the dwell, in which time the fingers 24 are withdrawn from the members 27. When indexing recommences the flat 30 of the head at station E moves into engagement with the track 32, while the flat on the head shown at D moves into engagement with the guide 29. Since the head shown at C is to be double indexed to E the guide 28 is moved rearwardly by rearward movement of the cross-bar 50 to allow the head to continue in rotation, the lost motion between cross-bar 50 and the guide 29 allowing the latter to continue in engagement with the flat 30 of the head that has moved from station D. When the last mentioned head has moved into engagement with the track 32 the guide 29 is moved rearwardly by the further cam controlled movement of the cross-bar 50, the lost motion between the guide 29 and said cross-bar having been now taken up, so that the head approaching station E is allowed to rotate until the head following it, and also rotating, has arrived at station D. Both heads are then oriented by the respective fingers 24 when the cycle re-commences. The apparatus may be modified for use in a single index machine, and the guides 28 and 29 may be actuated by separate mechanisms.