Patent GB-1385864-A (GB)
Title: Machine and method for feeding scoring and breaking elongated fran gible members
IPC: C03B33/06
Filed: 1973-01-10
Abstract: 1385864 Working frangible material FLETCHER-TERRY CO 10 Jan 1973 1284/73 Heading B5E [Also in Division C1] A machine for scoring and breaking a plurality of side-by-side frangible tubes T to provide segments of predetermined length S, comprises a fixed frame 16, 18 including a bed 10 with side guides 12, 14 for supporting the tubes T, an anvil 48 adjacent the downstream end of the bed 10, means such as feed bars 38, 40 for feeding the tubes T longitudinally on the bed 10 and across the anvil 48, stop means such as measuring bar 50 provided in spaced parallel downstream relation to the anvil 48 for stopping the feeding movement, a carriage 22 positioned above the anvil 48 having scoring means 100 and breaking means 108 provided thereon, means for traversing the carriage 22 over a bridge 20 in one direction to first score the tubes T over the anvil 48 and then break the tubes off in the same movement. A bin 80, with a dedeflector 84 as in full lines (Fig. 4) is used to collect the tubes cut to the predetermined length s, the deflector 84 being moved to the dotted line position when scraps only are produced, as when the tubes T are squared up initially, the scraps falling into a bin 82. The carriage 22 is slidably supported on guiderods 24, 26 forming part of bridge 20 and moved by a cable-type actuator 28 for cutting and return strokes, air for the return stroke being provided through a solenoid valve (SV1). The slide bearing blocks 90, 92 of carriage 22 are connected by a cross-member 94 with depending support 96 on which the cutter wheel 100 and breaker shoe 108 are mounted, the wheel 100 being mounted in a pillar post 102 fixed to the end of a lever 104 pivoted on shaft 106 at the bottom of support 96 and the shoe 108 being provided on a support 110 fixed to the end of a lever 112 pivoted on shaft 114 on support 96 immediately above the shaft 106. Lever 104 is biased by a spring 117 on a plunger 116 to the operative position and lever 112 is biased thereto by the weight of shoe 108, but a spring may also be used. The force on the cutter wheel 100 may be preset by a knob 120 on plunger 116 and a screw 134 with adjustment nuts 136 engaging an extension 98 of the cross-member 94 determines the lowermost position of the shoe 108. Levers 104 and 112 are latched in the inoperative position by a head 132 on a plunger 130 and by a latch 124 respectively. The feed bars 38, 40, which also act to clamp tubes T during the cutting stroke of carriage 22, are similarly mounted, as bar 38, by a pin 168 to slide bars 170 and to crank arms 174 at each side of the apparatus, connected to a pair of arms 160 and pivoting on shaft 178, respectively, forming part of a bell-crank assembly 42 rigidly connected to a cross-member 150 and pivotable about rock-shafts (152) the centre line of which is indicated at 164. The centre lines 182 (184) of shafts 178 (180) are eccentric to shaft 152 and on either side thereof so that slide blocks 186 (188) thereon, sliding on bars 170 (172), cause a generally circular path for each feed bar 38, 40 on up and down movement of cross-member 150 so that the feed-bars "walk" the tubes forwardly. Member 150 is connected to a tandem cylinder 46 mounted on bridge 20 energized through solenoids SV3a and SV3b to give up or down movement to member 150 and can be simultaneously energized or de-energized for clamping the tubes or for removal of the bars 38, 40 to inoperative position. A control circuit is disclosed, including movement of the measuring bar 50 to "at size" or "at size plus clearance" so that the tubes T can drop freely after cutting and breaking.