Patent GB-574821-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to apparatus for attaching articles together, for example, valve stems to an inner tube
IPC: B29D23/24
Filed: 1943-09-16
Abstract: 574,821. Attaching tyre valves. WINGFOOT CORPORATION. Sept. 16, 1943, No. 15206. Convention date, May 29. [Class 135] Apparatus for securing an article to an object (e.g. " stitching " a valve stem to an extruded inner tube) moving on a conveyer, includes a presser member which can be moved over the article positioned on the object and to which a force is then applied to secure the two together. As shown, an inner tube T, Fig. 1, moves continuously on a conveyer belt 14 and valve stems V are placed over holes in the tube by mechanism 18. The presser member 140 can move up and down on a carriage 22 which' is connected to the conveyer belt so as to reciprocate above and longitudinally with respect to, and at the same speed as, the latter. The conveyer drive carries a gear 64 meshing with a gear 62 on a shaft also carrying a gear 56 which engages a gear 54. A sprocket on the shaft carrying the latter gear rotates a further shaft 42 through a chain 48, and the shaft 42.drives an endless chain 36 passing over sprockets 38, 40. A block 34 pivotally carried by the chain 36 engages in a vertical slot in the carriage 22 so that the latter will be reciprocated backwards and forwards as the chain 36 moves round. The carriage 22 carries both horizontally and vertically journalled rollers which engage the top and bottom faces as well as the edges of the flanges of the framing of the machine on which the carriage runs. A shaft 110, Fig. 7, on the carriage 22 is rotated by the engagement of a gear on the shaft with a fixed rack 130, the shaft 110 carrying brake devices to prevent over-running and a oneway clutch to permit only uni-directional rotation. The shaft also carries cams 116 engaged by rollers 126 on a cross-head 124 carrying the presser 140 so that the latter will be reciprocated vertically as the carriage moves. The presser head has a pin-and-slot connection 145 with a rod 142 slidable in the cross-head, the rod 142 being resiliently supported on the cross-head by a spring 144. When the presser is ready to secure a valve stem in position, air is admitted to a cylinder 166 and the piston therein applies a blow to the presser through the medium of a bell-crank lever 168. The gear 56 is free to rotate on its shaft 58, Fig. 4, but is controlled by a clutch so that drive is communicated to the carriage 22 only when the clutch is engaged. The latter comprises a disc 74 slidable on, but rotating with shaft 58 and engaging the hub of gear 56 by friction facings 72. A spring 76 between a collar 78 fast on the shaft and the disc 74 presses the latter towards the gear 56. The gear also carries teeth 82 engageable with teeth on a disc 86 which is keyed to and slidable on the shaft and which is moved into engagement with gear 56 by a clevis actuated by an air cylinder 96, this movement of the clevis also freeing a lug 98 on the gear 56 to allow the latter to rotate. As a stem is conveyed along on the tube it will intercept a light beam and so affect a light-sensitive cell 190 adjustable in position on the framing. This will actuate a solenoid controlled air valve to operate the cylinder 96 and clutch the gear 56 to its shaft to initiate the cycle of the carriage and presser. When the presser has been lowered over a valve stem, lug 98 on the gear 56 will strike and actuate an air valve 180 to operate the cylinder 166 and apply force to the valve stem to secure it to the tube. A channel 182 beneath the conveyer acts as an anvil during this operation. Just before the carriage reaches the end of its cycle, lug 98 operates an electric switch which actuates the previously-mentioned solenoid controlled air valve and cylinder to cause disengagement of the clutch.