Patent GB-963260-A (GB)
Title: Horizontal tube flaring machine
IPC: C03B23/09
Filed: 1960-08-24
Abstract: <PICT:0963260/C1/1> <PICT:0963260/C1/2> A machine for forming elongated generally round members made of material which becomes ductile upon heating, particularly for flaring the ends of glass tubes, comprises means for supporting a plurality of elongated members in a horizontal position parallel to each other, means to rotate each said elongated member about its own longitudinal axis, heating means successively heating a predetermined part of each said elongated member adjacent one end, shaping means engaging said heated part of each said elongated member after they have been heated a predetermined length of time, cut-off means on said machine for cutting-off said predetermined parts of said elongated members, and means to receive end portions of said elongated members cut-off by said cut-off means. In the form shown a number of tubes 20 are supported in chucks 23, Fig. 4, on an intermittently rotated turret supported on a hollow shaft 22a. Each chuck has a gear-wheel attached and each gear is driven from a gear on a shaft concentric with the turret axis to provide continuous rotation of all the chucks.  The tubes in the chucks are moved successively past burners 28, 29 and, when softened, their ends are flared outwardly by the mechanism 11 shown in greater detail in Fig. 14. Two fingers 347 are carried on bell-cranks 336a pivoted at 337 to arms projecting from the end of a hollow shaft 328 and also at 335 to links 3331 connected to a member 329 secured to the end of a shaft 327. Both shafts 327, 328 are continuously rotated, and are both axially movable but inter-connected by a spring which normally holds 327 to the right so that the fingers 347 lie side-by-side.  As each heated tube is moved in line with the flaring assembly the latter is moved to the left by movement of tubes 327, 328 together so that the fingers 347 enter the end of the tube side by side. Movement of the tube 328 is limited by an adjustable stop, the movement of the tube 327 continuing, until also stopped, to cause the fingers 347 to open as shown and flare the tube end.  The flaring assembly is then retracted again.  The flared tube is then moved forward a predetermined distance in its chuck. Each chuck contains concentric sleeves, the outer of which may be moved by pressure on a flange 60, Fig. 5, to free inwardly projecting jaws within the chuck from the tube.  This pressure is exerted by the ends of a fork carried by an axially movable member 12.  While the chuck is free the tube is gripped, at a point to the right of the chuck, as seen in Fig. 5, by compressed air-operated jaws which are axially reciprocated through a lever, the fulcrum of which is adjustable to alter the movement of the jaws. The movement of the tube is also limited by an adjustable stop 216 carried on the member 12.  The jaws are connected by rods 127 to a member 214 notched at 215 to engage the tube behind the flared portion. This will feed the tube even when the portion to the right of the chuck is too short to be gripped by the jaws.  At the next two movements of the turret the tube, as now fed forward, is first heated by burners 200 and then contacted by a spring-mounted wheel 202, driven by a motor 204 and dipping in a water bath 210, and so severed by thermal shock. The severed tubes, supported by their flared <PICT:0963260/C1/3> <PICT:0963260/C1/4> ends slide down a shoot and are deposited in the space between an arcuate member 507, Fig. 29, and a rotating turn-table 503 driven by a motor 501 and are thereby carried over annealing burners 330.  The correct timing of the different parts of the mechanism is assured by the actuation of the tube feed mechanism, the flaring mechanism 11 and of the chuck release device 12 through levers which are connected through links in the <PICT:0963260/C1/5> <PICT:0963260/C1/6> base of the machine to other levers at the tail end of the machine (to the left of Fig. 4) which are operated by cams mounted on a shaft 89, Fig. 32, in the mechanism which also rotates the turret shaft 22a intermittently.  The shaft 89, driven by a motor through worm reduction gearing carries an interrupted spiral cam 618 which, at each revolution engages one of the rollers 615 on the flange 617 carried by the shaft 22a, to rotate the shaft to move the turret forward one step.  Between these movements the turret is locked by a wedge member 627, sliding on rods 628 and operated by a cam 635, lowered to engage two adjacent rollers 615.  The glass tubes for feeding to the chucks are located in notches 320, bounded by rollers 319, Fig. 22, in discs 302 carried on the shaft 22a, each tube being held in a notch by a roller 317 on a spring-loaded rocker arm 315.  A fixed cam member 309 engages a roller 316 at the other end of each rocker arm in turn in the uppermost position.  This permits a fresh tube to be dropped into the notch from a hopper when the notch is detected to be empty by a feeler-operated switch, not shown.  A supply of tubes is carried on an incline 338, the end tube 3201 being retained by a stop 33611 on a rocker member 334. Actuation of the feeler switch controls the air supply to a cylinder 3371 which rocks the member 334 to remove the stop member 33611 from the tube 3201 and insert a stop 336 in the path of the next tube 32011, allowing the tube 3201 to drop into the notch 320.