Improved Feed Device and Apparatus applicable to the Manufacture of Cartridges and other purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st May, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Feed Device and Apparatus applicable to the Manufacture
of Cartridges and other purposes.
We, FRANK BRITTAIN, Engineer, EDMOND LYONS O'BRIEN, Managing
Director to The Electrical Installation Company Limited and THE ELECTRICAL
INSTALLATION COMPANY LIMITED all of 64 and 66 Victoria Street, in the City
of Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its principal object to effect a continuous supply of articles
such for example as cartridges to a machine in which work has to be performed on
such articles, to hold the article in position and guide it while the work is being
performed and to carry the articles away so soon as the required work has been
effected.
This invention consists of a carrier and mechanism in connection therewith in
order to give an intermittent motion to such carrier, preferably in the manner
hereinafter described. This invention further consists of means of imparting a
differential motion to the device which presses forward the article; and further
consists of means of compensating for inequalities or want of uniformity in the
articles to be worked.
This invention can be applied to and used in combination with any machine in
which articles have to be taken to a particular spot for particular work to be placed
upon them.
We will describe by way of example how it can be applied to a machine for
turning in the ends of cartridges which have been filled. The carrier consists of a
drum having on its periphery three or more recesses as may be required such
recesses being preferably of such shape and deep enough as to allow the article, in
this case the cartridge, to fit somewhat loosely and capable of longitudinal move-
ment. Above the carrier is placed an adjustable feed board or other receptacle
sufficiently sloped that a cartridge may by gravity or by the weight of the
cartridges behind descend into a recess of the drum as it comes opposite the
aperture. The drum or carrier should be carried by suitable supports affixed to
the bed plate of the machine and so arranged that when stationary the recess with
the cartridge inside is in the right position to be pressed forward by the gripping
chuck to the revolving chuck or tool which is to effect the necessary work. Motion
may be imparted to the carrier by any suitable means but preferably by means of
a ratchet wheel and pawl at the end of the spindle on which the drum or carrier
revolves. The end of the spindle is furnished with a ratchet wheel in which
engages a pawl attached to a vertical rod working in suitable slides and sufficiently
weighted so that when allowed to fall it causes a partial rotation of the carrier to
the required extent; in lieu of the weight a spring may be used. The amount of
rotation should be suitably adapted to the action of the machine which effects the
work so as to bring the carrier and the work to the required position at the right
moment. As the downward movement of the weighted rol or feeding slide effects
the rotation, the lifting of the feeding slide so that the pawl engages in another
tooth and the retention until the required work has been effected upon the cartridge
in position may be effected in the following manner :-
In order to bring the article up to the revolving chuck or tool there is usually a

page_text: gripping chuck or similar device which moves longitudinally and is actuated by
means of a rod underneath. The raising or lowering of the feeding slide may be
effected by means of this rod. The lower end of the feeding slide may be
connected with one end of a lever the other arm of the lever being capable of
sliding along a cain plate affixed to or a part of the rod which moves the gripping
chuck. The cams on the cam plate are so arranged as to provide that when the
gripping chuck is nearest the tool the arm is most depressed, thereby raising the
feeding slide to its highest position. When the gripping chuck is farthest from
the tool the arm is a little less depressed, thereby allowing the feeding slide to
descend a little. When the gripping chuck is in the middle of its stroke that is to
say in the intermediate position, the arm is at its highest position, thereby causing
the feeding slide to assume its lowest position. The lever works more easily along
the cam plate by providing its end with an anti-friction roller.
The object of the three positions of the cam plate is as follows:-When the
work on one cartridge is being completed and the feeding slide is pushed to its
highest position by the lowest portion of the cam plate a support is by means of a
suitable spring automatically pushed forward so as to support the feeding slide in
its raised position. As the gripping chuck moves back the lever falls to its lowest
position but the feeding slide is retained in its highest position by the support.
The next motion of the gripping chuck is, by means of a suitably placed pin, to
displace and press back the support which retains the feeding slide in its highest
position; the feeding slide falls slightly thus preventing the support from coming
underneath. During the first part of the travel forward of the gripping chuck the
feeding slide is retained in its intermediate position by the action of the cam plate;
during the second part of its travel forward the feeding slide descends to its lowest
position and causes the drum or carrier to revolve and another article to be
brought forward; whilst at the last part of the travel forward the work is
completed and the feeding slide is lifted to its highest position again.
It is an advantage in most cases that the travel of the gripping chuck should be
faster during the first part of its travel forward and should giadually be reduced in
speed as the work is being effected on the article. In order to effect this differential
motion one end of the rod or bar connected with the gripping chuck is provided
with a rack in which engage the teeth of a quadrant or sector.
This quadrant or
sector is centred in a longitudinal slot and provided at its lower end with an arm or
lever which arm or lever straight for a portion of its length and curved at its
lower extremity. Motion is imparted to this lever by means of pins projecting
from a revolving wheel the said pins first pushing the straight part of the lever and
eventually the curved portion of the lever. The curve of the lever should be in
such direction that the action of the pin of the pin carrying wheel shall be effected
upon its concave side. When the pin of the wheel first comes in contact with the
lever the motion is quick and eventually lessens until it comes to rest.
After the
pin has passed the lever a strong spring or weight brings the lever back to its
former position. In an ordinary case the quadrant or lever may be fixed in the slot
at a point vertically above the centre of the pin carrying wheel; if moved away
from the vertical the initial speed is made faster or slower, depending as to which
side of the vertical position it is shifted.
Inequalities occur in the size and shape of the articles treated and it occasionally
happens that the wrong end of the article is presented to the tool. In order to
provide for such inequalities a compensation spring may be placed in such a way
that when the work has been carried to the required extent the spring takes пр the
excess work instead of such work tending to destroy the article. We prefer to
place this spring between the point where the pins of the wheel strike the lever
and the point of communication of the movement to the quadrant.
We also provide a movable ejector which may work through the rotating chuck
to eject therefrom the finished cartridge. This ejector may be operated from the
rod which moves the gripping chuck. In order that the ejected cartridge may not

page_text: stick or become jammed in the gripping chuck we provide a fixed tube of suitable
length which passes through the gripping chuck.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1894.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
Improved Feed Device and Apparatus applicable to the Manufacture
of Cartridges and other purposes.
We, FRANK BRITTAIN, Engineer, EDMOND LYONS O'BRIEN Managing
Director to The Electrical Installation Company Limited and THE ELECTRICAL
INSTALLATION COMPANY LIMITED all of 64 and 66 Victoria Street in the City
of Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its principal object to effect a continuous supply of articles
such for example as cartridges to a machine in which work has to be performed on
such articles, to hold the article in position and guide it while the work is being
performed and to carry the articles away so soon as the required work has been
effected.
This invention consists of a carrier and mechanism in connection therewith in
order to give an intermittent motion to such carrier, preferably in the manner
hereinafter described. The invention further consists of means of imparting a
differential motion to the device which presses forward the article; and further of
means of compensating for inequalities or want of uniformity in the articles to be
acted upon.
The invention can be applied to and used in combination with any machine in
which articles have to be fed to a particular spot for particular work to be
performed upon them.
We will describe by way of example how it can be applied to a machine for
turning in the ends of cartridges which have been filled.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the line 1-1 of Figure 2 of a machine for
turning over the ends of cartridges; Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the carrier
and feed board removed; Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of
Figure 1 and Figure 4 is a plan of the feed board and carrier and mechanism for
operating the carrier.
The general arrangement of the machine will be understood by reference to
Figures 1 and 2. The turnover chuck A is rotated by treadle or power in any
ordinary manner; at the same time the gripping chuck B has given to it an
intermittent reciprocating motion by means of the rod d actuated by the lever c
motion being imparted to the lever by means of pins e on the cam wheel which
is caused to rotate by means of worm gearing on the shaft k of the pulley 1.
Figures 3 and 4 show the arrangement by which the cartridges are brought into
position between the turnover chuck and the gripping chuck. The cartridges are
placed on a feed board E and fall by gravity into the carrier C. The carrier C
consists of a drum having on its periphery three or more recesses D as may be
required such recesses being preferably of such shape and deep enough as to allow
the article, in this case the cartridge, to fit somewhat loosely and to be capable of
longitudinal movement. Above the carrier C is placed the adjustable feed board E
or other receptacle sufficiently sloped that a cartridge may by gravity or by the
weight of the cartridges behind descend into a recess D of the drum as it comes
opposite the aperture. The drum or carrier C is carried by suitable supports

page_text: affixed to the bed plate F of the machine and its movement is so adjusted that
when it is stationary the recess with the cartridge inside is in the right position to
be pressed forward by the gripping chuck B to the revolving chuck or tool A
which is to effect the necessary work. Motion may be imparted to the carrier C
by any suitable means but preferably by means of a ratchet wheel J and pawl K at
the end of the spindle L on which the drum or carrier C revolves. The pawl K
is actuated by a lever M worked off the cam wheelf so as to cause a partial
rotation of the carrier C to the required extent at each movement. The amount of
rotation should be suitably adapted to the action of the machine which effects the
work so as to bring the carrier and the work to the required position at the right
moment. The lever M works more easily along the cam wheel of by providing its
end with an antifriction roller P. The ratchet wheel J is retained in its position
by the pan Q. As soon as the cam f has acted on the lever M the lever is
brought back to position by the spring R thus causing the pawl K to engage
another tooth of the ratchet wheel J and to be in position to be again actuated
by the cam f. It may happen that the carrier becomes jammed or fouled
in which case the cam acting on the lever M would cause some part to become
injured, if the pawl was rigidly connected with the lever. To prevent this the
pawl K is not directly connected with the lever M; but is pivoted at K₁ to a
supplemental bar N. One end of the supplemental bar N is connected to the
lever M by the pin N', whilst the other end is connected by means of the bolt T
and the spring T¹ which should be of sufficient strength to keep the two pieces
together so as to effect the rotation of the carrier C. If however the carrier C
becomes jammed the ratchet wheel J presses down the pawl K and the bar N
is not carried up with the lever M; but the spring T' is compressed. The pawl
consequently fails to turn the ratchet wheel; and any possibility of damage is
avoided.
The intermittent reciprocating motion of the gripping chuck B is effected by
means of the lever c and the rods d d as has been already explained.
It is an advantage in most cases that the travel of the gripping chuck should be
faster during the first part of its travel forward and should gradually be reduced
in seed as the work is being effected on the article. In order to effect and
intensify this differential motion the lever c that is connected with the gripping
chuck by means of the rods d d is straight for a portion of its length and curved at
its extremity. Motion is imparted to this lever by means of pins e projecting from
the cam wheel the said pins e first pushing the straight part of the lever c and
eventually the curved portion of the lever. The curve of the lever should be in
such direction that the action of the pin e of the cam wheel shall be effected upon
its concave side. When the pin of the wheel first comes in contact with the lever c
the motion is quick and eventually lessens until it comes to rest. After the pin
has passed the lever, a strong spring g (or a weight may be used) brings the lever c
back to its former position. In an ordinary case the lever may be fixed in the
slot at a point vertically below the centre of the cam wheel f; if moved away
from the vertical the initial speed is made faster or slower, depending upon which
side of the vertical position it is shifted to. The pins e can be furnished with
antifriction rollers.
Inequalities occur in the size and shape of the articles treated and it occasionally
happens that the wrong end of the article is presented to the tool. In order to
provide for such inequalities a compensation spring j should be used so that when
the work has been carried by the gripping chuck to the required extent the
spring takes up the excess work instead of such work tending to destroy the
aiticle.
In order that the ejected cartridge may not stick or become jammed in the
gripping chuck B, any suitable ejector may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what

page_text: we claim in respect of feed devices and apparatus for performing work upon
cartridges or similar articles is :-
1. The combination of parts for the purpose of giving a differential intermittent
and reciprocating motion to the gripping chuck, consisting of the lever c, the wheelf,
the pins e and the spring g, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the carrier or feed drum C of a ratchet wheel and
pawl actuated directly or indirectly by a cam plate for the purpose of imparting
an intermittent rotary metion to the said carrier or feed drum, substantially as
described.
3. The particular construction and arrangement of the cam wheel by means of
which both the gripping chuck and the feed device are actuated, substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination of parts arranged and working substantially as hereinbefore
described and forming an improved apparatus for feeding and closing cartridges or
other articles as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of Mar 1905
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.