An Improved Automatic Machine for Gauging Steel Balls and other Spherical Bodies.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Machine for Gauging Steel Balls and other
Spherical Bodies.
I, WILLIAM Bown, 308, Summer Lane, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention bas reference to an improved automatic appliance for gauging or
sorting out the different sizes of steel balls or other spherical articles.
According to my invention I employ a stationary disc or ring provided on the
face with a tapering groove. Resting on the top of the said stationary disc or ring
is another ring or disc which is caused to revolve by suitable gearing. Secured to
the face of the revolving disc (which rests upon the stationary disc) is a pneumatic
tube or ring. Or instead of employing a pneumatic tube or ring I may use a ring
or equivalent of soft spongy rubber or other yielding or flexible material. Suitably
connected to the gearing of the machine is a revolving perpendicular spindle or
shaft. The bottom end of the said revolving spindle is of a larger diameter and is
provided with one or more spiral grooves and revolves in a stationary hollow
spindle or tube. A suitable hole is provided in the side of the hollow spindle or
tube and a hopper or similar arrangement connected thereto. The steel balls or
other spherical bodies which it is intended to gauge are placed in the hopper and
the machine is set in motion. The steel balls then pass through the hole in the
hollow spindle and down the spiral groove or grooves formed in the revolving
spindle and along a suitable incline into the taper grooves (which are narrow at the
commencement and gradually widen) formed on the face of the stationary disc.
The pneumatic tube or equivalent which is secured to the revolving disc causes
the steel balls to travel along the taper groove and as the groove increases in
width from the starting point the different size balls drop through into suitable
receptacles.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893
WILLIAM BOWN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
An Improved Automatic Machine for Gauging Steel Balls and other
Spherical Bodies.
I, WILLIAM BOWN, 308 Summer Lane, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Managing Director of the Firm of William Bown Limited 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 reference to an improved automatic appliance for gauging or
sorting out the different sizes of steel balls.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have annexed the
accompanying drawing which is an elevation of a ball gauging machine constructed
according to my invention.
A is a stationary disc or ring provided on its face with one or more slots a, the
said slots a gradually widening in suitable sections. Resting on the top of the said
stationary disc A is a revolving disc B provided with a rubber ring C or pneumatic
Pin1

page_text: tube or other yielding or flexible material on its bearing surface. Fastened to the
frame D of the machine is a perpendicular revolving spindle E with one or more
spiral grooves 6 formed around the outer surface, and the said spindle E revolves
in a. hollow stationary spindle F formed with a bell shaped mouth G into which
the balls to be gauged are inserted.
It will easily be understood that when the pulley H is caused to revolve it will
communicate motion to the spindle E through the medium of the gear wheels I
and also to the disc B through the medium of the friction wheels J, J¹. The steel
balls are fed into the bell-shaped mouth G from any suitable receptacle and pass
one at a time down the spiral groove b and out at the opening c and along the
inclined and thence under the revolving disc B which carries or rolls them around
the slot a.
The said slot a is narrow at the part where the balls enter and
gradually widens in suitable sections to the end, so that the balls as they travel
along drop through the different sections into suitable receptacles placed under the
frame D of the machine.
The machine may be used for gauging other spherical bodies such as hollow
spheres and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction at aerein shewn
and described but what I wish to claim is :-
Firstly. In a ball gauging machine the use of the horizontal disc provided with
rubber or other soft yielding material on its bearing surface in the manner
substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. In a ball gauging machine the means substantially as herein shewn
and described for feeding the balls under the disc B.
Thirdly. The means substantially as herein shewn and described for auto-
matically gauging or sorting out the different sizes of steel balls.
Dated this 24th day of July 1894.
WILLIAM BOWN.