Improvements in Machines for Grinding Balls
Year: 1899

page_text: Reprinted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Chief Examiner
dated the Sth day of March 1909.
Date of Application, 2nd May, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1399
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
1
Improvements in Machines for Grinding Balls."
1. CHRISTIAN C. HILL of 485 Ashland Boulevard. in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Engineer.
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:
My invention relates to improvements in machines for grinding steel balls.
The object of my invention is to provide a machine of a simple, efficient
and durable construction, by means of which steel balls for ball bearings of
bicycles and other machines may be automatically, rapidly, cheaply and
accurately ground to true spherical form and of uniform diameter, and by
means of which the expense and labor of operatives in tending or watching
the machines and work may be materially lessened. as well as the power
required to run the machine in doing a definite or fixed amount of work."
To this end a machine embodying my invention comprises, in combination.
a pair of grinding disks provided on their meeting faces with a series of
parallel grinding grooves, one of the disks being provided with a segmental
open space or pocket to permit the balls to freely change from one grinding
groove to another as the balls are carried around again and again to the
segmental open space or pocket, the interchange of the balls from one grind-
ing groove to another thus securing, as I have discovered, absolute uniformity
in size of all the balls being ground in any one batch. The invention further
consists in combining the grinding disks together in groups of three, two outer
grinding disks and an intermediate one having grinding grooves or faces on
each side. so that the balls being ground between the intermediate disk and
the two outer disks will themselves operate to take the pressure and entirely
relieve the bearings of the rotary intermediate disk from any side pressure,
thus materially reducing the friction and the power required to run the
machine, and also materially aiding in keeping the grinding disks in proper
adjustment. It also consists in the combination--with--a-series--of--groups--of
grinding disks--the-driving--mechanism-of-each-being-furnished-with--an--auto-
matie-stop, capable of being suitably timed-or-adjusted--to--automatically--stop
the-operation-of--each-group-of-diske-after-the-lapse of any given-time. This
The invention materially lessens the labor of attendants or operatives required
to run and watch the work of any number of grinding disks. My invention
further consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and novel comi
binations of parts and devices herein shown and described and specified in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. Fig. 1 is

page_text: an end elevation of a machine embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a partial
plan view showing two groups or sets of grinding disks, the unachine preferably
having as many different sets or groups of grinding disks combined together
with a single driving shaft as one man can conveniently attend to, to diminish
the labor cost as much as possible; Fig. is a detail side elevation of the
middle or intermediate grinding disk of each set or group: Fig. 4 is a
radial section through one set or group of grinding disks; Fig. 5 is a detail
side view of one of the outer grinding disks, showing the pocket or open
space therein which permits the balls being ground to change from one grind
ing groove to another: Fig. is a detail section on line 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7
is a detail elevation of the a stop mechanism by which the operation of any set
of grinding disks is automatically stopped after the lapse of any given time
for which the stop mechanism may be set, and Figs. S and 9 are sections on
lines 8 8 and 9-9 respectively, of Fig. 7.
In the drawing A represents the frame of the machine, B. B. B are the
grinding disks composing each set or group, the same having grinding grooves b,
preferably circular. On their meeting faces. The intermediate grinding
disk thus has grinding grooves on both of its faces or sides. while the
two outer grinding disks B B have such grinding grooves, b. only on their
inner faces. The two outer grinding disks BB are each provided with a seg-
mental open space or pocket 4, extending transversely across all the grinding
grooves 6; so that when each ball is carries in any particular grinding groove
around again to this open space, pocket or cutaway portion it may next enter
some other grinding groove. This interchange of the balls from one grinding
groove to another insures absolute uniformity in size and shape of all the balls
which are being ground together at any one time or batch. At the pocket or
open space the grinders B B are also each provided. or preferably pro-
vided, with a hopper plate to increase the capacity of the pocket or open
space, and to facilitate the feeding of the balls to be ground into the grind
ing grooves until said grooves are filled. The pocket or hopper should be
large enough in capacity to hold a sufficient number of balls in excess of the
number required to fill the grinding grooves when the grinding begins to
compensate for the diminished size of the balls as the grinding proceeds, so
that the grinding grooves may be filled to substantially their full capacity
during the whole period of grinding any batch of balls, at the end as well as
at the beginning of the grinding of the batch. Each of the outer grinding
disks B B is also preferably provided at the lower margin of the pocket &
with a plate of hardened steel & to prevent undue wear or abrasion at the
entrance to the grinding grooves b
The intermediate or rotary grinding disk B is provided with gear teeth 74
on its periphery for rotating it; and its hub is journaled on a short shaft C
mounted in the frame arms (" (" The hub of the outer disks B B surround
the hub of the inner disk B'. And the outer disks B B are held or forced
together so as to produce the requisite pressure upon the balls between the
disks B. B. B. by caps ((which bear against the hubs of the outer
disks BB. and the adjusting nut (" on the shaft (.
The proper automatic interchange of the balls being ground from one grind
ing groove to another is facilitated by having the bottom or lower edge of
the pocket or open space at a slight angle or inclination to the horizontal.
the outer end preferably being slightly higher than the inner end, as is clearly
illustrated in Figs. 5 and 1. And to enable the inclination of the bottom of the
pocket to be properly adjusted as may be required. the radial position of the
outer disks B B may be adjusted by placing the bolt which passes through
a strengthening rib or arm on the disks B in different holes of the arm ("
by which the disks are held in position and from rotation. By removing
the bolt the disks B B may also be turned to bring the hopper or pocket 61

page_text: into position for discharging the balls from the grinding disks when the
grinding is finished, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. To facilitate
the removal or disconnection of each set of grinding disks B B B from the
machine. the frame arms Care pivoted at their lower ends on the pivots C,
and their upper ends are held or locked to the main frame A by a catch or
latch C. This permits any set or group of grinding disks to be swung out
from the rest whenever desired for any purpose.
Dis the driving shaft. It is provided with a series of spur gears which
mesh with the spur gears formed on the periphery of each of the inter-
mediate grinding disks B. The gears are loose on the shaft D, and are
automatically connected and disconnected therefrom by means of a sliding
collar loose on the shaft D. and which is furnished with pins that pass
through holes in a collar fast on the shaft D. and which pins engage
pins on the gear when the sliding collar is moved forward to make said
pins so engage. The movement of the collar to disengage the gear from
The shaft D is automatically effected after the lapse of any required time or
amount of grinding determined by experiment to be sufficient, or approxi-
mately sufficient, by means of a traveling stop F on a screw shaft which
is provided with a cam that engages a clutch lever D', which is connected
at its yoke end with the collar 7. The screw shaft F1 is provided with a
fixed stop F secured to the screw and rotated therewith, and which is pro
vided with a pin or projection f that engages a pin or projection f² on the
traveling stop F when the traveling stop has been moved by the rotation of
the screw into position for such engagement. The traveling stop F has an
arm that rests upon the gage plate G. and prevents the traveling stop from
rotation, except when it has been advanced far enough to bring said arm fl
into registry with the notch in the gage plate G. Any set or group of
grinders B B B is set to run a greater or less length of time by the dis-
engaging and setting or moving the traveling stop Fat a greater or less
distance from the notch and again engaging it with the screw.
traveling stop F is disengaged from the serew F so that it may be slipped
or moved to any desired point for starting by withdrawing its threaded
segment from the threads of the screw, this being done by the adjusting
screw f
The
The screw shaft F is driven at a slow speed. preferably at a reduction of
about 200 to one. From the driving shaft D by means of the worm f on the
shaft engaging worm gear on the counter shaft . said countershaft 15
having a second worm . engaging a worm gear f" on the screw shaft F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that
what I claim is:
1. In a ball grinding machine, the combination of a pair of grinding disks
furnished with a series of grooves on their meeting faces, one of said disks
having a segmental pocket or open space to permit the balls to change from
one groove to another as they are carried around again and again. substan-
tially as specified.
2. In a ball grinding machine, the combination of a pair of grinding disks
furnished with a series of grooves on their meeting faces, one of said disks
having a segmental pocket or open space to permit the balls to change from
one groove to another as they are carried around again and again, the bottom
or lower edge of said pocket or open space being inclined to the horizontal.
substantially as specified.
3. In a ball grinding machine. the combination of a pair of grinding disks
furnished with a series of grooves on their meeting faces, one of said disks
having a segmental pocket or open space to permit the balls to change from
one groove to another as they are carried around again and again, said pocket

page_text: having an inclined plate or wall to serve as a hopper for feeding the balls
into the grinding groures, substantially as specified.
4. In a ball grinding machine, the combination of a pair of grooved grind-
ing disks, one of which is stationary and the other rotary, the stationary
grinding disk having a segmental pocket or cut away portion and a hardened
Steel grooved plate at the lower edge of said pocket or cut away portion, sub-
stantially specified.
lu-a-ball-grinding--machine-the--combination-of-a-pair--of-outer-grinding
disks,-with-an-intermediate
grinding-disk--having--a-grinding-face-on-uch--of-its
sides;-und-means-for-clamping-or-folding--the-two
mediate-dish-substantially as specified.
outer--disks--against-the-inter-
5. The combination of two outer stationary grooved grinding disks BB,
having a series of grinding grooves on their inner tuces, and a pocket. hopper
or open space, extending across the grinding grooves, and an intermedinte
rotating grinding disk having grinding grooves on each of its sides, substan
tially as specified.
6. The combination of two outer stationary grooved grinding disks B, B.
having a series of grinding grooves on their inner faces, and a pocket, hopper
or open space extending across the grinding grooves, and an intermediate
rotating grinding dish having grinding grooves on each of its sides, a driving
shaft and driving gear thereon, a clutch and a time stop mechanism for auto-
matically stopping the operation of the grinding disks, substantially
specified.
The combination-with--o--cet--of-grinding-diske-of-a-driving-shaft-and-con-
neeting geur-eluteh-devices, a cerewyn-travelling-stop-threaded-on-said--serew-and
provided-with-au-arm-and-a-notched-gage-engaging-said-arm-on-the-travelling-stop;
substantially-as-specified:
The--combination with--a-set-of-grinding-disks,-of-a-driving-shaft-and-con-
meeting gear eluteh-devices, n-serew,-n--travelling-step-threaded-on-said-screw-and
provided-with-un-armrand-a-note-bed-gage-engaging-earl-arm-on-the-travelling-stop
said--travelling--stop-having-a-cam--engaging--the-eluteh--lever--substantially--as
specified.
49, The--combination--with--a--get--et-grinding-disks,-of-a-driving-shufi-and-cou-
vesting--gear, eluteh-devices;-a-screw-a-travelling--stop-threaded-on-said-serew-and
provided-with-an-arm;-and-a-notehed-gage-engaging-coid-arm-on-the-travelling-stop,
said-travelling-stop-having-a-eam-engaging-the-eluteh-lever-and-raid-serew--having
n-fixed-collar--or-projection--adapted--to-engage-the-travelling-stop-and-enuse-the
same to-rotate-with-the-serow-when-the-arm-or-projection--on-the-travelling--stop
registers-with-the-noteh-in-said-gagersubstantially-as-specified,
7. The combination of a stationary grinding disk furnished with a pocket
or hopper extending across the grinding groves, and a rotating grinding
disk, and a shaft upon which said grinding disks are mounted, and means for
holding the stationary grinding disk adjustably in position to adjust the
inclination of the bottom of said pocket or hopper and permit the rointing
grinding disk to be turned to bring said pocket or hopper into position for
discharging the balls when the grinding is finished, substantially as specified.
8. A ball grinding machine constructed and arranged to operate substantially
as described and illustrated.
CHRISTIAN ('. HILL.
Haseltine. Lake & Co..
15 Southampton Buildings. London. W.C.,
Agents for the "Applicant.