Improvements in Machines for Cutting, Grinding, and Polishing Metal Balls.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Cutting, Grinding, and Polishing
Metal Balls.
I, JOSEF VORRABER, of Gauting near Munich in the Empire of Germany
Engineer and Manufacturer 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 :-
The principle of the improved machine is the following:
The roughly prepared cast or stamped balls are brought between two disks,
which consist of cutting or grinding material and which rotate in the same or
opposite directions but however always so, that there is a relative rotative move-
ment of the disks. The balls themselves lie in the hollows of a guiding plate laid
between the disks, which again is in relative movement with regard to the two
disks. By an appropriate curve like arrangement of the hollows of the plate or by
eccentric movement of the same with regard to the centre of the rotary disks-
the balls are guided in such a manner over the grinding surface, that their axes of
revolution undergo continual change, which not only causes an equal wearing of
the polishing plates, but also, that each point of the ball surface is attacked and
the balls are ground exactly round.
The construction and operation are explained hereinafter with reference to the
annexed drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows a vertical section of the machine,
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line - (Fig. 1).
Fig. 3 shows the same section the guiding plate being of another form,
Fig. 4 shows an alternative construction of the machine.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line y-y Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a detail of Fig. 1.
The construction in Fig. 1 shows the vertical shaft B, journaled in the framing A
by means of the foot bearing Z and can be turned by means of the pulley D. Over
the shaft B is the hollow shaft E, which carries the worm wheel F to be operated
by a worm. On the upper hub face of this wheel F stands the second hollow
shaft J revolving upon the balls c which shaft J is driven by the pulley D'. This
shaft J is also supported by the flange d which lies upon the collar bearing in the
framing A. From the flange d extend the ribs which support the plate K cast
or fixed on the upper end of the hollow shaft J. This plate K serves as bearing
for the grinding ring L seated between the upright flanges k'. The middle shaft E
has on its upper end a crown G, which moves the guiding disk H in a manner
hereinafter described. The shaft B carries on the top the plate K' movablo
vertically in a groove, in which in the same manner as in the plate K is arranged
the other grinding ring. This plate K' is exposed to the regulatable pressure, of
the weight O' acting through the lever O and transferred upon its upper hub face
of plate K¹ by means of the movable socket M seated upon balls m. Fig. 6 shows
the fastening of the socket on the lever. The inner disk H' Fig. 2 is fixed upon the
crown G, but so that its centre does not fall together with that of the axle B.
The inner disk H is surrounded. by the annular disk H'; the slot remaining
between both is of any suitable width to be filled with the balls R to be ground.
To separate the machine in order to put the rough balls into it and to remove them
afterwards, the plate K¹ is lifted (which is effected by turning the screw spindle N

page_text: by means of the hand wheel N'). The balls R are guided by the eccentric H' and
the ring H over the working surfaces. The ring H' might be compared with an
eccentric hoop, and would also be rotated if it were not guided by the slot s on the
spindle N which is simultaneously the carrier for the lever O. The plate H' is
thereby restricted in its movement and slides on the disks n' which can be displaced
vertically according to the size of the balls and which are arranged at 3 places,
around the circumference.
The spindles & fixed on the framing remain thereby in contact with the disk H'
along the inclined slots . The guiding of the disk H might also be secured by
disks n arranged above and beneath the same.
Fig. 3 shows a change in the form of the slot 43 which shows here a curved form
running symmetrically to the revolution centre. The balls R by the turning of the
inner disk I will move simultaneously along the slot and are thus guided over
the working surface. The outer ring lies in the manner shown in Fig. 4 upon
the edge of a cylinder T¹ adjustable in height.
In Fig. 4 there is used instead of a worm gear a bevelled wheel gearing consisting
of the bevelled wheels and . The guiding of the intermediary disk Q
represented in Fig. 5 which consists here of one piece and which holds the balls in
holes provided in it in a circle, is effected here by the already before mentioned
cylinder or crown T¹ which displaceable by means of screws t is arranged to be
vertically movable in a plate T fixed on the prolonged hub A The disk Q
containing the ball holes is provided centrically with a circular opening the edges
of which are strengthened by a thereon soldered or bolted swelling or collár. In
this collar ring works the eccentric Q on the shaft C. As the disk Q is guided
to and fro by a slot arranged in the projection Q₁ embracing the bolt S which is
fixed on the plate T the turning of the disk Q causes the rotation axis of the balls
to change and the balls to come in contact with each point of the working surfaces
so that the same result is obtained as in the former construction. The upper
plate K is here pressed by the spring U which when refilling the machine can be
taken off and afterwards tensioned at pleasure by screwing up the nut U¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) An improved machine for working and polishing balls consisting of two
horizontal disks in relative movement and made of grinding material or provided
with cutting surfaces between which disks moves a third disk which provided with
hollows causes balls lying in these hollows to continually change their revolution
axes, in order to enable the balls to be worked on all sides..
(2) The construction for causing this continual change of the revolution axes of the
balls by their arrangement in circularly running slots or hole rows of the inter-
mediary plate to which au eccentric movement is given or in slots of any form and
returning into themselves with rotary movement of the intermediary plate.
(3) The construction whereby the machine may be used for balls of any size,
the surfaces between which lies the intermediary plate being capable of being
displaced in vertical direction, the working tension being regulated by springs or
weights.
Dated this 21 de
2000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicant.