Improvements in Machines for Making Composition Targets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 14th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Composition Targets.
I, JOHN WESLEY DUNBAR of No. 9 Wabash Street New London, State of
Connecticut, United States of America Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
my 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 may be used in the manufacture of various articles, but particularly
relates to the manufacture of "clay pigeons or sportsmen's flying targets composed
of a brittle composition so formed as to resist breakage in packing and transportation,
while adapted for easy disintegration by the shot. It is of importance that such
targets shall be molded with perfect uniformity of contour and thickness at all
corresponding circular portions thereof, in order that the brittle material shall have
the required sustaining quality, and also in order to promote even flight when the
target is thrown from the trap. It is desirable, also, to impart a smooth finish to
the goods in order to render them marketable.
It is the object of my invention in accomplishing these ends to promote accuracy
of compression in shaping the material and rapid automatic action of the machine
consistently with the necessary ranges of motion given to the molds to fill them and
carry them under the rams and with the allowance of sufficient time for the material
to cool in the molds after compression before it is ejected.
My invention consists in the conjunction, with a vertically-moving ram and a
device for gravitating the heated liquid composition, of a trunnioned mold-block
bearing a plurality of molds and means for intermittently rotating them one after
another in a substantially-vertical plane of rotation into positions for filling, com-
pressing, cooling, and ejecting the material; also, in conjunction with the mold-block,
a reciprocating carriage for moving it laterally into alternate vertical alignment with
the gravity-filling device and the ram; also, the conjunction, with the filling device
and two rams on opposite sides thereof, of a reciprocating carriage and two rotary
mold-blocks mounted therein, adapted in two different positions for simultaneous
coincidence with the said filling device and one of the rams.
The invention also comprises certain various novel details of construction herein-
after described and claimed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference
indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine, partly appearing in side view on
the line, Fig 4, the device for supplying the composition being shown on the
line, Fig. 2,
Fig. 2 an inverted plan view showing in further detail the device for supplying the
composition :

page_text: Fig. 3, an end view of the machine, taken partly in cross-section on the
line
yy, Fig. 4; and
Fig. 4, a horizontal sectional view of the machine, taken on the line, Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the contour of the finished article in
full size and the relative position of the mold and the ram at the termination of the
compressing-stroke of the latter.
AA is the bed-frame of the machine; B B, a suitable supporting-frame for the
bed, and C C, the vertical standards having guides 1112, wherein the rams D and E
vertically reciprocate. The tank F, mounted on standards C C, contains the
composition of coal-tar and clay or other suitable substances maintained in a liquid
consistency by heat applied by means of several gasoline or other burners, one of
which is indicated at 70, Fig. 1. The liquid composition is fed at proper intervals
by means of an automatic feeding device 2, hereinafter more fully described.
HI are the mold-blocks, which are mounted by means of their trunnions 37,
Figs. 3 and 4, in the reciprocating carriage G, which is moved at proper intervals,
so as to bring the two blocks simultaneously into vertical coincidence one with the
feeding device 2 and the other with one of the rams at each extreme position
of said carriage.
J. represents a conveying-belt beneath the machine for removing the targets when
they are deposited thereon from beneath each block as it becomes inverted on
approach to the centre of the machine.
Lis the driving-shaft, from which all parts of the machine are operated by a belt
applied to pulley H. The driving-shaft L bears two worms 3 3, engaging with
worm-gears 4 4, mounted on the shafts 5 6 for operating the rams. Said shafts 5 6
bear cams 7 7, which act on the rollers 8 8 of the rams to force the latter downward.
The cams 77 are so contoured as to produce a rapid descending motion of the ram
during the early part of its stroke and a gradual motion upon entering the mold and
then a prolonged dwell of sufficient duration for the mass of composition to congeal
and settle in the mold, producing a smooth finish. The cams 7 are adjusted upon
the shafts 5 6, so as to advance the rams D E in alternate succession. The rams
are elevated by springs 9 9, or, if desired, the same may be lifted by elevating-cams
in lieu of said springs.
The plungers 10 of the rams are cylindrically fitted within the bearings 11 12 and
prevented from turning out of place by means of slots 13 therein and guide-stud
bolts 14, inserted into said slots, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The plungers 10
are provided with yokes 15, which straddle the shafts 5 6, and into the lower ends
of said plungers the ram-heads 16 are secured by means of shanks 17, having
screw-threaded nuts 18 19, which render them accurately adjustable.
The head 16 of each ram is provided with a movable stripping-collar 74, which
forms a part of the upper section of the mold or die for shaping the target, as more
clearly seen in Fig. 5. The collar 74 is guided by means of pins 75, projecting
through its flanges, and said collar is forced toward the face of the ram by means
of springs 76 when the ram is raised so as to strip the work therefrom and leave it
in the concave mold. Pins 77 are rigidly fixed (screw-threaded) into the flange of
the movable collar 74 and serve when the ram approaches the mold-block to
determine the position of the collar. The springs 76 are incidentally illustrated as
confined by the ends of the fixed pins 77.
Four molds 20 20, &c., are employed in each block H I and are provided with
movable cores 21, forming a part of the contouring-surface thereof and which act
as ejectors by gravitation as each mold becomes inverted in its turn. The cores 21
are connected in pairs, as illustratel, by connecting-stems 72, the descent of each
core as it becomes lowermost being limited by the abutment of the upper core
connected thereto upon step-shoulders 73 in the block. The mold-block; HII and
rams D E are kept cool by water-circulation, which is introduced into the cavities
thereof by suitable connections. In Fig. 3 the connection of a flexible water-
pipe 50 to the ram D is indicated. The ram is chambered at 51 for the passage of
the water and at its opposite side it is connected by another flexible pipe 52 to one

page_text: trunnion of the mold-block H. The block H is also hollow, as indicated at 53,
the chambers on each side thereof being connected, and a pipe, 54, connecting to
the other trunnion, discharges the water, establishing the necessary circulation.
The carriage G is reciprocated by means of the connecting-rod 25, which is
attached to the rock arm 26 on the shaft 27. The rock-arm 26 is caused to sweep
through a half-circle at each interval following the compressing strokes of the rams,
the said arm 26 having an upward throw. The shaft 27 is operated in reversed
directions by means of a pinion 28, mounted thereon, and a toothed segment 29
upon the shaft 30, which receives an oscillatory motion of a quarter revolution.
The segment 29, having twice the radius of the pinion 28, actuates the latter to
the extent of a half-revolution at each intermittent motion. The segment 29 is
oscillated by means of the continuously rotating crank 33 on shaft 6, the pin of
which engages at separate intervals with the respective ends of the slot 32 within
the connecting-rod 31, connected as indicated, to said segment. The filling and
molding operations occur during the travels of the crank pin 33 from one end to
the other of the slot 32, and the connecting rod 31 is then moved a sufficient
distance to operate the segment and pinion 29 28, as described, and throw the
carriage G from one extreme position to the other. The rock-arm 26 at such
extreme positions having its radius in alignment with the connecting rod 25, serves
to lock the carriage G at the precise position required for coincidence between the
mold and the one or the other ram. The carriage G is guided in suitable guide-
ways 35 in the bed-frame A and rides on a series of rollers 36. The mold-
blocks H, I are intermittently rotated in the carriage G when moving from their
respective rams D or E toward the filling-point at the center of the machine.
Such rotation is imparted by means of the rock-arms 38 on the trunnions of the
blocks, connected at their free ends by rods 41 to the frame B of the machine.
The rock-arms 38 bear spring-pawls 39, which engage with successive pius 40 on
the mold-blocks, rotating one block a quarter-turn at each stroke of the carriage G.
The finished work from the ram is thereby thrown into a position lateral to the
block and an empty mold presented beneath the filling device 2 when either block
is moved from extremity to center of the machine. The feeding device 2 for
discharging the liquid composition (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) is operated by a
sprocket-wheel 45 on the shaft 5, a chain-belt 46, and a sprocket-wheel 47, said parts
being removed in Fig. 1, but indicated by broken lines. The wheels 45 and 47 are
proportioned two to one, respectively, so that the feed occurs twice during each
rotation of the shaft 5, corresponding with the stroke of each ram.
The feeding device consists in a plunger 80 and a three-way valve 81, relatively
operated so that during the reaction of the said plunger the same communicates
with the tank F, and during its advancement it forces the material through the
discharge-outlet 82, from whence it gravitates into the mold beneath in an accurately-
measured quantity. The plunger 80 is reciprocated by means of the rotary
shaft 83, crank 84, connecting-rod 85, rock-arm 86, rock-shaft 87, and rock-arm 88.
The valve 81 is oscillated by means of the rotary shaft 83, roller-crank 89, tappet-
arm 90, and rock-arm 91.
In operation the carriage G remains in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 a
sufficient time to allow of the prolonged dwell of the ram D upon the compressed
material in the block H and the gravitation of the composition from the feeder 2
into the mold of block 1. The ram D is then lifted and the carriage rapidly
shifted to its opposite position, throwing the block H a quarter-turn, leaving the
compressed work in a lateral mold 20, where it cools while a new mold is being
filled in said block H and a new target compressed in block I beneath the ram E.
The said quarter-revolution of the block H also causes the discharge of a target
previously occupying a lateral position therein, such discharge being effected by
the ejector 21 gravitating after the block has arrived above the conveying-belt J.
The target now occupying a lateral position upon block H will so remain until the
carriage G has been again moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and a second
time returned to the position described with the block H above the conveying-

page_text: belt J. Sufficient time is thus afforded for the composition to solidify before its
ejection from the mold.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for making composition targets, the combination of a ram, a
device for feeding the composition, a carriage, a rotary mold-block trunnioned
therein, and mechanism for moving said carriage and locking the same into positions
wherein the said mold-block coincides with the said ram and the said feed device
alternately, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for making composition targets, the combination of a ram, a
composition feeding device, a rotary mold-block bearing a series of molds, a
reciprocating carriage for carrying the mold-block into alternate coincidence with
the ram and feeding device, and mechanism for intermittently revolving the mold-
block in one direction when moving from the ram toward the feed.
3. In a machine for making composition targets, the combination of two rams,
a central feed, two mold-blocks adapted to coincide with one ram and the feed
simultaneously, and a carriage for moving said mold-blocks into alternate coincidence
with the rams.
4. In a machine for making composition targets, the combination of two rams,
a central feed, two rotary mold-blocks containing series of molds revolving in
vertical planes, a mechanism for intermittently rotating said blocks into positions
for feeding, compressing, cooling, and dropping the work, and a conveyer beneath
the blocks for receiving the work.
5. The combination of the rams DE and tank F, the feeding device 2, the
mold-blocks H I, the carriage G, and the reversible rock-arm 26 for moving the
carriage and means for reversing said arm, substantially as described.
6. The combination of the rams D E, the mold-blocks H I, and means for
feeding the material and operating said blocks, substantially as described, and
the driving-shaft L, worms 3 3, gears 4 4, and cams 7 7, arranged as specified.
7. The combination of the rams DE, the tank and supply device 2, the
carriage G and meaus for reciprocating it, the rotary mold-blocks H I, trunnioned
in said carriage, the rock-arms 38, connected at their free ends to the frame of the
machine, and pawls mounted on the rock-arms, engaging with said mold-blocks to
revolve them in one direction at each stroke of the carriage, substantially as
described.
8. In a machine for making composition targets, the combination of a ram, a mold-
block and means for moving the mold-block into and out of coincidence with the
ram, and an automatic composition-feeding device having coincidence with the
mold-block when it is out of coincidence with the ram, the same consisting in a
plunger, a valve for alternately establishing communication of the plunger with
the tank and the outlet, and mechanism for moving the valve and the plunger
automatically corresponding to the movements of the said mold-block.
Dated this 13th day of March 1893.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.