US2774247A - Drive for metal forming machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1956 L. HyxNosT DRIVE FOR METAL Femme MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 26. 1952 .,.nlaxlllil Dec. 18, 1956 L.. H. KrgosT 2,774,247

DRIVE FOR METAL. FORMING yMALHINE:

Filed Feb. 26, 1952 3 Sheets-511661'. 2

INVENTOR. Lgyczf Kfz as* 22M Mgr@ Decn 1s, 1956 l. H. KNOST 2,774,247

Y DRIVE FOR METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed Feb. 26,1952 A s sheets-snee: 5

/00 v 2 INVENTOR.

Zqydj fn/0.5i*

United States Patent DRIVE FOR METAL FORMING MACHINE Lloyd H. Knost, Carthage, Mo.

Application February 26, 1952, Serial No. 273,427

6 claims. (ci. 'I4-206) This invention relates to a metal forming machine and more particularly to machines of that character wherein at least two forming roll shafts are employed which are mounted for bodily movement relatively to each other to bring the forming rolls together and apart under operating conditions. i

More specifically the present invention is directed to the driving means employed for rotating the relatively movable forming roll shafts and under conditions wherein such shafts are bodily actuated together vand apart 'to carry out the functions of the metal forming machine.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective drive betweenlforming roll shafts to rotate such shafts in timed relation,`fand tovcontinuously maintain the drive while the shafts are being bodily manipulated to. actuate the forming rollsinto engagement with a work piece.

Another object of this invention is to provide coacting resilient drive rolls or'wheels on theforming roll shafts that frictionally surface contact to transmit 'the vldrive from one shaft tothe other and which'are distortable to continue the drive while the shafts are moveditogdther through appropriate operating mechanism.` 'I Y .y h Another object of the present invention is to` provide drive wheels which have at least a peripheral portion thereof constructed from resilient material and which are also provided with intermeshing teeth, for transmitting the drive therethrough and by the frictional contact of such resilient portions. Such toothed Wheels, wherein the peripheral portions thereof and the teeth themselves are all constructed from resilient material, will also permit movement of the forming roll shafts toward and away from each other within predetermined limits while the drive is being transmitted from one shaft'to the other.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a pair of drive wheels between the forming roll shafts wherein each of such wheels comprises a composite structure having a hub for connection with the shaft, a ring gear for meshing engagement with theother drive wheel, each of said wheels being constructed with a resilient body interposed between the hub and the ringgear to provide radial distortion of such wheels and particularly radial movement of the ring gears with respect to each other and to the shafts. It is also an advantage to provide such ring gears with the resilient body portion thereof arranged with apertures or openings' therein to accornmodate the distorting portion of the body under operative running conditions of the machine wherein the shafts are moved toward and away from. each other.

Another object of the present invention .is to provide resilient drive rolls or wheels connected with the shafts wherein the peripheral surface'portions thereof are provided with a tortuous contour to provide apgreater frictional contact area at a point of tangency between such Wheels.

Other objects and advantages relating to the forming roll shaft driving means of the present invention shall hereinafter appear in the following detailed description F'ice having reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a metal forming machine incorporating the driving means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 with portions thereof broken away and in section substantially as viewed along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified construction of driving means which may be employed in place of the driving means best illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is another modified construction of the driving wheels of the present invention for transmitting power between the forming roll shafts;

Fig. 5 is a diametrical sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of another modified arrangement of driving means for transmitting the drive between bodily movable forming roll shafts; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating certain operations of the forming roll shafts under the uses to which the metal forming machine is applied, these views supplementing the particular forming operation i1- lustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the metal forming machine comprises a base or standard 1 for enclosing the several mechanisms of the machine and which base terminates in a table 2 for' supporting the work structures. The main forming units of the machine comprise a pair of shafts 3 and 4 with the shaft 3 being mounted in a pair of bearings 5`and 6, while the shaft 4 is mounted in bearings 7 and 8. In this particular construction of machine, the shaft :4 is mounted for operation about a xed axis with thebearing 7 secured to the table top 2 and with the bearing'S-secured to a baffle or division member 9 formed as a portion of the base 1. Shaft 4 also depends through a -suitable opening 10 in the bathe 9 and enters a gear box 11 which is carried by a bracket structure 12 from the partition or bathe 9. A motor 13 is secured to the wall 14 of the base 1 and this motor drives the pulley 14' from which rotative power is transmitted through a multiple V belt 15 to a pulley 16 that is carried upon a shaft 17 of the gear box 11, the drive being transmitted over to the shaft 4 by suitable gear mechanisms within the box 11. v

The shaft 3 is arranged for rotation about an axis that is bodily movable by reason of the bearings 5 and 6 being carried upon a pair of arms 18 and 19 to which the bearings 5 and 6 are secured. The arms 18 and 19 are pivovtally supported at 20 upon a xed bracket or partition 21 carried adjacent the front wall 22 of the base 1, and the free ends of the arms 18 and 19 are pivotally connected at 23 with one end of a pair of links 24 and 25. A bell crank 26 is pivotally supported upon a shaft 27 which is carried by spaced ears 28 and 29 that are also supported from the wall 14 of the base 1. One arm 30 of the link is pivotally connected by means of the pin 31 with the links 24 and 25, while the other arm 31 of the link operates through an opening 32 within the rear wall 33 of the base 1 with its free end connected by means of a pin 34 with a clevis member 35. Clevis 35 is secured to a piston rod 36 which is endwise manipulated by means of an air cylinder 37 under a controlled air stream which is delivered thereto by means of a conduit 38. Cylinder 37 has one or more ears 39 connected with the closed end therof for pivotally mounting the cylinder upon a pin or shaft 40 that is supported by one or more ears 41 which are secured to the rear wall 33 of the base 1.

The cylinder 37 may be double acting or single acting with a spring return means depending upon the particular conditions of operation and upon the desirability of the operator as to the use of one or the other. Suiceit to say that the endwise actuation of rod 36 will swing the bell crank 26 whereupon the free ends of the arms 18 and 19 are rocked about their pivot 2t) through the link means 24 and 25. This action bodily moves the shaft 3 toward or away from the shaft 4 to produce the desired action for operating the forming rolls.

As seen in Fig. 2, each of the shafts 3 and 4 extends upwardly through openings 42 and 43 in the table top 2 terminating with key slot reduced diameter shaft ends 44 and 45 to which are secured the forming rolls 46 and 47. The rolls 46 and 47 in this case are cooperative members which contain the groove 48 and the ange 49 respectively which produce the bead 50 adjacent the end of a work piece 51. The work piece 51 is arranged for support upon the table 2 and may be held in place by a suitable fixture such as 52 while such piece is being formed into the desired shape by the forming rolls 46 and 47.

As also shown in Fig. l, suitable guide wheels 53 and 54 may be employed for maintaining the work piece 51 in a specific position upon the table 2 and with respect to the forming - rolls 46 and 47 when considered laterally thereof. Each of the wheels 53 and 54 are adjustably mounted upon a suitable mechanism such as 55 and 56 so that the wheels 53 and 54 may be adjusted arcuately about the pivotal mountings 57 and 58 as well as bodily endwise through the adjustable screw means 59 and 60.

Both of the guide wheels 53 and 54 and their associated mechanisms may only be optionally employed in this particular illustration in forming a bead such as 50 upon the work piece 51. One or both of the guide wheels 53 and 54 may be here employed to carry out bending operations of other stock pieces as is well known in the present art.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the shaft 3, which is bodily movable in relation to the shaft 4, may be considered an idler shaft since the shaft 4 is positively driven by means of the motor 13 and the connected mechanisms between the motor and shaft 4. To transmit the positive drive of shaft 4 to shaft 3, a pair of drive rolls 61 and 62 are secured to the shafts 3 and 4 by suitable key structures or other fastening means, and each of the drive wheels 61 and 62 are provided with resilient peripheral portions 63 and 64 which are disposed in operative and frictional driving contact at the point of tangency generally indicated at 65. The drive rolls or wheels 61 and 62 are constructed with metallic hubs 66 which receive the shafts 3 or 4 and sleeve members such as 67 carry the resilient peripheral portions of the drive rolls and are preferably drive tted or otherwise secured to the hubs 66.

With this arrangement, the drive from shaft 4 is transmitted throuh the drive roll 62 to the drive wheel 61 by means of the resilient exteriors of the rolls. Under maximum separation of the shafts 3 or 4 the drive rolls 61 and 62 are designed for frictional contact of sufficient power transmitting effectiveness so as to begin the metal forming operation. As the metal forming rolls 46 and 47 begin their edge wise cooperative work upon the work piece 51 through the opartion of the cylinder 37, shaft 3 is then bodily moved toward shaft 4 and as this action commences, the cooperative power transmitting means comprising the rolls 61 and 62 permit such bodily relative movement between the shafts due to their peripheral resiliency. Furthermore, such rolls will then more effectively drive the shaft 3 since the area of tangential contact -becomes increasingly greater as the shaft 3 approaches shaft 4 until the limits of operational performance has been accomplished as determined by the total formation of the bead 50 upon the work piece 51. Thus, with the distortion of the drive means comprising the rolls 61 and 62 as the shafts 3 or 4 are moved relatively thereto, the drive is continued between such shafts while permitting the bodily movement thereof for forming metal articles into different shapes under the functions of a metal forming machine.

The thicknesses of the peripheral portions 63 and 64 of the drive rolls can be varied for accommodating different limits of operation as determined by the maximum movement required between suchshafts 3 and 4 to carry out certain operations. With the introduction of this particular type of a drive means between the relatively movable shafts 3 and 4 of a metal forming machine, it is possible to drive the shafts in predetermined timed relation with respect to each other while accomplishing the forming operation.

The drive means of the described form has, therefore, been directed toA drive rolls or wheels which are smooth surfaced and wherein the resilient portions thereof are concentric with the forming roll shafts which carry the respective drive members. The power transmission between the shafts with this construction, therefore, depends upon the surface contact between the two driving members by which power is transmitted through their natural frictonal contact, and obviously by means of the inherent resiliency of portions of the drive members'. `In Fig. 3 the driving means for connecting the vd rive between the shafts 3 and 4 comprises a pair of power transmitting wheels 68 and 69 which have hubs 70 and 71 for 'key connection at 72 and 73 to the shafts 3 and 4. The outer peripheral surface portions of the power transmitting wheels 68 and 69 are provided with teeth 74 and 75 respectively which in termesh in the same rmanner as gear teeth. i

With this construction, the peripheral portions of the power transmitting members 68 and 69 arealso resiliently formed as shown' at 7 6 vand 77, lwhich portions and the teeth are integrally formed and all preferably of `a rubber composition for purposes of carrying out the drive between the two'shafts 3 and 4. lll/ ith this construction, the portions 7 6 and 77 are compressed and so are the teeth 74 and 75 to transmit the power from shaft 3 to shaft 4 under the conditions of loperation previously described.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the power 'transmitting means here shown for transmitting power between shafts 3 and 4 comprises a pair of gears 78 and 79 which are each formed with metallic hubs 8 0 and 81 for key connection at 82 and 83 with the shafts 3 and 4. The outer portions of the gears 78 and 79 constitute the ring gears 84 and 85 which are connected to the hubs by means of the resilient body structures 86 and 87. The resilient structures 86 and 87 are also provided with suitable apertures such as 83 and 89, and the body portions may be bonded to each of the ring gears and the hubs in any conventional form or substantially as illustrated in Fig. 5. With this construction of drive, the peripheral portions of the gears 78 and 79 are rigid and metallic, while the body portion of the gears are adapted to give and distort under the action of the shafts 3 and 4 when the latter are moved toward each other. Furthermore, the apertures or openings such as 88 and 89 in the body portions of these gears provide a means for receiving deformed body material when the latter is under distortion and in operation.

The Fig. 6 construction `comprises a pair of resilient wheels 90 and 91 for transmitting the drive between the shafts 3 and 4. In this particular construction the peripheral surface portions of these wheels 90 and 91 are provided with the convolutions 92 and 93 to establish e greater surfacecontact between such wheels for a given length thereof. This also provides an intermeshing drive which lends itself to the distortion ofthe contacting or tangential portion as the shafts 3 and 4 are moved together.

To amplify the use and general operation of this machine and the adaptability and convenience of the drive, Figs. 7 and 8 have been inserted to show how the shafts 3 and 4 may be used to perform a anging operation as in Fig. 7 and a shearing operation as in Fig. 8. Fig. 7 shows shafts 3 and 4 carrying forming rolls 94 and 95 to produce a flange 96 upon the work piece 97. In Fig. l8, the shafts 3 and 4 carry the shearing rolls 98 and 99 to shear off a bottom peripheral portion 100 of the work piece 101.

Other modifications and changes in the Various arrangements shown and in the various parts comprising the drive means yof the present invention are contemplated. However, all changes and deviations from the original and modified concepts herein illustrated shall be governed by the breadth and scope of the claims directed to the present invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a metal forming machine, bodily movable forming roll shafts, and positive power transmission means connecting said shafts comprising a cylindrical drive member on each shaft, said drive members each having resilient cylindrical peripheral portions for direct face to face frictional driving contact, and said peripheral portions each being of a radial thickness greater than the maximum bodily movement of said shafts and radially distortable to permit said maximum relative bodily movement of said shafts toward and away from each other.

2. A means for transmitting a drive between bodily movable shafts comprising at least two shafts, bearing means to support said shafts in parallel relation and arranged to move said shafts bodily toward and away from each other, and resilient drive rollers secured to each of said shafts respectively, each `of said rollers having faces thereon concentrically arranged with respect to their associated shafts and with said roller faces being disposed in direct peripheral driving contact with each other, said rollers being compressible and expandible under the motion of said shafts.

3. In a metal forming machine, a first roll shaft mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a second roll shaft mounted for rotation upon a bodily movable axis, power operated means connected to support said second shaft and to move same toward and away from the first shaft, and drive mechanism connected between said shafts to simultaneous rotate the latter in predetermined timed relation comprising a resilient roller on each shaft and said rollers each comprising solid cylindrical elastic rims surrounding inelastic hubs with said rims being of predetermined radial thickness to accommodate the maximum movement between said shafts, and said rims being in direct tangential frictional contact with each other throughout the bodily shaft movements.

4. In a metal forming machine, a first roll shaft mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a second roll shaft mounted for rotation upon a bodily movable axis, power operated means connected to support said second shaft and to move same toward and away from the first shaft, and drive mechanism connected between said shafts 5. In a metal forming machine, a rst forming roll' shaft mounted for rotation upon a fixed axis, a second forming roll shaft, a bearing structure, and link means to swingably support said bearing structure and to bodily move said second shaft toward said first shaft, a power drive to said first shaft, and cooperative drive means carried by each -of said shafts comprising drive wheels disposed in direct frictional driving contact, said drive wheels each having peripheral resilient means connected therewith to allow said link means to move said second shaft toward said first shaft under operative'metal forming operation.

6. In a metal forming machine, bodily movable forming roll shafts, and power transmission means connecting said shafts comprising a circular drive member on each shaft, said drive members each having normally deformable and circumferentially positioned body portions associated therewith, said drive members being arranged in physical driving contact one with the other, and said drive members when in normal starting contact providing a drive from one to the other thereof through predetermined moment arm radii, and said same members through their inherent deformable arrangement and construction providing a drive from one to the other thereof under increasingly smaller moment arm radii as said bodily movable shafts are actuated toward one another during the metal forming cycle of said machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 100,977 Chamberlain Mar. 22, 1870 312,780 Wilcox Feb. 24, 1885 373,777 Kirby Nov. 22, 1887 508,360 Wyand Nov. 7, 1893 1,043,012 Hudson Oct. 29, 1912 1,235,734 Stange Aug. 7, 1917 1,965,533 Lyon July 3, 1934 2,227,789 Macfarran Ian. 7, 1941 2,309,344 Harrington Ian. 26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,189 Great Britain of 1892

Images