Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine

Claim 2

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine comprising a housing, a feed channel mounted on said housing for supplying unfinished workpieces, a discharge channel mounted on said housing for discharging finished workpieces, loading means capable of carrying an unfinished workpiece one after another from a loading position at said feed channel to a grinding position at work supporting means, unloading means capable of carrying a finished workpiece one after another from said grinding position to a discharge position at said discharge channel, drive means for moving said loading means between said loading position and said grinding position and for moving said unloading means between said grinding position and said discharge position, and shift means for shifting said loading and unloading means to engage the workpieces at said loading position and said grinding position respectively and to disengage the workpieces at said grinding position and said unloading position respectively, said unloading means comprising first and second rod members, a link member and a stop member, said first rod member being connected to said drive means at one end thereof and at the other end thereof, pivotably connected to one end of said second rod member which is engageable with the finished workpiece, said link member being engaged with said second rod member to control a travel path of said second rod member, said stop member being engageable with one of said first and second rod members to position said unloading means at said grinding position precisely.

Claim 3

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said link member is pivotably connected to said second rod member at one end thereof and provided with a hole at the other end thereof through which hole an engaging pin fixedly mounted on said housing is arranged with a clearance to allow relative motion by a predetermined extent between said engaging pin and said link member.

Claim 4

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a first hydraulic actuator for moving said loading means and said unloading means, linking means operably connecting first and second shafts with each other which are fixedly connected to said loading and unloading means respectively, said linking means being slidable in axial direction and retained from rotation with respect to said first and second shafts, and a connecting rod connected to said linking means at one end thereof and to a disc with an eccentricity at the other end thereof to thereby turn said loading and unloading means simultaneously when said disc is rotated by said first hydraulic actuator, said shift means comprises a second hydraulic actuator for moving said first and second shafts in their axial direction.

Claim 5

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first hydraulic actuator comprises a housing having a chamber therein, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber and having a through hole therein, a pair of valve rods screwed to said housing and slidably engaged with said through hole at opposite sides of said piston, said valve rods being provided with respective communication holes therein, whereby said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in one direction to thereby open one end of one of said communication holes to said chamber, pressure fluid in said chamber is introduced to said second hydraulic actuator through said communication hole to shift said loading and unloading means.

Claim 6

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises divider means adapted to prevent the drop of unfinished workpieces from said feed channel and to allow said loading means to carry the unfinished workpieces from said loading position to said grinding position.

Claim 7

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drive means comprises a first hydraulic actuator for moving said loading means and said unloading means, linking means operably connecting first and second shafts with each other which are fixedly connected to said loading and unloading means respectively, and a connecting rod connected to said linking means at one end thereof and to a disc at other end thereof which is rotated by means of said first hydraulic actuator, said shift means comprises a second hydraulic actuator for moving said first and second shafts in their axial direction said divider means comprises a rotatable disc having hooks on a surface thereof and a third hydraulic actuator for turning said rotatable disc.

Claim 8

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first hydraulic actuator comprises a housing having a chamber therein, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber and having a through hole therein, a pair of valve rods screwed to said housing and slidably engaged with said through hole at opposite sides of said piston, said valve rods being provided with respective communication holes therein, said second hydraulic actuator is provided with three ports for pressure fluid, whereby when said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in one direction for moving said loading means from said loading position to said grinding position and for moving said unloading means from said grinding position to said unloading position to thereby open one end of one of said communication holes to said chamber, pressure fluid in said chamber is introduced to said second and third hydraulic actuators through said communication hole to shift said loading and unloading means to disengage from the unfinished workpiece and the finished workpiece respectively and to turn said rotatable disc in one direction to prevent the drop of the unfinished workpieces from said feed channel, and when said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in another direction for moving said loading means from said grinding position to said loading position and for moving said unloading means from said unloading position to said grinding position to thereby open one end of the other of said communication holes to said chamber, pressure fluid in said chamber is introduced to said second hydraulic actuator through last mentioned communication hole to shift said loading and unloading means to engage the unfinished and finished workpieces respectively, and when said loading and unloading means engaged with said workpieces, one middle port of said three ports is opened to direct pressure fluid flown into said second hydraulic actuator through last mentioned communication hole to said third hydraulic actuator to turn said rotatable disc in another direction.

Claim 9

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive means comprises a first hydraulic actuator operably connected to said loading means, a second hydraulic actuator operably connected to said unloading means, pilot valve means associated with said first and second hydraulic actuators for controlling flow of pressure fluid from said second hydraulic actuator and to said first hydraulic actuator, and mechanical valve means actuated by a cam means which is operably connected to said second hydraulic actuator, said mechanical valve means controlling flow of pressure fluid to and from said first hydraulic actuator, said shift means comprises a first shift hydraulic actuator for shifting said loading means in one direction to engage the unfinished workpiece and in another direction to disengage therefrom, and a second shift hydraulic actuator for shifting said unloading means in one direction to engage the finished workpiece and in another direction to disengage therefrom, said first and second shift actuators being actuated simultaneously in one direction by pressure fluid through one of said first and second hydraulic actuators and in another direction by pressure fluid through the other thereof.

Claim 10

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 8, which further comprises divider means comprising a rotatable disc having hooks on a surface thereof and a third hydraulic actuator for turning said rotatable disc in one direction to prevent the drop of unfinished workpieces from said feed channel and in another direction to allow said loading means to carry the unfinished workpieces from said loading position to said grinding position.

Claim 11

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first hydraulic actuator comprises a housing having a chamber therein, a first piston slidably mounted in said chamber and having a through hole therein, a pair of valve rods screwed to said housing and slidably engaged with said through hole at opposite sides of said piston, said valve rods being provided with respective communication holes therein, whereby, when said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in one direction to thereby open one end of one of said communication holes to said chamber, pressure fluid in said chamber is introduced to said first and second shift actuators through said communication hole to shift said loading and unloading means in one direction and when said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in another direction to thereby open one end of the other of said communication holes to said chamber, pressure fluid in said chamber is introduced to said second hydraulic actuator through last mentioned communication hole.

Claim 12

Automatic loading and unloading device for a grinding machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second hydraulic actuator comprises a housing having a chamber therein, a second piston slidably mounted in said second chamber and a through hole therein, a valve rod screwed to said housing and slidably engaged with said through hole at one side of said piston, said valve rod being provided with communication hole therein, whereby when said piston is displaced by a predetermined extent in a direction to open one end of said communication hole to said second chamber, pressure fluid in said second chamber is introduced to said first and second shift actuators through said communication hole to shift said loading and unloading means to engage the unfinished workpiece and the finished workpiece respectively.