Automatic insert assembly system employing rotary transfer of the workpiece

Claim 3

The method as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the workpiece is a fluid foil and the support structure is a housing for turbine blades or the like.

Claim 4

The method of assembling curved workpieces in a support structure as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of: F. angularly indexing the support structure about its axis in the work station from a first to a second assembly position for receiving another workpiece.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 including the steps of: G. rotating the support structure from a load-unload station to a work station for receiving the workpieces; H. counting the number of indexing steps performed to determine when the structure has been indexed through a full revolution; and, I. returning the structure from the work station to the load-unload station upon completion of one full revolution of indexing steps.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4 including the steps of: J. clamping an empty structure upon a rotatable support at a load-unload station before the structure is moved to the work station; and, K. unclamping the structure from the rotatable support at the load-unload station after the structure has been indexed through a full revolution at the work station.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 7 including the step of inserting, in seriatim order, a plurality of ears formed upon the foil into receiving slots formed in the structure.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 7 including the step of inverting the foil while simultaneously rolling the foil into its assembled position within the structure.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 7 wherein the loading clamp is extracted form the assembled foil and support structure by: E. rolling the loading clamp in a direction opposite to that through which the clamp moved during foil insertion; and, F. simultaneously pivoting the clamp about a second axis.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 10 including the step of: G. returning the loading clamp from a pivoted position to a normal position immediately upon termination of contact with the assembled foil by the loading clamp.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 12 wherein the index finger is caused to momentarily dwell motionlessly before commencing each of the four described motions.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 12 wherein the return motions of the stripper slide and the loading clamp commence upon termination of the forward motion of the stripper slide and the foil loading motion of the loading clamp, respectively.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 12 wherein steps A through F are repeated cyclically and further including the steps of: G. counting the number of cyclic motions completed by the stripper slide, loading clamp and indexing finger; and, H. terminating motion of said slide, clamp and finger upon completion of a predetermined number of cycles.

Claim 20

Apparatus for assembling curvilinear fluid foils into a foil support structure disposed in a work station, comprising, in combination: A. means for supporting said foil support structure in said work station in an initial foil receiving position; B. means for supporting a plurality of fluid foils in stacked relation; C. stripper means for stripping foils one at a time from said support means; D. loading clamp means for receiving each stripped foil one at a time and rolling said foil into a predetermined assembly position within said foil support structure; and, E. indexing means for indexing said foil support structure from said initial foil receiving position into a new foil receiving position after each foil has been inserted into said structure.

Claim 21

Apparatus for assembling curvilinear fluid foils into a foil support structure disposed in a work station, comprising, in combination: A. means for supporting said foil support structure in said work station in an initial foil receiving position; B. means for supporting a plurality of fluid foils in stacked relation; C. stripper means for stripping foils one at a time from said support means; D. loading clamp means for receiving each stripped foil one at a time and rolling said foil into a predetermined assembly position within said foil support structure; and, E. indexing means for indexing said foil support structure from said initial foil receiving position into a new foil receiving position after each foil has been inserted into said structure.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said supporting means includes a rotatable mandrel for supporting said foil support structure in said work station through a full revolution of indexing motion.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 17 including a load-unload station and means for shifting said mandrel and said foil support structure between said load-unload station and said work station.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 16 including: F. power drive means; and, G. cam actuating means coupled to said power drive means, stripper means, loading clamp means, and indexing means for synchronously operating said stripper means, loading clamp means and indexing means.

Claim 25

Apparatus for assembling fluid foils into an annular foil support having a central opening, said apparatus including: A. mandrel means for rotatably supporting the foil support; B. said mandrel means including a mandrel body, C. a mandrel chuck rotatable with respect to said body, D. a plurality of drum-engaging jaws pivotally mounted upon said chuck, and E. cam means for urging said jaws radially outwardly into engagement with the annular edge of the foil support central opening.

Claim 26

Apparatus for assembling fluid foils into an annular foil support having a central opening, said apparatus including: A. mandrel means for rotatably supporting the foil support; B. said mandrel means including a mandrel body, C. a mandrel chuck rotatable with respect to said body, D. a plurality of drum-engaging jaws pivotally mounted upon said chuck, and E. cam means for urging said jaws radially outwardly into engagement with the annular edge of the foil support central opening.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 20 including: F. fluid power means for actuating said cam means, said fluid power means being fixed to said mandrel body and said cam means being rotatable with said mandrel chuck.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 20, including: F. brake means for opposing rotation of said mandrel chuck with respect to said mandrel body.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 20, including: F. a load-unload station and a work station; G. mounting means for supporting said mandrel means for movement between said load-unload station and said work station; H. means for shifting said mandrel means between said load-unload station and said work station; I. power driven foil assembly means; and J. means responsive to the presence of said mandrel at said work position for actuating said power driven foil assembly means.

Claim 30

Apparatus for inserting nested curvilinear workpieces into a workpiece support comprising, in combination: A. a frame; B. means on said frame defining a workpiece receiving station; C. means on said frame defining a work station, said work station being spaced from said receiving station; D. means on said frame for removably mounting said workpiece support in said work station in a position to receive a workpiece delivered thereto; E. means on said frame for storing a plurality of curvilinear workpieces in stacked nested relation; F. means for transferring said workpieces one at a time in seriatim order from said storing means to said receiving station; and, G. transfer means mounted on said frame for transferring said workpieces from said receiving station to said work station, said transfer means having G-1. a clamp for receiving and positively gripping each workpiece delivered to said receiving station and for holding said workpiece in a predetermined oriented position, G-2. means for shifting said clamp from a first position in said receiving station to a second position in said work station while simultaneously inverting said clamp and the workpiece retained therein whereby said workpiece is inserted into said support disposed in said work station, and G-3. means for releasing said clamp from said inverted workpiece upon insertion of the latter into said support and for returning said clamp to its initial position in said receiving station in readiness to receive and grip the next workpiece delivered thereto.

Claim 31

Apparatus for inserting nested curvilinear workpieces into a workpiece support comprising, in combination: A. a frame; B. means on said frame defining a workpiece receiving station; C. means on said frame defining a work station, said work station being spaced from said receiving station; D. means on said frame for removably mounting said workpiece support in said work station in a position to receive a workpiece delivered thereto; E. means on said frame for storing a plurality of curvilinear workpieces in stacked nested relation; F. means for transferring said workpieces one at a time in seriatim order from said storing means to said receiving station; and, G. transfer means mounted on said frame for transferring said workpieces from said receiving station to said work station, said transfer means having G-1. a clamp for receiving and positively gripping each workpiece delivered to said receiving station and for holding said workpiece in a predetermined oriented position, G-2. means for shifting said clamp from a first position in said receiving station to a second position in said work station while simultaneously inverting said clamp and the workpiece retained therein whereby said workpiece is inserted into said support disposed in said work station, and G-3. means for releasing said clamp from said inverted workpiece upon insertion of the latter into said support and for returning said clamp to its initial position in said receiving station in readiness to receive and grip the next workpiece delivered thereto.

Claim 32

Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 further characterized in that: D-1. said removable mounting means for said workpiece support includes means for positively clamping said support in successive ones of a plurality of different workpiece receiving positions; and, H. index means are mounted on said frame for selective indexing engagement with said workpiece support in said work station for indexing said support to successive ones of said plurality of different workpiece receiving positions.

Claim 33

Apparatus as set forth in claim 25 further characterized in that said workpiece support is annular in shape and is positively clamped by said mounting means with freedom for incremental rotational movement about the axis of said support, and said index means is adapted to intermittently engage said support and, during periods of engagement, to rotate said support through a predetermined angle about the axis of said support.

Claim 34

Apparatus as set forth in claim 24 further characterized in that said transfer means includes: G-4. a transfer arm rotatably mounted on said frame; and, G-5. means coupled to said arm for causing controlled oscillation thereof about its own axis through a predetermined angle; G-6. said clamp being mounted on said arm and extending therefrom at an angle offset with respect to the axis of said arm, whereby said clamp is disposed in said workpiece receiving station at one angular limit of oscillation of said arm and in said work station at the other angular limit of oscillation of said arm.

Claim 35

Apparatus for inserting fluid foils into a foil support comprising, in combination: A. a frame; B. means on said frame for positively locating said foil support in a position oriented to receive foils delivered thereto; C. means On said frame defining a foil receiving station, said station being spaced from said foil support locating means; D. a loading arm rotatably mounted on said frame intermediate said station and said foil support locating means; E. clamp means mounted on said arm and movable in a plane intersecting said station and said foil support, said clamp means E-1. including a clamp adapted to receive and frictionally grip each foil delivered to said station, and E-2. including means for releasing said clamp from said frictionally gripped foil upon intimate engagement of the latter with said foil support; and, F. means coupled to said arm for causing controlled oscillation thereof about its own axis through a predetermined angle whereby said clamp is rotated in a first direction to carry a foil frictionally gripped therein from said station to a position of intimate engagement with said foil support, said clamp is released, and said clamp is rotated in the opposite direction to return said clamp to said station.

Claim 36

Apparatus for inserting fluid foils into a foil support comprising, in combination: A. a frame; B. means on said frame for positively locating said foil support in a position oriented to receive foils delivered thereto; C. means On said frame defining a foil receiving station, said station being spaced from said foil support locating means; D. a loading arm rotatably mounted on said frame intermediate said station and said foil support locating means; E. clamp means mounted on said arm and movable in a plane intersecting said station and said foil support, said clamp means E-1. including a clamp adapted to receive and frictionally grip each foil delivered to said station, and E-2. including means for releasing said clamp from said frictionally gripped foil upon intimate engagement of the latter with said foil support; and, F. means coupled to said arm for causing controlled oscillation thereof about its own axis through a predetermined angle whereby said clamp is rotated in a first direction to carry a foil frictionally gripped therein from said station to a position of intimate engagement with said foil support, said clamp is released, and said clamp is rotated in the opposite direction to return said clamp to said station.

Claim 37

Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further characterized in that said frictionally gripped foil is inverted during transit from said station to said foil support.

Claim 38

Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 further characterized in that said clamp means includes: E-3. a wristpin member for connecting said clamp to said loading arm; E-4. said clamp being pivotally mounted on said wristpin member; and, E-5. resilient means interposed between said wristpin member and said clamp for biasing said clamp into a predetermined position to insure accurate location of said foil in said foil support while simultaneously permitting flexure of said clamp against said resilient biasing means with respect to said arm so as to preclude disengagement of said foil from said foil support as a result of frictional forces between said foil and said clamp upon withdrawal of said clamp and said arm from the foil inserting position.

Claim 39

Apparatus for assembling curvilinear fluid foils into a foil support structure disposed in a work station, comprising, in combination: A. means for supporting said foil support structure in said work station in an initial foil receiving position; B. means for supporting a plurality of fluid foils in stacked relation; C. stripper means for stripping foils one at a time from said support means; D. loading clamp means for receiving each stripped foil one at a time and rolling said foil into a predetermined assembly position within said foil support structure; E. indexing means for indexing said foil support structure from said initial foil receiving position into a new foil receiving position after each foil has been inserted into said structure; F. power drive means; G. cam actuating means coupled to said power drive means, stripper means, loading clamp means, and indexing means for synchronously operating said stripper means, loading clamp means and indexing means; and H. resilient biasing means coupled to said cam actuating means for allowing said cam actuating means to become disengaged from said power drive means in response to a jammed condition in said stripper means, loading clamp means, and indexing means.

Claim 40

Apparatus for assembling curvilinear fluid foils into a foil support structure disposed in a work station, comprising, in combination: A. means for supporting said foil support structure in said work station in an initial foil receiving position; B. means for supporting a plurality of fluid foils in stacked relation; C. stripper means for stripping foils one at a time from said support means; D. loading clamp means for receiving each stripped foil one at a time and rolling said foil into a predetermined assembly position within said foil support structure; E. indexing means for indexing said foil support structure from said initial foil receiving position into a new foil receiving position after each foil has been inserted into said structure; F. power drive means; G. cam actuating means coupled to said power drive means, stripper means, loading clamp means, and indexing means for synchronously operating said stripper means, loading clamp means and indexing means; and H. resilient biasing means coupled to said cam actuating means for allowing said cam actuating means to become disengaged from said power drive means in response to a jammed condition in said stripper means, loading clamp means, and indexing means.