US3733006A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Work piece feeder for machine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-07-12
•
Granted: 1973-05-15
•
Expires: 1991-07-12
Abstract
Abstract Work pieces (nuts, studs, fasteners, etc.) in a magazine guideway are advanced from a temporary holding position to a locating position, there to be worked on by a rotating tool. The work pieces are apertured, and a positive feed force is applied by a feed finger fitting the aperture in the work piece incidental to moving the work piece from the holding position to the locating position. Means are presented by switching the path of the feed finger into and out of the guideway. Thus, the feed finger is normally in the guideway during its advance stroke; at the end of the advance stroke, which is also the inception of the feed finger return stroke, the switch means is effective to move the feed finger out of the guideway; and at the end of the return stroke, the feed finger is restored or switched back to the guideway in engagement with the next work piece to be advanced. In one embodiment, the advance stroke of the feed finger moves the work piece in one step from holding position to locating position opposite the tool; in another embodiment, the work piece is advanced incrementally in stages to the holding position opposite the tool.
Inventors
- 👤 A Klancnik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 02:48
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q7/00; B23Q7/10; B23Q7/106
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
404 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus where work pieces are to be advanced one by one to a locating position at a work station where each work piece is to be worked on by a rotating tool: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to be stacked one atop another for grAvity movement to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway spaced upwardly from said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being pivotally mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and out of the guideway, a cam follower on the reciprocal support and means affording a first guide track on which the follower travels throughout the length of its advance stroke, a cam surface for moving the feed finger laterally out of the guideway at the commencement of said return stroke and for restoring the feed finger to its home position at the end of said return stroke, said cam surface having a rise constituting a second track for the follower during the return stroke of the reciprocal support, the second track ending at a point corresponding to the feed finger being at home position, and spring means holding the follower on said tracks, the cam rise being on one side of and commencing at the switching end of a switch plate, the opposite side of the switch plate facing the first track in spaced relation therewith to allow clearance for the follower at the commencement of its advance stroke but with the switching end of the switch plate resiliently engaging the first track and terminating just short of the terminus of advance travel of the follower so that the follower at the end of the advance stroke of the feed finger engages and swings the switch plate out of the way with the follower then in position to travel on the second track.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
404 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus where work pieces are to be advanced one by one to a locating position at a work station where each work piece is to be worked on by a rotating tool: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to be stacked one atop another for grAvity movement to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway spaced upwardly from said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being pivotally mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and out of the guideway, a cam follower on the reciprocal support and means affording a first guide track on which the follower travels throughout the length of its advance stroke, a cam surface for moving the feed finger laterally out of the guideway at the commencement of said return stroke and for restoring the feed finger to its home position at the end of said return stroke, said cam surface having a rise constituting a second track for the follower during the return stroke of the reciprocal support, the second track ending at a point corresponding to the feed finger being at home position, and spring means holding the follower on said tracks, the cam rise being on one side of and commencing at the switching end of a switch plate, the opposite side of the switch plate facing the first track in spaced relation therewith to allow clearance for the follower at the commencement of its advance stroke but with the switching end of the switch plate resiliently engaging the first track and terminating just short of the terminus of advance travel of the follower so that the follower at the end of the advance stroke of the feed finger engages and swings the switch plate out of the way with the follower then in position to travel on the second track.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the follower is engageable with and travels on a first guide track throughout the length of the advance stroke, said cam surface having a rise constituting a second track for the follower during the return stroke of the reciprocal support, the second track ending at a point corresponding to the feed finger being at home position, and spring means holding the follower on said tracks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cam rise is on one side of and commences at the switching end of a switch plate, the opposite side of the switch plate facing the first track in spaced relation therewith to allow clearance for the follower at the commencement of its advance stroke but with the switching end of the switch plate resiliently engaging the first track and terminating just short of the terminus of advance travel of the follower so that the follower at the end of the advance stroke of the feed finger engages and swings the switch plate out of the way with the follower then in position to travel on the second track.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including a mounting plate, a magazine secured to one side of the mounting plate and affording the guideway, the holding detent being slidably fitted in said magazine, and said work station being defined by a work piece positioning detent slidably fitted in said magazine below the first-named detent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 in which a fluid-operated piston rod is mounted for reciprocal motion on the mounting plate, and means coupling the piston rod to the reciprocal arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 including an adjustable stop for regulating the advance stroke of the reciprocal arm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the feed finger, the reciprocal support for the feed finger and the piston rod are located on the side of the mounting plate opposite the approach of the tool.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
291 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus for a machine tool where work pieces are to be advanced to a locating positiOn at a work station where each work piece is to have a tooling operation performed thereon: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to move by gravity to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway and from thence downward along the guideway to said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and displacement from the guideway, a follower on the reciprocal support, a first track to be traveled by the follower during the advance stroke and characterizing movement of the feed finger in the guideway to advance a work piece, a second track to be traveled by the follower during return movement and characterizing displacement of the feed finger from the guideway, and switch means to switch the follower to the second track when the feed finger attains the end of its advancing stroke and to return the follower to the first track when the feed finger attains its home position, said switch means being a switch plate itself presenting the second track.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
291 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus for a machine tool where work pieces are to be advanced to a locating positiOn at a work station where each work piece is to have a tooling operation performed thereon: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to move by gravity to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway and from thence downward along the guideway to said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and displacement from the guideway, a follower on the reciprocal support, a first track to be traveled by the follower during the advance stroke and characterizing movement of the feed finger in the guideway to advance a work piece, a second track to be traveled by the follower during return movement and characterizing displacement of the feed finger from the guideway, and switch means to switch the follower to the second track when the feed finger attains the end of its advancing stroke and to return the follower to the first track when the feed finger attains its home position, said switch means being a switch plate itself presenting the second track.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
309 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus for a machine tool where work pieces are to be advanced to a locating position at a work station where each work piece is to have a tooling operation performed thereon: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to move by gravity to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway and from thence downward along the guideway to said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and displacement from the guideway, a follower on the reciprocal support, a first track to be traveled by the follower during the advance stroke and characterizing movement of the feed finger in the guideway to advance a work piece, a second track to be traveled by the follower during return movement and characterizing displacement of the feed finger from the guideway, switch means to switch the follower to the second track when the feed finger attains the end of its advancing stroke and to return the follower to the first track when the feed finger attains its home position, a stop shoulder in the path of the follower, and means causing the follower to engage the stop shoulder at home position if there is no work piece at holding position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
309 words
In a magazine type feeder apparatus for a machine tool where work pieces are to be advanced to a locating position at a work station where each work piece is to have a tooling operation performed thereon: a magazine affording a guideway in which the work pieces are to move by gravity to a holding detent at a holding station in the guideway and from thence downward along the guideway to said locating position, a feed finger carried by a reciprocal support for movement of the feed finger longitudinally of the guideway, said feed finger having a home position where the finger is engaged with a work piece at the holding station, means to impart an advance stroke to the support to advance the so-engaged work piece along the guideway toward the work station and at the end of the advance stroke to impart a return stroke to the support which returns the feed finger to home position for engagement with the next piece to be advanced, said support being mounted for lateral movement of the feed finger into and displacement from the guideway, a follower on the reciprocal support, a first track to be traveled by the follower during the advance stroke and characterizing movement of the feed finger in the guideway to advance a work piece, a second track to be traveled by the follower during return movement and characterizing displacement of the feed finger from the guideway, switch means to switch the follower to the second track when the feed finger attains the end of its advancing stroke and to return the follower to the first track when the feed finger attains its home position, a stop shoulder in the path of the follower, and means causing the follower to engage the stop shoulder at home position if there is no work piece at holding position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2944499A
Cited
US3114477A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-14 | 1976-11-13 | 1977-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-14 | 1980-11-13 | 1981-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-14 | 1984-11-13 | 1985-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |