Sizing device

Claim 2

A sizing device for controlling the feed movement of a wheel head in accordance with reduction in diameter of a workpiece, comprising: a supporting member; an actuator for horizontally moving said supporting member toward and away from said workpiece; a pivotal member pivotally mounted on said supporting member, said pivotal member having front and rear extensions on both sides of the pivotal center thereof; a measuring head pivotally mounted on the end of said front extension and positioned under said front extension so as to be urged toward said workpiece by the eccentricity of the center of gravity thereof; a pair of upper and lower measuring feelers mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with diametrically opposed portions of said workpiece under the pivotal center of said measuring head; a contact member mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with a surface of said workpiece which is opposite to said grinding wheel; means mounted between said supporting member and said rear extension for lifting said lower measuring feeler into engagement with said workpiece by urging said rear extension downwardly; means mounted on said measuring head for urging said upper measuring feeler downwardly toward said workpiece; first means for measuring the diameter of said workpiece over a relatively wide range and for generating a first voltage signal proportional to the diameter of said workpiece; second means for measuring the diameter of said workpiece over a relatively small range and for generating a second voltage signal proportional to the diameter of said workpiece; means for detecting a first predetermined voltage level of said first voltage signal and a second predetermined voltage level of said second voltage signal; and switching means responsive to the outputs of said detecting means for controlling the feed movement of said wheel head.

Claim 3

A sizing device according to claim 1, wherein said upper measuring feeler is slidable along a vertical plane which passes through an axis of said workpiece and wherein said lower measuring feeler is adjustably secured to said measuring head.

Claim 4

A sizing device according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal center of said measuring head is on a vertical plane which passes through the points of contact of said measuring feelers with said workpiece.

Claim 5

A sizing device according to claim 1, which further comprises means mounted between said pivotal member and said measuring head for urging said contact member toward said workpiece.

Claim 6

A sizing device according to claim 1, in which said first measuring and generating means comprises a first differential transformer connected to said upper measuring feeler for providing a first output voltage change with respect to a predetermined unit displacemeNt of said upper measuring feeler for a first range of the workpiece diameter change, and said second measuring and generating means comprises a second differential transformer connected to said upper measuring feeler for providing a second output voltage change which is larger than said first output voltage change with respect to the predetermined unit displacement of said upper measuring feeler for a second range of the workpiece diameter change which is narrower than said first range thereof.

Claim 7

A sizing device according to claim 1, which further comprises an eccentric cam rotatably mounted on said measuring head for adjusting the position of said second measuring and generating means with respect to said first measuring and generating means.

Claim 8

A sizing device according to claim 1 wherein said means for detecting first and second voltage levels comprises first and second Schmitt triggers, respectively.

Claim 9

The sizing device according to claim 7 wherein said switching means comprises means for slowing the feed movement of said wheel head upon the receipt of the output of said first Schmitt trigger and means for stopping and reversing the feed movement of said wheel head upon the receipt of the output of said second Schmitt trigger.

Claim 10

A sizing device for controlling the feed motion of a wheel head in accordance with the reduction in diameter of a workpiece, comprising: supporting means; a measuring head pivotally mounted on said supporting means so as to be urged toward said workpiece by the eccentricity of the center of gravity thereof; a pair of upper and lower measuring feelers mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with diametrically opposed portions of said workpiece under the pivotal center of said measuring head; a contact member mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with a surface of said workpiece which is opposite to said grinding wheel; and a pair of electrical displacement detectors mounted on said measuring head for detecting relative displacement between said pair of upper and lower measuring feelers, one of said displacement detectors being for providing a first output voltage change with respect to a predetermined unit displacement of said upper measuring feeler for a first range of the workpiece diameter change in order to detect a remaining amount of material to be removed from said workpiece during a grinding operation and the other of said displacement detectors for providing a second output voltage change which is larger than said first output voltage change with respect to the predetermined unit displacement of said first feeler for a second range of the workpiece diameter change which is narrower than said first range thereof in order to accurately detect a finished size of said workpiece, means for sensing a first voltage level of said first output change for indicating the remaining amount of material to be removed, means for sensing a second voltage level of said second output change for indicating a finished size of said workpiece, and switch means responsive to the output of said sensing means for controlling the feed movement of said wheelhead.

Claim 11

A sizing device for controlling the feed motion of a wheel head in accordance with the reduction in diameter of a workpiece, comprising: supporting means; a measuring head pivotally mounted on said supporting means so as to be urged toward said workpiece by the eccentricity of the center of gravity thereof; a pair of upper and lower measuring feelers mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with diametrically opposed portions of said workpiece under the pivotal center of said measuring head; a contact member mounted on said measuring head so as to make contact with a surface of said workpiece which is opposite to said grinding wheel; and a pair of electrical displacement detectors mounted on said measuring head for detecting relative displacement between said pair of upper and lower measuring feelers, one of said displacement detectors being for providing a first output voltage change with respect to a predetermined unit displacement of said upper measuring feeler for a first range of the workpiece diameter change in order to detect a remaining amount of material to be removed from said workpiece during a grinding operation and the other of said displacement detectors for providing a second output voltage change which is larger than said first output voltage change with respect to the predetermined unit displacement of said first feeler for a second range of the workpiece diameter change which is narrower than said first range thereof in order to accurately detect a finished size of said workpiece, means for sensing a first voltage level of said first output change for indicating the remaining amount of material to be removed, means for sensing a second voltage level of said second output change for indicating a finished size of said workpiece, and switch means responsive to the output of said sensing means for controlling the feed movement of said wheelhead.