Machine mount apparatus and method for limiting motion of a heavy machine

Claim 1

Machine mount construction for supporting a machine of the reciprocating screw injector molding type on a floor surface and limiting motion of the machine in space when shock forces are induced in one direction parallel to the floor surface in the normal operating cycle of the machine, said machine mount construction including a base having a layer of friction material solidly attached at the underside thereof for contacting the said floor surface and holding the base in a substantially fixed position, said base being recessed at its upper side to provide spaced apart retaining edges and a rectangularly shaped well lying below the edges, said well extending downwardly to define vertical end walls and a horizontal bottom slide surface occurring between the end walls in closely spaced relationship to the said layer of friction material, a motion limiting member comprising a solid block of metal constructed of a box-like shape to fit into the rectangularly shaped well, said motion limiting member being formed at its underside with a flat surface for slidably engaging against the horizontal slide surface of the well and exerting a frictional resistance to horizontal motion of the said machine induced by shock forces, opposite ends of the motion limiting member lying in spaced relation to the said retaining edges to form recesses, spring loading elements yieldably supported in said recesses between respective opposite ends of the motion limiting member and adjacent end walls of the base in a position to engage the ends of the motion limiting member and resiliently force the flat surface of the motion limiting member against the said horizontal slide surface of the well, the upper side of the motion limiting member being further formed with a rectangularly shaped opening, a threaded support bolt engageable with the bottom of the said machine for transmitting weight of the machine to the motion limiting member, said support bolt having a lower shaped bearing end located against the upper side of the motion limiting member in centrally disposed relation within the rectangularly shaped opening and said motion limiting member at its upper side being hollowed out to provide a bearing recess for containing the bearing end of the bolt, and a machine support block threaded onto the lower end of the support bolt within the rectangularly shaped opening for locating the machine in desired positions of vertical adjustment.