GB2038224A - Skiving machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A skiving machine suitable for use in reducing the thickness of marginal portions of sheet material workpieces. The machine has a cutting edge 6 which removes material from a workpiece as it passes through a gap between a feed roller 8 and a gauge member 10. The gauge member is movable vertically and angularly to set the gap and thereby control the amount of material removed by the cutting edge. Setting means for the gap comprises a control member 32 which is movable in a first sense to move the gauge member vertically and in a second sense to alter the angle of the gauge member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Skiving machine This invention is concerned with skiving machines suitable for use in reducing the thickness of marginal portions of sheet material workpieces.

Particularly in the shoe industry, it is often desired to reduce the thickness of a marginal portion of a sheet material workpiece, e.g. in order to facilitate folding over of the edge portion or to facilitate joining of the workpiece to another. To do this, a skiving machine is used in which the marginal portion of the workpiece is fed against a cutting edge by being passed through a gap between a feed roller, which is operative to feed the marginal portion against the cutting edge, and a gauge member which is in opposed relationship to the cutting edge. The distance of the gauge member from the feed roller determines the thickness that the marginal portion will be after skiving and the angle of the gauge member sets the angle of the skived surface to the remainder of the workpiece.Where it is desired to apply more than one type of skiving operation to a single workpiece, it is desirable to be able to change the gauge member from one predetermined setting to another as a workpiece is operated upon. One skiving machine in which this can be done allows for three alternative predetermined settings but utilises three alternative sets of setting mechanism which are movable into and out of an operative condition so that the machine is complex.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a skiving machine in which the gap between a feed roller and a gauge member thereof can be readily changed between predetermined settings by means of simple setting means.

The invention provides a skiving machine suitable for use in reducing the thickness of marginal portions of sheet material workpieces, the machine comprising a knife having a cutting edge arranged to remove material from a marginal portion of a workpiece as the marginal portion passes through a gap between a feed roller of the machine, which is operative to feed the marginal portion against the cutting edge, and a gauge member of the machine which is in opposed relationship to the cutting edge, the gauge member being movable towards or away from the feed roller to vary the width of the gap and angularly to vary the shape of the gap, and setting means for said gap comprising a control member which is movable in a first sense to move the gauge member towards or away from the feed roller and in a second sense to alter the angle of the gauge member, and two or more assemblies of setting elements movable under the control of an operator to bring the setting elements of one of the assemblies into operative relationship with the control member, each assembly having a first setting element which moves the control member in the first sense and a second setting element which moves the control member in the second sense.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a skiving machine in accordance with the invention. This machine has been chosen for description to illustrate the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a skiving machine; Figure 2 is a front elevation view, on a larger scale than Figure 1, of a portion ofthe skiving machine but with its cover removed; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow IV in Figure 2.

The skiving machine shown in the drawings is suitable for use in reducing the thickness of marginal portions of sheet material workpieces, for example shoe upper components. The machine comprises a dish-shaped knife 6 which has its edge sharpened to form a cutting edge arranged to remove material from a marginal portion of a workpiece as the marginal portion passes through a gap between a feed roller 8 of the machine, which is operative to feed the marginal portion against the cutting edge, and a gauge member 10 of the machine which is in opposed relationship to the cutting edge. The knife 6 is mounted for rotation to move the cutting edge past the feed roller 8 on a mounting (not shown) and is rotated by drive means therefor (not shown).

The skiving machine comprises a framework 12 which supports a spring pressure cell 14 (Figure 2) which in turn supports a carrier 16 on which the feed roller 8 is mounted for rotation. The cell 14 is arranged to maintain the carrier 16 under spring pressure at a constant height and hence in a constant relationship to the cutting edge of the knife 6. The feed roller 8 is arranged to be rotated on the carrier 16 to feed a workpiece towards the cutting edge by means of drive means comprising a motor (not shown) and a drive belt 18 arranged to transfer drive from the motor to a shaft 20 which is connected to a shaft 22 on which the roller 8 is mounted by a universal joint 24. An upper surface of the carrier 16 serves to guide a workpiece towards the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8.

The framework 12 also supports a horizontallyextending rod 26 (Figure 2) on which a block 28 is mounted for pivoting movement in a vertical plane.

The block 28 supports a rod 30 which extends normally to the rod 26. A control member in the form of a lever 32 is pivotally mounted on the rod 30 and can thus be pivoted in a horizontal plane about the rod 30 or in a vertical plane about the rod 26. At a left hand end portion thereof, the lever 32 supports a cam roll 34.

The framework 12 also supports a verticallyextending rod 36 (Figure 2) on which a block 38 is slidable vertically, the rod 36 being received in a vertical bore in the block 38. The block 38 is urged upwardly relative to the rod 36 by a spring 40 which acts between a lower surface of the block 38 and the framework 12. The cam roll 34 is received in a recess 42 (Figure 3) so that the spring 40 urges the lower surface of the recess 42 against the roll 34 which limits the upward movement of the block 38. Thus, the vertical height of cam roll 34 determines the vertical height of the block 38. The carrier 16 is pivotally connected to the block 38 so that, as the block 38 moves vertically, the upper surface of the carrier 16 tilts, since the feed roller 8 is maintained at a constant height.At an upper end portion of the block 38, a gauge carrier 44 is mounted for pivoting movement on a half-bearing 46 (Figure 2) and on an arcuate slot 48 in the block 38 which has its centre of curvature at the half bearing 46. The gauge member 10 is secured to the gauge carrier 44 by a screw 50.

The gauge member 10 is, thus, movable towards of away from the feed roller 8 by vertical movement of the block 38 and, by pivoting the carrier 44 on the half bearing 46, the angle between the gauge member 10 and the cutting edge can be altered.

Thus, the gauge member 10 is movable towards or away from the feed roller 8 to vary the width of the gap and angularly to vary the shape of the gap.

The carrier 44 is urged clockwise about the half bearing 46 by a pull rod 52 which is hooked into a right hand end portion of the carrier 44. The pull rod 52 extends downwardly from the carrier 44, in a groove in the block 38, and passes through a hole 54 in the framework 12 (Figure 3). At a lower end portion thereof, a cap 56 is secured to the pull rod 52 and a spring 58 acts between the cap 56 and a lower surface of the block 38. The spring 58 acts to urge the pull rod 52 downwardly and thus the carrier 44 clockwise aboutthe half bearing 46.

The block 38 has a right hand extension 62 bolted thereto which supports a pin 60 on which a bellcrank lever 64 (Figure 3) is pivotally mounted in a recess of the block 38. The bell-crank lever 64 has a right hand extension 66 which engages the front of the cam roll 34. A recess 68 is formed in an upper surface of the bell-crank lever 64, on the opposite side of the pin 60 from the extension 66, and a lower end portion of a push rod 70 is received in the recess 68. The push rod extends upwards from the recess 68 and an upper end portion thereof is received in a recess 72 in the gauge carrier 44.

The arrangement is such that, if the lever 32 is pivoted on the rod 30 thereby moving the cam roll 34 forwardly or rearwardly, the bell-crank lever 64 is pivoted on the pin 60. If the cam roll 34 is moved forwardly (to the left in Figure 3), the roll 34 bears on the extension 66 of the lever 64 thereby causing the lever 64 to pivot (anti-clockwise in Figure 3). This movement of the bell-crank lever 64 moves the pushrod 70 upwards so that the gauge carrier 44 is caused to pivot on the block 38 (anti-clockwise in Figure 2).However, if the cam roll 34 is moved rearwardly (to the right in Figure 3), the movement of the roll 34 allows the spring 58 to move the pull rod 52 downwards so that the gauge carrier 44 pivots (clockwise in Figure 2), pressing the push rod 70 downwards and thereby pivoting the bell-crank lever 64 to keep the extension 66 in contact with the cam roll 34.

It will be understood that the lever 32 is movable in a first sense, i.e. in a vertical plane about the rod 26, to move the gauge member 10 towards or away from the feed roller 8. Furthermore, the lever 32 is movable in a second sense, i.e. in a horizontal plane about the rod 30, to alter the angle of the gauge member 10.

The extension 62 has an arcuate front surface 74 on which a scale 75 (Figure 1) is marked to indicate to an operator of the machine the height and angle of the gauge member 10. The angle of the gauge member 10 is indicated by a pointer 76 which extends from a block 78 to the scale 75. The block 78 is pivotally mounted on a pin 80 carried by the extension 62. A pin 82 extends from the bell-crank lever 64 and is received in a recess 84 in the block 78 so that, as the bell-crank lever 64 pivots, the block 78 is caused to pivot on the pin 80 moving the pointer 76 across the scale 75. A further block 86 is pivotally mounted on the pin 80 (Figure 2) and this block 86 rests on a projection 88 mounted on a bracket 89 on the framework 12. The projection 88 sets the angle of the block 86 depending on the height of the pin 80 which moves with the block 38.Thus, as the block 38 moves upwardly or downwardly, the block 86 pivots on the pin 80 moving a pointer 90 which projects therefrom over the scale 75.

The right hand end portion of the lever 32 is divided into two arms 92 and 94 which extend to the vicinity of a hollow cylindrical drum 96 (Figures 2 and 4) mounted for turning movement on a horizontally extending rod 98 supported by the framework 12. The drum 96 has six setting elements threadedly received in threaded bores therein. These setting elements form three assemblies a, b and c each of two of the elements 100 and 102, the elements being denoted by 100a, 102a, 100b, 102b, l00cand 102cin the drawings. The elements 100 are arranged to set the height of the cam roll 34 by pivoting the lever 32 about the rod 26. The elements 102 are arranged to move the cam roll 34 horizontally by pivoting the lever 32 about the rod 30.The assemblies a, b and c together with the drum 96 and the lever 32 form setting means for the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8.

Figures 2 and 4 show the assembly bin operative relationship with the lever 32 but the assemblies a and C can be brought into operative relationship with the lever 32 by turning the turret 96 (anti-clockwise in Figure 4 to bring the assembly a into operative relationship and clockwise to bring the assembly c into operative relationship). The drum 96 is arranged to be turned by means of a three position foot treadle 104 (Figure 1) which is connected by a rod 108 to a rod 106 which is pivotally connected to the drum 96. The rod 106 and hencethetreadle 104 and the drum 96 are biased to a central position thereof (in which the assembly b is in operative relationship) by a spring 110. An operator of the machine can press a rear portion of the treadle 104 to tilt it about a central pivot thereof and thereby bring the assembly a into operative relationship or a forward portion of the treadle 104 to tilt it in the opposite direction and bring the assembly c into operative relationship. The assemblies a, band c of setting elements 100 and 102 are, thus, movable under the control of an operator of the machine to bring the setting elements 100 and 102 of one of the assemblies a, b and c into operative relationship with the lever 32. Each of the assemblies a, band c has a first setting element 100 which moves the lever 32 about the rod 26 and a second setting element 102 which moves the lever 32 about the rod 30.Furthermore, the spring 110 acts to bias the drum 96 so that, when it is released by release of the foot treadle 104, the drum 96 returns to a position thereof (as shown in Figure 4) in which one of the assemblies (b) is in operative relationship.

Each of the elements 100 has a cam surface 112 which, when the element's assembly is in operative relationship, engages an arcuate cam surface 114 (Figure 4) of a cam member 116 which is pivotally mounted on an arm of a bell-crank lever 118 which is pivotally mounted within the drum 96 on a pin 120 supported by the framework 12. The other arm of the bell-crank lever 118 carries a cam roll 122 which bears on the underside of the arm 92 of the lever 32 so that the height of the cam roll 122 sets the height of the cam roll 34. By screwing the element 100 into or out of the drum 96, an operator of the machine can move the cam surface 112 thereby, pivoting the bell-crank lever 120 and changing the height of the cam roll 34 and hence varying the width of the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8.

When the drum 96 is turned, the cam surface 112 slides down the surface 114 as the surface 112 of the next assembly slides up the surface 114.

Each of the elements 102 has a cam surface (not shown) similar to the cam surfaces 112 and these, when the element's assembly is in operative relationship, engage an arcuate cam surface (not shown) similar to the surface 114 of a cam member pivotally mounted on a pin 124 (Figure 3) supported by the arm 94 of the lever 32. By screwing the element 102 which is in operative relationship into or out of the drum 96, an operator of the machine can pivot the lever 32 about the rod 30 thereby moving the gauge member 10 angularly to vary the shape of the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8.

Before an operation of the machine, an operator thereof adjusts the setting elements 100 and 102 of each of the assemblies a, band c which he intends to use for the particular workpiece to be operated upon.

With each assembly a, b and c in turn in operative relationship, he either adjusts the elements 100 and 102 until the pointers 76 and 90 indicate particular readings on the scale 75 or uses trial-and-error to find the correct settings.

In the operation of the machine, an operator thereof holds a workpiece with its edge against an edge guide 126 mounted on the left hand edge of the block 38 and slides the workpiece into the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8 so that the feed roller 8 carries the workpiece against the cutting edge of the knife 6. The edge portion of the workpiece is skived to an extent determined by the width and shape of the gap between the gauge member 10 and the feed roller 8. When the operator wishes to alter the skiving action, e.g. at a corner of the workpiece, he operates the foot treadle to bring the appropriate assembly into operative relationship.

The skiving machine shown in the drawings has simple setting means for the gap between the feed roller 8 and the gauge member 10 and this gap can readily be changed between predetermined settings.

Claims (8)

1. A skiving machine suitable for use in reducing the thickness of marginal portions of sheet material workpieces, the machine comprising a knife having a cutting edge arranged to remove material from a marginal portion of a workpiece as the marginal portion passes through a gap between a feed roller of the machine, which is operative to feed the marginal portion against the cutting edge, and a gauge member of the machine which is in opposed relationship to the cutting edge, the gauge member being movable towards or away from the feed roller to vary the width of the gap and angularly to vary the shape of the gap, and setting means for said gap comprising a control member which is movable in a first sense to move the gauge member towards or away from the feed roller and in a second sense to alter the angle of the gauge member, and two or more assemblies of setting elements movable under the control of an operator to bring the setting elements of one of the assemblies into operative relationship with the control member, each assembly having a first setting element which moves the control member in the first sense and a second setting element which moves the control member in the second sense.

2. A skiving machine according to claim 1 wherein the assemblies of setting elements are mounted on a drum for rotation under the control of the operator to bring the elements of one assembly into operative relationship as aforesaid.

3. A skiving machine according to either one of claims 1 and 2 wherein the drum is biased when released to return to a position thereof in which one of the assemblies in in operative relationship.

4. A skiving machine according to any one of claims 1,2 and 3 wherein the control member is a lever which is pivoted in a vertical plane to move the gauge member towards or away from the feed roller and in a horizontal plane to alter the angle of the gauge member.

5. A skiving machine according to any one of claims 1,2,3 and 4 wherein the gauge member is mounted on a block which is slidable vertically under the action of a spring, the vertical movement of the block being limited by engagement between the control member and a surface of the support.

6. A skiving machine according to claim 5 wherein the block has a lever pivotally mounted thereon movement of which causes the gauge member to pivot on the block to alter the angle of the gauge member, the lever being in engagement with the control member and movement of the lever being brought about by movement of the control member in the second sense.

7. A skiving machine according to any one of claims 1,2,3,45, and 6 wherein the elements of each assembly are adjustable.

8. A skiving machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.