US1353558A - Machine for slotting piston-rings and similar objects - Google Patents

Description

M. D. AVILLAR.

MACHINE FOR SLOTTING PIS-TON RINGS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS.

Patented se t. 21,1920.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-12,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I' IKE III M. 0; AVILLAH.

MACHINE FOR SLOTTING PISTON RINGS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV.22, 1919.-

1, 353,55s. PatentedSept. 21,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2! ""llllllllllHllll' 72 2 nv enfor M. D. AVILLAR.

MACHINE FOR SLOTTING PISTON RINGS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV-22,1919. 1,353,558. Patented fipt. 21,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M. D. AVILLAR.

MACHINEEOR SLOTTING PISTON RINGS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS.

'APPLICATION FILED NOV.22, I919.

1,353,558. 7 PatentedSept. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

MANUEL D. AVILLAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR SLOTTING PISTON-RINGS AND SIMILAR OBJECTS.

Specification of Letterslatent. Patented 1 21 192g Application filed November 22,1919, Serial No. 339,811.

.Machines for Slotting Piston-Rings and Similar Objects, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for cutting diagonal slots in a number of assembled articles, such as a collection of piston rings. In gas and other engines there are employed sets of spring rings seated in circumferential grooves on each piston which rings are discontinuous and press elastically outward. against the cylinder walls and so make a practically gas tight joint between the piston and the cylinder in which it 'reciprocates. One very efficient type of these piston rings has oppositely tapering, overlapping ends which are formed by cutting the original, solid ring blank on a plane sufiiciently inclined to the plane of the ring to cause the cut to run from one .tace or near one face of the ring to the other. Usually the degree of inclination is slight so that the out extends nearly or quite half Way around the circumference of the blank. Heretofore it has been necessary to out these rings one'at a time, but my present invention makes it possible to cut a dozen or any desired number, at one operation. The best form of apparatus at present known to fine embodying my invention is illustrated, together with certain modifications, in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus, parts being broken away and others shown in section.

,Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2*2 of Fig. l. V I

Fig. 3, is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section on same plane as Fig. 1, but showing the jaw face cut-away or backed off at its upper half.-

Fig. 5 is a side elevation and partial section of a modification in which the cutters are arranged externally of the ring blanks.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of one of the ring blanks after it has been slotted and cut, and

Fig. 8 is a similar view after it has'been fnrther treated to form a completed piston ring.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts.

The device constituting the particular em! bodiment of my invention shown in the.

drawings for purposes of explanation and illustration is a chuck designed to be used as an attachment to an engine lathe, or any suitable form of milling machine, in which lathe or machine the cutting tool may be mounted and operated. To this end the apparatus shown in the drawings is provided with a base 1 which may be conveniently clamped to the tool carrier of a lathe onto the bed or table of a milling machine. At the left hand end of the base (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5) is a housing 2, in which is journaled one end of a swinging chuck 21, while the other end is journaled in the housing 3. This chuck embodies the essential principle of my invention and may be made in any one of many widely varied forms as to details of construction, so long as.each of the jaws 4L and 5, has the operative portions of its face located in a plane which is parallel to that of the other jaw, and slightly inclined- /to the longitudinal axis of the chuck as a whole, and means are provided for holding a series of ring blanks 9 between the jaws so that their centers are in line. held in the chuck according to one form of my invention each ring blank will be slightly offset from its neighbor, as best shown in Fig. 4. The'means here shown for holding the ring blanks with their centers thus in line comprise one or more justifying bars or surfaces such as 6, 7 and 8, extending from one jaw to the other and parallel to the axis of the chuck, against which bars or surfaces the ring blanks are pressed before being clamped together by jaws and 5. Uther means may be devised for accomplishing this result along other lines. If, the inclination of the jaw faces 4 and 5 to any plane perpendicular to the axis of the chuck is equal to the inclination of the desired cut in each piston ring to the plane of that ring, and a series of ring blanks 9, are clamped between the chuck faces with their outer circumterent-es justified by the surfaces or bars 6, 7, and 8, or by one or more of said bars or When so I equivalent means, it is evident that a series of rotary cutters or little circular saws 10, mounted on and rotating with a common mandrel or arbor 11, whose face is parallel to the axis of the chuck can simultaneously cut the proper slits across all the rings at one operation. if the cutting zone is confined to one side of that chuck diameter which has substantially the maximum angle of inclination to the planes of the clutch jaws.

Various devices for supporting and operating the chuck jaws, and the cutters, as well as for swinging or moving either chuck or cutters so as to obtain the requisite travel of the cutters relative to the rings held by the chuck may be employed.

In the particular arrangement of elements illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings the cutter mandrel 11, extends through the ring blanks 9, so that the cutting is done from the inside outward, and the chuck is swungon its axis to produce the necessary circumferential travel or feed motion of the work around the cutters, which latter rotate on a stationary axis, being supported on the live spindle 30 and tail stock 31, of an ordinary lathe, in the arrangement shown in the drawings. The construction and clamping action of the chuck jaws 4t, and 5, as shown in these figures of the drawings, are as follows: The main body of the chuck has a substantially cylindrical end sleeve 12, which is journaled in the housing 2 and held in position. by the end nut 13, and keyed into the annular end 32 of the main chuck body 21, by key 25. At the other extremity the chuck body 21 has an annular end 14;, into which telescopesthe and sleeve 15, the two being preventedf1"om relative rotation by key and keyway ltl. The inner end of the telescop;

ing sleeve 15 forms the inclined chuck jaw 5. The other jaw i is formed on the inner face of the other sleeve 12. An outer sleeve 17, is screwed on to sleeve 15, and journaled in housing 3,loeing held therein by nut 18. Turning sleeve 17, inone direction will force jaw 53, toward its companion jaw 4. Turning the sleeve in the other direction will force the jaws farther apart and open the chuck. hen the jaws are closed on a column of ring blanks 9, they can be locked in that position by setting up jam nut 19, equipped with hexagonal faces as shown in Fig. 1, with which a spanner may engage. .Similar hexagonal faces are provided for operating the movable chuck sleeve 17L The swinging motion of the chuck 21, in the journal hearings in housings 2 and 3, is caused and controlled by worm gear 22, formed integral with the chuck and meshing with worm 23, journaled on base 1, and operated by crank 24:.

The justifying bar 6, is movable on the jaw 5, by rotation of chuck body 21, being clamped in different positions of adjustment by screws 26, pass ing through slots 27, in the chuck body. 28, 28, indicate the slits cut in the ring blanks by cutters 10, and extending from one"""face of each blank to the other face, or nearly so.

2111 operation the cutter mandrel .11, is set in the rotating head or live spindle of the lathe or milling machine and the base 1, of my apparatus is clamped to thetool holding table of the lathe or to the work carrying table of the milling machine, in such position that the axis of the chuck is parallel to the axis of the cutter mandrel so that the latter may extend through the chuck and ring blanks held therein. The cutters ll), are as thin as may be consistent with their required strength and are equi-spaced apart a distance equal to the length of a straight line passing through a ring blank from one face to the other at right angles to the plane of the proposed cutting operation, and there is one cutter preferably for each ring blank in the chuck. The ring blanks 9, are assembled in the chuck around the cutter, or the ring blanks are chucked and the cutters inserted afterward. In the chucking operation the justifying bar 6-, is forced against the ring blanks so that they are all brought to a bearing on the justifying faces 6, 7 and 8, and they are clamped in that posit-ion by the set screws 26. The screw sleevejournal 17, is next turned so as to force the jaw 5,

I toward jaw 4, until it firmly grips the colof the chuck is the one having the greatest angle of inclination to the jaw faces. The zone of cutting action of saws 10, on ring blanks 9, must be confined to the semicircle above or below this particular horizontal diameter if the slit cut is to run only from one ring face or form a point near such ring face, toward the other. As shown, the cutters are arranged to operate on the upper semicircle. This, as indicated in Fig. 1, produces a diagonal slit in the upper half of each ring cutting it through from one face of the blank to the other, or nearly so.

The assembled ring blanks being held by the chuck jaws in positions slightly inclined to a perpendicular to justifying surface 8, of the chuck, and forced against it by justifying bar 6, are each offset slightly one from the other at their outer edge along their horizontal diameters as best shown in Fig. 4:. The zones for cutting or slitting in each ring are thus brought all in line and are in planes perpendicular to the axes of the chuck and of mandrel 11, so that they jaws, the latter may be cut-away slightly or may all be out simultaneously by the gang of circular saws 10, mounted on said mandrel. Accordingly when the ring blanks are chucked, as above described, the lathe is set in motion and the tool holder is fed across until the revolving saws 10 have cut through the ring blanks at the ends of their horizontal diameters. The tool holder is then left in that position while crank 24, is turned to slowly swing the chuck on its axis and extend the cutting action around or nearly around the upper half of each ring blank. If the inclination of jaw faces 4 and 5, is correct for the thickness of ring blanks being operated on, the saws will cut slits from one face or from apoint near one face of each blank diagonally across to the other face, or nearly to it, and the completed slit rings for piston packing are thereby formed, or may be easily formed therefrom by short cross cuts at the ends of the diagonal slits made after the blanks are taken out of the chuck.

As the saws 1.0, out slightly beyond the outer circumferences of the blanks 9, to insure completeness of the cutting action, they may cut into the justifying bar 6, or surface 8, or both, as shown at 29, 29 in Figs fa.

and 4, but as the cuts will always come in the same places, if blanks of the same thickness are used, this will still leave the main portion of the justifying faces uncut and not interfere with the justifying action thereof.

In order to make sure that the saws are not pinched by the clamping action of the otherwise backed off, along the semi-circle opposite the halves of the ring blanks which are to be slit, as indicated at 20, in Fig. 4.

The back of the chuck which carries the justifying surface 8, may be cutaway above the bearing surface as shown. at 38, in Fig. 6. This is especially desirable when the cutters operate externally of the ring blanks as in the modification shown in Figs. 5 andG. In this construction the chuck '33 and rin blanks held by it do not swing. Said chuc is clamped to the tool carrying table 34 of the lathe while the larger cutters or circular saws 35, are mounted on the mandrel 36 outside the chuck. If the parts are properly proportioned and located the usual horizontal motion. of the table'produced by crank 37 will move the ring blanks under the revolving cutters 35, and produce the desired slits therein. 1

As this chuck does not swing, its construction may be more simple. Jaw 39 is adjustable endwise in housing 42 and held in adjusted position and prevented from turning by bolt and slot 40. Jaw 41 is movable endwise in housing 43, and is revented from turning by key 44, and is a ju'stedin or out by sleeve 45 threaded on its GXtBIlOI which sleeve rotates in housing 43, and has an external circumferential groove 46, with which pin 47, set in the housing, engages. Thus the sleeve 45 is free to rotate in housing 43, but cannot move endwise therein. 48, is the jam nut for locking'jaw 41 in any position of adjustment produced by manipulation of sleeve 45.

In operating this form of the invention, the table 34 and chuck 33 carried by it are moved to the right (looking at Fig. 6) away from .the cutters and the ring blanks chucked between jaws 39 and 41. The cutters are then set in rotation and the table 34', moved in the direction of the arrow under the cutters as indicated by Fig. 6.

The out blank produced by the machines of my invention is shown at 49 in Fig. 7, having the slot 28, still open, as formed by the cutter. This is then sprung and heat treatedso that it sets with the tapered, overlapping ends in contact as shown in Fig. 8, but this constitutes no part of my invention, being shown merely to make more clear the purpose and method of use of my improved apparatus for producing these rin 's.

In the forms of apparatus-here Sil-OWII the cutters have no motion of translation or travel, while the chuck does move or travel to make the necessary length of cut around the rings. Evidently a reversed arrangement would produce, the sameresult.

Also, in the modificationin which the cutters are large in diameter and operate exteriorly of the rings, the latter need not be chucked so that the lineof their centers is at right angles to the planes of rotation of the cutters, so 1011 as the cutters are spaced apart the proper is'tance for any particular angle of inclination of the line of centers of the rings.

, Having described my invention 1 claim:

1. A. chuck for holding a seriesof articles such as rings designed to be slotted diagonally, which chuck comprises,incombination a frame, two jaws oppositely mounted on said frame so as to be capable. of motion toward and from one another along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of. the chuck, and means for producing such motion, each ofsaidjaws having the portions of its face adapted to engage the rings arranged in a plane slightly inclined to the longitudinal axis of the chuck and parallel to the corresponding plane of the face of the to the axis of the chuck and adapted to bear against the outer surfaces of any series of articles clamped between the chuck jaws.

3. A structure such as set forth in claim 1, in which the jaws are annular and adapted to permit the passage of a rotating cutter through the chuck to operate on the inner surface of any rings clamped between the chuck jaws.

l. A structure such as set forth in claim 1 in \\'lll(ll the frame is provided with a base adapted to be clamped to the tool carrying table of an engine lathe, and to the work carrying table of a milling machine.

A structure such set forth in claim 1, in which the jaws are revolubly in the frame. and combined with means for swinging said jaws simultaneously and in unison, whereby if any cutting means be brought into action on the article or articles held in the chuck a rotation of the jaws will extend said cutting action circun'iferentially of the said articles. I

(3. A chuck for holding a plurality of piston ring blanks. so that they may be uniformly slotted by a plurality of rotary saws mounted on a common arbor, which comprises in combination. a frame having a base-plate adapted to be clamped to thetool carrying table of an engine lathe. a pair of annular jaws mounted and rcvoluble on said frame about their common axis, the oppositely disposed faces of said jaws being in parallel planes and inclined nearly 90 degrees to the common axis of the jaws, means for movingone of said jaws along the line of said axis and means for rotating both in unison.

T. A combination such as set forth in claim (5 in which the jaw operating means comprise a tubular section telescoping into one end of the chuck body and keyed against rotation therein. the inner end of which tubular section forms the jaw. an exterior sleeve screw threaded on said telescoping section; a journal bearing for said exterior sleeve fixed on. the chuck frame. and a second journal bearing for the. other jaw. located at the other end of the chuck body both said journals being adapted to prevent endwise movements of the parts immediately supported thereby, whereby on rotating the threaded sleeve on the telescoping section the. latter is forced'toward or from the other jaw.

8. A combination such as set forth in claim 6 in which the jaw rotating means comprises a connection between the annular masses jaws provided with key and keyway engage ment permitting endwise motion between said jaws but preventing any rotation of one relative to the other, a worm wheel on one jaw and a worm meshing therewith and journaled on the frame.

9. In a chuck for holding a plurality of piston ring blanks so that they may be simultaneously slotted diagonally by a series of parallel cutters, the combination of a frame provided with two rigid justifying surfaces at right angles one to the other. a justifying bar opposite one face. and wow able toward and from it, means for clamp-- ing said bar against a series of ring blanks resting against the two justifying sin-fa es, and means for giving all of said blank :1 slight but uniform inclination to a plane perpendicular to one of the justifying surfaces.

10. lln a chuck for holding a series of rings for slotting the same the combination of a chuck body and two tubular jaws mounted thereon and movable axially toward and from each other, a slotting tool and means for producing relative motion between the tool and the tubular jaws circumferentially of the jaws, one of said jaws having its face cut away along the are through which the slotting cutter is ranged to operate.

11. In a machine for slotting a plurality of piston ring blanks at one operation the combination of a plurality of cutters nmurr;- ed on a revoluble shaft and equispaeed apart, a chuck having jaws adapted to slide toward and from each other and grasp be tween them a plurality of ring hlan j means for justifying said blanks in said chuck so that their centers shall 'all be in one and the same straight line,v and me for rotating the cutters and producim; a relative motion of translation between cuts ters and chuck right angles to the plans of rotation of the cutter, the faces o chuck jaws being parallel one to another inclined to the line of said motion of trans-- lation at an angle of inclination which h slots in the rings are to have to the of said rings.

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