US1988477A - Safety device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 22, 1935. A. c. BRILL SAFETY DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1933 plication filedin member has reached looking or latching position to hold the guard in operative or protective position with respect to the space between the platens.-

The guard, as herein disclosed, is particularly with hydraulicpresses of the type wherein the direction of move-.

advantageous in connectionment of the movable platen may be reversed at will by the operator at any point in the upward or in the downward movement of said movable platen, without the necessity of returning the movable platen to its respect to the other platen which is its normal workflreceiving position. The purpose of such incomplete up and down movements platen is, to release thereof toa new position application of pressure. To accomplish these movements of the platen the starting means is moved through a restricted path, at no time far enough in one direction to effectlocking of the starting means in its inoperative position nor release of the guard. Hence the illustrated guard will be maintained in its locked relation to the movable platen of such hydraulic press during repeated up and down movements of the movable platen and will only be released when the movable platen has returned to its normal work receiving position. I I

These and other important features of the invention and novel combinations of parts will now be described in detail and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a press with the wire guard in inoperative position andthe lower platen at rest in work receivingposition; and Fig.2 is a horizontal sectionon the line II--II of Fig. 1 looking downwardly. In the illustrated machine, designed particularly toiperform smooth-plating and embossing operations upon pieces of leather, there is provided a O-shaped standard 4 whichcarri'es at the top a stationary plate or platen 6 adapted to be heated in the usual manner. Below platen 6 is arranged a hydraulic cylinder 8 in which'is movably mounted a ram 12. On the ram rests alower press plate or platen l4 surrounded by an obliquely sloping wooden table 16. Upon the hydraulic cylinder 18 at the front of the machine there is mounted avalve block 18, which also contains a control valve 26, arranged to be operated by means of spur ratio gears 22 and a lever 24.manually operable by the operator in initiating and terminating pressure applying operations. For a more complete disclosure of a press of the type illustrated herein reference may. be had to United States Letters Patent No. 1,932,556, granted October 31, 1933, upon an apthe name of Paul V. J. Merenda. wireguard 26 which, in the construction shown, isarranged to cover the dangerous space between the platens 6 and 14 at the front of the machine and at both sides. Two bell-crank levers 28 mounted on the upper platen 6 carry the front portion of the wire guard 26, its, rear portion being pivotally supported on two other bell crank levers 30 keyed to a shaft 32 passing across the back'of the machine. The front and rear bell crank levers on .each side are joined by a draw bar 34, so that pressure exerted fromabove at any point on thewire'guard 26 efiects a lowering The new safety device comprises a of the guard buckle 38, having at fully spaced relation with of the lower.

working position,

without angular displacement thereof. To a third arm of the bell cranklever 30, as shown in Fig. 1, is pivoted a connecting rod 36, with a turnits other end a pivotal connection with a double-armed lever 40. One end of the lever 40 is pivotally connected with a sleeve 42 adapted'to'slidealong a vertically arranged rod 44. Since the rod 44 has a slight rocking movementin performing its other function in the press, thelever. 40 has a pin and slot connection with the sleeve 42. This sleeve 42 serves as a stop for co-operation with a latch 46 pivotally mounted on the lower platen 14 and movably connected by a link 48 with the lever 24. In all positions but one the sleeve or stop 42 holds the latch 46 to the'right of the rod 44 in Fig.1 and thus holds the starting lever 24 in inoperative position. Hence operation of the control lever 24 is controlled by the position of the latch member 46, it'being understood that the lever 24 is the starting and stopping lever of the illustrated hydraulic press. In the full line position shown in Fig. l, the sleeve 42 prevents movement of the latch'46 toward the front of the machine and thus prevents movement of the control lever 24 from its inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. However, when the sleeve or stop 42 is moved to dotted line position by complete depression of the guard 26, the latch 46 is released by the stop'42 and the lever 24 may be moved toward the front of the machine to start the press in operation.

' The leverage of the system of levers (40, 36, 30, 34", 28) is preferably so chosen that the wire guard 26' moves upwardly with exactly the same speed as" theram 12. By means of the turnbuckle 38 interposed in the connecting rod' 36 it is possible ,toadjust the wire guard 26 in such a way that in the working position it stands a few millimetres only above the table 16, i. e; at such a short distance above thelatter that it is impossible to place the hand underneath it, but, on the other hand, so far away from it that the leather cannot be damaged by the pressure of the wire guard 26. S'o-long as the guard is maintained inoperative or protective position with respect to the space between the platens 6 and 14, the ram 12 may be raised and lowered as often as desired by manipulating the control lever 24. The arrangement is such, however, that the dangerous space between the platens 6 and 14, must remain enclosed at all times. A counterweight 52 at one end of the lever 40 takes care that the wire guard '26 ascends automatically as soon as the latch 46 releases the sleeve 42, the latter then sliding upwards along the rod 44. Furthermore, counterweight 52 keeps the sleeve 42 against the lower end of latch 46 when the latter is in its operative position. Hence the sleeve 42 moves upwardly with the latch 46 as the lower platen 14 moves upwardly, upward movement of the latch being accompanied by upward movement of the guard 26 in its spaced relation to platen 14. The safety device functions in the following manner. When the control lever 24 is in the full is held in raised position by the weighted lever 40 and the operator can put both hands into the space between the platens 6 and 14, in order to place a piece of leather upon the lower-press plate 14 and to smooth it down. Accidental contact with the control lever 24 cannot turn it into because when the wire guard 26 is raised the sleeve 42 is carried upwards to a position where it prevents forward motion of the 'igesamv "tion and being mounted for'movement with-the 'movable platenwhile maintaining its protective latch member 46 and'hence ofthe control'lever '24 connected thereto. Only when the operator presses the guard 26 fully downwith his left hand "is he able to'o'perate the controllever 24 with his right hand, because the sleeve 42 is then inpositionto permit movement of latch member 46 to the left as indicated in broken lines in Fig.1. On turning the control lever 24 fully to the left in'Fig. 1 to initiate a pressure applying opera-- tion, the latch 46 is drawn so far forward by the link 48 that latch46 is positioned above the sleeve 42 and thus locks the guard 26 against separating movement relative to the lower platen 14 while it participates in the ascent of the platen, on which the latch 46 is pivotally mounted. During the up-a'nd down movements of the sleeve 42, due

to the weighted lever 40 and to the latch 46, the

' 'wire guard 26 is caused to move up and down simultaneously with the lower press platen 14, while slightly spaced parallel reand it will only be released being 'maintained in lation to said platen,

"again when the operator forces the control lever 24 back into its extreme position of rest at the right in 1 in which the sleeve 42 is released by the'latch 46 so that both sleeve 42 and guard 26 may be moved upwardly by the weighted lever "40. In other words, the lower platen 14 may be caused to make incomplete up and down movements to permit repeated shifting of the work on the lower platen between pressure applying operations. To accomplish this result, the control lever 24 is moved only part way to solid-line position from its dotted-line position and then back to dotted-line position. Such movement of the control lever does not release the guard 26. Movement of the lever 24 to solid-line-position will efiect return of the lower platen 14 to work receiving position and also release of the guard 26 which at once moves to its inoperative or nonprotective position. This means that the stop 42 is released by latch 46. Movement of the stop sleeve 42 upwardly on the rod 44 brings it quickly to a position where it will arrest sidewise movement of the latch 46 and thereby holds the startinglever- 24 in inoperative position.

'In case the press is being served by two workers and a hand of either'worker is still in. the

dangerous space between the platens when the operator at the control lever 24 attempts to force down the wire guard 26 and to start the machine in operation, it will be found that the control lever 24 cannot be moved into the position in which the hydraulic pressure becomes operative, because the hand between the wire guard 26 and the platen 14 or table 16 prevents a complete downward -movement of the guard. Hence the sleeve 42 cannot movesufficiently far in a downward direction on therod'44 to release starting the lever 24, until the hand is removed from its dangerous position.

As already pointed out the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawing is merely an example for the construction of the machine, and alterations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a'press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to efiect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positionswith respect to said platens, said guard being of a size to cover, when in operative position, the'entire space between the platensat rest in open posiand means movable with the movable platen of thepress to lock the guard in operative or'protective position during-movement of the movable platen in apressure applying operation.

3. In a press having twoplatensone of which is movable with respect to the other to eifect'p'ressure applying operations, a guard movable be.- tween operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, and a latch member mounted on the movable platen of the press and arranged to lock-the guard inoperative or protective position during movement of the movable platen in a pressure applying operation.

4. In a press having two platens one of which 'is movable with respect to the'other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movablebetween operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, anda latch member arranged to lock the guard in its operative or protective position,'said guard and said" latch being; both bodily movable with the movable platen so that said guard ismaintained in its protective-relation to the movableplaten during'a pressure applying operation.

7 5. In a press having two platens, one of which is movable with'respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable betwenoperative and inoperative positions with "respect to the space between said platens, and a latch member arranged to lock the guard in operative'or protective position with respect to the member being bodily movable with the movable platen during the-closing of the press to permit movement of the guard at the same rate asthe closing movement of the press while maintaining the guard locked in its operative or protective relation to said platens.

6. In a press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to sheet pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect'to the space between said platens, a latch member, and a stop member connected to the guard and arranged to be moved to a position to co-operate with the latch member to lock the guard in its operative or protective-position, said latch'member and said stop member being movablewith respect to press and at a rate the same 'ing movement of the press to maintain said guard one of the platens of the as that of the closin locked condition during the closing of the press.

7. In a press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, means arranged tolocate the guard, when in operative position, in spaced relation'to a piece of work on the lower platen of the press, a latch member arranged to lock the guard in its operative or protective position, said 2 space between the platens of the press, said latch ice 4- latch member being movable with respect to one of the platens of the press and at a rate the same as that of the closing movement of the press, and means to move the guard with the latch member so that said guard is maintained in locked condition and in the desired spaced relation to the work during the closing of the press.

8. Ina press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platen, means arranged to locate the guard, when in operative position, in spaced relation to 'a piece of work on the lower platen of the press, a latch member, a stop member connected to the guard and arranged to be moved to a position to co-operate'with the latch member to lock the guard in its operative or protective position, said latch member being movable with respect to one of the platens of the press and at a rate the same as that of the closing movement of the press, and means to move the guardwith the latch member so that said guard is maintained in locked condition and in the desired spaced relation to the work during the closing of the press.

9. In a press having two platens the lower of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable betweenoperative and inoperative positions with respect to the space betweensaid platens, a latch member movable with the movable ,lower platen and operative to lock the guard against separating movement with respect'to said lower platen, and means arranged to support the guard and to cause it to move with said movable platen during upward movement of the latter, whereby the guard is maintained in protective position during movement of the movable platen toward and from the other platen. r

10. In a press having two platens the lower of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a latch member bodily movable with the movable lower platen and operative to lock the guard against separating movement with respect to said lower platen, and a weighted lever arranged to support the guard and to cause it to move with said movable platen during upward movement of the latter, whereby the guard is maintained in protective position during movement of the movable platen toward and from the other platen.

11. In a press having two platens one of which is'movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, means movable with the movable platen to lock the guard in its operative position, a starting mechanism for the press comprising a manually operable member, and a connection between said manually operable member and the locking means arranged to move the latter selectively to operative position to lock guard in its protective position and to inoperative position to release said guard.

12. In a press having an upper platen and a lower platen movable upwardly to effect pressureapplying operations upon pieces of work supported by the lower platen, a guardmovable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between the platens, the work upon the lower platen being supported in such manner as to be directly in line with the movable guard, means arranged to locate the guard, when piece of work respect the position, in spaced relation to the on the lower platen, and means to cause the guard to travel upwardly with the lower platen while maintaining such spaced relation in operative thereto whereby the guard is maintained in its operative relation during upward movement of the lower platen.

13. In a press having an upper platen and a lower platen movable upwardly to effect pressure applying operations, a safety device comprising a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between the platens, means arranged to locate the guard, when in operative position, in spaced relation to a piece of work on the lower platen of the'press, a starting mechanism for the press, connections between the guard and the starting mechanism arranged to lock the guard in its operative position, and means arranged to cause the guard to travel upwardly with the lower platen while maintaining said spaced relation thereto whereby the guard is maintained in its operative position during upward movement or the lower platen.

14. In a press having platens relatively movable with respect to each other to efiect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between saidplatens, a member connected to said guard and guided for vertical movement during movement of the guard, a latch member movable to a position vertically over said member to lock the latter against vertical movement thereby to lock the guard in its operative position, starting-mechanism for the press comprising aimanually operable member, and a connection between,v said manually operable member and the latch member arranged to hold said manually operable member so that the latter cannot be moved while the guard is out of protective or operative position. I

15. In a. press having an upper platen and a lower platen movable upwardly with respect to the upper platen to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a latch member mounted on the movable lower platen and arranged to lock the guard in its operative position, starting mechanism for the press comprising a manually operable member, and a connection between said manually operable member and the latch member arranged to 'hold said manually operable member against operation while the guard is out of protective or operative position.

16. In a press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with to said platens, a starting mechanism for the press comprising a manually operable member, a latch member movable into position to lock the guard in its operative position, and a connection between the latch member and said manable with respect to each other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, a starting mechanism for the press comprising a manually operable member, a latch member, a stop member connected to the guard and arranged for cooperation with the latch member in holding the guard in operative position, said stop member being also operative to hold the latch member in-unlatching position While the guard is in inoperative position, and a connecting member between the latch member and said manually operable member to hold the latter in its inoperative position whereby the manually operable member cannot be operated to initiate operation of the machine while the guard is in inoperative position.

18. In a press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to effect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, a stop member connected to the guard, a starting mechanism for the press comprising a manually operable member, a latch member arranged to co-operate with the stop member to lock the guard in its protective or operative position, and a connection between said manually operable member and said latch member for moving the latter selectively to latching or unlatching position with respect to said stop member, said latching member being movable to permit the guard to move with the movable platen during the closing of the press while maintaining said guard in its locked relation during said closing of the press.

19. In a press having platens relatively movable with respect to each other to eiTect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a stop member connected to said guard, said stop member being movable upwardly and downwardly with the movement of the guard, a latch member movable into position above the stop member when the guard is down in its protective or operative position whereby the stop member and latch member co-operate to lock the guard in its protective position, means to move said latch member vertically at the same rate as that of the closing of the press, and means to cause the stop member to move with the latch member whereby the guard is caused to move vertically during the closing of the press while maintaining its protective relation with respect to the space between the platens of the press.

20. In a press having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to eiTect pressure applying operations, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to said platens, a stop member connected to the guard, a latch member for co-operation with the stop member in holding the guard in locked relation to the space between the platens of the press, and means arrangedto hold the stop member in contact with the latch member, said.

latch member being mounted on the movable platen of the press and said last-mentioned means being operative to move the guard upwardly with the upward movement of said movable platen whereby the guard, while moving upwardly, is maintained in the desired spaced relation with respect to said movable platen through the cooperation of the latch member and the stop member.

21. In apress having two platens one of which is movable with respect to the other to efiect pressure applying operations, wherein hydraulic means is provided for causing approaching and retracting movements of the platens with respect to each other at the will of the operator, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a latch member bodily movable with the movable platen and operative to lock the guard against separating movement with respect to said movable platen, and means to cause the guard to move with said movable platen during movement of the latter to effect a pressure applying operation, whereby the guard is maintained in protective position during repeated movements of the movable platen toward and from the other platen in the intervals of its return to normal work receiving position.

22. In a press having a stationary and a movable platen, wherein hydraulic means is provided for causing relative movements of approach and also of retraction of the platens with respect to each other in an organization wherein the movements of the movable platen may be reversed at will by the operator in the intervals of the return of said movable platen to its fully spaced relation to the other platen, a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a latch member mounted on the movable platen and operative to lock theguard against separating movement with respect to said movable platen, and means comprising a member connected to the guard and co-operating with the latch member to cause the guard to travel in one direction with the movable platen, the latch member being arranged to cause the guard to movein the other direction with the movable platen, whereby the guard is maintained in protective relation. to the space between said platens during both up and down movements of the platens with respect to each other.

23. In a press having an upper platen, a lower platen movable upwardly into co-operative relation to the upper platen to eiTect pressure applying operations, hydraulic means for causing relative movements of approach and also of retraction of the platens with respect to each other in an organization comprising a manually operable member for controlling said hydraulic means whereby movement of the lower platen may be reversed at will by the operator without the return of said lower platen to its normal work receiving position, the combination of a guard movable between operative and inoperative positions with respect to the space between said platens, a latch member mounted on the movable lower platen and operative to lock the guard against separating movement with respect to said lower platen, a connection between the manually operable member and the latch member arranged to hold the latch member in guardlocking position while the manually operable member is in position to cause up and down movements of the lower platen without returning the lower platen to work receiving position, and a weighted member connected to the guard and co-operating with the latch member to cause the guard to travel upwardly with the movable lower platen, the latch member causing the guard to move downwardly with the movable lower platen, whereby the guard is maintained in protective relation to the space between said platens during both up and down movements of the platens with respect to each other;

AUGUST C. BRILL.

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