US2309689A - Vibratory machine - Google Patents

Description

. INVENTOR. Erns/sk ATTORNEY.

4 Sheets-Sheet l QJ m n@ o@ S E. AHLsKoG VIBRATORY MACHINE Feb. 2, 1943.

' Filed April 18, 1941 Feb. 2, 1943. E. AHLsKoG VIBRATORY MACINE Filed April 18, 1941 SheebSSheet 2 .SKI

|| n D .m2 m llllnlll II 4 Sheets-Shreef 3 E. AHLs'KoG v'IBRAToRY MACHINE Filed April 18, 1941 Feb. 2, 1943.

Feb. 2, 1943. E. AHLsKoG 2,309,689

' VIBRATORY MAGHINE- Filed April 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3/32 /9 2s -ee asu/6.790 /sA z5 27' 29' zu ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 2, 1943 vmnA'noRY MACHTNE Ernst Ahlskog, Chicago, Ill. Application April 1s, 1941, serial No. 389,117 s claims. (c1. 121-3) This invention has to do with a fluid actuated vibratory machine. More particularly it relates to a machine of portable character that is useful in abrading or polishing surfaces, though not restricted to such use.

The objects of this invention include the pro- -vision of A novel vibratory machine wherein there are Work members oppositely reciprocal generally within a common plane and in out-of-phase relation to minimize vibration of the machine normally to said plane and to incur vibration within such plane;

An improved machine of the present class comprising juxtaposed pairs of fluid-driven motors connected with valve driving gear in such a manner that the valve means controlled thereby introduces propelling fluid to the motors in the proper sequence to cause concurrent operation of such motors in both pairs that work members respectively driven by said pairs of motors are simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions;

A new valve and valve gear arrangement;

A new compact structure wherein valve drive gearing is disposed within a flywheel recess;

Improved means for preventing the device stopping on dead center";

An improved clamp for detachably and rmly securing a polishing or abrading sheetI onto a l work member of the machine.

Other desirable objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention will later appear.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of the invention the view being taken at the line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary view illustrating one of the clamp members of the machine and a shoe member associated therewith in an intermediate stage of assembly with a machine work member;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken at the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig; 4; 'and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are horizontal sectional views 2,214,189. One improved feature of this machine is iniits employment of paired reciprocal work members, II) and II, instead of a single one of saidmembers, these work members depending from and being longitudinally reciprocable by motor units presently to be described enclosed within a. casing I2 which has ahandle member I3 secured to its upper wall by standard fastening means such as screws I4. Generally in the operation of the device the work members Ill and II I are caused to reciprocate in 180 degree out-of-phase relation; that is, each of the members reaches its oscillative limits simultaneously with that of the other but the movement of said members is always in opposite directions. Each of the members I0 and I I carries a shoe member I5, secured thereto by clamps I6 which also serve to tautly hold a polishing or abrasive sheet Il upon the shoes flatly against the lower faces of these shoes. Thus while the work members are reciprocated, the operator while holding the handle member I3 can press the portions of the sheets I1 that are upon the at faces of the shoe members I5 firmly against the surface being treated, and can guide the machine for carrying the vibrating sheets onto the desired area of the surface undergoing treatment.

j A motor and valve assembly comprising a valve block I8, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 7, arranged generally transversely within a central portion of the casing VI2 and a pair of cylinder blocks I9 and 20 extending lengthwise of the machine upon opposite sides of the valve block. Bolts 2 I, 22, 23 and 24 are inserted through respective holes in the valve block I8 and in flange portions of the cylinder blocks I8 and 20 and have nuts 25 turned upon their ends to hold the valve and cylinder blocks in assembly. The outer ends and sides of the cylinder blocks I9 and 20 are fitted snugly into the'skirt portion of the casing I2 where the assembled parts I8, I9 and 20 are secured as by means of screws (not shown). A pair of cylinders 26 and 2l are formed in the cylinder block AI9 whereas a pair of cylinders 2B' and 2l are formed in the cylinder block 20. Pistons generally designated l28, 29, 28' and 29 are relooking downwardly and taken respectively upon the lines 6-6, 'l--l and 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Thepresent machine is an improvement upon the machine of the same general character illustrated in my United States `Letters Patent No;

spectively within cylinders 26, 2l, 26 and 2l. The outer end of each of the pistons is vertically slotted as indicated at 30, these slots 30 being aligned with slots 3I extending axially of and within both the upper and lower walls of eachof the cylinders as 26. There is carried within'each of the piston slots-30 avertical bar 32 having a slightly vertically elongated opening 33. Such openingsv33 in the bars 32' provide means for` connecting the bars with their respective pistons 28 by means of bolts 34 of which the shanks received by said openings have a diameter equal to the horizontal width of such openings. The vertical bars 32 associated with the pistons 28 and 29', together with a tie rod 35, Figs. 4, 5 and 6, serve as means for connecting the pistons 28 and 29 for movement in unison. In Fig. 5 it will be seen that the tie rod 35 has aperturesuin opposite of its ends which receive studs 36 projecting upwardly from the bars 32, nuts 31 being turned onto the u'pper ends of these studs for holding the bar 35 in fixed assembly with the y bars 32 and hence with the pistons 28 and 29'.

A second tie rod 38 similar to the rod 85 is associated in like manner with the bars 32 which are connected with the pistons 29 and 28', there being additional studs 36 projecting upwardly from these bars.

whereas an internally threaded and headed member 4| in the form of a cap nut and having a shank serving as a wrist-pin for a connecting rod |86, secures the left end of the tie rod 38 upon the stud 36 (not shown) which projects upwardly from the bar 32 associated with the piston 29.

The work member as will be seen in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, includes a substantially fiat bottom plate 42 and an outer plate-like side wall 43. Thick boss- like sections 44 and 45 at opposite ends of the work member I I are vertically drilled at 46 and 41 to respectively receive studs 48 and 49 which project downwardly from the bars 32 associated therewith, and nuts 39 and 49 screwed onto the lower ends of said studs 48 and 49 draw the upper faces of the bosses 44 and 45 into firm engagement with the lower ends of said bars 32 whereby the work member is fastened securely with the reciprocal assembly including the pistons 28 and 29.

The bosses 44 and 45 in the work member are laterally drilled to receive axle shafts 56, 5|, 52 and 59 upon which there are `iournalled a set of four rollers respectivelyv designated 54, 55, 56 and 51. Clearance for these rollers is provided by recesses as 58 in the bosses as 44 so they will be free to rotate upon the axle shafts as 59. Smooth runways or tracks as indicated at 59 and 69 in Figs. 2 and 3 are formed upon the lower side of the cylinder block 29 for registration with the rollers 56 and 51. Similar tracks of which one is indicated at 6|v in Fig. 3 are formed in symmetrical relation with the cylinder V26 upon the lower side of the cylinder block |9 and for respective cooperation with the rollers 54 and 55. It will be seen therefore-that therollers 54 to 51 will support the casing I2 and the parts contained within such casing as well as the force applied to the handle member I3 while the work member reciprocates during operation of the machine.

A similar arrangement of rollers is provided for the work member I0, this member being constructed exactly like the work member |I with the exception that it is a left-hand member whereas the member is a right-hand member. Rollers 62, 63, 64 and 65 journalled upon axle shafts 66, 61, 68 and 69 in the member I6 and corresponding to the rollers 54 to 51 are adapted to bear and run along tracks as 59a and 69a upon the lower sides of the cylinder blocks I9 and 29 in spaced symmetrical relation with respect to the cylinders 21 and 26. Studs 19- and 1 I corresponding respectively to the studs 48 and 49 project downwardly from the bars 32 associated with the pistons 29 and 28 into suitable openings in the bosses 12 and 13 of the work member I9. Nuts (not shown) threaded upon lower ends of the studs 19 and 1| cooperate therewith in holding the shoe I9 rigidly in association with the associated members 32 wherefore this work member is caused to reciprocate in unison with the pistons 29 and 28.

Propelling fiuid, which may be compressed air, is introduced into the machine through a passage 89 extending longitudinally through the cylinder block 29. The outer end of the passage 80 is enlarged and threaded for the reception of a coupling member as that shown at 8| in dotted outline in Fig. l. The opposite or inner end of the passage 89 communicates with the fluid inlet chamber 82 in the valve block I8. This A nut 31 secures the right end l of the rod 38, Fig. 6, upon the associated stud 36 passage 82 communicates through inlet ports 83 and 84 respectively with the valve chambers 85 and 86 of which the chamber 85 together with a. rotatable valve member 81 controls the admission and exhaust of propelling fluid to and from the cylinders 26 and 21 and of which the chamber 86 together with a rotatable Valve member 88 control the admission and exhaust of propelling fiuid to and from the cylinders 21 and 25. Each of the valve chambers 85 and 86 is cylindrical, the chamber having, in addition to the inlet port 83, a cylinder port 89 communicative with the cylinder 21', yan exhaust port 99 and a cylinder port 9| communicative with the cylinder 26, whereas the valve chamber 86 has, in addition to the inlet port 84, cylinder ports 92 and 93 communicating respectively with the cylinders 26' and 21 and an exhaust port 94. In Fig. 4 the exhaust ports 99 and 94 will be seen to discharge into open spaces and 96 between the ends of the valve block I8 and the skirt of the casing I2.

Upper and lower end portions of the Valve members 81 and 88 are cylindrical, as illustrated in Figs.v 4, 5 and 8, so they can be journalled in valve block bearings 91 and 98. The central portions of said valve members 81 and 88 are generally flat as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, these portions, however, being suilciently thick that their narrow arcuate edges W, X, Y and Z have sufficient circumferential extent to completely cover any one of the ports as 89 in registry therewith.

The Valve gear for driving the valve members 81 and 88 includes a rotatable unit consisting of a vertical shaft |89 extending through the bearing block |8, a small flywheel IIJI integral with said shaft |69 at its upper end, and a flywheel |92 at the lower end of said shaft and secured thereto at a threaded section |93. The shaft |89 is rotatively supported within ballbearing units |94 and |95 which are plainly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Driving force is transmitted to the aforesaid rotatable unit by means of a pair of connecting rods l'and |91 of which rods the rod |96 is driven from the pistons 29 and 28 and the rod |01 from the pistons 28 and 29. Said wrist-pin nut 4|, Fig. 6, has the left end of the connecting rod |86 journalled thereon whereas the right end of said connecting rod is connected'eccentrically with the flywheel IUI by means of a threaded stud |68 having a slotted head |99 and a ball-bearing unit ||0 disposed between the shank of the stud |68 and a large opening V||| in the connecting rod |96. An eccentric connection of the connecting rod |01 with the flywheel |92 consists of a threaded stud I2 having a slotted head ||3 and a ballbearing unit ||4 disposed between the shank of said stud and a large opening in the left end of said connecting rod; see Fig.v '-3. In Fig. 5

the right end of the connecting rod |01 willbe seento be journalled upon a sleeve-like bearing portion I6 of the nut 40.

A gear. I I1, Figs. 3, 4 and 8 is connected nonrotatively with the shaft |00 by means of a pin H8, and this gear meshes with and drives gears H9 and |20, Figs. 4 and 8, which are non-rotatively connected with the lower ends of the valve members 88 and 81 by means of machine screws |2| and dowel pins |22.

The machine is regulated or adjusted for operation while rotating the drive gear |1 of the valve gear mechanism in the direction of the arrows A and B in Figs. 1 and 8, this direction being clockwise as viewed from above. Hereinafter referred to clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of parts rotatable about vertical axes will also be considered from a viewing point above these parts. Such clockwise rotation of the gear |1 causes counter-clockwise rotation of the gears ||9 and |20 and hence of the valve members 88 and 81.

Assiuning the machine to be operating and at the cyclical stage illustrated in Fig. 7, the pressure fluid introduced into the machine through the passages 80 and 82 will be initially admitted through the inlet ports 83 and 84 and the cylinder ports 9| -and 92 into the cylinders 26, and 26. The trailing edge of the arcuate valve sections Y` and Z at this time associated with the inlet ports 83 and 84 will have just uncovered these ports. Substantially concurrently with this uncovering of the inlet ports 83 i :and 84, the trailing edges of the opposite arcuate sections, W and X, upon the valve members 81 and 88 will have just uncovered the exhaust ports 90 and 94 and said valve members will have connected the cylinders 21 and 21"for exhaust respectively through the cylinder port 93, valve chamber 86 and the exhaust port 94, and through the cylinder port 89, valve chamber 85 and the exhaust port 90. Therefore, the pistons 29 and 29 will be free tomove respectively to the right and left as viewed in Fig. '1 while the pressure iluid admitted to the cylinders 26 and 26 through the cylinder ports 9| and 92 acts against the heads of the pistons 28 and 28 for causing said pistons to move respectively to the left and to the right.` The aforesaid movement of the pistons 29 and' 29 respectively to the left and to the rig-htsimultaneously with such left and such right movement of the pistons 28 and 28' is effected vby means of the aforesaid tie rods 35 and 38. The pairs of pistons 28 and 29' and 29 and 28' are also respectively connected for movement in unison by means of their associated work membersllandl. Y

During this movement of the pistons28 and 29 to the left, the'connecting rod` |01 driven thereby'will be eifective for transmitting clockwise driving force to the ywheel |02. Likewise during the ensuing movement of the pistons 29 and 28' to the rig-ht, the connecting rod |88 driven thereby will transmit clockwise rotation. to the flywheel |0| and Vthus augment` the aforesaid driving force transmitted` through the vconnecting rodv |01 .in driving' the valve vmembers 81 and 88. I When the pistons28 and 29 have reached the leftmost limityojf their reciprocation ,and the pistons ,-129 and` 28? have simultaneously reached their-rightmost limit of reciprocation, the trailing edgehof Vthe arcuate 51,5

section W upon valve member 81 will have just uncovered the cylinder iport 9| and the trailingV edge and the arcuate section X upon the valve member 88 will have just uncovered the cylinder port 92 so that the exhaust of the cylinders 26 and 26 can occur through the ports v9| and 90 and 92 and 94. Concurrently, the trailing edges of valve sections Y and Z will have just uncovered the cylinder ports 89 and 93 so that the pressure fluid will be communicative with the cylinder 21' through the ports 83 and 89 and such pressure uid will be com- .municative with the cylinder 21 through the ports 184 and 93 preparatory to reversing the pistons 29 and 29 for driving the same in the direction opposite to their Vjust previous reciprocal movement and consequently the pistons V.28 and 28' connected therewith through the tie rods 35 and 38 will also be reversed in their movement While exhausting the pressure fluid from their associated cylinders through the exhaust ports and 94. Y

At-this time the flywheels |0| and |02 and the drive gear ||1 will have made a single revolution and the pistons will each have made a forward and return stroke in their operation. In accomplishing this the valve members 81 and 88 will have rotated one-half ofv a revolution, Wherefore the driven gears ||9 and |20 are twice the diameter of the drive gear ||1. So far as concerns the valve gear drive unit -consisting of the flywheels |0| and |02, the

shaft |00 and the gear ||1, and the pistons of the machine, one cycle of operation will now have been completed. However, a, complete rotation or operating cycle of the valve members 81 and 88 will not be completed until a second revolution of the valve gear driving unit has occurred, but since the valve members 81 and 88 are symmetrical in shape, during the ensuing second half revolution thereof the pistons will be driven exactly in the manner above described .and the machine will again reach the cyclical stage with all its operated parts in the position -illustrated in the drawings.

l Means for preventing the machine stopping with the connectingrods on dead center con- .sists `oi" helical contraction'springs |25 and |26. The spring |25 is distended and connected be- -tween apertured ears |23 on the left ends of the tie rods 35 and 38 while the spring |26 is similarly disposed between apertured ears |23 upon the right ends of these rods. It will be noted ,that when the pistons are at either extreme limit of their operation the springs |25 will act thereon through the studs 36 and the vertical bars 32v in such a way as to urge them toward a mid-position. Thus the connecting rods |06 and |01vwill be operated to cause rotation of the valve members 81 and 88 into position for ladmitting pressure fluid into those cylinders which will eiect advancement of the machine vwhen itis again connected with the pressure :fluid source. By using springs arranged as the springs |25 and |26l their force is utilized in urging the machine tovan oil-center position Lfrom either of its oscillative lim-its while incurring a minimum amount of expansion and contraction of said springs during operation of the machine.

Lubrication of the machine is had by means 4ofa passage |21 in the cylinder block I9, this passage having a fitting at |28 in its outer end and throughwhich a lubricant may be forced into-and through the passage|21 and thence into a passage |29 formed between cylinder block I9 and the valve block |8, and through bores |30 to the ball-bearing units |04 and |05. Some of the lubricantl will feed downwardly through the ball-bearing unit |05 onto the gears ||9 and |20.

Each of the work members l and has a transversely arranged open sided bearing |3| in each of its two ends to cooperate with the aforesaid clamps I6 for holding one of the shoes l5 in association therewith.- These clamps are bent into shape from a piece of sheet metal having a width substantially co-extensive with that of the work members. One end of each clamp is bent into a circular bearing section |32 disposable within a bearing |3| of a work member; see Figs. l and la. Said clamps |6 are generally U-shaped, having a lower leg |33 and an upwardly inclined leg |34 joining at a rounded gripping section |35. From the free end of the upper leg |34 a section of the sheet from which the clamp is formed is bent upwardly and lapped downwardly to effect a flange |36 which is apertured for receiving a threaded stud |31, there being vone of the studs projecting outwardly from each end of the work members. Wing-nuts |38 are advanceable upon the threaded studs |31 for tightening the clamps |6 and holding the same in position upon the work members, and springs |39 may be placed upon the studs |31 between the flanges |36 and the ends of such work members for forcing the clamp i downwardly into the dotted line posi-A tion illustrated in Fig. la when the wing-nuts are loosened and further to react' against said nuts to hold the same in firm frictional engagement with the threadsV upon the studs |31 when the nuts are tightened and to thus serve as locking means to prevent loosening of the nuts during operation of the machine.

Each shoe l5, attach'able to the work members I0 and by means of the clamps |6, is made from a piece of sheet metal of substantially the same width as the work members, said piece having a generally flat main body portion |40 from the ends of which flanges |4|` are bent angularly upwardly and additional flanges |42 are bent angularly inwardly. A layer |43 of pliable material such as rubber is adhesively or otherwise securely fastened to the outer face of the main body portion 40 of each shoe, and a plurality of leaf spring members |44 are `associated with the main body portions of such shoes for 'engaging the lower face of their work members. These springs |44 may be formed integrally with the sheet metal body |40 by cutting tongues therein and bending the same upwardly.

While a shoe |5 is being assembled with its work member as illustrated in Fig. la, a sheet I1 of abrasive material or polishing material, as the case may be, may be placed over the bottom of the shoe and wrapped about its ends preparatory to being clamped tightly in place thereon by the clamp members |6 when the assembly is complete. Initially the ends ofthe sheet |1 are folded over and about the flanges |4| and |42 and tucked downwardly and inwardly alongthe inner faces of such flanges. Meanwhile, the Wing-nuts |33 at the opposite ends of the shoe will have been loosened to permit the clamps I3 to drop downwardly into the position illustrated in dotted outline in Fig.' la, thereby shortening the distance between `their gripping sectionsV |35 whereby these sections are disposable Within the hook-like formations effective by the flanges |4| and |42, these clamp sections |35 then bearing against the inwardly tucked end portions of the sheet I1. Then while pressing upwardly upon the shoe I5 and tightening the wing-nuts |38,

the clamps I6 will be caused to pivot in their bearings |3| while increasing the distance between their gripping sections |35 to press the adjacent portion of the sheet |1 outwardly against the inner faces of the flanges |4| and |42 and upwardly against the inner faces of the flanges |42 to grip the sheet tightly between these parts and concurrently to carry the shoe into assembly with the work member.

Reinforcing members |46, between the legs |33 and |34 of the clamps I6 prevent distortion of the curvature on these clamps at their gripping sections |35, so that as the nuts |38 are tightened for finally drawing said sections |35 upwardly these sections are projected outwardly against the flanges |4| and |42 for holding the sheet |45 and drawing the same tautly across the bottom of the shoe l5.

During operation of the machine when the sheet |45 encounters elevational irregularities in a surface being treated, such sheet can yield to accommodate these irregularities both because of the resiliency in the yieldable layer |43 and because of the yieldability of the spring members |44.

A further important operating advantage of this invention is obtained by the slight oscillative movement of the device about an axis normal to the surface being treated. Due to the rapid deceleration and acceleration of the work members respectively just before and just after reaching their reciprocal limits, their inertia causes a small amount of sidewise displacement of the work member ends, first in one direction and then in the other. This action is particularly useful when abrasive sheets are attached to the device because the abrasive particles are thus shifted for cuttingin a new path pursuant to each lengthwise excursion.

While I have herein shown and described a single embodiment foi clearly disclosing and illustrating the invention, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to this specific embodiment but rather comprehends other. arrangements, details and structures falling within the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, a plurality of pairs of fiuid actuated motors of which the motors in each pair are oppositely disposed with respect to said block and of which motors each includes a member reciprocal in a path parallel with similar paths of the members in the other motors, work members respectively connected with each pair of reciprocal members Y in said pairs of motors said work mem-bers having working surface portions substantially in a common plane in parallelism with said paths of reciprocal movement, said valve block having passages for `conducting a motor actuating fluid to and from said motors, valve core means in said block for controlling the flow of fluid through said passages, valve gear means driven from at least one of said motors and connected with said valve core means'for operating the same, pursuant to operation of the'device, to direct such fluid through said passages alternately to the motors in each pair and in such phase relation that the paired reciprocal members connected with one work member are caused to move oppositely to a second pair of such'members and the work member connected therewith.

2. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, fluid actuatable motor means including a reciprocal driven member, a second fluid actuatable motor means also including a reciprocal driven member which is reciprocable in apath laterally spaced from and parallel with the reciprocal path of the first driven member, work members respectively connected with said motor driven members, said Work members having working surface portions substantially in a common plane in parallelism with the reciprocal paths of said driven members, said valve block having passages for conducting motor actuating fluid to said motor means, valve means in said block for controlling the flow of fluid through said passages, valve gear means for driving said valve means, said valve gear meanscomprising a unit journalled in said valve block and drive means connecting the motor driven members with said journalled unit to impart continuous rotation thereto during operation of the motor means, said valve means being operable by the thus driven valve gear to sequentially direct actuating fluid into said passages to cause said motor means to successively drive their respective driven members in opposite directions between the limits of their reciprocal movement, and said valve means operating to control the flow of fluid in said passages in such cyclical sequence that the motor means reciprocate the driven members and hence said work members in 180 degree out-ofphase relation.

3. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, a plurality of pairs of fluid actuated motors of which the motors in each pair are upon opposite sides of said block, each motor including a driven member of which all are reciprocable in respective of parallel paths, Work members respectively connected with each pair of said driven members associated with said pairs of motors, said valve block having passages for conducting a motor actuating fluid to said motors, valve means in said block for controlling the flow of fluid through said passages, valve gear means for driving said valve means, said valve gear means comprising a unit journalled in said valve block and drive means connecting said motors with said journalled unit to impart continuous rotative movement thereto during the operation of said motors, said valve means being operable by the thus driven valve gear means to sequentially direct actuating fluid into such of said passages as to cause alternate operation of the motors in each pair for driving the work members in opposite directions between said reciprocal limits, and said valve means operating in such phase relation with said valve gear means that said motors reciprocate the work Amembers in 180 degree out-of-phase relation.

4. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, a plurality of pairs of iluid actuated motors of which the motors in each pair are upon opposite sides of said block, each motor including a driven member of which all are reciprocable in respective of parallel paths, work members respectively connected with each pair of said driven members associated with said pairs of motors, said valve block having passages for conducting a motor actuating fluid to said motors, valve means in said block for controlling the flow of iluid through said passages, valve gear means for driving said valve means, said valve gear means comprising a unit journalled in said valve block and connecting rods drivingly connecting said pairs of motors with said journalled unit to impart continuous rotation thereto during operation of the motors and to cause said unit to rotate degrees for each movement of the work members from each-of their reciprocal to the other, said valve means being operable by the thus driven valve gear means to switch the flow of fluid through said passages at the conclusion of each 180 degree advance of said unit to cause alternate operation ofthe motors in each pair for reversing the direction in which the work members are driven, and said valve means operating to control the flow of fluid in said passages in such cyclical sequence that the motors reciprocate the work members in 180 degree outof-phase relation.

v 5. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, a plurality of pairs of fluid actuated mo-` tors of which the motors in each pair are upon opposite sides of said block, each motor including a driven member of which all are reciprocable in respective parallel paths, work members respectively connected with each pair of said driven members associated with said pairs of motors, said Work members having working surface portions substantially in a common plane in parallelism with the reciprocal paths of said driven members, said valve block having passages for conducting motor actuating fluid to said motors,

valve means in said block and including valve core members rotatable about axes normal to the working surface portions of said work members for controlling the flow of 'fluid through said passages, valve gear means for driving said core members and comprising driven gears connected co-axially with said core members, a drive gear between and mutually meshed with the driven gears, a flywheel fixed for rotation with the drive gear and having a recess in a, face thereof receiving all of said gears and a connecting rod drivingly connecting said flywheel with the driven members of a pair of said motors to impart continuous rotation to said flywheel, said gears and said valve cores during operation of the motors, said valve cores being operable when thus driven to switch the flow of fluid through said passages at the conclusion-of each 180 degree advance of the flywheel to cause alternate operation of the motors in each pair for reversing the direction in 'which the Work members are driven, and said valve cores being connected in such phase relation with the flywheel that the motors reciprocate the Work members in 180 degree out-ofphase relation.

6. In a machine of the class described, a valve block, a plurality of pairs of cylinders of which those in each pair project endwise from opposite sides of said block, the principal axes of said cylinders being arranged in parallelism, paired pistons respectively reciprocal in each of said pairs of cylinders, work members respectively connected with each pair of pistons whereby the pistons of each pair are secured for reciprocation in unison, said work members having working surface portions substantially in a common plane spaced from said block and in parallelism with said cylinders, said valve block having passages for conducting motor actuating fluid to said cylinders for reciprocating the pistons therein, valve co-re members journalled in said block for rotation about axes normal to the plane of said working surfaces, one of said core members being operable when continuously rotated to alternately admit actuating fluid into the cylinders of one pair to cause reciprocation of the pistons therein and the other of said core members being similarly operable with respect to a different pair of cylinders and pistons, valve gear means for driving said core members and comprising driven gears connected co-axially with said vcore members, a drive shaft journal-led in said vblock for rotation about an axis between and parallel with said core members, a drive gear x'ed to said shaft and mutually meshed with said driven gears, flywheels fixed upon said shaftl at opposite sides of the valve block, one of said flywheels being disposed in the space between the work member surface portion and said block and being recessed to receive all of said gears, and connecting rods drivingiy connecting said pairs of pistons respectively with said ywheels for imparting the aforesaid continuous rotation to the valve cores during reciprocation of the pistons, and said valve cores being connected in such phase relation with the flywheels that the pairs of pistons and the work members connected therewith are caused to reciprocate therewith in 180 degree out-of-phase relation.

7. In a machine of the class described. a plurality of work members having plane-like portions occupying substantially a common plane and reciprocable to shift said portions within said plane, a fluid motor for reciprocating said work members and including a valve block spaced from said plane-like portions, vaive means in said block for controlling the Ilow of actuating fluid into said motor, and valve gear comprising gears within said space, a ywheel drivngly connected with said gears and disposed flatwise in said space. said flywheel having a recess in a face thereof in which said gears are disposed. and means for driving the ilywheel from the motor.

8. In a machine of the class described, fluid actuated motor means comprising driven members arranged side by side for reciprocation in parallel paths in 180 degree out-of-phase relation. valve means driven from said members and occupying such a stage in its operating cycle for directing actuating fluid into said motor means while said driven members occupy an intermediate position in their reciprocal paths, and contraction spring means connected between said driven members to constantly urge them into said intermediate position.

9. In a machine of the class described, a pair of work members arranged side by side for reciprocation in parallel paths in 180 degree out-ofphase relation, uid actuated motor means comprising reciprocal driven members drivingly connected with said Work members and in such cyclical relation with respect thereto that they are in position to be acted upon by actuating uid while said work members occupy an intermediate position in their path of reciprocal movement, and a contraction spring connected between said work members generally transversely of their reciprocal paths to constantly yeldingly urge said work members into said intermediate position.

ERNST AHLSKOG.

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