US2463165A - Collet with air cylinder operator - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1949.

A. FELIN ETAL COLLET WITH AIR CYLINDER OPERATOR Filed Nov. 6, 1944 l I fnl/6711417152' Q7L/07z, Felzbb and' Lamis Ind/Leu5 Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE CGLLET WITH AIR CYLINDER OPERATOR tion of Illinois Application November 6, 1944, Serial No. 562,225

.3 Claims.

"the-arcuate indexing of thewo'rk holder 'and for "limited longitudinalalignmentbetween the mot-or andthe'work holder.

It'is a still more detailed object to provide in ranarrangement of the present typefor the thrust 'f reaction incident'to releasing-theworkfrom the holder to 'be `taken by a stop on themain frame of the machine while vnormally ymaintaining free clearancebetween the reactionpointsso Aas not to interfere withthe guided relationship between 1:"

thework'holding assembly and the'rnain frame during lateral guided Areciprocation of Athe' work Yin connection with the successive indexing thereof. Likewise it is an `objectto `provide an 'arrangement wherein the thrust incident *to the work Igripping operation is taken entirely bythe connecting means and no part thereof is transmitted to the frame or lateral guide.

Otherand more particular objects, advantages 'and uses of the4 present invention will beapparent from a reading of the `following specication takenin connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof 'and wherein:

The single figure comprises 'an elevation `in vsection 'of a gear cutting and shaping machine embodying byway ofexample one preferred form vof the present invention.

The gear cutting and shaping machin-e; the essentialparts lonly of which are shown, is `indicated 'generally at II) 4and preferably comprises the mainmac'hine body l! having supported thereon 'a collet and adapter assembly indicated gener- 4ally at I2 'arranged both for lateral reciprocation 'and'arcuate adjustment as will appear, this lcollet "'assemblybeing power operated by means `o'fliluid pressure responsive' motor I3 connected in a special mannerwith collet assembly I2 through the -fmediumof flexible coupling made up of portions I4, 116.

It is Atoithis novel "arrangement Lof #connecting and Asupporting 4means indicated generally rat '.I'4 and I between the motor I3 and the collet fas- Vsembly `l2 that th'epresent invention is .particularly directed.

It will appear that vthis flexible connecting means is essential since the motor I3 must "be restrained vagainst arcuate turning `movement while the collet assembly must be indexed'arcuately and also reciprocated laterally while at the same time supporting the motor I3 therebelow.

Flexible coupling portion I4 comprisesthreaded draw bolt fit terminating at its lower end in a ball `2I cooperating with a socket 22 in the upper portion of tubular connector 23. Partition plate 2d is form-ed with a coaxial orifice 26 functioning to center and guide tubular socket 23. The outer periphery of partition plate 2t is confined within the lower portion of bell housing 2l having an important function in connection with opening and closing the collet assemblyIZ as will appear.

The lower coupling portion I6 `includes an .adapter 28 having a first threaded portion `received in the internally threaded portionof sleeve -23fand a second larger externally threaded portion supporting tubular lcage 29 which in turn carries inthe lower portion thereof` a roller bearing raceway or plate 3l. An upper racewayor plate 32 engages the ball bearing rollers 33 and is connected through adapter 34 and drawbolt 36 with the piston Ita of rmotor I3. Cup shape housing 3l is threadahly associated with the lower portion of bell housing 2l and contains a second centering member 38. Housing 3'! is `provided vwith downwardly extending boss 3S supporting upwardly extending yoke 4I forming part of the motor housing, bolt d2 serving to fasten the parts in assembled relation.

Bell lock 63 extends from the main machine housing I I and protrudes radially inwardly through-an orice lll in bellh-ousing 21 functioning to lock the bell housing 3l and motor I3 --against arcuate movement notwithstanding the arcuate indexing of the collet assembly.

Draw bolt 2Q extending from the upper coupling portion It is threadably connected with the lowerterminal of draw bar 46 the upper'terminal of which is threadably connected with the'lower end of the collet proper 5I.

The collet assembly I2 includes collet proper 5i split coaxially at 52 and formed externally with a diverging cam surface`53 cooperating with a complementary cam surface 54 within the collet assembly housing 56. Collet adapter 58 includes an upperradial-ange alsupportng collet Anousin'gproper 56 -and-fhaving'the lower terminal-portion thereof engaged by anti-friction bearing 6| when the bell housing 21 is in raised position as will appear. Embracing collet adapter 58 is a supporting collar 62 provided with a radially extending guide iiange 63 cooperating with a complementary guideway 64 formed on main housing frame VFunctioning to effect limited lateral reciprocation of the collar and collet assembly there is provided a radially protruding connector 66 yadapted to be driven by a cam '61 in proper correlation With the cutting tool and indexing operation, in a well known manner. Worm and gear assembly 68 is eiective to accomplish the arcuate indexing in the usual manner.

Particular attention is drawn to the provision of shoulder or stop 1| carried by main housing for the `purpose of cooperating with the lower terminal portion of bell housing 21 in effecting the releasing movement of the collet It will be seen that with the collet 5| being moved in the work clamping direction the bell housing 21 engages the anti-friction bearing 6i with the lower terminal portion of `collet adapter tube 58 thus taking all of the reaction, none being transmitted to the guide 6s or frame This leaves ample clearance between stop 1| and the lower terminal portion of bell housing 21 with the result that collet assembly I2 may be freely indexed arcuately as well as laterally reciprocated Without -conilict with the main housing H or with the relationship between guide lange 63 and guideway 64. Of particular importance is the fact that upon the operation of piston |3a, to release collet 5| the lower terminal portion of bell housing 21 is brought into supporting contact with stop 1| and the reaction of the force required to release the -collet 5| is thus taken by the main housing stop 1| instead of by guide Vflange 63 and guideway 64.

v The lower portion of the motor housing i3 may contain the usual valve assembly having an inlet 10, outlet 12 and lever and lat-ch assembly 13 for actuating the inlet and discharge valves. In theclosed position of lever assembly 13 pressure is admitted tothe upper side of piston la thus drawing collet 5| axially downwardly causing the same to grip to work piece. With the lever assembly 13 in the collet open position as indicated pressure is admitted to the underside of piston |3ar causing reaction in motor I3 to move the assembly downward with the result that the bell housing is first brought into contact with the stop 1| for the r`purpose of taking the reaction and then the collet 5| is pushed axially outwardly for releasing the work piece. In the normal operating position of the machine with the work piece in gripped position within the collet the motor I3 and the flexible coupling portions I4, I6 are suspended from the collet assembly. Any limited misalignment that may occur either in operating the collet to grip the work piece, or

runder other circumstances, is amply provided for by the first flexible coupling portion Ul while the second coupling 4portion I6 provides for maintaining the motor against arcuate movement while arcuately indexing the collet assembly and work guide flange 63. This is true since ineffecting (lil the closing or gripping operation of the collet the longitudinal reaction is taken from the motor housing through cup housing 31, bell housing 21, anti-friction bearing 6| and collet tubular adaptei` 58 while on the other hand the reaction force involved in opening the collet is taken by stop shoulder 1| engaged by the lower terminal portion of bell housing 21 thus completely eliminating any eiect upon the guide B and associated guide flange 63. This is very important since in precision Work if this guide 64 and guide ilange 63 Iwere subject to the reactions of opening and closing the collet the wear incident thereto would soon render continued precision work impossible.

While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a specic embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of example only and that the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a' gear -cutting machine including a gear holding and indexing collet assembly, a main frame having a guide thereon, means for arcuately indexing saidcollet assembly and means for effecting a limited lateral reciprocation of said collet assembly on said main frame guide in correlation with said indexing means; the combination therewith of power means suspended from said collet assembly for opening and closing said collet assembly comprising a fluid pressure responsive motor having a cylinder defining housing containing a reciprocable piston; means connecting said piston with the gripping portion of said collet including a rst ball and socket coupling portion eiective to provide Afor limited misalignment, a second rotary anti-friction coupling portion effective to permit arcuate indexing of said collet, means retaining said piston against arcuate ,movement during said indexing operation; an embracing housing assembly connecting said motor housing with said collet housing including a rst tubular collet adapter and a bell housing adapter disposed therebelow, a stop shoulder on said frame in normally spaced relation to the lower terminal of said bell housing, the operation of said piston in the collet opening direction being eiective to first bring said lower terminal portion of said bell housing into contact with said machine housing stop shoulder for the purpose of taking the thrust following which said collet is moved axially outwardly to open position, the reverse movement of said piston being effective to rst move said lbell housing in the opposite direction into axial engagement with said collet tubular-adapter for taking the thrust incident to drawing said collet into gear gripping position.

2. In a work piece shaping machine including means defining a main frame having a lateral guide thereon; means defining a work holding assembly including a guidable portion adapted to be supported on and guided by said main frame guide, and means for effecting lateral reciprocation of said work-holding assembly on said guide; means for arcuately indexing said assembly; the combination therewith of power means suspended from said assembly for operating the same to work engaging and disengaging position, said power means comprising apressure fluid responsive motor including a movable cylinder and a reciprocable piston therein, said reciprocatory movement of the piston being adapted to open and close said work holding assembly, flexible coupling means connecting said piston with said Work holding assembly whereby to provide for limited misalignment resulting from said reciprocation and arcuate indexing, tubular and bell members connecting said motor and work assembly and adapted to be moved by said cylinder, said bell member having a portion adjacent said main frame, whereby movement of the piston to open said work holding assembly will move said bell member to abut said main frame portion thereby to take up thrust incident to the opening of the work holding assembly by said motor.

3. In a gear cutting machine including a main frame, a gear holding collet mounted in said frame and having means to both arcuately index said collet and laterally reciprocate the same, the combination therewith of power means for operating said collet, said power means comprising a pressure fluid responsive motor including a movable cylinder and a reciprocable piston therein, a two-part housing assembly connecting said cylinder and said collet reciprocating means and arranged with one member adjacent said main frame, whereby movement of said piston to open said collet will move said one member into abutment with the main frame thereby to take up thrust incident to the opening of said collet by said piston, and means defining a flexible coupling connecting said piston with said collet, said nexible coupling means including a rst portion having a draw bar assembly one terminal of which is connected with said collet, the other terminal being in the form of a ball, a socket receiving said ball providing for limited misalignment; a second nexible coupling portion connecting said socket with said piston, said last named flexible coupling portion including roller bearings and providing for relative turning movement between said first coupling portion and said piston during indexing of said collet.

ANTON FELIN.

LOUIS J. MATTHEWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fellows Sept. 3, 1935 Number

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