US2841283A - Automatic straightness gage - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1958 J. A. HOSFORD ETAL 2,841,283

AUTOMATIC STRAIGHTNESS GAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1955 INVENTORS JA. HOSFORD AL. HOUSE J E. LAPE MMQA ATZDR'N'EV July 1, 1958 J. A. HOSFORD ETAL 2,341,283

AUTOMATIC STRAIGHTNESS GAGE Filed April 4, 1955 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 4 7O COMPRE INVENTORS J. A. HOSFO/PD A. L. HOUSE JCLAP Mix ater 2 M283 Patented July 1, 1958 a ainst AUTGMATIC sraaronrnnss and Jean E. Lape, Coopersburg, Pa, a ern Electric Company, incorporated, i a corporation of New York Application Aprii 4, 1955, Serial No. 493 384 Claims. (Ci. 2G9F2} circuit is then energized and depending on whether or not the free end of the clamped article makes contact with one of the sensing members, the article is rejected or passed and sorted accordingly.

These and other features of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic gage according to the teachings of the invention with portions broken away to show the structural relationship of the parts;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the gage of Fig. 1 partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a view of the sensing elements and the clamping mechanism showing a warped article positioned therein, and

Fig. 4 is a schematic electrical and air control diagram for the gage.

As seen in the drawing, the device consists of a single article feed mechanism 2, a base member 3 for holding articles 5 in test position, a block 4 for a pair of sensing elements 7 and 8, air tubes 16 and 11 for ejecting tested articles from the device and plates 12 and 14 for deflecting ejected articles to reject and good sorting compartments respectively.

The single feed mechanism 2 is an air escapement device located in an article feed track 15 and consists of an upper and a lower air supply tube 17 and 18 through which air may be selectively applied to articles 5 in the feed track. The feed track 15 provides an inclined channel for articles 5 and is provided with a stepped portion 19 at its lower end formed by an upward slope in the top surface of the track so that when compressed air is directed through tube 18, an article 5 entering this lower portion of the track will be pushed into the step 19 and held there until the air jet from tube 18 is cut ofi at which time the article will fall back into the track and down into an extension 20 of the track in main member 3. To prevent more than one article from falling from the track at one time, compressed air is applied to tube 17 at the same time that the air jet is removed from tube 18 so .that an article dropping in front of tube 17 in the track will .be pushed against the lower wall thereof .to stop its downward travel. A thin slit 16 is provided in the top and bottom surfaces of the track to permit the air to escape from the track. This feed mech- 2 anism is operated once every time an article is tested in the gage and will be described in detail below.

The main base member 3 is bolted to a bench 21 and has a fixed article support and contacting member 22, a slotted guide shaft 23 for positioning articles fed through the track extension 20, a movable rubber clamping member 24 for holding articles 5 against the member 22 and cylinder actuators 25 and 26 for the guide shaft 23 and the clamping member 24 respectively. The bearing surface of support member 22 is slightly wider than the articles 5 and is connected to a test circuit by a Wire lead 27 attached thereto. The furcated end of shaft 23 extends on both sides of member 22 and serves as a removable portion of the article feed track. The furcated end of shaft 23 extends beyond the supporting surface of member 22 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the article 5 (Fig. 3). The shaft 23 is spring loaded to permit it to be moved back when member 24 is advanced to clamp an article 5 to the member 22. The guide shaft may be retracted when the article has been tested and one of the air tubes 10 or 11 mounted to the sides of the base member 3 is energized to permit the articles to be ejected.

The block 4 is electrically isolated from the base 3 by an insulating fiber spacer 29 and is connected to the test circuit by a Wire lead 30 attached thereto. The sensing elements 7 and 8 are mounted in block 4, the opposing sensing surfaces being separated a fixed amount as defined by the warpage tolerance established for the article so that only articles warped beyond the tolerance limit will contact one of the elements when clamped to the support 22. in base member 3. The rubber diaphragm 34 is held by a hollow cylindrical member 35 in the block 4 below and between the sensing elements 7 and 8.

A control circuit for auton aticaliy operating the device is disclosed in Pig. 4. in this circuit a series of cams ii, 22, &3 and 44 (not shown in their proper relative positions) are driven by a motor 45' to sequentially energize a plurality of solenoid operated air valves and a test circuit for single feeding, positioning, clamping, testing and ejecting articles. At the start of the cycle, the single feed mechanism is operated and the diaphragm 34 is infiated when cams 4!) and 42 close their contacts 47 and 4-8 which connect A. C. source 49 to the solenoid operated valves 59 and 51, respectively. In operating, valve 5d closes tube 18 and opens tube 17 to air supply tube 52 and valve 51 opens air chamber 35 to the supply tube 52. The article released by the single feed mechanism is channeled down through the guide shaft 23 to the inflated diaphragm 34. Next, cam 41 closes its contacts 53 which completes the energized circuit for solenoid operated valve 54 for air cylinder 26 which advances the clamping member 24, pushing the upper end of the article :5 against member 22. Cam 4i? then opens its contacts 17 to return valve 55 to its normal position whereby tube 3.7 is closed and tube is opened to permit the next article in the feed track to drop and be positioned in the step 19 of the single feed mechanism. Once the article is clamped, contacts 4% of cam 42 are opened de-energizing the solenoid controlled valve 51 to deflate the diaphragm 34. The test circuit is thereupon energized when cam 43 closes its contacts 56. The test circuit includes a conductive path which may be traced from the electrically isolated sensing elements 7 and 3 through lead 3% a highly sensitive relay 57 (may be an electronic type relay which is operable even with a high resistance in its energizing circuit) and energizing source 58 for the relay, the contacts 56, lead 27 and the upper support member 22. A bent article contacting either of the sensing elements 7 .153" its conta he guide shaft jet (tubeifior ll'respectively) is energized by,operation of solenoid controlled air valves 62 or 63 as determined by the non-operation or' operation respectively of relay 57' of the test circuit. The clamping memberid is then retracted when the air valve 54 is de-energized and the tested article is ejected by the energized air jet, being dcflected into an appropriate compartment or container (not shown) by'element 12 01- 14 Finally, at the end of the ' cycle contacts 56 and 59 are opened by earns 43 and 44 to tie-energize the test circuit and return the guide shaft ZStoisormal position'respectiyely and the device isready for the next cycle.

While the invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment 'for purposes of illustration, it will be understood'thatthe device could be modified in variousways in accordance with the general principles of the invention and the requirements of the particular conditions of use. For example, the air cylinder actuators 25 and 26 and the valves and 54 therefor may be replaced with solenoids to accomplish the same functions. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, a movable stop member for supporting one end'of articles fed thereagainst between the sensing elements, a fixed support member for the other end of the articles, means for clamping an article positioned on the movable stop to the fixed support member, means for'moving the stop from the end of an article'when it is clamped to the fixed support, and a series test circuit including electrical connections to the clamped end of an article and the sensing elements, oper able after the stop is removed from the end of a clamped article, for detecting contact between the article and the V sensing elements.

, 2. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements; a movable stop memher for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, means for single feeding the articles onto the stop member, a fixed support member for the other end of the articles, means operable after an article is fed onto the stop member for clamping the article'to the fixed support member, means for moving the stopfrom the end of an article when it is clamped to the fixed support, and a series test circuit including electrical connections to the clamped end of an article and 'the sensing elements, operable after the stop is removed fromthe end of a clamped article, for detecting contact .between the article and the sensing elements.

3. A straightness gage for rod like articles cornprising a pairof spaced sensing elements, a movable stop memher for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon be tween the sensing elements, a fixed support member for the other end of the articles, means for clamping an article resting on the movable stop to the fixed support member, means for moving the stop from the end of an article when it is clamped to the fixed support, a series test circuit including electrical connections to the clamped end of-an 'articlejand the sensing elements, operable after the stop is ber for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, means for single feeding the articles'onto the stop member, a'retractable guide member for positioning said one end of the articles .on

the stop member, a fixed support memberfo r the'other end of the articles, means fer clamping an article resting on the movable stop to the fixed'support member,.means for moving the stop from the end of an article when it is clamped to the fixed support; a series test circuit including electricalconnec tions tothe clamped end ofan article and the sensing elements, operable after the stop is removed from the end of a clamped article, for detecting contact between the article and the sensing elements, ejecting means controlled by the test circuit for sorting tested articles in accordance with the results of the test and means for retracting said guide memberafter an tested.

5. Astraightness gage for rod lilce articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, an inflatable stop men? ber for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements ..means for inflating the stop, means for feeding the. articles singly onto'thestop when the stop is inflated, a fixed support member forthe other end of the articles, means operable after an article I has been dropped'on the inflated stop for clamping the article to the fixed support member, means operable after the article is clamped for de-actuating the inflating means to deflate the resilient stop and a test circuit including the fixed support and the sensing elements, operable after the article is clamped and the. stop deflated, for detecting contact between the articles and the sensing elements.

6. In a straightness gage for rod like articles, means for supporting articles in a'test position, an inclined feed track for, the ,articlcs'and means for single feeding the articles from the track to the supportingmeans comprising a stepped portion in the. track, means for directing a first air stream across the track to push articles intorthe stepped portion means above the stepped portion for. directing a second air stream across the track to hold articles against 7 track for the articles and means for single feeding the ar t cles from the track to the supporting meanscomprising :a stepped portion in the track, means for. direeting a first air stream across the track. to push articles into the stepped portion, *means above. the stepped portion for directing a second air stream across-the'trackfto hold articles against a surface of the traclcand means for. alternately supplying compressed air to'f'the "air stream directing means whereby an article is discharged'from' the stepped portion whenever .the air is switched from' the first to the second air directing means. v 8. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, an air controlled move able stop .member for supporting one end of articles ropped thereon between the sensing elements, air con trolled means for single feeding the articles ontothe' stop, a fixed support member for the other end' of the articles, air-controlled means for clamping the articles to the fixed support member, a testcircuit including the fixed support and the sensing elements for detecting con-.

tact between the articles and the sensing elements, air controlled ejecting means'controlled bythe test circuit for sorting tested articles, a plurality of valves' for supplying air .to the air controlled means and means for sequentially operating the valves to successively move the stop member for supporting anarticle thereon, to

operate thesingle feed meansto drop an article onto the 1 stop, to operate thesclamping means, to. retract the stop,

and to supply air to the ejecting means, the test circuit being operable after the stop is retracted and before air is supplied to the ejecting means.

9. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, an air controlled movable stop member for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, air controlled means for single feeding the articles onto the stop, an air controlled retractable guide member for positioning said one end of the articles on the stop, a fixed support member for the other end of the articles, air controlled means for clamping the articles to the fixed support her, a test circuit including the fixed support member and the sensing elements for detecting contact between the articles and the sensing elements, air controlled eject ing means controlled by the test circuit for sorting tested articles, a plurality of valves for supplying air to the air controlled means and means for sequentially operating the valves to successively move the stop member for supporting an article thereon, to operate the single feed means to drop an article onto the stop, to operate the clamping means, to retract the stop, to retract the guide member and to supply air to the ejecting means, the test circuit being operable after the stop is retracted and before the guide member is retracted.

10. A straightness gage for rod like articles comprising a pair of spaced sensing elements, an air controlled movable stop member for supporting one end of articles dropped thereon between the sensing elements, air controlled means for single feeding the articles onto the stop, an air controlled retractable guide member for positioning said one end of the articles on the stop, a fixed support member for the other end of the articles, air controlled means for clamping the articles to the fixed support memher, a test circuit including the fixed support and the sensing elements for detecting contact between the articles and the sensing elements, air controlled ejecting means controlled by the test circuit for sorting tested articles, a plurality of solenoid operated air valves for supplying compressed air to the air controlled means, a source of operating potential for the solenoid values, an energizing source for the test circuit, a plurality of driven cams and contacts operable by the cams for sequentially energizing the solenoids and the test circuit to successively move the stop member for supporting an article thereon, to operate the single feed means to drop an article onto the stop, to operate the clamping means, to retract the stop, to energize the test circuit, to retract the guide member and to supply air to the ejecting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,795,287 Battome Mar. 10, 1931 2,505,283 Fenton Apr. 25, 1950 2,531,317 Baney et al Nov. 21, 1950 2,554,982 Hartley et a1. May 20, 1951 2,675,916 Caston et al Apr. 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 129,648 Australia Oct. 26, 1948 1,053,611 France Sept. 30, 1953

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