GB628811A - Improvements in workpiece transfer mechanism for automatic lathes and other machine tools - Google Patents

Abstract

628,811. Work transfer mechanism for lathes. JONES & LAMSON MACHINE CO. April 5, 1946, No. 10615. Convention date, April 6, 1945. [Class 83 (iii)] Work transfer mechanism for lathes and other machine tools comprises two pairs of parallel bars spaced apart on opposite sides of a stationary pivot, each pair carrying a workengaging element and being movable lengthwise and pivotally on the pivot one of the pairs transferring work-pieces from a supply station to a tooling station while the other pair transfers work-pieces from the tooling station to a discharge station. A lathe of the " Fay '' type, Fig. 1, is provided with an overhead bracket 20, 21, adapted to carry the work-piece transfer mechanism. A fixed pivot 22 supports rotatable blocks 23, 24 provided with guide holes through which slide pairs of rods 25, 26. Each pair is connected by blocks 27, 28, Fig. 7, at the top and bottom ends respectively. The top ends act as abutments, adjustable setting screws, not shown, being actually provided for this purpose, limiting the projection of the lower ends which carry workpiece gripping fingers 31. The lower blocks are also secured to arms 125 which are pivoted at points 126, 116 and are connected to move together by a link 129 and bell-crank 128. The end 117 of the latter is connected to a push-rod 118 operated by a cam-shaft on the lathe to operate in timed relationship with the other motions of the machine. A work-piece is drawn from a feed-shoot 150 and transferred to the working position at the same time as a finished work-piece is taken from between the lathe centres and passed to a delivery shoot 151. In the simplest form of the invention for operating on cylindrical work-pieces 51, Fig. 9, these are brought into position on the centre line of the machine by the feeding mechanism and forced by the reciprocable tailstock centre 36 on to the headstock centre 35 where a workpiece is gripped by a pair of jaws 65, Fig. 10. The jaws are mounted eccentrically on pivots 67 and urged to grip the work by spring-loaded plungers 68. On completion of a work-piece an ejector 50, which also opens the jaws 65, is moved by a cam-operated rod 52 passing through the lathe spindle reciprocated in timed relation to the tailstock centre which moves back to the broken line position, Fig. 1a ; a work stripper 400 moves with the tailstock but is halted before the motion of the latter is complete by a plunger 403 contacting a stationary part 42 of the machine, and thus ensuring the work-piece is freed from the tailstock centre. Various modifications of these parts are described to suit other work-piece shapes. The gripping fingers of the transfer mechanism may be simple spring clips 31, Fig. 7, or may comprise spring-pressed pivoted dogs opened automatically by plunger mechanism when the work-piece is brought into the operative position.