Method and mechanism for constant-measure feed of rod materials
| Title: | Method and mechanism for constant-measure feed of rod materials |
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| Patent Number: | 4,350,033 |
| Publication Date: | September 21, 1982 |
| Appl. No: | 06/162,423 |
| Application Filed: | June 24, 1980 |
| Abstract: | A method for constant-measure feed of rod materials comprising a process for bringing a feed member fixed to conveyor into contact with the rear ends of rod materials and conveying the rod materials together with the feed member along guide by the conveyor, a process for causing the forward ends of the rod materials to abut against a movable stopper disposed in a normal position and further conveying the rod materials while holding the rod materials between the stopper and the feed member, and a process for sensing a movement of the stopper for a given distance from the normal position and stopping the conveying operation of the conveyor. |
| Inventors: | Ishihara, Masamitsu (Tagata-gun, Shizuoka-ken, JPX) |
| Claim: | What is claimed is |
| Claim: | 1. A method for constant-measure feed of rod materials comprising steps of |
| Claim: | bringing a feed member fixed to conveyor means into contact with the rear ends of rod materials and conveying said rod materials together with said feed member along guide means by said conveyor means; |
| Claim: | causing the forward ends of said rod materials to abut against a movable stopper disposed in a normal position and further conveying said rod materials while holding said rod materials between said stopper and said feed member; and |
| Claim: | sensing a movement of said stopper for a predetermined distance from said normal position and stopping said conveying operation of said conveyor means. |
| Claim: | 2. A constant-measure feed mechanism for rod materials comprising |
| Claim: | guide means containing and guiding rod materials; |
| Claim: | conveyor means moving along said guide means; |
| Claim: | a feed member fixed to said conveyor means and engaging the rear ends of said rod materials when said conveyor means is conveying said rod materials, whereby said rod materials being moved together with the feed member along said guide means; |
| Claim: | a stopper subjected to restoring force toward a normal position to be movably disposed in said normal position and moving against said restoring force while engaging the forward ends of said rod materials moving together with said feed member and while holding said rod materials between said stopper and said feed member; and |
| Claim: | sensor means for sensing a movement of said stopper for a predetermined distance from said normal position and stopping the conveying operation of said conveyor means. |
| Claim: | 3. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said sensor means includes a slider fixed to said stopper to move therewith, and at least one movable sensing member preset in accordance with a desired feed distance and sensing a passage of said slider to stop the conveying operation of said conveyor means. |
| Claim: | 4. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 3, wherein said sensing member is slidable along a scale on which the distance from a reference point for said stopper is marked. |
| Claim: | 5. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said sensor means further includes a plurality of sensing members, a light emitting element is attached to said slider, and a light receiving element is attached to each said sensing member. |
| Claim: | 6. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said guide means is large enough to contain and guide a number of rod materials at the same time, said conveyor means is disposed in parallel with said guide means, and said feed member is fixed to said conveyor means and extends into said guide means. |
| Claim: | 7. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said conveyor means is formed of an endless chain. |
| Claim: | 8. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 6, wherein said feed member has a pressure portion to cover part of said rod materials in said guide means, thereby preventing said rod materials from escaping upward. |
| Claim: | 9. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said stopper is coupled to the free end of a piston rod of a cylinder unit, and the restoring force of said stopper is controlled by letting as required a suitable working fluid flows into a pair of chambers divided by a piston head. |
| Claim: | 10. A constant-measure feed mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said stopper has a pressure portion to cover part of said rod materials engaging said stopper, thereby preventing said rod materials from escaping upward. |
| Claim: | 11. A bending machine comprising |
| Claim: | a constant-measure feed mechanism for rod materials including guide means containing and guiding rod materials, conveyor means moving along said guide means, a feed member fixed to said conveyor means and engaging the rear ends of said rod materials when said conveyor means is conveying said rod materials, whereby said rod materials are moved together with the feed member along said guide means, a stopper subjected to restoring force toward a normal position to be movably disposed in said normal position and moving against said restoring force while engaging the forward ends of said rod materials moving together with said feed member and while holding said rod materials between said stopper and said feed member, and sensor means for sensing a movement of said stopper for a predetermined distance from said normal position and stopping the conveying operation of said conveyor means; and |
| Claim: | a bending mechanism including a bending roller revolving around a bending guide to bend each said rod material at a predetermined angle and a slope capable of forcing up a bent portion of said rod material bent by said bending roller, said slope being so formed as to allow the bent portion forced up by said slope to pass over the rod materials in said guide means. |
| Claim: | 12. A bending machine according to claim 11, wherein said bending roller revolves around said bending guide along such a curve that a point of contact between said bending roller and each of said rod material may be a fixed point on said rod material. |
| Claim: | 13. A bending machine according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said bending mechanism further includes bending angle regulator means comprising a second shaft coupled with a first shaft by belt-like connecting means and rotating together with said first shaft, said first shaft being fixed on a swinging arm supporting said bending roller, at least one angle setter with angle graduations rotatably attached to said second shaft and partially protruding from a housing containing said first and second shafts so that said angle setter may be rotated from outside said housing, and sensor means including at least one first sensor attached to said angle setter and at least one second sensor attached to said second shaft and detecting by means of joint action of said first and second sensors the rotation of said second shaft from an initial position thereof for an angle preset by turning said angle setter, thereby stopping the rotation of said first shaft and restoring said first shaft to said initial position. |
| Claim: | 14. A bending machine according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of angle setters are attached to said second shaft at intervals along the axial direction of said second shaft, and said sensor means includes a plurality of first sensors attached severally to said angle setters and a plurality of second sensors fixed to said second shaft adjacently to their corresponding first sensors. |
| Claim: | 15. A bending machine according to claim 14, wherein the first and second sensors of said sensor means are each formed of either a light receiving member or a light emitting member, said light receiving and light emitting members aligning so that said light receiving member may receive light from said light emitting member, thereby detecting the rotation of said second shaft for the predetermined angle. |
| Claim: | 16. A bending machine according to claim 15, wherein the first and second sensors of said sensor means are each formed of either a switch or a switch operating member, so that the rotation of said second shaft for the predetermined angle may be detected by changing said switch by means of said switch operating member. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 72/24; 72/217; 72/428; 72/149 |
| Current International Class: | B21D 4326 |
| Patent References Cited: | 1512002 October 1924 Kardong 2627890 February 1953 Lloyd et al. 2956609 October 1960 Shaw, Jr. 3336776 August 1967 Zerlaut 3393543 July 1968 Van Gelder 3580023 May 1971 Merrill et al. 3766764 October 1973 Ross et al. 3974676 August 1976 Eaton |
| Primary Examiner: | Larson, Lowell A. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Schwartz, Jeffery, Schwaab, Mack, Blumenthal & Koch |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.04350033 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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