US3279858A

US3279858A - Apparatus for operating on brush stocks

Info

Publication number: US3279858A
Application number: US429312A
Authority: US
Inventors: Parker Russell Henry Richard
Original assignee: J Evans and Son Portsmouth Ltd
Current assignee: J Evans and Son Portsmouth Ltd
Priority date: 1964-02-07
Filing date: 1965-02-01
Publication date: 1966-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-18
Also published as: GB1045023A

Description

Oct. 18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS 5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 INVEHTOE R. .R. PARVJER v BY mwwwmm Mm 1966 R. H. R. PARKER 3,279,358

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING 0N BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ILLI INVENTOE RJ-MR PARKER By -m lvou s A'r-roamgyg Oct. 18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 1, 1965 Iuvezu-roe R. H R. PARKER {Hawk bukukdhmkois AT-rozpaw 5 Oct. 18, 1966 R. HVR. PARKER 3,279,358

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fla. 7.

- Davao-roe R.H.R. PARKER BY Oct. 18, 1966 R. H. R. PARKER 3,279,858

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Filed Feb. 1, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ZOCI I NVENTOR RJ-LRPARKER BY A-r-rceuaws United States Patent 3,279,858 APPARATUS FOR OPERATING ON BRUSH STOCKS Russell Henry Richard Parker, Portchester, England, assignor to J. Evans & Son (Portsmouth) Limited, Portsmouth, England, a British company Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,312 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 7, 1964, 5,322/ 64 6 Claims. '(Cl. 300-11) This invention relates to apparatus for positioning and clamping brush stocks in a brush making machine. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus adapted automatically to feed brush stocks into operative position with respect to jaws adapted .to clamp them while the brush stock is operated on, for example, drilled or filled. The present invention provides apparatus for positioning and clamping a brush stock in a brush making machine comprising jaws for clamping the brush stock to be operated on by a filling or a drilling tool in the machine, means disposed rearwardly of the jaws for receiving a brush stock and a reciprocally mounted member automatically operable to feed the brush stock from said means to the jaws so as to be clamped thereby, the said means also serving as a support for the brush stock while it is filled or drilled.

The feeding means may comprise a piston operable by fluid under pressure in timed sequence to the operation of drilling, filling or other tools adapted to operate on the brush stocks such that at the completion of the said operation, the piston will be automatically actuated into its operative position to feed a brush stock into clamping engagement by the jaws, the new brush stock as it is fed being adapted to effect the ejection from the clamping jaws of a brush stock which has previously been operated on.

A magazine or hopper is preferably provided for automatically delivering brush stocks to means positioned rearwardly of the jaws when the reciprocating member is in its inoperative or retracted position.

The invention is particularly applicable fora continuous working brush making machine wherein drilling or filling tools are intermittently actuated to drill or fill brush stocks, the apparatus of the present invention serving to feed the brush stocks into clamping engagement by the jaws at the end of a cycle of operations of the stools to complete the drilling or filling of the brush stock.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation, in side elevation, of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line AA of FIGURE 1, showing the feed means in the forward operative position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the feed means in a rearward inoperative position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view, partly in section, taken on line AA of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line BB of FIG- URE 5; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view on line CC of FIG URE 4.

In FIGURES 4 to 8, parts of the apparatus corresponding to those illustrated in FIGURES l to 3 are given similar reference numerals with distinguishing indices.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, the

3,279,858- Patented Oct. 18, 1966 apparatus comprises a support in the form of block 1, having a plate 2, secured as by bolts 3, to its front face. Slide bars 4 are slidably mounted in the plate 2, one end of each bar projecting outwardly of one end of the plate and being connected by a bridge piece 5. Each bar 4 has a jaw 6 secured thereto, the jaws being in opposed relation and adapted to cooperate with a stationary jaw 7 to clamp a toothbrush indicated by a which is to be drilled or filled. The jaws 6 are urged towards the stationary jaw 7 by springs 8 extending between the bridge piece 5 and the plate 2 so that the brush stock is clamped by the jaws 6 extending into a reduced neck portion of the brush handle so as to engage the inner end of the head. The arms which carry the jaws 6 are urged towards the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, and accordingly the jaws urge the outer end of the head of the brush stock against the fixed jaw 7.

The block 1 is formed with

stepped bores

9, 10, housing stepped portion-s of a piston 11, which portions of the pistons have O-rings 12, for forming a seal with the wall of the respective cylindrical bores.

The rear end of the bore 9 is closed by an end plate 13 formed with a port 14 for connection to a fluid pressure supply line. A second port 15 is formed in the side wall of the block 1 opening into the bore 9 adjacent the bore 10.

The piston 11 is machined to provide an extension 11a, having an axially extending bolster 16. The extension 11a is formed with

flat surfaces

17, 18, which extend through a suitably shaped aperture in a plate 19, so that the extension is slidable in the aperture when the piston is reciprocated, the flat surfaces co-operating with the edges of the aperture in the plate 19 to prevent rotation of the piston.

A recess 20 is provided at the inner or rear face of the clamping jaws, and a magazine or hopper comprising laterally spaced channel-

shaped guides

21, 22, is provided extending vertically of the block 1, the lower ends of the guides extending into the recess 20, and terminating in spaced relation to a stop plate 23, which extends forwardly of the bolster 16.

It will be understood that the apparatus described will be mounted in a brush making machine including drilling and/or filling tools adapted to be intermittently actuated to drill or fill brush stocks.

In the embodiment illustrated, it is assumed that predrilled brush stocks are to be filled with tufts of bristles, and accordingly in use, the magazine will be loaded with predrilled brush stocks a which will be supported by the

channel guides

21, 22, in superposed relation. When the apparatus is to be started up, a brush stock will be loaded between the jaws by hand. To permit this loading, manually applied pressure is exerted on the bridge piece 5 to move it inwardly, against the action of the springs 8, towards the adjacent end of the plate 2. This movement of the bridge piece is transmitted to the bars 4 carrying the jaws 6 and they are accordingly displaced further away from the fixed jaw 7 to permit the handle of the brush stock to be positioned in engagement with the fixed jaw. The narrow neck portion of the handle of the brush adjacent the head, will be positioned between the jaws 6 and when the bridge piece 5 is released, the springs 8 will return it to the position indicated in FIGURE 1 wherein, as shown, the jaws 6 will resiliently engage the inner end of the head adjacent the neck and urge the outer end of the head against the fixed jaw 7. At the starting up of the apparatus, the piston 11 will be in its inward operative position as indicated in FIGURE 2, and it will be held in this position by fluid pressure supplied through the port 14 so that the bolster will engage the back of the brush stock to support it while it is being filled.

Suitable mechanism in the machine automatically initiates the operation of the filling tool to insert tufts in the predrilled holes in the brush stock, and at the end of the cycle of operations necessary to complete the filling of a brush stock, fluid under pressure is admitted to the port 15, and port 14 opened to exhaust so that the piston is withdrawn to its rearward inoperative position as indicated in FIGURE 3, wherein it will be noted that the free end of the bolster is retracted clear of the recess 20, and the stop plate 23 extends transversely of the recess to receive the next brush stock which drops by gravity on to the plate. Fluid pressure is now admitted to the port 14, and the port 15 opened to exhaust so that the piston is moved forwardly and the bolster will engage the brush stock resting on the stop plate 23, and feed it forwardly. During this feeding movement the free end of the plate 23 will slide into a gap under the head of the brush stock which is already clamped by the jaws until the front face of the brush stock being fed abuts the rear face of the brush stock clamped by the jaws. Continued forward movement of the piston 11 will causethe new brush stock to push the old brush stock forwardly through the jaws so that it is eventually ejected and its place taken by the new brush stock. It will be noted that the relative position of the jaws 6 cannot vary so long as part fore be ejected. At this time the new brush stock will be fully positioned between and clamped by the jaws 6. It will be understood that the surfaces of the fixed and movable jaws will be smooth to permit the displace- :ment of the old brush stock through the jaws by the new brush stock. The forward movement of the piston is limited by the piston engaging the plate 19. The newly clamped brush stock is filled by the filling tool and the cycle of operations repeated.

In order to accommodate brush stocks of different length, the stationary jaw 7 is mounted to enable it to be adjusted longitudinally of the plate 2. For example, it may be mounted on a member slidable in a recess in the plate 2, and clamped in adjusted position by a bolt 7a. For the same reason the channel guide 21 is mounted for adjustment towards and away from the channel guide 22. As shown, the guide 21 is provided with a laterally extending arm 24 slidable in a slot in a member 25, the arm being adapted to be clamped by a screw or bolt 26.

As illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 8, the apparatus comprises a block 1a having a plate 2a secured to its front face.

Arms

27, 28 are mounted on the rear face of the plate 2a so as to pivot about pins 27a, 28a. The arm 27 has an extension 29 at one end projecting laterally of the plate 2a, and the other end is formed with a portion 30 which comprises one of two opposed movable jaws. A spring 31 is provided serving to pivot the arm 27 to urge the movable jaw 30 towards the opposed movable jaw 32 which is formed on the adjacent end of the arm 28. A spring (not shown) which is similar to the spring 31 is provided for pivoting the arm 28. Accordingly, the jaws are resiliently urged towards one another but are capable of relative outward movement away from one another.

As in the first embodiment, the block 1a is formed with stepped bores 9a, 10a housing stepped portions 11x, 11y of a piston.

The rear end of the bore 9 is closed by an end plate 13a and ports 14a, 15a are provided in the side wall of the block respectively communicating with the inner and outer faces of the head 33 of the piston. Fluid under pressure is adapted to be supplied to the ports through

connections

34, 35.

The forward end of the portion 11y of the piston has an axially extending bolster 16a, and the portion 11y is formed with

flat faces

17a, 18a extending through a suitably shaped aperture in a plate 19a so that the portion 11y is slidable in the aperture but cahnot rotate.

A recess 20a is provided at the rear of the plate 2a and the jaws carried thereby and a magazine or hopper is provided for feeding brush stocks into the recess. As shown, the hopper comprises a pair of substantially parallel spaced vertically extending guide plates 21a, a similar pair of guide plates 22a, and end

members

36, 37. The pair of plates 21a is spaced laterally of the pair of plates 22a and the plates of each pair are spaced to define slots for guiding the brush stocks. The end member 36-is adjustably connected to a guide plate 21a by tie rods 38, and an arm 39 is slidably mounted in a slot in a support 40, the inner end of the arm 39 being secured to the end member 36. When the locking nuts on the tie rods are released, the end member 36 can be adjusted towards or away from the end member 37 by sliding the arm 39 in its slot so as to increase or decrease the effective width of the hopper as defined by the

end members

36 and 37. The arm 39 is locked in-adjusted position by a grub screw 39a.

The guide plates 22a are attached to slotted brackets 37a by screws 37b, the end member 37 extending through the slots in the brackets. The brackets 37a are slidably supported on transversely extending

rails

41, 41a, 41b so as to be adjustable lengthwise thereof for increasing or decreasing the effective width of the hopper, the brackets being clamped in adjusted position by screws 42. It will be understood that the brush stocks will-be guided in the slots in the

guide plates

21a, 22a, and that the opposite ends of the brush stocks will abut the

end members

36, 37. As the axial length of the brushes may vary, the effective length of the hopper can be adjusted to accommodate different size brushes by adjusting either or both the said

end members

36, 37.

The rails are pivotally supported on a vertically extending rod 43, and the free-end of the rod 41a is provided with an aperture through which extends the shank of a bolt 44, the shank extending into an arcuate-shaped slot 45 in a plate 46. This arrangement permits the guide plates 22a and end member 37 to be pivoted about the rod 43 in a horizontal plane to position the said parts in angularly disposed relation to the guide plates 21a and end member 36, the parts being clamped in adjusted position by the bolt 44. This pivotal adjustment is desirable Where the brush stocks, for example, for a tooth-brush, have tails which extend at an angle to the head which is to be drilled or filled.

At the starting up of the brush making machine, the piston will be in the position indicated in FIGURE 8, and it is held in that position by fluid under pressure admitted through the port 14a acting on the outer face of the piston head 33. Before the machine starts operating, a number of predrilled brush stocks will be loaded into the hopper and it will be understood that it will be necessary to position the first brush stock in the clamping jaws by hand. To facilitate this, the extension 29 of the arm 27 is pivoted downwards about the pivot'27a so as to move the jaw 30 away from the jaw 32 to provide space to permit the insertion of the brush stock. When inserted, the end of the head of the brush stock will be in abutment with the fixed jaw 71;, and the opposed

movable jaws

30, 32 will resiliently engage opposed surfaces of the tail adjacent the head. The bolster 16a is positioned in abutment with the back of the brush stock so that the latter is securely clamped and supported during the filling operation.

When the machine is started up, mechanism in the machine automatically effe-ct-s the operation of the filling tool (not shown) to insert tufts of bristles into the predrilled holes in the brush stock. At the completion of a cycle of operations to complete the filling of a brush stock, an automatically controlled valve permits the supply of fluid under pressure through the connection 35 and port a to the inner face of the piston head 33, and simultaneously fluid under pressure acting on the outer face of the head is exhausted so that the piston will be retracted into a position wherein the bolster is withdrawn from the recess a, leaving the support plate 23a extending into the recess beneath the hopper to receive the next brush stock which falls by gravity from the hopper.

The control valve is then automatically operated to supply fluid under pressure to the outer face of the piston head and exhaust the fluid pressure acting on the inner face so that the piston is moved forwardly towards the jaws. The end face of the bolster 16a engages the brush stock and feeds it forwardly until the front face of the new brush stock engages the rear face of the one that has just been filled and displaces it forwardly relative to the jaws until it is finally ejected, the new brush stock being then positioned and clamped by the jaws. As more particularly illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, an arm 47 is attached to and extends laterally of the bolster 16a and has a cranked end 48 adapted to engage a portion of the brush stock spaced from the head as the brush stock is fed to the clamping jaws. The arm 47 accordingly serves to maintain the brush stock in parallel relation to the jaws and prevents any tendency for the tail of the brush stock to tilt as it is fed forwardly.

When the filled brush stock is ejected from the jaws, it is deflected downwardly by the curved deflector 50 and falls into a suitable container. A hook-shaped projection 51 provides an abutment which is struck by the tail of the brush stock when it is ejected from the jaws and this ensures that the brush stocks drop substantially vertically into the container.

It will be understood that the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 may also be provided with a deflector and an abutment such as 50 and 51, and further the bolster 16 of FIGURES 1 to 3 may also be provided with a guide arm such as 47.

Further, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, the guide plate 22 of the hopper may be adjustable to vary the effective width of the hopper and it may be mounted for pivotal movement similar to the guide plates 22a of the hopper illustrated in FIGURES 4 to 6. Still further the jaw 711 may be adjustable in a similar manner to the jaw 7 of FIGURES 1 to 3.

While both embodiments of the invention have been particularly described for filling tooth brush stocks, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to drilling such brush stocks or for drilling or filling other types of brush stocks.

It will be understood that in both embodiments after the apparatus has been initially loaded by positioning a brush stock between the clamping jaws, the apparatus operates continuously to feed new brush stocks into clamping engagement by the jaws in timed sequence to the operation of the filling tool so that a new brush stock is fed and clamped during the pause between successive operations of the tool.

Brush making machines may include any desired number of either of the apparatus described, each associated with a tool for operating on the brush stocks. For exexample, it may include one or more pieces of apparatus for feeding undrilled brush stocks to a drilling tool, and one or more adapted to feed pre-drilled brush stocks to a filling tool.

for receiving a brush I claim:

1. A workholder assembly for a brush making machine comprising a base, fixed and movable jaws mounted on said base for clamping a brush stock, a piston slidable in a portion of said base spaced from said jaws, a loading chamber in said base located in a portion of the base between said jaws and said piston, a brush stock support carried by said piston and extending into said loading chamber for supporting therein a brush stock to be fed to said jaws and means for reciprocating said piston while a brush stock is clamped between said jaws to move the support between a loading position in said loading chamber and a feeding position wherein a brush stock supported on said support is forced between said jaws, said assembly being open on the side of said jaws opposite said piston so that as the brush stock positioned on said support is moved from said loading position to said feeding position, the brush stock on said support engages, displaces, and finally ejects to said open side the brush stock initially clamped between said jaws, said jaws being operative on the ejection of the brush stock to clamp the newly fed brush stock.

2. A workholder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein an abutment is provided on said support which, when said support is in its feeding position, prevents the return movement of the brush stock towards the said loading chamber.

3. A workholder asembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a magazine extends into said loading chamber for feeding brush stocks on to said support.

4. A workholder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a deflector arm is provided on said base adjacent to said jaws to deflect a brush stock outwardly as it is ejected from between said jaws.

5. In a brush making machine, a workholder for a brush stock, a fixed jaw and a yieldable jaw on said workholder for clamping a brush stock, means for feeding brush stocks between said jaws and simultaneously ejecting a brush stock clamped thereby comprising a feeder device, an abutment on said feeder device, means for reciprocating said feeder device between a brush stock receiving position spaced from said jaws and a feeding position wherein said abutment is closely adjacent said jaws, the feeder device in moving into said feeding position serving to cause said abutment to force the brush stock being fed between said jaws whereby it engages, displaces and finally ejects a brush stock initially clamped between said jaws.

6. A workholder assembly for a brush making machine comprising a base, fixed and movable jaws mounted on said base for clamping a brush stock, means for feeding brush stocks between said jaws so as to engage, displace, and finally eject a brush stock already clamped thereby, said means comprising a piston and a brush stock support mounted on said piston, means for reciprocating said piston to move the support between a loading position stock to be fed and a feeding position wherein said piston forces the brush stock being fed between said jaws thereby to engage, displace and finally eject a brush stock initially clamped by said jaws.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A WORKHOLDER ASSEMBLY FOR A BRUSH MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A BASE, FIXED AND MOVABLE JAWS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR CLAMPING A BRUSH STOCK, A PISTON SLIDABLE IN A PORTION OF SAID BASE SPACED FROM SAID JAWS, A LOADING CHAMBER IN SAID BASE LOCATED IN A PORTION OF THE BASE BETWEEN SAID JAWS AND SAID PISTON, A BRUSH STOCK SUPPORT CARRIED BY SAID PISTON AND EXTENDING INTO SAID LOADING CHAMBER FOR SUPPORTING THEREIN A BRUSH STOCK TO BE FED TO SAID JAWS AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PISTON WHILE A BRUCH STOCK IS CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID JAWS TO MOVE THE SUPPORT BETWEEN A LOADING POSITION IN SAID LOADING CHAMBER AND A FEEDING POSITION WHEREIN A BRUSH STOCK SUPPORTED ON SAID SUPPORT IS FORCED BETWEEN SAID JAWS, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING OPEN ON THE SIDE OF SAID JAWS OPPOSITE SAID PISTON SO THAT AS THE BRUSH STOCK POSITIONED ON SAID SUPPORT IS MOVED FROM SAID LOADING POSITION TO SAID FEEDING POSITION, THE BRUSH STOCK ON SAID SUPPORT ENGAGES, DISPLACES, AND FINALLY EJECTS TO SAID OPEN SIDE THE BRUSH STOCK INITIALLY CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID JAWS, SAID JAWS BEING OPERATIVE ON THE EJECTION OF THE BRUSH STOCK TO CLAMP THE NEWLY FED BRUSH STOCK.