Machine for assembling reels and the like
AssigneeThe Wickes Corporation
InventorRoane C. Noel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for assembling reels and the like having a conveyor adapted to transport a predetermined number of segments disposed in side-by-side relation to an assembly position, a pair of substantially circular guide frames mounted in substantially coaxial alignment transversely of the conveyor in the assembly position in receiving relation to segments borne by the conveyor, and a mechanism for retention of the segments in side-by-side relation and in engagement with the guide frames to cause the segments to assume a substantially cylindrical configuration within the guide frames.
Claims23
A machine for arranging a plurality of articles, disposed in abutted series relation defining a leading article and a trailing article, in a substantially cylindrical configuration and the articles have surfaces formed facingly to engage the corresponding surfaces of adjacent articles in said configuration, the machine comprising guide means having a substantially circular frame defining the substantially cylindrical configuration oriented about a substantially horizontal axis for guiding said surfaces of the articles into facing engagement during arranging of the articles in said configuration resisting gravitational displacement of the articles from said configuration and the guide means having a portion thereof pivotal inwardly of the frame to form an article admitting passage;
- means associated with the guide means for engaging the trailing article and conveying said articles in the guide means into said configuration, and said conveying means defines a substantially horizontal plane substantially tangent to the interior of the circular frame at a point spaced from the pivotal portion of the frame a distance sufficient to have the trailing article still engaged by the conveying means when received within the frame maintaining said abutted series relation of the articles and the pivotal portion of the frame is substantially simultaneously gravitationally pivotal downwardly subsequent to passage of the trailing article therethrough to position the leading article, then rested thereon, in side-by-side relation with said trailing article to complete the substantially cylindrical configuration forming a contiguous unit restrained against gravitational displacement within the frame;
- and means for engaging the leading article to resist conveyance of the articles in the guide means to retain said articles in the abutted series relation in the guide means.
A machine for assembling reels which have primarily a pair of substantially flat flange portions interconnected by a substantially cylindrical portion consisting of a plurality of segments extended longitudinally of the cylindrical portion, the machine comprising a main frame;
- a conveyor assembly, adapted to receive said segments in side-by-side relation thereon, mounted on the main frame and having a pusher adapted for movement to and from predetermined retracted and advanced positions;
- a pair of guide frames mounted on the main frame in substantially coaxial alignment defining a substantially cylindrical configuration extending transversely of the conveyor assembly adjacent to the advanced position of the pusher;
- means for admitting said segments to the interior of the guide frames dimensioned to receive all of said segments within the guide frames substantially simultaneously with the pusher reaching the advanced position;
- means for retaining said segments in side-by-side relation and in engagement with the guide frames during movement therewithin to cause the segments to assume the substantially cylindrical configuration of the guide frames;
- and means for individually mounting said flange portions in substantially coaxial alignment with and individually outwardly of respective guide frames for movement to and from advanced positions in juxtaposition to their respective guide frames to mount said flange portions on the segments.
A machine for arranging a plurality of articles, disposed in abutted series relation defining a leading article and a trailing article, in a preselected configuration and having surfaces formed facingly to engage the corresponding surfaces of adjacent articles in the preselected configuration, the machine comprising guide means including a substantially circular frame having a portion thereof pivotal inwardly of the frame to form an article admitting passage;
- conveying means, defining a substantially horizontal plane substantially tangent to the interior of the circular frame at a point spaced from the pivotal portion of the frame a predetermined distance, for engaging the trailing article and conveying said articles into the guide means through said article admitting passage and into said preselected configuration;
- and means for engaging the leading article to resist conveyance of the articles to retain the articles in said abutted series relation during conveyance by the conveying means about the interior of the frame and into said preselected configuration.
A machine for assembling structures composed of a plurality of segments disposed in a preselected configuration and united with members endwardly connected to the segments, the machine comprising a guide frame having a concave surface defining the preselected configuration;
- means associated with the guide frame for conveying said plurality of segments disposed in side-by-side abutting relation on to the concave surface of the guide frame while holding said segments in abutting relation to be guided by said guide frame into the preselected configuration;
- and means for conveying said members into endward engagement with the segments.
A machine for arranging a plurality of articles, disposed in abutted series relation to provide a leading article and a trailing article, in a preselected configuration, the machine comprising a guide frame having a concave surface dimensioned and proportioned to define the preselected configuration;
- means associated with the guide frame for engaging the trailing article and conveying said articles along said surface and into the preselected configuration;
- and means for engaging the leading article and resisting conveyance of the articles in the guide frame to retain said articles in the abutted series relation on said surface.
A machine for assembling a multiplicity of elongated elements having opposite ends in side-by-side orientation circumscribing an axis and applying securing means to common ends of the elements in said orientation to secure said elements in such orientation comprising:
- A. means defining a track having a receiving station adapted to receive said elements in side-by-side relation transversely of the track and an orientating station continuous with the receiving station and in circumscribing relation to said axis;
- B. means for advancing said elements along the track from the receiving station to the orienting station at which said elements conform to the track and ends of the elements disposed in a common direction axially of the axis are accessible;
- and
- C. means for mounting the securing means on the accessible ends of the elements at the orienting station to secure said elements in assembled relation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.