Glass cylinder subdividing apparatus and method

A high-production method of separating a multiplicity of identical elongated vitreous cylinders into cylinders of precisely predetermined shorter lengths, which method comprises:

• (a) rolling a multiplicity of identical, elongated vitreous cylinders sequentially along a support, in parallel relationship to each other,
• (b) employing at least several laterally-spaced power-operated grinder elements to effect separation of said cylinders, while they thus roll along said support, into shorter component cylinders the lengths of which are determined by the lateral spacing between said grinder elements, and
• (c) causing said component cylinders of each elongated cylinder to roll, as said separation step (b) progresses and at least until said separation step is fully completed, in the same positions relative to each other as they would have been in had said separation step not been performed,
• whereby said separation is effected entirely by grinding and not breaking.

A method of mass-producing subdivided vitreous cylinders, comprising:

• (a) frictionally gripping the exterior surface of an elongated vitreous cylinder between opposed parallel elements,
• said gripping being effected with force sufficiently great to prevent sliding or slipping of said cylinder, but insufficiently great to crush or damage said cylinder,
• (b) effecting relative movement of said elements parallel to each other and in such manner as to effect rolling of said cylinder,
• said relative movement of said elements causing said cylinder to roll in a predetermined direction,
• (c) providing at least several separating means in the path of said rolling cylinder, spaced along the axis of said cylinder, and adapted to subdivide said cylinder into a plurality of separated component cylinders, and
• (d) causing said rolling to continue until said separating means effect full subdividing of said cylinders.

A high-production method of subdividing elongated vitreous cylinders into relatively short component cylinders each having a substantially smooth end lying in a plane perpendicular to the cylinder axis, which method comprises:

• (a) providing a drive roller having an exterior cylindrical surface, and having a diameter much larger than that of the elongated cylinders to be subdivided,
• (b) providing a curved pressure means around a section of said exterior cylindrical surface, in outwardly-spaced parallel relationship relative to such section, thereby forming a curved space between said exterior surface and said pressure means,
• (c) disposing a plurality of elongated vitreous cylinders in said space, with their axes disposed in part of an imaginary cylinder which is concentric with said drive roller,
• (d) causing said pressure means and said roller to create pressure on those cylinders in said space, to thus create strong frictional gripping of said cylinders between said exterior cylindrical surface and said pressure means,
• (e) driving said drive roller to positively frictionally roll said cylinders through said space,
• (f) effecting separation of said cylinders at predetermined spaced points along said cylinders while said cylinders are in said space, and
• (g) supplying additional cylinders to said space for feeding therethrough and separating therein.

Apparatus for subdividing elongated cylinders into cylinders of shorter lengths, comprising:

• (a) separation means for engaging sequentially a plurality of elongated cylinders and separating each of said cylinders into at least several component cylinders of shorter lengths,
• said separation means including at least several separation elements spaced longitudinally of said cylinders, and
• (b) means for rolling elongated cylinders sequentially along a support,
• said rolling means comprising means for rolling at least several parallel cylinders along said support in line contact with each other,
• said rolling means preventing any relative movement between the component cylinders of each longer cylinder, immediately prior to and during the final stages of the separation operation, whereby the separation is effected entirely by said separation elements and not by breaking,
• the positional relationships being such that said separation means (a) and said rolling means (b) cooperate with each other to effect full separation of said cylinders into shorter cylinders,
• said rolling means not including any mandrels.

Apparatus for separating elongated vitreous cylinders into separate component cylinders of predetermined shorter lengths, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of grinding wheels mounted in laterally-spaced relationship relative to each other,
• (b) motor means to drive said wheels,
• (c) drive surface means adapted to support a plurality of elongated cylinders,
• (d) pressure means to engage the opposite sides of said plurality of cylinders,
• said drive surface means and said pressure means cooperating to squeeze said cylinders therebetween,
• (e) means to move said drive surface means to effect controlled, slip-free rolling of said cylinders between said drive surface means and said pressure means,
• said means (c) and (d) comprising means for effecting controlled rolling of several of said cylinders in parallel relationship and in line contact with each other, and
• (f) means to effect relative shifting of said wheels and said means (c) and (d) in order to bring the peripheral regions of said wheels into positions to separate said cylinders into shorter component cylinders while said cylinders are thus squeezed between said drive surface means and said pressure means,
• said means (c) and (d) being sufficiently large that said controlled rolling continues uninterruptedly at least until full completion of separation, whereby to prevent any movement of any component cylinder of any elongated cylinder, relative to any other component cylinder of such elongated cylinder, until full separation by said wheels has been achieved.

Apparatus for separating cylinders, both solid and hollow, into shorter component cylinders, comprising:

• (a) means to define at least a section of a cylindrical surface,
• the axis of said means (a) being stationary,
• (b) pressure means spaced outwardly from said cylindrical section,
• said means (a) and said pressure means cooperating with each other to squeeze said cylinders between said cylindrical section and said pressure means, with the axes of said cylinders parallel to the axis of said cylindrical section,
• said pressure means being flexible and being curved around said cylindrical section,
• (c) means to apply tension to said pressure means and thus effect said squeezing of said cylinders,
• (d) a plurality of separation means spaced along said cylinders and located to separate said cylinders into component cylinders while they are thus squeezed between said cylindrical section and said pressure means, and
• (e) means to effect relative rotational movement between said cylindrical section and said pressure means to thus effect positive, slip-free rolling of said cylinders therebetween, in the absence of any mandrels and with said cylinders in line contact with each other.

Apparatus for effecting precision subdividing of elongated glass cylinders, both hollow and solid, into component cylinders of predetermined shorter lengths, comprising:

• (a) a power-driven drive roller having a generally cylindrical exterior portion adapted to sequentially engage and grip the exterior surfaces of said glass cylinders,
• (b) flexible means bent partially around said exterior portion, and cooperating therewith to bring large pressure to bear on those cylinders disposed between said flexible means and the opposed portions of said exterior surface,
• said means (a) and (b) cooperating with each other to effect positive slip-free rolling of said cylinders in the space between said drive roller and said exterior surface,
• (c) a supply hopper adapted to hold said cylinders in parallel relationship to each other and to said cylinders,
• said hopper being open at the bottom to feed said cylinders into said space, in response to driving of said drive roller by a motor means, and
• (d) at least several power-driven grinding wheels mounted for high-speed rotation adjacent said space, with the peripheral portions of said wheels in said space for grinding and thus subdividing said cylinders into discrete component cylinders as they roll through said space.