Automatically adjustable workpiece guide and feed mechanism

An adjustable feed mechanism for feeding workpieces to a centerless grinder wherein said grinder includes a work rest generally intermediate the circumferential grinding surface of a grinding wheel and a regulating wheel and wherein at least said work rest and regulating wheel are selectively adjustable toward and away from said grinding surface to accommodate variations in the grinding wheel dimensions, said feed mechanism comprising:

• means defining a workpiece flow path for grinding said workpieces in a desired orientation therein from a first end toward a second end spaced therefrom, said first end being cooperably associated with a workpiece supply area and said second end operably communicating with said work rest for feeding workpieces thereto;
• first mounting means adjacent said first end for supporting said first end while allowing selective movement of said workpiece flow path defining means generally laterally of the flow path defined thereby;
• second mounting means adjacent said second end for fixedly securing said second end for movement with said work rest, whereby said flow path is automatically moved generally laterally in response to generally lateral movement of at least said work rest toward and away from said grinding wheel grinding surface;
• and,
• wherein said flow path defining means comprises a pair of elongated spaced apart guide members defining said flow path therebetween and further includes movable conveyor means therebeneath for defining an elongated flow path bottom at least between said first and second ends, said conveyor means being generally stationarily mounted relative to said workpiece supply area in spaced and unconnected relationship to said guide members and said work rest with said guide members being movable generally laterally of said flow path bottom in response to generally lateral movement of said work rest.