US 5,507,683 AGranted

Particle blasting machine

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorsJohn M. Holm, Robert K. Paternoga, Aaron D. Bean

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Abstract

A particle blasting machine for deburring articles includes first, second, and third conveyors, first and second positioning elements, particle abrading apparatus and first and second ejecting elements. Articles are automatically ejected from the second conveyor onto the first conveyor and move in contact with the first positioning element. The second positioning element then moves into contact with the article initiating operation of the particle abrading element. The deburred article is then ejected by the second ejecting element onto the third conveyor.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A particle blasting machine for deburring an article, comprising:

first and second adjacent conveyors each having a longitudinal axis, first and second end portions, a middle portion and being adapted for respectfully moving articles therealong;
a first ejecting element positioned adjacent the first conveyor and being adapted to intermittently, controllably move an article from the second (first) conveyor onto the first conveyor;
a first positioning element positioned adjacent the second end portion of the first conveyor;
a second positioning element positioned on the first conveyor at a preselected location spaced from the first positioning element and directed toward the first positioning (apparatus) element, said second positioning element being movable between a first position spaced from a (the) pathway of an article moving on the first conveyor in a direction toward the first positioning element and a second position at which the second positioning element is located in said pathway and in contact with an article positioned between the first and second positioning elements;
a particle abrading element associated with one of the first and second positioning elements and being adapted to forcibly deliver abrading particles against an article;
a (an) second ejecting element positioned at the middle portion of the first conveyor and being adapted to intermittently, controllably remove (move) an article from the first conveyor;
and
a controller (controlling apparatus) connected to the (article source), ejecting elements, positioning elements and particle abrading apparatus, and being adapted to (actuate the article source in response to actuation of the second ejecting element,) actuate the second positioning element to move from first to the second position in response to initial contact of an article with the first positioning element and initiate operation of the particle abrading apparatus in response to contact of the article with the first positioning element, terminating operation of the particle abrading apparatus in response to passage of a pre-selected period of time, actuating the second positioning element apparatus for movement from the second to the first position in response to terminating operation of the particle abrading apparatus and actuating the second ejecting element in response to movement of the second positioning element toward the first position.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A particle blasting machine for deburring an article, comprising:

first and second adjacent conveyors each having a longitudinal axis, first and second end portions, a middle portion and being adapted for respectfully moving articles therealong;
a first ejecting element positioned adjacent the first conveyor and being adapted to intermittently, controllably move an article from the second (first) conveyor onto the first conveyor;
a first positioning element positioned adjacent the second end portion of the first conveyor;
a second positioning element positioned on the first conveyor at a preselected location spaced from the first positioning element and directed toward the first positioning (apparatus) element, said second positioning element being movable between a first position spaced from a (the) pathway of an article moving on the first conveyor in a direction toward the first positioning element and a second position at which the second positioning element is located in said pathway and in contact with an article positioned between the first and second positioning elements;
a particle abrading element associated with one of the first and second positioning elements and being adapted to forcibly deliver abrading particles against an article;
a (an) second ejecting element positioned at the middle portion of the first conveyor and being adapted to intermittently, controllably remove (move) an article from the first conveyor;
and
a controller (controlling apparatus) connected to the (article source), ejecting elements, positioning elements and particle abrading apparatus, and being adapted to (actuate the article source in response to actuation of the second ejecting element,) actuate the second positioning element to move from first to the second position in response to initial contact of an article with the first positioning element and initiate operation of the particle abrading apparatus in response to contact of the article with the first positioning element, terminating operation of the particle abrading apparatus in response to passage of a pre-selected period of time, actuating the second positioning element apparatus for movement from the second to the first position in response to terminating operation of the particle abrading apparatus and actuating the second ejecting element in response to movement of the second positioning element toward the first position.

5 more elements