Method and apparatus for grinding bars

Abstract

A method and apparatus for initially taking an individual bar from a supply of bars and placing it on an entry conveyor while preventing movement of the remaining bars. Other mechanisms are provided for adjusting the entry conveyor to accommodate the diameter of the bars to be ground. The individual bars to be ground are initially moved into position between a regulating wheel and a grinding wheel. The regulating wheel maintains the bar against the grinding wheel and the movement of the regulating wheel toward the grinding wheel during the grinding action is sensed by an encoder device. The encoder device in turn signals to a servomotor to move the grinding wheel an amount equal to but in the opposite direction to the regulating wheel to compensate for the wearing of the grinding wheel. The regulating wheel is set at a slight angle relative to the bar to impose a vector force that moves the bar through the grinding station to the exit conveyor from where the bar is subsequently moved to a holding area.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.