Lapping machine

May 31, 1955

2,709,321

H. S. INDGE

LAPPING MACHINE

Filed March 14, 1951

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Tftf&amp;Ctor

Herbert s. Indge

J fiC-torRcy

May 31, 1955

2,709,321

Filed March 14, 1951

H. S. INDGE

LAPPING MACHINE

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2709321A_D0002.tif" />

H. S. INDGE

LAPPING MACHINE

May 31, 1955

Filed March 14, -1951

2,709,321

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2709321A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US2709321A_D0004.tif" />

<img file="US2709321A_D0005.tif" />

iKVeifCoY

Herbert S. Ind6e

At-coY/iey

United States Patent Office „ 2,709321

Patented May 31, 1955

2,709,321

LAPPING MACHINE

Herbert S. Indge, Westboro, Mass., assignor to Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts

Application March 14,1951, Serial No. 215,438

Claims. (Ci. 51—118)

This invention relates to lapping machines and more particularly to a lapping machine for lapping surfaces on opposite sides of a shoulder or flange on a workpiece.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practical lapping machine for simultaneously lapping a plane shouldered surface on one side of a flanged portion of a workpiece and to simultaneously lap a plane face on the opposite side thereof. Another object is to provide a lapping machine for lapping opposite plane faces on a flanged portion of a workpiece. Another object of the invention is to provide a lapping machine with a pair of spaced rotatable concentric planefaced lapping annuli for lapping a shouldered face on a workpiece and an opposed lapping wheel arranged to simultaneous!}' lap a plane surface on the opposite side of said flanged portion. Another object of the invention is to provide a lapping machine having a pair of opposed lapping elements each of which comprises a pair of spaced rotatable concentric plane-faced lapping annuli for simultaneously lapping opposite shouldered faces on a flanged portion of a workpiece. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, and arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various embodiments of the mechanical features of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved lapping machine, having parts broken away and shown in section to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1, of the cages and the driving mechanism therefor, together with the lower lapping wheel;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken approximately on the line 3—3 of Figure 2, through the lapping wheels and one of the work cages showing the relationship of the lapping wheels, the work cage and the workpiece being lapped;

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary sectional view showing a modified construction for use in lapping opposite faces of a shoulder on a workpiece; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic system.

A lapping machine has been illustrated in the drawings comprising a base 19 which rotatably supports a lower lapping w'heel 11. The base 10 also supports an upwardly extending column 12 having an outwardly extending horizontal portion 13 which rotatably supports a vertical spindie 14. The spindle 14 carries an upper lapping wheel 15 which is connected to the spindle 14 by means of a supporting plate 16. Power may be. obtained from any suitable source, such as an overhead drive shaft or an electric motor mounted on the machine. For the sake of illustration, a belt drive has been shown, com2 prising a driving belt 20 which serves to rotate a pulley 21. The inner portion of the pulley 21 is formed as one part of a cone clutch 22. A slidable cone clutch member 23 serves to cooperate therewith to permit the power 5 from the driving belt 20 to be readily connected and disconnected. The pulley 21 is rotatably supported on a horizontally extending shaft 24 which is supported in beaiings 2c. 26, 27, 28 and 29 in the base 10. The clutch member 23 is slidably keyed on the shaft 24. When the jO clutch member 23 is in the full line position as indicated in Fig. 1, no power is transmitted to the shaft 24. When it is desired to rotate the shaft 24, the cone clutch member 23 is moved toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, into engagement with the cone clutch member 22 within 15 ^the pulley 21 so as to cause a rotation of the shaft 23.

in order that the clutch may be readily actuated from the operating position adjacent to the front of the machine, a pivotally mounted control lever 30 is supported on a stud 31 on the base 10. The lower end of the lever 30 2o is connected by a pin 32 with a link 33. The link 33 is connected by means of a slide rod 34 supported in bearings 35 and 36 with a yoked member 37. The yoked member 37 engages a groove 38 formed in a hub 39 on tne clutch member 23. It will be readily apparent from 05 the foregoing disclosure that by movement of the control lever in a counterclockwise direction, the clutch member 23 may be thrown into engagement with the clutch member 22 so as to cause a rotation of the shaft 24. A spring pressed roller 40 cooperates with an arrow point 41 on ₃₀ the yoked member 37 and serves to hold the clutch member 23 either engaged or disengaged with the clutch member 22.

In order that the shaft 24 may be stopped quickly when the clutch is disengaged, a brake is provided comprising 35 a brake disc 42 which is operatively connected to the clutch member 23 and is arranged to engage a brake plate 43 mounted on the base 10 of the machine.

The shaft 24 is ‘provided with a worm 45 which meshes with a worm gear 46 mounted on the lower end of a 40 vertical shaft 47. The shaft 47 is connected by a universal joint 48 with a telescopic shaft 49. The upper end of the telescopic shaft 49 is connected by a universal joint 50 with a shaft 51. Ihe shaft 51 is journalled in spaced bearings 52 and 53 carried by a bracket 54 which ₄₅ is adjustably mounted on top of the column 12. The shad 51 is provided with a multiple V-groove pulley 55 which is connected by multiple V-belts 56 with a multiple V-groove pulley 57. The pulley 57 is mounted on a rotatable sleeve 58. The sleeve 58 is slidably keyed by means _so of keys 59 to an upwardly extending projection 60 of the spindle 14. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when the clutch member 23 is engaged, a rotary motion will be imparted to the vertical spindle 14 to cause a rotary motion of the upper lapping wheel 15.

55^{d fle} biacKet 54 is adjustably mounted on the upper surface of, the column 12. A screw adjustment is provided comprising a manually operable screw 62 which is rotatably supported by a bracket 63. The bracket 63 is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the column 12. The ⁶⁰ l^C₄^reW^^{2 is screw threaded} through a portion of the bracket ³-· By manipulation of the screw 62, the bracket 54 may be adjusted in a horizontal direction relative to the column 12 to facilitate tensioning the driving belts 56.

The lower lapping wheel 11 is mounted on a rotatable ₆₅ spider 65 which is supported on the upper end of a rotatable sleeve 66. The sleeve 66 is journalled in bearings 67 and 68 which are fixedly mounted relative to the base 10.

, In order to transmit a rotary motion to the lower lap70 P&gt;ⁿg wheel 11 a suitable driving mechanism is provided comprising a worm 70 fixedly mounted on the shaft 24 which meshes with a worm gear 71 mounted on the lower

2,709,321 on a stud 121. The stud 121 also supports a lever 122 which is connected with the valve stem 105. By moving the lever 120 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1), the valve stem 105 will be moved downwardly so as to 5 pass fluid under pressure in a manner above described into the cylinder chambers 112 and 113 to cause the upper lapping wheel to move into operative engagement with the workpieces to be lapped. Similarly when the lever 120 is moved into the position illustrated in Fig. 1, 10 the valve stem will be moved upwardly into the position illustrated in Fig. 5 to reverse the flow of fluid to the cylinders 90 and 91 so as to cause the pistons 92 and 93 to move the upper lapping wheel upwardly into an inoperative position.

Ιό A counterbalance mechanism is provided for counterbalancing the weight of the upper lapping wheel 15 and its supporting mechanism. This mechanism is identical with that shown and described in detail in my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,103,984, dated December 28, 1937, to which 20 reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein. This mechanism may comprise a rack bar 130 fixedly mounted on the sleeve 87. The rack bar meshes with a gear 131 on a transversely extending shaft 132. The shaft 132 also supports a sprocket 133 which is 25 fixedly mounted to rotate with the gear 131. The sprocket 133 is connected by means of a link chain 134 with a sprocket (not shown) mounted on a stud 135. The stud 135 is supported on an idler bracket 136α. The stud 135 also supports a sprocket 136. A counterbalance 30 weight 137 is connected by a link chain 138 with the sprocket 136.

In order to attain the principal objects of this invention, the upper lapping wheel 15 is preferably formed as two spaced concentric annuli 15α and 15b which are 35 spaced from each other to provide a clearance for a portion 148 of a workpiece 141. The lower or operative faces of the annuli 15a and 150 are formed as plane faces to lap a shouldered face 142 on the workpiece 141. The lower lapping wheel 11 is provided with a plane operative ,£0 face to simultaneously lap a plane face 143 formed on the opposite side of a flange 144 of the workpiece 141. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that the shouldered face 142 and the plane face 143 opposed thereto may be simultaneously lapped by the lap45 ping wheels 15 and 11 respectively.

In order to obtain the desired lapping action for simultaneously lapping a plurality of workpieces, a plurality of work holders 145, 145α, 145ά, 145c, 145rf, 145e and 3.45/ are provided each of which are provided with cen-_)f! tral apertures 146 to receive the flanged portion 144 of the workpiece 141. The sprocket shaped work cages 145, 145α, 145δ, 145c, 145J, 145e and 145/ are arranged to mesh with the central driving gear 78. An annular ring shaped member 147 surrounds the sprocket shaped ₅5 work cages 145, 145α, 145b, 145c, 145d, 145e and 145/. The ring 147 is provided with a plurality of studs 148 which mesh with the outer peripheries of the sprocket shaped cages 145, 145α, 145b, 145c, 145d, 145e and 145/. The annular ring 147 is held stationary and supported by a plurality of vertically extending rods 149 (Fig. I) the lower ends of which are fastened to the base 10. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when the clutch member 23 is thrown into engagement with the clutch member 22, a rotary 05 motion is imparted to the shaft 77 to rotate the cage driving gear 78 which in turn transmits a rotary motion to the sprocket shaped cages 145. Due to the fact that the annular ring 147 and pins 148 are held stationary, the sprocket shaped cages 145 will be rotated and revolved to produce the desired lapping action simultaneously on the flanged face 142 and the opposed face 143 of the workpiece 141. Each of the cages 145, 145α, 145b, 145c, 145iZ, 145e and 145/ are provided with work driving pins or studs 155 which project radially inwardly 75 from the central apertures 146. The pins 155 are ar3 end of the sleeve 66. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that a rotary motion of the shaft 24 will be imparted through the mechanism just described to transmit a rotary motion to the sleeve 66 and the lower lapping wheel 11.

A suitable driving mechanism is provided for the work cage mechanism which may comprise a gear 72 mounted on the lower end of the sleeve 66. The gear 72 meshes with a gear 73 mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 74. The shaft 74 carries a gear 75 which meshes with a gear 76 mounted on the lower end of a vertical shaft 77 which extends upwardly through a central aperture formed within the sleeve 66. A cage driving gear 78 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft 77 and serves in a manner to be hereinafter described to impart the desired rotary motion to the work cages.

The spindle 14 is. mounted in bearings 85 and 86 carried within a sleeve 87 which is arranged to slide vertically within an aperture 88 formed within a housing 89.

In order to obtain the desired lapping action between the opposed lapping wheels 11 and 15 as the work is rotated and revolved therebetween, it is essential to provide a pressure device for moving the laps relatively toward and from each other and to maintain them in operative engagement with a plurality of workpieces during the lapping operation. This mechanism may be identical with that shown and described in my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,103,984 dated December 28, 1937, to which reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein.

This fluid pressure mechanism may comprise a pair of diametrically opposed fluid pressure cylinders 90 and 91 which are mounted on diametrically opposite sides of the housing 89. The cylinders 90 and 91 are provided with pistons 92 and 93 respectively. The pistons 92 and 93 are connected by piston rods 94 and 95 respectively with a flanged plate 96 which is mounted on the lower end of the sleeve 87. The piston rods 94 and 95 are fixedly connected to the flanged plate 96 so that when the pistons 92 and 93 are moved within the cylinders 90 and 91, the piston rods will cause a corresponding movement to be transmitted to the vertically movable spindle 14 and the sleeve 87.

A fluid pressure system is provided for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinders 90 and 91. This system may comprise a motor driven fluid pump 100 which draws fluid through a pipe 101 from a reservoir 102 and forces fluid through a pipe 103 to a reversing or control valve 104. The valve 104 is a balanced piston-type valve comprising a valve stem 105 having a plurality of valve pistons 106, 107 and 108 formed integrally therewith. The valve 104 is arranged to convey fluid under pressure (as shown in Fig. 5) through a pipe 109 to cylinder chambers 110 and 111 in the cylinders 90 and 91 respectively to cause the pistons 92 and 93 to move upwardly into an inoperative position so as to separate the upper lapping wheel 15 from the lower lapping wheel 11 to facilitate loading and unloading of the work cages.

During the upward movement of the pistons 92 and 93, fluid is exhausted from a pair of cylinder chambers 112 and 113 through a pipe 114, through a valve chamber formed between the valve pistons 107 and 108 and through a pipe 115 into the reservoir 102. When the reversing valve 104 is shifted into the reverse position, that is, with the valve stem moved downwardly (Fig. 5), the direction of fluid is reversed so that fluid under pressure passes into the valve chamber formed between the valve pistons 107 and 108 and passes through the pipe 114 into the cylinder chambers 112 and 113 to cause a downward movement of the pistons 92 and 93 to move the upper lapping wheel downwardly into an operative position in engagement with the workpieces to be lapped.

In order that the valve 104 may be readily controlled from the operating position in front of the machine, a manually operable control lever 120 is pivotally mounted

2,709,321 ranged to engage notches or key ways 156 formed in the periphery of the flanged portion 144 of each of the work pieces 141 so as to drive the latter.

A modification of this arrangement has been illustrated in Fig. 4 whereby opposed flanged faces 150 and 5 151 on a flange 152 formed integral with a workpiece 153 may be simultaneously lapped between opposed lapping wheels 15 and 11. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the upper lapping wheel 15 comprises two spaced concentric annuli 15α and 156 each of which is provided with a 10 plane operative face. Similarly the lower lapping wheel 11 is formed as two spaced concentric annuli 11α and 116 having upper plane operative faces for engaging and lapping the shouldered face 151 on the workpiece 153. The flanged portion 152 is supported in aperture 146 of 15 one of the sprocket shaped work cages 145, 145α, 1456, 145c, 145d, 145e and 145/. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when the sprocket shaped work cages 145, 145α, 1456, 145c, 145&lt;7, 145e and 145/ are rotated and revolved by rotation of the cen- 20 tral cage driving gear 78, a simultaneous lapping operation will be performed on the opposed shouldered faces 150 and 151 of the workpieces 153.

The operation of this improved lapping machine will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure. As- 25 suming all of the adjustments to have been previously made, the workpieces 141 or 153 are loaded into the sprocket-shaped work cages 145 after which the clutch member 23 is thrown into engagement with the clutch member 22 to start a rotary motion of the lapping wheels 30 11 and 15 and simultaneously to start rotation of the cage driving gear 78 to cause a rotary and revolving motion of the cages 145, 145α, 1456, 145c, 145&lt;7, 145e and 145/. The lever 120 is then moved in a counter-clockwise direction to shift the valve 104 so as to cause the upper 35 lapping wheel 15 to move downwardly into operative engagement with the workpieces to be lapped. As shown in Fig. 3, the shouldered face 142 and the opposed plane face 143 will be simultaneously lapped. Similarly as shown in the modification in Fig. 4, the opposed shoul- 40 dered faces 150 and 151 of the workpiece 153 will be simultaneously lapped as the cages 145, 145α, 1456, 145c, 145&lt;7, 145e and 145/ rotate and revolve between the lapping wheels 15 and 11.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the annular ring 147 is held 45 stationary and the central gear 78 is driven so as to cause a relative motion therebetween to rotate and revolve the work cages 145, 145α, 1456, 145c, 145(7, 145e and 145/.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects here- gQ inabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter 5g hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.