Torin Corporation

Bernard P Lampietti

George Joseph Yagusic

Erman V Cavagnero

Charles P Collins

A cyclically operable spring coiling machine includes a pair of feed rolls for intermittently advancing wire longitudinally to a coiling station at an upper portion of a vertical front frame of the machine. A coiling arbor and a coiling tool at the station cooperatively form leading end portions of the wire to a coil spring configuration and an improved cut-off means severs the coiled leading end portions of wire to provide individual coil springs. The improved cut-off means includes a pair of tool holders on opposite sides of the coiling arbor movable toward and away from the arbor and wire coiled thereabout and generally in opposition to each other. The holders are employed selectively depending on the hand of the spring being coiled and are respectively mounted on pivot shafts extending rearwardly through the front frame of the machine and geared together at rear end portions. A continuously rotating horizontal shaft forming a part of the coiling machine drive mechanism has a front end portion projecting through the vertical front frame of the machine. An eccentric on the front end portion of the shaft drives an oscillable arm which in turn has a pivotal connection with a lowermost tool holder through an adjustment means. The adjustment means comprises complementary threaded members operable to adjust the movement of the tool holders and thus to vary throw of a cut-off tool thereon toward and away from the coiling arbor.

Spring coiling machine with improved cut-off means

Apparatus for successive cut-off operations at axially spaced locations along an elongated tubular workpiece wherein the workpiece is rotated during cut-off operations and successively advanced axially between such operations. The cut-off operations occur at a work station where a front portion of the workpiece is successively advanced, rotated and severed with an elongated portion of the workpiece extending rearwardly from the work station. A pair of elongated guide and support rails extend adjacent the rearwardly projecting portion of the workpiece and mount a workpiece supporting mechanism which is freely moveable therealong toward and away from the work station. The mechanism comprises a freely rotatable collet assembly adapted to grip and release the workpiece. Operating means for the collet assembly comprise a handwheel, a gear train, and a shell cam which is rotatable through a limited angle and axially moveable at the urging of the handwheel and gear train. Axial cam movement results in axial movement of a collet actuating sleeve to open the collet and a compression spring closes the collet. An auxiliary collet opening arm mounted on the shell cam is engaged by a fluid operated cylinder to rotate the cam and automatically open the collet when the workpiece supporting mechanism is incrementally drawn forwardly along the guide rails by the successively advancing workpiece to a position of proximity with the work station.

Rear portion supporting mechanism in apparatus for machining elongated

Wheel rim blank manufacturing apparatus comprises an elongated mandrel passing through Coiling, Welding and Machining Stations. Flat stock is fed transversely for coiling to cylindrical rim blanks about the mandrel. A transfer slide advances and maintains orientation of coiled rim blanks from the Coiling Station to the Welding Station. At the Welding Station clamps secure the blanks for resistance or high frequency current penetration welding. Internal clamps at the Welding Station have small shoulders for transferring the blanks past a Machining Station where a scarfing tool engages their welded areas. The method includes feeding stock transversely, coiling about a mandrel, advancing blanks along the mandrel, welding, again advancing the blanks, and machining weld areas.

Apparatus and method for making wheel rim blanks and the like

A spring coiling machine with an improved drive means has a pair of feed rolls for advancing wire from a source of supply to a coiling station. Coiling tools at the station obstruct feed movement and form coil springs and a cut-off tool successively severs the springs. The coiling tools and cut-off tool are operated from a camshaft driven by a first electric motor and a second electric motor drives the feed rolls. Continuous rotation for both camshaft and feed rolls is provided by the electric motors and a mechanism operated by the camshaft lifts an upper feed roll to terminate feed roll gripping action on the wire and to thus terminate wire feed at the completion of each spring. The first or camshaft motor serves as a lead motor and the feed roll motor as a follower. A digital feedback from the first motor is introduced to the control system therefor and also as an input to a second control system for the feed roll motor. The second motor also has its own digital feedback and a 'ratio set' input is provided through its control system thus accommodating manual selection of motor speed ratio and selection of wire feed length and spring configuration.

Spring coiling machine with improved drive means

A spring coiling machine with an auxiliary drive and control has a feed roll driving clutch with inputs from both a main machine drive and from the auxiliary drive. The main drive is set to rotate feed rolls to advance a length of wire an increment less than that required for a coil spring of a predetermined configuration and dimension. The final increment of wire feed is then accomplished by the auxiliary drive, the clutch acting to render the latter effective as main drive rotational velocity drops off. An optical sensor responsive to the position of a leading end portion of the wire in the spring being coiled thereafter signals the auxiliary drive control to terminate wire feed. A fast response servo motor is employed as an auxiliary drive and a precise termination of wire feed is thus achieved to provide for precise end positioning. The clutch employed is unidirectional and termination of auxiliary feed may be accomplished by terminating forward drive or by reversing the servo motor. A bistable device maintains an 'on forward drive' signal pending receipt of an 'off forward drive' or 'reverse' signal, the latter being supplied by said optical position sensor. The 'on' signal for the servo motor may be provided in either event by a cam shaft position sensor operable when a main drive actuated wire feeding operation is partially complete.

Spring coiling machine with auxiliary drive and control

An electro-mechanical drive for use between mechanically independent master and slave rotary elements, as for example the cam shaft and spring winding spindle of a spring winding machine of the type commonly known as a torsion spring winder. A harmonically cut cam on the cam shaft operates a follower which in turn drives adjustably interconnected first and second slides respectively driving a rack and an associated pinion and an oscillable lever. The lever in turn imparts axial movements to the winding spindle as may be required for pitching torsion springs wound thereon. The pinion operated by the rack in turn drives a direct current tachometer generator which provides a variable voltage signal having a cyclically repetitive wave form with sloped leading and trailing edges and, more particularly, a voltage at least approximately in the form of a sine wave. The sine wave is rectified to provide for a half wave form voltage signal to a servo motor and controller in turn connected in driving relationship with the slave rotary element or winding machine spindle. The spindle is thus operated to wind springs thereon and the relative angular velocity of master and slave, or cam shaft and spindle, is controlled by a manually adjustable potentiometer which varies the amplitude of the half wave signal to the servo motor and controller. A desired number of turns of the spindle is thus provided for each cam shaft revolution and the desired characteristics of the spring are obtained.

Electro-mechanical drive for torsion winders and the like

A spring winding machine comprising a rotary cam shaft, a cam mounted on the shaft and rotatable therewith, and a follower on a lever intermediate its ends and engaged and driven in one and an opposite direction by the cam during each cam rotation. The lever is pivotally supported at one end and an opposite end drives a first slide in one and an opposite direction. A rack on the slide rotates a pinion on one and an opposite direction which in turn drives an electrical spindle drive means. The drive means includes a direct current tachometer generator and a fast response servo controller and motor which rotates the spindle in one and an opposite direction to wind springs thereon. A manually adjustable potentiometer predetermines the number of spindle turns for each cam rotation and thus establishes the number of spring coils. A second slide movable in one and an opposite direction is driven from the first slide by means of an angularly adjustable guideway on the first slide and a follower on the second slide. Adjustment of the guideway occurs about a point on the centerline of movement of the second slide so that a constant reference or starting point is maintained. The second slide drives an oscillable lever which in turn drives a conventional pitch rod in one and an opposite direction. The pitch rod is connected by a yoke with the spindle for free relative rotation but for axial driving movement of the spindle by the rod. Thus, the amount or extent of spindle axial or pitch movement is determined by the angular adjustment of the guideway and a constant starting point is provided for to maintain a constant wire feed or pass line, spindle readjustment for each pitch setting being thus eliminated.

Spring winding machine with improved pitch mechanism

A dual purpose spring coiling machine adapted for two point and single point coiling and particularly adapted for convenient and rapid convertibility from one form of coiling to the other. The machine comprises a coiling tool slide assembly mounted on a frame generally opposite a wire feed and guide means and adjacent a coiling station. The tool slide assembly comprises a coiling tool slide and a guide mountable selectively on the frame in three discrete positions. Right and left-hand two point coiling positions respectively employ mounting of the guide in first and second positions inclined upwardly and downwardly 221/2.degree. from the horizontal. Single point coiling is achieved with the guide mounted horizontally. Coiling tool holders mounted on the slide may be selectively moved from one position to another for right and left-hand coiling with a first holder mounted on and movable with the slide. A second holder is mounted indirectly on the slide with a lever pivotally connected with the slide at an intermediate portion, fixed at one end portion and carrying the tool holder an an opposite and free end portion. The said holder is movable with and relative to the slide along an arc during rectilinear sliding movement. With the slide and tool holder arrangement diameter adjustments and control is achieved simultaneously through slide adjustment and control. A manual control takes the form of a screw and lock nut engageable with the slide and entered through threaded openings in the frame selectively with the guide in each of its three positions. An automatic control comprises an actuating lever and link selectively connectible with the slide in each of the three guide positions. The control also includes cam and motion transmitting means for operation of the control in timed relationship with the feed means and for diameter adjustment during coiling. A third tool holder for single point coiling is mounted on the slide with the guide in the horizontal position and the holder includes adjustment means for positioning a coiling tool above and below the line of wire feed respectively for right and left-hand springs. The manual and automatic diameter adjustment and control means are also operable with the slide and guide in horizontal position for single point coiling. A pair of laterally spaced locating pins projecting rearwardly from the guide are entered selectively in three pairs of locating holes in the frame for convenience in changing from one position to another and/or from one form of coiling to another.

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Goshen, CT, United States of America

Bernard P Lampietti