Bryant Grinder Corporation

Lawrence A Ambrose

Kazimierz Reda

Roald Cann

A loader (10) for a grinding machine includes a loading member (30) with at least one resilient finger (32) thereon for gripping a workpiece (14) to be ground by movement of the loading member in a loading direction as a resiliently biased workpiece positioner (34) initially counteracts force applied to the workpiece by finger deflection. Continued movement of the loading member (30) after the gripping first moves the workpiece positioner to a nonblocking position and thereafter moves the workpiece to an associated grinding machine. Preferably, a pair of the fingers (32) and a rigid locator (44) cooperate to position and grip a joint race (14) of an annular shape with ball grooves to be ground. A pair of spring biased blocking members (34) preferably embody the workpiece positioner and are pivotally mounted in alignment with a hopper (16) in which workpieces to be ground are stocked. The loading member (30) is supported on a movable carriage (150) that is pivotal about a vertical axis on a fixed base (148) between use and access positions. An unloading chute (20) also supported on the fixed base has a movable floor section (182) that is extended to receive each workpiece after it is ground and thereafter retracted to prevent interference with the grinding wheel during the next cycle.

Loader for grinding machine

A grinding machine (10) includes apparatus for grinding grooves in inner races (16) of constant velocity universal joints with a high production output achieved by indexing of a race without stopping rotation of a holder (14) on which the race is clamped for rotation during the grinding. An indexer (46) of the apparatus is supported for rotation with the holder (14) and provides the indexing of the race about a central axis C thereof as the holder rotation proceeds. A locater (48) also rotates with the holder (14) and accurately locates the race after indexing to provide alignment thereof with the grinding wheel (12) that performs the grinding. A jaw operator (44) controls first and second jaws (40,42) of the holder clamp and has a high clamp mode for fixing the race during the grinding and a low clamp mode for permitting the indexing and locating operations as well as an unclamp mode that permits a ground race to be unloaded and another race to be loaded onto the holder in preparation for the next cycle.

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Springfield, VT, United States of America

Lawrence A Ambrose