US1698173A - Metal-cutting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8,1929. 1,698,173

' H. B. ROYER METAL CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1925 Y 5 Sheets-Shet 1 Q I INVENTOR.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

WORNEYS.

Jan. 8, 1929.

H. B. ROYER METAL CUTTING APPARATUS Filed'Nov. 7, 1925 v BY I Jhn.8,1929.

METAL CUTTING APPARATUS H. B. ROYER Filed Nov. '7, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 i F I o, a wo v m I h :05:

3 f N a (f E I v f I n N; u i 2 0: i q) I a 1 Q a W J IN V EN TOR.

Jan. s,- 1929.

1,698,173 H. B. ROYER METAL CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1925 5 Sheets-sheaf. 5

w 7 51 TOR.

Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

may 28. Roma, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

METAL-CUTTING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 7, 1925. Serial No. 67,500.

This invention relates to devices for cutting metal by means of the local application of intense heat, as for instance, by means of oxyacetylene torches of usual construction.

It is an object of this invention to provide means by which such torches may be held and moved with respect to the work, and by which the positioning and movement of said torches may be conveniently adjusted and controlled, and by means of which the operation of the apparatus may be suitably varied for cutting objects of different shapes.

Other objects and advantages of the. invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, shown in position for cutting an I beam,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a front elevation showing the parts in position for cutting an I beam of different shape,

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figures 6 and 7 are left and right end'elevations respectively,

Figure 8 is an enlar ed detail view showing the wedges for re easing the vertically moving torches,

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 5 showing the automatic release for the horizontally moving torch,

Figure 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Figure 7 I Referring to the drawings, it Will be observed from Figures 1 and 3 that the apparatus is of a semi-portable type adapted to be placed inposition on the work to be cut and to be supported thereby during the cutting operation.

The apparatus is supported on the work by the wheels 1 which may be conveniently mounted by means of stub shafts on the frames 2 and 2, located on either side of the apparatus. The frames 2 and 2 are mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the main frame 3 and are provided with tapered gibs 4 which cooperate with beveled edges 5 of the main frame 3 to permit sliding movement thereon.

said shaft having right and left-hand threads Mounted on the main frame, 3 is a shaft 6 carrying an adjusting wheel 7,-

-cooperating with the interiorly threaded bosses 8 and 8' carried by the frames 2 and 2' respectively in such manner that rotationof the adjusting. wheel 7 causes the frames 2 and 2 to move togetheror move away from each other simultaneously in order that the distance therebetween may be adjusted as desired for use with work of different widths.

Also mounted on themain frame 3 'is a power unit, as forexample, a constant speed electric motor 9 which drives a shaft 10 mounted in gear box 11, said gear box being formed integrally with or mounted upon the mainframe 3. The shaft 10 carries the worm 12 which meshes with the gear 13 mounted on the counter-shaft 14. Also mounted on through the beveled gears 21 and 22, fixed to their respective shafts.

As will be observed, by moving the arm 17 carrying the idler gear 16 by means of the handle 23 to cause said gear to mesh with various of the gears 15, different rates of rotation may be imparted to the shaft 20. If desired, the handle 23 may be provided with a spring pressed latch 24 to engage the notches 25 formed in the gear box cover to hold the gears in engagement except when it is desired to shift them.

The shaft 20 extends longitudinally of the main frame and has mounted on the end thereofthe gear 26 which meshes with a gear 27 fixed to the shaft 28 to. rotate the same for a purpose hereinafter described.

Also splined to the shaft 28 is a gear 29 which meshes with an idler gear 30 carried on the arm 31 pivotally and slidably mounted on the shaft 28. The idler gear 30 meshes with a second idler gear 32 also carried on the arm 31, which gear is adapted to mesh with any oneof a series of gears 33 of varying sizes mounted on the shaft 34, said gears all being enclosed within the gear box 38. Shaft 34 extends-longitudinally across the apparatus and has splined thereto beveled gears 35 and 35 carried by frames 2 and 2 meshing with beveled gears 36 and 36' mounted respectively on the threaded vertical shafts 37 and 37'.

Mounted on the frames 2 and 2 are vertical standards 39 and 39' on which the torch holders 10 and 40 are adapted to slide vertically, it being understood that the torch holders are provided with means suitable for engaging and holding torches of whatever type it is desired to use in cutting. On each of the torch holders are pivotally mounted a pair of arms 41 and 11' having internal threads adapted to engage the threads of shafts 37 and 37 so that rotation of the shafts 37 and 37 will cause vertical travel of the torches. As will be observed, the arms may be spread apart bythe operator if desired in order that the torches may be lifted or lowered to any desired height.

From the foregoing description it will be .apparent that the vertically moving torches may be driven at a uniform speed to simultaneously cut the flanges of the beam and that the rate at which such cutting takes place may be suitably controlled and varied by proper operation of the gear mechanisms within gear boxes 10 and 38. For instance, by moving the handle 23 to cause the idler gear 16 to mesh with various of the gears 15, four different rates of speed may be imparted to the shaft 18, and thus, driving through the intervening shafts and gears, the shafts 37 and 37 may be rotated at four different speeds to thereby cause vertical travel of the torches at four different speeds. In addition, by moving the handle 42 at the end of arm 31 to cause the gear 32 to meslrwith various of the gears 33 the rate of travel of the torches may be varied four times for each setting of the handle 23, so that in the present embodiment, the vertically moving torches may conceivably be caused to travel at sixteen different rates of speed. In actual practice, however, the gear ratios may be such that different gear settings of the two sets of gears may result in the same rate of travel by the torches, so that only ten or twelve actually difi'erent speeds may result. If desired, the handle 42 may also be provided with a spring pressed latch 43 to engage the notches 4A of the gear box casing tonormally hold the gears in fixed position.

Mounted on the under side of the main fram 3 is a slide which may be secured in sliding relation thereto by means of the tapered gibs 51 cooperating with beveled edges 5 of the main frame previously described. The slide 50 is provided with a vertically disposed portion provided with beveled edges 52 which. cooperate with tapered gibs 53 formed in the holder 54 for carrying a horizontally moving torch. The slide 50 is also provided with a threaded shaft 55 engaging an internally threaded portion of the holder 54 by means of which the holder 54: and the horizontally moving torch may be adjusted vertically with respect to the work by proper manipulation of the handle 57.

Also mounted on the slide 50 are a pair of bosses 58 in which is pivotally mounted a threaded split nut 60 for cooperation with the screw thread 61 formed in the shaft 28 previouslyreferred to. As will be observed, when-the shaft 28 is rotating and the split nut 60 is in engagement with the screw thread 61, the slide 50 and the torch carried thereby will be caused to travel horizontally across the work at a uniform speed. As has been de? scribed previously, however, the speed of rotation of the shaft 28 may be varied by proper manipulation of the handle 23 so that the horizontally moving torch may be caused to travel at fourdiiferent rates of speed.

It may be desirable, in order to prevent damage to the apparatus, to provide means for automatically releasing the torches from their respective drive shafts when they reach the end of their travel. In the particular em-' bodiment illustrated herein, in the case of the vertically moving torches, wedges 65 and 65 are mounted on the frames 2 and 2' in position to engage the pivoted arms 41, 11' in order to spread them apart to disengage the shafts 37 and 37 when the torches approach the upper limit of their travel. If desired, the flat springs 41 may be provided to frictionally engage the arms 41 and 41 to hold them apart after separation until moved by the operation to again engage shafts 37 and 37.

In the case of the horizontally moving torch, a trigger 66 is provided which is pivotally mounted on the bosses 67 carried by the slide50. The trigger 66 has formed integrally therewith the arm 68 which engages the plunger 69 which in turn engages the split nut 60 previously described. As will be observed, as the slide 50 travels horizontally from right to left the end of the trigger 66 will engage the flange of the work on which the apparatus is supported, and such engagement will cause the arm 68 to swing upwardly to raise the plunger 69' and the split nut 60 to cause disengagement from the shaft-28, thus stopping the travel of the horizontal torch. If desired, the trigger 66 may be provided with the set screw 70 in order that the apparatus may be adjusted to stop at the desired point.

In operation, the apparatus is adjusted by rotation of the adjusting wheel 7 to separate the frames 2 and 2 to a suitable width for engagement with the work by the rollers 1 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. The apparatus may then be moved on the rollers 1 to the point at which it is desired. to cut the work. The two sets of gears provided may then be adjusted by proper manipulation of the handles 23 and 42 to provide the proper relative rates of travel for the horizontally and verticall moving torches, the proper rates be1n etermined by the special characteristics of the particular work being cut. In ordinary operation this rate of travel should be such as toprovide a clean cut through the metal across the entire section who cut. As will be observed, the adjustment of the frames 2 and 2' by movement of the wheel 7 places the outside torches in proper relation to the Work for cutting. The horizontal torch, however, may be adjusted vertically by means of the handle 57.

After starting the electric motor 9, the torch holders 40 and 40 may be adjusted vertically to bring the torches, into proper starting position with respect to the work, and the arms 41 and 41 may be moved into engagement with the shafts 37 and 37' to cause vertical movement of the torches. Likewise the slide may be moved to position the horizontal torch for cutting and the split nut (SO-may bepermitted to engage the shaft 28 to cause horizontal travel of the torch. Whenever the torches reach the end of their proper travel, the wedge and trigger mech anism 66 previously described automatically disengage the arms 41,41 and split nut 60 from their respective drive shafts to thereby prevent further travel.

It will be observed that once the apparatus has been properly set for cutting it may be used continuously for cutting the same shape without any other adjustment than that necessary to position the torches at the beginning of their travel. It will also be observed that due to the fact that the torches are power driven, an even rate of travel is secured which tends to result in more regular cutting than would be the case were the torches moved manually.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously} modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for cutting metals, means for holding a plurality of torches in position for cutting, and power driven means for causing said torches to travel across the work at relatively different rates of speed.

I 2. In an apparatus for cutting metals, means for holding a plurality of torches'in position-for cuttinggpower driven means for causing said torches to travel across the work at relatively different rates of speed, and means for changing the-respective rates of travel of the torches. I 1

3. In an apparatus for cutting metals, means for holding a plurality of torches in position for cuttin a power unit operating at a constant spect, means for driving said torches from said unit at relatively different rates of speed, and means forvarying the speed of said torches relative to said unit and relative to each other.

4. In an ap aratus for cutting metals,

means for holding a pair of oppositely disposed torches in cutting position, means for holding another torch in cutting position, and power driven means for moving said torches with respect to the work, adapted to move said pair of torches and said other torch at different rates of speed.

5. In an apparatus for cutting metals, means for holding'a pair of oppositely disposed torches in cuttingposition, means for holding another torch in cutting position independently of said oppositely disposed torches, and means for adjusting each of said torches both laterally and vertically with respect to the work.

6. In an apparatus for cutting metals, means for holding a pair of oppositely disposed torches in cutting position, means for holding another torch in cutting position pair of torches and said other torch with respect to the work and at different relative rates of speed, and means for varying said rates of speed. I I

7. In .an apparatus for cutting metals, a power unit, a shaft driven thereby, means for operatively connecting a torch thereto, said torch being mounted I for horizontal travel, a second shaft driven by said power unit through said first shaft, and means for operativelylconnecting a torch thereto, said last named torch being mounted for vertical travel.

8. In an apparatus for cuttin metals, a power unit, a shaft driven there y, means for operatively connecting a torch thereto, said tor'ch being mounted for horizontal travel, a second shaft driven by said power unit through said first shaft, means for o eratively connecting a torch thereto, said last named torch being mountedfor vertical travel, and-variable speed mechanism interposed between said power unit and said first shaft for varying the speed of both said shafts and torches. I

9. In an apparatus for cutting metals, a power unit, a shaft driven thereby, means for operatively connecting a torch thereto, said torch being mounted, for horizontal travel, a second shaft driven by said power unit through said first shaft, means for operatively connecting a torch thereto,said last named torch being mounted for vertical travel, and variable speed mechanism interposed between said first shaft and said 'sec ond shaft for varying the speed of said second shaft and torch relative to said first shaft and torch.

10. In an apparatus for cutting metals,

torches carried on said frame mounted forvertlcal and horizontal movement wlth re-' spect thereto, means for adj u'stin said torches horizontally with respect to sai frame, andmeans for selectively and progressively moving said torches vertically with respect to said frame.

12. In an apparatus for cutting metals, a-

mainframe, a pair of frames mounted on said main frame adapted to slide longitudinally thereon, and provided with rollers for engaging the work to be cut, and manually operated means for simultaneously adjusting said frames with respect to said main frame to permit said rollers to engage work of different widths.

13. In an apparatus for cutting metals, a main frame, a pair of oppositely disposed torches carried on said frame mounted for vertical and horizontal movement with respect thereto, manually operated means for coordinately adjusting said torches horizontally with respect to said frame, and power driven means for causing uniform vertical travel of said torches.

14:. In an apparatus for cutting metals, 0. main frame, a torch mounted for horizontal travel thereon, power driven means for causing travel of said torch, means engageable by the work being cut to automatically release said torch from said power driven means when said torch reaches the end of its travel.

15. In an apparatus for cutting metals, a main frame, a torch mounted for horizontal travel thereon, a pair of oppositely disposed torches mounted for vertical travel thereon, power driven means for causing travel of both said horizontally and vertically moving torches, and means 'for'automatically releasing each of said torches from said power driven means when said torches reach the end of their travel.

16. In an apparatus for cutting metals in combination, a plurality of cutting torches cooperating to make a common cut, means to move one of said torches in one direction, and means to move another of said torches in a direction bearing an angular relation to the direction of movement of said first mentioned torch.

17. In an apparatus for cutting metals in combination, a plurality of cutting torches, means to moveone of said torches in one direction, and means to move another of said torches in a direction bearing an angular relation to the direction of movement of said first mentioned torch but in a common plane therewith.

, 18. In an apparatus for cutting metals in just the lateral distance of operation of said pair of torches, and means to move another of said torches located intermediate said pair of torches in a direction intersecting the line of movement of said pair of torches, said last mentioned means causing the intermediate torch to traverse the distance between the pair of torches for any adjusted amount of separation of the same.

20. In an apparatus for cutting metals in combination, a pluralit of cutting torches, means to move a latera ly separated pair of said torches in one direction, means to move another of said torches located intermediate said air of torches in a direction intersecting tieir lines of movement, and means for selectively rendering any one of said moving means ineffective.

21. In apparatus for cutting a section through a metal object which in section is formed ofa plurality of elongated portions joined at-anangle, which comprises a frame and a plurality of cutting torches traversably mounted on the frame, there being a' torch for each elongated portion traversable across such portion in cooperation with the remaining torches to'complete a single sectional cut.

22. In apparatus for crdss-cutting a bar which in section is formed of a plurality of connected relatively thin portions, which comprises a frame, and a plurality of cutting torches corresponding to the portions of said bar section mounted on said frame for traverse movement across the portions of the bar with which they are respectively associated.

23. In apparatus for cross-cutting a bar which in section is formed of a plurality of connected relatively thin portions, which com prises a frame, a plurality of cutting torches corresponding to the portions of said bar sec tion mounted on said frame for traverse movement across the portions of the bar with which they are respectively associated, and means for simultaneously traversing said torches.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis specification this fifth day of November, 1925.

HARRY B. ROYER.

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