Patent Application
20120046115
The disclosure relates to bolt producers and more particularly pertains to a new bolt producer for minimizing thread damage to produced and packaged bolts.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a bolt production assembly, threaded bolts produced by the bolt production assembly, and a bolt tray for receiving the threaded bolts. A drop pan holds the bolt tray while the bolt tray receives the threaded bolts. Oil is positioned in the drop pan and a plurality of air jets creates turbulence in the oil in the drop pan. The bolt tray is perforated for permitting the oil to enter the bolt tray in a turbulent state. A distribution conveyor belt is positioned to drop the threaded bolts into the bolt tray while the bolt tray is positioned in the drop pan while the oil is in the turbulent state. A collection pan is provided for collecting threaded bolts from the bolt tray. A bolt tray transport assembly moves the bolt tray from the drop pan to the collection pan.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A collection pan 26 collects the threaded bolts 14 from the bolt tray 16. A bolt tray transport assembly 28 is provided to move the bolt tray 16 from the drop pan 18 to the collection pan 26. A second bolt tray 16A may also be operationally coupled to the bolt tray transport assembly 28 to facilitate collection and packaging of the threaded bolts 14 with greater efficiency.
A bolt thread testing assembly 32 is provided to insure quality control for the threaded bolts 14. A collection conveyor belt 34 is positioned adjacent to the distribution conveyor belt 24 for periodically extending and collecting a sample threaded bolt 14A and transporting the sample threaded bolt 14A to the bolt thread testing assembly 32. A computer management system 88 utilizing a computer 36 and monitor 38 is operationally coupled to the bolt thread testing assembly 32 and the collection conveyor belt 34. The bolt thread testing assembly 32 utilizes an optical inspection mechanism 40 for inspecting each sample threaded bolt 14A for defective threading.
The bolt tray transport assembly 28 has a bolt collection track portion 42 for moving the bolt tray 16 relative to the distribution conveyor belt 24 to facilitate even distribution of threaded bolts 14 in the bolt tray 16. Casters 44 are positioned on the drop pan 18 such that the drop pan 18 moves with the bolt tray 16 when the bolt tray 16 is moved on the bolt collection track portion 42.
A drip pan 46 collects residual oil dripping from the threaded bolts 14 when the bolt tray 16 is removed from the drop pan 18. An oil collection tube 48 extends between the drip pan 46 and the drop pan 18 such that oil collected in the drip pan 46 circulates back into the drop pan 18. An oil pump 50 is operationally coupled to the oil collection tube 48 for pumping collected oil from the drip pan 46 to the drop pan 18.
The bolt tray transport assembly 28 includes an extendable connection 54 to the bolt tray 16 for selectively elevating the bolt tray 16 out of the drop pan 18. The bolt tray transport assembly 28 further includes a bolt distribution track portion 56 for moving the bolt tray 16 from the drop pan 18 to above the drip pan 46 to above the collection pan 26. A drip tray 58 extends between the drop pan 18 and the drip pan 46. The drip tray 58 is sloped to divert oil falling from the bolt tray 16 into the drip pan 46.
The bolt tray 16 and the second bolt tray 16A have similar structure including a pair of side walls 60,62 and a pair of end walls 64,66 extending between the side walls 60,62. A door panel 68 is hingedly coupled to one of the side walls 60 to form a bottom 70 of the bolt tray 16 for supporting threaded bolts 14 collected in the bolt tray 16. A door actuator 72 is coupled to the door panel 68 for selectively pivoting the door panel 68 to release the threaded bolts 14 collected in the bolt tray 16.
In an embodiment of the invention, a pair of door panels 68,74 is provided. Each door panel 68,74 has a top portion 76,78 and a main portion 80,82 extending from the respective top portion 76,78 at an obtuse angle. The top portion 76,78 of each door panel 68,74 is hingedly coupled to an associated one of the side walls 60,62. Door actuators 72,84 are coupled to the top portions 76,78 of the door panels 68,74 for selectively pivoting the door panels 68,74 apart to release the threaded bolts 14 collected in the bolt tray 16.
In use, threaded bolts 14 are produced and transported to the bolt tray 16 by distribution conveyor belt 24. Sample threaded bolts 14A are intercepted for testing for quality assurance. The threaded bolts 14 are dropped into the bolt tray 16 while the bolt tray 16 is positioned in the drop pan 18 so that oil 20 injected with air by air jets 22 partially cushions the falling threaded bolts 14 to prevent damage to the threaded bolts 14. The bolt tray transport assembly 28 elevates the bolt tray 16 out of the drop pan 18 and moves the bolt tray 16 over the drip pan 46. Oil 20 is circulated back into the drop pan 18 by the oil pump 50. The bolt tray 16 is then moved over the collection pan 26 and the door panels 68,74 are pivoted to release the threaded bolts 14 into the collection pan 26. The bolt tray 16 is then circulated back to the drop pan 18 and the process continues from the beginning. A second drop tray 16A or more may be incorporated to increase efficiency in filling collection pans 26.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.
