U.S. patent number 3,895,209 [Application Number 05/440,046] was granted by the patent office on 1975-07-15 for metal build-up apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Maruma Jyusharyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Yasumitsu Moriki, Hidehiro Shimizu.
United States Patent |
3,895,209 |
Moriki , et al. |
July 15, 1975 |
Metal build-up apparatus
Abstract
An apparatus for depositing metal by welding on a rotary machine
element for rebuilding the same features a coupling to be connected
with one end of the machine element for rotation therewith and
having an inlet tube extending therefrom which extends axially into
a central lubricant passage of the machine element upon connection
thereto for supplying a coolant to the machine element. A seal on
the end of the inlet tube tightly engages the inner wall of the
central lubricant passage for preventing back flow of the coolant
and the inlet tube is of such length that the seal is disposed
between radial lubricant passages interconnecting with the central
lubricant passage, whereby coolant flows therebetween and back
along the outer periphery of the inlet tube. The coupling includes
passages for exhausting the coolant there through to an exhaust
line.
Inventors: |
Moriki; Yasumitsu (Tokyo,
JA), Shimizu; Hidehiro (Tokyo, JA) |
Assignee: |
Maruma Jyusharyo Kabushiki
Kaisha (Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
23747196 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/440,046 |
Filed: |
February 6, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/76.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23K
9/046 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B23K
9/04 (20060101); B23k 009/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;219/76 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Grimley; Arthur T.
Assistant Examiner: Herkamp; N. D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Fisher, Spivak, McClelland
& Maier
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent
of the United States is:
1. An apparatus for depositing metal by welding on a rotary machine
element for rebuilding the same, comprising:
means for supporting said rotary machine element being in axial
alignment with an axle thereof and for rotating said rotary machine
element as metal is deposited upon a worn surface of said rotary
machine element;
a coupling coupled to a port of a central lubricant passage of said
rotary machine element having an inlet tube axially extending into
said central lubricant passage for providing coolant to a plurality
of lubricant passages interconnected to said central lubricant
passage, said coupling including a discharge passage for exhausting
said coolant from said lubricant passages and provided with a
conical shaped end surface;
plunger means reciprocal within a cylinder and being rotatable with
said rotary machine element during a re-building operation having a
head mating tightly with said end surface of said coupling for
supporting said rotary machine element with said axle thereof being
axially aligned with said plunger, said plunger having axially
extending passages being connectable to said inlet tube of said
coupling and said discharge passage of said coupling for supplying
said coolant from an intake line through said inlet tube to said
lubricant passages of said rotary machine element and exhausting
said coolant through said discharge passage to an exhaust line;
and
a welding apparatus for depositing metal on said worn surface of
said rotary machine element.
2. An apparatus for depositing metal by welding on a rotary machine
element according to claim 1, wherein said inlet tube of said
coupling axially extending into said central lubricating passage of
said rotary machine element includes a seal positioned between
right and left branch lubricating passages of said rotary machine
element upon being disposed within said central lubricating passage
for preventing a back flow of said coolant ejected from said inlet
tube.
3. An apparatus for depositing metal by welding on a rotary machine
element according to claim 1, wherein said plunger is connected to
an air supplying source for removing coolant remaining within said
lubricant passages of said rotary machine element after the
re-building operation has been completed.
4. An apparatus for depositing metal by welding on a rotary machine
element for rebuilding the same as set forth in claim 1 wherein
said plunger further comprises sealing means disposed within said
mating head and about said axially extending passages.
5. An apparatus for circulating coolant through a plurality of
interconnected lubricant passages including a main central
lubricant passage of a rotary machine element under deposition of
build-up metal by welding comprising:
a coupling coupled to a port of said central lubricant passage of
said rotary machine element having an inlet tube axially extending
into said central lubricant passage for providing said coolant to
said lubricant passages connected to said central lubricant
passage, said coupling having a discharge passage for exhausting
said coolant from said lubricant passages and being provided with a
conical-shaped end surface; and
plunger means reciprocal within a cylinder and rotatable with said
rotary machine element under a re-building operation having a head
mating tightly with said conical-shaped end surface of said
coupling for supporting one end of said rotary machine element
axially in alignment with an axle of said rotary machine element,
said plunger having axially extending passages to be connected to
said inlet tube of said coupling and said discharge passage of said
coupling for respectively supplying said coolant from an intake
line through said inlet tube to said lubricant passages of said
rotary machine element and exhausting said coolant through said
discharge passage to an exhaust line.
6. An apparatus for circulating coolant through a plurality of
interconnected lubricant passages of a rotary machine element under
deposition of build-up metal by welding according to claim 5,
wherein said inlet tube axially extending into said central
lubricating passage includes a seal disposed about the periphery of
said inlet tube at one end thereof which is adapted to be
positioned between right and left branch lubricating passages
radially connecting with said central lubricant passage of said
rotary machine element for preventing back flow of said coolant
being ejected from said inlet tube into said central lubricant
passage.
7. An apparatus for circulating coolant through a plurality of
interconnected lubricant passages of a rotary machine element under
deposition of build-up metal by welding according to claim 5,
wherein said plunger is connected to an air-supplying source for
removing coolant remaining within said lubricant passages of said
rotary machine element after a re-building operation has been
completed.
8. An apparatus for circulating coolant through a plurality of
interconnected lubricant passages of a rotary machine element under
deposition of build-up metal by welding as set forth in claim 5
wherein said plunger further comprises sealing means disposed
within said mating head and about said axially extending passages.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for rebuilding
worn machine elements by depositing and welding build-up metal
thereon, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for cooling
rotary machine components of such elements under deposition of
build-up metal on the worn surface thereof for such re-building
purposes.
2. The Prior Art
It is common practice to re-build various worn machine components
by depositing hard build-up metal onto the worn surface of the
machine elements preparatory to another extended period of use.
Track rollers for engaging tracks may be considered as a typical
example of such a machine element which may be re-built in this
manner. In conventional practice for building-up metal onto the
worn parts of track rollers, the track rollers are completely
disassembled and the build-up metal is deposited onto the worn
surface of the disassembled roller rims. However, this technique is
not practical, because the temperature of the roller rim is
elevated to a heat distortion level during the course of applying
the build-up metal. Thus, the welding operation must be stopped
after each single loop of the build-up metal is deposited onto the
worn surface of the rotary machine element, and it is removed from
the welding apparatus for cooling, or the welding operation of the
build-up metal must be stopped by halves, such that the re-building
operation may be shifted to another machine element while the first
is cooling. Also, disassembling and re-assembling of the component
parts of the track rollers is required according to past practice,
which results in a considerable decrease of the working
efficiency.
Another previously known technique for building-up such track
rollers involves placing the roller approximately half-way into a
water bath as it is in an assembled condition. However, by this
technique, submerged arc welding may not be practical, and the
welding areas are too cooled in the water bath to use a welding rod
which requires preheating and gradual cooling. Also, this technique
involves difficulties in the welding operation resulting from the
necessity of shielding and the generation spatter and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
cooling apparatus for permitting a worn rotary machine element to
be built-up without disassembling the machine element, thereby
greatly increasing the working efficiency of the re-building
operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cooling
apparatus for permitting a worn rotary machine element to be
built-up without threat of heat distortion of an internal structure
of the machine element, such as seals and the surface of the
machine element on which the build-up metal is to be deposited by
welding.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a
cooling apparatus for enabling a worn rotary machine element to be
automatically or semi-automatically built-up by arc welding,
submerged arc welding, open, gas shield and so on, while the
machine element is continuously rotated at a relatively slow speed
in synchronism with the deposition of build-up metal onto the worn
surface of the machine element.
Briefly, the foregoing and other objects are attained in accordance
with the present invention by the provision of a cooling apparatus
including a coolant supply tube extended axially into a central
bore of a rotary machine element so as to define a dual-passage
structure within the bore for continuously circulating liquid
coolant through lubricating passages of the rotary machine
component during the re-building operation thereof with deposition
of metal by welding, whereby to prevent heat distortion of the
machine element during the re-building operation by welding.
Further, according to the present invention, the coolant supply
tube is inserted into the central bore of the machine element from
a port for filling the machine element with lubricant which is
located at an end axle thereof and normally closed by a plug. The
liquid coolant is introduced into the rotary machine element from
the coolant supply tube and is exhausted through a passage defined
between the exterior of the coolant supply tube and the walls of
the central bore to an exhaust line.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the
present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same
becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description when considered in connection with the accompanying
drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or
corresponding parts throughout the several Figures, and in
which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for re-building
machine elements in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial sectional view of a rotary machine
element connected to a cooling apparatus of the present invention
and showing a flow of liquid coolant through the machine
element;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a coupling and a plunger of
the cooling apparatus to be connected to the rotary machine element
for circulating the liquid coolant, which are shown in a separated
condition; and
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a coupling and a plunger of
the cooling apparatus to be connected to the rotary machine element
for circulating liquid coolant in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention, the coupling and the plunger
being shown in a mating condition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate an apparatus for
re-building track rollers used in bulldozers, tractors and the like
as a specific example of the present invention, and more
particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a track roller
generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 undergoing
re-building while a liquid coolant is circulated therethrough by a
cooling apparatus generally indicated by the reference numeral 30
of the present invention. The track roller 10 is rotatably
supported on a welding work table, not shown, by a driving unit
generally indicated by reference numeral 50 and the cooling
apparatus 30 in such a manner that a spindle 51 of the driving unit
50 and a plunger 31 of the cooling apparatus 30 are axially aligned
with a rotating axle 11 of the track roller 10 at both ends
thereof. The track roller 10 is rotated by the driving unit 50,
which includes a revolving disk 52 connected to a motor 53 by means
of a reduction gear 54 and having a chucking member 55 for engaging
an end surface of the track roller 10 so that the track roller 10
may be rotated with the plunger 31 associated therewith. While
revolving the track roller 10, worn surfaces 12 of the track roller
10 are re-built with a deposition of hard build-up metal by
application of torches 71 and 72 of a welding apparatus.
The plunger 31 for axially supporting the one end of the track
roller 10 may be reciprocated within a pneumatic or hydraulic
cylinder 32 supported by a frame 33, and concentric dual passages
34 and 35 shown in FIG. 2, for introducing liquid coolant or air
from supply sources through an intake line 36 and a rotary joint 37
into lubricant passages within the track roller 10 and for
exhausting the circulated liquid coolant through an exhaust line
38, are formed in an axial direction within the plunger 31. The
plunger 31 can be axially connected to the axle 11 of the track
roller 10 with an intermediary coupling 40 so that the internal
passages 34 and 35 of the plunger 31 may be communicated with an
axial bore 13 of the track roller 10 for circulating the liquid
coolant through the lubricating passages of the track roller 10.
The structure of the plunger 31, the coupling 40, and the track
roller 10 through which the fluid coolant is circulated, will be
hereinafter explained in greater detail.
As further shown in FIG. 2, the track roller 10 includes external
rims 14 supportably carried on the axle 11 having the axially
extending central bore 13 with a port 15 for filling the track
roller 10 with lubricant, which is normally closed by a plug, not
shown, and branch passages 16 and 17 radially extending from the
central bore 13 to right and left bearings generally indicated by
reference numerals 18 and 19 of the roller 10, which are preferably
made of gunmetal bushings 20 and 21 and iron bushings 22 and 23,
respectively, including radial openings 24 and 25 about their
periphery for accomodating movement of the lubricant.
The coupling 40 for connecting the plunger 31 of the cooling
apparatus 30 to the interior passage 13 of the track roller 10 is
threaded at the stem portion 41 thereof to be threadably received
in the port 15 of the central bore 13 of the axle 11. The coupling
40 includes an inlet tube 42 which extends axially into the central
bore 13 in the axle 11 and carries a seal 43 for providing a seal
between the exterior of the tube 42 and the interior of the bore 13
for preventing back flow of the liquid coolant, and also it is
provided with passages 44 for exhausting the circulated liquid
coolant to an external reservoir, not showh, the passages 44 being
in concentric relationship with the inlet tube 42. Thus, the inlet
tube 42 defines an exterior passage 45 within the central bore 13
which is concentric about the tube 42 and is connected to the
passages 44 of the coupling 40, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and
3. The length of the inlet tube 42 is determined so that the seal
43 of the inlet tube 42 may be positioned between the right and
left lubricating branch passages 16 and 17. As shown in both
embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coupling 40 includes
an end surface 46 mating tightly with a plunger head 47, which may
be of a funnel or conical shape depending upon the shape of the
plunger head 47 with an incline of approximately 30.degree. to
330.degree..
A coolant receiving port 48 communicating with the inlet tube 42 is
formed on the surface 46 of the coupling 40 at its center and a
plurality of coolant exhausting ports 49 communicating with the
passages 44 are formed midway along the slanted surface around the
coolant receiving port 48.
At the center of the plunger head 47, a coolant supplying port 60
communicating with an inlet tube 61 disposed within the plunger 31,
which can be connected to the coolant receiving port 48 of the
coupling 40, is formed, and a plurality of coolant exhausting ports
62 communicating with the external passage 35 defined by the
exterior of the inlet tube 61 and the interior of an outlet tube 64
are formed on the plunger head at positions corresponding to the
positions of the coolant exhausting ports 49 of the coupling 40.
Accordingly, the inlet line and the exhaust line for introducing
the liquid coolant into the lubricating passages of the track
roller are formed in the coupling and the plunger when they are
connected. The plunger head 47 and the outlet tube 64 are rotatable
within a cylindrical casing 65 by the provision of bearings 66 and
67 disposed on the outer periphery of the outlet tube 64.
Referring now to the operation of the apparatus in accordance with
the present invention, the coupling 40 is threaded into the port 15
of the track roller 10 to have the inlet tube 42 extended axially
into the central bore 13 of the axle 11 of the track roller 10 on
which the build-up metal is deposited prior to the re-building
operation, as shown in FIG. 2. Then, the track roller 10 is
supported by the spindle 51 and the plunger 31 contacting with tne
end surface 46 of the coupling 40 in axial alignment with the axle
11 of the roller 10, and high pressure liquid coolant,
approximately at 7Kg/cm.sup.2 and 10l/min. is supplied from the
intake line 36. The liquid coolant flows through the rotary joint
37, the inlet tube 61, the coolant supplying port 60, the coolant
receiving port 48 of the coupling 40, the inlet tube 42 and is
introduced into the central bore 13 of the track roller 10. Since
the seal 43 of the inlet tube 42 is positioned between the right
and left lubricating branch passages 16 and 17, the coolant ejected
from the end of the inlet tube 42 is introduced to the left side
bearing 18 through the branch passage 16, and is returned to the
passage 45 defined by the exterior of the inlet tube 42 and the
interior of the central bore 13 from the right side branch passage
17 through the right side bearing 19. Then, the coolant is
exhausted through the passages 44, the exhausting ports 49 of the
coupling 40, the exhausting port 62 of the plunger 31, and the
external passage 35 of the plunger 31 to the exhaust line 38.
Accordingly, the coolant continuously circulating through the
lubricating passages within the track roller 10 removes heat from
the surface which is undergoing a re-building operation by the
welding torches 71 and 72, and the welded surface of the track
roller is not heated up to a transformation point, such as to a
temperature of 440.degree.C, and the temperature of the coolant
within the roller 10 is maintained below 50.degree.C. Thus, the
internal structures of the roller 10, such as seals 27, shown in
FIG. 2, are not adversely affected by the heat. After finishing the
welding operation, supply of the coolant is stopped, and compressed
air is introduced into the inlet tube 42. The liquid coolant
remaining within the track roller 10 is evaporated by the remaining
heat of the track roller 10 and thus can be completely exhausted
from the track roller 10 by the compressed air.
Referring to FIG. 4 and the embodiment illustrated therein, it can
be seen that the passage 44 in this case, leading from the exterior
passage 45 formed within bore 13, is a concentric passage formed
about tube 42 within the stem 41 of the coupling 40, being
substantially concentric with the passage 45. Further, the lines
connecting the passage 44 with parts 49 are more direct in this
case than in the embodiment of FIG. 3, wherein a common radial line
or opening is utilized instead of the diagonal approach shown in
FIG. 4.
Obviously, many other modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For
example, the rotary joint 37 may be connected directly to the
plunger head 47 so as to rotate the plunger head 47 at the rotary
joint 37, and also the intake line and the exhaust line may be
reversed. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of
the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than
as specifically described herein.
* * * * *