VALVING MACHINE

• US 3,848,485 A
• Filed: 10/18/1973
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl A. Grenci
• Original Assignee: Carl A. Grenci
• Inventors: Grenci, Carl A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Jr., James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/407,416
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 81/57.11,57.18,57.2,57.31,57.34,57.36,3.2 29/240 53/317,331.5
• US Class Current: 81/57.11
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 27/24 mounting or demounting valves for tyre valves B60C25/18

Abstract

A machine for inserting or removing a valve into or from a cylinder including means for securely holding the cylinder to prevent rotation thereof and a pair of self-adjusting, power actuated, valve tongs pivotable about a pair of parallel, spaced axes to permit one ends thereof to come into contact with opposite sides of the valve. Drive means is operative to rotate the tongs about an axis aligned with the axis of the valve to rotate the valve relative to the cylinder. The same drive means, through a power multiplying, planetary gear arrangement urges the one ends of the tongs into contact with the opposite sides of the valve with a greater torque than that used to rotate the valve whereby the tongs tightly hold the valve during turning thereof relative to the cylinder.

Claims

1. A machine for rotating a first member relative to a second member comprising:

means for securely holding said second member;

a pair of tongs pivotable about a pair of parallel, spaced axes;

drive means;

means forming a direct, non-friction connection between said drive means and said tongs for rotating said tongs with a torque T1 about an axis spaced halfway between and perpendicular to said axes; and

power multiplication means operatively coupled between said drive means and said tongs for urging one ends of said tongs into contact with opposite sides of said first member with a torque T2, T2 being greater than T1 whereby said tongs tightly hold said first member during turning thereof relative to said second member.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein T2 is at least equal to 2T1.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said power multiplication means is operatively coupled between said drive means and the other ends of said tongs, said parallel axes intersecting said tongs between said opposite ends thereof.

4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises:

a shaft positioned coaxially with said axis; and

means for rotating said shaft.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said tongs rotating means comprises:

a sun gear mounted on said drive shaft;

a planetary gear housing surrounding said sun gear;

a plurality of planetary gears mounted within said housing and engaging said sun gear; and

means interconnecting said planetary gear housing and said tongs.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said power multiplication means comprises:

a cam drive housing surrounding said planetary gear housing;

a ring gear mounted within and connected to said cam drive housing, said ring gear engaging said planetary gears and being driven thereby; and

cam means connected to said cam drive housing and being rotatable therewith, said cam means contacting the other ends of said tongs and being operative to pivot said tongs about said spaced axes upon rotation of said cam drive housing relative to said planetary gear housing.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein rotation of said drive shaft causes rotation but not translation of said planetary gears, causing rotation of said ring gear and said cam drive housing thereby rotating said cam means and pivoting said tongs about said spaced axes until said one ends of said tongs contact said opposite sides of said first member, additional rotatioN of said drive shaft causing rotary translational movement of said planetary gears and said ring gear about said drive shaft axis thereby rotating said tongs while said cam means urges said one ends of said tongs into contact with said opposite sides of said first member.

8. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said shaft comprises:

an air motor.