Part 11

The friction clamp which overcomes the vibration is made in two sections, with a leather lining, and connected to the mold turning shaft. A spring, washer, and lock nut add to its construction. The pin in the mold gear arm to which it is also connected prevents it from turning with the shaft. Do not have more friction than necessary, for if there is too much, the main clutch could not drive the machine, as the strong friction on the clamp would overcome the pull of the clutch spring.

RETIMING MOLD GEARS

There are various methods of retiming the gears of the mold disk drive in case it is necessary to pull the disk forward while the machine is out of normal.

One method is to observe the position of the mold turning segments. Remember that the short segment causes the mold to revolve one-quarter revolution, or from normal to casting position. The long segment causes the mold to revolve three-quarters revolution, or from casting to ejecting position. The mold disk turns counter-clockwise. Place the gears in mesh so the punch marks on the gears register. Lock the mold slide in position. The drive pinion makes one complete revolution for each quarter revolution of the mold disk, and it goes on the connection pin at any complete revolution. Hold out on the drive pinion and turn the disk and drive pinion by hand the distance indicated by the amount of the segments which have passed the square block drive pinion. When the connecting pin enters the hole in the drive pinion, with the mold in the estimated position, the disk should be in time. Be sure the mold which is being used is the one which is placed in this position. For example, if the short segment and half of the long segment have passed the square block drive pinion, the mold should be turned one-half the distance from casting to ejection position. To observe what part of the segment is past the pinion, look directly underneath the frame of the machine which supports the mold turning shaft.

Another method of putting the disk in time is to disregard the position of the cams, connect the mold slide, and bring the disk, with the mold that is being used, into ejecting position. Hold the mold turning pinion away from the pin that connects it to the shaft, so that the disk will not revolve as the machine is set in motion. Pull out on the starting and stopping lever, thus letting the machine run around to normal position. Be sure that the disk locking studs are parallel with the stud blocks before starting the machine.

It is only necessary to let the vise down, disconnect the mold lever from the slide, and put the disk and drive pinion in time.

THE JUSTIFICATION LEVERS AND VISE JUSTIFICATION

The two justification levers are located under the metal pot and main cams, extend forward from the back of the machine, and connect with the vise justification rods. These levers operate the justification rods and bar, assembled on the vise, and the vise closing lever. The levers get their motion from rollers which follow the contour of cams No. 4 and 5, and are held against the cams by two strong springs in the rear of the machine. The justification bar rests on top of two rods that are forced up and down by the justification levers in guides in the frame of the vise. The rods are connected together by the justification bar and a diagonal brace rod, the various parts being connected by wing pins. The function of the justification bar is to drive the spacebands upward to justify the line just before the line is cast.

The right-hand lever is called the first justification lever and is operated by cam No. 5. There are two upward movements of this lever: The preliminary, which justifies the line lightly; and the final, which justifies the line tightly for the cast.

When the justification lever forces the rods upward for the first justification, the rod block moves upward at a slight angle, striking the spaceband at the right-hand end of the line first, and the others in quick succession. This action is so rapid that all the spacebands appear to move upward simultaneously. This causes the line to spread from right to left. After the first justification the spacebands stand at an uneven height, those at the right of the line being a trifle higher than those at the left. Since the line of matrices must fill the entire space between the jaws in order to cast, it is apparent that in order to get the greatest possible freedom of action it is necessary that the matrices be pushed toward the left gradually. Should the rod block come up perfectly horizontal, the spacebands would move to the left at the same time they are moving upward. This would cause them to drag on the rod block and prevent a good lockup and alignment and a possibility of bending the spacebands. By coming up on a slight angle, each band is practically justified separately in its particular part of the line, and the dragging of the bands on the rod block is greatly reduced.

The justification lever also makes a slight upward movement after the slug has been ejected. This movement operates the slug lever, through a roller, and pushes the slugs forward in the stick.

The spring which operates the first justification lever should be strong enough to justify the line properly, regardless of the number of spacebands in the line. Before changing the tension at any time, be sure that the mold slide is properly adjusted. If the mold should lock too tight against the line it would bind the matrices and prevent proper justification. This would give the appearance of weak justification springs.

The left-hand lever is called the vise closing lever, and is U-shaped on the forward end. One arm is connected by a hinge pin to the left-hand vise closing wedge and block. The other arm grooves around the left-hand justification rod, beneath a lug on the rod.

After the line is brought to the casting position, the vise closing lever moves upward, immediately followed by the justification lever. The vise closing lever locks the left-hand vise jaw against the line and assists the justification lever on its second movement upward. While these two levers move almost in unison, their functions are different. On second justification, the vise closing lever moves upward slightly in advance of the first justification lever and supports the left-hand end of the spaceband driving block, so that the spacebands are all driven to an equal height. On the first justification, the vise closing lever does not come in contact with the spaceband driving block.

The justification spring is stronger than the vise closing spring. If for any reason the justification springs are removed, care should be taken that they are not changed while replacing them.

THE VISE

The vise is that part of the machine which carries, as its main parts, the first elevator slide, the vise justification rods, the trimming knives, the vise automatic, the vise jaws, the slug lever, the mold disk locking stud blocks, the mold banking blocks, and the knife wiper.

The bottom end of the vise is hinged to the base of the machine by a shaft. The top part is locked to the machine by the vise locking screws, which interlock with the vise locking studs on the frame.

To open the vise to first position, push the control lever all the way in, and turn the handles of the locking screws in a vertical position, in which position they will be disengaged from the vise locking studs.

The vise may be opened to first position at any time when the mold disk is not forward on the locking studs, or the first elevator is not in the top guide. The vise should never be opened to first position when the mold disk is forward on the locking studs because it is difficult to get it relocked on the studs against the lockup pressure; also there is danger of getting the ends of justification levers out of position under the collars on the justification rods.

To open the vise to second position, let the machine turn forward until the first elevator is resting on the vise cap, just before the mold disk advances. Then lower to first position. Hold the vise up with the left hand, release pawl at the extreme bottom end of vise frame and let the vise down easily, pulling up on the first elevator slide with the right hand. This keeps the link from being damaged.

Never let the vise down to second position unless the first elevator is in the lower position. To do so would throw the weight of the vise on the first elevator lever, with danger of breaking the lever.

The vise locking studs are set at the factory to give the proper alignment of the vise with the mold. The studs often have a very thin washer between their back shoulder and the frame to give them the proper adjustment. Should it be necessary to remove or replace a stud, be careful not to lose or leave out the washers. Neither should more washers be added. To do so would force the vise in a strain when locked up, and cause an improper height of the slug.

VISE JAWS

The vise jaws, between which the line is justified, regulates the position of the face of the type on each end of the slug. The mold liner regulates the length of the slug. The vise jaws should be adjusted to have the face of the type flush with each end of the slug.

The short, or right-hand, jaw is adjusted by the adjusting screw in the knife block, under the right-hand vise locking pin. When the line is being justified, the matrix on the right-hand end is forced against the face of the short jaw. The matrix on the left is forced against the face of the long, or left-hand, jaw which is held tight by the vise closing screw on the older models, or the vise closing wedge on the newer models.

When it is desired to change the measure to be set, adjust the left-hand jaw with the adjusting rod. One-half em is the shortest distance the long jaw can be adjusted with the rod. If it is necessary to adjust less than this distance use the adjusting bushing which screws in the bracket. This applies to machines that are equipped with the vise closing wedge.

On the older models, remove the screw that passes through the vise closing screw arm and screws into the adjusting flange. Then adjust the vise closing screws, which move the nut in or out.

PUMP STOP

The pump stop prevents the pump lever from operating if the line is not properly justified. The short, or right-hand, vise jaw operates the pump stop operating lever. When the line is justified the right-hand jaw is moved to the right against the adjusting screw in the operating lever which forces the stop lever from under the catch block, allowing the pump lever to operate. If the line is not justified, the right-hand jaw does not touch the adjusting screw and the stop lever is allowed to remain under the catch block. This prevents the pump lever from operating.

The pump stop should have 1/32 of an inch between the pump stop lever and pot lever block when line is properly justified.

The pump stop lever is found under the pot lever block. It is connected to a bracket by a screw, and operated by a spring and operating lever. The adjustment is made with the screw in the operating lever.

To test this adjustment, push the right-hand jaw toward the right and observe if the lever is clearing the block the proper distance.

When the line is justified the pump stop operating lever, which is forced to the right by the short vise jaw, should have a trifle lost motion; if not, the position of the type on the right end of the slug would be regulated by the adjusting screw in the pump stop operating lever instead of the adjusting screw in the knife block.

THE FRICTION CLUTCH

The driving shaft of the machine is in two sections: The shaft proper, and the short shaft that carries the driving pinion. This pinion meshes with the driving gear, the two shafts being held together by a taper pin. The driving pinion makes eleven revolutions to one of the gear, the ratio being 11 to 1.

The outer end of the driving shaft is hollow. Inside of the hollow shaft is a clutch rod and a spring. The spring fits against a collar on this rod and draws the rod inward. The inner end of the clutch rod is fastened by means of a long screw pin extending through a hole in the rod to a collar which encircles the shaft, the hole in the shaft being slotted, so that when the collar is moved the rod moves also. On the outward end of the shaft is mounted the friction clutch, the levers being fastened to the end of the clutch rod. The friction clutch is keyed to the hollow shaft, so when the clutch is turned it also turns the shaft.

Pressure on a forked lever fulcrumed to the base of the machine, one end of which encircles the collar and the other end touching the lower stop lever, holds the clutch out of action. When the pressure of the forked lever against the collar is released, the clutch spring expands and the clutch rod moves the collar inward until the leather buffers are pushed against the inner surface of the driving pulley, causing the shaft to rotate.

After the machine has made a complete revolution, a pawl on cam No. 10 contacts the upper stopping lever and through the lower stopping lever forces the forked lever against the collar, throwing the friction out of action.

THE CLUTCH SPRING

The clutch spring is held in place by a small collar on the inside end of the clutch rod and a screw bushing on the outside, by which the tension of the spring is regulated. This tension should be sixteen to twenty pounds. A screw pin passes through a slot in the shaft, through the clutch rod, and into the opposite side of the collar. The outer end of the clutch rod is connected to the friction clutch by a screw which passes through the clutch rod. By taking off the clutch and hooking a balance spring in the screw hole in the rod and pulling out on the scale, the instant the rod moves the scale indicates the tension of the spring registered. One end of the clutch rod is connected to the collar on the shaft, and the other end is connected to the clutch. When the collar is moved the clutch rod also moves in the same direction.

When the clutch rod spring is adjusted to a tension of 16 to 20 pounds it gives about the right friction to carry the machine through all its operations where everything is working properly, but if anything sticks or makes the machine run hard, the clutch will slip.

FRICTION CLUTCH ADJUSTMENTS

There are three positions of the starting and stopping lever: Starting, operation, and stopping. When pulled all of the way out the lever is in starting position. When the lever is in starting position, the eccentric screw in the starting and stopping lever pulls against the lug in the vertical lever and causes the upper lug to force the automatic stopping pawl off the upper stopping lever. This sets the machine in action. When the lever is half way out it is in operating position and allows the machine to start when a line is sent in. When the lever is pushed all the way in the clutch is thrown out of action and the machine is stopped.

When making any adjustments, have the lever in starting position (out as far as it will go). If the automatic stopping pawl is resting on the upper stopping lever, the adjustments could not be made, as the lower stopping lever would be forcing the forked lever against the collar, throwing the friction clutch out of action.

The friction clutch should be adjusted so as to have 15/32 of an inch between the collar and the shaft bearing. Place a 15/32 inch gage between the right-hand side of the collar and the left-hand side of the shaft bearing. If the distance is less than 15/32 of an inch, dress the leather buffers with a file. If the distance is more, place cardboard under the buffers to increase the thickness. On old-style machines this adjustment was made by two nuts, one on each side of the clutch rod. Putting cardboard under the buffers will not satisfactorily drive the machine if something else is wrong. If there is too much packing under the leathers the starting and stopping lever will have no effect on the clutch and the machine will not stop properly.

The upper stopping lever and the lower stopping lever are fastened by pin pivots to a steel shaft which passes through the vertical lever. This allows a limited up and down movement of the stopping levers. The shaft is held in position by a set screw in the top of the vertical lever bracket. When the machine is in action the forked lever must be free of the collar. If it is not, the clutch does not get the proper pressure on the inside of the pulley, because the forked lever would push against the collar and force the rod and clutch outward. To be sure the forked lever is free of the collar, adjust so there is 1/32 of an inch between the lower stopping lever and the forked lever. This adjustment is made by the screw in the lower part of the upper stopping lever.

When the upper stopping pawl comes to rest on the upper stopping lever, it forces the adjusting screw in the lower part of the upper stopping lever against the lower stopping lever, and the bottom end of the lower stopping lever causes the forked lever to force the collar out, throwing the clutch out of action and stopping the machine. This gives a horizontal movement from a vertical action. The automatic stop pawl should rest on the upper stopping lever ¼ of an inch when the machine is at normal. This adjustment is made by loosening the set screw which holds the shaft in the vertical starting lever, and moving the lever sidewise. When the stopping pawl rests ¼ of an inch on the upper stopping lever, the automatic safety pawl will also rest on it exactly the same, as both pawls are adjusted the same.

Fastened to cam No. 10 are two pawls. One is the automatic stopping pawl and stops the machine after it has made one complete revolution. The other is the automatic safety pawl, and stops the machine when a line fails to transfer from the first to the second elevator. These two pawls are adjusted by screws that pass through the pawl and strike the lug of the cam, and are held against this lug with a spring. The distance from the left-hand side of the pawl to the left-hand side of the cam should be 15/16 of an inch.

The vertical lever is fastened to the column, at the back of the machine above the forked lever, by a hexagon head machine screw at its upper end. The lower end is held in place by the shaft which passes through the lever into the machine frame. The only time the vertical lever is in action is when the machine is started by the starting and stopping lever. On the starting lever is an eccentric screw which stands behind the lower lug of the vertical lever. When the starting and stopping lever is pulled out, the eccentric screw engages the lower lug and pulls it forward, causing the upper lug to push the stopping or safety pawls clear of the upper stopping lever. There are three lugs on the vertical lever: The upper lug, the lower lug, and the lug inside of the bracket.

There is a headless screw in the vertical lever bracket, the front end encircled by a spring. This spring forces the vertical lever back to its normal position after the lever has been pulled forward by the starting and stopping lever. When pulled forward, the upper lug strikes against the automatic stopping pawl forcing it clear of the upper stopping lever. This adjustment is made by means of the headless screw in the lever bracket. The proper adjustment forces the stopping pawl 1/16 of an inch clear of the upper stopping lever. The lug inside the bracket should permit the upper lug to clear the stopping pawl 1/64 of an inch when the lug is at rest. This adjustment is made by turning the adjusting screw in the column opposite the headless screw. This screw regulates the stroke of the inner lug.

Unless the upper vertical lug, after pushing the stopping pawls off the upper stopping lever, returns clear of the pawls, it would prevent the pawls from seating properly on the upper stopping lever.

The adjustment of the lower lug of the vertical lever and the eccentric screw on the starting lever should be made by releasing the set nut on the eccentric screw and turning the screw until there is 1/32 of an inch between the screw and the lug. If this adjustment is not properly made it will interfere with the upper lug and throw it out of adjustment.

FRICTION CLUTCH HINTS

To remove the friction clutch: Push in on the starting and stopping lever. Take out the fulcrum screw or remove the nut from the outer end of the clutch rod. Remove the clutch arm key screw. The clutch can now be removed. Be careful in replacing the friction to have the key with the bevel down and toward the back of the keyway.

The driving pulleys or gear can be removed only when the friction clutch is removed.

To remove the clutch rod spring: Remove the friction clutch. Unscrew the screw bushing from the end of the shaft, take out the screw extending through the collar, and pull out the clutch rod and the spring.

If the machine stops on the upper stopping lever with a jerk, the inner side of the driving pulley or the friction clutch leathers are gummy or the friction is out of adjustment.

The inner surface of the driving pulley must be kept clean.

If the machine slows up while casting or ejecting, the clutch is slipping.

The 15/32 of an inch adjustment is made by the nut on the clutch rod on the old style, and by building up under the leathers on the new.

The 1/32 of an inch adjustment is made by the screw in the lower part of the upper stopping lever.

The machine will not stop when the key screw in the clutch arm works loose, allowing the friction clutch to work toward the outer end of the shaft.

A screw holding the clutch leather shoe in place, may extend above the shoe and cause the friction to slip.

The friction link collar, where it fastens on to the clutch rod, should be parallel with the driving pulley or gear when the machine is in operating position; if not, there is unequal pressure on the links and shoes, causing a slipping clutch.

Study the friction clutch adjustments, but do not change them every time something stops the machine. It is much easier to break an adjustment than to make one.

A piece of metal from a squirt lodged between the mold disk guide or back of the rim on the disk will cause it to bind, placing more pull on the clutch.

STAY BOLT

The stay bolt passes through the main cam shaft bracket cap and screws into the column. The object of the stay bolt is to take the strain from the column. When the machine is in casting position with the pot locking against the mold, the mold and disk forcing against the vise, and the right-hand side of the vise locking against the stud, there is considerable strain on the column. If the column should spring, the vise would also move and the lockup would be imperfect. In applying the stay bolt, never tighten it with a wrench. If too tight, it will spring the bracket cap and cause the cam shaft to bind and the clutch will not drive the machine. Screw it in with your fingers until the head of the bolt bears lightly against the bracket.

VISE AUTOMATIC

The purpose of the vise automatic is to prevent the mold from coming forward and shearing the lugs of the matrices whenever anything prevents the first elevator from descending low enough for the first elevator adjusting screw to rest on the vise cap.

The vise automatic consists of a stop rod, stop rod pawl, mold disk dog, and vise automatic levers.

The stop rod is suspended and held upward by a spring, the top end of the rod extending through the vise cap and the lower end resting back of the lever which operates against the clutch rod.