Spherical Feeding Wedge for Centerless Grinding Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In centerless grinding operations, the final batch of bearing rings often topple over backwards due to lack of support, leading to potential breakage and uneven grinding when operators inadvertently bend the rod guiding them, causing the rings to be fed at an angle beyond the driving axis.
Innovation Solution
A secondary feeding apparatus with a spherical face is introduced, which maintains constant contact with a cylindrical wedge at a single central point, preventing axial shifting and inclination of the rings, even if the operator pushes the rod at an angle different from the driving axis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cylindrical wedge is used to prevent toppling of final batch rings, then the rings are supported and prevented from toppling backwards, but the operator may inadvertently bend the rod at an angle different from the driving axis, causing the rings to be fed at an angle and resulting in uneven grinding and deteriorated ring sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod is replaced with a spherical wedge having a spherical face. This spherical geometry allows the wedge to maintain contact with the bearing rings at a single central point regardless of the operator's pushing angle, automatically self-aligning to prevent axial shifting and ensure the rings are fed straight into the grinding machine without inclination, thereby resolving both the toppling prevention and precision feeding requirements
2Ease of operation
If the operator pushes the rod at an angle different from the driving axis, then the rod can still be used to push the rings, but the bearing rings are inclined and fed between the grinding wheel and regulating wheel at an angle beyond the driving axis, causing faulty grinding sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical face of the wedge ensures that even when the operator pushes at different angles, the spherical geometry self-aligns with the bearing rings, maintaining contact at the central point and preventing any inclination of the rings during feeding, thus preserving grinding accuracy while allowing operational flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical wedge automatically self-aligns with the bearing rings through its spherical geometry, eliminating the need for the operator to precisely align the push rod with the driving axis. The spherical shape inherently guides itself to the correct position, ensuring accurate feeding without requiring operator skill or attention to alignment
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is related to a second centering apparatus having a spherical face to be installed behind the final batch rings, that are fed into the centerless grinding machine to prevent their faulty grinding sizes, if they are fed at an inclined angle together with the log if the operator has being holding the rod at an inclined angle, 10 which is used to push the final batch rings that are fed between the grinding wheel and the regulating wheel, in the centerless grinding machine during a centerless grinding operation of said bearing rings.