US3341978A

US3341978A - Rock tumbling device

Info

Publication number: US3341978A
Application number: US425270A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald J Carstens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-01-13
Filing date: 1965-01-13
Publication date: 1967-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-19

Description

Sept. 39, 1967 J. cARsTENs ROCK TUMBLING DE ICE 2 Sheetsfiheet 1.

Filed Jan. 13, 1965 INVE NTOR GE RALD J CARSTENS y 14 AT TOR NEY p 1967 cs. J. CARSTENS 3,341,978

ROCK TUMBLING DEVICE Filed Jan. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR GERALD J. CARSTENS ATTO RNEY United States Patent 3,341,978 ROCK TUMBLING DEVICE Gerald J. Carstens, 1026 S. 3rd St, Las Vegas, Nev. 89101 Filed Jan. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 425,270 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-163) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A polishing machine which is formed to impart a rocking and tumbling movement to articles in an upwardly open U-shaped vessel through use of a vibrator.

This invention relates to rock tumbling machines, and more particularly to a rock tumbling device actuated by a vibrator. Machines of this class are used to grind, or polish, rocks, gems, or similar material.

It is manifest to anyone familiar with the production of polished rocks, crystals and the like, that it is important to subject the entire surfaces of the rocks, or the like, to abrasion. This may require a continuous abrading operation over a relatively long period of time. It is the prime purpose of the invention to provide an economical and efficient means of polishing or grinding rocks, gems or the like without any particular mechanical knowledge or skill.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that employs a novel and efficient vibrating and tumbling action to cause the material or grit to agitate particles being processed to insure continuous and substantially uniform grinding action.

The device enables simple construction, is easy to manipulate, and highly eflicient for the purpose for which it is intended.

Other and further objects of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the assembly constituting the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front view of the assembled device; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the rock polisher.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring specifically now to the same, the character designates a bucket, or container, which may be open at the top. It preferably has a U-shaped cross section. It may be comprised of a back plate 11, a front plate 12, two side or end plates 13 and 13' and a curvilinear bottom plate 13". The bucket or receptacle may be formed by bending a single plate of metal to define the front, bottom and

back plates

12, 13", and 11, respectively, into an upwardly open U shape, while the side or end plates 13 and 13' are welded thereto.

The back plate 11 supports a member 14 extending upwardly above the open top of the receptacle to support a conventional vibrating device 15, which device is electrically actuated. It may be energized through a current supply line shown as 16. Bolts 17 may be used to secure the vibrator on the member 14.

Member 14 may be defined by an extension of back plate 11.

The vibrating unit 15 may be of type which employs a solenoid action having a core which is movable through a small fraction of an inch or so and returned by a spring arrangement. Electric vibrators of the type commonly 334L978. Patented Sept. 19, 1967 used on vibrating types of sanding machines are satisfactory. It is preferably so mounted on the receptacle that the forces imparted to the receptacle under the influence of the movement of the core of the solenoid is transversely to the front and rear wall or in the direction of the arrow illustrated in FIGURE 2.

A supporting base is formed to support the receptacle 10 for limited rocking movement. As is shown in the drawings, the base includes upstanding supporting standards for each end of the bucket. Each standard may be formed from an upwardly open U-shaped rod providing rear legs 18, front legs 18' and bottom portions 19. The standards may be connected by members 20. The upper ends of the legs of the standards are curvilinearly formed so as to receive and hold supporting rods for the bucket.

One supporting rod 22 extends horizontally through apertures 23 in the

side walls

13 and 13 of the bucket 10, for pivotally supporting the bucket 10. The ends of the rod 22 extend through the curvilinearly formed portions 21 on the upper ends of the two rearwardly disposed vertical supporting members 18, and are shown held in position by nuts 24 on threaded end portions of rod 22.

Another supporting rod 25 extends horizontally across from one vertical support 18' to the other, through the curvilinearly formed loops 21, and held by the threaded nuts 26.

Rod 25 supports two springs 27, which have their lower ends engaging apertures 28 in the side walls 13 and 13' of the buckets 10. In this manner, the bucket 10 is pivotally supported at its rear side by the rod 22, and resiliently supported at the opposite or front side by the springs 27 supported by the rod 25.

In use, the vibrator imparts pulsating forces to the upper portion of the rear wall of the receptacle which may be in the direction of the arrows indicated in FIG- URE 2. These pulsating forces induce a rocking movement of the receptacle about the axis of the pivotal supporting rod 22 in a clockwise direction. These forces are opposed by the springs 27. Due to the direction of the forces involved, the material within the receptacle will follow a more or less arcuate path defined by the receptacle while moving from the rear thereof toward the front. It also undergoes some movement toward one or the other of the sides. During the course of such movement, the material is abraded by the grit within the receptacle and tumbled about. As the material tends to pile up toward the front of the receptacle, it may naturally fall back toward the bottom of the receptacle.

In practice, the receptacle may be operated when approximately half full of stones with abrasive grit mixed with the stones.

With a typical installation, a -volt 60-cycle alternating current solenoid type vibrator may deliver on the order of 14,000 vibrations per minute. Due to the rapid pulsating forces involved, the overall tumbling time required to polish rocks or stones may be lessened with comparison to the rotary or eccentric types of polishers.

The method of applying the particular pulsating forces to cause rotation and tumbling of material within the bucket or receptacle may be employed with variant forms of hoppers and supporting instrumentalities. For example, in FIGURE 4, a receptacle is comprised of a curvilinear front plate 12' which merges with and which may be unitarily formed with a curvilinear back plate having an upwardly extending portion 14', and side or

end plates

30 and 31. The vibrating unit 15', which is similar to unit 15, is mounted on the wall portion 14' which extends above the open top of the receptacle. As formed, the receptacle has a cross-sectional contour similar to that illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 3. In FIGURE 4, however,

the side or

end plates

30 and 31 include outwardly extending supporting

flanges

32 and 33 at the lower portions of the plates for purposes of mounting the unit. The unit is mounted on a suitable base member as is represented by the sheet 36 by means of bolts 34 which are passed through or fixed in the supporting base and extended thereabove and through apertures in the

flanges

32 and 33. Com pression springs 35 surround the bolts and bear against the under surfaces of the

flanges

32 and 33 and the upper surface of the base. Nuts 34' are fitted on the bolts to hold the flanges and unit against the springs. The unit is thus spring supported.

It is preferable to have such supporting spring assemblies at each side of and at the rear of the unit and at each side of and at the front of the unit as illustrated. Thus, pulsating forces transmitted to the receptacle by the vibrator 15 cause rocking movement of the receptacle about an axis located at the rear of the unit. The springs oppose such rocking movement and in so doing produce movement of the receptacle and movement of material therein in a manner like that described with respect to FIGURES 1 through 3.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rock polishing machine including an upwardly open receptacle adapted to contain a bed of abrasive grit and rock-like material therein, said receptacle having forward, bottom and rear walls formed in a generally upwardly open U-shape, means resiliently supporting said receptacle for limited rocking movement, support means extending upwardly above the open top of the receptacle from the rear wall of said receptacle, and a pulsating vibrator positioned on said support means, said vibrator having means to produce pulsating forces directed perpendicular to the place of and across the front and rear of said receptacle whereby pulsating forces imparted to said receptacle cause said receptacle to rock about an axis adjacent the rear of the receptacle and cause material within said receptacle to follow a generally arcuate path defined by said receptacle while being tumbled about and abraded therein.

2. A machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said receptacle include outwardly extended flanges at the ends of said receptacle and resilient means engaged between said flanges and a supporting base.

3. A rock polishing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for supporting said receptacle include an upstanding supporting stand, said stand including support means at the forward, rear and ends of said receptacle and springs between said stand and the forward and rear portions of said receptacle and at the opposite ends thereof so as to resiliently support said receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,908,104 5/1933 Bell.

2,284,671 6/ 1942 Meinzer.

2,423,019 6/1947 Haines 51--163 2,831,576 4/ 1958- Wehner.

2,912,803 11/1959 Simjian 51-7 X 3,108,408 10/ 1963 Dahlquis-t 51l63 3,157,004 11/ 1964 Musschoot 517 3,183,630 5/1965 Wright 51163 3,267,620 8/1966 Dayton 51-l63 HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A ROCK POLISHING MACHINE INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY OPEN RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A BED OF ABRASIVE GRIT AND ROCK-LIKE MATERIAL THEREIN, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING FORWARD, BOTTOM AND REAR WALLS FORMED IN A GENERALLY UPWARDLY OPEN U-SHAPE, MEANS RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING SAID RECEPTACLE FOR LIMITED ROCKING MOVEMENT, SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE THE OPEN TOP OF THE RECEPTACLE FROM THE REAR WALL OF SAID RECEPTACLE, AND A PULSATING VIBRATOR POSITIONED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, SAID VIBRATOR