Takenoshita, Toshimasa; Saeki, Hiroshi; Wakusawa, Kuniaki; Kuroda, Motofumi;

Glass product machining apparatus

A glass product machining apparatus comprises a grindstone rotatable around an axis by means of a motor, moving table movable under the grindstone in the cross direction of the grindstone, frame for supporting the grindstone for up-and-down motion, lift, guides, supporting arms, pressure cylinder supported on the frame, and dressing machine for dressing or truing the grindstone. The pressure cylinder serves to apply a fixed elastic load to the grindstone as the grindstone shifts its position upward. A glass panel is located on the moving table. The panel moves together with the table. When the panel passes under the grindstone, an outer peripheral surface of the grindstone is brought into contact with the surface of the panel with a fixed force of pressure by the pressure cylinder. The grindstone relatively moves along the curved surface of the panel as it grinds the panel surface.

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What is claimed is:

1. A glass product machining apparatus for grinding a surface of a glass product, comprising:

a base frame having vertical guide members;

a grindstone rotatable around an axis and having an outer peripheral surface;

supporting means for supporting the grindstone for vertical movement and rotation around the axis;

grindstone driving means for rotating the grindstone around the axis;

a moving table located below the grindstone, movable in the cross direction of the grindstone, and fixing the glass product with the surface upward;

vertically moving means for moving the grindstone supported by the supporting means, upward and downward with respect to a desired extent of grinding of the glass product, while the glass product, along with the moving table, moves under the grindstone;

a feed mechanism for moving the moving table horizontally with respect to the grindstone in the cross direction thereof, while said outer peripheral surface of the grindstone is in contact with the glass product, thereby relatively moving the grindstone along the surface of the glass product; and

a counterweight mechanism for urging said grindstone and said supporting means upward, the counterweight mechanism having a balance link including a first end and a second end and supported on an upper portion of the frame by means of a pivot pin which is situated between both said ends, a counterweight balancing with weight of said grindstone and said supporting means, a first pivot mechanism that connects said first end of the balance link to said supporting means, and a second pivot mechanism that connects said second end of the balance link to said counterweight.

2. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vertically moving means is an elastic load applying means which applies an elastic load to the grindstone supported by the supporting means as the position of the grindstone is shifted upward, thereby bringing the outer peripheral surface of the grindstone into contact with the surface of the glass product with a predetermined force of pressure, while the glass product, along with the moving table, moves under the grindstone.

3. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vertically moving means is position control means which controls the vertical position of the grindstone supported by the supporting means so that the outer peripheral surface of the grindstone cuts to a predetermined depth into the surface of the glass product while the glass product, along with the moving table, moves under the grindstone.

4. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a distance between the second pivot mechanism and the pivot pin is greater than a distance between the first pivot mechanism and the pivot pin.

5. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a dressing machine for dressing or truing the grindstone, the dressing machine including a holder movable integrally with the moving table in the cross direction of the grindstone, a dresser on the holder, a motor on the holder for rotating the dresser, and a drive mechanism for moving the holder in the direction of an axis of the grindstone.

6. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a dressing machine for dressing or truing the grindstone, the dressing machine including a holder movable integrally with the moving table in the cross direction of the grindstone, a dresser on the holder, a motor on the holder for rotating the dresser, and a drive mechanism for moving the holder in the direction of an axis of the grindstone.

7. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising inclination adjusting means for correspondingly inclining the grindstone or the glass product when the surface of the glass product on the moving table is inclined at an angle to the axis of the grindstone in the width direction of the glass product, thereby automatically adjusting the inclination of the grindstone or the glass product so that the glass product and the grindstone are uniformly in contact with each other with respect to the direction of the axis.

8. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising inclination adjusting means for correspondingly inclining the grindstone or the glass product when the surface of the glass product on the moving table is inclined at an angle to the axis of the grindstone in the width direction of the glass product, thereby automatically adjusting the inclination of the grindstone or the glass product so that the glass product and the grindstone are uniformly in contact with each other with respect to the direction of the axis.

9. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the length of said grindstone in the direction of the axis is equal to or greater than the width of the glass product, so that the whole surface of the glass product can be ground at a stroke by the grindstone when the glass product passes once under the grindstone.

10. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the length of said grindstone in the direction of the axis is equal to or greater than the width of the glass product, so that the whole surface of the glass product can be ground at a stroke by the grindstone when the glass product passes once under the grindstone.

11. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the length of said grindstone in the direction of the axis is shorter than the width of the glass product, so that the grindstone is relatively moved in the width direction of the glass product with each of times the glass product is caused to pass under the grindstone as the whole surface of the glass product is ground.

12. A glass product machining apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the length of said grindstone in the direction of the axis is shorter than the width of the glass product, so that the grindstone is relatively moved in the width direction of the glass product with each of times the glass product is caused to pass under the grindstone as the whole surface of the glass product is ground.