| 摘要 |
<p>An inspection apparatus for inspecting and detecting flaws in serially fed substantially cylindrical objects. The inspection apparatus includes a notch-shaped inspection station formed by a pair of drive wheels mounted on a first shaft and a pair of discharge wheels fixedly mounted on a second shaft, parallel to the first shaft. A book having a convex back surface is connected to and protrudes beyond the circumference of each discharge wheel. An L-shaped bracket whose body includes a sending surface and whose leg includes an infeed cradle, is mounted above the drive wheels and pivots in synchronism with the rotation of the discharge wheels. A first object in the infeed cradle is positively sent by the bracket sending surface towards the inspection station where it is rotated and inspected for flaws by sensors mounted axially on an imaginary straight line drawn from the axial center line of the inspection station to the axial center of the first or second shaft. A kinematic drive system keeps objects stable while they rotate in the inspection station by the drive wheels driving the objects into the inspection station, and, with the cooperation of magnets below the station, keeping the object in contact with the discharge wheels. The kinematic drive system includes a slip clutch assembly which communicates with the drive wheels and connects them to the first shaft. The slip clutch assembly is adjustable for imparting pre-set desires limited slip torque values to either or both drive wheels to allow either or both to slip in the first shaft, when either or both is subjected to a torque whose value exceeds the pre-set limit. The kinematic torque drive system, along with the axial alignment of the sensors on the imaginary straight line allow a substantially uniform gap to be maintained between the sensors and the object regardless o f whether objects are out-of-round. When the object is a ferrous can body and its rim portion is to be inspected, a magnet on the side of the inspection station axially aligns the can in the station and orients its rims with the magnetic sensors. A primary magnet below the inspection station whose axial length is shorter than that of the ferrous can body, induces a magnetic field through the can body portions axially beyond the magnet and the magnetic sensors detect disturbances in the magnetic field caused by flaws in the rim.</p> |
