Patent GB-631714-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in multiple spindle lathe
IPC: B23B9/02
Filed: 1947-08-15
Abstract: 631,714. Multiple-spindle lathes; boring and drilling; screwing; chucks. CONE AUTOMATIC MACHINE CO., Inc. Aug. 15, 1947, No. 22754. Convention date, Oct. 17, 1946. [Class 83 (iii)] A multiple-spindle lathe comprises parallel workspindles 10 arranged one above the other in the same plane, individual tool-slide 16 for each spindle, a transverse actuating shaft 125 offset from the axis of each spindle for driving the corresponding tool-slides, and common drive means for all these shafts. A 'motor 20, Fig. 1, drives a main shaft 25 and extension shaft 27 from which drives are taken to a camshaft 6 that controls the cycle of machine operations, to the hollow workspindles 10, and to the rotating and feed mechanism for shafts 150 carrying end-working tools, such as drills 151 or thread-cutting tools. The cam-shaft 6 is connected to the extension shaft 27 by a worm-drive 3110, Fig. 14, on a transverse shaft 31, and this shaft may be driven at high idle speed by a bevel drive 29, 30 when a clutch 28, Fig. 16, is engaged, or in reverse by a bevel-drive 35, 30 when a clutch 36 is engaged, or at slow working speed by a drive taken from one work-spindle through a clutch 102 which is over-run when the high-speed drive is engaged. The high-speed clutch is operated manually by either a handle 45, Fig. 24, on one side of the machine or a handle 46 on the other side, or automatically by a spring- loaded retractable cam-follower 48 engaging a cam drum 50 on the camshaft. The reverse clutch is operated by a handle 57, Fig. 1, which also automatically operates a switch controlling solenoids 113, 114, Fig. 14, and, when the reverse drive is engaged, the solenoids disengage the clutch 102 by means of a collar 110 and so disconnect the slow-speed drive; the clutch 102 may also be operated manually by a push-rod 111. The slow-speed spindle drive is taken from the shaft 27 through changespeed gearing 60-66, Figs. 3 and 16, and two chain drives 78, 81, each chain driving two spindles and being tautened by idlers 84, 85, Fig. 17, carried on a lever. The gear 64 is splined to the shaft 62, and is manually shiftable to engage the gear 65 or to engage internal teeth on the gear 63 so that the latter rotates with the shaft 62 and drives the gear 66. From the top spindle, the drive to the clutch 102 on the transverse shaft is taken by a chain 91, Fig. 3, and gearing 94-97, 100 and 101. The tool-slides 16, one on each side of each spindle, are reciprocated to and from the spindle axes by linkage 133, Fig. 17, and levers 129 having followers 128 engaging cam drums 126 at the ends of transverse shafts 125 which are driven by bevelgearing 120, 121, Fig. 14, and worm-gearing 123, 124 from the shaft 31. Start, stop and jogging switches, and press-switches for controlling the solenoids for engaging and disengaging the clutch 102, are duplicated on each side of the machine; the electrical circuit is described and illustrated. Lathe tool carriers.-The tool carriers 145, Fig. 28, can be adjusted along the slides 16 by a screwed rod 149 and parallel to the axis of the spindle by wedges 142 having notches 148 selectively engaged by the head of an adjusting screw, arranged parallel to the rod 149. Drilling and screwing.-The shafts 150 for the end-working tools are carried at their outer ends in a support 153, Figs. 1 and 8, mounted in guides 154, 155 and are adjustably connected, by screwed rods 161 to slide-bars 165, 166 by which they are reciprocated. The slide-bars are mounted together in pairs bearing against each other as shown in Fig. 1, and have followers 168, 172 engaging double cam drums 175, 178, one for each pair of slide-bars, and driven by chains 185, 180, Fig. 4, from the cam-shaft 6. The shafts 150 are rotated from the main shaft 25 by a chain 225, Fig. 11, shaft 223, gearing 222, 221, shaft 205 and chains 201, 210, Fig. 4, each chain driving a pair of shafts 192, Fig. 8, within which the tool-shafts 150 are splined. If thread-cutting tools are fitted on the shafts 150, the drive is taken from the shaft 205 through change-speed gearing 236, 238 and 235, 237 selectively engaged by clutches 239, 240 so that the shafts 150 are driven at a speed higher or lower than the work-spindle speed to thread the tools on to or off the work; the sprockets for the chains 201, 210 are then fitted on the clutch shaft 206. One or other clutch is engaged by linkage connected to an operating rod at 244 and operated by solenoids controlled by a switch LS2 actuated by a cam 540, Fig. 1. on the cam-shaft. Chucks and chuck-operating mechanisms.- On each spindle 10, an internally-tapered sleeve 320, Fig. 33, when moved rearwardly, forces a series of levers 315 inwards against a taper surface 313 on a ring 312 on the spindle until a cylindrical bore 323 on the sleeve locks them in the inward position. A collar 317, on which the levers are pivoted, is thus forced rearwardly by the surface 313 and, acting on collars 306, 307 on the hollow collet rod 300, closes a bevelclosing collet. Each sleeve 320 is engaged by a yoke 326, Figs. 17 and 21, sliding on a rod 327 and actuated by a lever 330 pivoted on a shaft 333. Each lever 330 may be connected by a pin 336 to a rock-shaft 332 having an arm 340 and follower 341 engaging a cam drum 342 on the cam-shaft, or, by removal of the pin, a bar may be placed in the hole 345 so that each chuck may be operated manually. Bar feed.-An inner sleeve 309, Fig. 33, within each spindle, carries a stock pusher at one end and a collar 351 at the other end, the collar rotating within a bearing on a vertical bar 352, Fig. 17, in which it is held by a spring- loaded latch 353 which may be rocked out of the way for the insertion of a new piece of stock by a pull-rod 357. The bar 352 is reciprocated on slides 360 by the arms 365, Fig. 3, of a member 361 pivoted on links 362 that are pivoted on the machine frame at 363 and are inter-connected by an H-section bar 364. The upper arm 365 carries a cam follower 366, Fig. 1, engaging an edge cam 367 on the cam-shaft and maintained in contact with it by springs 368 on certain of the guide-bars 360. Gauging-devices.-A stock stop for each spindle is mounted on the support 153 and comprises a rack bar 400, Fig. 8, arranged at an angle to the spindle axis and retracted by a pinion 406 on a shaft geared through a splined connection to a shaft 413, Fig. 1, having a spiral gear 415 of steep pitch. Meshing with the gear 415 is a toothed segment 416 pivoted at 420 and oscillated bv a cam follower 423 engaging a cam drum 424 on the cam-shaft. The stock stops can be set initially according to the length of work required by adjusting the support 153 along the slides 154, 155 by means of a rack 432 engaging a pinion 431 on a handrotated shaft 430. Brakes.-When the high-speed clutch is disengaged by the handle 45 or 46, a brakeband 105, Fig. 14, is tightened on a drum 106 on a shaft 107 having a pinion 108 meshing with the high-speed pinion 29.