Year: 1888

page_text: I, FRANOIS BUTTERFIFLD, of the Midland Works, Keighley, in the County of
York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in wheel and rack cutting and
dividing machines and has for object the rendering of such machines automatic, in
order to dispense with the constant attention of an operator, who having started a
machine will be at liberty to attend to other duties or to other machines of a similar
kind.
My invention comprises discharging and reversing mechanism in connection with
the driving gear of the cutter spindle, and consists in a sliding rod provided with
springs and collars adjustable to suit the extent of cut required and capable of
inoving endwise and being actuated by the cutter carriage, first in the direction of
the cut (or forward movement thereof,) this compresses one of the said springs and
thus accumulates sufficent force to actuate a slotted and weighted lever that takes
into and moves a clutch on one of the feed-gear shafts from one bevil or mitre wheel
to another between which it is placed and which. run in contrary directions, this
causes a backward movement of the said cutter carriage, during which it compresses
a similar spring to that previously referred to, which by its cumulative force
replaces the beforementioned clutch in its former position thus causing the cutter
carriage to make another forward movement and cut, and so on continuously until
a wheel or rack (as the case may be) has been completed.
The second part of my improvements consists in selfacting-dividing mechaniśni
as follows:-Immediately or just before the cutter carriage reaches its backmost
position, and before re-cutting commences, the dividing action comes into play
This consists of a separate driving, comprising a pulley and a ratchet wheel that
are continually running while the machine is in operation. On the same axis upon
which the said pulley.and ratchet wheel rotate, is a lever keyed thereon and carrying
a bell crank like detent or pawl, the hook of which is held clear of the teeth of the
ratchet wheel by means of an escapement lever bearing against one arm of the said

page_text: bell crank like detent or pawl. Upon the axis of the said escapement lever is another
bellcrank lever, to one arm of which is connected.a cord having a weight at one end
of it, the contrary end of the. said cord is in connection with a lever and rod, the
latter is provided with adjustable collars, one of which is acted upon by the cutter
carriage during its backward movement; and thus pulls the aforesaid cord and raises
the escapement lever, whereon the pawl engages the ratchet wheel and causes the lever
and its axle to make one revolution; further movement thereof being arrested by
means of a tailpiece on the escapement lever which occupies the path of and is acted
upon by one arm of the bellcrank pawl while revolving, which thereby returns the
escapement lever to its normal position to await and trip the pawl from the ratchet
wheel on the pawl, its lever and axle completing a revolution as abovementioned.
The axle of the said lever and pawl constitute the first motion shaft of the dividing
inechanism. On the second motion shaft of the dividing mechanism and rotating
therewith is a detent lever for determining with accuracy its amount of rotation.
The required number of teeth in a wheel is obtained by a system of change gears in
the usual manner between the said second motion shaft and the worm shaft for actuating
the dividing wheel, and the pitch of a rack also by gears from the second motion shaft
to the screw for moving the division slide of the machine.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheel and Rack Cutting and Dividing Machines.
I, FRANCIS BUTTERFIELD, of the Midland Works, Keighley, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
This invention has reference to improvements in wheel and rack cutting and
dividing machines, and has for object the rendering of such machines automatic, in
order to dispense with the constant attention of an operator, who having started a
machine will be at liberty to attend to other duties or to other machines of a similar
kind.
My invention comprises discharging and reversing mechanism in connection with
the driving gear of the cutter spindle, and consists in a suitably mounted sliding rod pro-
vided with springs and collars adjustable to suit the extent of cut required and capable of
moving endwise and being actuated by the cutter carriage, first in the direction of
the cut (or forward movement thereof,) this compresses one of the said springs and
thus accumulates sufficient force to actuate a slotted and weighted lever with which
the said rod is connected and that takes into and moves or discharges a clutch on one
of the feed gear shafts, from one bevil or mitre wheel to another between which it is
placed and which rotate in contrary directions, this causes a backward movement of
the said cutter carriage, during which it compresses a similar spring to that pre-
viously referred to which by its cumulative force replaces the beforementioned clutch
in its former position, thus causing the cutter carriage to make another forward
movement and cut, and so on continuously until a wheel or rack (as the case may
be) has been completed.
The second part of my improvement consists in self acting dividing mechanism
as follows-On the cutter carriage approaching its backward position and before
This consists of a
re-cutting, commences, the dividing action comes into play.
separate driving and mechanism as hereinafter referred to, comprising a pulley and
a ratchet wheel that, are continually running while the machine is in operation ;
on the same axis upon which the said pulley and ratchet wheel rotate is a lever or
arm or its equivalent keyed thereon or in one therewith that carries a bellcrank like
detent or pawl, the hook of which is held clear of the teeth of the ratchet wheel by
means of an escapement lever against which one arm of the said pawl bears. Upon
the axis of the said escapement lever is another bellcrank lever, to one arm of which
is connected a cord having a weight at its fall end that hangs over a pulley or stud
in the other arm of the said bellcrank and maintains the aforesaid escapement lever
in its normal position. The other end of the cord is attached to a lever to which is

page_text: connected a rod so mounted that it is capable of end wise motion, and is provided with
adjustable collars, one of these is acted upon by the cutter carriage or headstock
during its retirement from the cutting operation and thus pulls the aforesaid cord and
raises the escapement lever, whereupon the pawl being now free engages the ratchet
wheel and causes the lever or arm and its axle to make one revolution, further move-
ment thereof being arrested by means of the other arm or tailpiece of the. escapement
lever which for the moment occupies the path of and is acted upon by one arm of the
bellcrank pawl while revolving, which thereby returns the escapement lever to its
normal position to await and trip the pawl from contact with the ratchet wheel upon
the pawl, its lever and axle completing one revolution as above referred to.
The axle of the said arm or lever that carries the pawl constitute the first motion
shaft of the dividing mechanism.
Connected to the said first motion shaft by toothed gears, is a second motion
shaft and rotating therewith is a spring detent lever or its equivalent that takes
alternately into vee notches and determines with accuracy that portion of a revolution
the second motion shaft is to perform for each division required on the object under
treatment. The required number of teeth in a wheel (or divisions,) is obtained by a
system of change gears in the usual manner between the said second motion shaft
and the worm shaft for actuating the dividing wheel of the machine, and the pitch
of a rack also by gears from the second motion shaft to the screw. for moving the
division slide of the machine.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1. Sheet 1. is an elevation at that end where the change wheels are located
for giving the various required divisions or number of teeth to be cut.
Fig. 2. Sheet 2. is a partial front elevation.
Fig. 3, is a partial plan. These shew a well known form of a wheel cutting and
dividing machine together with the respective improvements hereinabove referred to
according to my invention. Fig. 4, Sheet 3, also shews part of the said improvements
in elevation.
Similar letters refer to. similar parts throughout the several views. A, is tlie bed,
of the machine, which is of L, form B,. B, the standards for supporting the same,
C, the headstock mounted upon one arm of the bed, for carrying the dividing or
worm-wheel D, and mandrel D', upon which to mount a wheel or other object to
be cut or divided, E, the worm or endless screw for taking into and 'moving the
worm wheel D, F, a saddle upon the other part of the bed and upon which is
mounted the usual swivelling part G, provided with a slide H, adjustable by the
screw I, for regulating the depth of cut required. The slide H, carries on its vertical
face the compound and swivelling slides J, and K, upon the latter of which is
mounted the sliding cutter headstock L, that travels selfactingly across the face of a
wheel or other object under treatment, M, is a cutter mounted upon the spindle N,.
and is driven by means of the pulley O, wheels O¹, P, Q, and R. The selfacting
traverse motion of the headstock L, is effected as follows;-In connection with the
wheel P, and pinion Q, is a worm S,. this imparts motion to the worm wheel T,
and shaft U.-Between the wheels W, and Y, of the system W, X, Y, upon the
shaft U, is a double faced clutch V, and when this is engaged with the wheel Y, it
will be obvious that it will rotate in the same direction, and when engaged with the
wheel W, the wheel Y, will rotate in the contrary direction. In connection with the
wheel Y, is a train of wheels Z, a, b, the latter being on the screw'c, for traversing
the cutter headstock L.
The clutch V, when in gear with the wheel Y, the headstock L, will travel in the
forward or cutting direction as indicated by the arrow 1,-During the latter part of
this movement it compresses a spring d, against the collar d1, on the rod e, and
causes the said rod e, to move endwise, and by means of the lever f, which is con-
nected to the rod e, to discharge the clutch V, from the wheel Y, and place it in gear
with W, this causes Y, to turn in the contrary direction to that in which it turned
before, and the headstock L, to retire from the object under treatment and on its

page_text: approach to the backward position, the spring. f1, becomes compressed against the
collar 2, and causes the clutch V, to be again connected with the wheel Y, ready
for another cut. During this last named change, the selfacting dividing motion is
effected by the following mechanism
A pulley g, having a ratchet wheel, attached thereto, continually rotates upon an
axis, in the direction indicated by the arrow 3, during the time the machine is in
operation. Upon the said axis either in one therewith or keyed thereon is a lever or
arm j, this carries a hooked pawl k, provided with a projecting finger k 1, this bears
against an escapement lever L, and keeps the pawl clear of the rotating ratchet wheel h
during the forward and backward movement of the cutter headstock. The escape-
ment lever l, is provided with an arm 1, (the whole having a bellerank-like form,)
this arm, occupies a position in the path of the finger k 1, of the pawl k, and is
mounted upon the axle m, on this axle is also a bellcrank lever n; to one arm of which
is attached by means of a bolt and thumb nut n.1, a cord o, the fall end of which passes
over a pulley or stud p, on the other arm of the bellcrank and terminates in a
weight 9, which maintains the escapement lever in its normal position as shown,
during the forward and backward movement of the cutter headstock, (the forward
motion is shown by the arrow 1, and the backward motion by the arrow 2). The
other end of the cord is attached to a lever », (whose fulcrum is at s,) it then passes
over guide pulleys o 1, and o 2, to the bell crank lever n, before referred to.-The lever r,
is in connection with a sliding rod t, on which are adjustable collars u, and v, placed
to suit the breadth of a wheel or object under treatment and the extent of movement
required of the cutter headstock L.-The headstock during its backward movement
presses against the collar v, pulls the cord and thus raises the escapement lever 1,
causing the hooked pawl k, to take on to the ratchet wheel h, and to rotate therewith,
during which the end of the finger k 1, presses the arm 11, and replaces the escape-
mont lover l, in its beforementioned normal position ready to trip the pawl k, from the
rotating ratchet wheel h, at the moment that the said pawl and its axle has made one
revolution. While these movements are taking place the headstock L, has so far
advanced in the direction of the arrow 1, as to allow of the return movement of the
rod t, and to slacken the cord o, sufficiently to allow of the replacement of the
escapement lover 1, as above referred to.
It will thus be seen that one revolution of the axis i, has taken place; upon this
axis i, is a pinion w, that takes into and turns the wheel a, this pinion and wheel
as shewn being one to four; it will be obvious that the latter makes only one.
fourth of a revolution to one of the axis i, the accuracy of which is determined by a
detent lever that takes into notches 1, 2, 3, and 4, alternately.
ولا
The wheel, being mounted upon the shaft z, (the second motion shaft) on the
other end of which and on the worm-shaft. E 1, suitable numbers of change wheels
are placed for producing the required number of divisions or teeth to be formed
in a wheel or other object under treatment, thus completing the automatic dividing
arrangement.
The automatic cutting and dividing mechanism hereinabove described is applicable
to the cutting and dividing of racks, but the apparatus upon which the racks are
mounted whilst under treatment, being of the usual description and not forming
part of my present invention, is not illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Having now particularly described and. ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In combination with the usual traversing mechanism of the cutter headstock in
wheel and rack cutting and dividing machines, the automatic discharging and
reversing mechanism for effecting the movements of the said headstock, comprising
a sliding rode with adjustable collars d 1, and f2, springs d, and f1, lever f,
double faced clutch V; and the system of bevil gears W, X, Y, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated.

page_text: 2. In wheel and rack cutting and dividing machines, the autoinatic dividing.
mechanism comprising a sliding rod t, with adjustable collars น. and lever,
cord 0, guide pulleys o 1, and 0.2, bell-crank n, and means n 1, for attaching the
cord 0, thereto, weight 9, escapement lever 1, with arm 11, hook pawl k, with
finger k 1, arm j,-axis i, ratchet wheel h, and pulley g, and detent y, the whole
constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated for the purpose specified.
Dated this fourth day of January 2007.
Witness,
FRANCIS BUTTERFIELD.
THOS. E. CRAVEN, Fellow Inst. Patent Agents,
.. 24, Victoria Chambers, Leeds.