Machinery for the Manufacture of Screws, Bolts, Buttons, and other Round Articles.
Year: 1885

page_text: Machinery for the Manufacture of Screws, Bolts, Buttons, and
other Round Articles.
I, ADOLF SIEWERDT, Manager, of Oerlikon near Zurich, in the Republic of
Switzerland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
==
The annexed drawings Figs. I to XIII represent, in elevations and cross sections,
the construction of an automatic machine for the wholesale manufacture of screw-
bolts, buttons and other fashioned pieces, which can be made from a rod shaped
raw-material by the process of turning.
In my new machine the piece to be operated upon, is clipped fast instead of
revolving, while the tool holders embracing the piece of work, rotate round the
same. Fig. I is a side view of the machine with the stand X and the counter
shaft G, Fig. II a front view of the head stock with the cutter disc, after removal
of the cover-plate e.
Fig. III is a horizontal section along A—B of Fig. I, with partial plan of the
thread-cutting contrivance.
Fig. IV is a section along line C-D of Fig. I, showing the arrangement of
mechanism for producing the feed motion of the raw material.
Fig. V is a vertical section, along line E-F of Figs. III and IV, of the upper
part of the machine (main driving gear with cutter head, chuck and screw cutting
device) with partial mirror view of the head-stock with the stop eccentric
arrangement b¹ c¹.
Fig. VI is a cross section along line H-I of Fig. V, showing the mechanism for
obtaining the feed motion of the cutters; Fig. VII a vertical section, corresponding
to Fig. V, but without the screw cutting device. Figa. V to VII are drawn at a
slightly larger scale than the preceding figures.
Figs. VIII and IX illustrate the tool-holder in longitudinal and cross section (in
natural size).
Fig. X illustrates three fellow clipping tongues in cross section.
Fig. XI the same in front view.
Figs. XII and XIII are clipping cheeks, to be inserted into the clipping tongues
in longitudinal and cross section.
A hollow axle or mandrel a carrying the cutter head Rd serves as a core or
longitudinal axis of the machine (Fig. 1); this axle is rigidly mounted in the
machine frame and secured in its position by tightening the nut b.
On the fore end of the axle a is fastened a worm c, which holds the cutter head d
concentrical to the axle a, and at the same time causes the displacement of the
cutters, as the worm wheel fis set in rotary motion by turning the cutter head

page_text: round the stationary worm c by means of the driving pulley R. The worm-wheel f
imparts its motion by means of the intermediate wheels g g to the worm h, which
gears into the worm wheel eccentric ring i. Inside the eccentric worm ring i,
guides for the tool holders are placed or cut into the disc d, and the worm, together
with the eccentric ring i and tool holders k, are held fast by a cover plate e.
When
the eccentric ring i has been turned back in the cutter head for of an entire
revolution by means of the different motion, and thereby the cutters have been
shifted forward up to the centre, the cutters suddenly recede under the influence of
a spring m, situated in a recess of the plate i.
While the machine is working, the cheeks adapted to be displaced by the 1
eccentric ring i, are rigidly connected with the corresponding tool holders k, so
that the spring m causes the tool holder to recede when required.
For setting the three cutters exactly at the required distance from the centre,
each tool holder k has a regulating sleeve or guide h', Figs. VIII and IX. After
the position of the cutter has been made to correspond with the position of i
and by means of the sleeve h¹, i¹ is rigidly connected with k by tightening the
nut k¹, after which the spring m acts also on the cutters. The tool holder may, as
for instance in Figs. VIII and IX, be provided with a cover k to facilitate the
accurate setting of the cutters.
While the cutters are working, the worm n, mounted on the cutter-head d behind
the driving pulley, produces the feed-motion for releasing and feeding forward the
rigidly clamped raw material, for the length of one piece of work, by setting in
motion the worm-wheel o and a train of tooth-wheels p q r. On the axle of the
wheel r is mounted an eccentric disc or grooved cam s (or a pair of discs) connected
with the lever t, which is suspended from the arm u, fastened to the machine
frame. The arm u serves at the same time as a support for the guide-roller v, over
which passes the string carrying the weight for feeding forward the bar of raw
material and also for fixing the guide-tube w (for the said bar) which reaches to
the side stand x.
The levert is in connection with the double tube ys, introduced into the
stationary axle a and split in front into three parts, the outer tube y of which
receives in front at the conical extremity (Figs. V and X) three steel cheeks or
bushes y¹ (Fig. XII) which are provided with a bore or axial opening, corresponding
to the size of the material to be wrought.
The inner tube z, on which the outer tube y can be screwed forward and back-
ward, has for its object to enable the material to be clamped fast and serves at the
same time to guide the rod of raw material and the pusher a¹, which is fastened
to the weight cords, and finally it serves as a guide in connection with the
lever t..
The grooved cam 8 imparts to the lever ta motion, which expands and contracts
again the clamping tube y z, as soon as the cutters have rebounded from the piece
of work. On the axle of the said eccentric or grooved cam is situated a second
cam b', Fig. V, which in connection with the rod c¹ and the double lever d¹ acts on
the adjustable abutment or stop e¹ for the material fed forward by the weight V.
This abutment is pressed back in its former position by the spring f¹, as soon as the
rod of raw material is again clamped fast and thereby ready for work.
The withdrawal of the abutment e¹ is required to allow the piece of work,
previously turned and ready for being cut off, to freely fall into the receptacle g¹
for water and shavings, whereupon the machine begins to operate on a fresh piece
of work.
When subsequently the cutters have again arrived at the lowest point, owing to
the lagging behind of the eccentric worm wheel-ring i, the piece of work is
finished (as far as the turning operation is concerned) the cutters rebound instantly,
the levert loosens the clamping tube y z and at the same time the abutment or
stop rod e¹ recommences its forward motion (the latter is shown by Fig. V with
a separate stop-pin e³). Subsequently the material with the turned article is
advanced up to the abutment el again clamped fast, the turned article is cut off,

page_text: and the turning of a fresh piece of work commences, which operations are
continuously executed in alternation with the movements of the lever.
In
Figs. V and VII show the stop mechanism in a corresponding manner.
Fig. VII however, a simplification has been made by omitting the automatic thread
cutting device, in consequence of which the lever & may be brought up more
closely to the turning knives or tools.
Fig. V contains a vertical section and Fig. III a plan of the thread cutting
device, which is inserted between the turning knives and the stop regulator e¹.
The receptacle gl has an extension g². In the bearings g g revolve the pulleys
and in opposite directions, which pulleys are furnished with coupling clutches.
The hollow axle ml is situated in the bore of the pulleys, and the latter are
allowed to freely revolve round the hollow axle m¹, as long as the coupling
muffs n n connected with the axle m¹ by groove and feather are not in gear
with or 12.
The hollow axle m³ carries a thread cutting head p¹ and the bearing g contains
an internally threaded sleeve or bush for a pattern thread tube screw m³, fixed to
the hollow axle m¹.
As soon as one muff (for instance n¹) is inserted into the contiguous pulley (¹),
the axle m¹ is set in rotation, the pattern tube m² is screwed into the stationary
sleeve of the bearing 9, whereby the hollow axle is fed forward, and finally the
screw thread is cut on the bolt or other piece of work.
This operation must, of course, take place, before the bolt has been cut off.
The travel necessary for cutting the screw thread being completed, the coupling
muff n', which has been in gear, is disengaged, and the other is put in gear which
causes the reversal of the motion and thereby the withdrawal of the hollow spindle,
until the muff is again in the disengaging position. Then the bolt provided with
its thread can be cut off, and the turning of the following piece of work can
be completed. The motion of the hollow axle m¹ and that of the stop or
abutment e' e* have no influence on each other.
The motion for putting in and out of gear the muffs n¹ n³ with the pulleys /¹
and derived from the axle of the cam 8, and consequently also from the worm 0,
by means of the eccentrics q¹ and q² (Fig. III) which set in motion the coupling
levers and through the rods 8 and 82.
The rods 8 and 8³ are pressed against the eccentrics q¹ and q³ by helical springs
in opposite directions, because also the coupling and uncoupling motion for the two
muffs is effected in opposite directions.
While the pieces of work are being turned, a large water supply is required for
cooling the cutters and for removing the chips or shavings. For this purpose a
pump, Fig. I, constantly driven from the counter-shaft at the ceiling, draws water
from the interior of the main stand and lifts it into a reservoir situated above
the machine. Thence the water is supplied by a flexible pipe to the cock m², fixed
on the machine (Fig. IV), and conducted in front of the cutter-head and to the
piece of work, through a pair of canals a², cast into the stationary hollow axle a.
The waste water is received by the receptacle gl and again conducted to the main
stand t, through a sieve plate, contained in the said receptacle, and a tube
conduit.
The lubricator n¹ supplies grease to the cutter-axle head Rd, through the
canal m¹ in the machine stand and in the hollow axle a, in sufficient quantity to
prevent the heating of the cutter head.

page_text: guide slots for the tool holders k are planed or cut into the disc d, and the worm,
together with the eccentric ring and tool holders k, are held fast by a cover
plate e. As shown by Fig. II, the outer circumference of the ring i is formed by a
circle of teeth concentric to the axle a, while the inner circumference is formed by
6 eccentric curves, connected by short (approximately radial) lines. These curves
produce the feed motion of the three cutters by gradually pressing the three
holders towards the axis of the cutter disc, during the revolution of the ring i.
Instead of 3, any other convenient number of tools and a corresponding number
of guide curves (instead of 6) may be employed..
When the eccentric ring i has been turned back in the cutter head for f of an
entire revolution, by means of the differential motion, and has thereby pushed the
cutters forward up to the centre, the cutters suddenly recede under the influence of
springs, each of which is situated in a recess of the corresponding plate 2¹. While
the machine is working, the cheeks adapted to be displaced by the eccentric
ring i, are rigidly connected with the corresponding tool holders k, so that the
spring m causes the tool holder to recede when required.
For setting the three cutters exactly at the required distance from the centre,
each tool holder k has a regulating sleeve or guide h¹, Figs. VIII and IX. After
the position of the cutter has been made to correspond with the position of i¹ and i
by means of the sleeve h¹, is rigidly connected with k by tightening the nut k¹,
after which the spring m acts also on the cutters. The tool holder may, as for
instance in Figs. VIII and IX, be provided with a cover k³, to facilitate the
accurate setting of the cutters. As shown by Figs. VIII and IX, the cutters k³
correspond in cross section to the shape of the screws P, or other articles to be cut
from the bar of raw material.
While the cutters are working, the worm n, mounted on the cutter head d
behind the driving pulley, produces the feed-motion for releasing and feeding
forward the rigidly clamped raw material, for the length of one piece of work, by
Betting in motion the worn-wheel o and a train of tooth-wheels p q r. On the
axle of the wheel is mounted an eccentric disc or grooved cam 8 (or a pair of
discs) connected with the lever t, which is suspended from the arm u fastened to
the machine frame. The arm u serves at the same time as a support for the guide-
roller v, over which passes the string carrying the weight for feeding forward the
bar of raw material and also for fixing the guide-tube w (for the said bar) which
reaches to the side stand x.
The lever t is in connection with the double tube y z introduced into the
stationary axle a and split in front into three parts, the outer tube y of which
receives in front at the conical extremity (Figs. V and X) three steel cheeks or
bushes y¹ (Fig. XII) which are provided with a bore or axial opening corresponding
to the size of the material to be wrought.
The inner tube 2, on which the outer tube y can be screwed forward and
backward, has for its object to enable the material to be clamped fast and serves
at the same time to guide the rod of raw material and the pusher a¹, which is
fastened to the weight cords, and finally it serves as a guide in connection with
the lever t.
The grooved cams & impart to the lever ta motion, which first expands and then
contracts the clamping tube y, with its cheeks y', the expansion taking place as
soon as the cutters have rebounded from the piece of work.
The fulcrum of the lever t is situated on the arın u, and as the lever t projects
into the tube 2, by means of a guide roller or a guide pin or any other suitable
means (and is therefore connected with the same), the travel of the eccentric &
produces a corresponding longitudinal motion of the tube z.
As the tube is screwed together with the tube y, the latter shares the
longitudinal motion in the fixed mandrel a.
During the forward motion of the tube y (with its cheeks y¹) against the conical
inside surface of the mandrel a, the three tongues of the tube y are pressed
concentrically towards the axis, consequently the cheeks y² clip fast the round iron

page_text: or other raw material. If, on the contrary, the tube y is drawn backward by
means of the tubes and the lever t, the action of the conical inner surface of the
mandrel a on the conical surface of the tongues ceases, and the rod of round iron
or other raw material is no longer clipped fast by the cheeks y¹. This latter
condition is produced by the cams directly after the operation of turning has
been completed, therefore as soon as the cutters have receded from the piece of
work.
Subsequently the raw material is fed forward for the length of a piece of work,
after which the cam s imparts to the lever ta forward motion, that is to say,
towards the tube g, whereby the cheeks y¹ are again caused to clip and hold fast
the raw material.
To accomplish this combination of motions, a second cam b, is mounted on the
axle of the said eccentric or grooved cam s Fig. V, which cam in connection with
the rod c¹ and the double lever d' acts on the adjustable abutment or stop e¹ for
the material fed forward by the weight V. This abutment is pressed back in its
former position by the spring f1, as soon as the rod of raw material is again clamped
fast and thereby ready for work.
The withdrawal of the abutment e¹ is required to allow the piece of work,
previously turned and ready for being cut off, to freely fall into the receptacle g¹
for water and shavings, whereupon the machine begins to operate on a fresh piece
of work.
When subsequently the cutters have again arrived at the lowest point, owing to
the lagging behind of the eccentric worm wheel-ring i, the piece of work is
finished (as far as the turning operation is concerned) the cutters rebound instantly,
the levert loosens the clamping tube y z, and at the same time the abutment or
stop rod e¹ recommences its forward motion (the latter is shown by Fig. V with
a separate stop-pin e¹). Subsequently the material with the turned article is
advanced up to the abutment e, again clamped fast, the turned article is cut off,
and the turning of a fresh piece of work commences, which operations are
continuously executed in alternation with the movements of the lever. Fig. V
and VII show the stop mechanism in a corresponding manner. In Fig. VII
however, a simplification has been made by omitting the automatic thread cutting
device, in consequence of which the lever d¹ may be brought up more closely to the
turning knives or tools.
Fig. V contains a vertical section and Fig. III a plan of the thread cutting device,
which is inserted between the turning knives and the stop regulator e¹. The
receptacle g¹ has an extension g³. In the bearings g³ ³ revolve the pulleys 11
and in opposite directions, which pulleys are furnished with coupling clutches.
The hollow axle m¹ is situated in the bore of the pulleys, and the latter are
allowed to freely revolve round the hollow axle m¹, as long as the coupling
muffs n¹n connected with the axle m¹ by groove and feather are not in gear
with l¹ or l³.
The hollow axle m¹ carries a thread cutting head p¹ and the bearing g* contains
an internally threaded sleeve or bush for a pattern thread tube screw m³ fixed to
the hollow axle m¹.
As soon as one muff (for instance n¹) is inserted into the contiguous pulley (7),
the axle m' is set in rotation, the pattern tube m³ is screwed into the stationary
sleeve of the bearing 9, whereby the hollow axle is fed forward, and finally the
screw thread is cut on the bolt or other piece of work.
This operation must, of course, take place, before the bolt has been cut off.
The travel necessary for cutting the screw thread being completed, the coupling
muff n¹, which has been in gear, is disengaged, and the other is put in gear which
causes the reversal of the motion and thereby the withdrawal of the hollow spindle,
until the muff is again in the disengaging position. Then the bolt provided with
its thread can be cut off, and the turning of the following piece of work can be
completed. The motion of the hollow axle m' and that of the stop or abutment e¹ e²
have no influence on each other.

page_text: The motion for putting in and out of gear the muffs n¹, n' with the pulleys "
and is derived from the axle of the cam 8, and consequently also from the
worm o, by means of the eccentrics q¹ and q³ (Fig. III) which set in motion the
coupling levers and through the rods a¹ and 8.
The rods 8 and 8' are pressed against the eccentrics q¹ and q³ by helical springs
in opposite directions, because also the coupling and uncoupling motion for the two
muffs is effected in opposite directions.
While the pieces of work are being turned, a large supply of water or other
cooling liquid is required for cooling the cutters and for removing the chips or
shavings.
For this purpose a pump, Fig. I, constantly driven from the counter-shaft at the
ceiling, draws water from the interior of the main stand t¹, and lifts it into a
reservoir situated above the machine. Thence the water is supplied by a flexible
pipe to the cock m¹ fixed on the machine (Fig. IV), and conducted in front of the
cutter-head and to the piece of work, through a pair of canals a³ cast into the
stationary hollow axle a. The waste water is received by the receptacle g¹ and
again conducted to the main stand t¹, through a sieve plate, contained in the said
receptacle, and a tube conduit.
The lubricator ul supplies grease to the cutter-axle head R d, through the
canal win the machine stand and in the hollow axle a, in sufficient quantity to
prevent the heating of the cutter head.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is:
1.) The combination of a stationary mandrel or hollow axle a, with cutter
head Rd adapted to revolve on the said mandrel, and mechanism for producing
the feed or to and fro motion of the cutters, the said mechanism chiefly comprising
a stationary worm c, an eccentric ring i, and a train of wheels f g g h or equivalent
contrivance adapted to connect the stationary worm c with the ring i.
2.) The mechanism for producing the feed motion of the cutters (illustrated by
Figs. II V and VI), comprising a stationary worm c carried by and revolving with
the cutter head d and gearing into the worm c, tooth wheels g g and worm h
carried by the cutter head and set in motion by the worm f, and wormwheel
eccentric-ring i gearing into the worm h and provided with means (such as
excentric curves) for converting the rotary motion of the ring i into the feed motion
of the cutter holders.
3.) A clamping device or rod-holder, situated in the fixed hollow axle a and
adapted to move against the conical inside surface of the same, the said clamping
device comprising a pair of concentric tubes y and z (Fig. V) adapted to be
introduced one into the other, and inside linings or bushes y¹ (Figs. XIII and XII)
adapted to hold the stationary bar of raw material which is being operated upon
by revolving cutters.
4.) The screw cutting appliance (Figs. I and III and part of Fig. V), chiefly
comprising a pair of loose driving pulleys and provided with claws and
adapted to revolve in opposite directions, a pair of coupling muffs n¹ and n³
adapted (by groove and feather) to slide longitudinally on a sleeve m¹ containing
the stop or abutment rod and provided at the rear with pattern thread tube m³
and in front with screw cutting head p', a pair of revolving cams q¹ and g², and
mechanism for connecting the coupling muffs with (and controlling them by) the
said cains.
5.) The method or means of supplying water or other cooling liquid to the piece
of work, (operated upon by revolving cutters) namely by conducting it through
canals a' of the fixed hollow mandrel a to the front of the cutter head.
6.) The means for causing a constant purification and circulation of the cooling
liquid, chiefly comprising a collecting tank g¹ situated in front of the cutter head
and provided with a sieve bottom, a hollow machine stand (serving to support the

page_text: principal parts of the machine and) connected with the tank g¹, and means for
raising the waste soap water or other cooling liquid from the interior of the stand t¹
for conducting it again (and controlling its flow) to and through the interior of the
hollow mandrel a.
7.) The mechanism for the feed motion of the piece of work, chiefly comprising
cams 8 and 6', worm n and tooth gearing set in motion by the pulley R and
adapted to turn the cams 8 and 61, lever t adapted to be controlled by cam s and to
hold or release the piece of work as required, and appliances c¹ d¹ e¹ adapted to bo
controlled by the cam 61 and to stop the feed motion of the piece of work at the
required moment.
·
8.) In an automatic machine for cutting screws and other small round articles,
the combination of a rotary cutter head d (together with feed mechanism for the
cutters), mounted on a stationary hollow axle a, provided with worm c, and adapted
to be driven direct by pulley R; with a double clamping tube y z, situated in the
hollow axle a, and adapted to be set in motion by an eccentric or cam; a stop
mechanism o¹ de adapted to be set in motion by a cam or eccentric; a collecting
tank g', situated in front of the rotary cutter head, and provided with sieve
bottom; with or without a screw cutting appliance p¹ m¹ m³ 11 1², n¹ n³, adapted to
be set in and out of action by means of disengaging levers 71 controlled by cams.
Dated this 26th day of January 1886.