Improvements in Lathes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
Improvements in Lathes.
I, JOHN RODGERS, Machinist, residing in East Pittsburg, in the County of
Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists of an improvement in lathes for the successive manipula-
tions of lathe work, in which a turret is employed, and is designed for the purpose
of securing greater simplicity in the construction of the machine and efficiency and
rapidity in its manipulation and action as shall be hereinafter set forth, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved lathe.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof, taken on the line II, II of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the main power and driving
shafts, the upper part of the machine having been removed above the line III,
III, of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line IV, IV of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line V, V, of Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a sectional detail view of one of the chuck spindles, indicated by the
line VI, VI of Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a cross section through the end of the shifting lever and tables
indicated by the line VII, VII of Figure 5.
2, is a main base upon which, by suitable side framework 3, is supported the main
stationary table 4. At its centre the table 4 is provided with a circular raised
bearing track 5, upon which is supported the upper circular revolving turret 6 upon
which are radially arranged the various revolving chuck holders, mounted in bear-
ings 7 secured to the turret 6. A vertical shaft 8 is mounted centrally of the
machine having a stop box bearing 9 in the base 2, and this shaft serves to receive
motion from a main driving shaft 10, provided with a stepped pulley 11, through
bevel wheels 12, 13, secured to the shafts 10 and 8 respectively and to distribute the
power by driven wheels 14 to a series of lateral horizontal shafts 15. Suitable
bearings for the shafts are provided in the pillow blocks 16, 17 mounted on the base
and side frame. A vertical bearing 18, secured to the centre of the upper table 4
serves to hold the shaft 8 in a central upright position and at its top the shaft 8 is
provided with a master bevel wheel 19.1 The chuck holders consist of a two part
shaft 20, 21, the part 20 having a reduced extension 20¹ passing through the hollow
shaft 21 to which is keyed a bevel wheel 22 meshing into the wheel 19. At its other
end the shaft 20 is provided with a chuck 23 of any approved design adapted to
receive and hold the piece to be operated upon. To the hollow driven shaft 21 is
affixed a clutch 24, a corresponding clutch 25 being slidingly mounted by a spline 26
upon the shaft 20 and adapted to engage and disengage with the clutch 24. A hand
lever 26 pivotted to the top of the turret 6 at 27 engages an annular groove 28 of the
clutch 25, by which means the clutch is thrown into and out of gear.
In the machine illustrated in the drawings I have shown six chuck holders and

page_text: chucks equally arranged and spaced; and at five of the positions opposite the chucks,
are located reciprocating stationary (as to rotary motion) tool holders 29 mounted in
upright bearings 30 secured upon the table 4. These holders are provided at their
inner ends with cutting tools a which are advanced towards and withdrawn from the
chucks in the manner I shall now describe.
It will be seen (Fig. 3) that from the main power shaft 10, motion is imparted
through gearing 12, 13, 14 to shafts 8 and 15, each of the shafts 15 corresponding in
position to one of the tool holders 29. Above each of such shafts 15, is located a
short counter shaft 31 suitably supported in bearings 32, 33 upon which is mounted
a cam 34 provided with a cam groove 35. Above the counter shaft 31 is mounted a
reciprocating rod 36 provided with a cross-head 37 and finger 38 projecting into the
cam groove 35, the outer end of the rod being pivotally connected at 39 to the lower
end of a lever 40 pivotted at its middle to a bracket 41 and at the upper end pivotally
secured to the outer end of the tool holder 29 at 42.
To the shaft 31 is secured a mitre wheel 43 into which meshes a similar mitre
wheel 44 mounted on the upper end of a short shaft 45 having a bearing at 46 in a
bracket extended from the main frame. To the lower end of the shaft 45 is secured
a worm wheel 47 and upon each shaft 15 is a worm 48 intermeshing therewith, and
by which the worm wheel, shaft, mitre wheels, shaft 31 and cam are operated.
Inasmuch as the initial speed of the power shaft and lateral shafts 15 is high, it
will be seen that by this means of transmission the speed will be greatly reduced and
the power correspondingly increased.
For the purpose of rotating this turret a partial revolution corresponding to. the
distance between any two operative positions I have provided a swinging lever 49
journalled at its inner end on the shaft 8, with a supporting collar 50. At its outer
end is mounted a finger 51 projecting up through an annular slot 52 into one of the
holes 53 in the inwardly projecting flange 54 of the turret 6, the holes 53 being
regularly spaced and located to correspond to the position and number of the chuck
holders. The lever 49 has a swinging motion through the arc of a circle correspond-
ing to the distance between two positions of the chuck holders and is operated by a
connecting rod 55 pivotally secured to the lever at 56, supported in bearing 57 and
having at its outer end a finger 58 in engagement with a cam groove 59 on the
cam 60, supported on the shaft 61, the groove being so designed as to cause the rod 55
to travel forward and back, thereby operating the lever through the desired arc.
The pin 51 is so mounted in the end of the lever 49 as to be capable of vertical
movement, and is provided with a coiled spring 62 surrounding the pin, resting on
the upper side of the lever and bearing against a collar 63 of the pin so as to raise it
into an operative position to engage the hole 53, the motion being limited by a
nut 64. At its top the pin 51 is beveled on the back side, at 65 whereby it will be
automatically forced down and out of engagement with the hole on the back travel
of the lever, the spring causing it to rise and enter the next hole, when in register.
For the purpose of locking the turret 6 in position, and so holding it during
the operation of the various tools, a locking bolt 66 is mounted at the front of the
machine, passing through a bearing 67 in the upper table and entering one of the
locking holes 68 in the outer edge of the turret, corresponding in number and
regularity of intervening space to the holes 53.
At its outer end this bolt is pivotally connected to a reciprocating lever 69 secured
to a rock shaft 70 pivotted in a bearing 71, secured to the framework of the machine,
a cam lever 72 projecting downwards alongside the cam 60 and provided with a pin 73
entering the cam groove 74 by which means the locking bolt is operated, the cam
groove 74 being so designed as to insert and withdraw the locking bolt at the
beginning and end of the period of rest of the turret.
The cam 60 is mounted on the shaft and the shaft 61 is mounted in bearings
secured to the frame of the machine in a manner similar to the shafts 31, and motion
is imparted to it at the same speed and through the similar mechanism of worm 48,
worm wheel 47, and gearing 44, 43 as employed to operate the shafts 31 as already
described.

page_text: A
In the operation of my machine the blanks to be operated on are inserted in the
chucks 23 of the lathe successively as the turret is rotated, the operator occupying a
position at the front of the machine, designated by the letter A. The blank is then
carried round by the revolving turret, the clutch having been thrown into engage-
ment whereby it is caused to rotate, until arriving at the position B when the turret
will be stopped by the termination of throw of lever 49; the locking bolt 66 is
then inserted.
The tool carrying shafts 29 will then be advanced and the blank while rotating,
will be acted on by the tool until the shaft 29 has advanced to the limit of its stroke,
due to the cam 34 when the tool will then recede and the blank will be advanced to
the next position C, and in succession to positions D, E and F, the operation being
similar in each case, but a different tool being used on each successive tool holding
shaft, whereby the blank is subjected to a different operation in succession, until it
finally arrives again at the position A, when the clutch will be thrown out of engage-
ment and the finished blank will be finished by the operation and a new one inserted.
It will thus be seen that the operation is continuous and that each of the five
chucks will contain blanks in different stages of operation, the action being entirely
automatic from start to finish.
Variations may be made in the design proportions and arrangement of my
machine without departing from my invention and the numbers of chuck holders
and tool shafts may be varied to suit different requirements of use, and all such
changes and variation as may be made by the skilled mechanic are contemplated by
me, and considered as part of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
is: :-
1. A lathe provided with a main table a rotating turret mounted centrally thereon,
means for intermittently rotating the turret a partial revolution, laterally arranged,
equally spaced chuck supporting shafts mounted on the turret formed in two parts
with connecting clutch mechanism, a central vertical power shaft provided with a
bevel gear wheel meshing into bevel gear wheels mounted on the inner ends of the
chuck supporting shafts, and reciprocating tool holders with mechanism for advanc-
ing towards and withdrawing from the chucks, substantially as set forth.
2. In a lathe provided with a main table, a rotating turret mounted centrally
thereon, means for intermittently rotating the turret a partial revolution, reciprocat-
ing tool holders and turret locking mechanism: a main power shaft with means for
imparting motion from a prime mover and a bevel wheel on its inner end, a central
vertical power distributing shaft provided with a bevel wheel in engagement with
the main power shaft bevel wheel, lateral driving shafts provided with bevel wheels
in engagement with the bevel wheel on the central shaft, secondary driving shafts
located above the lateral driving shafts, and intervening driving mechanism by
which mction is imparted from the lateral driving shafts to the secondary driving
shafts, substantially as set forth.
3. In a lathe provided with a main table, a rotating turret mounted centrally
thereon, means for intermittently rotating the turret a partial revolution reciprocat-
ing tool holders and turret locking mechanism; the combination therewith of a main
power shaft with means for imparting motion from a prime mover and a bevel wheel
on its inner end a central vertical power distributing shaft provided with a bevel
wheel in engagement with the main power shaft bevel wheel, lateral driving shafts
provided with bevel wheels in engagement with the bevel wheel on the central shaft,
secondary driving shafts located above the lateral driving shafts, worm gear wheels
mounted on the lateral driving shaft and main power shaft respectively worm pinion
wheels in engagement therewith mounted on the ends of intervening shafts having a
bevel wheel in mesh with a corresponding bevel wheel mounted in the secondary
driving shafts, with bearings for the intervening shafts, substantially as set forth.
4. In a lathe provided with a rotating chuck supporting turret, means for rotating

page_text: the chucks, and means for holding the turret stationary at operative positions of the
chucks a reciprocating tool holder mounted in bearings opposite the chucks at such
operative positions, a pivotted lever connected to the tool holder and to an operating
rod provided with a cam finger and a cam provided with a groove engaging the finger
substantially as set forth.
5. In a lathe provided with a main stationary table a rotating chuck supporting
turret means for rotating the chucks consisting of bevel wheels mounted on the inner
ends of the chuck supporting shafts in mesh with a driving bevel wheel mounted on
the top of a vertical driving shaft; a shifting lever pivotally mounted on the vertical
shaft provided with a pin projecting through an annular slot in the table
and designed to engage holes in the bottom of the turret with means for operating the
lever, substantially as set forth.
6. In a lathe provided with a main stationary table a rotating chuck supporting
turret means for rotating the chucks consisting of bevel wheels mounted on the inner
ends of the chuck supporting shafts in mesh with a driving bevel wheel mounted
on the top of a vertical driving shaft a shifting lever pivotally mounted on the
vertical shaft provided with a pin having a cushion spring to permit of vertical
movement projecting through an annular slot in the table and designed to engage
holes in the bottom of the turret and a rod pivotally connected to the shifting lever
mounted in bearings in the table provided with a cam finger and an operating cam
provided with a groove for engaging the finger, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination in a lathe of a main table a rotating turret mounted centrally
thereon equally spaced chuck supporting shafts, mounted on the turret formed in
two parts with connecting clutch mechanism a central vertical power shaft provided
with a bevel gear wheel meshing into bevel gear wheels mounted on the inner ends
of the chuck supporting shafts reciprocating tool holders mounted in bearings
opposite the chucks at the operative positions, pivotted levers connected to the tool
holders and to operating rods provided with cam fingers, cams mounted on lateral
shafts and provided with grooves engaging the fingers, and bevel wheel and worm
gearing connecting such lateral shafts with main lateral driving shafts having bevel
wheels in mesh with the main bevel driving wheel on the central vertical power shaft
substantially as set forth.
8. The combination in a lathe of a main table a rotating turret mounted centrally
thereon equally spaced chuck supporting shafts mounted on the turret formed in two
parts with connecting clutch mechanism a central vertical power shaft provided with
a bevel gear wheel meshing into bevel gear wheels mounted on the inner ends of
the chuck supporting shafts reciprocating tool holders mounted in bearings opposite
the chucks at the operative positions, pivotted levers connected to the tool holders
and to operating rods provided with cam fingers, cams mounted on lateral shafts and
provided with grooves engaging the fingers, bevel wheel and worm gearing connecting
such lateral shafts with main lateral driving shafts having bevel wheels in mesh
with a main driving bevel wheel on the central vertical shaft and a shifting lever
pivotally mounted on the vertical power shaft provided with a pin projecting through
an annular slot in the table and designed to engage holes in the bottom of the turret
with a connecting rod having a finger engaged by a groove of a cam on one of the
cam shafts substantially as set forth.
9. The combination in a lathe of a main table a rotating turret mounted centrally
thereon equally spaced chuck supporting shafts mounted on the turret formed in
two parts with connecting clutch mechanism a central vertical shaft provided with a
bevel gear wheel meshing into bevel gear wheels mounted on the inner ends of the
chuck supporting shafts reciprocating tool holders mounted in bearings opposite the
chucks at the operative positions pivotted levers connected to the tool holders and to
operating rods provided with cam fingers cams mounted on lateral shafts provided
with grooves engaging with the fingers, bevel wheel and worm gearing connecting
such lateral shafts with main lateral driving shafts having bevel wheels in mesh with
a main driving bevel wheel on the central vertical power shaft and a locking bolt
mounted in the main table adapted to enter locking holes in the edge of the rotating

page_text: turret and connected to a pivotted crank arm having a finger engaged by a cam
groove in a shifting cam on one of the cam shafts substantially as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of January 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.