Year: 1898

page_text: We, JAMES EDWARD CARTER and SAM AYRTON WRIGHT, both of Corporation
Street, Halifax, in the County of York, Nut and Bolt Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
―:
Our invention relates to the construction of automatic mechanism for tapping
nuts in rapid succession one after another.
In constructing a machine according to our invention we employ a hopper for
the reception of untapped nuts, such hopper being provided with a sight hole
or slot to enable the supply in the hopper to be seen at a glance. The bottom or
lowermost nut in the hopper rests on a plunger or feeder bar with a recessed
forked end which engages and pushes the nuts one by one over a vertical "tap"
and holds same in position until the tapping of the nut is completed, when it is
withdrawn by spiral spring and releases the nut. The tap rises vertically through
the nut for the purpose of forming the thread therein and the tapped nuts are
discharged without removing or stopping the tap. The said tap is held during
the greater portion of the tapping operation by two pairs of jaws passing through
a rotating boss or head on a hollow driven spindle whereby the tap is also made
to rotate. The spindle and tap are raised positively through the medium of a
serew, the pitch of which is in relative proportion to the pitch of the tap, so that
the upward movement of the tap through the nut is positively insured, without
any pull or drag either upon the tap or upon the nut. The screw is adapted to be
driven at two speeds to give a slow upward and quick downward movement to the
spindle and tap, two sets of toothed wheels being employed which are placed into
and out of gear by a sliding clutch boss automatically actuated through a vertical
rod with distance collars thereon, by a lug forming part of the nut through
which the screw works to raise and lower the spindle. Change wheels can be
introduced to change the speed and pitch of the thread to be formed in the
nut.
When the nut has been tapped or nearly so the upper pair of jaws are
opened, thus permitting the nut to slip over the tap and rest upon the bottom
jaws, and on the tap and parts connected therewith descending the top pair of
jaws again seize hold of the tap, the nut meanwhile lodging between the two pairs
of jaws, but on arriving at the lower extent of downward movement the bottom
jaws open, permitting the tapped nut to fall through the hollow spindle into a
receptacle underneath the machine. These pairs of jaws are closed self-actingly
by means of fixed cam surfaces in a box or cylinder surrounding the boss or
spindle head carrying the tap, the said boss revolving within said cylinder.
Spiral springs are employed to open the jaws when the cam permits them,
and locking devices. consisting of spindles having bosses or collars thereon which
are adapted to be forced by springs into and to engage with recesses in the
grippers, are employed to lock the grippers when closed upon the tap shank and
remove the pressure and friction which would otherwise be brought to bear on the

page_text: walls of the cam box or cylinder. These locking devices are released by their
engagement with fixed stops at the upper and lower limits of motion.
The pushing device which pushes the untapped nuts into position is operated
self-actingly by lever from the revolving boss and it is locked in position at the
forward end of its stroke by a vertical stud or peg acted upon by a spring, such
peg or stud being actuated to release the feeder bar or plunger and nut by the
upward motion of the spindle and allowing the pusher to be withdrawn to receive
another untapped nut, which in turn, passes on to the tap, this going on auto-
matically and continuously whereby a considerable number of nuts can be tapped
in quick succession.
T
1
100
We, JAMES EDWARD CARTER and SAM AYRTON WRIGHT, both of Corporation
Street, Halifax, in the County of York, Nut and Bolt Manufacturers, 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:
Our invention relates to the construction of automatic mechanism for tapping
nuts in rapid succession one after another.
In constructing a machine according to our invention we employ a hopper for
the reception of untapped nuts, such hopper being provided with a sight hole
or slot to enable the supply in the hopper to be seen at a glance. The bottom or
lowermost nut in the hopper rests on a plunger or feeder bar with a recessed
forked end which engages and pushes the nuts one by one over a vertical "tap"
and holds same in position until the tapping of the nut is completed, when it is
withdrawn by spiral spring and releases the nut. The tap rises vertically through
the nut for the purpose of forming the thread therein and the tapped nuts are
discharged without removing or stopping the tap. The said tap is held during
the greater portion of the tapping operation by two pairs of jaws passing through
a rotating boss or head on a hollow driven spindle whereby the tap is also made
to rotate. The spindle and tap are raised positively through the medium of a
screw, the pitch of which is in relative proportion to the pitch of the tap, so that
the upward movement of the tap through the nut is positively insured, without
any pull or drag either upon the tap or upon the nut. The screw is adapted to be
driven at two speeds to give a slow upward and quick downward movement to the
spindle and tap, two sets of toothed wheels being employed which are placed into
and out of gear by a sliding clutch boss automatically actuated through a vertical
rod with distance collars thereon, by a lug forming part of the nut through
which the screw works to raise and lower the spindle. Change wheels can be
introduced to change the speed and pitch of the thread to be formed in the
nut. When the nut has been tapped or nearly so the upper pair of jaws are
opened, thus permitting the nut to slip over the tap and rest upon the bottom
jaws, and on the tap and parts connected therewith descending the top pair of
jaws again seize hold of the tap, the nut meanwhile lodging between the two pairs
of jaws, but on arriving at the lower extent of downward movement the bottom
jaws open, permitting the tapped nut to fall through the hollow spindle into a
receptacle underneath the machine. These pairs of jaws are closed self-actingly

page_text: by means of fixed cam surfaces in a box or cylinder surrounding the boss or
spindle head carrying the tap, the said boss revolving within said cylinder.
Spiral springs are employed to open the jaws when the cam permits them,
and locking devices, consisting of spindles having bosses or collars thereon which
are adapted to be forced by springs into and to engage with recesses in the
grippers, are employed to lock the grippers when closed upon the tap shank and
remove the pressure and friction which would otherwise be brought to bear on the
walls of the cam box or cylinder. These locking devices are released by their
engagement with fixed stops at the upper and lower limits of motion.
The pushing device which pushes the untapped nuts into position is operated
self-actingly by a lever from the revolving boss and it is locked in position at the
forward end of its stroke by a vertical stud or peg acted upon by a spring, such
peg or stud being actuated to release the feeder bar or plunger and nut by the
upward motion of the spindle and allowing the pusher to be withdrawn to receive
another untapped nut which in turn passes on to the tap, this going on auto-
matically and continuously whereby a considerable number of nuts can be tapped
in quick succession.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention, Figure 1 is a front
elevation of a nut-tapping machine embodying our invention, the front half of
the cylinder or cam-box being removed to show the interior thereof more plainly.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow a, same
figure. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section, taken on line bb of Fig. 4, of the cylinder
or cam-box and parts working in same. Fig. 4 is a plan taken on line cc of
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan taken on line d d of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a plan
view of the plunger or nut-feeder.
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hollow spindle having at its upper
end an enlarged head 1". The spindle 1 is carried by a worm-wheel 2, having
extended bosses on its upper and lower faces, which are journalled in bearings 34
in the frame 5 of the machine. The worm-wheel 2 is provided with a key which
fits in the groove or slot 1 in the spindle 1 and secures the two parts together
rotatively, while allowing to the spindle 1 perfect freedom of movement vertically.
Fast on a shaft 6, located at the rear of the spindle and journalled in bearings ī
in the frame 5, is a worm 8, which meshes with the worm-wheel 2 and gives motion
to said worm-wheel to rotate the spindle 1, the shaft 6 being driven by a belt
passing around pulley 9, fast on said shaft. 10 is a loose pulley, and 11 is a
V-grooved pulley which by cord or band imparts motion to the pump (not shown)
for supplying lubricant through pipe 12 to tap and nut.
Arranged diametrically in the head 1 of the hollow spindle 1 are two pairs of
grippers namely, an upper pair 13 13 and a lower pair 14 14-the distance
between the two said pairs of grippers being sufficient to accommodate at least
the full depth of a nut, for the reason herein after explained. These grippers
comprise cylindrical bars or rods which are adapted to slide longitudinally within
certain limits in recesses 15 15 and 16 16 formed in the head 1, the inner ends
of said grippers being smaller in diameter than the outer ends and extending
into corresponding reduced openings in the ends of the recesses 15 15 16 16.
Surrounding the smaller diameter of the grippers and confined between shoul-
ders 13 13 14 14 and the inner ends of the recesses 15 15 16 16 are spiral
springs 17 17 and 18 18 for forcing the grippers apart and clear of the interior
of the spindle when they are released. The inner extremities of the grippers are
cut V shape to fit against two sides of squares formed on the shank 19 of tap 19,
as shown clearly at Fig. 4.
Surrounding the head 1 of the spindle 1 is a fixed or stationary cylinder or cam-
box 20. which is made in two halves, whereof one is formed integral with or is
secured to the frames 5. while the other or front half is secured to the opposing
half by nuts and bolts 21. passed through openings in the flanges 20. The middle
or central portion of the interior of the cylinder or cam-box 20 is bored to receive
the head 1, which fits nicely and is free to slide up and down therein, this and

page_text: a central portion being approximately equal in depth to the lift of the spindle 1,
and at the upper and lower extremities thereof the walls diverge in the form of two
cones having their smaller ends adjacent to each other and forming cam-sur-
faces 20 and 20° for actuating, respectively, the upper and lower pairs of
grippers 13 13 14 14.
In the sides of the grippers 13 13 14 14 are cut vertical semicircular recesses
adapted to receive segments of the circumference of bosses or collars 22 22
23 23 on vertical spindles 22", 22", 23", 23", respectively, which are supported
in openings in the head 1" of the hollow spindle the spindles 22ª 22ª extending
up some distance above the head 1", said spindles 22" 22" being shown longer
than necessary for the purpose of better illustrating same, and the spindles 23" 23"
projecting a short distance below said head 1" the former having spiral springs
confined under the bosses or collars thereon and the latter having spiral springs
confined above the bosses or collars thereon, whereby when the said spindles
are released on the grippers being forced up to the tap-shank and bringing the
semicircular recesses opposite the collars or bosses the latter will at once be
caused to enter and engage with same by the expansion of the springs and will
lock the grippers concerned in position and hold of the shank, as shown at Figs. 3
and 4, in respect of the upper pair of grippers. The locking of the grippers,
as above, when hold of the tap-shank relieves the pressure, with which the
grippers by reason of the tension of the confined and compressed springs thereon
would otherwise press against the walls of the cylinder 20, the friction and wear
between the ends of the grippers and the walls of the cylinder 20 being thus
minimised.
Over the tap 19 and central therewith is the nut-holder base 24, under which
the nut 25 to be tapped is presented by the plunger or feeder-bar 26, which sup-
ports it until the tapping process is completed. This plunger is provided with
a forked end recessed to the shape of a nut (see Fig. 6,) and it slides in ways
in the head 5ª of the frame 5, being forced forward to bring a nut into position
for tapping by the end 27" of a lever 27, pivotted on a stud 28, whose opposite
end 27 is curved or U shaped and is adapted to be engaged at its extremity
by the under face of the head 1" on descending, the said plunger being returned
or drawn back again when released, as afterwards explained, by a spiral spring 29,
secured at one end to a stud fast to the plunger and at the opposite end to a
stud secured to a lug or projection 30 on the head 5° of the frame 5.
When withdrawn to its outer position, the recessed end of the plunger 26 lies
immediately under the hopper 31, containing a supply-column of nuts, the lowest
one of which falls into the recess, so that when the end 27b of lever 27 is engaged
by the head 1 of the spindle on the downward movement of the latter it moves
said lever in the direction of arrow f and pushes the plunger forward in the
same direction until the nut 25 is brought directly over the tap 19, when move-
ment ceases and the plunger is locked in its abnormal position by a shoulder
on a spindle 32, which is forced by means of a confined spiral spring 33 into a
recess 34, made in the side of the plunger.
The spindle 32 extends below the head of the frame and is engaged by the
head 1 of the spindle 1, as the latter is completing its upward movement, the
result being that the spindle is raised against the resistance of spring 33 and
the shoulder thereon placed clear of the plunger 26, which is immediately
drawn back by spring 29 to receive another nut from the hopper 31. Any excess
of movement of lever 27 or plunger 26 is taken up by a spring 35, confined on a
stud carried by said lever. The hopper 31 has a sight-hole 31* to enable the
column of nuts to be seen at a glance. These are in general the essential parts
of the apparatus for holding and rotating the tap and supplying the nuts one
after the other for tapping same, those to which important novelty is attached
being the stationary or fixed cam-box or cylinder the locking devices for
locking the grippers when closed; and the locking device for locking the plunger
or nut-feeder bar. The second feature of our invention is in providing simple

page_text: and self-acting mechanism for giving a slow and upward stroke to the hollow
spindle 1 when tapping and a quick return or downward stroke.
Journalled in bearings in brackets 36 37, secured to the frame 5, is a vertical
screw 38, whose pitch is relatively proportioned to the pitch of the tap in order
that the progress of the tap through the nut will be positively insured without
any pull or drag upon the tap or upon the nut. The said screw 38 extends
through a nut 39, secured to the bottom of spindle 1, and has secured rotatively
on its lower end a sliding double-clutch boss 40, which is adapted to be engaged
with one or the other of two opposing clutches 41" 42" on the bosses of toothed
wheels 41 42, mounted loosely on the screw-shaft. The wheel 41 meshes directly
with a toothed wheel 43, fast on an auxiliary shaft 44, journalled in bearings in
the brackets 36 37, and the wheel 42, with an intermediate pinion 45, in mesh
with a pinion 46, also fast on said shaft 44. The shaft 44 has mounted on its
upper end a toothed wheel 47, meshing with a toothed wheel 48, secured to the
lower extending boss of the worm-wheel 2 and motion is thus communicated
through said gears 48, 47 from the worm wheel 2 to the shaft 44, which rotates
the two sets of gears 43, 41, and 46, 45, 42. When the sliding clutch-boss 40
occupies its middle position clear of both opposing clutches 41° 42*, the
wheels 41 42 run idly on the screw-shaft, which remains stationary; but when it
is slid into engagement with one or the other of said opposing clutches the
wheel of which it forms a part is locked to the screw-shaft, which is thus rotated
in one direction or the other, as the case may be, and either fast or slow, the
gears 41 43 giving a quick motion and the gears 42 45 40 a slow motion. For
the purpose of changing the speed and direction of rotation of the screw 38 self-
actingly at the proper times à vertical rod 49 is attached to the fork lever 50,
which is centred at 51 and provided at its extremities with studs which engage
an annular neck or recess 52 in the sliding clutch-boss 40. The said rod 49
passes through a lug 53 on the nut 39, which supports it throughout the upward
and downward stroke of the spindle 1, collars 54 and 55 being placed on the
rod 49 at suitable heights so as to be engaged by the lug 53 on the spindle 1,
completing its upwards and downward strokes, the said collars yielding against
the resistance of springs 54° 55°, confined them and nuts 54b 55b to take up any
excess movement there may be. On the stud 51 is mounted a weighted lever 56
to insure the full movement of the sliding clutch-boss into gear with either of the
opposing clutches.
In commencing to tap a nut the parts are in the positions shown on the drawings,
the spindle 1 being at its lowest position and the sliding clutch-boss engaged with
the clutch 42. The screw 38 is therefore driven at a slow speed through the
train of gearing 42 45 46 and causes the nuts 39 with the spindle 1, to rise
to the full limit to force the tap 19 through the nut 25, the spindle 1 at the
same time being rotated by worm 8 and wheel 2 and by means of the grippers
rotating the tap. As the spindle rises the lower grippers 14 14 ride up the cam-
surface 20°, which forces them forward into the bore of the spindle and against
the square at the bottom of the tap-shank, whereupon they are locked by the
bosses 23 23 on the vertical spindles 23 23. The tap, which up to this point has
been supported by the upper grippers only, is now held by both pairs of grippers
until the tapping of the nut nears completion, at which time the end of
spindles 22 22 engage the head 5° of the frame 5, and being forced downward
by the continued upward movement of the spindle 1 they place the bosses 22 22
thereon clear of the recesses in the sides of the grippers 13 13, which are thus
released in time to be forced outwardly against the cam-surface 20b by the.
springs 17 17, and thus placed clear of the interior of the spindle 1, the lower
grippers retaining their hold of the shank of the tap. On being released by.
the withdrawal of plunger 26 by spring 29, said plunger having meanwhile been
set free by the head 1 striking the spindle 32 and forcing it upward, so that
the shoulder thereon is elevated clear of the recess 34, the nut 25 falls down over
the shank of the tap on to the said lower pair of grippers; where it remains until

page_text: they are opened. In completing the upward stroke the lug 53 on nut 39 strike
against the collar 54 on rod 49 and raises said rod with it the distance required
to slide the clutch-boss 40 out of mesh with clutch 42" and into mesh with
clutch 41, whereby the direction of rotation of the screw 38 is changed and its
speed accelerated so that the spindle and parts carried thereby make the downward
or return stroke more quickly. As the spindle 1 descends the grippers 13 13
are closed upon the shank of the tap by cam-surface. 20b, while the head 18 of
the spindle engages the end 27b of lever 27, moving it upon its fulcrum, as
indicated by the arrow, the end 27" bearing against the plunger 26 and forcing it
forward, so that it carries another nut from the hopper to the position over the
tap in readiness for the next upward movement of the spindle 1. The lower
grippers 14 14 when nearing the cam-surface 20° are unlocked or released by the
spindles 23 23 engaging the bearing 3, which forces them upward and moves
the bosses 23 23 thereon clear of the recesses in the sides of said grippers, which
are thereupon forced against the cam-surface 20° by springs 18 18 and opened
out to the full, whereby the tapped nut which has been resting thereon falls down
the hollow spindle 1 into a receptacle (not shown) placed underneath, the tapped
nuts thus being discharged without removing the tap or stopping the machine.
When the spindle arrives at its lowest position again, the lug 53 strikes the
collar 55 and depresses rod 49, which moves the clutch-boss 40 out of gear with
clutch 41 and into gear with clutch 42, whereupon the motion of the screw is
again changed to elevate the spindle 1 and its speed reduced.
The trains of gears 41 43 and 42 45 46 may be changed for other wheels to
alter or vary the speeds to suit requirements.
A number of hollow spindles with the parts described may be arranged side
by side in one machine, the shaft 6 being made longer and worms secured thereon
to drive the worm-wheel on each spindle. In such multiple machine a range of
taps can be used and a series of nuts of different sizes tapped at one time and under
the supervision of one attendant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
(1st) In a nut-tapping machine, the combination, with a guide, a plunger
slidable in the guide and provided with grippers for holding the tap, and springs
which normally force the grippers against the guide; of locking devices for
holding the grippers when forced towards each other, thereby relieving the said
guide from the pressure of the grippers, substantially as set forth.
(2nd) In a nut-tapping machine, the combination, with a guide, a plunger
slidable in the guide and provided with grippers for holding the tap, and springs
which normally force the grippers against the guide; of spring-operated locking-
spindles slidable in the said plunger transversely of the grippers and automatically
engaging with grooves in the said grippers when same are forced toward each
other, thereby relieving the said guide from the pressure of the grippers, and
stops for moving the said locking-spindles longitudinally as the plunger approaches
one end of its stroke, thereby releasing the grippers, substantially as set forth.
(3rd) In a nut-tapping machine, the combination, with a frame, and a slide
for placing the nuts one by one in a position to be tapped; of a guide connected
with the said frame, a plunger slidable in the said guide and provided with
grippers for holding the tap, means for reciprocating the said slide intermittently,
and a spring-operated locking-spindle carried by the said frame and engaging
with the slide when at one end of its stroke, said spindle being moved out of
engagement with the slide by the said plunger as same approaches one end of its
stroke, substantially as set forth.
(4th) In a nut-tapping machine, the combination. with a stationary cylindrical
guide having conical portions at its ends; of a plunger slidable longitudinally
and revoluble in the said guide, grippers carried by the said plunger and moved

page_text: into engagement with the tap by contact with the said conical portions, and
driving mechanism for sliding and revolving the said plunger, substantially as
set forth.
(5th) In nut-tapping machines, the combination with a hollow spindle carrying
grippers which hold the tap vertically, of mechanism for giving a slow upward
movement and a quick downward movement to the hollow spindle, said mechanism
comprising a nut on the said hollow spindle, a screw working through the
nut, toothed wheels mounted loosely on the screw gearing with toothed
wheels deriving motion from an auxiliary shaft a sliding clutch-boss on the screw
adapted to be engaged with opposing clutches on one or other of toothed wheels
on the screw, a clutch-fork lever to actuate said clutch-boss a rod connected to
said lever to operate it as required said rod having distance-collars thereon adapted
to be engaged at the upper and lower limits of motion of the hollow spindle by a
lug projecting from the nut on the spindle and surrounding said rod, and gears
for transmitting rotary motion from the spindle to the auxiliary shaft substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 9th day of February 1899.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Patent Agents, Agents for Applicants.