Year: 1888

page_text: I, HAYWARD AUGUSTUS HARVEY, Mechanical Engineer, of Orange, New Jersey,
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 :-
This invention relates to machines employed in carrying out the first step in the
process of manufacturing spiral washers which consists in winding a metallic bar or
rod of the required size and shape in cross section into the form of a continuous spiral
of a prescribed pitch preparatory to the removal of such spiral to another machine, in
which the several convolutions of the spiral thus formed, are severed from each other
by longitudinally slitting or cutting through the spiral on one side of its axis. This
process is especially applicable to the manufacture of spiral washers of the type of
those described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 340,308 issued
April 20th 1886 to H. A. Harvey. The peculiarity of such washers is that they
contain around the concave edge of the side which is intended for contact with the
nut a projecting rib, which by the screwing home of the nut is made to embed itself
in the face of the nut and to press the metal thereof radially inward; against the bolt
to which the nut is applied. It thereby follows that the frictional hold of the nut
upon the bolt is contributed to not only by the resilient force of the compressed spiral
washer, but also by the described radially inward grip of the nut upon the bolt.
The spiral washer is a spring of prescribed strength, and the work of the projecting
rib in displacing the metal upon the face of the nut is performed progressively during
the gradual compression of the spiral washer as the nut is being screwed home. It

page_text: with the direction in which the bar is fed to the mandrel when being wound into a
helix of the desired pitch, this pitch being determined by the speed of rotation of the
leading screw D, which imparts the longitudinally-sliding movement to the carriage E
and the appurtenances mounted thereon.
It will be observed that the carriage E, the transversely-adjustable slide E¹, and the
holder-block Es, adjustable upon the vertical axis afforded by the stud E², constitute a
construction substantially like the compound slide rest of an ordinary lathe. The
facilities for adjusting the guide-roller which are thus afforded are desirable, although
not absolutely essential to the operation of the machine. The circumferential groove
of the guide-roller is shaped in cross section to fit the polygonal bar which is to be
seated in it, and to thus exert a slight torsional stress upon the bar.
The spiral washer for the manufacture of which the machine is especially intended
is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, and, as will be seen, is a single convolution of a
helix made by winding upon the mandrel a steel bar which in cross-section is
trapezoidal, but is provided upon one edge with a projecting rib, which increases the
width of that one of the flat sides of the bar which is next the mandrel during the
winding. The torsional stress exerted upon the bar by the grooved guide-roller is for
the purpose of causing the bar to be laid around the mandrel in convolutions which are
slightly flaring, as shown in Figure 3, so that the resilient force of the spiral washer
when put into use will be increased by its torsional resistance to compression.
During the winding of the first convolution the required coarseness of pitch of the
helix is ensured by the bearing of the side of the bar against the spiral face of the
chuck. The speed of rotation of the leading screw D is regulated with reference to
imparting such a speed of movement to the carriage E, and consequently to the
guide-roller E, as will enable the guide-roller to hold the straight portion of the
bar at a proper angle with relation to the mandrel, so that the successive convolutions
of the helix shall be alike in pitch.
The portion of the mandrel G projecting from the chuck is supported and centralized
in the tail-bearing H, which is carried in the movable tail standard H¹. The tail
standard is preferably affixed to and moves with the carriage E, in order that the
tail-bearing H may, during the winding operation, be in close proximity to the part
of the mandrel upon which the bar is being wound, and may thus prevent the mandrel
from springing. In practice there are provided a suitably large number of mandrels
like the mandrel G.
To perform the winding operation, a mandrel G is inserted through the tail-
bearing H into the recess in the centre of the chuck, in which it is fastened by
means of the set screw G¹. The chuck is brought to rest with the clamping-jaw
standing underneath the mandrel, and, the carriage having been brought back to a
position adjoining the chuck, the bar to be wound is deposited in the groove of the
guide-roller and has its end inserted and clamped between the mandrel and the
clamping jaw. The machine being set in motion, the bar is wound upon the mandrel
and made to assume the shape of a helix the convolutions of which are of uniform
pitch.
When the operation of winding a bar into a helix is completed, the machine is
stopped, the set screw loosened, the carriage E, carrying the tail standard H¹,
moved back, that is, farther away from the chuck-and the mandrel G, with the helix L
remaining upon it, is removed from the machine preparatory to being placed in the
slitting machine. Another mandrel is then clamped in place in the winding
machine, the carriage is brought back to its starting point, and another bar
clamped in the chuck preparatory to the repetition of the winding operation.
In its general features the carriage E has the construction of the ordinary slide-
rest of a lathe. It is provided with the usual jaws or two-part nut, which by means
of the usual lever I, may be thrown into or out of engagement with the leading-screw D.
The upper part E', of the carriage is transversely dovetailed to the lower part E, and,
by means of the usual transverse feed-screw, provided with the hand-wheel J, can be
moved transversely, so that, occasion arises, the guide-roller E* may be moved
nearer to or farther from the mandrel G. The usual stationary, horizontal ruck K is

page_text: provided upon the frame of the machine. The carriage is provided with the usual
cog-wheel for engaging the rack K and the usual hand-wheel K¹, for rotating this
cog-wheel, and thus moving the carriage rapidly to or fro, as may be desired.
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 i
claim is:
First. In a machine for winding into the form of a helix a metallic bar from
which spiral washers are to be made, the combination, as herein set forth, of a
revolving chuck, a mandrel inserted therein, a clamping-jaw for clamping the end of
a metallic bar thereto a guide roller mounted in suitable proximity to the mandrel
upon a sliding support, and a movable tail bearing for centralizing and supporting
the portion of the mandrel projecting from the chuck as and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The chuck F, provided with a clamping jaw and having its face spirally
formed to present a continuous bearing for the side of the bar which is being wound
into a helix during the operation of winding the first convolution of such helix.
Third. The grooved guide roller E, mounted upon the adjustable block E' and
rotating upon an axis the vertical plane of which is diagonal with relation to the
vertical plane of the axis of the mandrel, for the purpose of making the plane of
motion of said guide roller coincide with the direction in which the bar is fed to the
mandrel while being wound into a helix of prescribed pitch.
Fourth. The centrally-perforated chuck F, provided with the clamping jaw f, in
combination with the yoke f¹ and the set screw f', as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 20 day of July 1000.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.