Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Making Nipples for Wheel Spokes, or other Articles analogous to the said Nipples.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Making Nipples for
Wheel Spokes, or other Articles analogous to the said Nipples.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by William George Allen, of Hartford,
Connecticut, in the United States of America, Machinist) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
In the construction of wheels for bicycles and similar vehicles where wire spokes
are employed, the outer ends of the spokes, which are screw-threaded, are secured
to the rim by means of internally threaded nipples. These nipples have a heal
whereby they are engaged with the rim, and this head is slotted like a wood screw.
The shauk, moreover, is flattened or slabbed off on opposite sides, so that it can be
readily grasped and turned by means of a wrench.
The principal object of this invention is to provide a machine or apparatus by
means of which these nipples can be cheaply and expeditiously made, but the said
invention is also applicable for making other articles, similar in their general form
to the said nipples.
Machines for partially making the said nipples have been before devised. The
machines most generally used for this purpose have a rotating disc-shaped carrier,
having near its periphery holes or receptacles for receiving the blanks and means
for holding the said blanks therein. The intermittent rotation of the carrier
brings the blanks successively to the several tools whereby each blank is turned
down at its end to the desired size and shape, then drilled, and then tapped. The
partly finished nipple is then discharged from the machine, and by subsequent
operations is slotted across the head and flattened on the shank. So far as
I am aware no machine for making the nipples complete has heretofore been
devised.
The principal difficulty encountered in the operation of machines of the aforesaid
type is due to the fact that the blank is not always accurately centred in the rotary
carrier, and that when centred the drill, striking its end, may deflect it slightly,
thus producing a defective nipple. It is difficult to hold the blank with sufficient
firmuess and rigidity in a rotating carrier, and to centre it accurately; and
moreover a little looseness (such as results from wear) in the bearing of the carrier,
or in the devices which clamp it while the tools are operating, destroys the
accuracy necessary for satisfactory work.
According to this invention the nipples are carried by a feed-slide successively
to a series of clamping or gripping devices mounted upon a fixed support. Thus
no strain is thrown upon the moveable feed device by the action of the tools. The
gripping devices or jaws are operated by positive mechanism and therefore hold
the blank firmly, and being on a stationary support, the relation of each to the
corresponding tool is fixed and unchangeable.
The feed-slide has a series of gripping devices, which take hold of the blanks
when the said blanks are released by the relatively stationary grippers, and
advance them one step. By these devices the blank is fed forward intermittently
through the entire machine, and discharged therefrom a complete and finished
nipple.

page_text: The invention comprises improvements in the several parts as well as the
general combination of the elements constituting the complete machine or
apparatus, all of which I will explain with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Figure 1, is a plan of a machine constructed in accordance with this invention;
Figure 2, is a side elevation;
Figure 3, is an elevation of the left end of Figure 1;
Figure 4, is a sectional detail the section being taken on the line x-x, Figure 1,
looking in the direction of the arrow 4;
Figure 5, is a similar view looking in the direction of the arrow 5;
Figure 6, is an enlarged sectional detail looking in the direction of the arrow 6,
Figure 1; and
Figures 7 to 11, illustrate a nipple at various stages of its manufacture by the
machine or apparatus.
In the arrangement shewn in the drawings, the working parts are supported on
an upright pedestal A, which also supports the receptacles A'A', which serve to
catch the lubricating liquid (which may be oil or water) used during the operation
of the machine. The upper vessel A¹ has a perforated bottom of filtering
material, which allows the lubricant to pass, but retains any particles of metal or
other solid bodies. By means of a suitable pump A³, and pipes A* A³, the lubricant
is kept circulating from vessel A' which forms a reservoir.
The arrangements for lubricating and cooling the tools however form no part of
this invention, and may be varied at pleasure.
The bed B of the niachine is mounted on the pedestal A, and carries the shafts,
tool-supports, feed-slide, and other parts. The main shaft C carries a series of
cams C1, C2, C3, C4, which at the proper times advance the carriages for the drills,
tap, and other tools, which act successively upon the blank, as hereinafter described.
The carriages (EE) slide in dovetailed grooves in the bed B, Figures 3 and 6.
Various means exist for giving a reciprocating motion to tool carriages and any
suitable means for that purpose may be employed.
In the arrangement shewn the carriage E' is actuated by an arm e, carrying on
its end a roller e¹ which engages in the groove c in the cam C¹ (Figure 2). The
other carriages are actuated in a similar manner. Each carriage supports a
spindle 2, provided with a pulley e for rotating it from an overhead countershaft,
and with a chuck or head e¹ for holding the tool.
The nipple blanks are fed horizontally along the line x, Figure 1, between the
ledges or vertical plates F, G, which are bolted to the bed B. The ledge F has a
horizontal slot or recess, indicated by the dotted line (Figure 1), extending from
end to end (see also Figure 4) and through this slot or recess the blanks are
carried, being brought successively in line with the axes of the tool-spindles.
Opposite each of these spindles the ledge has an opening as shewn at 1 (Figure 4)
through which the tool passes to operate upon the blank.
The ledge G is provided with a horizontal dovetailed recess, in which the
dovetailed feed-slide G₁ reciprocates. This slide receives its motion from the
cam D' on the shaft D, through a lever D2, pivoted to the bed B at d, and carrying
a roller d¹ which engages in the groove of the cam (Figure 5).
The slide G' carries gripping devices by means of which the blanks are carried
intermittently through the machine. These devices each comprise a pair of
jaws g g of which the jaw g' is fixed to the slide and the jaw g is pivoted thereto,
and pressed towards the jaw g¹ by a spring g². The faces of the jaws are notched
or cut out so as to fit the shank of a nipple and hold it firmly. For the sake of
distinction these devices will be termed the "feed-jaws."
The blanks are carried into the machine, one by one, by means of an arm H
having on its end (which is notched or cut out as shewn in Figure 4) a holding
spring. Any suitable means may be employed to supply the blanks one by one to
the carrier H. The said carrier receives its movement from the cam D³, also on
the shaft D, through the lever D4, which is similar in construction and operation

page_text: to the lever D². The ledge F also carries the gripping devices by which the blanks
are held positively whilst being operated upon by the tools. These gripping
devices comprise each a fixed jawk and a sliding jaw k¹. The jaw k¹ is reciprocated
vertically in a dovetailed groove of the ledge F by means of an arm k on the
rock-shaft K, and the said shaft is operated from the shaft I through a cam I¹, a
pitman 13, and an arm I³ (Figures 1 and 4). The arm k2 has a cam slot ³ (see the
dotted lines Figure 2) in which engages a pin fixed to the lower end of the
slide-jaw k. Consequently as the arm k2 vibrates, the jaw is moved vertically up
and down. This description applies to each of the jaws k. These jaws I will
term "work-holders."
The operation of the entire series of feed-jaws and work-holders will be under-
stood from an explanation of the operation of one set. In Figure 4, the jaws k¹
are in their lowermost position, and so remain until the arm H has advanced
bringing a blank in the spring holder / between the jaws kk¹ of the first set. The
jaw know rises lifting the blank out of the holder h and clamping it firmly against
the stationary jaw k in line with the axis of the first tool.
The slide G¹ now moves, bringing its first set of feed-jaws into the position
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 5. In this movement, these jaws pass the
blanks held between the jaws kk. The blank, as already stated, has been raised
by the jaw kabove the plane of its feed-movement, and being rigidly held, it
causes the pivoted jaw 9 to rise against the pressure of the spring 92, and to rest
upon the blank.
When the tool has performed its work and withdrawn, the
holding jaws open, that is to say the jaw ¹ descends releasing the blank. The
spring-actuated jaw g causes the black to follow the descent of the jaw k¹ until
arrested by the stationary feed-jaw g'. This descent enables the blank to clear the
upper holding jaw k in the next feed movement which now takes place, advancing
the blank to the next work bolder, where the same cycle of operations is performed.
The shifting of the position of the blank from its plane of feed-movement to a
working position in another plane is an important feature of the operation, and it
will be understood that it is effected, in the machine illustrated by arranging the
moveable member of the feed-jaws on the opposite side to the moveable member of
the work-holders. It is not, of course, important that the shift should be upwardly,
since it can be in any other direction according to the disposition of the working
parts.
In the manufacture of nipples, blanks such as shewn in Figure 7, in the form of
rivets are employed. The first step is to chamfer, or round, the end m. This is
done by a milling tool in the carriage E', which tool also cuts a conical depression m
in the end of the blank (Figure 8). At the next step the blank comes to rest
opposite a drilling tool supported by the carriage E2. The depression m¹ centres
the drill, which cuts a hole m² of proper diameter for about two-thirds the length
of the shank, leaving also a centering depression in the bottom of the hole (Figure 9).
A smaller drill on the carriage E drills a hole m³ entirely through the blank
(Figure 10). The carriage E operates a tapping tool, by which the smaller hole
is threaded. The construction of this tool carriage E* differs from that of the
others. It supports, in suitable bearings, the tool spindle e, upon which are loosely
mounted two sleeves N N¹, each having a driving pulley. These sleeves are
rotated continuously in opposite directions. Between the sleeves is a clutch ring n
having suitable clutch pins n' n², the pin n¹ to engage with the sleeve N, and the
pin n to engage with the sleeve N¹. The clutch ring n is moved lengthwise of the
spindle 2 by a cam c³ on the shaft C through a roller p (Figures 1 and 6) which
engages the said cam and is carried by a vertical lever p' pivoted to the bed B
at, and a bell-crank lever pivoted on a bracket 3 on the tool carriage. One
arm p of this lever is connected to the yoke pa which operates the clutch ring, and
the other arm p extends through a hole in the upper end of the lever p', in which
hole it works freely so that the tool carriage can reciprocate without disengaging
the clutch actuating mechanism.
In operation, when the carriage advances, the cam C³, through the connections

page_text: $
described, moves the clutch ring in the direction to clutch the spindle to the
forwardly rotating. sleeve (say N). On the return movement the clutch is moved
to connect the spindle to the other sleeve, thus reversing the direction of the tap or
thread cutting tool.
After this operation, the blank advances to the last of the series of work-holders.
A blank m is shewn in position in Figure 4, the holding jaws, however, being
broken away. At this stage of the operation the end of the blank is squared or
slabbed off on opposite sides, as shewn at m in Figure 11, so that it can be seized
by a key, or wrench. In the machine illustrated this is accomplished by dies q q',
of which the die g' is the stationary or anvil die, and the die y is the cutting die.
The die q is set in a dovetailed socket in a slide 92 which works vertically in a
dovetailed groove in the ledge F. It has two cutting edges, as shewn, whereby
the die, as it rises, shears the shank, forming opposite flat surfaces thereon. The
slide 2 receives its movement by means similar to those employed for operating the
jaws, that is to say, it is connected by a pin q³ with a cam slot in an arm * fixed
on the rock-shaft K. The movements are so timed that the jaw k' rises and clamps
the blank just before the cutting die 9 comes into action upon it, and the die g
descends before the holding jaws release the nipple.
While the operation of forming flat surfaces on the end of the shank is being
performed, the head is being provided with the usual groove or notch m³ (Figure 11)
for the engagement of a screw-driver. This is effected by a rotary cutter on a
spindle supported by a sliding tool-carriage R, similar to those already described.
The carriage R is reciprocated by a cam R¹ on the shaft I, through a connecting
arm 2
The shaft D is driven from the, main shaft C by bevel gear wheels S S¹, and
the shaft I is driven from the shaft D by similar gear wheels S² S³.
The foregoing description and drawings illustrate the principle of the invention
applied in the best form with which I am acquainted for carrying it into effect. It
will be obvious however that many modifications in the details of construction and
in the arrangement of the parts may be made, without departing from the nature
of the invention. It is also obvious that the invention is not limited to making
nipples for bicycle spokes, but can be used also for making other articles similar in
their general form to the said nipples or which can be produced by the operation of
mechanism such as I have described.
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. In a machine, or apparatus for making spoke nipples or analogous articles, the
combination of a series of holders comprising each a fixed jaw and a positively
operated moveable jaw, the said holders being set at a suitable distance apart on a
fixed support, a feed-slide having a series of feeding jaws corresponding to the
work-holders, mechanism for reciprocating the said feed-slide through a distance
equal to that between adjacent work-holders, and a series of tools, for acting
successively upon the blanks in the said work-holder, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a machine or apparatus for the purposes described the combination of a
ledge horizontally slotted to form a passage for the blanks, and having lateral
openings at intervals, a series of tools on reciprocating carriages, one opposite
each of the said openings, a series of work holders comprising each a stationary
jaw and a sliding jaw working in the said ledge, a feed-slide parallel to the said
ledge carrying feeding jaws corresponding to the work-holders, and means for
actuating the said slide, tools, and work holders, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
a
3. In a machine or apparatus for the purposes described the combination of
ledge horizontally slotted and having lateral openings from the slot at suitable
intervals, a series of tools on reciprocating carriages, the said tools being adapted

page_text: to enter the said openings to act on the work, a series of work-holders one at each
opening, and each comprising a stationary jaw and a moveable jaw, mechanism for
actuating the moveable jaws positively, a second ledge parallel to the first, a feed-
slide working therein, a series of feeding devices thereon comprising each a
stationary jaw and a spring actuated jaw, and mechanism for operating the said
tools and slide, substantially as herein before described.
4. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination with a
feed-slide having a series of feeding jaws for feeding a blank step by step, comprising
each a stationary jaw and a spring actuated jaw, of a series of work-holders on a
stationary support, and each comprising a fixed jaw and a moveable jaw, the
meeting faces of said jaws being in a different plane from the plane of feed movement
of the blanks, a series of tools for operating successively upon the blanks, and
mechanism for actuating the said feed-slide, tools, and work-holders, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
5. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination of a
carrier baving a spring holding finger for delivering blanks one by one to the
machine, a series of positively operated work-holders, the first of which takes the
blanks from the carrier, a series of tools corresponding to the work-holders, and a
feed-slide provided with a series of feeding jaws which carry the blanks from one
work-holder to the next, substantially as herein before described.
6. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination of the
work-holders arranged at suitable intervals apart on a stationary support and each
comprising a stationary jaw and a moveable jaw, the tools for operating successively
upon the blanks in the said work-holders, the feed-slide, a series of feeding jaws
thereon each comprising a stationary jaw and a jaw moveable parallel with the
movement of the work holding jaw, the meeting faces of the work-holding jaws and
feeding jaws respectively being in different planes, and mechanism for operating
said tools, feed-slide and work-holders, substantially as herein before described.
7. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination with a
series of work-holders on a stationary support, and with a feed-slide having feeding
devices for carrying the blanks successively to the several work-holders, of a
chamfering and centering tool, a drill, a tapping tool, a die for flattening the sides
of the blank and a slotting tool, the said tools being arranged to act upon the
blanks while in the said work-holders, and mechanism for actuating the said tools,
feed-slide and work-holders, substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination with
work-holders, and with feeding devices for carrying a blank successively to the
said work-holders, of tools for drilling the blank, a tapping tool for threading the
drilled blank, a reciprocating support for the spindle of the said tool, two sleeves
rotating in opposite directions on the said spindle, mechanism for reciprocating the
said support, and clutch mechanism for connecting the said spindle with one sleeve
on the forward movement of the said support and with the other sleeve on the
return movement, substantially as hereinbefore described.
9. In machines or apparatus for the purposes described the combination with
work-holders and with feeding devices for carrying a blank successively to the
said work-holders, of tools for drilling and threading the blanks, a cutting tool or
die for shearing the sides of the blank at one end, while held in one of said work-
holders, and a cutter for notching the other end of the blank while in the said
work-holder, substantially as herein before described.
DL: CL
A
100
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.