Improvements in Lathes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 3rd Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
Improvements in Lathes.
A communication from abroad by LEWIS WALCOTT SPENCER, of Hoosick Falls, in
the County of Rensselaer, and State of New York, in the United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to special construction and arrangement of details of that
variety of engine lathes more particularly adapted to and fitted for boring purposes,
and for doing other analogous work, and differs from existing machines employed for
such service in the following particulars.
The headstock which supports the spindle and driving pinion shaft is cast integral
with the bed of the lathic whereby a maximum of strength and inflexibility of
foundation structure is attained.
The spindle which supports the work carrier, and in which the lathe centre (which
in this lathe takes the place of the old live centre) is inserted, is a hollow stationary
or dead spindle accurately fitted and pressed into its seat in the headstock, and firmly
secured therein.
The end of this spindle projects on the work side of the headstock a sufficient
distance to receive and form a bearing for the carrier. This carrier is practically a
plain rotating disk, preferably provided with holes, slots, etcetera, so as to serve as an
ordinary face plate, or it may carry appliances for the attachment of chucks. It has
a hub centrally bored, lined with antifriction metal, and fitted to revolve upon the end
of the dead spindle, and has a concentric peripheral flange upturned about its edge,
which disk and flange so made constitute a shield or receptacle for all the driving
gears. It also carries an internal concentric gear through which it receives motion
from the cone pulleys and driving pinion, and a spur wheel fitted or cast on its hub
for the purpose of imparting motion by a series of wheels to the feed screw.

page_text: The feed and screw cutting movements are obtained by means of a screw extending
the length of the lathe in front and running in a long rotatable nut mounted in bearings
beneath or inside of the sliding rest or the apron depending therefrom. This rotatable
nut has a bevel pinion gear which engages with and is actuated by another bevel gear
on a crank shaft with a crank on the front side of the slide rest apron. When the
feed gears are thrown out the slide rest may be operated by the hand crank. The nut
has a concentric series of perforations or indentations about one portion of its
cylindrical surface, and a spring bolt or catch is attached to the slide rest to co-operate
therewith for arresting the rotation of the nut when it becomes necessary to drive the
rest by the screw; and it is also provided with a single notch, hole or indentation at
another portion of its periphery with which an appropriate spring-bolt, catch or
detent co-operates to lock the nut in the same position as to its rotation, wherever it
may stop or start in the length of the screw. This latter provision is for screw
cutting.
The feed screw revolves in journal boxes, and carries on its head end provisions for
receiving one of the series of change gears. It is driven from a spur wheel on the
back side of the carrier (and preferably cast integral with it) through a series of
intermediate gears. The spur wheel will impart motion to either of two pinions
which revolve on the bracket of a rocking shaft, and which gear with the series of
wheels which impart motion to the feed screw. One of the pinions is arranged by
means of an intermediate pinion to produce a reverse movement to the other one. By
moving the rock shaft, one or other of the pinions may be brought into gear with the
spur wheel, and a corresponding direction of rotation obtained, or both pinions may
be brought out of gear. The rock shaft is moved by means of a socket arm within
which a lever plays up and down, but is forced upwardly by means of a spring.
Just beneath the handle at the upper end of the lever, the same is flattened. This
lever oscillates through a slot in a locking plate, the slot being just wide enough to
permit the lever to be thrown forward or backward when it is thrust down so that the
flattened portion shall coincide with the slot.
In order to utilize the greatest proportion possible of the length of the bed, an arm
or bracket is cast upon, and with the bed at the headstock end, which projects out
laterally beyond the bed or base of the latter, and supports the outer end of the cone
spindle. The position of the cone spindle or driving spindle is on the same side of
the main spindle as the cutting tool. Special advantages accrue from this feature of
position, as a large amount of strain and leverage on the main spindle, or on its centre
is removed, thus reducing or greatly diminishing friction, and prolonging the life of
the machine.
This cone or driving spindle fitted with a suitable pulley carries a gear which acts
as the driver of the carrier and is mounted in rotating eccentric journal boxes which
in turn have bearings in the top of headstock, and headstock bracket. These journal
boxes are united by a bail which may be revolved or swung from a horizontal position
down and backwardly sufficiently to throw the driving, pinion which is carried on its
internal end, and meshes with the internal gear of the carrier out of engagement
therewith.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Lathes.
A communication from abroad by LEWIS WALCOTT SPENCER, of Hoosick Falls, in
the County of Rensselaer, and State of New York, in the United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 special construction and arrangement of details of that
variety of engine lathes more particularly adapted to and fitted for boring purposes,
and for doing other analogous work, and differs from existing machines employed for
such service in the following particulars.
The headstock, which supports the spindle and driving pinion shaft, is cast integral
with the bed of the lathe, whereby a maximum of strength and inflexibility of
formation structure is attained.
The spindle which supports the work carrier, and in which the lathe centre (which
in this lathe takes the place of the old live centre) is inserted, is a hollow dead spindle
accurately fitted and pressed into its seat in the headstock, and firmly secured
therein.
The end of this spindle projects on the work side of the headstock a sufficient
distance to receive and form a bearing for the carrier. This carrier is practically a
plain rotating disk, with a hub centrally bored and fitted to revolve upon the end of
the dead spindle, and has a concentric peripheral flange upturned about its edge, as
hereinafter shown, which disk and flange so made constitute a shield or receptacle for
all the driving gears. It also carries an internal concentric gear through it receives
motion from the cone pulleys and driving pinion as shown.
The feed and screw cutting movements are obtained by means of a screw extending
the length of the lathe in front, and running in a long rotatable nut mounted in bearings
beneath or inside of the sliding rest or the apron depending therefrom. This rotatable
nut has a bevel pinion gear, which engages with, and is actuated by, another beve!
When
gear on a crank shaft with a crank on the front side of the slide rest apron.
the feed gears are thrown out the slide rest may be operated by the hand crank. The
nut has a concentric series of perforations or indentations about one portion of its
cylindrical surface, and a spring bolt or catch is attached to the slide rest to co-operate
therewith for arresting the rotation of the nut when it becomes necessary to drive the
rest by the screw; and it is also provided with a single notch, hole or indentation at
another portion of its periphery with which an appropriate spring bolt, catch or detent
co-operates to lock the nut in the same position as to its rotation, wherever it may stop
or start in the length of the screw. This latter provision is for screw cutting.
In order to utilize the greatest proportion possible of the length of the bed, an arm

page_text: or bracket is cast upon, and with the bed at the head stock end, which projects out
laterally beyond the bed or base of the lathe, and supports the outer end of the cone
spindle.
The position of the cone spindle or driving spindle is on the same side of the main
spindle as the cutting tool. Special advantages accrue from this feature of position,
as a large amount of strain and leverage on the main spindle, or on its centre, is
removed, thus reducing or greatly diminishing friction, and prolonging the life of the
machine.
A special device for locking the driving gear either in or out of action.
The drawings fully illustrate the invention wherein :-
Figure 1 exhibits an end elevation of the improved lathe.
Figure 2 shows a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 shows a front elevation of the same.
Figure 4 exhibits a detail showing position and arrangement of the driving pinion
and position and arrangement of the few driving gears within the carrier.
Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 1-2 of Figure 4, through the axis of the dead
spindle showing the construction and adjustment of the dead spindle and carrier.
Figure 6 shows a sectional detail of the locking device for the feed gears.
Figure 7 is a detail of the construction of the feed nut, and its attachments.
This invention is carried out by constructing a bed A having a headstock D, for
receiving and supporting the dead spindle and carrier, and also the inner bearing of
the cone pulley shaft and bracket arm which supports the outer bearing of the cone
pulley shaft, cast integral therewith, with a view of securing strength and rigidity as
well as to cheapen construction. It will be observed that the headstock is erected over
the extreme end of the bed and is of quite limited thickness; having in fact only
sufficient thickness to afford a bored seat for the hollow spindle, of sufficient length
to insure firmness and absolute rigidity to the spindle when forced home into its scat.
The headstock D extends towards the front of the lathe as shown at m sufficiently to
afford a bearing to the inner end of the cone shaft and the bearing in which it revolves.
The bracket C, projects from the end of the bed and has an upturned arm which
carries the bearing in which the opposite end of the cone shaft is seated.
The cone spindle i carrying a gear, which acts as the driver of the carrier, is
mounted in rotating eccentric journal. boxes j, j, which in turn have bearings in the
top of headstock D at m, and of bracket C. These journal boxes j;j, are united by
a bail k, which may be revolved or swung from a horizontal position as in Figure 1,
down and backwardly sufficiently to throw the driving pinion L which is carried on
its internal end, and meshes with the internal gear J out of engagement therewith.
The headstock D is bored for the reception of the hollow spindle E as seen in Figure 5,
and the spindle is fitted to be pressed firmly into its seat and is secured therein if
necessary by the nut 1. The spindle E is shouldered at the inner face of the head-
stock to secure its accurate adjustment and seat it firmly. Its projection beyond the
inner face of the headstock supplies the journal stud upon which the carrier H revolves.
It is bored with a tapering hole for the reception of the dead centre k.
The carrier consists of a disk having a large concentric hub B", which is bored and
lined with an antifriction lining G, and is accurately fitted to revolve on the spindle E.
Its face may be provided with holes, slots, etcetera so as to serve as an ordinary face-
plate, or it may carry appliances for the attachment of chucks or other analogous
tools. It carries on its back side the internal gear J, which is preferably cast integral
with the carrier, and also has a peripheral inshrouding flange Upon its hub Bu
the feed driving gear I is fitted and keyed or otherwise secured. This gear I imparts
motion through the intermediate gears O and N or P to the gear M, which is mounted
on the inner end of a shaft a' which revolves in a sleeve bearing extending through
headstock D as seen in Figure 6. The sleeve bearing has the socket lever affixed at
its outer end between gear R and the headstock, and upon its inner end it carries an
elbow shaped arm Q, which has two limbs. The longer one supports two intermediato
gears O and N, while the shorter carries but one P. Gears O and P are so arranged
that when the sleeve bearing is rocked in its seat by means of lever like motion is

page_text: | imparted to elbow Q, and one or the other of said gears is thrown into engagement
with driving gear I. By this means either a direct or a reverse feed movement is
imparted to the feed screw W through the train of gears R, S, T, according as inter-
mediate P (for the direct) or O and N (for the reverse motion of the screw), is or are
thrown into gear with driver [.
Shaft a revolves in a sleeve, which has a socket arm h attached to its outer end,
within which the lever plays up and down. This socket also carries a spring the
office of which is to force lever upwardly. Just beneath the handle at the upper end
of the lever the same is flattened. This lever oscillates through a slot in the locking
plate e. This slot is just wide enough to permit the lever to be thrown forward and
back, when it is thrust down, so that the flattened portion thereof just beneath the
handle shall coincide with the slot. At the extremities of the slot and mid way between
the ends of the same it is bored or enlarged to conform to the shape and size of the lever
below the flattened portion thereof so that the spring acting against the lever throws
it upwardly the larger part of the same below the flattened part will enter one of the
enlargements of the slot thus confining the lever therein, and locking it, so that it
cannot be thrown forward or back without depressing the same, so that the flattened
part shall enter the slot.
Feed screw W revolves in journal boxes attached to the bed in any of the usual
ways and carries on its head end provisions for receiving one of the series of change
gears. Behind this is mounted a slotted swinging arm U which has a concentric
slot in the disk shaped head wherchy it is pivoted on the end of the scrow through
which a bolt passes whereby said arm may be bolted to the bracket V of the journal
box D. The sloited arm U carries an adjustable stud E for the attachment of
an intermediate change gear.
The various combinations of change gears are made on shafts A¹ and W.
The rotatable feed nut X revolves in bearings a a projecting from or connected with
the slide rest. This nut carries at one end a bevel gear Y, which engages with another
bevel gear Z on the crank shaft F, and also has the circumferential series of holes or
indentations a", which afford means in connection with the spring bolt or catch ¹¹ for
locking the nut in any desired position.
This series of holes or indentations is profusely graduated so that the spring bolt
may be thrown in at any point of its periphery, by which means the feed movement
may be started with the greatest promptness.
Said nut is also provided at another point in its length with a single hole or indenta-
tion which cooperates with another spring bolt or catch similar to the one last
mentioned. This provision is designed for use in screw cutting and similar work,
where it becomes necessary for the lathe tool to retrace its original cut a number of
times. In screw cutting the latter described index alone is used to the exclusion of
the former. When the lathe is adjusted and bolt d" is thrown in, the feed proceeds
regularly until the tool reaches the end of the thread, at which point spring bolt du
is thrown out. When this is done the rest is run back by means af a hand crank b to
any point back of the starting point. This may be done without stopping or reversing
the motion of the feed screw, a feature not found in existing systems. After the rest
has been so run back the spring bolt may be thrown in, and from the fact that the
index with which it co-operates has but one graduation or notch with which it can
engage, it follows that the screw and tool must have the same relation to each other
that they did when the tool made its last previous traverse over the work.
These provisions and this mode of operation avoid all difficulties and defects, which
ordinarily accrue from lost motion in the train of gears, backlash of gears, and slack.
of all description.
"Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of a removable stationary hollow spindle seated in the headstock
of an engine lathe or boring engine, a carrier for holding and driving work mounted

page_text: and adapted to rotate upon the projecting end of said spindle with provisions substan-
tially as shown for driving said carrier, substantially as specified.
2. An engine lathe having the axis of the pinion, which drives the face plate or
work carrier, located on the same side of the axis of motion of the work as the
cutting tool.
3. The combination of the cone pulley driving shaft carrying the pinion, which
drives the carrier, with the rotatable eccentric journal bearings mounted in stands on
the lathe bed or headstock and connected by a bail, so as to be capable of simultaneous
rotation, substantially as described and set forth.
4. The provisions shown for reversing the motion of the feed screw consisting of the
gear on the axis of the carrier, the intermediate gears N, O, P. mounted on the
oscillating elbow Qand the gear M on the shaft a revolving about the axis of
oscillation of elbow Qin combination with the train of gears between gear M and the
gear on the end of the feed screw, and appliances attached to shaft a¹, whereby the
elbow may be oscillated, substantially as specified.
5. The combination in an engine lathe or boring engine of a longitudinal rotating
feed screw with a rotatable nut fitted and adapted to rotate in bearings attached to the
slide rest, and having a concentric series of holes, notches or indentations in connection
with a locking device attached to the slide rest or its apron, whereby the said nut may
be locked in any stage of its revolution, substantially as described and set forth.
6. The combination of the longitudinal rotating feed screw, the rotatable nut in
which it works adapted to revolve in bearings connected with the slide rest, a hand
crank shaft and crank connected with the slide rest carrying a bevel gear, which
engages with a pinion on the rotatable nut aforesaid, as a means for propelling the
slide rest in either direction, independent of the rotation of the feed screw, substan-
tially as described and set forth.
7. In an engine lathe, a rotating feed screw arranged parallel with the slide rest
ways working in a rotatable nut, which is mounted and adapted to revolve in
bearings connected with the slide rest, said nut being provided with a single notch or
graduation in combination with a locking device connected with the slide rest or its
apron, and adapted to engage with such notch or graduation to hold the nut in a fixed
position with reference to the slide rest, as a means for facilitating screw cutting.
8. In an engine lathe a rotating feed screw arranged parallel with the slide rest
ways, working in a rotatable nut which is mounted and adapted to revolve in bearings
connected with the slide rest, said nut being provided throughout its entire circum-
ference with a concentric series of notches, holes, or indentations, in combination with
a locking device adapted to engage with such notches, holes or indentations at any
stage of its revolution as a means for promptly throwing the feed mechanism into
operation, substantially as specified.
9. The combination of the rotatable feed screw attached to the bed of the lathe,
and the rotatable nut revolving in bearings connected with the slide rest through
which said screw works with a locking device attached to the slide rest and adapted
to engage and co-operate with the rotatable nut, whereby the rotation of the nut may
be arrested, and the nut held in fixed relation with the feed screw, substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
1. A lathe bed having a headstock cast integral therewith, which headstock is fitted
with a removable but normally stationary hollow spindle, and a dead centre therein,
substantially as shown and described.