Improvements in Machines for Turning, Boring, Cutting, and otherwise Forming Screws, Nuts, and other articles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec.,
1.895
Improvements in Machines for Turning, Boring, Cutting, and
otherwise Forming Screws, Nuts, and other articles.
I, CHRISTOPHER MINER SPENCER, residing on Windsor Avenue, Windsor,
in the State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, of
Machinery and Tools, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Machines have been made in which a wire or rod has been fed in and the end
of it turned up, and in some instances, screw threaded, and then the article has
been cut off 'from the rod; but in order to finish both ends of the article.a second
machine has usually been necessary, and the incomplete article or blank has been
fed into the second machine.
In my present invention I make use of a main spindle and a secondary spindle
that are preferably in line with each other, and they are provided with means for
rotating them, and each spindle is fitted with a chuck or holding device for grasping
the wire, rod, or article acted upon. The main spindle is provided with a feed
tube and chuck head, and with means 'for rotating the spindle and for clamping
the rod, and the proper end motion is given to the main spindle to slide the same
back upon the wire or rod so as to grasp the same at the proper point in feeding
the material in progressively.
:
A cam shaft is provided that is rotated slowly by a screw pinion or similar
device, and performs one revolution for each article that is completed, and this
cam shaft is made to act upon a belt shifter, so as to rotate the main spindle
either in one direction or the other direction, and upon the cam shaft is a drum
with surface cams that actuate the mechanism for clamping or unclamping the wire
or rod, and for moving the same and the main spindle end wise, during the turning,
boring, cutting, or other operation performed in the machine.
There is a circular holder upon a shaft, usually known as a turret, and in this
holder, cutters adapted to cut screw threads, tools adapted, to turning off the
surface and giving to the article the desired shape, or boring tools for boring holes
in the articles operated upon, are mounted, so that by turning the turret head
around progressively, the proper stools are brought..successively into action upon
the wire or rod that is rotated by the main spindle, so that the end of the wire
or rod is properly shaped, and a slide is provided with proper tools and actuated
by the cam shaft at the proper time for cutting off the blank or incomplete article
from the end of the wire or rod.
But previous to this operation being performed, the secondary spindle, having
a chuck or holding head, is brought up by an end wise motion received from cams
on the cam shaft, and closed to receive, grasp and hold the blank or unfinished
article, and this secondary spindle is then drawn back axially, and it is rotated or
'held rigidly according to the operations to be performed, and the screw, nut, or
other article, is acted upon by tools held in 'the main turret, or in a secondary
turret, and if a channel or nick is to be cut in a screw-head for a screw-driver, the
same is performed by a rotating cutter, or 'the end may be bored, tapped, screw-
threaded, or otherwise, finished by the tools that are held in the turret, and are
brought around successively to act upon such article, so that the one machine is
adapted to producing a great variety of articles according to the tools made use of,

page_text: and both ends of the article are finished up before such article is delivered from
the machine; and it is to be understood that one portion of the article is being
acted upon while held in the main spindle, at the same time that a previously
partially completed article has been taken from the main spindle and is being held
by the secondary spindle, and acted upon by other tools in the turret head or
secondary turret head.
By providing upon the cam shaft the proper cam drums and other actuating
devices, the necessary end movements are given to the main spindle and to the
secondary spindle, and the clamping devices are actuated and the belts for
rotating the spindles are shifted, or either spindle held rigidly while an operation
is being performed by the proper tool.
One turret head is mounted upon a shaft having around it a tubular sleeve
carrying the secondary turret head, and these turret heads are fitted so that they
are revolved together and progressively by the action of a chain and sprocket
wheels, and there are stops for arresting the movements of the turret heads when
the proper tools are in position for action upon the article, and a frictional con-
nection is employed between the cam shaft and one of the sprocket wheels, so that
the turret heads can be held by the stop while the cam shaft continues to revolve,
and by the end motion given to the turret head and its shaft, the stop is caused to
separate from the stationary arrester to allow the turret to turn.
The saw for cutting nicks in the screw heads is driven by bevelled gearing, and
a slide rest receives a tool holder, and is acted upon by the cam shaft and inter-
vening lever for bringing up a boring or cutting tool laterally, in connection with
the article held by the secondary spindle.
This machine is capable of turning, boring, cutting, or otherwise forming and
finishing a great variety of articles, such as screws, nuts, binding posts for
telegraph instruments, screw sockets for bicycle spokes, and numerous other
articles.
Dated thin 11th of 100:
Improvements in Machines for Turning, Boring, Cutting, and
otherwise Forming Screws, Nuts, and other articles.
I, CHRISTOPHER MINER SPENCER, residing on Windsor Avenue, Windsor
in the State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer of
Machinery and Tools, 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 :-
Machines have heretofore been made in which a wire or rod has passed
progressively through a tubular spindle provided with a chuck and the projecting
end of the wire or rod has beeu acted upon by turning tools or by a screw cutting
die to give shape to the projecting end of the wire or rod and where necessary cut
a screw upon the same, and the article has been separated from the rod by a
cutter and the operation repeated, but difficulty has been experienced in finishing
a two ended article or in properly finishing the screw head and cutting the nick in
the same.
.
The object of the present invention is to combine with the automatic spindle
and a progressively rotated turret or tool holder a second spindle in line
with the main spindle and adapted to receive the article which has been formed at
one end and to present the same to a second set of tools acting upon the article in

page_text: or to finish the second end of any useful or ornamental article, such for example as
a binding post, a stud, a double screw, a knob or other light article.
In carrying out this invention I make use of a turret that is revolved
progressively and carries the turning screw, cutting, finishing or other tools and
the same is rotated progressively by mechanism hereafter set forth, and in this
turret is an opening that allows the second spindle to be moved up to the article
held by the first spindle so as to receive the same as it is cut off and present the
other end of the article to the action of tools carried by the turret, and at the
opposite side thereof to the tools that act upon the rod or blank in the first instance;
and I find it advantageous to employ a supplementary turret that is rotated pro-
gressively with the main turret but does not receive an independent movement in
the direction of the axis upon which the turret turns.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a general elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section in larger size of the main spindle.
Fig. 3 is a plan view.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal and horizontal section through the secondary spindle and
through the turret heads.
Fig. 5 is a detached sectional elevation of the chain wheels for rotating the turret
head.
Fig. 6 is a section of the sprocket wheel upon the driving shaft.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the main turret.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 9 is a cross section of the bed and an elevation of the cam wheel for
actuating the turning or cutting tools.
Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detached views of articles that can be made in this
machine.
The bed of the machine is to be of any desired character. I have represented the
bed A as upon legs A¹ and there are bearings a for the main spindle B and upon
this spindle B are pulleys b, and 62, the central pulley is fastened to the main
spindle and the pulleys 6 and ' are loose and a straight belt 1 is provided and a
cross belt 2 for these pulleys and a belt shifter 3 actuated as hereafter set forth so
that by moving the two belts simultaneously the spindle can be rotated in the
desired direction, either by the straight belt 1 or by the cross belt 2 the other
belt being on one of the loose pulleys bor 2.
Below the bed A and between the legs A¹ a cam shaft C is supported and upon
this is a worm wheel cinto which the worm pinion gears and there is a shaft and
driving pulley D for this worm pinion so that the cain shaft C is rotated at the
proper speed by a belt to the pulley D and upon this cam shaft C are drums G
and H upon the surfaces of which bars are fastened having the proper shape for
giving motion to the respective parts of the apparatus as hereafter designated, such
bars acting as cams to give motion in one direction or the other to the various
parts in performing the motions hereafter set forth.
The main spindle B is constructed substantially the same as the spindles in
machines of this general class, that is to say, there is a chuck F at one end and
there are two tubes within the main tubular spindle the tube E being a feed tube
and the tube I a clamping tube and the sliding conical collar e upon the main
spindle B acts upon the bent levers 4 to give end motion to the tube I and clamping
jaws of the chuck and cause them to close and hold the rod or wire that is passed
through the main spindle and this sliding collar e receives its motion in one direction
or the other from cams upon the drum H and there are other cams that give motion
to the feed tube E through its collar 5 so that the rod or wire is fed along by the
end movement of the tube E when the jaws of the chuck are opened and then such
jaws are closed to grasp the article and the feed tube E is drawn back in readiness
to again project the wire or rod for the next operation.
:
The belt shifting lever 3 is actuated by any suitable devices upon the cam

page_text: shaft Csuch for example as the belt shifting cams at J. These parts, however
being old do not need further description!
The turret K is made as a head of any desired construction and adapted to carry
the various tools needed in the turning, screw cutting or finishing operations.
I have represented this turret K as a circular head upon the shaft L which is
supported in the bearings ff" and "and I have shown a second turret head K'
permanently fastened upon the tube M which surrounds the: shaft L and is
supported in the bearings and f, and the shaft. E to which the turret K is
permanently attached can be moved' end wise through this turret tube M by the
action of cams upon the cam drum G there being a spool or collar 6' at tlie end
of the shaft Land'a slide box g with a downwardly projecting stud to be acted
upon at the proper time by one of the cams 7 upon the drum G to give end' motion
to the shaft L and the turret K at the proper time for bringing the respective tools
carried by such turret into action. The studs #permanently fastened to the secondary
turret head K' and passing through' holes in the turret K causes these two turrets K
and K¹to be rotated progressively together and to be stopped in their rotation; and while
the secondary turret head Konly has a progressive rotation the turret head Khas a
movement in the direction of its axis in addition to the said progressive rotation'
and I provide upon the turret K' projecting stops 8 and upon the bed Al a stop or
arrester 9 with which the stops 8 come into contact successively and they are held
in contact by the rotating device' hereafter described; and when the shaft L receives
an end wise movement by its collar 6 and the cams that act upon the same; the
turret head is moved in the same direction so as to draw the stop 8° that- is- in
contact with the arrester 9 along upon the top and parallèl edge of such arrester
until the stop clears the end of the arrester and' the turret can be rotated' andlit
receives an end' movement so that the next stop 8 engages the top of the arrester
and stops the movement of the turret with the proper tool in line for acting upon
the article that is to be made:
It will be observed that in consequence of the stops 8 being more distant from
the shaft L than the tools that are carried by the turret K, there is little or no
risk of the turret' being misplaced or of the tool vibrating or cutting irregularly
because the arrester 9 forms a firm bearing for the stop 8 and the rotating device
is acting continuously to press the stop 8 into contact with the arrester.
In order to rotate the turret progressively I place upon the cam shaft Ca
sprocket wheel N with a chain O leading to the sprocket wheel P upon the turret
shaft L and there is a guide wheel'Q to keep the chain from contact with the bed
of the machine and the sprocket wheel'N is between two flanges P1 and P' the
Hange P'having a hub fastened on to the cain' shaft C and the flange Pl being in
the form of a disk that can be set up by bolts so as to apply friction to the
sprocket wheel 'N through intermediate washers of leather or similar material so
that the parts P' and 'P' continue to rotate but the sprocket wheel N will remain
stationary so long as the stop 8 is in contact with the arrester 9'and the direction
of rotation is such that the chain will tend to keep the stop 8 firmly against the
arrester 9'and' the turret will turn as soon as the end movement' of the shaft and
turret causes the stop 8.to slip off the end of the arrester 9:
The turret K may receive and present any desired number of tools. It have
represented four stops 8. A'ti a turning tool is répresented' and at ka smoothing
tool and at a screw cutting die is shown and at m there is an opening through the
turret for the purpose hereafter'set' forth.
And it is to be understood' that tools carried by the turret are to be of any
desired character according to the work to be performed!.
I also provide a tool holding slide R' with tools' R standing-in-one direction and
a second tool S standing in the other direction and these are actuated by levers R¹
and S and cams 10 and 11 upon a cám disk or wheel on the shaft C.
It will now be understood' that the wire or rod to be turned and shaped is passed
into the main spindle B and it' projects beyond the end of the clamping tube and

page_text: chuck head the necessary distance for the article to be made and it is turned and
smoothed: by, one or more tools (i.and.k) and subjected to the action of the screw
die where there is to be a screw thread cut upon the article, and when the turret
head K comes around so that the opening. M'is in line with the main spindle, the
secondary spindle next described is projected so as to pass into or through the
turret head K. more or less and grasp the article that has been partially made
before the same: is finally cut off and separated from the rod or wire, and then the
operations are repeated. The secondary spindle T is supported in the bearings n n¹
and between these bearings are the pulleys o o! and of and the central pulley o'¹ has
a key. or screw passing into a longitudinal groove in the secondary spindle so as to
rotate this: secondary spindle but allow for the said spindle being, moved endwise
through its bearings n n', and the straight belt.p.and cross belt p' are driven as
usual and the belt shifter U is adapted to move these belts together and they are
at a sufficient distance apart and the pulleys o and o² are sufficiently long to allow
for the belts being: off the pulley o' and only, upon the pulleys o and o³, hence the
secondary spindle will remain: quiescent when the belts are in the positions shown
in Figs. 1' and 3, and there is a friction pad upon a spring. arm as represented at q
to rest upon the pulley o¹ and steady the spindle and prevent. it accidentally
rotating; and when the belt shifter. is moved in one direction the secondary
spindle T is rotated in one direction, and. when the belt shifter is moved the other
way the secondary spindle is revolved in the opposite direction, and upon the cam
shaft C is a disk or wheel V upon the edges of which the belt shifting, inclines r
are clamped so that these can be placed in any desired position and act to give
rotation through the belts to the secondary spindle T in the proper direction and
at the proper time according to the positions of such incliues r upon the cam
wheel V, and I remark that it is to be understood that the cam shaft C'makes one
complete rotation during the time that an article is entirely finished.
At the inner end of the secondary spindle T there is a chuck S which is adapted
to receive the screw or other article to be acted upon and the secondary spindle T
is tubular and has within it a rod T¹ that acts to close the chuck S upon the article
to be grasped when the rod is moved toward the chuck and when this rod T' is
drawn back the chuck is opened and a spring or plunger t within the chuck S acts
to eject the screw or other article that has been finished in the chuck of the
secondary spindle, and upon the rear portion of the secondary spindle is a sliding
collar u acting.upon the bent levers o to give motion to the rod T₁ for opening or
closing the chuck and this collar u is acted upon by a fork or stud upon the slide
box 12 that receives its motion from one of the cams upon the cam drum G acting
against a stud 13 on said slide box 12.
.
And it is to be understood that the cam upon the cam drum G that acts upon
the collar u is properly placed with reference to the opening and closing of the
chuck.
The slide box 12 is upon a slide W that is connected with and projects from the
main frame of the machine advantageously from the bearing n' and upon the same
slide is a slide box 14 with a stud 15 that is acted upon by cams upon the drum G
and has a fork or stud 16 engaging the collar or spool 17 upon the back end of the
secondary spindle T, and by this means said secondary spindle receives an eudwise
movement in one direction or the other at the proper time, the cams upon the
drum G being shaped and placed so as to give the movement necessary; and it
will be observed that the slide box 14 comes up against the slide box 12 so that
said boxes 12 and 14 move together under the action of any cam which gives end
motion to the secondary spindle T towards the main spindle B thereby ensuring
the holding of the article by the closed chuck and when the secondary spindle is
to be drawn away from the main spindle the slide box 12 can be acted upon by a
cam, and in so doing the chuck will retain its hold upon the article and the spindle T
will be moved end wise in consequence of the slide box 12 moving the slide box 14
and the chuck will be opened by the slide box 12 being moved by a pointed cam
•

page_text: passing between the studs 14 and 15 to withdraw the conical collar u from engage-
ment with the bent levers v, or the chuck can be opened by the collar u and slide
box 12 remaining stationary while the secondary spindle T is drawu back by the
action of a cam upon the slide box 14. And it will be observed that the collar or
spool 17 is adjustable upon the secondary spindle T and so also is the collar
carrying the pivots of the bent levers so that the relative positions of these parts
upon the secondary spindle can be readily adjusted to insure the opening and
closing of the chuck at the desired times and for ensuring accuracy in the end
movements at the proper times of the secondary spindle.
It will now be understood that the secondary spindle receives an end movement
at the proper time when the opening m in the turret head K is in line with the
spindle so as to grasp and take the article that has been partially made while being
rotated by the main spindle and draw such article back through the opening m.
and thereafter the exposed end of the article can be acted upon by any desired
tools.
In manufacturing some kinds of articles the secondary turret head K¹ may not
be necessary because tools can be mounted upon the back of the turret head K as
well as upon the front and in that instance the secondary spindle will be moved
endwise and either rotate or not in presenting the projecting end of the article to
the action of such tools, but usually it is advantageous to employ the secondary
turret head K¹ the same being rotated progressively along with the turret head K
as aforesaid but not receiving a motion end wise of its axis because the end motion
given to the secondary spindle renders it unnecessary to give an end wise movement
to the secondary turret, and upon this secondary turret any turning, boring, shaving
or smoothing tools appropriate for the article can be mounted and where a screw
threaded socket is to be formed, as illustrated in Fig. 11 one tool will be employed
to bore the hole and a tap to cut the screw thread, and if the head of the screw is
to be knurled, as illustrated in Fig. 12, there may be a knurling tool upon the
secondary turret or the knurling tool may be provided as illustrated at 18 Fig. 9
the same being supported by the tool slide R.
In Figs. 1, 3 and 4 I have represented a device for sawing the nicks or channels
in the screw heads, the same consisting of a pulley 19 that is loose around the
sleeve M and it is provided with a bevel gear 20 driving a similar gear 21 upon a
shaft 22 supported by a hearing 23 upon the turret K' and provided with a saw 24.
By this means the saw can be continuously revolved and when the turret head has
been turned to bring the saw into position for use, the screw is moved end wise
against the saw by the action of a cam upon the drum G moving the secondary
spindle T and the screw is carried by it towards the saw.
It is to be understood that the tools represented upon the turret heads are
illustrative and they are to be varied according to the article to be produced, and
such tools should always be set in such a manner upon the turret head that the
turning, drilling or cutting operation will tend to press the stop 8 upon the
arrester 9 and thereby there will not be any risk of vibration in the turret head.
It is sometimes advantageous to be able to bore a hole transversely in the article
'that is being made or to cut a screw thread in such hole or to apply a knurling or
other tool at the side of the article as it is in the secondary spindle, with this
object in view a sliding rest w is connected with the machine preferably upon the
bearing n and the slide of this rest is moved by a suitable cam y acting upon a
lever y so as to move the slide and the tool carried by it at the proper time, and
when this tool has a drill the slide is provided with a bearing for such drill z and
there is a pulley on the drill stock to be run by a belt, hence the drill can be
projected to act laterally upon the article and if desired a tap for cutting a screw
thread may be similarly brought into action; or a knurling tool brought up by the
slide rest may be applied against the side of the article that is being made while
the secondary spindle is being rotated to transfer the ornamentation or knurl to
such article.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :
First. The combination with the main spindle and the turret for holding tools
and means for turning such turret progressively, of a secondary spindle in line with
the main spindle, a chuck for receiving the article from the main spindle and
meaus for giving to the secondary spindle the required movements, substantially as
set forth.
Second. The combination with the main spindle and the turret for holding tools
and means for turning such turret progressively, of a secondary spindle in line with
the main spindle, a chuck for receiving the article from the main spindle and means.
for giving to the secondary spindle the required movements, a secondary turret.
moving with the main turret and adapted to receive tools for acting upon the
article presented to them by the secondary spindle, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination in a machine for making screws and other articles, of
two spindles in line with each other and provided with chucks, one spindle being
hollow and adapted to receive through it the rod or wire to be acted upon a turret
head for carrying the tools made use of, a stop projecting from the periphery of
the turret head and a stationary arrester for the stop, means for rotating the turret
progressively and for giving end motion to such turret to clear the stop from the
arrester, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with two spindles in line with each other and having
chucks at their adjacent ends, of two turrets a shaft upon which one turret is
secured and means for giving end motion to such turret, a tube around the shaft
and a secondary turret carried by such tube, means for rotating the tube and its
turret and a connection from the same to rotate the shaft and the main turret,
substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with the main spindle, of a turret a shaft for supporting
the same, means for giving end motion to the shaft, a sprocket wheel and chain and
a driving sprocket frictionally connected with its driving shaft and stops on the.
turret and an arrester whereby the friction applied to the chain wheel holds the
stop against the arrester during the action of the tool upon the turret, substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with a turret for holding tools and its shaft, means for
rotating the same and for giving an end movement to the shaft, of a main spindle
and its chuck, mechanism for rotating the samne and for feeding the wire or rod
through the chuck progressively, a secondary spindle in line with the main spindle,
means for giving an end movement to the secondary spindle, a tight pulley and
loose pulleys at the opposite sides of the tight pulley, a straight and cross belt, a
belt shifter, a cam shaft and cams for actuating the belt shilter for rotating the
secondary spindle in either direction or allowing it to remain quiescent while the
tools are acting upon the article carried by such secondary spindle, substantially as
set forth.
Seventh. The combination with a turret for holding tools and its shaft, means
for rotating the same and for giving end movement to the shaft, of a main spindle
and its chuck, mechanism for rotating the same and for feeding the wire or rod
through the chuck progressively, a secondary spindle in line with the main spindle,
means for giving an end movement to the secondary spindle, a tight pulley and loose
pulleys at the opposite sides of the tight pulley, a straight and cross belt, a belt shifter,
a cam shaft and cams for actuating the belt shifter, for rotating the secondary spindle
in either direction or allowing it to remain quiescent while the tools are acting
upon the article carried by such secondary spindle, and a friction pad for arresting
the movement of the tight pulley when the belts are out of contact with the same,
substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The tubular secondary spindle and its bearings or supports in combination
with a tight pulley having a screw or key entering a longitudinal groove in the

page_text: tubular spindle, loose pulleys at opposite sides of the tight pulley and between the
bearings for the spindle, means for giving an end-motion to the secondary spindle,
a chuck at the end of the secondary spindle, a rod within the spindle and means
for actuating the same to open and close the chuck and a turret head and means
for revolving the same progressively to. bring the tools held by such turret into
position for acting upon the article carried by the chuck of the secondary spindle,
substantially as set forth.
Nirth. The combination with a spindle having a chuck and means for rotating
the spindle and for giving to the same a longitudinal movement, of a turret, means
for rotating the same progressively, a circular saw and its shaft carried by such
turret, a pulley around the axis.of the turret and bevel gear connecting the pulley
and the shaft of the circular saw, substantially, as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of November 1895.
"BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents 'for the Applicant.
"BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.