Improvements in and connected with Turret Capstan Lathes:
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Turret Capstan Lathes:
I; ALFRED GEORGE MELIUISH, Manager to Messrs. Wm. Cook & Co., Engineers
Limited, of Gothic Works, Salamanca Street, Vauxhall Walk, London, Machinists,
Lathe and Tool Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:--
This invention relates to an improved method of operating the turret slides
of capstan lathes, and has for its object to do away with the continual manual
labour usual in such lathes and make them operable automatically at will, that
is to say, they may be thrown into automatic gear, by the simple movement of a
lever and be also operable by hand if desired.
The chief feature of the invention consists in so arranging the mechanism
that the usual star wheel is revolved continuously in one direction to operate the
turret slide, instead of in contrary directions as hitherto usual, the necessary
reciprocatory motion of the turret slide being obtained from a crank, or cani,
or eccentric. The crank, cam, or eccentric imparts movement to the slide by
means of a connecting rod, the connection with the slide being so arranged that
said slide is pushed positively forward, but is brought back against and by
means of a stiff compression spring, so that when the operation of revolving the
turret and locking same is performed, this spring yields and so prevents undue
strain in the working parts. Now seeing that the slide is operated by a continual
rotary motion I am enabled preferably by means of a worm and worm wheels
and pulley to operate the slide from an overhead motion by means of a belt
which can be thrown in and out of gear by means of a clutch and lever suitably
and handily arranged on the lathe or slide bed.
By this mechanism the slide has a definite forward movement under all
conditions, and in order that the depth to which a tool cuts can be regulated, I
arrange the rotating star wheel spindle to be carried in the slide bed and there-
fore movable along the lathe bed so that same can be adjusted to any position
to suit any depth of cut.
I may provide a second link or irregular shaped gears to producé a quick
return action.
I may also arrange that the worm for rotating crank may be carried on a
shaft at the side of or under the lathe bed and driven from the lathe head instead
of from an overhead motion, and in this case instead of adjusting the slide bed,
the slide may be adjustable on the lathe bed, and the worm slide upon or be
adjustable upon its shaft.
1000
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Alfred George Melhuish.

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Turret Capstan Lathes.
I, ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH, Manager to Messrs. Wm. Cook & Co., Engineers
Limited, of Gothic Works, Salamanca Street, Vauxhall Walk, London, Machinists,
Lathe and Tool 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:-
This invention relates to an improved method of operating the turret slides
of "capstan "lathes and has for its object to do away with the continual manual
labour usual in such lathes and make them operable automatically at will, that
is to say, they may be thrown into gear with a mechanical prime mover by the
simple movement of a lever or be operable by hand if desired.
The chief feature of the invention consists in so arranging the mechanism
that the usual star wheel is revolved continuously in one direction to operate the
turret slide instead of in contrary directions as hitherto usual, the necessary
reciprocatory motion of the turret slide being obtained from a crank or cam
or excentric. The crank, cam, or excentric imparts movement to the slide by
means of a connecting rod, the connection with the slide being so arranged that
said slide is pushed positively forwards, and backwards a stiff compression spring,
as a buffer being employed between the crank and the slide so that when the
operation of revolving the turret and locking same is performed, the spring,
if such be used will be caused to yield. As an alternative, the slide may be
pushed positively forward and a stiff compression spring or a weight may be
employed to return the turret automatically. Now, seeing that the slide is
operated by a continual rotary motion, I am enabled preferably by means of a
worm and worm wheels and pulley to operate the slide from an overhead motion
by means of a belt which can be thrown in and out of gear by means of a clutch
and lever suitably and handily arranged on the lathe or slide bed.
By this mechanism the slide has a definite forward movement under all
conditions, and in order that the depth to which a tool cuts can be regulated, I
arrange the rotating star wheel spindle to be carried in the slide bed and there-
fore movable along the lathe bed so that same can be adjusted to any position
to suit the depth of cut. I may provide a second link or irregular shaped gears
to produce a quick return action.
may also arrange that the worm for rotating crank may be carried on a
shaft at the side of or under the lathe bed and driving from the lathe head instead
of.from an overhead motion, and in this case instead of adjusting the slide bed,
the slide may be adjustable on the lathe bed and the worm to slide upon its
shaft.
The annexed drawings show several examples of how my invention can be
carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with part of the slide bed removed to show the
operating parts, and Figure 2 is a section of the slide bed and showing the
turret in position. In these two figures, the turret A is fitted to its slide B in
the usual manner and the slide B carries a lug C at its underside for engagement
with a rod D having an abutment E and encircled by a link connected to
the crank G. The rod D is encircled at the part between the link F by a
spring H, this being kept in position by a nut or collar I secured on the end of
the rod D, so that as the crank G is revolved, the link F will move the rod D by
its abutment E along and with it carry the turret up to its work, but during the
return travel of the crank G to withdraw the turret from its work the spring H
will be acted upon and slightly yield.

page_text: The slide bed J. in this case is slotted at K for adjustment of the turret A
to suit length of tools or depth of cut and the axle L carrying the crank G runs
in bushes or bearings M which can be adjusted in the slot K and held securely
therein by the nuts N, thus it will be seen that by turning the star wheel or
handle P in one direction only, the turret will be moved to and from its work.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of sufficient of a slide bed, (a portion being cut
away) with my invention applied when a cam G is employed to move the
turret A and its slide B to its work and to raise the weight Qby action on
the lug C, the return of the turret and its slide being ensured by the lowering of
the weight Qattached to the slide B through a cord R attached to a lug Ŭ of
the slide shown in dotted lines, or the operation may be vice-versa. In some
cases the weight Q can be dispensed with and a spring connected with the
lathe & the lug C employed, for effecting the return of the turret.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a lathe whereby the turret A can be moved to
and from its work by power other than manual and from the lathe head; and
for this purpose I dispense with the slots K in the slide bed J and attach to the
side of the lathe bed a splined rod S which engages brackets T attached to the
sides of the slide bed J, the rod S carrying a worm V. for gearing into the toothed
wheel P projecting from the side of the slide bed J, this wheel l' taking the
place of the star or hand wheel, and on the end of the rod S I fix the usual
pulleys W which by the belt X connected with pulleys Y attached to the lathe
head pulley shaft can be driven so as to operate the turret.
The operating appliances for moving the turret to and fro may be either of
those shown in Figures 1 or 3, or an excentric may be employed instead.
The slide bed can be adjusted on the lathe bed U and can be fixed in the
adjusted position by a hand tightening nut Z, as is usual.
Figure 5 is a side elevation showing a further exemplification of my invention,
in this case the crank G is formed by a pin between two plates secured to
axles L, the pin or crank G engaging the slot of a pivotted lever F, this being
in connection with the slide B by a rod D and from its construction it will be
seen that during the revolution of the axle L the crank G in travelling through
the upper part of the slot of the lever F will move the turret slowly up to its
work but the travel of crank to return the turret will move the turret and its
slide quicker in consequence of the crank working nearer the pivot of the
lever F.
Figure 6 is an elevation of a complete appliance embodying my invention
and which can be applied to any lathe bed without any alteration or addition
thereto. The appliance may be of the construction referred to in Figure 4 but
the rod S is carried solely by the brackets T and carries the pulleys W so that the
same can be driven from any overhead motion, the turret, the slide B, and the
slide bed J being adjustable as with the other figures.
Figure 7 is a section of Figure 6 the reciprocating appliances being of the
kind shown in Figure 5.
a is a ratchet actuated by handle b for throwing the reciprocating mechanism
in and out of gear when it is desired to stop the working of the turret or when it
is desired to work the turret and its appurtenances by hand, in which case a
star or hand wheel is also fitted to the shaft L. This ratchet mechanism can be
applied to all the examples.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In revolving turrets, operating the turret slide by means of a crank, excen-
tric, cam, or equivalent device by means of a hand wheel revolved continuously
in one direction, or by power by means of a worm and worm wheel on a splined
shaft driven from the lathe head or by a worm and worm wheel driven from an
overhead motion or equivalent device, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. Imparting rectilinear motion to a turret slide by means of a continuous
rotating motion in one direction in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a turret slide, the clutch on the crank shaft L for the purpose, of
connecting or disconnecting the operation of the turret slide 13 from the power
driven gear, so that same may be operated by hand at will, as set forth.
The 12th day of April 1900.
R. CORE GARDNER, -
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Alfred George Melhuish.