An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Worm Wheels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Manufacturing Worm
Wheels.
We, JOHANNES GEORG REINECKER and JULIUS EDUARD REINECKER both of
Gablenz near Chemnitz in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire, Manu-
facturers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a method of and apparatus for manufacturing worm
wheels.
The manufacture of worm wheels has heretofore presented a number of
difficulties which have not been obviated by the apparatus employed of late for
automatically manufacturing these wheels by positive motion. These difficulties
are very considerable, particularly when cutting wheels for worms having a
multiplex thread.
According to our said invention, we obviate these difficulties by using a method
which substantially differs from the customary method of adjusting the worm wheel
cutter from above in the wheel to be cut, and gradually lowering it until the proper
axial distance is obtained, in that the worm wheel cutter is adjusted at the
commencement to the proper axial distance from the worm wheel and is displaced
laterally, that is to say axially towards the wheel to be cut till it is in complete
engagement with the same, as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying
drawing.
It is not absolutely necessary that the worm wheel cutter employed for this
purpose should possess a conical point on the side to be cut first, as shown in the
figures; this cutter may in fact have its full thread.
By our improved method it is intended, furthermore, to obviate the undercutting
of the teeth of the wheel such as frequently occured especially with great pitches
of the worms and gave rise to the deformation of the teeth and was often altogether
inevitable with the methods practised up to the present time.
This method necessitates a peculiar arrangement of the cutting-machine, which
will be readily understood from the constructional example represented in
Figures 5 to 8. Upon a common axis A are secured both the generating worm
wheel and the worm wheel to be cut. The worm C engaging with the generating
wheel B is operated by belt gear and drives the cutter E by means of wheels
corresponding in size to the number of teeth of the wheel D to be produced, the
said cutter being adjustable in the vertical direction relatively to the axis of the
said wheel D and placed before the commencement of the cutting at the exact
axial distance from this wheel. The cutter E is adapted to be displaced laterally
from left to right, but it cannot turn relatively to its driving wheel and during the
cutting is displaced or adjusted from left to right (Figure 7). For this purpose
the cutter is supported upon a transverse slide. Now a displacement of the cutter E
would occasion a destruction of the teeth already cut in the wheel D, if this wheel
did not at the same time make a turning movement corresponding to the lateral
displacement of the cutter E. In order to render this possible the wheel B must
also perform the same turning movement, that is to say the worm C must likewise
undergo a displacement whose extent bears the same proportion to the displacement
of the cutter E as the diameters of the wheels B and D.

page_text: This displacement is effected through the intervention of the double-armed
lever F, one arm F' of which is in connection with the cutter E, and the other
arm F in connection with the worm C. In the displacement of the cutter the
aforesaid lever by acting upon the worm C effects a turning movement of the two
wheels B and D fixed upon the axis A, which movement corresponds exactly to the
said displacement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inver-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A method of manufacturing worm wheels by adjusting the cutter at the
commencement to the precise axial distance of the worm from the worm wheel, and
causing the said cutter by a regulated axial displacement to gradually penetrate
into the worm wheel substantially as described.
2. For carrying this method into practice a cutting machine in which a driving
worm C and a cutter E are employed in conjunction with the generating worm
wheel and the worm wheel to be cut which are placed upon a common axis, the
said worm, in the axial displacement of the cutter effected through the medium of
the lever F, F1, F2, performing a displacement at the same angular velocity
relatively to the wheel driven by the worm, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.