Improvements in Lathes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lathes.
I, CHARLES SUMNER HARMON, of Blue Island, Cook County, State of Illinois,
United States of America, Lawyer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvement in the class of lathe whereby a wooden
blank of any regular, irregular or geometrical form in cross-section may automatically,
that is by the mere operation of the machine, and without requiring handling of the
blank after it has been fed to the lathe, be turned to any desired form of cross-
section.
A machine of the class referred to is shown and described in Letters Patent of the
United States No. 302,644, granted on the twenty-ninth day of July, 1884, and
entitled "Improvement in Concentric Lathes ;" and it involves a construction and
operates in a manner briefly stated as follows:
A rotary, horizontally disposed shaft carries sets of properly arranged cutters. At
each end of the system of cutters and around each projecting end of the shaft is a
stationary "guide-rail," or cam-ring of any desired shape; and on sleeves loosely
incasing the shaft toward its opposite ends are supports for the spindle-boxes, which
are disposed radially around the shaft and are also movable radially, being confined by
the guide-rails, against the inner peripheries of which they extend, and the shape of
which they follow in rotation with their supports, which are revoluble independently
of the cutters. The spindle-boxes carry spindles, extending, of course, parallel with the
cutter-shaft, those at one end of the machine being live-spindles, which, besides
turning with their support, are also turned on their own axes by providing them near
their inner ends each with a friction-disk, rigidly secured to it, and confined against
an annular revolving friction-plate, which, owing to its contact with surfaces of the
friction-lisks on the several live-spindles, produces revolution of the latter on their axes;
the spindles at the opposite end of the machine being non-rotary on their own axes, or
dead-spindles, and, besides their rotary movement with their support, being movable,
slightly, longitudinally of their axes, against a springy resistance, to withdraw them
from and thus release the work when the latter is finished.
A blank to be cut to the desired shape is fed against the cutter, and grasped, at its
opposite ends, between a coincident pair of the live and dead-spindles, which, besides
carrying the blank around the cutters (rotated preferably, but not necessarily, in the
direction opposite that of the rotation of the spindle-carriers, and much more rapidly
than the latter) also revolve it on its axis against the knives. The blank is presented
to the cutters, which gradually reduce its diameter, and also its form according to the
shape of the guide-rails, since the latter (through the radially movable spindle-boxes,
which follow, in their rotation, the shape or shapes of the guide-rails) guide certain
portions of the surface of the blank into closer or deeper contact with the cutters, and
others into less close or shallower contact therewith, according to requirement for
which the shaping of the guide rails is predetermined.
The objects of my present improvement are to provide more particularly the
machine involving the general construction thus set forth, with an automatic feed
which will automatically compensate for variation in the diameters of the blacks from
the diameter for which the machine is pre-arranged; and further to provide different
other novel features of construction tending to increase the efficiency of the lathe.
My invention consists in providing a geometrical lathe, involving a revoluble cutter,
a desired number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing
the movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation

page_text: to the cutter, with an automatic feed, self-compensating for difference in the diameters
of the blanks; and my invention further consists in details of construction and com-
binations of parts..
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the machine regarded from the front or side at
which the feed is provided;
Figure 2, a view of the end provided with the live-spindles ;
Figure 3, a transverse section of the machine looking toward the end provided
with the dead-spindles ;
Figure 4, a broken sectional view showing the spring wing and cam details for
withdrawing the dead-spindles to release the finished blanks, and clasp the newly-
fed blanks;
'
Figure 5, a side-view of the cam-detail";
Figure 6, a perspective view of a part of the spring wing:
Figure 7, a broken sectional view showing the connection between a spring-wing
and a dead-spindle ;
Figure 8. a broken longitudinal sectional view of the machine, showing a blank
being turned and
i
Figures 9 and 10, are perspective views showing, respectively, a guide and a
pusher.
q
A is the frame of the machine, in which is supported a rotary shaft, B, carrying a
belt-pulley, B', at one end, and the substantially disk-shaped cutter-heads,, for the
cutters (Figure 3).. Toward its opposite ends the shaft B is provided with
stationary sleeves and 1 (Figure 8), forming extensions of the journal-boxes, the
sleeve being loosely surmounted by a sleeve, g, carrying, adjacent to the end of the
cutter-heads two friction-plates D and D₁, having a space, p, between them, and
yieldingly held against spreading, toward their edges, by spring-bolts, pl. The
sleeve is loosely surrounded by a wheel-like support, E, for the live-spindle boxes F,
which are
disposed radially around the support, and are confined, against springs, o,
in pockets, o, provided radially in the support E, one for each spindle-box, by an
immovable guide-rail, or cam-ring, G, firmly secured on the frame of the machine, and
which is surrounded by an annular head, G', through which set-screws, o², are
inserted against the outer periphery of the guide-rail and serve to adjust the latter
with relation to the work. The support E also carries rigidly secured to or integral
with it, the cog-wheel H, from the inner side, near the periphery of which, extend,
horizontally, rounded lugs, n, equidistant apart around the wheel, and to which may
be secured a disk, n', to shield the spindle-mechanism from the shavings and dust
resulting from the operation of the machine. Each box F carries a live-spindle, F¹,
extending at its engaging end beyond the inner face of the disk-shield n', and carrying
a friction-disk, p, which extends between and in contact with the rotary friction-
plates D and D'
The stationary sleeve is loosely surrounded by a support, El, of a construction
like that of the support E, and carrying radially disposed spindle-boxes, I, which are
confined against springs o in pockets o', by an immovable guide-rail K, of suitable
form and, like the guide-rail G, surrounded by a head, G1, for set-screws, o², which,
like those in the head G of the guide-rail serve, by forcing them against parts of
the guide-rail, to compress the latter and thus bring parts thereof closer to the
spindle-boxes. The spindles I in the boxes I are the dead-spindles, being non-
rotary on their axes, and are disposed, as also the boxes carrying them, to coincide
with the live-spindles opposite them; and the support E' carries, like the support E, a
cog-wheel, H, and a disk-shield, n¹.
A cog-wheel, L, secured to the sleeve q, is driven by a pinion, c, meshing with it,
on a rotary shaft, c¹, carrying also an ordinary cone-pulley, c2 (indicated by dotied
lines in Figure 2) and which has an ordinary belt-connection (not shown) with a
similar cone-pulley, 3, (also indicated by dotted lines) on a shaft, c', (connected with
the driving-power, and therefore, affording a driving-shaft). The shaft carries a

page_text: pinion, c, meshing with a cog-wheel, b, on a counter-shaft, b, extending near the base
of the machine, across both cog-wheels H, at each of which, and in mesh therewith, it
carries a pinion, b².
It will, therefore, be observed that the cog-wheel L, which is thus geared through
the pinion on the shaft c¹ with the driving-power, serves to rotate the friction-
disks D and D¹ rapidly in one direction, while simultaneously the supports E and E¹
are rotated in the opposite direction, and slower than the friction disks, from the
shaft c, by the pinions 62 on the shaft 62 which are actuated, through the cog-wheel,
by the pinion ; and the belt-connection of the cone-pulleys 2 and 3 permits the
relative speeds of the shafts c' and c to he regulated. The shaft B is connected with
the driving-power at the belt-pulley B¹.
The parts thus far described, (except the lugs n) correspond, substantially, with the
construction shown and described in my aforesaid patent.
As hereinbefore mentioned, my present improvements relate, besides to certain
novel details of construction, to the provision of an automatic self-compensating feed
for the machine, and of which the following is a description:
At one side of the machine, and extending lengthwise parallel with the shaft B, a
feed, M, is provided: N is a vertical receptacle, of desired height, supported on the
frame A, and which may, as a simple construction, comprise an open, rectangular
frame with a hopper-shaped mouth, m, and the width of which should be sufficient
to accommodate blanks, O, (Figure 8) of the largest diameter. Underneath the
receptacle N, preferably near each of its opposite ends, is provided, on the frame A, a
pusher, ', in the form of a block, caused to reciprocate transversely to the cutter-
heads on a suitable stationary guide, 1, provided at its inner extremity with an
upward-projecting stop, k. Each pusher P is connected with a rock-shaft, Q,
(Figure 3) below it, by an arm, i, on a collar, h, secured to the shaft, and having a
crank-extension, ¹, connected with the lower part of the frame by a coiled spring, R,
normally compressed and tending, when distended, to force the pushers P inward to
the limit of their play toward the stops k. A cam-finger, g, extends from the collar h
into the path of the lugs n on a wheel H, whereby, when, in the rotation of the said
wheel Ha lug, n, (one of which is provided for each live-spindle F¹) strikes the cam-
finger, the rock-shaft Q is actuated to turn the arms i, connecting it with the pushers,
outward, and thus the pushers P are forced outward against the resistance of the
springs, thereby, as the cam-finger is being passed over by a lug, n, gradually allowing
the springs to resume their normal compressed condition, and, in resuming it, force
the pushers inward by inducing the turning of the arms in the inward direction, or
from the side of the machine at which the feed is provided.
To operate the machine with my automatic feed, the receptacle N is supplied with
blanks O, which are preferably of uniform length and as nearly of the same diameter
as practicable, but which in the rectangular blanks from which to turn broom-handles
(a use to which I have, more particularly, applied my machine) is found to vary up
to about one-half an inch.
In filling the receptacle, in order to prevent the blanks from being fed to the
cutting-mechanism, as hereinafter described, until it shall be desired to start the feed, I
provide an ordinary form of pivotal support, S, comprising a lever of the first class
having a cross-piece, as shown, on its inner end which may be raised on its pivot
and there held, above the guides to stop the blanks from falling, by their own
gravity, upon the guides. To hold the inner or supporting end of the lever S in
its raised position, I provide a catch, S1, (Figures 1 and 3) to be engaged for the
purpose by the outer or handle end of the lever when lowered.
As soon as the machine is set in motion by revolving the shaft to actuate the
supports E and E₁ carrying the spindles and the friction-plates D and D¹ to rotate
the live-spindles on. their own axes in the desired direction, and by revolving the
shaft B carrying the cutter-heads, the support S may be released, when the lower-
most blank Ŏ will sink (by its own weight and that of the other blanks imposed upon
it) upon the guides in front of the pushers P while a lug, n, is passing over the
cam-finger and has forced the pushers outward against the resistance of the

page_text: springs R.
As the lug passes over the end of the cam-finger, it releases the latter,
allowing the springs R to act to force the pushers inward, which push the blank, in
front of them. against the stops k, where it coincides, at its extremities, with a live-
spindle at one end and a dead-spindle at the opposite end.
As each live-spindle, in the rotation of the support E, reaches the point coincident
with the adjacent end of a blank O fed to the machine, the corresponding dead-spindle,
coincident with the opposite end of the blank, is withdrawn, in a manner hereinafter
described, just before reaching the point of taking up a new blank, to release a
finished blank which has been revolved around the cutter-heads; and just as it comes
coincident with the respective end of the blank last fed, it recoils against it, thereby
confining its ends between the pair of spindles.
This withdrawal and recoil of the successive dead-spindles I, is produced by the
mechanism of which the following is a description:
At the rear end of each radially movable spindle I projecting beyond the support E',
it has fastened upon it a wing, T, preferably of the shape illustrated, and having an
internally convex opening, z, larger than the diameter of the part of the spindle over
which it fits; the outer end of the wing extending into the path of a stationary
cam, T, on the annular head G¹, near the point of release of a finished blank and
take-up point for a new one. When in the rotation of the spindle-carrying supports E
and E a finished blank reaches the point of its discharge, the cam T is engaged by
the wing T of the respective dead-spindle, thereby throwing the latter back and with-
drawing it from the finished blank, against the resistance of a leaf-spring, T2, entering
a socket, f, (Figure 6) in the lower end of the wing T (which connection permits the
radial movement of the spindle-boxes I without impediment from the spring-wing
detail) the spring being secured at one end to the rotary support E'. The spindle is
held out by the cam until it reaches the point coincident with the adjacent end of a
newly-fed blank, when the wing passes the cam and permits the resilience of the
spring to force the spindle into its normal position and thereby also into engagement
with the new blank, which is carried around and turned into the geometrical shape
produced by the guiding effect, due to the shape of the guide-rails, upon the radially
movable spindle-boxes.
The air-currents, generated by the rapid rotation of the cutter-heads, are so strong
that they tend to throw upward the blank, as it approaches the knives in the feeding,
and thus bring it out of line with the spindles brought into position to grasp it. To
prevent this I provide at one or more points along the inner side of the lower
edge of the receptacle N flexible stops c, preferably of stiff rubber, which extend
beyond the said lower edge and, while they do not impede the feeding, operate as
holders, to hold the blank down against the guides 7, in opposition to the air-
currents.
A stripper, d, (Figure 3) extending just below a guide at both ends, or, and
by preference, only on the live-spindle end of the machine, (though illustrated on the
dead-spindle end) affords, also, a desirable adjunct to insure separation from the live-
spindle of the finished blank when released at the opposite end by the withdrawal
from it of the dead-spindle, in case it shall stick to the live-spindle.
The springs R, or equivalents thereof, such as weights or cams, constitute a very
important improvement on my machine, inasmuch as they permit compensation for
variation in the diameters of the blanks, which variation, if excessive beyond the
diameter for which the mechanism is adjusted, as hereinafter described, would tend
to disorganize and even break the machine: As herein before mentioned, the blanks,
us they are furnished, vary, unavoidably, more or less, in diameter. Owing to the
mature of the feed-mechanism, the pushers P (or pusher if only one be provided, as
may be. near the centre) can have only limited reciprocating play, and they must
operate to bring each blank into proper position, which should be against the stops or
stop k. Accordingly, to illustrate with the rectangular blanks O to be turned by the
lathe into broom-handles, and the common diameter of which, as provided, is one
and a quarter inches, I set the cam-finger g to permit the springs R to force the
pushers inward, as the limit of their inward movement, to within an inch and a

page_text: quarter of the stops k. Blanks, among those piled in the receptacle N, of smaller
diameter will not be pushed into contact with the stops, but short of them, and will
be grasped eccentrically at their ends by the spindles, whereby they will, also, be
presented eccentrically to the cutters, causing the latter to cut off more at a time
from one side of the blank than from another, but without impairing the working
of the machine, or injuriously affecting it. In the case, however, of the presenta-
tion of blanks greater in diameter than those for which the feed is set, without the
springs R, or their equivalent, there would be no give to the pushers, which, in
being forced inward would be obstructed short of the limit of their play, and would,
therefore, disorganize the machine and probably produce breakage of parts.
springs R, against the resistance of which the pushers are withdrawn, overcome
this tendency by affording compensation for the increased diameter, since when the
pushers meet the obstruction presented by such increase, the action upon them of a
lug n through the cam-finger, in turning the shaft Q, is to distend the spring, causing
the latter to give and thus avoiding the exertion of unyielding pressure against the
pushers.
The
I do not limit my improvement to the particular construction of compensating
mechanism for the feed herein shown and described, as it can be readily changed
and still produce the same result.
It should be further remarked that my improvements herein described are not
necessarily limited in their application to a machine constructed in accordance with
my aforesaid patent, but may be used with machines of different general construction
for the same purpose, as, for example, in such as confine cams on the ends of the
radially movable spindles yieldingly against the outer peripheries of the guide-rails,
the shape of the cams producing that to which the blanks are to be turned." It would
also be within the spirit of my invention to apply any or all of my improvements
to a machine of the class referred to employing only one each of the live and dead
spindles, or having a guide-rail at only one end; and to arrange other parts of the
mechanism to correspond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1-In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, a
desired number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing
the movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation
to the cutter, the combination therewith of an automatic self-compensating feed for
the blanks, substantially as set forth.
2-In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, a desired
number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing the
movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation to
the cutter, the combination therewith of an automatic feed having a receptacle, N,
and a reciprocating pusher, P, near the base of the receptacle, actuated by intermediate
mechanism from a revolving spindle support, substantially as set forth.
3-In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, a
desired number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing
the movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation
to the cutter, the combination there with of an automatic feed comprising a receptacle, N,
a reciprocating pusher, P, on a guide, l, provided with a stop, k, a shaft, Q, connected
with and actuated, to reciprocate the pusher, from a revolving spindle support, and
a spring, R, or the like, tending normally to actuate the pusher to feed the blanks to
the cutter, substantially as set forth.
4-In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, a desired
number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing the
movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation to
the cutter, the combination therewith of an automatic feed comprising a receptacle, N,
a reciprocating pusher, P, on a guide, 1, provided with a stop, k, a shaft, Q, connected

page_text: with and actuated, to reciprocate the pusher, from a revolving spindle-support, a
spring, R, or the like, tending normally to feed the blanks to the cutter, and a
stripper, d, substantially as set forth.
5 In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, a desired
number of radially movable revolving spindles and a guide-rail for directing the
movement of each spindle and controlling the position of the blank with relation
to the cutter, the combination therewith of ar automatic feed for the blank, having a
receptacle, N, and a reciprocating pusher, P, and one or more yielding holders, c,
in the path of the blank and adjacent to the cutter, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth..
6 In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, radially
movable revolving live-spindles, FL, and dead-spindles, I', a guide-rail for directing
the movement of the spindles and controlling the positions of the blanks with relation
to the cutter, and an automatic feed for the blanks, the combination with the dead-
spindles and the automatic feed of an extensible spring-wing on each dead spindle,
and a cam, T¹, in the path of the spring-wings, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
7-In a lathe, substantially as described, and involving a revoluble cutter, radially
movable revolving live-spindles, F1, and dead-spindles, 1', a guide-rail for directing
the movement of the spindles and controlling the positions of the blanks with relation
to the cutter, and an automatic feed for the blanks, the combination with the dead-
spindles and the automatic feed of an extensible spring-wing on each spindle, com-
prising a wing, T, having an opening, a, and secured thereat upon the spindle toward
its outer end, a socket, f, in one end of the wing and a spring, T2, inserted at one
end into the socket and fastened toward its opposite end, and a cam, T', in the path
of the wings T, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated the Third day of June 1890
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.