Improvements in Tool Rests for Lathes and other Machine Tools.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1892--Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tool Rests for Lathes and other Machine Tools.
I, ALFRED MUIR, of the firm of William Muir and Co. Machine Tool Makers,
of Britannia Works, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to capstan rests and is particularly applicable to lathes, the
chief object of my invention being to employ an ordinary turning tool in a capstan
rest to secure the turning or cutting tool more firmly and also to facilitate working
close up to the faceplate or chucked work on a lathe &c.
In carrying out my invention I construct the capstan rest square in place of
round as now customary, on each side of the square is an open recess between the
top plate and the lower plate of the rest, in which an ordinary turning tool can be
placed and clamped or held by screws which pass through the top plate.
The central bolt which connects the capstan to its base is provided with a handle
by turning which the capstan can be fixed or slackened as required and in order to
guide the operative in revolving the capstan head a plate spring with a stop piece
is secured to the fixed base of the capstan. At each corner of the capstan rest is
a recess which engages with the stop piece when the rest is in any one of its
working positions; before the rest can be revolved the projecting end of the plate
spring is depressed to relieve the stop piece after which the rest can be moved in
either direction, the stop piece falling into the first recess which comes opposite to
it, and the rest is secured by turning the handle of the central bolt.
By my improvements I construct a capstan rest so that it has all the advantages
of an ordinary rest for securing and fixing an ordinary cutting tool in position.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1892.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tool Rests for Lathes and other Machine Tools.
I, ALFRED MUIR, of the firm of William Muir and Co. Machine Tool Makers,
of Britannia Works, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, 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 improvements in what are known as capstan rests for
machine tools, and is particularly applicable to lathes, the chief object of my
invention being to enable ordinary turning or cutting tools to be held in such a
rest and further to secure such tools more firmly than can be done in the ordinary
capstan rest, and also to facilitate working close up to a faceplate or chuck to which
the material to be machined may be secured.
To effect these objects I construct the capstan rest square or rectangular in plan
view instead of circular as now customary by which construction the shanks of the
cutting tools are placed in open recesses of the square capstan rest in place of
being placed into holes as they must be when secured in circular capstan rests of
the ordinary construction.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and realily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying three sheets of drawings reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a capstan rest made according to my invention and

page_text: fitted in slideways on a casting which may form a portion of a lathe or other
machine tool.
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view with the central bolt and some other parts omitted.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the spring piece Fig. 3 and
Fig. 4 is a detailed view of part of the capstan rest.
In the drawings, a represents part of the rest of a lathe or other machine tool
to the slide of which the base of my improved capstan rest is fitted; this base is
of rectangular form, and it is bored out at or near its centre to receive a flanged
threaded nut c held in position by a screw, d, the upper part e of the capstan rest
is bored out to fit over the nut c and it is square in plan view so as to coincide with
the square portion of the base b.
A part of the rest e is cut away or recessed between the upper and lower portions
so as to leave a space along each side to receive a turning or cutting tool of any
convenient shape. A flanged collar f is fitted into the hole in the rest e and its
flange bears upon the top surface of the rest; this collar forms a guide for the
main or holding down bolt g which passes through it and screws into the nut c by
which means the part of the capstan can be securely clamped to the base b.
In order to regulate the rotary movement of the capstan a plate spring his
fixed by a screw to the base b of the rest, see Figs. 3 and 4, and to this spring /
is secured a stop piece k, which piece, when the rest is in any one of its determined
working positions, lies in a recess / made to receive it at each corner on the under-
side of the moving part e.
A similar turning or cutting tool m is shown in position in Fig. 2, it is however
obvious that four or any smaller number of tools can be secured in the rest at the
same time; to clamp the rest ready for work the handle of the locking bolt g
must be turned so as to bind the upper part e to the base of the capstan rest.
In order to swivel the rest the bolt g is slackened and the plate spring / depressed
to release the stop piece k, the rest can then be moved in either direction until the
desired tool, guided by the stop piece k coming into one of its recesses I, reaches
its working position when the handle of the locking bolt g is moved to clamp the
rest ready for work again. If required the rest could be clamped for working at
any intermediate point between two of the recesses 1.
By means of the screw n in the slide a and the nut o connected to the base / of
the rest, the latter can be readily traversed along the slide
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 :-
The improved capstan rest for machine tools, said rest being rectangular in
form and provided with open recesses to receive cutting tools of any convenient
shape and with its parts combined arranged and operating substantially in the
manner herein set forth for the purposes specified.
Dated this 31st day of October 1892.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.