AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE SPRINGS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE SPRINGS." A communication
from abroad by Paul Cucherat, of Brussels, Belgium, Manufacturing Engineer.
Sealed the 15th June 1877, and dated the 12th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE
SPRINGS. A communication from abroad by Paul Cucherat, of Brussels, Belgium,
Manufacturing Engineer.
This Invention relates to an improved machine for making wire springs, the said
machine being constructed upon the principle of forming a circle from three given
points, which points being relatively arranged, only one sized circle can be made
therefrom whilst they are in the same relative position.
In constructing springs for mattresses which are composed of two coned-shaped
springs united at their tops, the spirals of the spring gradually diminish in diameter,
and then increase in the same proportion. In order to do this it is necessary for
the central point in said machine to be capable of changing its position.
I will now proceed to describe a machine constructed according to this Invention for
making springs of all kinds and forms, that is to say, cylindrical, conical, or double
conical springs, springs united at the bottom or at the top, enlarged or retracted from
the two extremities, or with an enlargement in the centre, such as those used in
moderator lamps, and the like.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 shew in elevation both sides of
the machine; Figure 3 is a plan of the same machine.
M, M, are two grooved rollers; G is a smaller roller mounted on a bearing piece
N, which is adjustable, and may be raised and lowered; M¹ is another roller, the
form of which is shewn in Figure 3, having teeth or indentations cut upon its
periphery. This roller is of the same diameter as the grooved rollers M, M,
PT

page_text: measured from the bottom of the groove. The roller M is mounted on two pieces
J, J, which by means of the screw K. give to the roller M. the desired pressure.
The metal wire F, F, shewn in long dotted lines, passes between the two rollers
M and M³, as in a rolling mill, then under the roller G, and afterwards into the
second roller M.
It will be seen that the diameter of the circle about to be formed of the wire
F, F, F, will depend upon the position of the roller G, for in the position G¹, shewn
in dotted lines, it will be seen that the circle F, F, F, is much smaller.
It is evident that if the position of the roller G is varied with more or less speed,
and is brought back to its first position with the same speed, a spring will have
been constructed when the roller G has returned to its first position, the spirals of
which will be of-decreasing diameter to a certain point, and of proportionate in-
creasing diameter from that point.
Having now described the principles upon which the said machine is constructed,
I will proceed to describe the making of a spring, that is to say, for example, a
double-cone mattress spring with a given number of spirals, and containing a given
length of wire.
The first operation is to measure the length of wire to be contained in the spring,
which is done by means of the roller M, the circumference of which being known,
the number of turns is regulated accordingly, so as to produce a spring containing
the length of wire required. The working parts of the machine are mounted on a
frame B, B, B, the rollers M, M, and M are mounted on shafts P, P¹, P", gear
wheels of equal diameter I, I, I, and I", I", I", connect, so that they turn
together and at the same speed. A gear wheel I, I, double the diameter of the two
others above mentioned, I and I", mounted on the shaft O, O, gears with the
wheel I, I Upon the shaft O, O, two pullies T, T, are mounted to provide for the
machine, being driven by steam power, and on the same shaft is a crank handle
S, S, S, for applying hand power. When the shaft O, O, makes one revolution,
the rollers M, M, and M¹ will make two revolutions, the roller G being free. Upon
the shaft O, O, outside the frame B, B, is bevelled wheel H¹, which is double tho
diameter of its pinion H; the said pinion is mounted on the shaft D, D, which is
provided at its end with a double-threaded screw V; the 'shaft D, D, revolves in
its bearings C, C, the said bearings being attached to a piece C, C, C, C, which
moves around the shaft O, O, and may be fixed in any desired position by means of
the nut U. The double-threaded screw, which serves as an endless screw, gears
into a wheel R, R, mounted on the shaft Z, Z. On the other side of this shaft there
is an eccentric E, E, a front view of which is shewn in Figure 1.
The bearing piece N, N, on which the roller G is mounted, is controlled by a
bent lever L, L, L, pivoted at X, another lever, also pivotted at X, and having at its
end a small roller rests on the eccentric E, E; these two levers are joined together,
and rendered as it were one pieco by means of a screw V1, V₁; two nuts E¹, E²,
serve to unite them firmly in the desired position.
The gear wheel I, I, being double the diameter of the wheels I, I', 'I', and
I, I, 1, and the bevelled wheel H being double the diameter of the pinion H, it
follows that when the shaft O, O, makes one revolution, the rollers M, M, and M²,
and the shaft. D, D, with the double-threaded screw V, make two revolutions.
It will be readily understood that when the shaft Z, Z, revolves, the roller G must
fall and rise again with every complete revolution of the said shaft Z, Z, by the
action of the levers L, L, and L, L', which rest on the eccentric E, E.
In order to make a spring, having a given number of spirals of a certain length
of wire, the roller M¹ will make a certain number of revolutions, and as the screw
V is double threaded, the wheel R, R, must have double the number of teeth as
compared with the number of revolutions made by the roller M¹. It is evident
therefore that when the eccentric E, E, has made one entire revolution, the rollers
M, M, and M will have made the required number of revolutions to pass the
desired length of wire. When the wheel R, R, having the required number of teeth,
has been fixed in its place, it being understood that a different wheel has to be used

page_text: for making different springs, the next operation is to regulate the excentric. The
pulley G is first caused to rest upon the lowest part of the oxcentric, at the same
time putting out of gear the screw V; the wire F, F, is then placed in position, and
by turning the handle the nuts E¹, E, are operated until the circle of wire is formed,
being the size of the large spirals of the spring about to be made. When this has
been done, the excentric is turned half round, and it is thon seen without touching
the screw V, V, of the smallest required circle for the spring to be made has been
produced at F1, F; if not, the nut at Z is unscrewed, the excentric is made either
more or less excentric, and the operation is recommenced. When once the two
extreme or opposite diameters of the spring to be made aro obtained, the screw V is
put into gear, and this spring can be made, for in the required number of revolutions
of the rollers M, M, M', the excentric E, E, will hav emade one revolution, the roller
G will have travelled over the space necessary to produce at the commencement of
the operation the diameter of the large spiral, and when arrived at its lowest point,
the smallest spiral then rising again to its upward position, will produce the largo
spiral again. The spring will then be complete, the whole length of wire desired
having passed through the rollers.
In order to make springs of different forms, the form of the excentric must be
varied, but it is necessary before everything to measure the wire which is to
compose the spring to be made, also to provide a wheel R, R, having twice the
number of teeth as there will be revolutions of the rollers M, M, M', or in other
words, the number of toeth has to be proportioned to the length of wire to form the
spring.
In order to give the necessary distance between the spirals, the rollers M and M³,
which are placed one above the other, must not be in the same plane as the isolated
roller M. The washers, shown in Figure 3, permit of the required position being
given.
To produce cylindrical springs the screw V is thrown out of gear, and the levers
L, L, L, L', consequently remaining stationary, the rollor G keeps in the same
place.
When the machine is driven by steam power the putting out of gear may be
effected once for each spring made.
The shaft Z, Z, making one revolution for each spring, a detent or catch may be
provided to effect the throwing out of gear.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
August 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE
SPRINGS A communication from abroad by Paul Cucherat, of Brussels, Belgium,
Manufacturing Engineer.
This Invention relates to an improved machine for making wire springs, the said
machine being constructed upon the principle that three points determine a circle,
and that through, these points only one circle can pass.
In constructing springs such as are used for mattresses and which are composed
of two cone-shaped springs united at their apices, the spirals of the spring gradually
diminish in diameter and then increase in the same proportion; it is therefore
necessary that one of the said points should be capable of changing its position.
I will now proceed to describe a machine constructed according to this Invention
for making springs of all kinds and forms, that is to say, cylindrical, conical, or
double conical springs, also springs united at the bottom or at the top, enlarged of

page_text: contracted from the two extremities or with an enlargement in the centre, such as
those used in moderator lamps and the like.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1 and 2 shew in elevation both sides of
this machine; Figure 3 is a plan of the said machine.
M, M, are two grooved rollers; G is a smaller roller mounted on a bearing piece N,
which is adjustable and may be raised and lowered; M¹ is another roller, the form
of which is shewn in Figure 3, having teeth or indentations cut upon its periphery.
This roller is of the same diameter as the grooved rollers M, M, measured from the.
bottom of the groove. The roller M' is mounted on two pieces J, J, which, by means
of the screw K, givo to the roller M' the desired pressure.
The metal wire F, F, shown in long dotted lines, passes between the two rollers M
and M, as in a rolling mill, then under the roller G and afterwards into the second
roller M.
It will be seen that the diameter of the circle to be formed of the wire F, F, F,
will depend upon the position of the roller G, for in the position G', shewn in
dotted lines, it will be seen that the circle F, F, F, is much smaller.
It is evident that if the position of the roller G is varied with more or less speed
and is brought back to its first position with the same speed, a spring will have
been constructed the spirals of which, when the roller G has returned to its first
position, will be of decreasing diameter to a certain point and of proportionately
increasing diameter from that point.
Having now described the principles upon which the said machine is constructed,
I will proceed to describe the making of a spring, that is to say, for example, a
double cone mattress spring.
The first operation is to measure the length of wire to be contained in the said
spring, which is done by means of the roller M₁; the circumference of this roller
being known, the number of turns given to it is regulated accordingly to produce &
spring containing the length of wire required. The working parts of the machine
are mounted on a frame B, B, B; the rollers M, M, and M' are mounted on shafts P,
P, P; these shafts are geared together by wheels I' and 1¹¹ of equal diameter so
that they turn together and at the same speed. A gear wheel I, double the diameter
of the two other wheels I' and 1" mounted on the shaft O, gears with the wheel I'.
Upon the shaft O two pulleys T are mounted for driving the machine by steam
power, and on the same shaft is a crank handle & for working the machine by hand.
When the shaft O makes one revolution the rollers M, M, and M¹ will make two
revolutions, the roller G being free. Upon the shaft O outside the frame B is a
bevelled wheel H' which has a diameter double that of its pinion H; the said
pinion is mounted on the shaft D, which has at its end a double-threaded screw V;
the shaft D revolves in its bearings C. It will be seen that the piece C¹ which
carries these bearings is moveable around the shaft O and may be fixed in any
desired position by means of the nut U. The double-threaded screw or worm V
gears into a worm wheel R mounted on the shaft Z. On the other end of this
shaft is an excentric E, an edge view of which is shewn in Figure 1.
The bearing piece N, whereon the roller G is mounted, is controlled by a bent
lever L pivotted at X. Another lever, also pivotted at X and having at its end a
Sinall roller, rests on the excentric E. These two levers are united to form practically
one piece by means of a screw V, and by the aid of two nuts E¹, E", are firmly held
in the desired position.
The gear wheel having double the diameter of the wheels I¹ and I", and the
bevelled wheel H having double the diameter of the pinion H, it follows that when
the shaft O makes one revolution the rollers M, M, and M and the shaft D with
the double-threaded screw V make two revolutions. It will be readily understood
that when the shaft Z'turns, the roller G must fall and rise again with every com-
plete revolution of the said shaft Z by the action of the levers L and L' which rest
on the excentric E.
In making a spring with fourteen spirals and about 15 feet of wire, the roller M²
will make twenty-three turns and the wheel R must have 52 teeth.. When the

page_text: excentric E has made one entire rovolution, the rollers M and M will have made
twenty-three revolutions and will have passed the desired length of wire. When
the wheel R, having the required number of teeth, has been fixed in its place (it
being understood that a different wheel has to be used for making different springs)
the next operation is to regulate the excentric. The pulley G is first caused to
rest upon the lowest part of the excentric, at the samo time putting out of gear the
screw ; the wire F is then placed in position, and by turning the handle the
nuts E, E, are operated until the circle of wire is formed of the size of the large
spirals of the pattern spring. When this has been done, the excentric is turned
half round and it is then seen without touching the screw V₁ if the smallest required
circle for the spring to be made has been produced at F, F; if not, the nut at Z¹
is unscrewed, the excontric is made either more or less excentric, and the operation
is recommenced. When once the two extreme diameters of the spring to be made
are obtained, the screw V is put into gear and the spring can be made during the
twenty-three revolutions of the rollers M, M, M₁, the excentric E will have made
one revolution, the roller G will have travelled over the space necessary to produce
nt the commencement of the operation the diameter of the large spiral, and when
arrived at its lowest point the smallest spiral then rising again to its starting point
will produce the large spiral again. The spring will then be complete, the whole
length of wire desired having passed between the rollers.
To make springs of different forins, the form of the excentric must be varied, but
it is necessary in the first place to measure the length of the wire of which the
spring is to be inade, and to provide a wheel at R having a number of teeth in
such relation to the above length that there will be two teeth for each revolution
of the rollers M, M, M', or for about every 8 inchos of wire.
To obtain the necessary distance between the spirals, the rollers M and M', which
are placed one above the other, must not be in the same plane as the isolated
roller M. The washers shewn in Figure 3 allow of the setting of these rollers in
the required position. To produce cylindrical springs the screw V is thrown out of
gear, and the levers L, L³, consequently remaining stationary the roller G remains
in the saine place. When the machine is driven by steam power this putting out of
gear may be effected once for each spring made. The shaft Z making one revolution
for each spring a detent or catch may be provided to effect the throwing out of
gear.
By this Invention metallic spiral springs of all forms and dimensions may bo
constructed, either by first bending the metal into the form of an arc, and after-
wards giving to it the twist, or by giving the twist at the same time as the
cylindrical, conical, or other form is produced; in either case, if a bar of metal
is caused to travel over at least two supports, either in the same plane or not, and
it is subjected to the action of a third support (all these supports being either fixed
or moveable with regard to each other, according to a determined law), the said bar
of metal will be bent either in the form of an arc, or into cylindrical, conical, or
other spirals.
Figure 4 shews in elevation certain parts of a machine constructed for the above
purposes, according to this Invention. The metal bar to be operated upon passes
between two cylindrical supports A and B, which form a rolling apparatus, and
carry it forward in their rotary movement. It passes thence upon a third support C,
the supporting points of which may or may not be in the same plane as those of
the first-named supports, in order to give or not to give a separation between the
spirals. A fourth support or tool R, provided for the purpose of curving the bar, is
placed between the two first-named supports. This support may be a roller whose
axis of rotation is mounted upon a guiding support, the construction of which and
the form of the spring may be governed by the law of displacement.
In the working of this machine, when the parts operating upon the support or
tool R have travelled the distance required for the manufacture of a spring, they
recommence the same operations, and the results are as follows, that is to say:-
1st. Continuous production.

page_text: 2nd. The drawing between the rollers during this evolution a metal bar of a
length required for the manufacture of a spring.
3rd. The time necessary for drawing in the metal will be equal to or less than
that of one complete evolution of the tool, according to whether the machine has
simply to turn the bar into the desired form, or to accomplish the operations of
finishing. If therefore the axes upon which the said supports are mounted are
connected by any combination of mechanical devices which will produce an evolution,
to determine the making of a spring in such a manner that these devices work in
unison with each other, it will be sufficient to regulate the speed between the
different parts in order to cause enough metal to pass into the machine during one
evolution of the tool. This result may be obtained by means of gear wheels
.connecting the supports A, B, and C in such a manner that they may have the
angular speed necessary for their perimeters in contact, to travel. the samo distance
within the same time, or by connecting these parts with those which operate the
support of the tool by means of gear wheels, endless screws, or the like, in such a
manner that the courses travelled over by the different points shall correspond with
those which are necessary for producing a spring. When the metal necessary for
the production of a spring has passed into the machine the cam E, Figure 4, will
have caused the support R to have made all the movements necessary. It will only
be necessary to give to the said cam a suitable form, which may be determined
either by geometrical rules or by actual experiment.
If it is required to produce separate springs, that is to say, springs detached from
each other, I provide the machine with an apparatus for cutting them, such for
instance, as a pair of shears, with arms simple or multiple, according as the machine
works simultaneously one or more bars. The said shears may be attached to the
side of the machine in a suitable position for cutting the spring as it issues from
the machine. The jaws of the said shears may be operated on one side by means
of a spring, and on the other by an escapement or pawl, the return movement being
produced by the cam shaft, or by other suitablo means, so that the said shears will
operato every time the machine has gone through the evolutions necessary for the
formation of a spring.
In some instances it will be necessary for a spring when formed and cut off to be
compressed or closed; for this purpose I provide two guides, between which the
spring issuing from the machine passes. One of the said guides has at its ond an
automatic horizontal inclined pièce, the plane of which is arranged to open in a
horizontal plane; the other carries a moveable inclined piece which opens vertically.
A spring acts to bring the moveable piece against the fixed piece. A lever is
provided to bring back the moveable piece after it has been operated by the spring.
In this return movement it comes in contact with the parts necessary to cause it to
open and close at the same time. When the spring has been cut off by the shears
or equivalent device the moveable piece presses it forward and against the fixed
piece; it also causes the latter to open on arriving at the desired position.
In order to ensure the desired operation of the machine, the parts of which have
to be considered, according to the different kinds of springs to be made, I provide it
with an automatic disengaging device, by which the said machine is stopped
immediately, its principal parts being thrown out of gear whenever, for any reason
whatever, the continuity of the supply of metal is suspended.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the use of the mechanical devices herein
described and shewn, but I may use any suitable mechanical incans to effect the
objects of the said Invention, and I claim in a machine for the manufacture of coiled
or spiral springs,―
First. The employment of three rollers, one of which has its position variable at
will, for the purpose specified.
Second. The series of levers L, L, for regulating the diameter of the spring at
the commencement of its formation, as above set forth.

page_text: Third. The roller M³ constructed and operating for measuring the wire of which
the spring is to be formed, as above set forth.
Fourth. The arrangement of the roller M in combination with the roller M³ to
form an apparatus for drawing the wire, as above set forth.
Fifth. A machine for manufacturing coiled or spiral springs without wood or
other moulds, and consisting of the parts constructed and combined as shewn in the
Drawings, and operating as above set forth.
In witness whoreof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.