IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLT CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLT CUTTING MACHINES."-A communi.
cation from abroad by Aurin Wood, of the City and County of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas
Hughes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 24th November 1873.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLT CUTTING
MACHINES,' a communication to me from abroad by Aurin Wood, of the
City and County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, to be as follows:-
"
The first part of this Invention relates to a machine for cutting or
threading bolts. The second part of the Invention relates to a device

page_text: applicable to any bolt cutting machine, whereby "squared" or "faced"
headed bolts may be cut upon the same centering upon which the facing_
or squaring is performed. The third part of the Invention relates to a
device or dog for holding bolts or bars to be threaded or turned,
applicable not only to bolt cutting machines, but to lathes and similar
machines.
machines.
The Invention consists,―
First. In an arrangement of mechanism whereby the cutting dies are
positively brought to the same point for cutting, so that successive bolts
may be cut of precisely the same diameter, and having combined there-
with an automatic mechanism for opening and closing the device
presenting the blank and withdrawing the threaded bolt.
Second. In the arrangement of a mandril through the screw-cutting
head the said mandril provided with a centre within the screw-cutting
head, and arranged to move longitudinally through the said head and
connected with the holding carriage, which is provided with a corre-
sponding centre, so that as the carriage approaches the cutting dies the
centre within the dies will retreat accordingly, and the bolt to be cut
secured between these centres, and in that condition run into the dies or
the dies on to the bolt, as the case may be.
Third. In combining with a fixed centre a pair of slides moving
radially from the said centre, and each provided with a cam, between
the blank will he mund
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent 2
Office on the 23rd May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents,
123, Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and

page_text: successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes,
Her special licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my
executors, adininistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOLT CUTTING MACHINERY,"
a communication to me from abroad by Aurin Wood, of the City and
County of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheets of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:
The first part of this Invention relates to a machine for cutting or
threading bolts. The second part of the Invention relates to a device
applicable to any bolt cutting machine, whereby "squared" or "faced"
headed bolts may be cut upon the same centering upon which the facing
or squaring is performed. The third part of the Invention relates to a
device or dog for holding bolts or bars to be threaded or turned,
applicable not only to bolt cutting machines, but to lathes and similar
machines.

page_text: with an automatic mechanism for opening and closing the device
presenting the blank and withdrawing the threaded bolt.
Second. In the arrangement of a mandril through the screw cutting
head, the said mandril provided with a centre within the screw cutting
head and arranged to move longitudinally through the said head and
connected with the holding carriage, which is provided with a corrc-
sponding centre, so that as the carriage approaches the cutting dies the
centre within the dies will retreat accordingly, and the bolt to be cut
secured between these centres, and in that condition run into the dies,
or the dies on to the bolt, as the case may-be.
Third. In combining with a fixed centre a pair of slides moving
radially from the said centre, and each provided with a cam, between
which the blank will be grasped.
I will now describe the first part of the Invention as illustrated in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawings, wherein Fig. 1 represents a top
or plan view; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a longitudinal central section
on line A, B, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a cross section on line C, D, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5, one of the dies enlarged and the cams for operating the
same.
A is the bed upon which, in suitable bearings a, the main spindle B is
arranged formed hollow or with an opening 6 its entire length. Upon
the middle of the spindle B is a screw thread c, upon which are screwed
a flanged nut C and a check nut C². D is a cam ring which works loose
upon the spindle B, provided with a flange d, to which is fastened the
flange ring e, the lip 1 of which fits over and back of the flange 2 of
'the nut C.
There are two notches cut in the flanges d, e, one on each side, for a
purpose hereafter explained. The cam ring D has a slot 3 running
entirely around it, the said slot being cut so as to form in this instance,
four cams h. E is a ring loose on the spindle B having two sets of
horizontal slots cut in its flange part E¹, in one set of which are fastened
the ends of two rear projecting cams i, i, provided with pins 4 which fit
into the slot or cam groove 3 in the cam ring D, while in the other set
are fastened the ends of the forward projecting die operating arms G;
in this instance four are used. The die operating arms G work in
grooves or slots cut in the head B¹. The case F fastened to and turning

page_text: with the head 11 protects and covers the arms G on their outer sides;
H are the cutting dies fitted to work back and forth in slots cut in the
face of the heac. B. Each die has a straight groove 7 and a lip 8 to fit
into and lock with the groove 9 and lip 10 of each locking piece I, which.
latter have inclined grooves 11 and lips 12 to lock with the grooves
13
and lips 14 on the front ends of the die operating arms G. When the
parts are combined together they occupy the relative positions indicated
in Figs. 3 and 4.
In Fig. 5 the arms G, die H, and the locking pieces I are shown upon
an enlarged scale. The arm G and dic H are represented in their
relative positions while the connecting piece I is shown detached and
turned around. It will be observed that the wedge part 15 of the part I
fits in between the lips 8 and 14 of the parts Ḥ and G, so that as the
arm G is moved back and forth a reciprocating or back and forward
motion will be imparted to the piece I and die H at right angles to the
line of motion of the arm G. The head B¹ is slotted, or cut out to
receive and hold the dies H and connections I in their respective and
proper positions as they are worked by the arms G, a face plate K being
fastened to the front of the head B¹ to prevent the dies and connection
pieces from working or dropping out in front. Openings are cut in
the face plate o admit of the tapering ends of the arms G to work
through, also with a central opening 17 through which the end of the
blank bolt can be passed to the cutting dies.
T
Between and upon the ways 18, 18, of the front of the frame A the
carriage L is itted to slide. To the rear end of the carriage L is
fastened a rack bar L', into the cogs or teeth m of which mesh the
teeth n of the gear M. upon the shaft M³, which has its bearings in the
sides of the frame A, and having upon one end, which projects through
the side of the frame A a friction wheel N fastened. Upon the top of
the rack bar L' is fastened a trough piece L" which serves to hold the
blank and the cut bolts.
In the front of the carriage L are fitted two vertical sliding clamp
pieces o, o, their ends working up and down in dovetailed grooves in
the sides of the carriage L.
A hand whee. O¹ is fastened to the top of a screw spindle O" which
passes down through the ends of both of the pieces O, the thread on the
said spindle being cut right-handed for moving the other piece, so that
+

page_text: when the said wheel is moved in one direction the clamping pieces O, O,
will be moved from each other, while when it is moved in the opposite
direction the said pieces will be moved toward each other, the said
pieces being so set that when drawn close together they will meet upon
a plane on a line with the axis or centre of motion of the spindle B.
The screw spindle O" is held in place so that it cannot move
longitudinally by the stand Q fastened to the top of one side of the
carriage L and through which the spindle passes, a collar being fastened
to the spindle O" under the stand. Through one side of the carriage L
is inserted a rod o which can be adjusted back and forth and then
secured in place by the screw p.
A small journal or shaft y is inserted in the side of the frame A
having attached to its inner end a dog s, while to its outer end is
fastened the arm t, the long end resting on the pin u and the short end
working up under the end of the lever P which is pivoted at 20, and is
also connected by the bent cross connection P¹ to the sleeve P" which
in turn is hinged by the swivel clasp 21 to the frame A. Within the
sleeve P¹ is a loose rod or piston 22 which is free to slide back and forth
in the said sleeve.
The rear end of the rod 22 when its sleeve P¹¹ is turned in, as shown
in Fig. 1, will be passed by the cam 23 upon the inner face of the
wheel 24, but when it is thrown out, as it is when the short end of the
levert is depressed, so as to allow the spring w to force the lever P
towards the spindle B or centre of the machine, the cam 23 will strike
it and force it back against a spring piston in the case w¹, fastened to:
the side of the carriage L.
An arm or finger piece a extends in from the lever P, which is forced
into the notches y in the flanges d, e, one on each side, one side of the
notch being inclined and the other square.
Qis a device for holding the blank bolts while the thread is being
cut. It is made with a slot wide enough to receive the head of the bolt,
while the slot back of the head is extended sufficiently to admit of the
fastening of the spring 25 to the piece O¹, as indicated in Fig. 3, for the
purpose of pressing up against the head of the bolt, to keep it in place
while being run to the dies. The front part of the piece Q₁ is slotted to
receive the body of the bolt, and support it in a central position. From

page_text: the back of the piece O¹a finger O" projects, which finger is inserted
and clasped between the jaws O, O.
When long bolts are to be cut the body of the bolt can be run
through between the jaws O, O, by which it can be held during the
operation of cutting, the holder Qin such cases being dispensed with.
The rod o is used for determining the length of thread to be cut upon
the bolt.
As the dies near, or when putting in new ones, or it becomes
necessary to adjust them so as to admit a rod of any particular size, the
check nut C¹ is turned back, and then the nut C turned forward or back,
as the case may be, until the dies H are moved to the proper position to
cut the desired thread, when the check nut C¹ is turned up. To
determine how much the dies have been moved in either direction after
having been cnce adjusted, a slot 31 is cut in the case F, just over one
of the die operating arms G, and a screw 32 passed through the said slot
and screwed on to the arm G. After the screw has been inserted a cut
is made in the head to correspond with the cut 33 in the case F, the cut
being made when the pins 4 are in the front parts of the groove 3. Now
as the arms G are moved forward or back by the movement of the nut C
for the readjustment of the dies, the extent of such movement will be
indicated by the extent of the disagreement between the marks or cuts
above alluded to.
The dies may be made so as to dispense with the connections I, the
die being made longer, and the inclined groove 11 shown in the con-
nections I cit in the die to receive the tongue of the arm G. I prefer,
however, to use the connections for several reasons, first, the labour of
making the inclined grooves is more difficult than making a simple
straight groove; second, it would be quite difficult for many workmen
to fit the parts so as to have them work easily, while the same workmen
would have no trouble in making the die H with simply a straight
groove 7; third, as the dies wear out it is much easier to make them as
shown in Fig. 5 than it would be if the connections were not used.
In cutting; long bolts, the trough L" serves to support the rear ends
while the thread is being cut.
The operation is as follows:-The dies being run down to the required
point, and power being applied to give motion to the spindle B in the
direction indicated by arrows Figs. 1 and 2, and the carriage L.being

page_text: run back the operator inserts a blank bolt in the holder Q¹, then takes
hold of the lever R which turns loosely on the shaft M', and bearing it
down produces sufficient friction between the piece R¹ hinged to its
short end (see Fig. 2) and the rim of the wheel N to move the shaft M',
thereby turning the gear M, and which, acting upon the rack L', moves
the carriage L with the blank bolt forward. After the lever R has been
depressed so that it strikes on the pin 26, the operator turns it back or
allows the spring 27 to force it back for a new hold on the wheel N, the
hinged piece R¹ turning on the pivot 28, wherby no friction on the
wheel N is produced by the backward motion of the lever, and the
wheel N stands still until the lever is forced down again.
By a repetition of such movements of the lever R the carriage L is
fed forward until the end of the blank is caught between the dies H,
when the cutting of the thread continues, and the end of the bolt is
drawn in by the action of the dies until a sufficient length of thread has
been cut upon the bolt, when the rod o strikes against the dog or arm 5
and depresses the front end of the levert sufficiently to allow the front
end of the bar P to slip over it, whereby the finger a enters one of the
notches y and stops the motion of the cam piece D¹, while the head B¹
continuing to revolve carries around with it the die, operating arms G,
ring E, and arms i, whereby as the pins 4 are forced into the rear part
34 of the groove 3 the ring F together with the die, operating arms G,
is drawn back and the connection pieces I and dies H drawn out, so that
the threads of the dies are freed from the threads cut in the bolt, by
which time the cam 23 comes in contact with the end of the rod 22,
driving it back suddenly against the spring piston in the shell w¹
attached to the carriage L, which sudden action throws the carriage
back sufficiently to draw the end of the bolt clear from the dies H. As
the head B¹ continues to revolve the pins 4 are forced into the forward
part of the groove 3 again, thereby forcing the ring E and arms G
forward, and the connections I and dies H in again to the proper
positions to cut the thread on another bolt, when the cam 29 on the
case F acting on the projection 30 on the lever P forces out the front
end of the latter far enough to clear the finger a from the notch y in
the flanges d, e, and so that the short end of the levert can fly or rise
up between the side of the frame A and the front end of the lever P,
as indicated in Fig. 1. The die cutting apparatus is now ready for
another blank, and will remain and revolve in this condition, including

page_text: the cam D, until another is introduced, when the operation above
described will be repeated.
It will be observed that after the operator has put in the blank and
moved the carriage L forward for enough to have the dies catch the end
of the blank no further attention is necessary until after the bolt is cut
and the carriage L run back as above described. Further, that the dies
are run out to clear the threads of the bolt and then run back again
after the bolt has been withdrawn to the proper position to cut the
thread on the next blank by mechanism which operates. automatically,
so that one atter dant can run two or three machines.
It will also be noticed that the arrangement for feeding the carriage
forward to enter the end of the blank between the dies is such that the
operation does not require much labour, while there is no lateral straining
or twisting of the carriage, which is apt to interfere with the proper and
correct entering of the end of the blank between the dies.
If preferred in any case the bolts may be run in and the dies run
over the thread a second time, as indicated in the Drawings. As a
general rule the thread will be completed by the first operation.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of this Invention as
illustrated in Fig. 6, which represents a top view, portions broken away
to illustrate the Invention. A2 is the bed, upon which the mechanism
is arranged; B, the die holder, carrying the dies for cutting the bolt in
the usual manner for bolt cutting machines. The head B³ is supported
in a bearing C³, and made to revolve by the usual means applied in bolt
cutting machines. Longitudinally through this head a mandrel D* is
arranged, and so as to move freely back and forth within the head.
E is the carriage, which holds the bolt to be cut and slides freely to and
from the cutting head B³ moved so to do by any of the known mechanism
applied in similar machines.
Parallel to the axis of the head B² a bar G2 is arranged to move
longitudinally in suitable bearings or supports F. This bar is connected.
to the mandrel 1)² by an arm H³, and also to the carriage E³ by the arm
I, hence as the carriage E' moves toward the head B² the mandrel D
will be correspor.dingly moved or drawn into the head or vice versa.
•
The mandrel D² is provided with a centre or point a², which is the
actual centre of revolution of the head B. A corresponding centre

page_text: d is arranged in the carriage E², these two centres being in axial line
with the cutting dies of the head B². The centre d is preferably made
adjustable by means of a screw L³.
The bolt to be cut is first centered in the usual manner for centring
bolts to be turned or cut in a screw cutting lathe, and is then placed on
the centres a², d², and there secured so as to be run into the dies, guided
only by the longitudinal movement of the two centres a³, d², therefore
the head of the bolt being squared upon the same centres upon which
the thread is cut insures the proper fitting of the head on the surface
upon which it is designed to bear, and which can only be insured when 1
the head is squared upon the same centres upon which it is threaded, and
by combining the moving centres a³, d³, with the cutting dies the same
perfection of cutting is attained as in bolt cutting machines, that is,
all bolts cut by the same dies will be of the same diameter.
In some classes of bolt cutting machines the bolt itself is turned 1
while the dies remain stationary, in others the cutting dies revolve while
the bolt remains stationary, but in carrying out this Invention in all
machines one thing is essential, that is to say, the centres a², d², in axial
line with the bolt cutting dies, which are the centre of revolution.
For different lengths of bolts the arm in connection with the carriage 2
E' is disengaged from the bar G³ and the carriage moved to the desired
relative position and there again connected to the bar G³.
The same device may be used for turning and squaring bolts, it only
being necessary to substitute the proper cutting dies for the thread
cutting dies. I therefore wish to be understood by the expression "bolt 2
threading" as including other than thread cutting dies.
I will now proceed to describe the third part of this Invention as
illustrated in Fig. 7, designed to prevent the bolt from turning.
I arrange in the forward end of the carriage a pair of slides N³, N³,
each moving toward and from the centre in a suitable guide P in the 3
end of the carriage. These slides have each a transverse flange R³, R³,
projecting from the slide, and the two are joined by a bolt S³, the bolt
admitting of the adjustment of the two slides to a greater or less.
distance from each other. In each of the flanges is arranged a cam
T', Ts, the one T* hung above the centre and
the other below the axis of 3
the cam at right angles to the path of movement of the respective slides,-

page_text: the faces of the cams preferably roughened or serrated. Between the
two cams the bolt U is arranged upon the centres, the two slides
adjusted relatively to the diameter of the bolt, so that the faces of the
cams will bear against the bolt.
The cutting device turns in the direction denoted by the arrow, hence
the tendency to turn the bolt in that direction. This turning of the
bolt or tendency so to do causes a corresponding turning of the cams by
contact with the bolt until the bolt has so far turned the cams that the
resistance of the cams is greater than the cutting power, then the bolt
will be rigidly held. This construction, therefore, makes a self-adjusting
holder or dog for the bolts, the bolt S² being only used for the adjust-
ment of considerable difference of diameters. This holder or dog is appli-
cable to other machines as to the face plate of lathes to take the place of
the common lathe dog, it only being essential that a centre or holding
point should be between the two cams. I therefore do not wish to be
understood as confining this construction of holder to any class of
machines. I claim,-
First. The arrangement with the spindle B, head B¹, and case F of
the cam ring D, arms G, i, locking pieces I and dies H, the parts being
constructed and operating in connection with each other, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The notched stop or flanged collars d, e, in combination with
the cam ring D and arms i and G, the said parts being constructed and
arranged in the manner set forth to open and close the threading dies,
substantially as described.
Third. The combination of the rod o with the weighted lever t, arm s,
cam 29, and lever P provided with arms x and 30, the said parts being
arranged for operation to stop and release the notched or flanged collars
d, e, substantially as and for the purpose described.
E
Fourth. The cam 23 on the wheel 24 and the rod.22 working in the
sleeve P¹¹ in combination with the spring stop, the said parts being
arranged to throw back the blank carriage after the threading dies are
opened, substantially as described.
Fifth. The rol o, weighted lever t, arm s, cam 29, and lever P, with
its arms a and 30 in combination with the connection P¹, sleeveP 11, and
,

page_text: notched or flanged collars d, e, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the spring 27, lever R, R¹, wheel N,
with
the rack pinion and the blank carriage, the said parts being constructed
and arranged, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. In a bolt cutting machine the arrangement of the centre
a axially through the cutting dies, and a corresponding centre d² in the
holder, the two rigidly connected and combined so as to have a move-
ment longitudinally and in axial line with the said cutting dies,
substantially as described.
Eighth. In combination with a fixed centre d², the slides N2, N³,
provided with cams T2, T3, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.