IMPROVED APPARATUS.TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH CASES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: DECORTICALI
We THOMAS WALLEN of Coventry in the County of Warwick Watch Manufacturer
and JOHN LINNETT of the same place and County Draper and ETIENNE GONTY of.
Leicester in the County of Leicester Dyer do hereby declare the nature of our
Invention for IMPROVED APPARATUS.TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
WATCH CASES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES to be as follows:-
1
Our invention consists in the construction combination or arrangement of parts
the whole forming apparatus to be employed in the manufacture of watch cases.
We will describe our invention thus-We provide an ordinary lathe headstock
with its spindle driving pulleys and chuck and to the chuck we attach a circular
die or force having its outer profile the same as the inner profile of the watch case
to be made To this die or force we affix a disc of sheet inetal preferably brought
by means of stamping approximately to the shape of the article to be made from
it The, die or force and the disc of sheet metal are then caused to rotate together
at the proper rate of speed.
We provide also a much larger and stronger disc plate or wheel in a parallel
plane to the sheet metal disc before mentioned This disc or plate is provided with
a number of forks or jaws preferably five in number, there may be more or less to
suit our requirement; each of these jaws or forks carries a roller, preferably of
hardened steel and free to revolve on its axis. The edge of each of these rollers is
formed of the profile of the outside of the rim of the watch case to be made―The
large disc carrying these rollers is mounted on one end of an axis and on the
other end of this axis is a notched disc, parallel with the large disc hereinafter
described (the number of notches in this disc corresponds with the number of
rollers) These two disc and the axis, are firmly fixed together and have a motion
of rotation and also a backward and forward motion in the direction of the axis
aforesaid which is usually parallel in direction to the lathe spindle.
These large
discs and axes have also motions in a horizontal plane given to then by the
workman by means of a modification of the well known slide rest or by the back
centre of the lathe.
The action is as follows, the disc of sheet metal to be operated upon being fixed
to the die on the lathe chuck and being put into revolution the roller of hardenod
D

page_text: steel or other material aforesaid is brought up in contact with it by means of the
slide rest The rim of the disc of metal is thus forced to assume the shape due to
the space between the revolving die and the edge of the roller at the place where
they are most near in contact.
It is to be understood that we only use one of the rollers at a time and the
purpose of the notched disc previously mentioned is that by means of a spring
catch fitting into the notch corresponding to the roller being used, this roller alone
can be brought into action When it is desired to use another roller the spring
catch is withdrawn and the disc partially rotated by the workmans hand till the
required roller-is-brought into position when the spring catch is allowed to drop
into the corresponding notch and thus holding it fast.
^
The rollers before mentioned may either be placed with their axes parallel
inclined or at right angles with the lathe spindle as may be found.most suitable.

page_text: We THOMAS WALLEN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Watch Manu-
facturer, and JOHN LINNETT of the same Place and County, Draper, and ETIENNE
GONTY of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Dyer, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF WATCH CASES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES" and in what
manner the same is to be performed,' to be particularly, described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
:
Our Invention consists in the construction combination or arrangement of parts
the whole forming, apparatus to be employed in the manufacture of watch cases.
We will describe our Invention thus-We provide an ordinary lathe headstock
with its spindle, driving pulleys and chuck, and to the chuck we attach a circular
die or force having its outer profile the same as the inner profile of the watch case
to be made.. To this die or force we affix a disc of sheet metal, preferably brought
by means of stamping, approximately to the shape of the article to be made from
it. The die or force and the disc of sheet metal are then caused to. rotate together
at the proper rate of speed, we provide also a much larger and stronger disc plate
or wheel in a parallel plane to the shoet metal disc before mentioned. The disc or
plate is provided with a number of forks or jaws, preferably five in number, there
may be more or less to suit our requirement; each of these jaws or forks carries a
roller, preferably of hardened steel, and free to revolve on its axis-The edge of
each of these rollers is formed of the profile of, the outside of the rim of the watchi
case to be made. The large disc carrying these rollers is mounted on one end of
an axis; and on the other end of this axis is a notched disc, parallel with the large
disc, herein after described, (the number of notches in.this disc.corresponds with
the number of rollers) These two discs and the axis are firmly fixed together, and
have a motion of rotation, and also a backward and forward motion in the direction
of the axis aforesaid which is usually parallel in direction to the lathe spindle:
These large discs and axes have also motions in a horizontal plane given to them
by the workman, by means of a modification of the well known slide rest, or by
the back centre of the lathe.
}
The action is as follows:-the disc, of sheet metal to be operated upon being fixed
to the die on the lathe chuck and being put into revolution, the roller of hardened
steel, or other material aforesaid, is brought up in contact with it by means of the
slide rest. The rim of the disc of the metal is thus forced to assume the shape due
to the space between the revolving die and the edge of the roller at the place where
they are most near in contact.
It is to be understood that we only use one of the rollers at a time, and the
purpose of the notched disc previously mentioned is that by means of a spring
catch fitting, into the notch corresponding to the roller being used, this roller alone
can be brought into action: When it is desired. to use another roller, the spring
catch is withdrawn and the discs partially rotated by the workmans hand till the
required roller is brought into position, when the spring catch is allowed to drop
into the corresponding notch, and thus holding it fast,

page_text: The rollers before mentioned may either be placed with their axes parallel,
inclined, or at right angles, with the lathe spindle, as may be found most suitable.
And in order that this our said Invention may be more clearly understood we
have prepared the accompanying sheet of drawings, similar letters of reference
denote similar parts in each figure in which they occur.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the disc carrying the rollers, and its appurtenances.
Fig. 3 is a front view and plan of roller disc.
Fig. 4 is a back view and plan of notched disc.
Fig. 5 is a detail of roller with fork shewing manner of attachment to roller
disc.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the roller and revolving die shewing the sheet
metal blank.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the edges of die and roller with the watch
case being made.
In the drawing a is a lathe bed or machine base carrying the headstock b, which
is provided with the usual spindle and pulleys; On the end of the spindle is affixed
a chuck c having a circular die or force d, attached concentrically and revolving
with it. To this die d, is temporarily fastened the blank e which is to be formed
into a watch case, f is a slide rest having motion in a horizontal plané and carrying
a standard g, this is provided with a spindle or axis g¹ rotating in bearings g² g².-
On one end of the spindle g' is affixed a disc h, which carries some steel rollers h³ h¹,
preferably five in number though the number is not material, each of the rollers h³,
is carried either by a jaw h² and pin h³, or if it rotates in a different plane then by
a pin h On the back end of the spindle g¹, is attached a notched plate or disc 2,
having as many notches 2,, as there are rollers to the disc h, one to each, a spring
catch %, affixed to the standard g, drops into a notch corresponding with the roller
at the time being in use. Z is a back head stock made in the usual way by means
of which the spindle g!, may be set up to its work if required. .
One or both edges h5, of each roller h³, (which rollers are preferably made of
hardened steel) is formed of a contour or section suitable for giving in combination
with the revolving die d, the proper shape to the article being made.
The action of the apparatus is as follows, a circular disc or sheet metal blank e,
is fastened concentrically to the die d, and caused to revolve rapidly with it. While
it revolves the edge 5, of one of the rollers h¹, is pressed by, means of the slide
rest, or by the back centre 1, or by an eccentric or other convenient means up
against the blank, and this causes the edge of the blank to assume the section due
to the shape of the space between the edge of the die and the edge of the roller as
shewn clearly in Fig. 7.
While any one roller is being used the spring catch k, is dropped into the
corresponding notch in the plate i, and when it is desired to use another roller_the_
catch is withdrawn and the spindle_g!,-partially-rotated in its bearings g² g², to
-bring another roller into position, when the spring catch is replaced in the notch
corresponding to the new roller.
Though we principally apply this Invention to the manufacture of watch cases
yet we may use it for other purposes where the article to be made is of somewhat
similar shape.
The blank may be in the form of a flat disc or it may be brought to approximately
the shape required by stamping or other means. We do not limit ourselves to the
exact configuration of parts as here shewn but may vary them slightly while not
departing from our said Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1st The combination of a disc carrying rollers to be used one at a time whose
edges in combination with a revolving die to which a blank of sheet metal'is

page_text: affixed will bring the sheet metal blank to the required shape as of a watch case
or similarly shaped article.
2nd The mounting of a standard carrying the aforesaid disc on a slide rest.
3rd The provision of a notched plate and spring catch to hold each roller in
position while it is being used.
4th The general arrangement and combination of parts as herein before described
and set forth forming an apparatus for the manufacture of watch cases or similar
articles.