Improvements in the Manufacture of Parts of Watches and of other Mechanisms.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Parts of Watches and of
other Mechanisms.
!
I, FRANK LEMAN, Mechanical Engineer, residing at Elgin, in the County of
Kane and State of Illinois, one of the United States of America, 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 :-
Figure, 1, is a perspective view of a machine for cutting pinions.
Figure, 2, is a plan view of the upper side of the same,
Figure, 3, is a perspective view of a machine for making pillars for watch plates.
Figure, 4, a plan view of the upper side of the same.
Figure, 5, is a perspective view of a machine for pointing, drilling and reaming,
and,
Figure, 6, is a front elevation of the same.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
This invention relates to the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms, in
which a number of successive operations are necessary for the production of a part,
or for the formation of any portion thereof, and to this end the said invention,"
Consists, principally, as an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and
other mechanisms, in an organization in which is combined means, substantially as
described, whereby all of the different operations between roughing out and
completion may be simultaneously carried on upon a number of like parts, means
substantially as described whereby each of said parts may be successively subjected
to each of said operations, and means substantially as described, whereby as each
of said parts is completed, it may be removed and replaced by a blank without
suspension of or interference with the action of the operative mechanism, substan
tially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.
It consists, farther, as an improvement in the manufacture of watches and other
mechanisms, in an organization in which is combined means substantially as
described whereby a number of the same parts may be simultaneously presented
to a series of tools that by successive action are adapted to rough out and finally
complete each of the same, means substantially as described whereby each of said
parts may be successively brought into contact with each tool of the series, and
."

page_text: means substantially as described whereby the removal of the completed parts and
the substitution therefor of blanks may be effected while the partially completed
parts are being operated upon, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter
shown.
It consists, farther, as an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other
mechanisms, in an organization in which is combined a series of tools that, by
successive action, are adapted to rough out and finally complete one of the parts of
a mechanism, a series of devices which exceed said tools in number and are each
adapted to receive and hold one of the parts to be operated upon, means substan-
tially as described whereby said parts, while incomplete, may be simultaneously
brought into contact with said tools, means substantially as described whereby,
after each of said parts has been operated upon by one of said tools, it may if
incomplete, receive the action of the next tool of the series, and means substantially
as described, whereby after a part has been completed it may be removed and
replaced by a blank without suspension of action upon the partly completed parts,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.
It consists, farther, as an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other
mechanisms, in an organization in which is combined a series of tools that, by
successive action are adapted to rough out and finally complete one of the parts
of a mechanism, a series of devices which are each adapted to receive and hold one
of the parts to be operated upon, means substantially as described whereby said
parts and tools may be simultaneously brought into contact and means substantially
as described whereby after each of said parts has been operated upon by one of
said tools, it may be caused to receive the action of the next tool of the series,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.
It consists, finally, as an improvement in the manufacture of watches and other
mechanisms, in an organization in which is combined a series of tools that by
successive action are adapted to rough out and finally complete a part of a
mechanism, a series of devices which are each adapted to receive and hold one of
the parts to be operated upon and which exceed said tools in number, means
substantially as described whereby said parts and tools may be simultaneously
brought into contact and means substantially as described whereby after each of
said parts has been operated upon by one of said tools, it may be caused to receive
the action of the next tool of the series, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinafter shown.
My invention is applicable to the manufacture of various articles, but will be
sufficiently illustrated by showing its use in connection with the cutting of pinions,
the manufacture of pillars for watch plates, and the pointing, drilling and reaming
of articles.
In the cutting of pinions, I employ a circular frame, A, within which, at equi-
distant points from its centre, are journaled four vertical spindles, B, each of which
is adapted to rotate, and carries upon its upper end a cutter, C, that, in connection
with the other cutters, C, forms a series of cutters which are capable of performing
all of the operations between the roughing out and completion of a pinion tooth,
said spindles are arranged at intervals of one-fifth of the circumference of said
frame, so that between the first and last of the series there is a space which has
just double the length of the space between any of the intervening spindles.
Journalled upon the upper end of the frame, A, is a table, D, that is adapted by
a step-by-step movement to be revolved around the same, each step being one-fifth.
of an entire revolution, and such movement being at the will of the operator.
At equi-distant points around the table, D, are placed five slides, E, each of
which is adapted to have an automatic, longitudinally reciprocating movement and
is arranged with its line of motion at substantially a right angle to a line radiating
from the centre of the frame, A.
Each of said slides has journalled lengthwise of its upper, inner side, a spindle, F,
which at its inner end is adapted to engage with a pinion blank, G, and at its outer
´end is provided with automatically operating mechanism whereby it may be rotated

page_text: step-by-step, the number of such steps being governed by the number of teeth
required to be cut upon said blank.
The location of each of the slides, E, upon the table, D, is such as to bring a
pinion blank, G, held within or upon its spindle, F, into the necessary position to
be engaged by an adjacent cutter, when by the longitudinal reciprocation of said
slide and the alternating partial rotation of said spindle, each portion of the
periphery of said blank receives action.
.
In the use of the machine, each slide and its spindle ceases to move when placed
between the first and last of the cutter spindles, where it is supplied with a pinion
blank, and the table then rotated so as to move such slide into position before the
first cutter of the series.
Upon reaching such position, said slide automatically commences to reciprocate
and at the close of each outward movement its blank holding spindle has a partial
rotation, which movements continue until the pinion blank has made a complete
revolution, when they cease.
A farther partial rotation of the slide table moves the slide to position before
the second cutter of the series, when the longitudinal and rotary movements of said
slide and its holding spindle cause the pinion blank to be presented to the action
of said cutter, after which said blank is in like manner presented to the third
and fourth cutters and, finally, reaches its starting point completed.
As each slide reaches the idle point, the completed pinion held by it is removed
and replaced by a blank, which exchange is effected while the blanks beld by the
other slides are being operated upon, so that each of the operations between the
roughing out and completion of the teeth of a pinion are being simultaneously per-
formed and the feeding of blanks and the discharge of pinions are carried on
without interruption with said operation or loss of time.
In figures, 3 and 4, are shown a machine for manufacturing pillars for watch
plates, in which machine there is employed a frame, H, upon which, within a
suitable housing, I, is journalled a head, K, that has a step-by-step rotation, and
journalled at equi-distant points within the same are six rotatable spindles, L.
Each of said spindles contains a chuck, M, that is adapted to contain a wire
blank, N, and when reaching the lower centre of the machine, by the rotation of
said head, said wire blank is automatically fed forward a pre-determined distance.
Upon the opposite end of the frame is a tail block, O, which carries a number of
tool spindles that will be sufficiently described in illustrating the operation of the
machine.
Each of the spindles, L, is supplied with a wire blank, N, and all of the
operations between the roughing out and completion of a pillar are being
simultaneously performed, but it will only be necessary to follow the course
of one pillar.
The first operation is performed when a spindle has reached the first position in
rear of the upper centre of the head at which instant a cutter, P, moves forward
from the tail block, O, and removes the surplus material so as to form the screw
end or pivot, n¹, of the intended pillar, n, after which said tool retracts, and the
spindle, by a partial rotation of said head, is moved downward to the next position,
where a threading die, Q, advances from said tail stock and cuts a screw thread
upon the pivot, n¹.
As the threading die withdraws, the spindle is moved to the lower centre of the
head, at which point the wire blank, N, is fed forward a distance equal to the
entire length of the pillar, after which a farther movement of the head carries
said spindle upward and forward, and a tool, R, then moves inward and turns the
body of the pillar.
Another movement of the journalled head now carries the spindle upward to
another position, when a tool, S, moves inward and forms the top plate pivot, n³,
of the pillar, n, after which said spindle is carried upward and rearward to the last
position when the threaded opening of a pillar plate is presented to the threaded
end; n', and the latter is, by its rotation rapidly screwed into the same.

page_text: When said part has been screwed to place, the opposite end, n³, of said pillar
which had previously been cut nearly off, twists off and the operation is complete.
It will be seen that after the spindle head has made one complete revolution, a
finished pillar is delivered at the close of each partial rotation of said head, there
being no interruption to the feeding of blanks and the discharge of the completed
articles.
In figures, 5, and, 6, are shown a machine for performing the operations of
pointing, drilling and reaming, in which is a vertical frame, T, upon which, within
a housing, U, is journalled a head, V, that has a step-by-step rotation and carries
four chuck spindles W, which spindles are journalled at equi-distant points within
said head, and by suitable mechanism, are caused to rotate continuously except
when each reaches the front of the machine, when its motion is automatically
arrested.
Upon the upper portion of the frame, T, is a vertically reciprocable slide, ✗,
which carries three tool spindles, Y, that are relatively arranged so that each is
axially in a line with one of the three spindles, W, at the rear and sides of the
housing, U.
A piece of work, Z, is now placed upon the chuck, w, of the front or idle
spindle, W, and the head, V, rotated one fourth of a revolution, when said chuck
automatically locks said piece in place and said spindle commences to revolve.
The slide, X, now descends and a pointing tool, y, within the lower end of the
contiguous spindle, Y, impinges upon the piece, Z, and forms within the same the
desired conical recess after which said slide returns to the upper limit of its
motion.
The head is now given another one-fourth revolution, which brings the piece, Z,
beneath the rear spindle Y, when the slide again descends and a drill, y³, carried
by said spindle drills a hole within the previously formed conical recess or "point,"
after which said drill is raised by the upward movement of said slide.
The head is now given a third partial revolution, which brings the part, Z,
beneath the third spindle, Y, and beneath a reamer, y³, within its end, and, upon
the descent of the slide, said reamer is caused to enter and reain the previously
drilled hole, after which it is moved upward.
The next partial rotation of the head returns to the front the spindle bearing
the completed work, when, as before stated the rotation of said spindle ceases, its
chuck is opened and the finished part is replaced by a blank.
While each of the operations described is being performed upon one part, all
of the other operations are being simultaneously performed upon other parts, 80
that the removal of completed work and the insertion of incomplete work is
continuous and neither is there loss of time or interference of one operation with
the other.
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
1st. As an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms,
an organization in which is combined means, substantially as described, whereby
all of the different operations between roughing out and completion may be simul-
taneously carried on upon a number of like parts, means substantially as described
whereby each of said parts may be successively subjected to each of said operations,
and means substantially as described whereby as each of said parts is completed, it
may be removed and replaced by a blank without suspension of or interference
with the action of the operative mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2nd. As an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms,
an organization in which is combined means substantially as described, whereby a
number of the same parts may be simultaneously presented to a series of tools
that, by successive action, are adapted to rough out and finally complete each

page_text: of the same, means substantially as described whereby each of said parts may
be successively brought into contact with each tool of the series, and means
substantially as described whereby the removal of completed parts, and the
substitution therefor of blanks may be effected while the partially completed parts
are being operated upon, substantially as and for the purpose shown.
3rd. As an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms,
an organization in which is combined a series of tools that, by successive action,
are adapted to rough out and finally complete one of the parts of a mechanism,
a series of devices which exceed said tools in number and are each adapted
to receive and hold one of the parts to be operated upon, means substantially as
described whereby said parts, while incomplete, may be simultaneously brought into
contact with said tools, means substantially as described, whereby after each of
said parts has been operated upon by one of said tools it may if incomplete receive
the action of the next tool of the series, and means substantially as described
whereby after a part has been completed it may be removed and replaced by a
blank withont suspension of action upon the partly completed parts, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
4th. As an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms,
an organization in which is combined a series of tools that by successive action are
adapted to rough out and finally complete one of the parts of a mechanism, a series
of devices which are each adapted to receive and hold one of the parts to be
operated upon, means substantially as described whereby said parts and tools may
be simultaneously brought into contact, and means substantially as described
whereby after each of said parts has been operated upon by one of said tools it
may be caused to receive the action of the next tool of the series, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
5th. As an improvement in the manufacture of watches, and other mechanisms,
an organization in which is combined a series of tools that by successive action are
adapted to rough out and finally complete a part of a mechanism, a series of devices
which are each adapted to receive and hold one of the parts to be operated upon and
which exceed said tools in number, means substantially as described whereby said
parts and tools may be simultaneously brought into contact, and means substantially
as described whereby after each of said parts has been operated upon by one of
said tools it may be caused to receive the action of the next tool of the series,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
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