Improvements in Lathes or Apparatus for Making Corkscrews: and Screws for Drawing Packing and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in Lathes or Apparatus for Making Corkscrews:
and Screws for Drawing Packing and for similar Purposes.
I, JAMES MODOWALL, of Over-Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LATHES OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING CORKSCREWS AND SCREWS FOR
DRAWING PACKING AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to say :—
My said Invention has for its object the making of corkscrews and screws for
drawing packing and for similar purposes in an improved and economical manner.
My improved apparatus is for making the screws out of straight rods or spindlesj
previously prepared in any suitable known way so as to have the requisite varying
thickness and pointed end.
In the case of a packing screw (that is a screw for drawing packing out of the glands
of steam engines) the part of the rod to form the shank and handle is thicker than the
part which has to be bended into the form of a screw.. The first operation is to bend
the screw part at a suitable angle to the shank part, which is done by entering the
screw part into a socket or tube set at the requisite angle relatively to a horizontal
surface and then pressing the shank part by hand or with the assistance of a lever
down to the horizontal surface. The rod is then placed in a kind of lathe being
secured in a groove in a holding block by a movable gripping piece which is brought
down upon it by a lever adjustably connected to an eccentric on a spindle having
a handle on it. A very little turning movement of the handle causes the rod to be
quickly and firmly gripped; and on the handle being. turned back the rod is as
quickly released by a spring.
The holding block is adjustably fixed on the planed top surface of a bed frame
on which there is also placed a headstock like the following headstock of a turning
lathe, this headstock being adjustable along the bedframe by means of a screw
shaft. The headstock is fitted with a horizontal spindle which can move through
it end ways but is prevented from turning by a feather and groove. For fixing the
spindle in any position in the headstock there is set on it a small handlover to
which there is attached a small block shaped to fit on the outside of a slightly
eccentric boss formed or fixed on the headstock. By turning the hand lever in
either direction the spindle becomes very tightly gripped by the action of the
eccentric. This gripping contrivance is much quicker and more convenient in
.

page_text: action than the pinching screws ordinarily employed in turning lathes and it may
be advantageously used in such machines.
The inner end of the headstock spindle has a square socket formed in it to
receive the end of a steel mandril made with a screw or helical groove to serve as
a core to the packing screw during the operation of bending the latter, and the
other end of this mandril is shaped to rest in a check made for it in the holding
block. The screw-grooved mandril and also other parts of the apparatus are
changeable or adjustable for different sizes of screw. The bending of the rod round
the screw-grooved mandril is effected by means of a boss fitted to turn upon and
move along the headstock mandril, and made with opposite lever arms for moving it
by. The inner face of the boss is made with a notch or groove to take hold of the
part of the rod which as herein before described has already been bended to the
proper angle and when the boss is turned by means of the lever arms it bends
the screw part of the rod, laying it into the screw groove of the mandril. The
part of the screw at or near the point which has to be bended inwards more than
the other part may be so bended by adjustable parts fitted in the boss; or this
operation may be effected by means of a separate tool.
-
For bending the end of the shank into a ring-like handle as is required for
packing screws, there is cast or fixed in a suitable position on the bedframe a boss
or block in which is fitted a strong vertical spindle or shaft having a segmental
steel piece on its upper end. The rod when straight lies in contact with the inner
face or chord surface of the segment, but the turning of the segment causes the rod
to be bended to one side against a stationary adjustable steel piece which is shaped
to correspond to the outside of a part of the intended ring-like handle, the round
part of the segment making the rod take the proper shape against the stationary
piece. The spindle or segment may be turned by means of a two-armed hand
lever made with a boss having a socket to fit on the segment; or the turning may
be effected by gearing actuated by power. When the handle has been partly
bended as described there is added to the segment a steel piece making up the
complete circle, and then an outer steel piece carried so as to move concentrically
with the vertical spindle is brought round by means of a hand lever or¹by gearing,
and bearing on the outside of the rod bends it round the steel centre pieces and
completes the shaping of the handle.
The rods are bended cold the steel being in a suitable comparatively soft con-
dition and the screws made out of them are subsequently hardened and tempered
in the usual way.

page_text: www
and Screws for Drawing Packing and for similar Purposes,
I JAMES MCDOWALL, of Over-Jolinstone, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LATHES OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING CORKSCREWS AND SCREWS
FOR DRAWING PACKING AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say:-
:-
"
My said Invention has principally for its object the making of corkscrews and
screws for drawing packing and for similar purposes in an improved and economical
manner.
My improved apparatus, which is represented on an accompanying sheet of
explanatory drawings, is for making the screws out of straight rods or spindles
previously prepared in any suitable known way so as to have the requisite varying
thickness and pointed end. A spindle for forming a packing screw (that is a screw
for drawing packing out of the glands of steam engines) is shown in figure, 1, of
the accompanying drawings, and the part of it for forming the shank and handle is
thicker than the part which has to be bended in the form of a screw. Figure, 2,
represents a packing screw such as may be made out of a spindle such as is shown
in figure, 1.
Figure, 3, is a plan of the machine, figure, 4, is an enlarged sectional 'detail, and
figures, 5, 6, and 7, are elevations, figure, 6, showing the side of the machine and
figures, 5, and 7, showing the opposite ends: In these drawings the same reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The various parts of the machine are carried upon a bed frame, 10,.fixed upon
pedestals or standards, 11. The first operation is to bend the screw part of the rod
or spindle at a suitable angle to the shank part, which is done by entering the
screw part into a socket or tube, 12, set at the requisite angle relatively to a
horizontal surface and then pressing the shank part by hand or with the assistance
of a lever, 13, down to the horizontal surface, that is, into the position indicated
by dotted lines, 14, in figure, 6. A screw, 15, is fitted to the lower end of the
inclined socket, 12, and can be adjusted in or out to suit the length of spindle to
be inserted into it.
The rod is then placed in a kind of lathe being secured in a groove in a holding
block, 16, by a movable gripping piece, 17, which is brought down upon it by a
lever, 18, adjustably connected by means of a screw nut, 19, and rod, 20, to an
eccentric on a spindle, 21, having on it a handle, 22, (indicated by dotted lines in
figure, 6. A very little turning movement of the handle, 22, causes the rod to be
quickly and firmly gripped; and on the handle being turned back the rod is
as quickly released by means of a spring, 23, connected by a rod, 24, to the
lever, 18.
The holding block, 16, is. adjustably fixed on the planed top surface of the bed
frame, 10, on which there is also placed a headstock, 25, like the following headstock

page_text: of a turning lathe, this headstock, 25, being adjustable along the bedframe, 10, by
means of a screw shaft having a handwheel, 26, on the end of it. The headstock, 25,
is fitted with a horizontal spindle, 27, which can move through it endways, but is
prevented from turning by a feather and groove. For fixing the spindle, 27, in any
position in the headstock, 25, there is set on it a small hand lever, 28, to which there
is attached a small block, 29, shaped to fit on the outside of a slightly eccentric
boss, 30, formed or fixed' on the leadstock, 25. By turning the hand lever, 28, in
one direction or the other the spindle, 27, becomes either very tightly gripped or
loosened by the action of the eccentric. This gripping contrivance is much quicker
and more convenient in action than the pinching screws ordinarily employed in
turning lathes, and it may be advantageously used in such machines. The small
block, 29, is held in its place by a small plate, 31, fixed to the upper part of the
"lever, 28, and also shaped to engage against a shoulder formed by the eccentric
boss, 30, and thereby prevent the lever, 28, from being moved away from the
headstock, 25.
The inner end of the headstock spindle, 27, has a square socket formed in it as
shown'in. the enlarged section, figure, 4, to receive the end of a steel mandril, 32,
made with a screw or helical groove to serve as a core to the packing screw during
the operation of bending the latter; and the other end of this mandril, 32, is
shaped to rest in a check made for it in the holding block, 16. The screw-grooved
mandril, 32, and also other parts of the apparatus are changeable or adjustable
for different sizes of screw. The bending of the rod round the screw-grooved
'mandril, 32, is effected by means of a boss or short tube, 33, fitted to turn upon
and move along the headstock spindle, 27, and made with or having fixed to it
lever arms, 34, for moving it by. The inner end face of the boss, 33, is made with
'a notch or groove to take hold of the part of the rod which, as herein before
described, has already been bended to the proper angle; and when the boss, 33, is
turned by means of the lever arms, 34, it bends the screw part of the rod, laying it
into the screw groove of the mandril, 32. The part of the screw at or near the
point which has to be bended inwards more than the other part may be so bended
by adjustable parts fitted in the boss 33; or this operation may be effected by
means of a separate tool.
A plain steel mandril or spindle may be substituted for the screw-grooved
mandril, 33, the proper screwing motion of the boss, 34, being in that case obtained
by means of a screw groove or thread formed on the headstock spindle, 27, an
internally screwed ring or nut fixed to the boss, 24, working in or on such screw
groove or thread.
For bending of the end of the shank into a ring-like handle as is required for a
.packing screw, there is fixed at one end of the bedframe, 10, a boss or block, 35, in
which is fitted a strong vertical spindle or shaft, 36, having a segniental steel
piece, 37, fixed to its upper end. The rod, when straight, lies in contact with the
inner face or chord surface of the segment, 37, but the turning of the segment
causes the rod to be bended to one side against a stationary adjustable steel piece
or guide, 38, which is shaped to correspond to the outside of a part of the intended
ring-like handle, the round part of the segment, 37, making the rod take the
proper shape against the stationary piece. The spindle, 36, may be turned by
means of a hand lever, 39, fixed to a boss, 40, at the lower end of the spindle, as
shown in the drawings; or the turning may be effected by gearing actuated by
power. When the handle of the packing screw has been partly bended as described,
the spindle, 36, is raised by the action of a cam-shaped part of the underside of
the boss, 40, on a fixed piece, 41, and this causes the completely circular part on
which the segment, 37, is formed to be raised so as to be just above the level of
the handle of the packing screw. An outer steel piece, 42, fixed on the upper end
of a tubular shaft, 43, so as to be capable of turning concentrically with the
vertical spindle, 36, is brought round by means of a lever handle, 44, fixed on the
lower end of the tubular shaft, 43, (or it might be by means of gearing); and this
steel piece, 42, bearing on the end of the rod, bends it round the steel centre piece

page_text: and completes the shaping of the handle. The proper position of the rod when
placed for having its end formed into a ring-like angle, is determined by a gauge or
stop, 45, against which the outer end of the rod is placed. This gauge is in the
form of a loose lever, 45, set between collars fixed by pinching screws on a
spindle, 46, projecting from the block, 35. This lever, 45, can be easily turned to
one side or the other when required, but when left to itself assumes the vertical
position in consequence of its lower being weighted.
The rods are bended cold the steel being in a suitable comparatively soft
condition and the screws made out of them are subsequently hardened and
tempered in the usual way.
By way of rendering the apparatus complete punching details, 47, 48, are shown
as provided in connection with the headstock, 25, these parts being for punching
washers with which the ends of the shanks of corkscrews are secured to their
handles; no clain is however made in respect of these parts.
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
1. The combination of parts for forming the screw part of a corkscrew or
packing screw such parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described..
2. The combination of parts for forming ring-like handles on packing screws
such parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein before described.
3.The combination of parts for fixing the spindle of the following headstock
of a lathe and consisting of the hand lever on the spindle and fitted with a block
bearing on an eccentric boss on the headstock, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this seventeenth day of July 1885.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.