Improvements in Metal Turning Lathes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
עגעםV
Improvements in Metal Turning Lathes.
I, WILLARD GOLDTHWAITE BIXBY, of 194, Hester Street, in the City, County and
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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: ―
My invention relates to lathes and has for its object to increase their efficiency
and their capacity for work and to render them easier of manipulation, and it
consists of the devices hereinafter set forth in the claims at the end of this
specification.
Heretofore lathes with two tool carriages and tools have had but a limited use,
being confined in the character of the work upon which they are employed chiefly
to shaftings, pulleys, and other exceptional work of a heavy kind. This has been
mainly due to the fact that either the two tool carriages and tools did not have a
capability of independent movement as regards each other, or if they did have
such relative independence of movement, the back tool carriage and tool could be
operated only from the back part of the lathe and not from the front and because
the tool carriages and tools could not be moved by the handles forward and back-
ward from the back and front parts of the machine respectively up to the vertical
plane passing through the centre of the lathe and parallel to the front and back
of the lathe, and be equally well supported at all points of their range of move-
ment. By my improved device two tools can be employed independent of each
other in movement, both adapted to be moved by the operator from the front part
of the lathe, each capable of moving forward and backward from the front or
back of the lathe up to the vertical plane passing through the lathe centre and
parallel to the plane of the front and back of the lathe, and each being equally
well supported at all points of its range of movement. My improved lathe is
accordingly well fitted for all kinds of general lathe work, is easily operated, has
an increased capacity for work over that of the ordinary lathe, and is very
efficient in operation.
The drawings show my improved lathe in its preferred form. Figure 1 is a front
elevation of my improved lathe; Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section;
and Figure 3 is a plan.
A is the bed of the lathe upon which the movable parts are supported; B is
the front tool carriage; C the back tool carriage. B₁ is the front cross-slide carry-
ing the tool B2; C₁ the back cross slide carrying the back tool C. These tools
are mounted upon the cross-slides in any proper manner. The front cross-slide B₁
slides upon the rail 1, and the back cross-slide C slides upon the rail 2. The
rail 2 is preferably made with a flat under surface as shown in Figure 1 at 3, under
which a portion of the back cross-slide C¹ projects so that a flat surface resistance
will be offered to the upward pull upon the back cross-slide C¹ when the tool C
is in operation, thus rendering the work of the back tool more effective.
portions of the rail and back cross slide which abut against each other below the
Hat under surface of the rail 2, above referred to, are preferably made inclined,
The

page_text: as shown in Figure 1, so that the abutting under and upper surfaces and the
abutting inclined surfaces, referred to, may be properly kept in contact with one
another by any suitable device.
The front tool-carriage B slides laterally upon the Vs a a which form part of
the bed A. The Vs a¹ a¹ are also part of the bed, and upon them the head and tail
stocks slide laterally. The head and tail stocks forming no
part of
my invention
are, for the sake of clearness, not shown in the draw-
ings. In the under part of the projection of the bed A there. are
hollow inverted V-shaped, channels. or grooves a² a². In these channels slide
Vs cc, which are projections from and form part of the back tool-carriage C.
The object of causing the Vs. of the back tool carriage to slide in inverted
V-shaped grooves in the under surface of projections from the bed, is to enable
the back tool carriage and its tool to withstand the upward pressure which normally
comes upon the tool C2 when in operation.
1.9
D is a handle mounted upon the front tool carriage B. for, the purpose of giving
lateral motion to the tool carriage between the head and the tail stocks. As shown
in the drawings, this is accomplished by the following mechanism. "Upon the
shaft of the handle D is mounted pinion d meshing into the teeth of the wheel E
rigidly mounted upon the shaft e. Upon the same shaft e is fixedly secured a
gear-wheel e, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of the rack F. As the
rack F is fixedly secured to the bed of the lathe, the motion of the handle D
either way. will of course cause the tool carriage B and all its connections to move
either laterally toward or away from the head stock.
Forward and backward motion is imparted to the cross slide B¹ by the handle G
in the following manner. The handle G is fixedly mounted upon a shaft
turning. in bearings g. Upon the larger part of the shaft g a screw-thread g¹ is
cut: A screw-threaded portion g' passes through a cylindrical opening in the body
of the cross slide, which opening is similarly screw-threaded on its inner surface.
When the handle G is turned one way or the other the screw-threaded shaft causes
the cross-slide to move backward or forward. As the tool carriage B and the rail 1
extend to the centre of the lathe and as the tool carriage B is supported at its
extreme inner end by the V a of the bed, the cross-slide B₁ can move from the
front of the lathe to the extreme centre of the lathe and be equally well supported
at the centre as at other places. Tool B2 can therefore be moved to the, very centre
of the lathe and be used upon work having the smallest diameter and be equally
well supported at the centre as at any other part of its range of movement.
The handle H upon the front part of the lathe is used for the purpose of giving
lateral motion to the back tool carriage C toward or away from the head or tail
stock by means of the following mechanism. The handle H is fixedly mounted
uponla shaft ; upon the same shaft is fixedly secured pinion meshing into
the teeth of the wheel I, the latter being mounted upon the long shaft i. Near
the other end of this shaft i is mounted a gear wheel J, the teeth of which mesh
with the gear wheel K mounted upon the shaft . Near the other end of the
shaft is a gear wheel, whose teeth mesh into the teeth of the stationary rack L,
which forms part of the bed of the machine. As the rack L is fixed,. a movement
of the handle H accordingly moves the back tool carriage C and its appurtenances
laterally toward or away from the head or tail stock. By means of the long shaft i
this motion is imparted to the back-tool-carriage by means of the handle H on
the front of the lathe.
"
10.
211
The handle M, also in front of the lathe, is adapted to move the back cross
slide C forward and backward toward or away from the centre of the lathe.
The handle M is mounted upon the shaft m. Upon the same shaft is also mounted
pinion which meshes with the teeth of the wheel m² mounted upon the
shaft m³. The shaft m³ runs from the front part of the lathe to the rear and near
its rear end there is mounted upon it a pinion m. The latter meshes with the
teeth of the large idle wheel N, the latter engaging with the teeth of the pinion O
mounted upon the shaft o. This shaft o is screw-threaded as at o¹. The screw-

page_text: threaded portion. runs through a cylindrical, opening in the back. cross, slide C¹,
which cylindrical opening is similarly, screw-threaded. The..turning of the
handle M will cause the screw-threaded shaft o' to rotate and to force the back cross
slide C forward or backward. Thus by means of my improved devices, the back
tool carriage C and back cross-slide C₁ can be moved laterally between the head
and tail stocks and toward and from the centre of the lathe by the operator, while
standing in front of the lathe..
17:4
As the back tool carriage C extends substantially to the centre of the lathe and
is supported by the bed of the lathe at substantially, its centre, as at r, and is
supported from upward, pressure by the bed at a², and as the rail 2 extends
substantially to the centre of the lathe, the back cross. slide C₁ and back tool C³
can be moved up to the centre of the lathe so that the back tool can operate upon
work of the smallest diameter, and both back tool carriage and back tool are as
equally well supported at the centre as at any other place of their range of
movement.
The hanille H, shaft h, wheel I and shaft i and the handle M, shaft m, pinion m³,
wheel m² and shaft m³ are contained in or supported by a framework on the front
of the lathe. This part of the frame work I will speak of as the handle carrier of
the back tool carriage. It may be joined to the frame-work of the back tool
carriage as shown in the drawings, or it may, if found necessary or desirable,
form a separate frame-work. The latter form would be necessary in lathes sup-
ported upon more than two legs. In both cases, however, the back tool carriage
and the handle carrier move laterally together, so that the handle carrier and the
handles it contains are always opposite the back tool carriages. Thus while the
workman turns either the handle H or the handle M, he is always opposite and in
close proximity to the back tool and he can give the necessary attention to guiding.
it in its work without being obliged to step away from it in order to adjust the
handles H and M.
Numerous modifications in details may be made without departing from the
spirit of my invention. Thus wheels could be used in place of the handles for
operating the tool carriages and cross slides. The long shafts and m³ could
be placed in different parts of the lathe from those shown in the drawings, such
changes involving no more than the ordinary mechanical skill. The handles can
of course be operated by power in any well known manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-.
1. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool. carriage and adapted to carry a cutting tool, of a handle carrier in the
front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back tool carriage, a handle
mounted in the said handle carrier, and means connecting the said handle with
the back tool carriage, whereby the movement of the handle will cause the back
tool carriage and the handle carrier to move laterally between the head and tail
stocks, substantially as set forth.
2. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cutting tool, of a handle carrier in the
front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back tool carriage, a handle
mounted in said handle carrier, a shaft for transmitting the motion of the handle
to the back of the lathe, and connecting mechanism between the shaft and
the handle and the shaft and the back tool carriage, whereby the movement of
the handle will cause the back tool carriage and the handle carrier to move laterally
between the head and tail stocks, substantially as set forth.
3. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage, independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cross slide and a cutting tool, of a
handle carrier in the front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back
tool carriage, a handle mounted in said handle carrier and means connecting the

page_text: said handle and the back cross slide, whereby the movement of the handle will
cause the back cross slide to move toward or away from the vertical plane passing
through the centre of the lathe parallel to the front and back of the lathe, sub-
stantially as set forth.
.
4. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cross slide and a cutting tool, of a handle
carrier in the front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back tool
carriage, a handle mounted in said handle carrier, a shaft for transmitting the
motion of the handle to the back part of the lathe, and connecting mechanism
between the shaft and the handle and between the shaft and the back cross slide,
whereby the movement of the handle will cause the back cross slide to move
toward or away from the vertical plane passing through the centre of the lathe
parallel to the front and back of the lathe, substantially as set forth.
5. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cross slide and cutting tool, of a handle
carrier in the front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back tool
carriage, handles mounted in said handle carrier, and means connecting the
handles with the back tool carriage and the cross slide, whereby the movement
of one handle will cause the back tool carriage and the handle carrier to move
laterally between the head and tail stocks, and the movement of the other handle
will cause the back cross slide to move toward or away from the vertical plane
passing through the centre of the lathe parallel to the front and back of the
lathe, substantially as set forth.
6. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cross slide and cutting tool, of a handle
carrier in front of the lathe adapted to move laterally with the back tool carriage,
handles mounted in said handle carrier, shafts for transmitting the motion of
the handles to the back part of the lathe, mechanism connecting the handles to the
shafts and mechanism connecting the shafts with the back tool carriage and cross
slide, whereby the movement of one of the handles will cause the back tool
carriage and the handle carrier to move laterally between the head and tail stocks,
and the movement of the other handle will cause the back cross slide to move
toward or away from the vertical plane passing through the centre of the lathe
parallel to the front and back of the lathe, substantially as set forth.
7. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage adapted to carry a
cutting tool, inverted V-shaped grooves on the under side of the bed of the
lathe, and inverted V-shaped projections forming part of the back tool carriage
adapted to slide within said grooves, whereby upward pressure upon the back
cutting tool is resisted, substantially as set forth.
8. In a lathe, the combination of two tool carriages independent of each other,
each extending substantially to the vertical plane passing through the centre of
the lathe parallel to the front and back of the lathe, cross slides upon said tool
carriages, a handle carrier on the front of the lathe, handles mounted in the front
of the lathe for moving the tool carriages laterally between the head and tail
stocks, and handles mounted in the front of the lathe for moving the cross slides
toward or away from the said central vertical plane of the lathe, and mechanism con-
necting said handles with the said tool carriages and with the cross slides respectively,
all so arranged that said tool carriages may be moved laterally between the head and
tail stocks independently of each other, and the cross slides may be moved
independently of each other and up to the said central vertical plane of the 5
lathe or away from it to the extreme front or back of the lathe, substantially as
set forth.
9. The combination, in a lathe, of two tool carriages independent of each other,
each adapted to carry a cutting tool and extending substantially to the vertical
plane passing through the centre of the lathe and parallel to the front and back
of the lathe, and cross slides upon which the tools are mounted, whereby the tools
mounted upon said cross slides may be moved up to the said central vertical plane

page_text: of the lathe, inverted V-shaped grooves on the under side of the bed of the lathe
and inverted V-shaped projections forming part of the back tool carriage adapted
to slide within said grooves, whereby upward pressure upon the back cutting
tool is resisted, substantially as set forth.
10. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cutting tool, of a handle carrier in
the front part of the lathe, a handle mounted upon said handle carrier for moving
the back tool carriage laterally between the head and tail stocks, and means con-
necting the back tool carriage and the handle whereby the movement of the handle
will cause the back tool carriage to move laterally between the head and tail
stocks, a portion of the back tool carriage sliding under a part of the bed of the
lathe whereby upward pressure upon the back cutting tool is resisted, substantially
as set forth.
11. In a lathe, the combination with a back tool carriage independent of the
front tool carriage and adapted to carry a cutting tool, of a handle in the front
part of the lathe for moving the back tool carriage laterally between the head
and tail stocks, and means connecting the back tool carriage and the handle
whereby the movement of the handle will cause the back tool carriage to move
laterally between the head and tail stocks, inverted V-shaped grooves on the under
side of the bed of the lathe and inverted V-shaped projections forming part of
the back tool carriage adapted to slide within said grooves whereby upward
pressure upon the back cutting tool is resisted, substantially as set forth.
12. In a lathe, the combination of two tool carriages independent of each other,
each extending substantially to the vertical plane passing through the centre
of the lathe and parallel to the front and back of the lathe, cross slides upon the
said tool carriages, handles in the front part of the lathe for moving the tool
carriages laterally between the head and tail stocks and handles in the front part
of the lathe for moving the cross slides toward or away from the said central
vertical plane of the lathe, and mechanism connecting said handles with the said
tool carriages and with the cross slides respectively, all so arranged that said
tool carriages and cross-slides may be moved independently of one another between
the head and tail stocks and up to and away from the said central vertical plane,
inverted V-shaped grooves on the under side of the bed of the lathe and
inverted V-shaped projections forming part of the back tool carriage adapted to
slide within said grooves whereby upward pressure upon the back cutting tool
is resisted, substantially as set forth.
13. In a lathe, the combination of two tool carriages independent of each other,
each extending substantially to the vertical plane passing through the centre of
the lathe and parallel to the front and back of the lathe, cross slides upon the said
tool carriages, handles in the front part of the lathe moving at the same time and
speed as the respective tool carriages and adapted to move the tool carriages
laterally between the head and tail stocks and adapted to move the cross.slides
toward or away from said central vertical plane of the lathe, and mechanism
connecting said handles with the said tool carriages and with the cross slides
respectively, all so arranged that said tool carriages and cross slides may be moved
independently of one another between the head and tail stocks and up to and
away from the said central vertical plane, inverted V-shaped grooves on the under
side of the bed of the lathe and inverted V-shaped projections forming part of
the back tool carriage adapted to slide within said grooves whereby upward
pressure upon the back cutting tool is resisted, substantially as set forth.
14. In a lathe having two tool carriages independent of each other, the com-
bination with the back cross slide of a rail upon which said cross slide is adapted
to slide, said rail having a flat under surface, and also having inclined surfaces,
and a projection from the cross slide having a flat upper surface adapted to take
5 against the flat under surface of the said rail whereby upward pressure upon the back
cutting tool is resisted, and having inclined surfaces adapted to take against the

page_text: inclined surfaces of the rail whereby the said abutting surfaces may be kept in
contact with one another; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of August '1897.
WILLARD, GOLDTHWAITE BIXBY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant,