A New or Improved Mechanical Device for Accurately Adjusting and Maintaining any Predetermined Distance or Space between the Bearings of Multiple Drilling and other Machines, also applicable for other purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Mechanical Device for Accurately Adjusting
and Maintaining any Predetermined Distance or Space between
the Bearings of Multiple Drilling and other Machines, also
applicable for other purposes.
I, CHARLES LAMPITT of Nelson Villa, Bounds Green Road, Southgate, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Millwright, 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 a new or improved mechanical movement or device for
adjusting and maintaining by a single movement, a predetermined space or distance,
equal or variable, between any number of stationery objects placed in consecutive
order or side by side, and is an improvement upon, or a modification of part of my
invention described in the Specification of my application for Letters Patent
No. 6109 and bearing date April. 9th, 1891.
The object of my present invention is to provide a reliable method of and means
for simultaneously moving in the same or opposite directions, any number of articles
substances or objects whose functions necessitate their being placed side by side, in
rows or series, in consecutive order, and parallel to each other, the spaces or
divisions between which may from time to time need extending or diminishing by
infintisimal degrees and predetermined stages, either equally or unequally as may
be desired, and I attain this by boring or otherwise forming a circular horizontal
aperture or passage in the whole of said objects or substances, when placed in the
order named, so that one common shaft or spindle may pass freely through the
whole series in such a manner that they may each and all be capable of sliding
horizontally thereon, and one of the methods employed by me for attaining the ends
desired is to form a keyway or keyways in the said shaft or spindle, and place
loosely thereon and alternately with the objects or substances aforesaid, circular or
other shaped discs having a key or keys, or a projection or projections formed upon
the periphery of a central bore or circular central opening provided in each for the
reception of said shaft or spindle, and in such a position that the said key or keys
correspond with, and fit into, the way or ways in the shaft, so that the rotation of
the shaft would rotate the discs but not the said objects or substances. Each of
the said discs has upon one side thereof an externally threaded projection
surrounding the shaft, which screws into a corresponding cavity in the side of the
adjacent object or substance, and if these discs be screwed home into their
companion objects or substances and the shaft passed through the whole series of
discs and objects in alternate order, so that the keys and keyways aforesaid engage
with each other, it follows that, if the shaft be rotated the discs would be rotated
also, and if the direction of said rotation be that by which the said discs would be
unscrewed from their companion objects, the space between the objects would be
extended equally, and in corresponding ratio with the distance the discs had
receded from the objects or substances, and if either of the said objects be rendered
stationery, the remaining objects on each side thereof would recede therefrom in
epposite directions.
My second or alternative method of attaining the same results is to form a
threaded projection upon one side of each object surrounding the shaft, instead of
upon the disc as in the previous method, and arrange the internal bore of the discs
of such a size as to be easily screwed thereon. By this method I dispense with the
keys and keyways before mentioned by which the discs were rotated, and in lieu
thereof form upon the outer periphery of each disc, cogs or teeth, and provide a

page_text: horizontal fluted roller the fluting of which gears with the teeth upon the discs, so
that the rotation of the roller in one direction would cause all the discs to rotate in
the opposite direction, and if the direction of the rotation of the discs be such as to
unscrew them from the projections upon the objects, the same ends would be
attained as in the first method.
As a further modification of the foregoing methods I may construct the toothed
discs with a circular projection upon each face thereof surrounding the shaft, upon
one of which is cut a left, and upon the other a right handed male screw thread,
and provide in each side of the objects facing the discs, a recess similar to those
described in the first method, but in this case the recess in one side would have an
internal left handed screw thread cut therein, while the recess on the opposite side
would have a similar but right handed thread cut therein, these being for the
reception of the similar threaded projection upon the discs, so that each disc would
engage with two objects, and when rotated in one direction by the fluted roller,
would be unscrewed from both, and vice versa, the spacing being equal throughout
the series as in the previous methods, and the same ends attained.
By these methods I am enabled by the simple turning of handle to rotate the
shaft or fluted roller, and provide an equal space between each of the objects and
its neighbour simultaneously, or by varying the pitch of the threads before
mentioned a varying distance equal to the variations of the pitch of the threads
may be made between the objects, as may be needed or desired.
It will be apparent from the foregoing, and later on from the more detailed
description herein provided, that the said adjusting device or devices may be
employed in an almost endless number of ways, and for a like indefinite number of
purposes, but I may here instance its adaptability as a medium for spacing the
bearings of multiple drilling machines for boiler plates and the like. The bearings
of machines having a number of parallel rollers. The feeding seed tubes of
agricultural sowing drills. The tool holders of multiple morticing machines. The
saw blade jaws of vertical multiple sawing machines, or for accurately adjusting the
distance between the rolls of milling and plate bending machines, etc., etc., but for
the purpose of rendering a more clear description of my invention and the manner
of its operation I have chosen from amongst the many purposes to which it
may be applied, to illustrate by the accompanying three sheets of drawings its
adaptability to the bearings of multiple drilling machines, and in which,
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a plan view of so much of such a machine as is necessary to
enable me to fully describe the employment of the methods of arranging the said
adjusting devices in connection with the bearings thereof. This view shews the
bearings as close together as this arrangement will permit.
Fig. 2 Sheet 1 is the same view but shewing that the spacings between the
bearings have been slightly extended.
Fig. 3 Sheet 1 is an enlarged sectional view of part of Fig. 1, taken upon the
line A B.
Fig. 4 Sheet 1 is a similar view taken upon the line C D Fig. 2.
Figs. 5 and 6 Sheet 1 are details to be hereinafter explained.
Fig. 7 Sheet 2 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a second method
of constructing the said adjusting device.
Fig. 8 Sheet 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 Sheet 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 4 Sheet 1, but taken upon the
line EF Fig. 7.
Fig. 10 is an end elevation of Fig. 8 looking from right to left, and is intended
to more clearly illustrate the manner of manipulating the adjustment of the device
shewn by Figs. 7 and 8, and approximately that of Figs. 1 and 2.
Figs. 11, 12 and 13 Sheet 3 are views illustrating a third method of constructing
the said adjusting device to be hereinafter fully explained.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same or like parts throughout
the drawings.
In describing any invention as a medium for separating or dividing, and maintaining

page_text: such separation or division between the bearings of multiple drilling machines, I
wish it understood that said bearings in so far as regards their contour or use form
no part of my invention, but what I desire to set forth and claim is the applica-
tion of my device as a novel means for extending and diminishing the space between
said bearings or any two, or any multiple of two solid objects or substances, in
series or succeeding order, the services of which require that such space or spaces
need expanding or contracting or both, in equal or unequal and infintisimal stages,
and to acquire this in a perfect and reliable manner by one single operation, so that
any predetermined distance, or measurement of space between said objects or
substances may be attained and maintained at will, is the object and purpose of my
said invention, and with this in view I may employ the said device or devices for
use upon and with any machine, or any type of any machine to which its action
may be suited, adopting either of the methods herein described and shewn or any
combination of the same without departing from the principle thereof.
As before mentioned I have chosen to describe and illustrate my invention as
adapted to multiple drilling machines and in carrying the same into effect I provide
or make use of a machine with any number of bearings A, but in the accompanying
drawings I have shown ten such bearings considering that a sufficient number to
make my said invention fully understood and these I have mumbered from 1 to 0.
In the method shown by Sheet 1, I bore or otherwise form a circular hole or
recess in one and the same side of each of the bearings A, at right angles to,
and preferably below the boring tool, or the jaws or spaces provided therefor a.
The said hole or recess B extends within A for about half the width thereof and
is provided with a right handed female screw thread. The said hole is then
continued right through A but of a lesser diameter, preferably about one half that
of B, as at B A metallic circular or other shaped disc C, accompanies each
bearing A, and is provided with an external right hand threaded projection b, upon
one side thereof, capable of engaging with the recess B. A circular hole is bored
or otherwise formed in each disc C corresponding in size to the smaller bore in the
bearings A, so as to be continuous therewith when C is screwed into A, and when
in this position a steel or other shaft D passes freely through the whole of the
bearings and discs A and C, so that they occur alternately thereon. A longi-
tudinal groove or keyway c is formed in D, and a corresponding key or projection d
upon the inner periphery of each disc C, as shown in Fig. 5 Sheet 1
or D may have two such keyways c, and the discs C two such keys d, as shown
in Fig. 6.
The shaft D may be journalled in any suitable manner, but in the accompanying
drawings I have chosen to show the same journalled in the frame of the machine E.
One end of D extends beyond E, and carries a worm wheel F, which gears with
a worm G, the shaft of which G¹, may be borne within suitable bearings e, upon
the frame E, and carries upon one end a wheel or handle H by which it may be
rotated.
The spindle I of the boring tools may be driven by any suitable means, as that
forms no part of my invention, but this inay be carried out by the means of worm
gearing upon their back ends, in which case the ends of I farthest from, or opposite
to, the boring tools a, would be borne within a set of bearings the duplicate of A,
each provided with an accompanying disc C, and mounted upon a similar shaft D,
borne within the frame E, and carrying a worm wheel F, which would gear with a
duplicate worm G, upon that end of the shaft G, so that both sets of bearings
could be operated upon simultaneously by the turning of the wheel H.
The shortest distance between the bearings A would be that of the thickness of
the outer periphery of the discs C, but these may be so reduced that the bearings A
may all but touch each other or by making a recess in the side of each bearing, so
that C may be let thereinto, the bearings may come close together if desired, and
the bore B may be extended inwardly to receive the projection b.
A spring or springs J may be provided upon the machine, the tension of which

page_text: operates in keeping the bearings A closed up against each other when not opposed
by the withdrawal or part withdrawal of b.
When the distance between the bearings A is to be extended the handle or
wheel H is turned in the direction to acquire this, which imparts a like motion to
the shaft G and consequently the worm or worms G, and this or these impart an
opposite movement to the worm wheel or wheels F, upon the shaft or shafts D,
and the rotating of D would rotate equally the discs C, and although these are
keyed upon D they are nevertheless capable of sliding thereon, as also are the
bearings A, consequently the rotating of D if in one direction would rotate the
discs C, so that each would be unscrewed, simultaneously, an equal distance from
its companion bearing. Therefore if the disc connected to the bearing No. 1 be
unscrewed therefrom a distance equal to, say, one thirty second of an inch, the said
disc would push bearing No. 2 a like distance along the shaft D, thereby increasing
the distance or space between No. 1 and 2 one thirty second of an inch. At the
same time the disc in No. 2 would be unscrewed a like distance therefrom, which
would push away bearing No. 3 and increase equally the space between bearings
Nos. 2 and 3, and so on for the whole of the series, and the same operation would occur
to the whole of the duplicate bearings before mentioned, these being acted upon
from
the duplicate worm G, in the same manner, and simultaneously with those just
described. The bearing No. 0 being close to the side of the machine E, the spacing
as described causes all the bearings and discs to slide therefrom, and compress the
spring or springs J, as shown by Fig. 2 Sheet 1, which serves to show the position
of the bearings after the spacing mentioned. A sliding plate J¹ may be interposed
between J and the bearing No. 1, this being for convenience arranged to slide
within the frame E.
It
From the foregoing description it will be understood that if the threads upon the
extension be all of equal pitch, that an equal division must occur between all the
bearings, by the single movement of the handle or wheel H, and as the one
revolution of F, and consequently G would only operate F the distance of one
tooth, the said adjustment of space can be carried out by very minute stages.
may be necessary in some cases that the said spacing between the bearings be more
or less irregular or unequal, or the space between any two of the bearings be less
or more than the remainder, such inequality, if predetermined, would be attained
by the employment of dises with extensions having threads cut thereon of varying
pitches.
It may also sometimes be convenient or desirable that in enlarging or contracting
the spaces between the bearings that these should not all slide along D in the same
direction, but a given number in one direction, and a given number in the opposite.
I attain this by making any one of the series a fixed bearing, by causing a screw or
the like in any suitable part of the machine to engage therewith. Thus if the
bearing say No. 5 be made a fixture the operation of H would still regulate the
spacing as before described, but the bearings on cach side of the fixed bearing
would recede therefrom and be equally or unequally spaced according to the pitch
of the threads upon as aforesaid. To carry out this arrangement a sliding plate J
and spring or springs J, would be provided at each side of the machine, for the
closing up of the bearings when the reverse motion is given to H, when the said
spacing needs reducing.
In the method shown by Sheet 2 of the appended drawings in so far as regards the
ends attained, is identical with the foregoing, the difference being in the mechanical
equivalent employed. In this method only one bore is provided in the bearings A,
that being B for the reception of the shaft D, which in this case has neither
keyway or ways c, and may if necessary be a fixture with or upon the framing E,
and the bearings A, instead of the recess B, have each an externally threaded
annular extension B¹¹, upon one side thereof. The projection 6 upon the discs C
in the previous method, are also dispensed with in this arrangement, thus leaving
the discs perfectly plain on each side, and the internal bore of each is made

page_text: sufficiently large to be screwed upon the extension B" of its companion A, and
provided with an internal thread for that purpose. Upon the outer periphery of
each C, are cogs or teeth, which gear with a milled or fluted roller K, the spindle
of which K may be borne within the frame E, or within suitable bearings otherwise
provided.
In the first described method of spacing the bearings A, the worm wheel or
wheels F, were mounted upon the shaft or shafts D, for the reason that the discs C
were rotated by the rotation thereof, but in this method the discs are rotated by the
roller K engaging with the cogs f, consequently the wheel or wheels F, would be
monted upon the spindles K of the roller or rollers K. I here mention rollers,
because where a duplicate set of bearings and discs are employed, these would be
operated by a duplicate roller carrying a wheel F in gear with the duplicate
worm G described in the previous method. The functions of H in this method are
identical with that mentioned when describing the previous method, saving that its
direction of rotation to attain the same ends are reversed, that is to say. In the
method shewn by Sheet 1, the rotation of H from left to right, rotated F and D
from right to left, hence the unscrewing of C from A, but the employment of the
roller K, in the method now under consideration, for rotating C, when these are to
be partly unscrewed from the extensions 13" for extending the spaces between the
bearings A, the wheel or handle H would be rotated in the direction of the arrow
in Fig. 8 Sheet 2, which would cause the rotation of F, K and C in the direction
of the arrows in Fig. 10 Sheet 2.
In this method the smallest space between the bearings occurs when the discs C
are screwed home upon the bearing extensions B", the said spaces becoming
enlarged as the discs are unscrewed thereoff as shown by Fig. 9. The fixing of
any one bearing for the purposes set forth in the previous method, may be employed
with like results in this arrangement.
In Sheet 3 of the accompanying drawings I show a further modification for the
said adjustment of spaces between the bearings A. In this method the bearings A
have each a recess similar to B Fig. 3, on each side thereof, as shown by B
and B Fig. 13, the internal threads of which are reversed relatively to each
other, that is to say-B would be provided with a left, and B with a right handed
female screw thread. The discs C have each an extension on each side and shown
by g and in the drawings, the former having a left handed male thread formed
thereon which screws into B, the latter a right handed thread which screws
into B. The discs Care provided with teeth which gears with K operated by
and from H in the same manner as in the method shown by Sheet 2.
In this modification the slide J' and springs J may if desired be dispensed with,
for the reason that, the rotating of the discs C in the direction of the arrow in
Fig. 10 Sheet 2 would cause them to be unscrewed equally from the bearings on
each side thereof, which would of course cause both bearings to recede therefrom
equally, provided that the pitch of the threads upon g and h were alike; but any
variation in these would induce a corresponding variation in the spacing, and the
reverse motion of C would bring the bearing A. closer together by the same means,
hence the abolition of J and J. The sliding motion of C and A upon the shaft or
shafts D, and the result attained by making any one bearing a fixture being the
same in all three methods.
Although I have chosen to describe the application of my invention as a spacing
medium in connection with multiple drilling machines, it is obvious that my
invention may be adapted for the equal or unequal spacing of any number of objects
or substances other than bearings, when placed in like order and capable of being
moved or treated in the manner described, and the application of the said method
and means in connection with any machine, tool or apparatus to which it may be
adaptable, is what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, and I wish it understood
that I may employ the use of either of the methods herein described, or any com-
bination thereof, and make construct the same of any suitable metal or material
without departing from the principle of my invention

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. As a method of and means for dividing, subdividing, extending, or
diminishing by lengthy or infintisimal stages, equally or unequally, the spaces or
divisions between any number of objects or substances placed in line or series, side
by side, in consecutive order, and capable of being parted or separated, and
vice versa, by a sliding motion in one or opposite directions, the construction and use
of the mechanism herein described and shown, or any combination thereof, and the
employment of the same upon or in connection with any machine, tool or apparatus
to which it may be suited, connected and operating substantially as herein set forth
and for the purposes specified.
2nd. In a new or improved mechanical device for the purposes set forth in the
preceding claim, the construction and use of discs C, with externally threaded
projections, mounted loosely upon a suitably journalled shaft D, and capable of
sliding thereon, and being rotated thereby, by the agency of a key d and keyway c,
in combination with bearings or other substances or objects A, mounted alternately
with the disc C upon D, and each having an internally threaded recess B for the
reception of b. The manner of rotating D by means of wheels F, keyed or
otherwise fixed thereto, in gear with a worm G upon a shaft G¹, borne within
bearings e or any suitable equivalent therefor, arranged in any convenient manner
upon the frame or other part of the tool, machine or apparatus upon which the said
device may be employed, and provided with a handle or wheel H, the whole
constructed, arranged, connected and operating substantially in the manner herein
described and shown by Figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In a new or improved mechanical device for the purposes set forth in the
first claim hereof, the construction and use of discs C, provided externally with
teeth or cogs f, and bored or otherwise formed internally and provided with a
female screw thread, so that the same may be capable of being screwed upon an
externally threaded projection B₁ upon one side of bearings or other substances or
objects A, bored or otherwise formed internally and mounted upon a fixed or
movable shaft D alternately with the discs C. The manner of rotating the discs C
by the means of a fluted roller K, engaging with the cogs f, when mounted upon a
shaft K', carrying a wheel F, in gear with a worm. G, upon a shaft G', with handle
or wheel Hor its equivalent, the whole constructed, arranged connected and
operating in the manner herein set forth and shown by Figs. 7. 8. 9 and 10 of the
appended drawings.
4th. In a new or improved mechanical device for the purposes set forth in the
first claim hereof, the construction and use of discs C, with teeth f, and side
extensions g and h the one having a right and the other a left handed male screw
thread formed thereon, capable of being screwed into recesses B and B formed in
two opposite sides of bearings or other objects or substance A. The manner of
mounting A and C in alternate order, loosely upon a suitably borne fixed or
movable shaft D, so as to be capable of sliding thereon, and the mauner of
rotating C described in the preceding claim, the whole constructed, arranged, con-
nected and operating substantially as herein described and shown by Figs. 10. 11.
12 and 13 of the drawings hereunto annexed.
inDated this 21st day of Tn 1000
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.