Improvements in Machines for Making Coil or Spiral Springs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Coil or Spiral Springs.
A communication by FRANK MOORE JEFFERY, of No. 54, Railroad Avenue,
Jersey City, in the County of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, Manufacturer,
and JOIN WESLEY FISHER, of No. 569, Quincy Street, Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York, Gentleman, both of the United
States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to the class of machines used for making spiral or coil
springs from wires, strips of metal, and the like. The object is to provide an
automatic machine capable of being set to produce springs of different sizes and
varieties of forms and varying in pitch. The machine also cuts off and compresses
the springs automatically.
"
The machine will produce springs of various forms, notably the "hour-glass,"
the "spindle" and the " cone forms. The pitch and diameter will be varied
automatically, and the end-rings are formed without pitch, or with planes at right
angles to the spring-axis. The length of the spring may be varied by varying the
speed of the governing.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan of a machine embodying the improvements;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of same, and
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lower part only of the machine (as seen in
Figure 2), showing the spring-compressing and discharging mechanism in a different
position from that seen in Figure 2.
The above are general views on a small scale.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the machine on a scale double that of the
general views. This view shows the main portion of the machine in front elevation,
the plane of the section being indicated by line 4, in Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a plan view on the scale as Figure 4, showing a portion of the
mechanism seen in Figure 1, but on a larger scale; and
Figure 6 is a vertical section in the broken plane indicated by the line 6-6 in
Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a sectional detail view on the same scale as Figure 4, which will be
hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation in the vertical plane indicated by line 8-8 in
Figure 4; and
Figure 8 is a similar view showing the operative parts in a different position.
Figure 9 is a vertical section on the same scale as Figure 4, taken in a plane
indicated by line 9-9, in Figure 2; and
Figure 10 is a section in the plane indicated by line 10-10 in Figure 9.
Figures 11 and 11 are sectional views illustrating the clutch mechanism
detached.
Figures 12 and 124 are plan views of the wire-cutter, detached.
A is the bed-piece of the machine, which may be of any form and material.
On this bed-piece are mounted the upper parts of the frame designated by the
Jotters A 1 A2 and A3

page_text: B, is the main shaft of the machine, mounted in bearings in the part A¹
of the frame; it is driven through the medium of the cone pulley C and a
belt D.
represents the wire from which the springs are formed; it comes from a reel X,
seen in Figure 1, or from any source. The wire passes through guides a on the
frame (see Figure 4) and is fed forward to the benders by two pairs of feed
wheels. One of these feed wheels is on the main shaft B, and the others on
studs in the frame. The manner of driving all the feed wheels from the shaft B
is clearly shown in Figure 6. Each wheel is secured to, or forms a part of a
toothed wheel x, and these latter are geared together in pairs, and the pairs
connected by an intermediate gear wheel ', rotatively mounted on a stud in the
frame.
The wire when fed forward by the feed-wheels, enters the benders, or bending
mechanism. This latter consists of three grooved wheels, two of which are,
normally, merely rotative, while the third is adapted to be moved toward and from
the others for the purpose of varying the diameter of the spring. The larger
wheel c is an idler, and the small wheel c* is fixed on a shaft, which is driven
positively from the main shaft B, through the medium of a belt c¹ and sheaves or
pulleys and c³ respectively on the main shaft B, and the shaft of the bending
wheel c*. The third wheel c of the bender is mounted in the end of a rocking
lever d, and is somewhat in the nature of an anti-friction bowl or wheel. As
the wire passes between the wheels of the bender, it set to the proper curve,
being bent about the revolving wheel cx by the movable or adjustable wheel c*.
form
One important feature of the machine consists in the mechanism for automatically
adjusting the wheel of the bender to suit the requirements of the spring being
made. For example, if the spring to be made is of the "hour glass
commonly used in spring beds, at starting the wheel will be at its maximum
distance from the wheel ex, and, as the spring is being. formed, this wheel c is
caused to move gradually toward the wheel ex, so as to gradually reduce the
diameter of the spring, until the latter is half finished, when the said wheel e
gradually moves back to its first position during the formation of the last half of
the spring.
This movement of the wheel c is effected by means of a properly shaped cam,
and intermediate mechanism, which will now be described with especial reference
to Figures 4, 5 and 6.
The toothed wheel ' (see Figure 6) is secured to a bevel wheel 62, and thus
rotates the latter. This wheel gears with another bevel wheel 63, secured on
an upright shaft 6, rotatively mounted in the frame. On the upper end of the
shaft is loosely or rotatively mounted a cam E, which is driven from said shaft
indirectly through the medium of a train of gears, some of which are change
wheels, whereby the speed of the cam, relatively to the shaft may be varied.
On the shaft is secured a toothed wheel e, and to the cam E is secured a toothed
wheel f; the wheel e drives the wheel through the medium of a train of change
wheels, seen in Figure 5, and which will be, of course, interchangeable, so that the
cam E may be driven at any desired speed relatively to the shaft, the speed of
the latter being uniforin. As represented in Figure 5, the wheel e gears with a
change wheel g, to which is concentrically secured a pinion g', which gears with
another change wheel h. Secured concentrically to the change wheel is a
pinion, which gears with the wheel, connected to cam E. These change
wheels possess no novelty in themselves, and may be mounted in adjustable bearings
in the usual way.
The cam E, as here represented, is adapted to produce, at each revolution, an
hour-glass or spindle-shaped spring, as will be described, the length of the spring
being dependent on the speed of the cam.
The cam E controls the wheel c', through the medium of mechanism which will
now be described.
Mounted in guide-ways in an upright frame F is a slide i, which carries a rolleri,

page_text: that rests on the cam ; as the cam rotates, this slide is moved up and down.
To the slide is coupled by a link ja slotted lever k, which has an adjustable
fulcrum l. At its other end, the lever is coupled by an adjustable link m, to
the end of the rocking lever d, bearing the bending wheel c. The adjustability
of the link m enables the wheel c to be set at the proper distance from wheel c*
at starting; and the adjustability of the fulcrum 7 serves to increase, or decrease
at will the extent of movement imparted to the wheel c by the cam. The fulcrum.
stud is carried by a slide & mounted in a slot in the frame A as seen in Figure 5,
and in order that the fulcrum may be adjusted to a predetermined extent, the
upper edge of the lever & may have graduation marks on it, and the fulcrum be
provided with an index or pointer 2.
It is obvious that means must be provided for producing the pitch of the spiral
while the spring is being formed, and yet leave the first, or end coil, of the spring
without pitch or with its plane, substantially at right angles to the axis of the
spring. The mechanism employed for this purpose will now be explained with
especial reference to Figures 5, 8 and 9.
A. rocking frame G is mounted in the frame on a pivot at n and in this frame is
mounted an anti-friction roller G', which stand, normally as seen in Figure 8, that
is, at right angles with the axis of the bending wheels. This roller G stands just
over or above the shaft of the wheel cx, as seen in Figure 4. The inner edge of
the frame G is inclined and angular, and a cam roller o is adapted, by the down-
ward movement of said slide, to strike the incline on the frame G and turn the
latter about its pivot until it assumes the position seen in Figure 84; this inclines
the roller G', which in turn bears on the coil of the spring as it issues from the
bending wheels and bends it laterally in such a manner as to impart the pitch or
spiral form to the spring. The slide o', is actuated by the following described
mechanism. Mounted in a bearing p in the frame A³ is a crank-shaft having
cranks at its ends turned in opposite directions, whereby they become, in substance,
a rocking lever. One crank is coupled by a link to the slide o', and the other
crank has a stud which engages a slot in the lever k. At starting, and when
the lowest part of the cam E is under the cam roller i¹, the cam roller o is at
the highest point of its travel, and is then a little above the inclined cam surface
on the frame G, as seen in Figure 8. The roller G is then in an upright or
vertical position. The cam E starts rotating, but it moves so slowly, relatively,
that one coil or ring of the spring will have been formed by the bending wheels
before the cam has an opportunity to act through the levers and d on the
bending wheels to an extent sufficient to very materially diminish the diameter
of the spring. In the meantime, the cam roller o will have descended to the
inclined cam surface on frame G, and after one coil or ring of the spring shall
have been formed the roller o will act to press upon said cam surface in such
a manner as to force the frame G and roller G out to the position scen in
Figure 84, as before stated. The further downward travel of the roller o will not,
or need not, incline the roller G to any greater extent, but said roller o will still
bear on the back or inner edge of the frame G, and hold it inclined, against the
tendency of the spring-wire to force it into an upright position. After the highest
part of the cam E shall have passed the cam roller and the spring again begins
to increase in diameter, the roller o will move upward, and when it rises above the
upper angle on the frame G, the wire will force the said frame into an upright
position again, and the terminal coil of the spring will be made like the first, that
is, without pitch.
'
The slide i, may be drawn down by a spring or be caused to descend by the
weight of the parts.
The slide of and frame G are mounted in a keeper block o' which is adjustable
laterally in the frame A' whereby these parts may be so adjusted with reference
to the bending wheels as to give to the spring more or less pitch, within limits.
When the cam E shall have completed one rotation and the spring being made
shall have been completed, the latter is cut off by severing the wire. The means

page_text: employed for automatically severing the wire will now be described with especial
reference to Figures 4 12 and 12^.
It may be said primarily that the mechanism for cutting off the wire is not driven
from the main shaft B, but from another shaft. C*, through the medium of a
pulley D, which turns loosely on said shaft, and is made to drive the shaft through
the medium of a clutch controlled by the cam E.
The mechanism of the cutter is illustrated, detached in Figures 12 and 12, the
former being a plan view showing the jaws open, and the latter a similar view,
showing the movable jaw closing on the wire. The cutter comprises a lower,
movable jaw and an upper stationary jaw, u*. These jaws are substantially
alike in form, and when at rest, as in Figure 12, the cutting notches u', therein
coincide and stand, with respect to the bending wheels, in position for the wire of
the spring to pass, in an upward direction, through the coincident notches u¹. On
the shaft C is an eccentric e, the strap of which is coupled by a rod v* with the
shank of the movable jaw u, as clearly shown in Figure 12.
Normally the jaws of the cutter stand open, as in Figure 12, and, when the
rapidly rotating pulley D is momentarily connected with its shaft Cx by the
clutch, the shaft makes a single rotation and the cutter operates to sever the wire,
thus separating the coiled spring therefrom.
The clutch is a well known device for causing a constantly rotating pulley to
turn its shaft once around and then automatically release it. It comprises a
spring dog, held out of engagement with the pulley by a cam-lever, which, when
raised, allows the dog to engage. The lever is instantly lowered, and when the
shaft shall have made one complete rotation, the said lever acts to retract the dog
again and thus disengage the pulley from the shaft.
The means whereby the cam controls the operation of the clutch will now be
described.
In the cam, E, is a projecting stud or pin q, which, at the proper time, wipes
over a bevelled or rounded toe on a lever t, thus depressing that end of said lever
and elevating the opposite end, which is or may be connected by a rod, wire, or
cord to the cam lever we of the clutch; thus freeing the clutch-dog and coupling
together the pulley Dx and shaft Cx. As soon as the study passes the toe on
the lever t, the latter allows the cam-lever w to fall and when the shaft C*
shall have made one turn, the lever will withdraw the clutch-dog and set the
pulley Dx free.
It is found, however, that owing to the relatively slow movement of the cam E,
and the relatively rapid movement of the pulley D*, it is desirable to provide
means for allowing the cam-lever te to fall before study frees the lever; and this
device will now be described. The wire tx is not connected directly to the lever w,
but to a bar y, which carries a spring latch y*, and this latch takes under a
sleeve y', (see Figure 9), on the bar y. This sleeve is connected to the cam-
lever .
When the bar y is lifted by the movement of the lever t, the tail of the
latchy strikes a cam y2 and the latch is thus caused to release the sleeve y' and
permit the lever w to fall. When the bar y again descends the sleeve y' is pushed
up again into engagement with the latch.
When the spring that is being made shall have been severed by the wire-cutter,
it will be found on one of the rods of a four armed receiver and carrier, on which
it remains until it has been compressed, after which it will be discharged. This
receiving, compressing and discharging mechanism, will now be described with
especial reference to Figures 1, 3, 4, 9 and 10.
H is a shaft mounted in the main frame and provided with two four-armed
frames, HH, which form sliding bearings for four spring-receiving rods 1. Each
of these rods has on its rear end a head or stop-nut, and just inside of the
frame H, a stop-collar; and on each rod is a coil spring I, arranged between
said stop-collar and the frame H². The frame H' is situated at some distance from
the front of the machine where the spring forming appliances are placed, and the
rods project from said frame nearly to the bending wheels, their tips being

page_text: pointed or conical.
When this receiving device is at rest, the upper one of the
four rods I, will be presented to the centre of the lesser bending wheel cx, being
aligned with the shaft of said wheel. In Figure 4, where the shaft H and rods I
are represented in transverse section, the section of this upper rod is omitted in
order to avoid obscuring the other mechanism.
As the spring is being formed it moves out on the upper rod I, and a moment
after the wire is cut, the shaft H makes a quarter turn, thus presenting another
rod at the receiving point. This intermittent movement of the shaft H is
effected by mechanism, which will now be described with especial reference to
Figures 9 and 10. On the shaft H are two collars or discs J and J*, in which are
mounted in sliding bearings four rods, el, which correspond respectively to the
rods I, as seen in Figure 9. Each rod e¹ is provided with a collar and a spring e²,
which tends to drive it through the collar J and against a fixed bearing block Ji
adjacent to any facing and collar. In this block Jis a socket seen in Figure 10,
into which one of the rods el is projected in the manner of a bolt, so as to lock the
shaft H against rotation, after each quarter 'turn thereof. The shaft His rotated
intermittently a quarter turn at each rotation of the shaft C*, by means of an
eccentric K on the said shaft C*, the strap of said eccentric being coupled to a
hook L, adapted to engage one of the rods e', as will be explained. The parts are
represented in their normal position in full lines in Figure 9. When the
eccentric-K makes one rotation, the hook is first advanced to the position seen in
dotted lines in Figure 9, and then drawn back again to the normal position, seen in
full lines in said figure, thus turning shaft H a quarter way round, as the hook
engages the next rod, e¹, in its advanced position. But before the shaft H can be
turned, it is necessary to withdraw the uppermost one of the rods e¹ from the
socket 3, and this is effected by a cam L (seen in Figure 10) on the side of
hook L, which acts on the collar on the rod e' to drive the latter back and compress
its spring e². As the action of hook L is very quick or sudden, it is advisable to
introduce a spring cushion between the hook L, and eccentric K. This cushion is
shown in section in Figure 9. To the shank of the hook is secured a cylinder M,
and the strap rod. N enters this cylinder. On the end of the rod N, within the
cylinder, is a piston or head N', and between this head and the rear end of the
cylinder is arranged a cushion spring M¹. This device cushions the strain when
the hook is imparting rotation to the shaft H.
The spring-compressing device, best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, will now be
described.
The spring is received on the uppermost of the rods 1, and when this rod,
carrying the spring, is brought to the lowest point, it will be aligned with a com-
pressing slide O, mounted in sliding bearings a¹ on the base A. On the end of the
slide O, and normally adjacent to the tip of the lower rod I is a compressing
disc O', whereby when said rod is protruded or advanced as seen in Figure 3, the
spring-bearing rod I is forced back and the spring (z in Figure 3) compressed
against the face of the frame H'. Each of the rods I has in it a notch or
recess d', and, when the rod is forced back, as described, this recess is engaged by
a spring detent on the frame H' which detent holds the rod for the time
against being returned to its first position by the spring. The slide O is instantly
returned to its first position, and the compressed spring falls from the rod I, being
thrown off by its own elasticity.
The mechanism for actuating the compressing slide, O, is controlled by the
cam E. On a tranversely arranged shaft P is loosely mounted a pulley Q driven
rapidly by a belt R. This pulley is adapted to be momentarily coupled to the
shaft P by a clutch such as that described with reference to the pulley Dx and
shaft C. The clutch is illustrated in the detached sectional views, Figures 11
and 11, the former showing the clutch-dog disengaged and the latter showing it
engaged. In these views ex represents the dog, and ex its spring, ex is the cam
lever for causing the clutch-dog to engage and disengage. This lever is controlled
by the cain E, through the medium of a lever j, mounted on the frame, and

page_text: connected by a wire or cord
with the cam lever ex of the clutch. The lever j',
as here shown, stands at right angles to the lever t, and on its free end, which is
adjacent to the cam E, it has a raised toe similar to that on lever t. The stud 7 in
the cam E infringes on this toe and thus actuates the lever and through it the
cam lever of the clutch, whereby the clutch is made to momentarily connect the
rotating pulley Q with its shaft P.
The shaft, P, has a crank P, which is coupled by a connecting rod or link P
with the slide 0, whereby at each rotation of shaft P a reciprocating movement is
imparted to said slide O."
It has been stated that a spring detent on the four armed frame H' engages
the notch in the slide bar i, when the latter is forced back (as seen in Figure 3);
but when the shaft H makes its next quarter rotation the detent is withdrawn
and the rod freed, by means of a device seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, which consists
of a bell-crank ³ on frame H', having one of its arms coupled to said detent, and
its other arm coupled to an operating slide d mounted in the fraine H' and having
its free end so situated that when the shaft H rotates said end of the slide infringes
on the cam-like face of a stationary lug d mounted on bearing piece A*, which
supports the said shaft H. The crank is thus rocked and the detent withdrawn.
Wheels are employed in the bending mechanism merely to avoid friction, as the
wire will usually be fed forward very rapidly and the parts are apt to be unduly
heated if the wire rubs over a non-rolling surface. However, by working the
machine more slowly these wheels may be dispensed with and non-rolling bending
surfaces be used instead.
The effect of the cam E on the lever may be modified so that the spring
produced will be a modification of the hour-glass form; that is, it will have a
cylindrical middle portion and conical extremities. This is effected by providing
an adjustable stop which prevents the cam-roller i¹ from descending into the hollow
at the lower part of the cam E. This device in the present machine consists of a
screw 7', seen in Figure 4, made to screw up and down through a lug on the
frame F, its upper end taking under the end of the lever k at the point where the
latter is coupled to the link j.
The upper feed rollers or wheels for the wire (see Figure 4) are held down by
elastic pressure, and the means it is preferable to supply for affording a regulated
pressure are illustrated in Figures 4 and 7, the latter being a detached sectional
view of this device. The frame A³ is mounted on the frame A' and clamped
between them is a block Ax, in which are arranged rubber springs m', which rest
on guide-pins in the sliding bearing-blocks m² of the feed wheels, the journals of
which are seen in Figure 7. Over the rubber springs m' are arranged screws m³
which serve to regulate the pressure.
In place of the change wheels for regulating the speed of the cam E, other
mechanism, as cone pulleys and belts, may be employed. Some other form of
cutter for the wire may also be employed if it be desired to sever the wire more
quickly or if it be desired to feed the wire more slowly at the cutting point, the
well known elliptical gears may be used. The four-armed device on which the
springs are received and compressed may also be rotated intermittently by other
means than that described; as for example, the retraction of the compressor may
be utilized to effect this rotation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a machine for making spiral springs, the combination with means for
feeding the wire to the bending mechanism, and the said mechanism having a
movable wheel c', carried by a lever d, of a rotating cam E, the cam-roller i, its
carrying slide, and the lever k, coupled at one end to said slide and at its other end
to the lever d, said lever k having a movable fulcrum, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.

page_text: 2. In a machine for making spiral springs the combination with positively driven
feed-wheels for feeding the wire to the bending mechanism, the said bending
mechanism, having a movable wheel e carried by a lever d, and a rotating cam E
driven positively from the feed-wheels, whereby said cam is driven at a speed
having a known relation to that of the feed, of the cam-roller and its carrying
slide, and the lever & coupled at one end to said slide, and coupled adjustably to
the lever d at its opposite end, said leverk having an adjustable fulcrum, substan-
tially as set forth.
3. In a machine for making spiral springs, the combination with means for
feeding the wire to the bending mechanism, and the said mechanism, of mechanism
for regulating the pitch of the spiral of the spring, said pitch regulating mechanism
comprising a rocking frame G furnished with an antifriction roller G' and arranged
over the bending mechanism as described, and a reciprocating cani-roller o arranged
back of the frame G, and adapted to roll over a cam-surface on said frame, sub-
stantially as set forthi.
4. In a machine for making coil springs which vary in diameter and form, the
combination with means for feeding the wire to the bending mechanism, and
the said bending mechanism having a movable wheel e carried by a lever d, of the
shaft driven from the feed-wheels, the cam E loosely mounted on said shaft, the
gear wheel e fixed on said shaft, the gear wheel fixed to said 'cam, intermediate
change wheels or other suitable mechanism between and connecting said wheels e
and, the cam-roller and its carrying slide, and the lever k, coupled at one end
to said slide and at the other end to the lever d, substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for making spiral springs, the combination with means for
feeding the wire to the bending mechanism, the said bending mechanism, the
controlling cam, its roller and carrying slide and the lever k, coupled at one end to
said slide and at the other end to the lever of the movable bending wheel, of the
device for controlling the pitch of the spring being made, said device consisting of
the rocking frame G, arranged. over the bending mechanism and having a cam-
surface at its rear edge and an anti-friction roller G', the slide o' actuated by the
lever, the mechanisin intermediate between said slide and lever and the roller
carried by said slide and adapted to play over the cam-surface on the frame G
substantially as set forth.
6. In a machine for making spiral springs, the combination with the wire cutter,
comprising the jaws u and *, arranged adjacent to the bending mechanism, the
said bending mechanism, and the wire-feeding mechanism, of the shaft C* of the
cutter, the cam thereon, its yoke coupled to the moving part of the cutter,
the pulley D, mounted loosely on the shaft C, the clutch for connecting said
pulley with said shaft, the cam E and means substantially as described whereby
said cam controls said clutch, as set forth.
7. In a machine for making coil springs, the combination with a spring-forming
mechanism, substantially as described, and mechanism for automatically severing
the wire when the spring has been formed, of means for receiving and compressing
said spring, said means comprising an intermittently rotating frame having parallel,
equally spaced sliding rods 1, backed by springs, said rods being presented in
succession first to the bending mechanism and then to the compressor a recipro-
cating compressor aligned with one of the said rods, whereby the rod is driven
back and the spring thercon compressed simultaneously, as set forth.
8. In a machine for making spiral springs, the combination with wire feeding
and bending mechanism, the latter having a wheel c* and a rotating cam E, driven
from the main shaft which drives the feed-wheels of the shaft C*, the independently
driven pulley D, loose on said shaft, a clutch to connect said shaft and pulley,
means substantially as described whereby the cam E controls said clutch, the
shaft H, means substantially as described whereby rotary motion of the shaft C*,
imparts intermittent rotary motion to the shaft H, the sliding rods I, mounted in
said frames, their springs I, means for locking said rods when forced back by the
spring compressing mechanism, means for unlocking the bar after it has passed the

page_text: compressing point, the compressing mechanism, comprising the shaft P, the rotating
pulley Q loosely mounted on said shaft the clutch connecting said shaft and pulley,
said clutch being controlled by the cam E, the crank on shaft P, the rod con-
necting said crank with the slide O, and the said slide, provided with a head Ox,
the respective parts being so arranged that when at rest one of the rods I is
aligned with the shaft of wheel ex and another is aligned with the slide O, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of February 1892.
WM, P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.