Improvements in Milling Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th July, 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Milling Machines.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN, of The Premier Works, Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Managing Director of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object improvements in milling machines by the addition
of automatic mechanism whereby, in addition to moving the bed carrying the work
past the milling tool in one direction, the spindle carrying the work has a step by
step rotary motion imparted thereto; it is held fast whilst the milling tool is
acting on the work and the travelling bed is automatically returned for a
fresh cut.
In carrying my invention into effect I fix brackets to the front of the bed
or framing carrying the travelling bed, and in such brackets I mount a cam shaft,
which receives motion from the driving shaft by suitable gearing. On the front
end of the spindle carrying the work I fix a dividing wheel, which receives an
intermittent rotary motion by means of a pawl or driver operated by a cam on the
cam shaft and suitable connections. A retaining dog is caused to enter a divisfon
of the dividing wheel, after the latter has been fed forward a step, to hold the same,
and consequently the spindle and work, firmly whilst the milling action takes place.
A cam acts upon a roller or projection from the travelling bed to give it the
forward motion to carry the work past the milling tool in one direction, whilst a
crank pin connected to a link attached to the travelling bed by means of a screw
stud and slot permitting of a lost motion, gives motion to the bed in the reverse
direction.
By these means I am enabled automatically to mill out the teeth of chain or
other wheels, the attendant having merely to fix the work in the machine, to stop
the machine when the work is finished, and then to fix a new piece of work on the
spindle.
TL 1
WILLIAM HILLMAN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Milling Machines.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN, of The Premier Works, Coventry, in the County o
Warwick, Managing Director of Works, 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:—
The invention has for its object improvements in milling machines by the
addition of automatic mechanism whereby, in addition to moving the bed carrying
the work past the milling tool in one direction, the spindle carrying the work has
a step by step rotary motion imparted thereto, it is held fast whilst the milling tool
is acting on the work, and the travelling bed is automatically returned for a
fresh cut.
In carrying my invention into effect I fix brackets to the front of the bed
or framing carrying the travelling bed, and in euch brackets I mount a cam shaft,
which receives motion from the driving shaft by suitable gearing. On the front

page_text: end of the spindle carrying the work I fix a dividing wheel, which receives an
intermittent rotary motion by means of a pawl or driver operated by a cam on the
cam shaft and suitable connections. A retaining dog is caused to enter a division
of the dividing wheel, after the latter has been fed forward a step, to hold the
same, and consequently the spindle and work, firmly whilst the milling action takes
place. A cam acts upon a roller or projection from the travelling bed to give it
the forward motion to carry the work past the milling tool in one direction, whilst
a crank pin connected to a link attached to the travelling bed by means of a screw
stud and slot, permitting of a lost motion, gives motion to the bed in the reverse
direction.
By these means I am enabled automatically to mill out the teeth of chain or
other wheels, the attendant having merely to fix the work in the machine, to stop
the machine when the work is finished, and then to fix a new piece of work on the
spindle.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more
fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front view and Figure 2 is a side view of parts of a milling machine
provided with my present improvements.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations of parts of the same partly in section, and
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are side views of the cams separately.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a is the headstock, b is the driving and tool carrying mandrel, which is mounted
in bearings in the headstock a, which latter is also provided with an adjustable
arm a fitted with a centre a² to carry the end of cutter bar b'. c is a travelling
bed carrying a slide to which the headstock d and tailstock e are fixed, between
which the work is mounted, and is the table carrying the travelling bed c.
table is mounted on vertical guides f' and is capable of being adjusted in height
to enable the work to be fixed at the required height for the correct action of the
milling tool thereon.
This
The parts above referred to are similar to those of an ordinary milling machine
and form no part of my present invention.
According to my invention I fix brackets f* to the front of the table or bed f
carrying the travelling bed c, and in such brackets I mount a cam shaft 9, which
receives motion from the driving shaft 6 by suitable gearing, giving motion there-
from to the vertical hollow shaft h, within which is telescoped the shaft h', which
is supported at its upper end in the bracket f, which is cast in one with one of the
brackets f; the shaft his thus euabled to rise and fall within the shaft h, but is
compelled by a feather and keyway to rotate therewith. By these means the table f
is enabled to be adjusted in height without interfering with the driving gear. The
upper end of the shaft has fixed thereon a bevel pinion ³, which gears into a
bevel pinion g¹.fixed on one end of the cam shaft 9.
On the front end of the spindle d', which gives a step by step rotary motion to
the work, I fix a dividing wheel, which receives an intermittent rotary motion
by means of a pawl lever d³ mounted loosely on the spindle d' and receiving motion
from a cam d' on the cam shaft g, which cam acts upon an arm d' at the lower end
of an adjustable rod a connected at its upper end to the pawl lever d³. The arm d³
has its rear end bored so as to work on a fixed guide to keep said arm true with
its cam, and adjusting and locking nuts d³ are used for accurate adjustment of the
rod do.
A retaining dog i is caused to enter a division of the dividing wheel d², after the
latter has been fed forward a step, to hold the same, and consequently the spindle d'
and work, firmly whilst the milling action takes place.
Motion is given to the retaining dog i in the following manner, On the cam

page_text: shaft g is a cam ", which acts upon a pin at one end of a lever i mounted on an
axis carried by the bracket f; the lever being thus oscillated on its axis, the
further end thereof acts upon the toe of the retaining dog i and draws the latter
downwards against the action of the spring, thereby releasing the division plate d*.
When the nose of the cam has passed the pin, the spring causes the dog i to
press against the periphery of the division plate din readiness to enter a notch
thereof when the cam has rotated such plate to the extent of one division, when
the dog i will be pushed upwards by the spring into a notch and will thereby
securely lock the division plate.
A cam o acts upon a roller c³ or projection from the travelling bed c to give it
the forward motion to carry the work past the milling tool 6' in one direction, whilst
motion is given at the required time to the travelling bed c in the reverse direction
by a crank pin c carried by a crank disc c fixed on the cam shaft 9 and connected to
a link c', which is attached to the travelling bed c by means of screw stud c* fixed in
the travelling bed c and passing through a slot in the link &.
The action of the machine is as follows:-Suppose the parts are in the position
shown in the drawings, the cam c¹ is being rotated by the gearing and is forcing
the travelling bed c in a direction to carry the work ✗ (a chain wheel) past the
milling tool or cutter 6; the crank disc c is coming into position to be ready to
give the return motion to the travelling bed c aided by the spring of after the cam c¹
has completed its work.
When the travelling bed c has been brought back by the crank disc c¹ and
connections, the cam shaft g will have rotated sufficiently to allow the cam to
depress the dog i and thereby release the division plate d'. While this operation
is being performed, and before the cam has released the pin, the cam dhas
engaged with the arm d of the adjustable rod d, thereby raising the pawl lever d
and, by means of the pawl, causing the division plate d to be rotated the required
distance. Before this operation is completed, the cam i¹ has released the retaining
dog i, which however is unable to move upwards but continues pressing against the
periphery of the dividing plate until the cam d' has rotated said division plate
the distance of one division, when the dog i is pushed upwards by the spring and
securely locks the plate d³.
Upon the cam releasing the arm d³ of the rod do, the pawl lever d³ and
its pawl and actuating rod, are brought back to their original position by the
spring d
Upon the completion of the unlocking, rotating and locking actions, the cam c¹
has arrived in position to commence its work again, that is, to force the travelling
bed c, together with the work (chain wheel) &c., past the milling tool or cutter,
when the movements of the various cams and other parts are repeated as. above
described.
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 :-
1. In milling machines, the combination therewith of a dividing wheel fixed on
the spindle rotating the work, means for giving a step by step rotary motion to the
dividing wheel and work, means for holding the dividing wheel rigidly fixed whilst
the milling tool or cutter is acting on the work, and for releasing the dividing wheel
after the work has been traversed past the milling tool or cutter, and means for
giving the required to and fro motion to the travelling bed, the whole being
arranged to work automatically, substantially as herein shown and described.
or
2. The combination with milling machines, of means for automatically traversing
the travelling bed and work to and fro past the milling tool or cutter, of means
automatically giving a step by step rotary motion to the work, and of means for
automatically holding the work stationary during the action of the milling tool or
cutter thereon, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. The combination with milling machines, of a cam shaft, cams and connections
.

page_text: for automatically producing the various motions herein referred to, substantially as
herein shown and described.
Dated this 28th day of July 1892
WM. HILLMAN,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.