Improvements in Lathes for Turning Shafts, Spindles, Tubes, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lathes for Turning Shafts, Spindles, Tubes,
and the like.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent. do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion (a communication to me from Cyrus H. McCormick, of Chicago, in the County
of Cook, State of Illinois, one of the United States of America,) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement
This invention has for its object to provide compact, simple and efficient mechanism,
whereby shafts, spindles, tubes and other bodies may be accurately turned, either
singly or in multiple, under the care of a single attendant. Such articles have
heretofore been turned in lathes arranged horizontally, thus occupying a considerable
space and requiring an attendant to each lathe, or to each two lathes at most;
the attendant having to reach over to get at the adjusting devices and losing much
time in having to move from one lathe to another when supervising more than a
single lathe. In addition, cach shaft or other light round body is, under such
conditions, apt to sag or spring from the effect of its own weight or the pressure
of the cutters, and to be turned unevenly in consequence.
According to this invention, each lathe is arranged so that the body to be turned
may be carried by head and tail-stocks sliding vertically. Any number of lathes may
be arranged side by side in a single row; and, by providing a platform for the
attendant at a suitable height and bringing all the adjusting and controlling devices
to the front where they can be reached from the platform, it is made possible for almost
an indefinite number of lathes to be superintended by a single attendant. Further,
since the whole weight of each body is in the direction of its length, instead of being
transverse thereto, all danger of sagging is obviated.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view, partly in plan and partly in section,
taken on the line 1-1 in Fig. 2, of a row of lathes made in accordance with the
present improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away to more clearly
expose the construction. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 in
Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view with the operating parts removed. The following
figures are drawn to a larger scale-Fig. 5 is a detail-view on the lines 5-5 in
Figs. 3 and 6, showing one of the head-stocks with its centre and lathe-dogs, the lower
part of its carriage, and the gearing whereby the head-stock is driven from the main
shaft. Fig. 6 represents the lower part of one of the lathes, showing its head-stock
and the pinion by which it is driven. Fig. 7 is a plan of one of the cutter-heads on
the lines 7-7 in Figs. 8 and 10; the housing and casing being shewn in section.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation of part of one of the lathes, displaying the tail-stock, the
cutter-head and portions of the housing, the carriage and the carriage-feed. Fig. 9 is
a view on the lines 9-9, Figs. 8 and 10, illustrating the carriage-feed with the
housing and carriage in section; the worm-wheel of the feed being partly broken
away. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line 10-10 in Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a
longitudinal section through the tail-stock on the line 11-11 in Fig. 12; Fig. 12
being a transverse section on the line 12-12 in Fig. 11.
A is a strong foundation or base-plate to which is bolted the foot of the upright
housing Beach housing being preferably cast in a single piece, as shown, and
provided along its vertical edges with flanges b. The latter, in a row of lathes, are
bolted either to the housings of adjoining lathes or to the bracing brackets C, and,
in a single lathe, to the bracing brackets. In a single lathe, the feet of the brackets
are bolted to the base-plate-which is of the same width as the housing-or, when
several lathes are used, to the end base-plates; a firm structure for the support of
he operative parts of the lathe or lathes being thus formed. Each upright housing
ID 1171

page_text: is made with a pair of vertical ways or cheeks D, between which is confined a long
carriage E by means of keepers E. The carriage E has on its rear side a rack e,
with which a feed-wheel engages, and on its front or exposed side a long wedge-
shaped rib or bar el upon which the head-stock or poppet is adjustably mounted.
The carriage and its load are counterbalanced by a weight F¹, which is connected
to the upper end of the carriage by a rope or chain F passing over pulleys f.
G is the head-stock secured to the foot of the carriage and carrying the centre g
and the dog or dogs g¹. A pinion g² is secured to the mandrel or spindle of the
head-stock and gears with and is driven by a pinion g³ siiding upon but rotating
with a vertical shaft G. This shaft is supported at its lower end in a step
and a fixed bearing g³, and passes through a bearing in the foot of the carriage.
The carriage is shewn in the drawings as being hollow throughout its length and
enclosing the shaft, but it may be of any suitable construction.
;
In the vertical
shaft is cut a longitudinal groove in which slides a feather g* fixed in the
pinion g³ the latter being so secured to the carriage as to move vertically to and
fro therewith. The pinions g2 and 93 always remain in gear with one another.
The step and the bearing g are preferably formed in a pedestal-bracket H; which
is secured to the base-plate A. The bracket H carries horizontal bearings for
a driving shaft H', which through the bevel-pinions and drives the vertical
lathe-shaft G. The pinions and h² are covered by a hood H³, which constitutes
part of the bracket H. At the rear of the bracket is another bearing h³ (Fig. 1)
for one end of a shaft H³, upon which is keyed a speed-pulley or pulleys H; the
bearing for the other end of the shaft being preferably in the frame-bracket at the
end of the row, as at . The shaft H³ is connected with and transmits motion to
the shaft H through bevel-pinions and 1°. A speed-pulley H is fixed to the
shaft H' and drives, through a belt and a speed-pulley H (Fig. 3), a worm-shaft 117,
which is provided with a worm . One end of the worm-shaft H' is mounted in
a bearing pivoted in a bracket K (Fig. 9) at the rear of the upright housing and
near the terminus of the upward traverse of the sliding carriage. The other end
takes a bearing in a box (Figs. 2 and 8), which is free to slide vertically up and
down in a guide-slot K' in the housing, but is normally held at the top of the slot
by a trip-latch K2 pressed into engagement by a spring and having an arm
extending across the housing into the path of a tappet (Figs. 2 and 6) projecting
from the foot of the sliding carriage, so that, when the carriage approaches the
upward limit of its movement, the tappet may strike the arm and release the trip-
latch, thus allowing the worm-shaft to fall to the full extent permitted by the guide-
slot. The bearing-block is furnished with a handle (Figs. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10), in
order that, when the carriage returns to its normal position, the worm-shaft may be
lifted to enable the trip-latch to again snap into engagement. The worm gears
with a worm-wheel L (Figs. 3, 9 and 10) on one end of a shaft mounted in hori-
zontal bearings at the rear of the housing; this shaft carrying a pinion L, which
gears with the rack e and serves to lift or feed the carriage so long as the machine
is in action and the worm is in engagement with the worm-wheel; that is, until
the tappet causes the trip-latch K to release the worm-shaft and thus allow the
worm to fall out of gear with the worm-wheel L. To the other end of the shaft
is keyed a bevel-pinion, which gears with another bevel-pinion keyed to the
rear end of a transverse shaft L2, which turns in a bearing formed through the
housing and is provided with a hand-wheel or crank L³ whereby it may be rotated
by the operator. The hand-wheel L³ is situated on one side of the carriage and the
trip-latch K on the other side, so that, being adjacent to one another, the operator
may, whenever necessary, by disengaging the trip-latch, readily throw the automatic
feed out of action in order to adjust the feed by hand; afterwards resetting the trip-
latch to again start the automatic feed. The hand-wheel further serves to return the
sliding carriage to its normal position after a shaft or other body has been turned.
It may, in addition, be used to control the descent of the sliding carriage when the
feed-mechanism is out of gear and the load on the carriage is more then the average
weight.

page_text: In order that the operator may be at a sufficient height to have the entire apparatus
under his control, a foot-plank or platform M (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) is arranged across the
front of the lathe or row of lathes, and rests upon corbels or brackets m, or upon
other suitable supports. The platform under ordinary conditions is placed at about the
normal height of the 'live' centre so as not to obstruct the view of the work. Its
position will, however, depend upon the length of the shaft or body to be turned. The
feed-mechanism is near the upper end of the traverse of the sliding carriage and at
such a height as to be conveniently reached by the attendant when standing upon the
foot-plank or platform.
N is a tail-stock mounted vertically above the head-stock upon, and adjustable along,
the wedge-shaped rib of the sliding carriage. It is preferably clamped in the desired
position by the bolt n (Fig. 12) and wedge N¹, though other means for effecting
adjustment may be employed. The tail-stock carries the 'dead' spindle n³, the position
of which is adjusted by the hand-wheel N2 and screw-shaft n². The spindle is pro-
vided with an ordinary tapering socket for the reception of the 'dead' contre N³; and
is clamped in position, after adjustment, by means of a binding screw n³ in the usual.
manner.
The tool-table or shelf 0 (see Figs. 7 and 8) is located just above the feed-mechanism,
and has an opening for the passage of the body to be turned.
It is provided
with converging ways or guides o for the tool-holders O', which carry the cutters o'.
Each tool-holder is fed inwards towards the shaft or other body by means of a screw o³,
which takes into a lug o secured to the top of the shelf. Opposite the cutters are
adjustable rests P, which may be set up against the back of the shaft by the set-
screws p, so as to withstand the pressure of the cutters and prevent swaying.
In practice, the shaft or other body to be turned is centred when the sliding table is
at its lowest position in the lathe. The cutters and rests having been adjusted and the
automatic feed set in action, the carriage begins its upward traverse. The attendant
can at any time pass along the foot-plank from one lathe to another and stop any
particular feed or attend to any of the adjusting devices without the necessity of
stooping over moving parts of the machinery or of going from one side of the lathe-
frame to the other. When any carriage in a row of lathes has reached the termina-
tion of its upward traverse and released the automatic feed-mechanism, the attendant
can, without leaving the foot-plank or platform, return the carriage with its load to the
starting point, reset the cutters, and again start the automatic feed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved means for turning shafts, spindles, tubes and the like arranged
and operating substantially as herein described, and comprising a lathe for use as
one of a series or independently and so designed as to admit of the work being
carried between vertically-moving head- and tail-stocks.
2. In a lathe, the combination, with a carriage traversing upright ways or
cheeks in a vertical housing, and head-and tail-stocks mounted vertically on such
carriage, of the vertical housing and a tool-rest past which the carriage moves,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertical ways or cheeks on the housing,
the carriage traversing such ways or cheeks, and the head- and tail-stocks mount d
on and moving with the carriage, of the automatic feed-mechanism, the trip-latch,
and the tappet for operating the trip-latch, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertical ways or checks on the housing, the
carriage traversing such ways or cheeks, and the head- and tail-stocks mounted on and
moving with the carriage, of the automatic feed-mechanism, the trip-latch, and the
mechanism whereby the feed may be regulated by hand. substantially as and for
the purpose describe 1.
5. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertical ways or cheeks on the housing, the
carriage traversing such ways or cheeks, the head-stock mounted on the foot of

page_text: the carriage and the tail-stock mounted on and adjustable along the upper end of
the carriage, of the feed-mechanism, and the counterbalance, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
6. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertical ways or cheeks on the housing, the
carriage traversing such ways or cheeks, and the head- and tail-stocks mounted on and
moving with the carriage, of the worm-shaft mounted at one end in a pivoted bearing
and at the other end in a sliding block, the trip-latch engaging with the block,
the worm on the worm-shaft, the worm-wheel, the feed-pinion, and the tappet on
the traversing carriage, substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertically-traversing carriage, of the
automatic feed-mechanism, the trip-latch, and the mechanism whereby the feed may
be regulated by hand, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. In a lathe, the combination, with the traversing carriage, of the worm-shaft
mounted at one end in a pivoted bearing and at the other end in a vertically-sliding
block, the feed-pinion, the trip-latch, and the mechanism whereby the feed may be
regulated by hand, substantially as and for the purpose described.
9. In a lathe, the combination, with the vertical ways or cheeks on the housing,
the carriage traversing such ways or cheeks, the vertical shaft passing through the
carriage, the driving pinion sliding with the carriage on the shaft, the head-stock, the
head-stock-spindle, and the head-stock-pinion engaging with the sliding pinion, of
the horizontal shaft by which the vertical shaft is driven, the speed-pulley on
the horizontal shaft, and the automatic feed-mechanism driven from the speed-pulley,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. In apparatus for turning shafts, spindles, tubes and the like, the combination,
with a series of vertical ways or cheeks, and a series of carriages traversing such ways
or cheeks and provided with head- and tail-stocks and independent feed-mechanisms,
of a corresponding series of stationary cutter-rests and controlling devices, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
11. In apparatus for turning shafts, spindles, tubes and the like, the combination,
with a series of vertical housings having vertical ways or cheeks and a series of
traversing carriages provided with head- and tail-stocks, of a series of independent
feed-mechanisms and a series of independent driving mechanisms, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
12. In apparatus for turning shafts, spindles, tubes and the like, the combination,
with a vertical lathe, or series of vertical lathes, and controlling devices, of a foot-
plank or platform running along the face of the lathe or series of lathes, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 28th day of January 1890.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.