IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TURNING AND CUTTING WOOD AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Walker, of Beeston, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Mechanic, and James Hudson, of Bowling, near
Bradford, in the same County, Beer Seller, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TURNING AND CUTTING WOOD AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Scaled the 10th July 1868, and dated the 31st January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Walker and
James Hudson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 31st January 1868.
We, JOHN WALKER, of Beeston, near Leeds, in the County of York,
Mechanic, and JAMES HUDSON, of Bowling, near Bradford, in the same
County, Beer Seller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR TURNING AND CUTTING WOOD AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
Our Invention is particularly adapted for turning wood bobbins and
spools, but it may be applied for turning brass steps and other articles.
Our improved machinery consists of a series of spindles supported
between two discs, these spindles rotate on their axes and an intermittent

page_text: motion is given to the discs by a pin and star wheel. To cach spindle
is fixed a mandril supporting the article to be turned, and these mandrils
are held by a swivel bracket hinged to another disc to facilitate the
removal of the finished bobbin or other article and to place a block
on the mandril. The cutters are held in a segmental bracket and
the bobbins are acted upon in succession by the different tools or
cutters which first rough out the block of wood or other substance,
then turn it to the proper size, and ultimately polish it with sand
paper or otherwise.
The traversing motion is given to the cutting
tools by an eccentric or cam acting on the segmental bracket. The
turned up bobbins or other articles are removed from the mandrils,
and rough blocks for the bobbins or other articles are put on the
mandrils while they are stationary, the rotary motion of the spindles
and mandrils being given by a strap or other gearing which only
operates on the spindles supporting the bobbins or other articles presented
to the cutters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Walker and James Hudson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 29th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JопN
WALKER, of Beeston, near Leeds, in the County of York, Mechanic,
and JAMES HUDSON, of Bowling, near Bradford, in the same County,
Beer Seller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said John Walker and James Hudson,
Her special license that we, the said John Walker and James
Hudson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said John Walker and James Hudson, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR TURNING AND CUTTING WOOD AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Walker and James Hudson,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Walker and James
Hudson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):
Our Invention is particularly adapted for turning wood bobbins
and spools, but it may be applied for turning brass steps and other
articles.
Our improved machinery consists of a series of spindles supported
between two discs, these spindles rotate on their axes and an inter-
mittent motion is given to the discs by a pin and star wheel. To each
spindle is fixed a mandril supporting the article to be turned, and
these mandrils are held by a swivel bracket hinged to another disc to
facilitate the removal of the finished bobbin or other article, and to
place a block or rough article on the mandril. The cutters are held
in a segmental bracket, and the bobbins are acted upon in succession
by the different tools or cutters which first rough out the block of
wood or other substance, then turn it to the proper size, and ultimately
polish it with sand paper or otherwise. The traversing motion is given
to the cutting tools by an eccentric or cam acting on the segmental
bracket. The turned-up bobbins or other articles are removed from the
mandrils, and rough blocks for the bobbins or other articles are put on
the mandrils while they are stationary, the rotary motion of the spindles
and mandrils being given by a strap or other gearing which only
operates on the spindles supporting the bobbins or other articles when
presented to the cutters.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters
marked thereon.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved machinery with part of
the end frame broken off to shew the interior more plainly; Figure 2 is
an end elevation; Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 is a side elevation of
the same.
This machinery is designed for turning up spools or bobbins
of wood similar to those shewn full size in Figure 5, but by varying
the shape, position, and traverse of the cutters the machine may be
adapted for turning up other articles of wood or metal or other material.
The machine consists of the two end frames a and b, and the inter-
mediate frame c, which is bolted to the beam d, uniting the two end
frames in which are bearings for the main shaft e; this shaft supports
the three discs f, g, and h, the two first of which contain the bearings
for the spindles i, and the latter is provided with swivel brackets /', and
tail pins, for steadying the ends of the mandrils , on which the
articles to be turned are fixed; these mandrils i are let into sockets in
the end of the spindles i, and they can be changed to suit the article
to be turned. To the spindles i are fixed the small drums ², which are
all turned round rapidly by the strap j, see Figure 2, driven by a pulley
on a counter shaft placed in such a position that only six out of the eight
spindles employed are turned round at the same time, the other two
being left free while the turned-up articles are removed from the
mandrils and the rough blocks or unturned articles are put on. The
swivel brackets are hinged to the disc h, and they are held in position
by the catches , and when these catches are thrown back the swivel
brackets are opened by an india-rubber or other spring h', passing over
a pulley in a bracket projecting from the plate h, as shewn in Figures 1
and 4. The catches are sprung forward by the springs h. The
various cutters for turning up the bobbins or other articles are all
connected to the segmental bracket k, which is supported by the
V-shaped rails m, and the cutter slides fit on the horizontal guide bars 7,
which are fixed to the swivel plates , bolted to the frames a and c,
and these plates can be moved so as to increase or reduce the distance
from the cutter to the mandril, according to the size or shape of the
article to be turned. The V-shaped rails m fit in the slides c' bolted to the
intermediate frame c; the rails m are united by the diagonal bar m', to
which is fixed the stud m³, taking into a slot in the lever n, and this
lever imparts the requisite traverse motion to the cutters by means
of the eccentric or cam 2. The lever n vibrates on the fulcrum
stud which is bolted in a slotted bracket fixed to the frame b, and
the lever has also a slot through it to vary the position of the stud

page_text: according to the length of traverse required by the cutters. The
discs and g are keyed to the shaft e, but the disc h is connected to it
by set screws, so that the position thereof may be varied according to
the length of the articles to be turned. The shaft is turned round
intermittently so that each bobbin or other article may be presented in
succession to the various tools and dwell a certain time at cach by
means of the star wheel e fixed to the shaft e, and this star wheel is
actuated by a pin in the plate o, which is turned round by the pinion o'
fixed to the boss of the driving pulley o³, the pinion o¹ gearing into the
intermediate wheel, which drives the wheel o', fixed to the plate o.
The eccentric or cam is driven by the mitre wheel o³ also fixed to
the plate o, gearing into the mitre wheel n', fixed to the eccentric or
cam a.
The forcing of the
The mode of operation is as follows:-When all the cutters have
been arranged and adapted according to the article to be turned, and
when the cutters are full out or near the front frame a, the operator
takes a rough piece of wood, in which a hole has been bored, and
places it on the mandril , in line with number 1 in Figure 1; the swivel
bracket opposite this mandril is now open, having been thrown open
by the spring, which acts on the bracket as soon as the catch
comes against the stop fixed to the beam d.
rough block on its mandril is effected by the hand lever p, which is
hinged at p to a projection from the slide bar p2, and acts on the
slide p', which is pulled back by the spring p' as soon as the operator
liberates the lever p. The bobbin is held firm on its mandril by sharp
projections shewn in Figure 3. As soon as the block is on its mandril
the pin in the plate o comes into operation on the star wheel e', and
begins to turn the discs f, g, and h, round in the direction of the
arrow in Figure 1; the first portion of the motion brings the swivel
bracket against the bowl q, which is supported in a bracket fixed
to the front frame a, thereby closing the swivel bracket h', and bringing
the end of the tail pin * on to the end of the mandril 1. The
shaft e continues its motion until the mandril with the rough block
comes in a line with the first cutter, or into the position marked
number 2; this cutter is a plain roughing out chisel r, secured in
the tool holder, fixed to the slide, which moves to and fro on
the horizontal guide bar I, and is connected to the segmental bracket k
by a stud projecting from the slide through a hole in the bracket k,
and through the cap k', fixed by a set screw to the bracket k; by

page_text: connecting the tool holder to the bracket by means of the swivel stud
the angle and position of the cutter can be varied. When the star
wheel e stops the cutter begins to move horizontally in the direction
of the arrow in Figure 3, and the rough or square block of wood which
is now supposed to be revolving rapidly on its mandril is partly rounded
up by the cutter r; as soon as the first rough cut has been given
by the cutter r, and the segmental bracket k has commenced its
return traverse by the action of the cam 22, the groove in which is
so shaped that the return stroke is effected rapidly, the pin in the
plate o again comes into operation on the star wheel e', and moves
the discs and spindles another eighth portion of a revolution, thus
bringing the partially turned up block to the second cutter r, in line
with number 3. This cutter is set so as to bring the partially formed
spool nearer to its proper diameter, and when this second cut has
been given and the bracket k brought back, the star wheel is again
acted upon to bring the bobbin to the third cutter r in line with
number 4; this cutter is like the preceding ones, but it is set further
back, so that when the cutter is at the end of its traverse there will
be a projection at the end of the bobbin to form the shoulder shewn
in Figure 5. The star wheel is now again acted upon to bring the
bobbin in line with number 5, at which place are the cutters 8 and 8¹
to form the ends of the bobbin; the cutter & is fixed in the holder &
fixed to the swivel bar 17, which is set in a diagonal position and
supported on adjustable tail pins for varying the angle. The cutter &¹
is duplex, as shewn detached in Figure 6, one part of the cutter being
for turning up the shoulder and the other part for making the concave
end of the bobbin; this duplex cutter & is fixed in the holders, also
fixed to the bar 17; to the holder is fixed the arm 8, which fits in
a diagonal slot in the plate m³, fixed to the lower rail m and shewn
best in Figures 7 and 8. By this arrangement, when the segmental
bracket is moving in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 the
slot acting on the arm &* causes the cutters to turn up the ends of
the bobbin, and the sharp curve at the end of the slot draws the
cutters back again so that they may be clear of the bobbin when the
star wheel again comes into action to bring the bobbin in line with
number 6, where the finishing cutter is placed; this cutter is similar
to the other cutters and acts only on the smaller diameter of the
bobbin, the shoulder having been nearly finished by the cutter &¹ above
described. The next move of the star wheel brings the bobbin to the

page_text: polishing apparatus in line with number 7; this polishing apparatus
consists of a band of sand paper or other equivalent wound on the
drum ; the end of the sand paper passes between the bobbin and
pad, which is pressed upwards by india-rubber or other springs
acting against studs projecting from the under side of the pad, the end
of the sand paper is secured to the drum t, which is turned slowly
round by the crossed strap &, and the train of wheels and pinions
shewn in Figure 2, or in any other convenient manner.
By this
means the sand paper is gradually unwound off the drum t, which is
O provided with a weight or friction drag and wound on the drum t.
The pad has a slight to-and-fro motion endwise given to it by
projections on the intermediate wheel o³ acting on the lever t, sec
Figure 4, the lower end of which is jointed to the rod ; this rod
has a stud taking into the lever 1, which gives motion to the slide t³,
in which are sockets for the studs projecting from the under side of
the pad ; this to-and-fro motion of the sand paper is to prevent it
forming ridges on the bobbin. The bobbin having now been turned
and polished is brought by the next motion of the star wheel to the
knocking off or doffing apparatus in line with number 8, and in passing
from 7 to 8 the catch a comes against the stop d to open the swivel
bracket h', as before described. This doffing apparatus consists of the
shiding finger u, fitting on the stud fixed to the centre frame c;
the finger is moved to and fro by the forked lever u³, see Figure 4,
the lower end of, which is jointed to the rod u³, which is supported
by bridles fixed to the beam d; the rod u³ is also jointed to the lever u',
the upper end of which is acted upon by a projection on the under
side of the cam 2¹; as soon as the bobbin has been knocked off its
mandril the levers u³ and u are brought back to their proper positions
by the spring us. When the spindle arrives at number 8 it is desirable
to check its rotary motion, and this is effected by the spring break or
other equivalent acting on the small drum 1. The next move
of the star wheel brings the empty mandril in line with number 1,
when the operator again places a rough block upon it, as before
described.
We wish it to be understood that although we have described the
various operations requisite for completing a single bobbin, it is evident
that when the machine is properly at work there are always six
bobbins under operation simultaneously, and the attendant is constantly
employed in placing rough blocks on the mandrils from which

page_text: the finished bobbins have been removed, while the bobbins are pre-
sented in succession to the various tools and polishing apparatus.
We wish to observe that the number of bobbins and mandrils may
be increased or reduced according to the articles to be operated upon.
In turning up the trenails for railway chairs or other solid articles
the mandril would be dispensed with, and a suitable catch or clutch
would be fixed in the end of the spindle.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the
manner of performing the same, we declare that we claim,-
First. The general combination and arrangement of the machine for
turning wood bobbins and other articles of wood, metal, or other
material, as shewn and described.
Secondly. Connecting all the tool holders to a segmental bracket, as
shewn and described.
Thirdly. The improved tool holders of the tools for turning the
circumference and ends of bobbins and other articles, as shewn and
described.
And lastly. The improved self-acting apparatus for doffing the finished
bobbins or other articles, as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Walker and James Hudson,
have hereto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of
July One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN WALKER. (L.S.)