AN IMPROVEMENT OR IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TURNING, CUTTING, SHAPING, OR RSDUCING WOOD OR OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
FINDLAY, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifth day of April, in
the thirteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Findlay, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Joseph Findlay, my exors,
adiiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Joseph Findlay, my exors,
adiñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR TURNING, CUTTING, SHAPING, OR
RSDUCING WOOD OR OTHER SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso, requiring that I, the said Joseph Findlay, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, shall particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and shall cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW. YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Findlay, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by this present instrument in writing, as follows, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto attached, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists of certain arrangements or contrivances of
machinery or apparatus to be used or adapted for turning, cutting, shaping, or
reducing wood and other suitable materials into bobbins, or other articles
producible by such arrangements of machinery, with greater economy and
dispatch than is possible by the ordinary process of manufacture or production
now in use.
And in order that the object of my said Invention may be properly under-
stood, I shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheets of
Drawings hereunto attached.
And first, with reference to my machinery as arranged for cutting or turning
wood or other substances or materials into boblins upon which to wind various
fibrous materials.
Figure 1, of Sheet I. of my Drawings, represents a front elevation of the
machine which I use for turning or manufacturing thread bobbins; Figure 2
is a corresponding plan of the same; Figure 1, of Sheet 2, is a side or end
elevation of the cutting mechanism of the said machine, with the bottom
plates upon which it is carried; and Figures 2, 3, and 4 are separate details
of various other arrangements intended for the same general purpose of
turning or cutting.
A, A, is the line of the bed or stand of the machine, upon which are placed
the two headstocks B, C, arranged as in an ordinary lathe. The fixed head-
stock B carries the mandril or turning spindle D, which receives its motion
from the strap pulley E. This spindle has a short arbor or holder F,'adjusted
in its end in the usual way, to receive the rough blank out of which the bobbin
is to be formed. The adjustable headstock C carries a sliding centre bar G,
held down in its bearing by a top cap H, being moveable longitudinally in its
bearing by the lever I. This lever has a fixed centre at J on a bracket bolted
to the headstock C, and it is jointed at K to the outer end of the bar G by
a short link L. The same end of the bar G also has bolted to it an angular
piece of metal M, connected at N by a bolt, adjustable in a longitudinal slot
to the sliding bar O acting on the disengaging or stop apparatus on the
standard or pedestal P. The tool or cutter holders Q, R, vibrate on centres
at S, S, on the plates U, U, fixed on the bed between the two headstocks,

page_text: being actuated by the transverse cam shaft T. The back holder Q carries the.
plain rough 'turning cutters, consisting of a broad plain chisel or cutter V,
adjustable on the top of the holder by the bolt W and two side gouges X, X,
held down by screws in their guides Y, Y, the plain chisel V being for the
purpose of turning down the rough blank to a smooth cylinder of the required
diameter, whilst the gouges cut down the ends. The amount of stroke neces-
sary to bring these cutters into action on the blanks is obtained from ȧ pin or
stud Z screwed or adjusted in the shaft T, so that at each vibration the
rounded head of the pin presses against the bottom of the holder, raising it
up, and causing the cutters to traverse along the line of the dotted are. The
front holder R is fitted with the necessary cutters for giving the finished shape
to the bobbin. The compound tool used for this purpose is formed out of
five separate chisels, the central plain one a held down by screws at b, b, being
set to cut out the central cylindrical portion of the bobbin, whilst the two
angular chisels c, c, also secured by the screws b, b, produce the inside bevil of
the bobbin flanges or ends, and the two external chisels d, d, held down by
the bolts e, e, cut the outer ends square. The vibratory traverse for this tool
is also obtained from the shaft T by the cam f on its front end acting at each
stroke upon the bottom of the holder at g. The toolholders are both worked
from the shaft h, driven by the band pulley k. This shaft has upon its inner
end a slotted lever 1, carrying an adjustable stud bolt m, for receiving the
connecting rod n, jointed at its opposite end to a second slotted lever o on the
the cam shaft T. In this way the revolution of the short lever communicates
a continuous vibratory action to the shaft T through its longer lever o. The
driving shaft h is fitted with a disengaging or stop apparatus, intended for the
purpose of suspending the action of the cutters at the instant of the putting
in the blanks, or removing the finished bobbins from the machine. A serrated
clutch piece p is fixed upon the boss of the loose driving pulley k, and a cor-
responding clutch q is fitted to slide longitudinally upon a feather on the shaft,
so as to be capable of engagement with it when required. The angular end
of the bar O projects into the grooved ring of the boss of the sliding clutch,
the inclined plane of its front edge being made to bear against the loose end of
the hinged link s, carried upon the top of the standard t.
A helical spring u
on the shaft abuts against the front end of the sliding clutch, tending to
keep it constantly in gear with the clutch p, so as to connect the shaft with its
driving pulley. When the lever I is drawn back to release the finished bobbin
from the holder, the bar O sliding in the direction of the arrow bears on oue
side against the guide pulley v as a support, whilst its opposite inclined edge
at w pressing through the link s upon the front flange of the sliding clutch.

page_text: boss, so as to withdraw the sliding clutch and disengage the shaft h from the
action of its pulley. This movement at once stops the movement of the
cutters, giving time for the attendant to place the succeeding blank upon
the holder. In turning bobbins by this machine, the rough blanks properly
bored out are entered upon the short cylindrical end of the sliding centre
bar G, which is then traversed forward by the lever I to the position repre-
sented in Sheet I. This action forces the contrary end of the blank upon the
arbor or holder F, as represented in dotted lines, where it is held by two or
more suitable projections or ribs so as to be carried round at a rapid rate upon
the arbor, as previously explained. This movement puts the shaft h into
motion through the bar O, and the tools or cutters are caused to approach one
slightly after the other to the revolving blank, which is thus acted upon and
reduced to the required shape. The vibratory traverse of the two tool holders
is not simultaneous, the back or roughing-off action being brought into play
first, so that the finishing cut always acts upon the blank after the latter has
been reduced to a plain cylinder. To accomplish this effect, the actuating pin
of the plain tool is set to act slightly in advance of the cam of the front finishing
tool. At each traverse of the connecting rod n, in the direction of the arrow,
the stud Z rises to its highest point with the vibration of the shaft T, raising the
toolholder correspondingly, and the traverse being continued to a short extent
beyond this point, the head of the stud descends slightly in its movement on the
opposite side of the axis of the shaft, thus withdrawing the tool after its cut to
a distance sufficient to clear the blank. At this point of the movement the
front or finishing tool comes into action, cutting out the recess for the thread
and completing the bobbin, when the movement of both tools is reversed and
the bobbin is removed in readiness for placing the succeeding blank in the
machine. The removal of the bobbin is effected by means of the angular
sliding bar y, which receives its movement from the sliding centre bar G.
This bar has attached to it at an upright bar a', the top of which is
bored out, and has a split eye 6 formed upon it, so as to be adjustable
by a screw and stud piece c¹ upon the end d' of the angular bar y. The
opposite end of the latter has an eye adjusted to slide upon the cylindrical
portion e of the arbor or blank holder F, so that each time the lever I is
drawn back, the end of the bar y, in sliding along the arbor, presses against
the end of the bobbin and draws it off. The length of stroke of the lever
is adjustable to suit various lengths of bobbins by the stop screw f, against
which the eye of the link I works; the same movement of the lever I also
stops the vibration of the toolholders Q, R, until a new blank having been
applied, the lever is pressed forward, when the blank is passed upon its holder

page_text: and the clutch p, q, is thrown into gear to bring the cutters again into action,
the object of the self-acting stop motion for the cutting tools being merely to
afford time to the attendant for putting on the blanks without the risk of acci-
dent from the approximation of the tools at the time that this is done. The
machine
may, if deemed advisable, be worked without it. In such a case the
action of the cutters will be at constant regular intervals, and the attendant
must time his movements so as to put on the blanks exactly at the moment of
the expansion of the toolholders. Cams or eccentrics of various shapes or
dimensions may be employed for giving the movement to the toolholders; and
instead of working their shaft by means of a plain crank lever, as at 7 in
Sheet I. of my Drawings, the requisite movement may be obtained by means
of a cam eccentric or scroll piece on the shaft h, such cam or eccentric being.
shaped so as to give the cutters a quick traverse when out of cut, and a slow
one when in the act of cutting.
Figure 2, on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, is a side elevation of a pair of
cutting tools for a bobbin turning machine, arranged to traverse along a
straight bar by the action of a right and left screw spindle, instead of
the vibrating cam action herein-before described. In this arrangement the
toolholders A and B are fitted to traverse upon the straight bar or plate C
as in a lathe slide rest. Both toolholders have nuts D, D, attached to
them beneath, by which they are connected to the right and left.screws
E, F, which are cut or formed upon the spindle G, this spindle being worked
in any convenient manner by the crank lever H, or a rack and pinion move-
ment may be employed instead of the crank. The action of the tools may
either be simultaneous, as would occur in the arrangement given in Figure 2,
or by driving the two screws separately; the plain tool may be made to come
into cut first, as described in reference to Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 1:
According to another modification, the traverse of the tools may be effected
by screw spindles having right and left threads crossing each other, so that the
continued rotation of the spindle produces a traverse in both directions.
Figure 3, on Sheet 2, is a side elevation of another. mode of working the
cutting or turning tools. The toolholders A, B, are in this arrangement also
made to traverse along a straight face or slide C, the movement being com-
municated to them by the pulley shaft D. This shaft has upon its end a
slotted crank lever E, in which a pin F is adjustable at any required position
to give various lengths of stroke. The pin F carries the connecting rod G,
jointed at its opposite end to the elbow of the angular bar H, one extremity of
which is attached at I to the toolholder A. The lower limb K of the same
bar is connected by a rod L to the lower end of a double lever M, oscillating

page_text: upon a fixed centre at N, its upper end being linked at O to the second tool-
holder B. Under this arrangement the revolution of the crank lever E, as
represented by the arrow, causes: the two toolholders to approach to and
recede from each other to give the requisite cutting action to the revolving
blank between them.
Figure 4, on Sheet 2, represents a side elevation of a modification of
the actuating mechanism of the machine, together with the toolholders and
slide, wherein the tool movement is obtained from crank pins A, B, adjustable
In
in slots in the spur wheels C, D, working in gear with each other.
this arrangement E is assumed to be the driving shaft carrying the spur
wheel C, the pin A of which carries a connecting rod attached at its opposite
end to the toolholder F. The corresponding wheel D gearing with the
upper wheel C is in like manner connected to the other toolholder G, so
that the simultaneous revolution of the two wheels, produes the required
traverse of the toolholders, as indicated by the arrows.
In this case, as in
all the previously described modifications of the machine, the stop or dis-
engaging apparatus may be applied to answer the end, detailed in reference
to Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1, and Figure 1 of Sheet 2. The adoption of the
pair of spur wheels in this arrangement affords a ready means of setting one
cutter to act slightly in advance of the other, by varying the positions of the
actuating crank pins in respect to each other.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet 3, and Figures 5 and 6 on Sheet 2, exhibit com-
bined views and details of another modification of my machinery for turning
bobbins, wherein the whole of the several movements of the apparatus,
including the feeding of the blanks and placing them on the mandril, the
removing of the finished bobbins, and the stop movements of the cutters,
and the traversing bar for bringing up and holding the blanks upon the
mandril, are all self-acting.
Figure 1, of Sheet 3 of my Drawings, is a front elevation of the
machine, and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same. Figure 5,
of Sheet 2, is an elevation of the actuating cam shaft of the cutters with
the two cams upon it; and Figure 6, on the same Sheet, is a side or
end elevation of the cutting mechanism, with the actuating cams, and the
supporting slide upon which the toolholders traverse. The whole of these
four views are drawn to the same scale. The headstocks A and B of this
machine are similar to those delineated in Figures 1 and 2 of Sheet 1 of
my Drawings; the fixed headstock A having a mandril C for carrying
the bobbin blank to be turned, whilst the adjustable headstock B is fitted
with a traversing centre bar D for holding up the blank during the cutting

page_text: action. The toolholders E, F, carrying the cutters for shaping the bobbins,
have each a projecting dovetail on their lower surface at G, G, fitting
to a corresponding dovetailed recess on the upper surface of the supporting
slide bed H, which is placed on the table carrying the two headlocks and
transversely to their axial line. They are traversed horizontally upon their bed
by the two cams or scroll pulleys I, J, keyed upon the horizontal transverse
shaft K, which revolves in end bearings L, L, in the hollow of the slide bed.
These scroll pulleys are short cylinders, having endless differential spiral
grooves M, N, cut in them, so as to produce a species of irregular right and
left spiral in one continuous length. Each toolholder has a pin O, adjustable
in its lower surface, projecting downwards into the groove of the corresponding
scroll pulley, so that the continuous revolution of the two scroll pulleys in one
direction traverses both holders back and forward to the extent of the run of
the spirals. The action of these spirals is such as to give the tools a quick
traverse when out of cut, and a slow one during the time the latter are forming
the bobbin; the cutting action being at the termination of the stroke just when
the pins are passing the points where the right and left spirals join,
as is delineated in the plan, Figure 2, on Sheet 3. The junction of the
two opposite ends of the spirals is effected by a straight portion, marked N.
This straight portion is at right angles to the axis of the scroll pulley and joins
up to the spirals by quick curves, the object of this contrivance being to allow
the tools to come to a stop when the holders are drawn back for the adjust-
ment of a fresh blank. The compound tools or cutters carried on the two
holders are formed and held in a manner similar to those delineated in Figures
1 and 2 on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, with the exception that the front tool is
here represented as horizontal. Both holders are capable of adjustment so as
bring up the cutters to the exact position necessary for the production of the
bobbin P by horizontal screws Q, which pass through the dovetailed heads of
the pins O, and in this way each pin may be adjusted independently to allow
of one tool being brought into cut slightly before the other. The mandril C
for carrying the bobbin blanks is driven by the pulley R in the usual way;
but the traverse action of the tools is obtained by the independent motion of
the shaft K, driven by the large belt pulley S, revolving in the direction of the
arrows. This pulley likewise gives motion to the self-acting mechanism for
feeding the blanks, removing the bobbins when turned, and to the stop actions
for the toolholders and the traversing bar D. The shaft K projects behind
its driving pulley and carries on its end a slotted crank lever T, the pin of
which U passes transversely through the slot V, and projects far enough on
each side to enable its ends to enter the differential grooves W in the inner

page_text: faces of the two vertical disc plates X, which are bolted to the fixed stan-
dards Y. The same pin U of this crank lever passes through the end Z of
the connecting rod a, the other end of which is jointed to the pin b, which is
adjustable in any fixed position in the slot of the crank lever c, according to
the amount of throw required. This crank lever is fast on the back end of
the horizontal shaft d, supported in suitable bearings at c, and the front end of
this shaft carries a toothed segment f, the teeth of which project through a
longitudinal slot on the lower side of the adjustable headstock B, and gear
with rack teeth formed on the lower side of the traversing bar D. The blanks
for the bobbins are fed into the open top of the vertical supply channel or
case g, which is held in a fixed position immediately over the centre line of
the traversing bar D by a suitable bracket. This case is open at both ends,
the bottom being grooved out to fit loosely over the bar D, which traverses
beneath it.
As delineated on Sheet 3 of my Drawing, the machine is represented as
having just completed a thread bobbin, which is about to be removed from the
mandril in readiness for the supply to the latter of a fresh blank from the
pile h in the case g: In the plan, Figure 2, of Sheet 3, the crank lever T
is represented as horizontal to render it quite clear, but its exact position
at this stage of the machine's action is accurately given in the elevation,
Figure 1. The pin U is just about to enter the concentric portion of the
differential grooves W in the disc plates X. The radius of curvature of the
grooves at the part k is equal to that of the crank itself, measuring from
the centre of the shaft K to the centre of the pin when at the outer end
of its slot, so that during this portion of the travel of the crank the
latter communicates its full effect to the connecting rod a, and through it,
by the mechanism already explained, to the toothed segment f, which thus
traverses the bar D outwards in the direction of the arrow. A projecting bar l
is fastened to the under side of the bar D, and to the lower end of this bar lis
screwed a small bracket cup rest m. The bar D is moved outwards until the
cup m comes beneath the case g, when the lowest blank of the series drops off
the top of the bar, upon which the column has been resting, on to the cup rest.
To allow time for this movement, the grooves in the disc plates X are formed
as represented at the part n, being curved inwards towards the centre to a
radius equal to the length of the connecting rod a, so that when the pin U
arrives at this point it traverses through the curves n without communicating
any motion to the bar D, which thus comes to a stand for a short period
whilst the blank drops into the cup, the slot V allowing the pin U to slide
inwards towards the centre of the shaft to compensate for the variation in the

page_text: differential curves.
When the blank has been received into the cup the bar D
is traversed in the reverse direction to carry the blank up to the arbor of the
mandril C, upon which it is pressed by the end of the bar D, the latter being
formed with a small cylindrical end to enter the centre hole of the blank and
hold it during the turning action. This opposite traverse of the bar D is
effected by the onward movement of the crank T, the pin of which, after pass-
ing the short concave curves n, enters upon the second concentric curves o,
corresponding to those marked k, so that the bar D is thus traversed back the
same distance that it previously moved outwards. When the blank thus
adjusted upon the arbor is turned into a bobbin, the bar D is traversed back
again as before; but in order to give time for the cutting action the grooves in
the plates X are formed with another distinct curve, as at W. These curves
are diametrically opposite to those marked n, and are, like them, made of a
radius equal to the length of the rod a, so that when the pin U arrives at this
portion of its travel it communicates no movement to the bar D until it re-
enters the part K, the slot V in the crank admitting of its passage round
without interfering with the action of the crank. The self-acting motion for
the removal of the finished bobbin now comes into action. This movement is
also obtained from the shaft d, which has fast upon it a slotted crank lever p,
with an adjustable pin 2 working the rod r. The opposite end of this rod is
similarly jointed to the ends of the double lever t, oscillating on a fixed centro
at u on the table or bed of the machine. The contrary end v of this lever has
a double eye, by which it is jointed to the horizontal sliding bar w, carried in
two guide holes in the standards of the fixed headstock. The inner end of this
bar w is bent upwards at a right angle, and an eye x is formed on the upper
end of this angular portion to fit loosely upon the projecting end of the
mandril just behind the arbor for the bobbin. So soon as the bar D com-
mences to traverse outwards for a fresh blank, the crank lever p, acting as
indicated by the arrows, traverses the bar w inwards, so that its sliding eye
pushes the finished bobbin off the arbor. It will be obvious to practical men
that the same general arrangement of machinery or apparatus may be adapted
or employed.for the shaping or producing of pulleys, warves, buttons, and other
articles, of which large quantities of the same kind are required. I would
also remark, that the apparatus, or modifications thereof, may be conveniently
adapted for the preparation of the blanks ready for the finishing machine.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself

page_text: to the precise details or arrangements of mechanism or apparatus which I
have had occasion to explain and refer to, as several variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles of my said Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Inven-
tion secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of the machinery or appa-
ratus herein-before described, and its application to the cutting or shaping
wood and other suitable materials into bobbins, and other articles producible
by such machinery or apparatus.
Second, the system or mode of cutting or shaping the substances from which
bobbins and other articles are to be made, wherein both cutters or tools
traverse simultaneously towards the material to be shaped for a considerable
portion of their stroke, the plain or roughing cutter or tool being made to come
into action slightly before the finishing tool.
Third, the adaptation or employment of stop or disengaging apparatus for
the purposes herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of traversing the cutters in such manner that
their rate of movement shall be slower at the instant of cutting than during
the period of their traverse to or from the material to be cut.
Fifth, the system or arrangement of a self-acting feed movement for the
supply of the blanks or materials to be turned.
Sixth, the use or employment of the differential grooved dise, and slotted
crank lever movement, for the purposes herein-before described.
Seventh, the peculiar arrangement of scroll pulleys or differential grooved
cylinders for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph. Findlay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
JOSEPH (L.S.) FINDLAY.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the
presence of
WILLIAM JOHNSON,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent. Glasgow.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of September
in the year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Joseph Findlay came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty.