CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 'KEYS,' 'TAPERED PINS,' 'KEYS, TAPERED PINS, SPLIT PINS, AND OTHER TUT
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mills, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Machinist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF 'KEYS,' 'TAPERED PINS,'
'KEYS, TAPERED PINS, SPLIT PINS, AND OTHER
TUT
Sealed the 9th March 1858, and dated the 11th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mills at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
on the 11th
September 1857.
I, JAMES MILLS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS,' 'TAPERED PINS, SPLIT PINS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR ARTICLES EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINERY," to be as
follows:-
-
My Invention applies, first, to the shaping and finishing of certain parts
known in machiné making as "keys," and commonly employed for securing
wheels or pulleys upon shafting and for other similar purposes. The rods or
bars of metal from which the "keys" are to be made are first passed (by
means of rollers) between two or more revolving cutters, which reduce the
sides or 'edges of the bar to be required uniform parallel width. The bar is
then cut into lengths suitable for "keys," and such 'blanks are placed in a
disc slotted or grooved to retain them. This disc is secured upon a vertical
shaft; and revolves with its periphery in a horizontal direction, and above the
[Price 8d.1
'

page_text: disc is situated another plate or disc containing cutters either fixed therein or
capable of removal. This disc also revolves horizontally, and is mounted
upon a vertical shaft and driven by a suitable arrangement of bevil gearing.
Both discs may, if preferred, revolve in the same direction or the reverse, so
that as they revolve the action of the cutters is such as to taper the keys to
any required angle, which may be regulated by a slide upon which the ver-
tical shaft is mounted, and adjustable by screws. There is also a joint in the
horizontal driving shaft to admit of the bevil gearing moving to any position
the vertical shaft and disc may require, or the same effect may be obtained
by having the lower disc or grooved plate adjustable. If preferred, instead
of the horizontal plate with projecting cutters, a cylinder may be employed
having cutters suitably arranged around its periphery to act upon the "keys,"
or the "keys," either when stationary or as they are carried round by the
disc, may be submitted to the action of cutters upon a bar sliding horizontally,
the cutters being upon its under surface, and in contact with the "keys," any
of these methods being equally applicable either to taper the "keys" or to
reduce the edges of the blanks to even parallel surfaces.
The Invention relates, secondly, to the manufacture of tapered pins. For
this I employ a similar arrangement and construction of machinery to that before
mentioned and described, with the exception of the construction of the upper
and lower discs. For pins the lower disc is grooved with semicircular recesses,
in which the round wires or pieces of metal rod (of which the pin is formed)
are placed, and instead of the upper disc containing cutters a roughened or
file surface is employed, the action of which upon the pins causes them to
revolve rapidly in the grooves as the discs rotate, and thus become reduced
or filed to the required taper or point, the angle of which is regulated by the
same means as that employed for the keys," as before described. In taper-
ing pins it will be evident that the pair of revolving cutters first employed in
reducing the edges of the rods or bars when making "keys" will not be
required, the wire or rod of metal requiring only to be cut into proper lengths,
and as they are cut they fall into grooves in the periphery of a vertical rotating
disc, which moves at certain intervals so as to allow the pins to be submitted
to the action of a pair of cutters revolving rapidly at each side of the disc, and
thus be pointed at each end to assist in this operation. The pins are caused
to revolve in the grooves by means of a friction pulley rotating above and in
contact with them, the pins are then placed in the grooves in the horizontal
disc to be tapered.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to the manufacture of "split pins," which
are formed of semicircular or half-round wire bent double, the two flat or

page_text: inward sides being brought together and forming a pin with a split or division
in its centre. The apparatus for thus forming these pins consists in a series
of bowls with grooves in their peripheries for stretching the half-round wire.
and two or more drag bowls also grooved. The action of these bowls is
regulated by an arrangement of toothed and ratchet wheels, which are forced
round by pawls or ratchets acteuated by cams upon a cam shaft. By means
of these bowls the wire is delivered in suitable lengths through a guide tube,
and under a stud or pin (at right angles to the wire), and above two figures
a cam is brought into action which raises a vertical cutting edge, which cuts
the wire at the required length, simultaneously with which a vertical rod is
lifted by means of a cam, which being connected with the fingers by means of
connecting rods forces the two fingers beneath the wire upwards, which being
suitably guided bring the two flat surfaces of the wire together and form an
eye round the stud under which the wire passes; the fingers then descend,
leaving the pin formed upon the stud, and as the vertical shaft (which actuates
the fingers) descends it brings an inclined plane thereupon into contact with
a horizontal sliding bar, which forces the split pin off the stud. The operation
is then complete, the parts being in position for the reception and formation
of a succeeding pin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES MILLS,
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Heir heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Mills, Her especial licence that I, the said James
Mills, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Mills, my executors, administrators, 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 Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 'KEYS,' 'TAPERED PINS,'

page_text: that I, the said James
and seal, should par-
said Invention, and in
SPLIT PINS, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others)
Mills, by an instrument in writing under my hand
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
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 I, the said James Mills, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My Invention applies first to the shaping and finishing of certain parts
known in machine making as "keys," and commonly employed for securing
wheels or pulleys upon shafting, and for other similar purposes. The rods or
bars of metal from which the keys are to be made are first passed by means of
rollers-between two or more revolving cutters, which reduce the sides or edges
of the bar to the required uniform parallel width. The bar is then cut into
lengths suitable for "keys," and such blanks are placed in a disc slotted or
grooved to retain them; this disc revolves with its periphery in a horizontal
direction, and above the disc is situated another plate or disc containing
cutters, either fixed therein or capable of removal; this disc also revolves
horizontally, and is mounted upon a vertical shaft, and driven by a suitable
arrangement of bevil gearing; both discs revolve in such a manner that as they
revolve the action of the cutters is such as to taper the keys to any required
angle, which may be regulated by a slide upon which the vertical shaft is
mounted, and adjustable by screws; there is also a joint in the horizontal
driving shaft to admit of the bevil gearing moving to any position the vertical
shaft and disc may require, or the same effect may be obtained by having the
lower disc or grooved plate adjustable. If preferred, instead of, the horizontal
plate with projecting cutters, a cylinder or roller may be employed, having
cutters suitably arranged around its peripehry to act upon the "keys," or the
"keys
as they are carried round by the disc may be submitted to the action
of cutters upon a bar sliding horizontally, the cutters being upon its under
surface and in contact with the "keys," or the "keys" themselves may be
caused to traverse horizontally by being secured in a sliding bed or bar, and
submitted to the action of cutters, either sliding horizontally or placed in a
disc rotating horizontally or vertically; any of these methods being appli-
cable either to taper the "keys," or to reduce the edges of the blanks to even
parallel surfaces.
دو

page_text: The invention relates, secondly, to the manufacture of tapered pins; for this
I employ a similar arrangement and construction of machinery to that before
mentioned and described, with the exception of the construction of the upper
and lower discs for pins; the lower disc is grooved with semicircular recesses,
in which the round wires or pieces of metal rod (of which the pins are formed)
are placed, and instead of the upper disc containing cutters, a roughened or
file surface is employed, the action of which upon the "pins causes them to
revolve rapidly in the grooves as the discs rotate, and thus become reduced or
filed to the required taper or point, the angle of which is regulated by the
same means as that employed for the "keys," as before described. In
tapering pins, it will be evident that the pair of revolving cutters first employed
in reducing the edges of the rods or bars when making "keys" will not be
required, the wire or rod of metal requiring only to be cut into proper lengths,
and as they are cut they fall into grooves in the periphery of a vertical
rotating disc which moves at certain intervals so as to allow the pins to be
submitted to the action of a cutter or cutters revolving rapidly at each side of
the disc, and thus be pointed at each end; to assist in this operation the pins
are caused to revolve in the grooves by means of a friction pulley rotating
above and in contact with them; the pins are then placed in the grooves of
the horizontal disc to be tapered.
And, lastly, my Invention relates to the manufacture of "split pins," which
are formed of semicircular or half-round wire bent double, the two flat sur-
faces or inward sides being brought together and forming a pin with a split or
division in its centre. The apparatus for thus forming these pins consists in a
series of bowls with grooves in their peripheries for stretching the half-round wire
and two or more drag bowls are regulated by an arrangement of toothed and
ratchet wheels which are forced round by pawls or ratchets, actuated by cams
upon a cam shaft; by means of these bowls the wire is delivered in suitable
lengths through a guide tube, and under a stud or pin at right angles to the
wire, and above two fingers a cam is brought into action which raises a
vertical cutting edge which cuts the wire at the required length, simul-
taneously with which a vertical rod is lifted by means of a cam, which being
connected with the fingers by means of connecting rods, forces the two fingers
beneath the wire upwards and inwards, which, being suitably guided, bring
the two flat surfaces of the wire together and form an eye round the stud
under which the wire passes; the fingers then descend, leaving the pin formed
upon the stud, and as the vertical shaft (which actuates the fingers) descends,
it brings an inclined plane thereupon into contact with a horizontal sliding
bar, which forces the "split pin" off the stud, and the operation is then

page_text: complete, the parts being in position for the reception and formation of a
succeeding pin.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached to Sheets of Drawings, made upon a scale
of about one inch and a half to a foot, similar letters of reference being
marked upon corresponding parts of the apparatus throughout.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus employed for cutting
"keys" or tapering pins, showing the rotating discs, one overlapping the other
about half its diameter, and also the method of giving the required taper to
the blanks, by adjusting the bed or lower disc, the upper or cutting disc having
only a vertical adjustment; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 shews
an example of a similar apparatus arranged to allow of the adjustment of the
upper disc to give the taper, the bed or lower disc being rigid in this instance;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged Diagram, shewing the upper and lower discs, the lower
one containing the "keys," shewn in blue, and the upper one bearing the
cutters, shewn in red.
"
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus for forming the
split pins" from the half-round wire, shewing the machine in the position
when a pin has been bent up round the stud, upon which it is seen; Fig. 2
is an end view of the same; Fig. 3 is illustrative of one of the variations of
which the machine for tapering "keys" and "pins" is capable, in which the
cutiers are placed upon the periphery of a disc rotating vertically, the "keys"
being secured in two or more beds traversing in opposite directions beneath
such disc; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the apparatus employed for pointing
the pins, shewing the disc with its periphery grooved for the reception of the
pins, and the action of the vertical cutter or disc upon the ends of the said
pins; Fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus to which grooved pulleys may be
applied for distending the wire, and also a knife for dividing it at required
lengths, as will be described in Fig. 1, Sheet 2.
In Fig. 1, Sheet 1, a, a, is the framing of the machine upon which the lower
disc or bed b for holding the "keys" or "pins" is supported and made adjust-
able by means of the adjusting screws and tightening bolts c; this bed or disc is
driven from the main shaft d through the worm and worm wheel geering in
connection with a worm wheel e upon the said disc (more clearly seen in Fig. 2).
In the upper portion of the framing a, a, is supported the upright shaft f,
working or sliding vertically in the slide g, and capable of being raised or
lowered by a screw; upon the lower extremity of this shaft the disc h
containing the cutters h¹ is secured, which has rotatory motion imparted to it
by the spur gearing i, i, in connection with the main shaft. The grooved surface

page_text: of this disc will be seen more clearly in Fig. 2 and 4, in which k, k, are the
grooves here shewn as far as the reception of "keys," such grooves being
semicircular and tapered when required for "pins; "it will be seen that by the
action of the cutters upon the "keys," such keys will be reduced to a
tapered form, and of such a taper or angle as may be regulated by the adjust-
ing screws and tightening bolts supporting the lower disc b, which discs may
also be furnished, with an internal adjustable ring ', secured by screws, by
which means keys of less width than the grooves may be tightened against the
sides of such grooves, and thus packed or retained whilst under the action of
the cutters. The tapering may also be adjusted and governed as shewn in
Fig. 3, such arrangement being to make the disc containing the cutters
adjustable, instead of the bed or "key" disc; this is accomplished by mounting
the vertical or cutter shaft upon a lever, having a fulcrum 1 near its centre,
and at its opposite end a regulating screw m, by the action of which the shaft
and disc may be placed in an oblique or slanting position in a direction from
side to side, the opposite or right angles to such oblique line being obtained by
a swivel n in the lever moved by the screw o, the vertical shaft being also
provided with a slide, as in Fig. 1.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1, a, a, is the framing of the machine for forming "split
pins," in which are mounted a number of bowls or pulleys b, b, b, for the
purpose of distending and straightening the half round wire c, and d, d,
are the "drag bowls" for feeding or advancing the wire through the
guide tube e to the knife or cutter e¹, which rises and falls in the slide f.
The bowls d, d, are actuated from the cams h, h, by the spur and ratchet
and ratchet wheel gearing i, i, i, i, and have their peripheries grooved for
the reception of the round part of the wire; the bowls b, b, b, are in adjust-
able bearings, and are driven by the friction of contact. The wire being
thus advanced through the guide tube the cam k comes into action, and
raises the vertical rod and knife e¹, which cuts off the wire, then the cam
raises the vertical rod l', and by means of connecting rods m, m, force up the
fingers n, n (over which the wire passes), and thus bends up the wire round
the pin or stud o, bringing the two flat surfaces in contact, and forming a
"split pin," as shewn upon the stud, when the cam allows the vertical rod to
descend, the incline p comes into contact with the sliding piece q, which forces
the split pin" off the stud, leaving the machine ready for a succeeding
operation. In Fig. 3 the cutters for reducing or tapering the "keys" are
secured transversely across the periphery of the disc r, which is driven by the
pulley r', and adjustable vertically, the "keys" being placed or retained in a
bed s, having a taper groove cut therein for their reception, this bed is

page_text: advanced beneath the cutting disc by means of a screw t, and the tapering of
the "keys" is thus effected, or if preferred two may be employed traversing
in opposite or reverse directions. In Fig. 4, u is a disc having its periphery
fluted or grooved transversely, into which the pins fall as they are cut by the
knife v, which is worked from an eccentric on the shaft w, by means of a
connecting rod which also works the ratchet taking into the ratchet wheel (x),
upon the disc u, by which means the disc is turned to bring the ends of the
pins under the action of the cutting discs on wheels y, y, one being placed on
an angle at each end of the pin, whilst in the groove beneath the cutting disc or
wheel the pin is caused to revolve rapidly by the friction of contact imparted
by the wheel z, driven by a strap or band from a driving pulley, and kept in
contact with the pin by means of the weighted lever z¹, so that as the pins
are successively brought under the angled cutters their ends become pointed
by the combined action of the said cutting wheels and rotating wheel z.
"
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood
that I claim, first, the novel method of shaping and finishing "keys," together
with the employment of revolving cutters for shaping and cutting "keys
and pointing pins, and the application and use of the apparatus described, or
any modification of the same which may be employed for such purpose.
Secondly, the improved method of manufacturing and pointing
"tapered
pins," by the application and adaptation of similar mechanism to that
described as employed in the manufacture of "keys."
split pins," by the em-
Thirdly, in the novel manner of manufacturing
ployment of the apparatus described as applicable to such purpose.
And, lastly, I claim the general construction, arrangement, and combination
of the entire machinery or apparatus for effecting the required manufacture,
the whole of which is herein-before described, set forth, and fully exhibited in
the Drawings attached, or any modification or variation of the same which
shall be in effect substantially the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mills, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JAMES MILLS. (L.S.)