Improvements in Screw Making Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 18th May, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Screw Making Machines.
I THOMAS SOWERBUTTS of 2 Garbett Street Accrington in the County of
Lancaster Foreman Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention consists of an improved construction combination and arrangement
of parts constituting an improved rotary cutting tool designed for cutting or chasing
screws or bolts and also to improvements in appliances for cutting off or detaching
the screw or bolt from the feed length of metal when made.
29
According to this my said invention I employ a circular disc or chuck which
acts as a carrier for the "stay or appliance for supporting the metal whilst under
operation of cutting also for the rougher out" recessing and cutting tools these
are all arranged radially and carried in radial slots (cut in the disc or chuck) by
means of a slide piece connected with the back of each tool. In addition there is
connected with each of the said devices a stud the upper end of which projects
through the periphery of the disc or chuck and its upper end is inclined or bevelled
and acts as a "grade" and as hereinafter explained.
The several radial tools referred to are carried by holders and are caused to
converge towards the centre of the chuck and operate upon the metal to be cut
through the action of a ring which encloses the outer diameter of the chuck the
said ring being caused to slide to and fro along the outer surface of the chuck
through the action of a forked clip operated by lever controlled by a cam as the
ring slides forwards it comes in contact with the inclined or "grade" ends of the
studs above referred to there by bringing these into operation by pressing the stay
and roughing tools in the direction of the centre of the chuck the opposite or
backward movement of the ring will act on the grade studs of the chasing tools and
bring these into operation.
The form of the cam will determine how near the centre of the chuck the tools
are to be moved that is to say how deep is to be the cut.
The radial tools are pressed outwards and separated through the action of spiral
springs applied to each but should the spring of any tool fail to act the ring above
referred to when sliding acts upon fingers projecting through the periphery of the
chuck the other ends of the fingers form lifting catches which raise and draw apart
radially the several tools.
The depth of the cut is regulated by means of the cam and by the inclined
surfaces or grades.
There is a stop piece for determining the length of screw or metal to be cut
worked on the centre line of the chuck by lever and cam as above described.
The improved apparatus for cutting off the screw or bolt when made so as to
detach it from the feed length or rod of metal consists of a segment wheel the teeth
of which engage with the teeth in a pinion on the axis of which is a cam or semi-
circular disc of metal the straight edge of which is bevelled. Near the
circumference of the cam or disc is a pin which, as the cam or disc is revolved by
the pinion, comes in contact with the end of a slide which carries a recessing tool.
The pin presses this slide forward and the recessing tool cuts out the metal at the
head of the screw or bolt while the pin is moving along a grade formed in said slide
so that a slow forward motion is given the latter and the tool. When the screw or
bolt head is recessed the pin will have moved out of contact with the slide whereon
a spring moves it in a reverse direction and a cutting tool is brought into contract
with the head of the bolt or screw. The straight and bevelled edge of the cam or
disc will then pass over a pin in the slide bed this pin being loosely mounted in the

page_text: slide and having a spring behind it, is forced inwards by the bevel edge and the disc
passes over it. As soon as the corner of the disc or cam has passed over the pin
the latter springs out and as the disc continues to revolve its cam surface presses
on the pin and forces the slide along its bed and the cutting tool is driven into the
metal until the screw or bolt is cut off from the feed length of metal.
Before the disc has quite finished its revolution the pin therein will press against
the first mentioned slide and the latter is moved so that the recessing tool is in
position to recess the head of the screw or bolt at the required time.
When the
disc has made one revolution the teeth on the segment wheel have passed clear of
the teeth in the pinion and the latter remains stationary while the thread on the
screw or bolt is being chased and until the segment wheel again comes round and
engages with the pinion.
To prevent the pinion and disc "running back" a catch or pawl falls by gravity
when the disc has passed under it.
Dated this ond day of A1005
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Bank Chambers, Waterhouse Street, Halifax,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: pulleys 2. 3 which are adapted to move laterally with the shaft by the action
of a collar 4 with which engages a pivoted clutch lever 5, the other end
of which is operated by a cam 6 on the countershaft 7. A spring 8 serves
to return the pulleys and shaft after they have been moved by the lever 5.
Upon the shaft 1 is a pinion 9 fixed thereto, so as to move laterally therewith
which drives a wide spur wheel 10 on a shaft 11 such shaft driving through suitable
bevel wheels shaft, and worm a worm wheel 12 on the counter-shaft 7. Through
the centre of the main shaft 1 is passed the continuous rod 13 or material from
which the screws are to be cut. This rod is gripped by suitable means carried by
the main shaft, such means being common in machines of this character their effect
being to hold the rod firmly while the shaft is reciprocated by the cam 6 and lever 5
before referred to, so that the rod will traverse in front of the tools to enable the
necessary screw threads to be cut by the fixed tools, while when this operation is
completed and the finished screw severed such means will release the rod, will
retreat take a fresh hold and feed forward a further length to the cutting tool,
such length in the present machine being determined by means of a rod 14,
adjustably held by a pivoted lever 15, the other end of which is acted on by a
cam 16 on the counter shaft 7. This rod 14 is thrust at regular intervals down the
centre of the chuck 17 so as to act as a stop to the forward movement of the
rod 13 when the feeding device has taken a fresh hold and is thrusting it forward.
The chuck 17 consists of a body portion, in which are a number of radial grooves 18
enlarged at points into circular holes 19. These grooves 18 and holes 19 are
adapted to receive respectively the web 18 and cylindrical block 19 of the radial
tool holders 20 which are angled (see Fig. 6.) to prevent the tools therein moving
sideways. The blocks 19" are formed with inclines 21 on their upper portions,
such inclines being in the reverse directions in some blocks to the others as shewn
by comparison of Fig. 12 with Fig. 16. In the drawings there are six tool holders
and in this case three have inclines in one direction, and three inclines in the other.
The webs 18, also are of different length depending upon the length of the grooves.
and position of the holes in the chuck 17 as will be seen by reference to Figure 8,
the object it may be here stated being to enable the tool holders to be brought into
operation at different times. These tool holders are adapted to receive
respectively the "rougher out" tool, the "stay," the recessers and the
"chasers."
"
The blocks 19 are provided with pin 22 which in the case of three of the blocks
project from the side as shewn in Figures 12 and 13 while in the case of the other
three project from the back as shewn in Fig. 16.
The blocks 19 are secured to the webs 18 by passing the ends of the webs
through the blocks and turning them over or rivetting them as shewn in Figs. 12. 13
and 16 or the webs may be secured to the blocks by screws 23: 23 as shewn in
Figs. 14 or by a cotter pin 23 through the side as shewn in Fig. 15. In the lower
part of the block 19" is a hole adapted to receive a spiral spring 24 as shewn in
Fig. 12.
Around the body of the chuck 17 is a loose ring 25 capable of sliding
thereon and of acting when moving in one direction successively upon the inclined
surfaces of three of the blocks 19 so as to cause the tools to converge toward the
centre and toward each other and to act on the work and similarly upon the other
three when moving in the reverse direction. To effect this movement of the ring 25
a forked lever 26 is attached thereto (Figs. 2 and 3) by means of pins 26 which
engage in slots 26b formed on the top and bottom of the ring. Such lever 26 is
suitably pivoted so that its other end may be acted on by a cam 27 on the counter
shaft 7. To assist in causing the ring to act successively upon the inclines 21 of
the blocks 19 bevelled recesses 28 are formed on either edge of the ring so that the
inclines opposite to these are not acted upon as soon as the inclines opposite to that
part of the ring 28 which is not provided with such recesses. Slots or recesses 28*
(which are not bevelled) are also formed at points in the edges of the ring to reduce
the width of same where the tools opposite same are to be last acted on.
To cause
the ring to slide in the reverse direction after it has been operated one way by the

page_text: lever 26 and cam 27 spiral springs 29 are placed between said ring and standard
forming part of the framework as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The blocks 19" and tool holders 20 after being depressed by the ring 17 are
raised by means of the spiral spring 24 but to secure a more positive action or to
provide for the contingency of the springs failing I arrange a number of fingers
or triggers 30 (Figs. 7 and 8) to act on each pin 22 of the blocks 19" when the ring
is moving in the reverse direction to that in which it has just operated the block,
the result being that the finger 30 will lift the pin and block. These fingers 30 are
pivotally hung on pins 31 three of them being placed in grooves 18" situated directly
behind and in line with the grooves 18 so that they will act on the rear pins carried
by the blocks sliding in the holes 19 of such grooves and three being carried in
grooves 18 located at the sides of the grooves 18 so that they will act on the side
pins 22 of the other blocks 19 the object being to enable each finger to lift the pins
of the blocks when the ring 7 is travelling in a reverse direction to that in which it
will depress the block in question comes in contact with them.
For the purpose of cutting off the screw or bolt when made from the rod 13 I
employ the arrangement of slides illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 4. and 5.
These slides are operated from a toothed segment wheel 32 on the counter
shaft 7. The toothed parts of this wheel act upon a pinion 33 the spindle 34 of
which passes through a part of the frame of the machine and carries a cam or
disc 35, one edge 36 of this disc 35 being bevelled. Near the circumference of the
disc 35 is a stud 37 which as the disc is revolved by the pinion 33 comes in contact
with the edge 38 of the inclined piece or cam 39. This cam is carried by a rod 40
secured to a slide 41 and is of such a shape (as seen in Fig. 5) that the stud 37 can
revolve with the disc 35 without interfering with the rod 40.
The slide 4 carries the "cutting off" tool which is held in a tool holder secured
in the slots of said slide as is well understood and said slide 41 is connected by
means of a rod 42 with a second slide 43 which is adapted to carry the recessing
tool in the same way.
To provide for the vertical adjustment of the tool holders
both of the slides are provided with moveable blocks 44, 44 having angle faces
which work upon corresponding fixed faces on the slides, such blocks being
adjustable by means of the screws 45, 45.
The slide 41 also carries at its back a pin 46 loosely held in a hole in said slide
but kept projecting therefrom by means of a small spiral spring indicated in Fig. 5
so as to engage with a hole in the frame. When the disc 35 is revolved in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 4, the stud 37 will come against the cam 38 of the slide
and force the latter so as to cause the recessing tool in the slide 43 to act upon the
work and cut out the metal at the head of the screw.
When the screw or bolt head is recessed the disc 35 will have moved until its
flat and bevelled edge is about lineable with the centre of the shaft 1 of the
machine whereon the pin 37 will be clear of the cam 39 and a spring 50 (see Fig. 2)
will move the connected slides 41 and 43 in a reverse direction and the "cutting
off" tool in the slide 41 will be brought so as to operate on the metal and so cuts
off or detaches the made screw from the supply rod.
The slide 41 having passed the straight and bevelled edge of the cam 39 the
pin 46. loosely mounted to avoid locking should the spring 50 fail to sufficiently
move the slides 41 and 43 near the end of the slide 41 is acted upon by the outer
edge of the cam 35 which as it continues to revolve presses on the pin 46 and forces
the slides 41. 43 along their bed and so the "cutting off" tool in the slide 41 is
made to cut off the screw or bolt from the feed length of metal.
Before the disc 35 has quite finished its revolution the fixed pin 37 will again
come in contact with the cam 39 fixed to the end of slide 41 so that the "cutting
off" tool is moved and the "recessing" tool in the slide 43 is brought into such a
position as to be ready to recess the next succeeding bolt screw or stud at the
required time.
When the cam 35 has made one revolution the teeth of the segment wheel 32
will have passed clear of the teeth of the pinion 33 and the latter will remain

page_text: stationary whilst the next succeeding bolt screw or stud is being cut and chased,
and until the segment wheel 32 again come round and its teeth engage with the
pinion 33.
To prevent the cam.35 and pinion 33 running back a catch or pawl 51 mounted
on a pin 52 falls by gravity when the cam 35 has passed under it.
In the preamble of the Provisional Specification the improved tool through
inadvertence is referred to as "rotary" whereas, as above described, it is the rod,
from which screws are to be cut, that rotates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the improvements in screw making machines as herein described and substantially
as illustrated by the annexed drawings..
2. The fixed chuck. having radially arranged tool holders carried by same and a
sliding ring on said chuck for advancing the tool successively and the means for
withdrawing the tools as herein described and as illustrated by the annexed
drawings.
3. The slide 41. 43 connected together and arranged on either side of the rod or
material under operation and adapted to carry "recessing" and "cutting off" tools
respectively and the means for intermittently reciprocating said slides as herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated bins Ifth day or may
THOMAS SOWERBUTTS,
By his Agent, Walter Brierley,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.
THOMAS
SOWERBUTTS,
By his Agent, Walter Brierley,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.