Improvements in Hydraulic Die Holders Chucks and Tool Holders for Metal Spinning Apparatus and Lathes specially applicable to the Manufacture of Watch Cases.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
Improvements in Hydraulic Die Holders Chucks and Tool Holders for
Metal Spinning Apparatus and Lathes specially applicable to the
Manufacture of Watch Cases.
I, FREDERIC ECAUBERT, residing at No.. 434, Vanderbilt Avenue, Brooklyn, in
the State of New York, United States of America, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Dies have been constructed in which hydraulic pressure is used to force one
die towards another, and in some instances articles have been held between clamps
actuated by hydraulic pressure while tools have been applied to the article. held
In the present instance hydraulic force is applied through a tubular mandrel or
spindle to act upon dies to hold the same in the proper position, and any article
placed between them, while such dies are being rotated in a lathe or similar
mechanism during the time that the article held by the dies is being acted upon.
This device is especially intended for holding together the dies made use of
in the manufacture of watch-case centers, lids and other parts; the dies being
of a size and shape adapted to receive and hold the part of the watch-case while
being acted upon by a roller or other device that is pressed against the rotating
watch-case center or similar part while held between the dies.
In the present machine, the dies that are employed to give shape to the watch
case or other article are received into a die-chuck that is mounted upon the end
of a revolving mandrel, and this mandrel is tubular and at the end thereof is a
cylindrical recess receiving a ram, the stem of which passes into the tubular man-
drel, and around such stem is a spring acting to draw back the ram when not
otherwise acted upon, and at the back end of the mandrel a screw is fitted that
is actuated by a hand wheel and serves to apply through the oil or other liquid
the necessary force to act upon the ram and cause the same to hold the dies
tightly together and within the die-chuck, and a hand-wheel, approximately
similar to a cycle wheel, is employed for giving motion to the screw plunger or
for holding such screw plunger stationary while the mandrel revolves. In this
way the dies can be held in a rigid and reliable manner while being revolved,
and a roller or other tool is brought to act upon the watch-case center or other
article within the dies and expand the same, so that the watch-case is caused to
fill in all the recesses or other shapes on the inside of the die, and that the article
produced is the counterpart of the interior configuration of the dies that are held
as aforesaid; and I provide a gauge by which the pressure that is exerted upon
the ram can be easily observed, and which pressure exerts the proper force o
hold the dies rigidly and in the proper relative position, but when the hand
wheel is turned back and the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder relieved, the dies
can be taken out very easily and quickly from the die holder or chuck.
In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the mechanism complete; Fig. 2 is
a section through the die chuck and a portion of the mandrel; Fig. 3 is a similar
view through the rear portion of the mandrel and the middle portion of the hand-

page_text: wheel. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of the poppet head and parts carried
by the same; Fig. 5 is a cross section at ., ., Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic
section of a modified chuck.
A suitable bed or support is provided at A and the lathe-stock B is supported
by the bed A, and it is advantageous to cast upon the bed A ears for a pivot
Loft 9 to pass through the ears and through the base of the lathe stock, so that
the lathe stock and parts carried by it can be swung up or down, and at 19,
screw bolts are provided for bolting the lathe stock to the support A and holding
it firmly in position.
It is advantageous to connect the before-named parts by the pivot-bolt 9 so that
the mandrel and parts connected therewith can be swung up into an inclined
position for receiving into the hydraulic cylinder oil or other liquid material for
actuating the ram and holding the dies as hereafter set forth.
The mandrel C is supported in the bearings upon the lathe-stock as usual, and
this mandrel has around it a pulley E by which it is rotated at the proper speed,
and upon the end of the mandrel the die-chuck 1 is to be screwed, and such die-
chuck is to hold the dies employed in making watch-cases or any other article
by a rotary movement; and this dic-chuck is changeable so that the dies carried
thereby can be of any desired character according to the article to be manufactured,
and it is advantageous to make in one side of the die-chuck a mortise at 7, so
that the dies can be slipped in through this mortise and then hydraulic pressure
is to be applied to hold the dies together, and when the work is done and the
hydraulic pressure relieved, the dies can fall out through the mortise 7 into the
hand of the attendant, when the die-chuck is in the proper position for so doing.
At the end of the mandrel C a cylindrical recess is formed for the reception
of the hydraulic ram F around which is an annular hydraulic packing 11, and
the mandrel C is hollow and opens up into the cylinder containing the ram so
that the oil or other liquid under pressure can be made to act upon the ram F
with the force required for holding the dies together during the spinning or
other operations performed within such dies.
In order to guide the ram 1', there is a stem G extending out from the center
of the hydraulic ram and passing back into the tubular mandrel C and a screw 12
is screwed into the end of the stem G and has around it a spring H acting against
a shoulder 13 in the tubular mandrel, so that this spring H draws back the ram
when the pressure is relieved, and it is generally advantageous to make the stem
and screw 12 tubular with a lateral opening in the stem for the liquid under
pressure pass into the cylinder containing the ram F and act upon the dies
by the hydraulic pressure that is exerted against the ram.
to
I remark that the hydraulic packing 11 may be of any desired character, usually
leather is preferable, and in the form of a hollow ring; and I provide a screw
threaded recess and a plug 14 near the flange or collar of the mandrel by the
removal of which oil or other liquid can be inserted into the hydraulic cylinder,
and tubes leading to the same, as may be necessary from time to time to compensate
for leakage, and in order to facilitate the escape of air or bubbles from the tubular
mandrel, it is generally advantageous to tip the lathe stock upon the pivot-bolt
so as to bring the mandrel into an inclined position and cause the bubbles of air
or gas to escape from the tubular mandrel.
At the rear end of the apparatus is a hand-wheel K with a hub L, and a screw-
plunger I is connected with this hub, and the screw-plunger is made liquid-tight
in the tubular mandrel in order that the screw-plunger may exert a powerful
influence through the liquid in the tubular mandrel and upon the ram F to close
the watch-case or other dies and hold them firmly while a bezel back or other
article is being made within such dies.
I find it generally advantageous to use a screw bushing Q in the rear end of
the mandrel and set the same up tightly against elastic packing at 27, and this
bushing may be removed, if the internal screw and its thread have worn loose.
The hub L may be sufficiently recessed for the head of the screw.

page_text: The head of the screw plunger I is received and secured into the central opening
in the hub L, and around this hub is received the short cylinder 15 to which the
wheel spokes 16 are connected, the other ends of such wheel spokes 16 passing
into the felly 17 of the hand-wheel K, which hand-wheel is advantageously made
with an inflated rubber tire similar to the tire of a cycle wheel, and the rings 18
snd 19 are at the ends of the wheel cylinder 15, there being leather, cork, or other
material in the annular recesses of the cylinder 15, and the bolts 20 act upon
nuts 21 and springs 22 surround the bolts 20 and are compressed by the nuts,
so that the springs 22 will apply the proper pressure by the rings 18 and 19 at the
ends of the cylinder 15, so that ordinarily the friction devices at the hub of the
hand-wheel K will hold the screw plunger I stationary while the necessary hydraulic
power is obtained by the rotation of the mandrel for forcing the ram against the
dies and holding them firmly, and when the friction is insufficient, the necessary
holding power will have been obtained, but it is usually advantageous to be able
to gauge the pressure exerted within the hydraulic portion of the apparatus, and
when that pressure has been obtained, the operator can let go the hand-wheel E,
and thereafter the hand-wheel revolves with the spindle during the spinning or
other operations that are performed in the dies that are within the die-block.
By making the screw-plunger I hollow and fitting therein a pressure plug S,
an indication can be obtained of the pressure exerted in the hydraulic portion
of the apparatus, such plug S acting against a head 23, within the cylinder T,
which contains a spring U. that is compressed by the action of the head 23, and
this head 23 is connected by screws 24 passing through slots in the cylinder and
connecting to the head 28, the cylindrical collar 25 which surrounds the cylinder T
and upon the surface of this cylinder T divisions are made to indicate pressure
per square inch, or other measure, it being understood that as the pressure acting
upon the plug S increases, such plug will move the head 23 and compress this
spring more or less, and by this means the pressure which may be necessary
is readily indicated.
I remark that the packing 26 around the plug S prevents leakage at this point,
and the packing at 27 is compressed by the screw-bushing Q around the plunger
to prevent the escape of any oil around the screw-plunger.
It is preferable to make the divisions 5 around the cylinder T of the spring
gauge peripheral and parallel, so that the pressure is easily observed by the
attendant according to the position of the cylindrical collar upon the surface of
the evlinder T.
A clutch mechanism is applied between the hub L and the cylinder 15 of the
hand-wheel, and this clutch mechanism is advantageously constructed of small
rollers 28 within notches in the periphery of the hub L and parallel with the
axis, the notches having inclined surfaces so that in one direction the clutch rollers
wil bind against the interior of the cylinder 15 and they will disconnect or
release in the opposite direction, and the position of the parts is to be such that
the clutch mechanism will come into action to positively connect the hub and
the hand-wheel when the mandrel is stationary and the hand-wheel is being
turned back to unscrew the ram and relieve the hydraulic pressure upon the dies.
The friction between the hub and the cylinder 15 of the hand wheel regulates
the force with which the screw-plunger is set up, and hence the hydraulic pressure
by which the dies are held and by the bolts 20, nuts 21, and springs 22, the
friction that is exerted between the rings 18 and 19 and the ends of the cylinder 15
can be regulated with accuracy, hence there is not any risk of too much hydraulic
pressure being obtained by a careless workman holding the hand-wheel too long
while the mandrel is being revolved by the power, because the friction will allow
the hub and screw-plunger to revolve along with the mandrel while the hand-
wheel may be held stationary, and as an additional precaution against injury, I
use the spring gauge as a means for lessening or relieving the friction between
the cylinder of the hand-wheel and the hub L, because it will be apparent that in
consequence of the cylinder T that carries the spring U of the gauge being con-

page_text: nected to the ring 19 through which the bolts 20 pass, that the pressure plug S
acting through the head 23 and spring U tends to force the cylinder T and the
ring 19 away from the cylinder 15 and thereby relieve the friction of the ring 19
upon the cylinder 15 of the hand-wheel; in other words, the pressure exerted
by the plug S against the spring of the gauge is resisted by the springs 22, and
these springs 22 yield under the action of the hydraulic pressure upon the plug,
and such springs 22 are compressed and their force in producing friction upon
the ends of the cylinder 15 is lessened.
By the foregoing construction, the parts can be so adjusted that the attendant
is constantly able to inspect the pressure in the hydraulic clamping device, and
by the automatic action of the parts, he is enabled to know when the proper extent
of pressure has been applied to hold the dies and instantly he can let go of the
hand-wheel and attend to the spinning up of the article that is held within the
dies as hereafter described.
I remark that a lever or handle may project from the cylinder 15 instead of
the hand-wheel K with a rim extending around such cylinder, but as such lever
would revolve with the mandrel, it could not be as easily manipulated as a wheel
with an elastic tire against which the hand can be applied. V is an eccentric
arbor having a pin 29 for receiving the roller in the spinning operation and the
dies made use of are circular and are represented at 30, and the mortise 7 is
sufficiently large for these dies to be slipped into the chuck with facility and to
assume a central position, and it is advantageous to bore out the chuck, in the
central portion, of the proper size to receive these dies and to cut the mortise
laterally through one side of the chuck with the edges of the mortise as parallel
tangential lines to the circular recess that receives the dies; but any desired
character of chuck may be made use of so long as the dies, when inserted, are
properly supported so as to be concentric and in the proper position for the ram
to act against the dies in holding them tightly together and to prevent the dies
dropping out or being thrown off centrifugally before the ram comes into action
to hold them firmly, a spring latch 31 is made use of, such latch having a beveled
end so that the dies press the latch back as they are forced into position, and the
latch springs over the edge of the dies to hold them in position after they have
been inserted and the handle 32 which is preferably in the form of a lever, as
shown, is employed for drawing back the latch and allowing the dies to drop out
when an operation has been completed; and it is advantageous to introduce the
spring latch into the end of the mandrel so that the chuck 1) can be screwed upon
the end of the mandrel or removed therefrom, in order that the proper chuck
may be connected to the mandrel according to the dies that are to be made use
of within such chuck.
I remark that it is generally advantageous to employ a disk 33 closely adjacent
to the ram F and with its edges in contact with the hydraulic packing, and in
fill the packing with fibre, such as hemp, so that such packing will be retained
in a fixed position and moved backward and forward with the ram in its clamping
and relieving operations.
The eccentric arbor V is provided with a lever V1 by which it is slid backward
and forward within the portion B₁ of the lathe-stock, and this lever also is
employed for turning the arbor and bringing the roller, which is upon the eccentric
pin of the arbor, into action within the watch-case center, lid, or other article
that is being spun up in the dies.
The dies can be taken out laterally, opened, and the article that has been
formed within the same removed, another blank put into position within the dies,
and the dies returned into the chuck and the ram brought into action to hold the
dies forcibly together and within the chuck for the spinning operations to be
repeated.
It will be observed by the diagram, Fig. 4, that the roller 35 that is made use
of in spinning up the watch-case center or other article, is axially in line with
the mandrel when the lever V1 is depressed and in the position of inaction; hence,

page_text: that the roller 35 can be moved into the dies by the end motion given to the
eccentric arbor V and that when the lever V¹ is raised and the arbor V turned,
the roller 35 will be moved downward so as to apply pressure to the interior of
the watch-case center perpendicularly below the axis of the mandrel, or nearly
so, hence the resistance or holding force exerted by the stock B is in a vertical
plane or nearly so, and there is less tendency to spring the stock B in this vertical
plane than there would be if the roller 35 engaged the interior of the watch-case
center at a point nearly level with the axis of the mandrel; and in consequence
of using a cylindrical arbor stock W around the eccentric arbor V, such arbor
stock having an eccentric hole through it for the arbor V, I am enabled to bore
out the lathe-stock 13 axially in line with the mandrel, thereby ensuring great
accuracy in the parts B and B of the lathe-stock.
It will be apparent that the present invention is available for holding tools in
a revolving spindle or mandrel, as well as for holding dies within a die-holder or
chuck, and that the hydraulic ram may be made to actuate the claws or clamping
devices in lathe-chucks, and in Fig. 6 I have illustrated such a device by a diagrara
representing the clamping devices 40 as acted upon by the hydraulic ram F. This
device, however, is simply illustrative of any character of holding or clamping
device upon the spindle or mandrel that is rotated and to which any device is to
be clamped or held by the hydraulic ram while being revolved.
In consequence of the spindle or mandrel being revolved and the plunger being
screwed up by holding the hand-wheel, the hydraulic pressure can be maintained
by a friction upon the hand-wheel, and this is of importance because if the article
that has been grasped should become loose, it is not necessary to stop the rotating
spindle or mandrel to tighten the hold upon the same, because the friction of the
hand upon the hand wheel will effect the necessary turning of the screw-plunger
in its relation to the mandrel or spindle for setting up the hydraulic ram, and the
necessary holding force can readily be secured, because the power exerted with
a given pressure or friction upon the hand wheel or its equivalent will produce
more or less hydraulic pressure according to the pitch of the screw upon the plunger
and the diameter of the plunger itself.
The disk 33 is prevented from turning by a pin 36 going into the bottom of
the hydraulic cylinder, but the ram and its stem can be rotated by any suitable
wrench, hence the disk can be screwed up to tighten the hydraulic packing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First The combination with a revoluble mandrel or spindle and a die-holder
or chuck, of a ram adapted to act upon the dies, while being revolved, and a
tubular connection through the spindle to a source of fluid pressure for acting
upon the ram, substantially as set forth.
Second: The combination with the revoluble spindle and die or holding chuck,
of a ram within the chuck and adapted to act upon the die or other article, there
being a cylinder for the ram and a tubular connection in the mandrel and a
plunger and means for actuating the same to apply a fluid pressure to the ram,
substantially as set forth.
Third: The combination with the revoluble spindle and chuck or holding
device, of a ram within the chuck and adapted to act upon the chuck or article,
there being a cylinder for the ram and a tubular connection in the mandrel and
a screw plunger and mechanism for revolving the screw-plunger in its relation
to the mandrel and thereby applying a fluid pressure to the ram, substantially
as set forth.
:
Fourth The combination with the revoluble spindle and chuck or holding
device, of a ram within the chuck and adapted to act upon the chuck or article.
there being a cylinder for the ram and a tubular connection in the mandrel and
a screw plunger and hand device for actuating the screw plunger in relation to

page_text: the mandrel, and a frictional connection between such hand actuated device and
the screw plunger that allows the plunger to cease its action when a given fluid
pressure has been obtained, substantially as set forth.
Fifth The combination with the revoluble spindle and chuck or holding
device, of a ram within the chuck and adapted to act upon the chuck or article,
there being a cylinder for the ram and a tubular connection in the mandrel and
a screw plunger and hand device for actuating the screw plunger in relation to
the mandrel, and a frictional connection between such hand actuated device and
the screw plunger that allows the plunger to cease its action when a given fluid
pressure has been obtained, a pressure plug and a resisting spring for the same
acting to lessen the friction of the hand device as the fluid pressure increases,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth The combination with the revoluble mandrel or spindle and hydraulic
mechanism for holding dies or other articles while revolved by the spindle, of a
screw plunger and mechanism acting upon the same to apply the fluid pressure
and a gauge for indicating such fluid pressure, substantially as set forth.
Seventh-The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel and hydraulic
holding mechanism connected to and revolving with such spindle, of a plunger
within such spindle and mechanism for actuating the same, substantially as set
forth.
Eighth The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel and hydraulic
holding mechanism connected to and revolving with such spindle, of a plunger
within such spindle and mechanism for actuating the same, and a gauge for
indicating the fluid pressure, substantially as set forth.
Ninth The combination with the revoluble mandrel or spindle, of a die-
holding chuck having a lateral mortise, a hydraulic ram within such chuck, and
a tubular connection for applying a fluid pressure to such ram, substantially as
set forth.
Tenth The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel and a hydraulic
ram thereupon, of a screw plunger for applying a fluid pressure to the ram, a
band-wheel and a frictional connection between the hand wheel and the screw
plunger, substantially as set forth.
Eleventh-The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel and a
hydraulic ram thereupon, of a screw plunger for applying a fluid pressure to the
ram, a hand-wheel and a frictional connection between the hand-wheel and the
screw plunger, and a clutch acting in one direction to positively connect the hand-
wheel and the screw plunger, substantially as set forth.
:
Twelfth The combination with the revoluble mandrel or spindle and the
hydraulic ram mounted thereon, of a screw-plunger and tubular connections for
applying a fluid pressure to the ram, a hand-actuated device and, frictional connec-
tion between the same and the screw, and a clutch mechanism acting in one
direction only and a spring gauge for indicating the fluid pressure, substantially
as set forth.
:
Thirteenth The combination with the revoluble mandrel or spindle and the
hydraulic ram mounted thereon, of a screw-plunger and tubular connection for
applying a fluid pressure to the ram, a hand-actuated device and frictional connec-
tion between the same and the screw, and a clutch mechanism acting in one direc-
tion only, and a spring gauge and a connection between the same and the frictional
mechanism for lessening the friction as the fluid pressure increases, substantially
as set forth.
Fourteenth The combination with the revoluble spindle and hydraulic ram
carried by the same, of mechanism for applying a fluid pressure to the ram, a spring
gauge for the same having a cylinder with peripheral divisions to indicate the
pressure, such cylinder being axially in line and rotating with the mandrel, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Fifteenth-The combination with the rotating spindle or mandrel and the
hydraulic ram carried by the same, of a screw-plunger for applying the fluid

page_text: pressure, a wheel and frictional connection between the same and the screw-plunger,
an axial pressure plug and a spring gauge moved by the pressure plug for
indicating the fluid pressure, substantially as set forth.
Sixteenth-In combination with a revolving hydraulic holding mechanism, a
pressure plug and spring gauge actuated by the pressure plug, the spring gauge
having a cylindrical surface with peripheral divisions and a ring sliding upon
such surface whereby the pressure can be easily observed while the gauge is
revolving with the mandrel, substantially as set forth.
Seventeenth-The combination with the revolving spindle or mandrel and
the hydraulic ram carried thereby, of an axial screw-plunger, a hand-wheel con-
nected with such screw-plunger and a pressure gauge having a cylinder with
peripheral divisions and axially in line with the revolving mandrel, substantially
as set forth.
Eighteenth The combination with the revolving spindle or mandrel and a
hydraulic ram therewith connected, of an axial screw-plunger for applying the
fluid pressure, a hub connected to the plunger, a hand-wheel or its equivalent
having a cylinder around the hub, friction plates and springs within the hub for
connecting the hand-actuated cylinder and the hub, and a clutch connection acting
in one direction, substantially as set forth.
Nineteenth The combination with the revolving spindle or mandrel and a
hydraulic ram therewith connected, of an axial screw-plunger for applying the
fluid pressure, a hub connected to the plunger, a hand-wheel or its equivalent
having a cylinder around the hub, friction plates and springs within the hub for
connecting the hand actuated cylinder and the hub, a spring gauge having an
axial cylinder connected with one of the friction plates and a pressure-plug for
acting upon such gauge, substantially as set forth.
Twentieth: The combination with the revoluble mandrel or spindle and the
hydraulic ram therewith connected, and mechanism for applying fluid pressure,
of an axial pressure-plug, a packing around the same, a disk against which the
pressure plug acts, a cylinder surrounding the disk, a spring within the cylinder
and acting upon the disk, a ring around the cylinder and connections therefrom
to the disk passing through slots in the cylinder, there being peripheral divisions
upon the surface of the cylinder for indicating the pressure by the position of the
ring, substantially as set forth.
Twenty-first: The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel having
a central opening or tube, and a hydraulic cylinder, of a ram within the cylinder,
a stem to the ram and a spring acting upon the ram in the opposite direction
to the fluid pressure, substantially as set forth.
Twenty-second: The combination with the revoluble mandrel, of a die-holding
chuck having a lateral opening for the passage of the dies, and a spring latch for
holding the dies in position, substantially as set forth.
Twenty-third: The combination with the revoluble mandrel having a hydraulic
cylinder at one end, of a ram within the cylinder, a die or tool holding chuck
screwed upon the end of the mandrel and adapted to receive the dies or other tools
and support the same while held by fluid pressure acting upon the ram, substantially
as set forth.
Twenty-fourth-The combination with a revoluble spindle or mandrel and
the die-holding mechanism thereon, and the lathe-stock B B of an arbor stock W
passing through the lathe-stock B and having an eccentric hole through the
same, the eccentric arbor V passing through such hole and an actuating lever for
the same and the stud and roller 35 substantially in line with the mandrel of the
lathe when out of action, the roller acting in the lower part of the watch-case center
or similar article when the eccentric arbor is partially revolved, substantially
as set forth.
Twenty-fifth-The combination with the revoluble arbor having a hydraulic
cylinder and tubular connections, of a ram within such cylinder and a screw-plug

page_text: for closing a supply opening for oil or other material introduced into the cylinder,
substantially as set forth.
Twenty-sixth-The combination with the revoluble arbor having a hydraulic
cylinder and tubular connections, of a ram within such cylinder and a screw-plug
for closing a supply opening for oil or other material introduced into the cylinder.
a lathe-stock and pivotal support for the same that allows the mandrel to be
inclined for the escape of bubbles of air or gas as the liquid may be introduced
into the hydraulic cylinder, substantially as set forth.
--
Twenty-seventh: The combination with the revoluble spindle or mandrel and
the hydraulic cylinder, of a ram in such cylinder adapted to apply pressure to
the article to be rotated, a screw-plunger and a wheel for the same by which
friction upon the wheel will apply a hydraulic pressure to the ram while the spindle
is revolving, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of Tecomation 1908
ERNEST DE PASS.
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 54, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.