IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING THE TEETH OF GEAR WHEELS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING THE
TEETH OF GEAR WHEELS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
"
This invention has for its object to provide a machine for cutting two series of
teeth on gear wheels for watch movements, said wheels being technically called,
crown wheels, and having radial bevelled teeth on one side or face and spur teeth
cut in the periphery and coinciding with the radial teeth.
The usual method of cutting watch wheels of this kind is to secure a number of
the blank wheels on a suitable arbor secured to a spindle which carries a dial or
index-wheel properly graduated for the desired number of teeth to be cut.
A suitable saw or cutter is first used to remove a portion of the metal so as to
block out the desired number of peripheral or spur teeth. After the saw has cut
all the spaces, it is followed by a mill or cutter which gives the required form to
the spur teeth, when all the spur teeth have been so formed, the machine is stopped
and the blanks removed from the arbor and subsequently taken to another machine,
and, being held by a suitable chuck, have the bevelled teeth cut on the side or face,
so as to coincide with those previously cut on the edge. These bevel or face teeth
require the two operations of sawing and shaping, the same as those on the edge.
When the wheel is completed, the machine is stopped while another blauk is
secured to the chuck, when the same operations are repeated. Inasmuch as the
blanks can be cut on the edge in stacks or lots of five or more, while the face teeth
can be cut ou but one blank at a time, it is obvious that a large number of
machines for cutting the face teeth will be required, to equal the production of the
edge-cutting machine, and also an increase of personal attendance.
My invention consists in the improved machine hereinafter described, which is
so arranged and constructed as to complete the operations of cutting the teeth,

page_text: both on the edge and the face of the wheels at one handling; and that without
loss of time incident to the stoppage of the machine for the purpose of securing
the wheel blanks to the chucks or arbors, the machine running continuously and
performing all the operations of finishing the teeth both on the sides and edges.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a plan view of a machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line y', y², Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 2, 2, Figuro 1.
Figures 5 and 6 represent respectively front and end elevations of the mechanism
whereby one of the face-teeth-forming cutters is supported and operated.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the mechanism whereby one of the edge-teeth-
cutters is supported and operated.
Figure 8 is a section on line x1, x¹, and x2, x², Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of the cam or count wheel and a part of its
operating shaft.
Figure 10 represents a section on line y¹, y', Figures 1 and 9.
Figure 11 represents a section on line y, y', y, y¹ Figure 12 looking toward the
right.
Figure 12 represents a section on line 1, 1, Figure 2 looking downwardly, one
part being omitted for clearness of illustration of the parts below.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
a represents a circular carriage or turret having a baso b adapted to rotate horizon-
tally on a suitable seat or bearing formed in the supporting bed c, said seat being
provided with anti-friction rollers at suitable intervals, if desired, to enable the car-
riage to rotate easily. Journalled in bearings in the turret a at uniform distances
apart and at points equidistant from the centre of rotation of the turret, are five
spindles & each having at its upper end a chuck or arbor adapted to hold a wheel-
blank e to be operated on, said spindles being parallel with the axial line of the
turret. At a suitable point on each spindle, preferably at the lower end, is a
toothed index-wheel d', the teeth of which are the same in number as those to be
formed on the wheel-blauks. Each index-wheel is normally locked by a spring
latch supported by the turret and engaging with either of the teeth of the index-
wheel, the tatches being adapted to lock the index-wheels and spindles in as many
positions as there are teeth in the index-wheels. The index-wheels and spindles
are simultaneously unlocked and partly rotated at regular intervals by the
mechanism next described.
g represents a vertical shaft which occupies the axial centre of the turret and is
parallel with the axes of the spindles d, said shaft being journalled at one end in
the bed c, and at the other end in a cap or top plate on the turret. The shaft g
is rotated continuously by means of a horizontal shaft journalled in bearings
in the bed c and provided with a bevel pinion i meshing with a bevel gear j on the
shaft g, a shatt & driven by suitable power imparting motion to the shaft / by
means of worm on the shaft k, and a worm wheel on the shaft h.
On the continuously rotated shaft is a sleeve m, which is connected with the
shaft by a feather, so that it is rotated by, but is free to slide lengthwise on, the
shaft. Secured to a flange m' on the sleeve m are five radial arms m² which have
slots receiving attaching screws m³, said slots and screws making the arms m²
radially adjustable.
The sleeve m, excepting at given intervals as hereinafter described, occupies such
a position on the shaft g that the arms m² rotating with said shaft will strike the
inner ends of levers n pivotted on the spindles d and thus move or swing said
levers. The levers n are formed with cam-shaped or inclined outer ends adapted
to bear against, and displace, the latches f, when the levers are moved by the
arms m², the index-wheels being thus released.
Pawls m pivotted on the inner ends of the levers n are arranged to spring into
engagement with the teeth of the index-wheels at the instant that the latches are

page_text: disengaged therefrom, and while the levers n are being moved by the arms m².
Each lever n is restored to its normal position by a spring n², Figure 2.
The index-wheels and spindles are thus partially rotated until the latches f
engage with the teeth next following those from which they were disengaged, and
thus again lock the wheels and spindles, the movement thus given to each wheel
being equal to the pitch of one tooth thereof. The wheel-blanks on the different
spindles are, therefore, correspondingly rotated step by step.
0, 0, 0, 0¹, represent cutter spindles provided with rotary cutters p, p², p², p³, and
mounted in carriages 9, 1, q, q', supported by the bed c, said carriages being pro-
vided with operating mechanism; hereinafter described, whereby the rotating cutters
are presented to the blanks on the spindles d, while the latter are at rest, or
between each partial rotation and the next, a groove being cut in each blank after
each partial rotation thereof.
The spindles o, o, carry the cutters which form the radial teeth on the sides of
the blanks, while the spindles o¹, o¹, carry the cutters which form the peripheral
teeth.
The carriage supporting the first cutter-spindle o receives motion from the
horizontal shaft h, which imparts motion to the vertical shaft already described;
and the carriages supporting the other cutter-spindles receive motion from radiating
shafts journalled in bearings in the bed c, said shafts having bevel pinions on
their inner ends meshing with the bevel gear j. The shaft h and the first radiating
shaft have cams 8, actuating the carriages q, q, through intermediate devices
bereinafter described, the carriages being so operated that the constantly rotating
cutters move while in contact with the blanks until they have cut the desired
grooves or slots in the blanks, then move away from the blanks while the latter
are being partially rotated, and then return to the starting points and cut other
grooves or slots in the blanks, and so on, until the blanks have been entirely acted
on. The carriages q, q are alike in construction, but their cutters differ slightly in
shape, the cutter being formed to block out the radial teeth and the cutter p¹ to
complete the same. The carriages q', q' are also alike in construction, but differ
from the carriages q, q, as hereinafter described, their cutters p², p³, respectively
blocking out, and completing the peripheral teeth.
Each carriage q is supported to slide between ears or guides on a guide-plate t,
which is connected by a joint or pivot-bolt with a slide vadapted to move vertically
in guides in a standard or support w on the base c. The bolt u passes through
cars (Figure 6) on the guide-plate t and is rigidly attached to the slide v; the
hend of the bolt u bears against one side of the guide-plate t, and a nut u¹ on said
bolt bears against the opposite side of the guide plate. By loosening said nut, the
guide-plate t may be turned on the bolt u so that it will stand horizontally or at
any desired angle as indicated by full and dotted lines in Figure 4, and by full lines
in Figure 6. By tightening the nut, the guide-plate t may be firmly secured in any
position to which it may be adjusted. To additionally hold the guide-plate t, a
segmental slotted arm t¹ may be attached to said plate, as shown in dotted lines in
Figure 6, a set screw t2 passing through the slot of said arm into the slide v, and
clamping the arm against the said slide. The guide may have a graduated plate a¹,
which in connection with a finger a affixed to the slide v, indicates the angle at
which the guide-plate is inclined. The carriage q is reciprocated on the guide-plate t
by means of a pinion 61 (adapted to rotate on the bolt u and meshing with a rack c¹
on the carriage q, a rack bar e' meshing with said pinion and bearing on the cam s
of the shaft h) and a spring f¹ interposed between shoulders formed respectively
on the guide-plate t and carriage q. The upward movement of the rack-bar el
caused by the rotation of the cam s rotates the pinion b and causes the latter to
move the carriage 9 positively against the pressure of the spring f¹. During this
movement, the cutter p on the spindle o is acting on the wheel-blank held by the
adjacent spindle d. When the reduced portion of the cam s reaches the bar e³, the
latter is allowed to fall and the spring f' forces the carriage ġ in the opposite
direction. At the same time the cam s located beside the cams (see Figure 3)

page_text: acts on a bar g¹, Figures 5 and 6, which is secured rigidly to the vertical slide v,
to which the carriage is jointed, and raises said slide with the carriage, thus raising
the cutter from the wheel-blank, while the spring f¹ is moving the carriage back-
wardly, and while the wheel-blank is being partially rotated with the spindle & to
enable it to receive the next action of the cutter on the spindle o. The return
backward movement of the carriage q caused by the spring f¹ is limited by an
adjustable stop h', and, when said movement is completed, the reduced surface of
the cam s allows the slide v to descend with the carriage, the descent being
facilitated by a spring in a tubular rock-shaft, which is journalled in the standard
or support w and is provided with an arm j¹ bearing on a shoulder on the slide v,
said spring exerting a constant downward pressure on the arm j'. The cutter
being thus returned to position to commence its next slot in the wheel-blank, is
again moved with the carriage q by the cam 8 and rack-bar e¹, and so on, a slot
being cut in the wheel-blank after each partial rotation thereof. It will be seen
that the jointed connection of the carriage to its support and provision of means
for clamping or holding the carriage at different inclinations enables the cutter to
form radial teeth with any desired slope or bevel with relation to the peripheral
teeth, It is obvious that other means may be employed for securing the carriage
as adjusted and for effecting the described movements thereof.
Each carriage q¹ is supported by a slide adapted to move vertically in guides
formed in a standard on the base c and is provided with an arm u¹ having a
roller u² bearing against the lower portion of the periphery of a cam v on one
of the radial shafts 7. A spiral spring w₁ placed in a socket in the standard ?
presses upwardly against a plunger be on the slide and thus causes the roller u²
to press upwardly against the cam v¹. The rotation of the cam v together with
the pressure of the spring w¹ causes the slide to reciprocate vertically, the
positive downward movements caused by the action of the cam taking place while
the cutter is in contact with the wheel-blank, a vertical slot being thus made in
the edge of the blank. After this movement is completed, and while the spring w¹
is raising the slide, a cam v³ raises a bar a³ which moves in a guide in the slide k¹
and causes said bar to tilt a bell-crank-lever b³ pivotted to its upper end. Said
lever bears against a shoulder on the carriage q' and pushes the latter horizontally
thus causing its cutter to recede from the wheel-blank during its upward move-
ment. The wheel-blank is partially rotated while the cutter is moving upwardly
and is thus brought into position for the next action of the cutter. A spring, not
shown in the drawing, forces the carringe back to its operative position at the close
of its upward movement. The cutter is then again depressed as before, cutting
another slot in the blank. This operation is repeated until all the peripheral teeth
are formed.
From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the cutters act simultaneously
on the blanks, and that the blanks are rotated one step after each action of the
cutters until a complete rotation of each blank has been effected, the cutter a
mean while remaining motionless. After the formation of the last slot in cach
wheel, the turret is rotated one fifth of a complete rotation and thus each wheel,
except the one acted on and completed by the last cutter, is brought into position
to receive the action of the next cutter, the completed wheel being brought into
the vacant space between the last cutter p³ and the first cutter p so that it can
be removed and replaced by an uncut blank. The rotation of the turret is effected
as follows:
Upon the shaft h is a worm c³ (Figures 9, 10 and 11) meshing with a worm
wheel secured to a cam or count wheel d³ which is journalled on a bearing
attached to the bed c and is continuously rotated by the shaft h.
On the upper
surface of the count wheel is a cam or projection fa extending inwardly toward the
centre of the wheel. A bar g³ Figure 12 arranged to slide in a guide in the bed c
projects at one end over the count wheel, and carries a roll or toe h³ through which
it receives motion from projection f³. The other end of said bar is pivotted to a
latch Figure 12, adapted to enter a notch in the periphery of the base of the

page_text: turret and thus lock the turret.
There are five notches and they are arranged
so that when either of them coincides with and receives the latch the
wheel-blanks on the spindles are in position to be acted on by the cutters.
A spring (Figure 12) normally presses the latch into the notch in the base of
the turret.
When the wheel-blanks are ready to be moved forward by the partial rotation
of the turret, the cam f³ on the wheel d³ comes in contact with the roller on the
bar and draws said bar backward, thus withdrawing the latch from the notch
in the base of the turret. At the same time a cam or offset k³ (Figures 9 and 11)
in a peripheral groove ³ on the count wheel encounters an arm n³ on one end of a
rock-shaft o journalled in the bed c, and gives said rock-shaft a partial rotation.
A fork secured to the other end of the rock-shaft and engaged with the
sleeve m on the shaft.g is thus caused to raise said sleeve with the radiating
arms n², removing the latter from the range of the levers n on the index-spindles,
and raising a flange on the sleeve m so that teeth & on said flange will engage
with projections t on the inner periphery of the base of the turret. The sleeve m
is thus caused to rotate the turret until the next notch j coincides with, and
receives, the latch 3, the turret being thus moved so as to bring the index-spindles
to the position required to present the wheels to the cutters whose action they
are next to receive. While the turret is rotating, the index-wheels do not rotate,
the arms m³ which act on the levers being raised above said levers. Simultaneously
with the locking of the turret by the latch 3, the rock-shaft o³ is restored to its
normal position by the groove 3 in the count wheel, and depresses the sleeve m,
thus disengaging the flange of the sleeve from the turret and bringing the
radiating arms m² into position to engage the index-operating levers. The step by
step rotation of the index-spindles is then resumed until another complete rotation
of each spindle is effected, then another partial rotation given to the turret as
before, and thus the operation is continued. Each partial rotation of the turret
brings a finished wheel from the last cutter to the vacant space between the last
and first cutters of the series.
The entire operation is automatic, the operator or attendant having only to
remove each completed wheel as it is brought into the said vacant space and replace
it with a fresh blank. The mechanism is so timed that, at each complete rotation
of the shaft h, while the sleeve m is in its normal position, a tooth is cut on the
wheels. The partial rotation of the turret is also effected by a single rotation of
the shaft h, so that the time required for shifting the wheel-blanks from one
position to the next is the same as that required for cutting one tooth. The
number of teeth in the worm-wheel on the count wheel is such that, for a complete
rotation of said wheel, one rotation of the shaft h more than the number of teeth
to be cut in the wheels is required. This additional rotation of the shaft effects
the described movement of the turret, so that the cutting of all the teeth and the
removal of the wheels to their next position are effected during a single rotation of
the count wheel. It is obvious that a single index-spindle or wheel-blauk-holder
may be used instead of a series, such single holder being presented successively
to the different cutters and rotated step by step while presented to each cutter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In a machine for cutting teeth of duplex wheels, the combination of a
series of cutters, of which a part are adapted to cut radial or face teeth on a wheel-
blank, and the others to cut peripheral teeth; a holder or a series of holders for a
wheel-blank or blanks; automatic mechanism for moving said holder or holders
from cutter to cutter; and automatic mechanism for rotating each holder step
by step, while it is presented to a cutter, whereby both series of teeth are cut
automatically, as set forth.

page_text: Second. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination
of a series of cutters and operating mechanism therefor, substantially as described;
a series of wheel-holding spindles adapted to present a series of wheels or wheel-
blanks simultaneously to said cutters; mechanism for rotating said spindles on
their own axes step by step; and mechanism for moving the series of spindles in
unison to change the positions of the wheels, as set forth.
Third. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination of
a series of cutters, and operating mechanism therefor, substantially as described;
a rotary carriage or turret; a series of wheel-holding spindles journalled in said
turret; mechanism for rotating said spindles step by step; and mechanism alter-
nating in its action with said spindle-rotating mechanism, to partially rotate the
turret after cach complete rotation of the spindles, and thereby move the spindles
to their next positions, as set forth.
Fourth. A machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, composed of the
following elements, viz, first, a series of cutters having operating mechanism,
substantially as described, said cutters being arranged in circular order at uniform
distances apart, excepting the first and last of the series which are separated by a
longer space; and second a series of wheel-holding spindles arranged to coincide
with the cutters and exceeding the same in number as specified, mechanism for
rotating said spindles step by step, and mechanism for moving the series of
spindles at stated intervals, whereby the spindle having the completed wheel is
brought into the space between the first and last cutters and the other spindles
are brought into position to present their wheels or wheel-blanks to the several
cutters for their action, as set forth.
Fifth. A machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, comprising a series of
spindles or supports for wheel-blanks, normally locked and prevented from
rotating a series of cutters having operating mechanism, substantially as
described, whereby they are adapted to perform the successive operations required
to form the duplex teeth; mechanism for intermittently unlocking said supports
and giving them step by step rotary movements while they are presented to the
cutters; and mechanism for moving said supports bodily to advanced positions
without unlocking them, as set forth.
Sixth. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination of
the series of cutters; operating mechanism, substantially as described, whereby
Baid cutters are moved as required to cut the side and peripheral teeth; the rotary
turret ; the series of wheel-holding spindles journalled in said turret, each provided
with an index-wheel, a latch therefor, and a lever adapted to disengage said latch,
and rotate the wheel, the continuously rotated shaft occupying the axial centre
of the turret, the movable sleeve on said shaft, adapted, whon in one position, to
engage and move the index-wheel operating levers, and when in another position
to engage and move the turret without moving said levers; mechanism whereby
said sleeve is held in its index-wheel operating position during a pre-determined
number of rotations, and in its turret operating position during an additional
partial rotation; and mechanism whereby the turret is locked while the index-
wheels are being rotated, and released preparatory to its own rotation, as set
forth.
Seventh. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination
of the cutters having operating mechanism substantially as described; the wheel-
holding spindles, having index-wheels and operating levers; the turret; the
locking device therefor; the shaft g having a sliding sleeve adapted to engage
successively with the index-wheel levers and then with the turret; the driving
shaft geared to the shaft g; the count wheel rotated by the driving shaft and
provided with cam-grooves; and devices substantially as described, operated by
said cam-grooves, whereby the turret-locking device and the sliding sleeve of the
shaft g are operated, as set forth.

page_text: Eighth. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination
of wheel-holding spindles each provided with an index-wheel; a rotary support or
carriage for said spindles; latches adapted to automatically lock the index-wheels;
levers adapted to oscillate independently on the spindle and each provided at one
end with a nose or cam adapted to disengage the latch from the index-wheel and
at the other end with a pawl adapted to engage with and rotate the index-wheel;
means for moving said lever in one direction at stated periods; and a spring
whereby the levers are returned to their normal position after being thus moved, as
set forth.
Ninth. In a machine for cutting the teeth of duplex wheels, the combination of
a rotary cutter mounted on a slide or carriage; a guide-plate for said carriage
pivotted to a support and adapted to stand horizontally or at any desired angle ;
means for positively holding said guide-plate in any position to which it may be
adjusted; and mechanism for reciprocating said carriage on its track and for
raising and lowering the track with the carriage, as set forth.
Tenth. The combination of a slide or carriage q having a rotary cutter; the
guide-plate or track t on which said slide is adapted to reciprocate; the slide v
adapted to move vertically in guides in a fixed support, and connected with the
guide-plate t by a pivot w; the pinion 61 mounted loosely on said pivot and
engaging with a rack c¹ on the slide; the vertical rack-bar el adapted to move
in a guide in the slide v; and a continuously rotated shaft having cams 8, 81
adapted to actuate the slide vand bar e¹, as set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.