Improvements in Machinery for Automatically Manufacturing Borews, Nuts, Studs, and such like from the Rough Metal.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
Improvements in Machinery for Automatically Manufacturing
Borews, Nuts, Studs, and such like from the Rough Metal.
I, WILHELM REH, of Dresden-Lobtau, Germany, Machine-tool Manufacturer,
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:-
The automatic machines at present in use for the manufacture of screws, etc.,
depend to a great extent upon the regular speed at which they are driven.
Variations in the number of revolutions and consequently in the speed of trans-
mission either cause threads of an unequal length to be cut or the breaking
off of the stom. Further it is not possible to cut the thread to the very end
of the rod as there always remains an extra piece, as long as the head-stock,
which has to be thrown away. The present machines have also a right and left
motion or a fast and loose pulley arrangement for the working spindle or cutting
tool which necessitates the use of several belt pulleys and belts or the displacing
of belts.
These disadvantages are not present in my new machine which is so constructed
that the material (in the rough stato) revolves when being turned and cut whilst
the cutting tool remains stationary; whereas, when the screw thread is being cut,
the cutting die or tool revolves whilst the material remains stationary. Further,
the working spindle as well as the spindle of the cutting die are set in operation
by means of a single belt which causes them always to revolve in the same
direction without moving to the right or left.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a plan with part shown in section.
Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections.
Figs. 5 and 6 show details in section and front view drawn to full size.
On the side cheek a of the frame the shaft b is placed which receives its
rotatory motion from the variable speed pulley c. By means of the worm d and
the worm wheel e the motion is transmitted to the cross shaft f and by means
of the bevel wheels g, g', to the longitudinal shaft h. On the cross shaft f is
fitted the face cam for the cutting tool carrier, the face cam & for actuating the
screw cutting spindle and the cam 7 for the turning tool carrier.
On the longitudinal shaft h is fitted the face cam m for moving and setting
the turning tool carrier, arranged at right angles to the longitudinal shaft of
the machine, according to the desired thickness of the screw blank. On the
shaft there are also two grooved cams and o the cam n being for locking
and freeing the chuck which holds the rod being operated upon, whilst the
cam o is for throwing the driving pulley into and out of gear with the hollow
spindles. On a second cross shaft 7 which is set in motion by means of the bevel
gearing p, p, is a face cam which regulates the feed.
The turning head-stock carries in it the hollow spindle s, running in the
bearings t, t¹, and which has loosely fitted on it the belt pulley into which a

page_text: split ring R' is screwed, and fixed by tightening a screw. The pulley and its
ring are so made that when the latter is inserted in place a V shaped groove
is formed into which two correspondingly shaped segments (see Figs. 5 and 6)
can be inserted. These segments liave round pins which can be introduced
into holes in the casting keyed to the spindle s. The ends of the pins bear
against projections 10, 201, of a clutch (Fig. 5) which is capable of sliding upon
the spindle and is provided with teeth or a friction coupling arrangement whereby
it can be clutched to the box X. If the action of the cam o causes the
clutch to move towards the left hand (Fig. 2) then the tapered projections 201
acting upon the pins of the segments force the latter outwards and thereby
clutch the belt pulley i frictionally to the hollow spindle s. If, however, the
cam o moves the clutch towards the right hand (Fig. 2) then the belt pulley u
is set free and the clutch is locked by means of its teeth to the correspondingly
formed clutch box X which latter fixedly secured at the back of the bearing
bush of the head-stock. At the other end of the spindle is the chuck-head y
against whose sides the movable links z, provided with small screws, press. The
links engage at their rounded back ends in the groove of a movable sleeve. A.
This sleeve A can be moved by the short end of the lever T whose opposite end
is provided with a roller which works in the groove of the cam n.
On the shaft B the feeder C is slidably arranged. It can be moved outwards
by means of a cam and it is provided with a tube E which, by means of the
adjusting rings 1 and 2, is retained within the eye 3 of the feeder within which
it can, however, turn. The tube E projects into the hollow spindle s and has
at its end a hollow friction grip or chuck passed through a pushed-on binding
ring. This friction chuck is always in contact with the metal rod and is so
arranged that the friction between it and the rod is just sufficient to enable the
rod to be fed forward by the working carrier. The grip or chuck revolves along
with the rod and the working spindle and remains stationary when the latter
are stopped.
The movement of the feeder C is effected by means of the cam in conjunction
with the spring J which forces the feeder forward. The amount of the feed is
regulated by means of the adjustable screw H.
The screw cutting head-stock is slidably arranged in the frame at the opposite
end of the machine from the main head-stock. On the back bearing bush of the
screw cutting head-stock a pulley L is revolubly fitted and is provided with
engaging pins s¹. The screw cutting spindle M runs in bearings in the head-
stock K and is also capable of sliding backwards and forwards. The cutting
die N is carried at the front end of the spindle M. Between the bearings is
the driver which is provided with two adjustable pins. A spiral spring P
on the spindle prevents excessive pressure of the cutting die. In the front arm
of the spindle-stock an engaging pin Q is adjustably fitted:
Between the head-stocks the carrier R for the turning tool and the carrier S
for the cutting tool are arranged on a common foundation. If so desired they
can be carried on separate foundations. These carriers which carry the tool
holders can be moved forward by means of the face cams and i. The holder
of the carrier R can also be moved laterally by means of the cam m. The shape
of the article being turned is regulated by the shape of the cam m.
All the carriers are brought back to their original positions after performing
their work by means of spiral springs or similarly operating devices. When
complicated shapes or patterns have to be automatically turned the carrier of
the cutting tool can also be constructed as a complete cross carrior and in order
to give the required lateral motion a second longitudinal shaft with cam is
arranged upon the machine:
.
The machine operates in the following manner:-
First, for the manufacture of screws; the rod G which has to be operated upon
is inserted in the hollow spindle s and contred through the friction chuck F the
binding ring being so adjusted that the rod can be slid with a tight fit througli

page_text: and
the chuck. The machine is now set in operation. As the cam n revolves it acts
upon the roller of the lever T and causes the latter to push the sleeve A to the
right hand (Fig. 2). As a result of this movement the links are caused to
act upon the hollow spindle and compress the slides or cheeks of the chuck so
as to tightly grip the rod. The lever U is now acted upon by the cam o in
such manner as to cause the clutch to act on the pins and segments
clutch the pulley to the hollow spindle s which latter, along with the rod, will;
as a consequence, revolve with the pulley. The cam m acts upon the carrier of
the turning tool and forces it forward the extent necessary for the required
thickness of blank. The cam l now forces the carrier along longitudinally the
extent necessary to give the required length of blank. All the carriers and
tools, after their work is finished, are automatically retracted by means of springs
or the like. After the blank has been turned the action of the cam o causes
the lever U to move back the clutch, whereupon the segments v
retract themselves under the action of their connecting springs (see
Fig. 6) and the pulley 6 runs free, and the clutch, engages itself
with the box X, which is rigidly secured to the back of the bearing
bush of the spindle stock t', and holds the hollow spindle s fast. Thereupon the
cam actuates the screw cutting head stock K and moves it forward. So long
as the cutter N does not touch the blank the pulley Li runs free and the spindle M
remains stationary, but, immediately the cutter comes into contact with the
rod-blank, then, as the head-stock K advances, the engaging pins of the pulley L
will come into contact with the pins of the driver 0 and set the latter as well
as the spindle M in rotation. As the spindle M is rotated and fed forward the
cutter die N cuts the screw thread on the blank. When the cam k reaches its
maximum throw the screw thread will be cut the proper length on the blank.
Thereafter the head stock automatically retracts itself under the action of a
counter weight or spring, the engaging pins move out of engagement, and the
shaft M ceases to revolve. The pins of the driver finally come in contact with
the stop pin which is adjustably secured in the front upright of the headstock,
and, at that moment the cam o again acts on the lever U so as to clutch the pulley
to the spindles and start it again into action whereupon the screw ready cut,
is turned out of the cutter-die. At this moment the cam i acts upon the shaft a
and forces its wedge behind the roller of the cutting tool holder S 80 as to press
the cutting tool against the rod and cut off the finished screw.. Thereafter the
cutting tool is retracted by means of a spring not shown on the drawings. The
cam now acts again on the lever T so as to cause it to move the sleeve A
and actuate the links z so as to disengage the friction chuck F from the rod.
In the meantime the feeder C has been pushed back by the action of the cam
on the shaft g and just reaches its full backward traverse at the moment the
rod is disengaged. The spring J now comes again into action and feeds forward
the rod to the extent permitted by the screw H, which latter is adjusted so as
just to allow the proper feed for the desired length of screws being manufactured.
The cam n again acts on the lever T, the chuck again grasps the rod and the
work proceede de novo.
In the manufacture of nuts the same process is performed but instead of using
a cutter die a tap is employed.
In the manufacture of special screws and the like the cams or tools are shaped
so as to give the proper profile.
When manufacturing shoulder screws and studs with stems of variable thickness
two or more turning tools are fixed between the head-stocks and at proper dis-
tances from the centre line of the machine.
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 consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. A machine for the automatic manufacture of screws, nuts, studs and such

page_text: like out of the rough metal characterized by this, that the working spindle
revolves along with the metal rod to be operated on, when turning and cutting,
whilst the cutting die remains stationary, whereas, when the screw thread is
being cut, the working spindle and the metal rod remain stationary whilst the
cutting die revolves, and, again, when the rod is being turned out of the cutting
die the latter remains stationary whilst the working spindle and the rod revolve
in the same direction as when turning and cutting, substantially as described.
2. The arrangement for automatically producing the periodic rotation and non-
rotation of the working spindle (s) and the material (G) to be operated on con-
sisting of a clutch (a) provided with projections (ww) which is capable of sliding
on the working spindle and of engaging, on the one hand, with friction seg-
ments (v) arranged at the interior of the driving pulley (1) and, on the other
hand, with a coupling box (X) secured to the head-stock (¹) of the machine,
substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. The arrangement for insuring the cutting of screw threads of equal length
consisting of pins (s) fitted in the loose belt pulley (L) and arranged to engage
with pins () on a driver (O) which latter is keyed to the spindle of the screw
thread cutting die so as to rotate the same and of a pin (Q) adjustably fitted in
the head-stock and arranged so as to engage with the pins (83) and stop the
rotation of the cutting die spindle at the proper times, the parts being constructed
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
drawings antexed.
4. The arrangement for feeding forward' the rod automatically consisting of
a tube (E) revolubly fitted in the feeder (C) and projecting into the hollow
working spindle (s) as far as the back of the chuck whose friction grip (F) is
so adjusted as to always hold the rod with a frictional grasp which whilst per-
mitting of the rod sliding within the grip is sufficient to enable the rod and
tube (E) to work together, substantially as herein before described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 5th dow of Tπl. 1900