US1500250A - Automatic wood-turning lathe - Google Patents

Description

F. H. M LAIN July 8 1924.

AUTOMATIC WOOD TURNING LATHE Filed Feb. 17. 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inveniw 1,500,250 F. H. MGLAIN AUTOMATIC woon TURNING LATHE I Fild Feb. 17. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 July 8 1924 MwN w It e W v w we W M I o f f NWNI mw we Dc QQ NQ Bk July 8, 1924.-

v F H. M LAIN AUTOMATIC WOOD TURNING LATHE Filed Feb. 1'7. 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 .4 l'll l- July 8 1924.

F. H. M LAIN QUTOMATIC WOOD TURNING LATHE Filed Feb. 1'7 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 I i menial: g MOWQW July 8, 1924.

6 Sheet Filed Feb. 17.

Int/812101:

July 8, 1924. 1,500,250

F. H. M LAIN AUTOMATIC WOOD TURNING LATHE Filed Feb. 17. 1923 e Sheets-Sheet e Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,500,250 P ATENT OFFICE;

FRANK H. MGIIAIN, OF PORTLA ND', MAINE, ASSIGINO-R TO THE MGLAIN C)., PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC woon'runnine LATHE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. MGLAIN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic WVood- Turning Lathes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and novel 10 features incorporated in the construction of wood-turning lathes which are used in the manufacture of wooden articles of various shapes, such as handles, pill boxes, mailing cases, containers and other Wooden devices adapted to be produced by; a turning process.

There are now on the market semi-automatic machines for doing this class of work. These machines are constructed with a longitudinally movable headstock carrying a solid chuck-spindle, and'with a stationary carriage equipped with turning and drill-' ing tools. In operating these machines, or lathes, a short bolt of wood, usually square 5 in cross section, is first placed by the workman between the centering device, on the carriage, and the chuck. As the headstock is pulled along the bed of the lathe through the agency of a rack feed it forces the bolt forward past a rough-turning tool, which is mounted on the carriage, and reduces the end of the bolt to a round dowel of a size sufficient to snugly fit a guide ring, usually called by wood-workers adie, which is also a fixture on the carriage. This turned end projects through and beyond the guide ring approximately the length of one of the handles or other pieces to be finished.

The finish-turning knives then act on this 4 projecting portion, complete the turning op eration, and an independent cutting-off tool severs the finished piece'from the remainder of the bolt. After the next cycle of the, feed mechanism occursthe turning operation is repeated on another short end which is fed forward past theguide ring, until finally the whole bolt is turned into finished pieces, with the exception of the but-t end left in the chuck."

The fact that the spindle is running con tinuously, and at a high speed, makes the operation of placing these square bolts in the chuck attendant with considerable danger to the workman. Turnin the end of the bolt to a dowel form and of just the proper diameter toaccurately fit the guide ring, upon-which fit principally depends the support of the dowel during the. finisl n' turning operation, is another difficulty encountered. If this'fit happens to be too ters, it, results. .Then in these lathes, as each individual bolt has to .be placed singly thechnck', a considerable loss of time 0c,-

cnrs in the feeding arrangement.

In the invention herewith presented I employ several, which I. believe to be new and novel as well as superior, features in the construction of a'wood-turning lathe designed to handle the variety of work hereinbefore mentioned, with each operation on the stock, including the feeding of. same to the chuck, effected by solely automatic means.

A- detailed description will be given in the following pagesof this specification of all the parts embodied in my invention, but I will herepointout, in a general way, a few of the characteristic features, and leave for the appended claims a more specific treatment of all that is new and novel pertaining thereto.

In the first place I would callattention to the manner in which the dowels, are fed into the lathe,starting with a continuous light friction feed; which brings the dowel up to the heavy friction feed mechanisnnthe latter intermittent in its action. Next my method of feeding the dowel'through the chuck-carrying spindle by which I save considerable time in placing the dowel where itcan be acted. upon by the cutting tools. Then by locating the cutting tools incloseproximity to thechuck the work is much more rigidly held against, the action of these tools than .is the case where the turning isfldone on the dowel end projecting out from a guide ring in which, the dowel may not be properly fitted. 'Also,,'in connection with the powerful frictional feed ,mechanism, I would mention the automatic stop action. which does, away with the expense and trouble of cutting a special rack for every different length of finish-turned piece being manufactured, and which 'ican; be easily and'quickly adjusted to the minutest variation "in length of the laden-findlastly, the designs of the roughing and finishing tool fixtures in which I have incorporated many advantageous movements,especially the straight line cut of the roughing tool and the compound (shear and slide) out of the finishing tool.

In the drawings accompanying this speci fication, Fig. 1 is a plan View of the lathe and feeding mechanism; Fig. 2is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through 'the' .lieadstock, spindle and attached parts, taken on line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a face view of the chuck-closing piston, and Fig. 5 is a side view of same; Fig. 6 is a'fragmentary view of the chuck-closing piston and the pistona ctuating disc, showing the helical-form faces in contact; Fig. 6 is a face view of the piston-actuating disc, showing the arm by which it is operated; Fig. 7 is a section through the lathe bed, taken on line 77, Fig. 1, and shows a side elevation, partly in section, of the roughing-tool fixture, together with a full side elevation of the fin ishing-tool fixture; Fig. 8 is a section through a portion of the roughing-tool fixture, taken on line 8-8, Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the (cross-wise of the fixture) finishing-tool fixture, taken on line 99, Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a section through the tool holder and the top portion of the slide of'the roughing-tool fixture, taken on line 1010, Fig. 7 Fig. 11 is a section through the tool holder of the finishing-tool fixture, taken on line 11-11, Fig. 7; Fig. 12 is a horizontal section through finishing-tool fixture slide and saddle, taken on line 1212, Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a section through the bed, taken on line 1313, Fig; 2, and shows the cams which actuate the roughing and finishing-tool fixtures; Fig. 14 is a section through roughing-tool fixture cam, taken on line let-14, Fig. 13; Fig. 15 represents a plan View of the dowel feed-stop mechanism, and Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 17 is an end view of that portion of the mechanism as viewed from line 1717, Fig. 16, and Fig. 18 is that portion seen from line 1818, Fig. 16; Fig. 19 is a side elevation of the cutting-off tool, and Fig. 20 an end elevation of the same; Fig. 21 is an end elevation of the 'main feed mechanism; Fig. 22 is a side elevation of the main feed mechanism; Fig. 23 is a plan view of the idle wheel and oscillating lever which carries the wheel; Fig. 24: is a sectional elevation through the tailstock and bed, taken on line 24--24, Fig. 2; Fig. 25 shows the upper por tion of the tailstock, in section, and the pin ion which actuates the tailstock spindle removed from its seat; Fig. 26 is a horizontal section through the bed, taken on line 2626, Fig. 2, and shows a plan view of the tailstock spindle actuating cam and its connectmg parts, and Fig. 271s a side elevation, partly in section, of the primary, or light friction feed mechanism, sectionbeing taken on line 2727, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

1 represents the bed of the lathe, which is supported on the legs 2, 2. 3 is a floor counter-shaft to which power from any suitable source may be supplied. Belting from the cone-pulley 4;, 'on this counter, power is transmitted by a belt to the lathe countershaft 5 by and through the agency of the cone-pulley 6. Aclutch 7 is provided in case the feed is required to be out off from the lathe.

On the end of the shaft 5 is a pinion 8 meshing with a gear 9 rigidly secured to the cam-shaft 10, which latter extends beyond the bed to the feeding mechanism. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 27, 11 represents a column, supported on a flange 12 whichis bolted to the fioorlj 13 is a casting slidably mounted on the column 11, and adjustable, vertically, on the same, using the nut 14: for this purpose. Rigidly secured to the top of 18 is a dowel receptacle 15, the floor of. which is preferably set at a slight angle from horizontal. The receptacle has no lower side so that dowels placed therein 7 may roll by gravity on to the spurred and groovedrolls 16. These rolls are fixed on the shafts 17 and are subject to continuous rotary movement by means of the pulleys 18, which revolve-in the direction as indicated by the arrows. In the view in Fig. 27 the dowel marked as is being fed into the sec ondary feed mehanism, and as this particular dowel leaves the rolls the next dowel above, marked will fall on to the rolls and be fed forward, and this operation is continued until all dowels have fed out of the receptacle for this,the primary feed mechanism. Secured to the end of the bed 1 is an extension to same, 19, on which is bolted a vertical bracketed member 20 (see Figs. 21 and 22). On the upper end of this member (20) is a vertically adjustable bearing 21, in which is journalled a shaft 22. Fixed to one end of this shaft (22) is a pulley 23 driven by any suitable power and'designed to revolve continuously while the lathe is in operation. On the opposite end of the shaft- 22 is a wheel 2 1 with the rim grooved .to loosely fit each particular size of dowelpassing through the feed mechanism. It will, of course, be understood that this wheel (24) is interchangeable with other wheels and the one whose groove fits the dowel being operated on is selected.

Placed vertically in line with the wheel 24, and beneath it, is another grooved wheel 25, which is an idle wheel and is mounted on a stud 26 secured to the side of the oscillat-ing lever 27. This lever (27) is fulcrumed over pin 28 fixed in the bracket 20. On the end of the lever 27, opposite the fulcrum point, is an adjusting screw 29, with a head 29', and in vertical alignment with a plunger 30, which reciprocates throughthe guide 31, and is actuated by the cam 32, the latter mounted on the shaft 10.

It will be observed, by referring to Fig. 22, that the wheel 24 is normally slightly out of contact with the upper side of the in feeding dowel, but that the wheel is at a considerably greater distance below the bot-' tom side of the dowel. Now when the cam 32 turns, a very short rise, 32', on the latter, forces the plunger upward and the telescoping pin 33, impinging on the screwv head 29, raises the lever 27 into a position as shown by the dot-and-dash lines, Fig. 22. Also the grooved wheel 25 is raised into contact with the dowel and in the continuation of the upward movement of the plunger 30, which has an overtravel, the wheel 25 will have pressed the dowel into a strong contact with the revolving wheel 24,;which will start the dowel feeding forwardly. The cam 32 will have raised the plunger more than just enough to bring the dowel into contact with the wheel 24, and this overtravel will be taken up by the telescoping of the pin 33 into the counterbored portion of the plunger, compressing the spring 34 while so doing. This excess travel of the plunger 30 allows of a strong contact of the revolving wheel 24 with the dowels and does away with the difficulty of handling large quantities of the latter where many will vary slightly (either over or under size) from the nominal size in diameter.

At 35 is seen a vertical arm pivoted on the shaft 36, which latter oscillates in the bearings 37. On the upper end of the arm 35 is an adjustable latch member 38 adapted to normally rest against the shoulder 39, on the lever 27. Tension to bring this latch member strongly against this shoulder is provided by the helical spring 40. On the completion of the upward oscillation of the lever 27 the shoulder 39 will have been raised sufficiently to have allowed the latch member to fall off the shoulder and land on the surface 41, where it temporarily remains, and so long as it remains in this position the dowel will continue to move through the feed rolls 24 and 25." It will be noticed that the surface 41 is slightly angled from horizontal. This is for'the purpose of providing for slight differences in the diameters of the-dowels, for the smallerthe dowel the higher will the lever 27 rise, and the farther along the surface 41, will the latch member move, and without the beveled surface the latch member would not avail to hold the wheel in rigid contact with the dowel. Of course with a dowel larger than nominal size the reverse holds true in regard to the le ver and arm,the arm will not rise so high and the latch will not move in so far.

A stud 42, on the arm 35, carries a swiveling member 43, through a hole 44 in which reciprocates a rod 45 with an adjusting nut 46 mounted on its outer end, which is threaded for a certain distance. This rod (45) which has attached thereto a spring 45 to bring it back to its normal position in the swiyeling member 43, carries forward to the central part of the lathe and connects with the dowel-stop mechanism, about which more will be said later on in this specification. A. spring 47 assists the lever 27 to come to its lowermost position. Guiding tubes 48 loosely support the in-feeding dowel.

Before passing from the consideration of this feed mechanism it might be well to state, what is already evident, that the feed through thetwo feed wheels 24 and 25 is intermittent, while the feed from the dowel receptacle is continuous in so far as the operating mechanism for this particular feed is concerned, the intermittency of thefeed from the receptacle'being due solely to the fact that the out-going dowel is continually in contact. with the. dowel immediately preceding it and which is already in the secondary feed mechanism (wheels 24 and 25), and can move no faster, and at such times only, as the latte-r mechanism is operating. During the halting periods of the feed the rolls 16 will have a slipping contact with the dowel they are carrying.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated the spindle with its, contiguous parts assembled. 49 is the head-. stock base. 5O is a spindle mounted in bearings 51 and 52 properly supported in housing 53 and 54 respectively. 55 is a pulley, receiving power from any suitable source and furnishing rotary movement for the spindle, to which, it is keyed.

On the forward end, or nose, of the spindle 50 is a chuck closer 56, operating within which is a collet, or as I shall hereinafter designate it, a chuck 57. A chuck tube 58, adapted to reciprocate within the spindle 50,

and provided with a sliding key, or as sometimes called a feather 59, which prevents the chuck tube turning within the spindle, is removably secured at its inner end to the said chuck. Its'outer end extends beyond the rearward end of the spindle. Secured to the housing 54 by the bolts is aflanged cylindrical member '61, and operating reciprocally within which is a piston 6 2.having a feather 62 to prevent rotary movement 7 within the cylinder. 7 In direct connection with and between this piston (62) and the chuck tube ('58) is a bearing 63, which, in this particular instance, is utilized as a thrusting medium. Immediately forward,

of' the bearing 63 is a flanged collar 64, the

on the chuck tube 58. The outer race of the bearing is pressed firmly into a counterbored portion of the piston 62.

Extending out from the rearward side of the piston62 are projections 66' with faces ii of these projections cut to a true helix form.

Rearwardly of the piston 62 is a disc 67 with projections on its inner face, as seen at 68, similar to the projections 66 on the piston 62. Securely fastened to the flange 69, of the cylinder 61, by bolts 70, is a circular plate 71 which retains the disc 67 within saidv cylinder. Screwed and shouldered on to the rearward end of the spindle is a counterbored nut. 72, within the counterbore of which is seated the opposite end of the aforesaid mentioned spring 65.

An arm 7 3 (see Fig. 6 is secured to the disc'67 by screws 74. This arm has a hole 75 through which the bolt 76 makes con- 3 nection to the. rod 77, which latter is reciprocated by the cam 7 8 in the side of which a cam path is cut. This cam is fixedly secured to the shaft 10. As arm 7 3 oscillates the disc 67 the helix surfaces on projections 68 impinge on the helix surfaces on projections 66 and force the piston 62 forwardly into the cylinder 6l, toward the chuck end of the spindle, and as the piston 62 is in direct connection with the chuck sleeve 58 and the chuck 57, this action will open the latter positively,compressing the spring 65 at the same time. In the return movement of the disc the spring 65 will expand and act on the piston through the bearing 2 63, bringing the chuck 57 into the closer 56,

with the helices on the piston following up the helices on the disc, which latter are receding on the return movement of the disc,

until the chuck jaws firmly close on to the in-fed dowel.

faces on 66 and 68, (as seen in Fig. 3), and

this separation provides a space which allows of considerable latitude in the diameter of the chuck opening, which in turn provides for a good firm chuck closure over slightly varying diameters of succeeding dowels. It will be apparent, therefore, that by this arrangement I obtain a positive opening and a yielding and variable closing of the chuck, which latter accomplishment eliminates the difiiculty encountered in successfully chucking ordinary commercial dowels which are not furnished to true nominal size but may and are very apt'to vary slightly in their diameters. It will also be seen that during the turning period, when the chuck is closed, there can be no thrusting action on the inainbearings 51 and 52, due in any way to the opening and closing mechanism.

In Fig. 3 I also illustrate how I have provided for handling dowels of different nominal sizes. The largest size of which the lathe is adapted to turn is one which will easily slide through the bore of the chuck tube 58 For smaller sizes I insert within the chuck tube a bushing, such as is seen at 7 9 and mount thereon centralizing collars 80, 81 and 82, placing them at intervals along the length of the tube. For holding this bushing firmly in the chuck tube I usea collar 83, made in halves, with a hubbed portion entering the bore of the tube and a flanged part extending outwardly and abutting on the end of said tube. hen the nut 84 is brought up solidly against the collar 82 it will hold the interposing members rigidly on the chuck tube 58. It will be noticed that the collars 80, 81 and 82 are of no larger diameter than can easily enter the chuck tube 58,- consequently in inserting a bushing in the tube it may first be entered through the guide tubes 48 of the secondary feed mechanism.

The size of the bore of the chuck may also be reduced, toconform to the size of any particular bushing, by inserting split sections 85, securing the same to the chuck with screws 86. c s c If reference should be had to Fig. 7 there will be seen my rough-turning and finish turning fixtures, and to Fig. 13 where their actuating mechanisms are illustrated. At 87 is shown a carriage, forming a part of the rough-turning fixture, and designed to fit slidably the ways ofthe bed of the lathe. Attached to this member (87) is an apron 88, encompassing the depth of the bed 1, and with a gib 89 and a gib screw 90 to insure accurate alignment of the carriage on the top of the V of the ways of said bed.-

Bosses 91 on this apron carry set screws'92 which abut on fixed bosses 93 projecting from the side of the bed and adjust the fixture in different positions longitudinally on the bed. In Fig. 18, 94 is a drum with a cam path 95 cut in the face of same and mounted on shaft 10. A roll 96, mounted rotatably on a stud in the bar 97, operates in this path and gives reciprocating movement to the said bar upon which latter, on the end opposite the roll 96, is cut a gear rack. In close relation to the drum 9 1, and projecting out from the inner side of'the bed 1, is a channel guide 97 for the bar 97 .The rack on the end o'fthe bar 97 meshes with a gear 98 loosely mounted on a pin 99.

with rack cut onthe lower end of a ver tically reciprocating bar 101. On the upper end of the bar 101 is out another rack, at an angle of degrees from that cut on'the lower end and meshing with a gear 102 rotating over a pin 103, which is fixed in the carriage 87.

Hung over the pin 103, and adapted to oscillate in a small are about the same, is a saddle 104 provided with ears 105, slotted,

and swinging between the upright sides of the carriage 87, and having screws 105 for the purpose oflocking the saddle in dlfferent angular positions on said carriage. Operating on this saddle (104), and reciprocating between gibs thereon, is a slide member 106 with 'a rack cut on its central portion and meshing with the gear 102; V 7

'On the upper end of the slide member is a hub 107 in which oscillates a clamping pin 108. Abutting on the inner face of'this hub is another, somewhat similar, hub 109, fornr ing a part of the tool carrier 110. Projecting from both sides of thehub 107'a're ears 111, into which the screws 112 are tapped. These screws provide adjusting means for the'toolbers rigidly together, between the nut and the shoulder 115, and the two gears will then revolve a one. Thus aconnection is established between the drum cam 94 and the slide 106. carriage 87 longitudinally along the bed of the lathe the nut 116 may first be slackened, which will have the effect of breaking'the rigid connection of the two gears 98 and 100,and the carriage placed in proper locat1on, using the screws 92 for this purpose. In movlng the carr age the gear 98 WLlil simply roll along the rack on the bar 97,

but will, being disconnected, impart no movementto the gear 100. The slide 106, also, may now be adjusted f it is required, as it is perfectly free and independent of the actuating parts. lVhen. all adjustments have been completed, tightening of the nut. 116

pin while tightening the nut.

In this fixture I have provided for all necessary movements and adjustments for the tool or cutting knife 118. oscillating the saddle about the pin 103 I may advance or withdraw the cutting tool into or out of the work. Vertical adjustments may be made as hereinbefore stated. A rotatable Should it be desired to move the movement, to'provide foraxial adjustment of the cutter, is provided in the pin 108, and the whole fixture may move bodily along the bed. Attention is particularly. called .to the relation of the'cutting tool to the feed or the slide, in which I'm'ayobtain either a true radial cut, an under cut or a r1d1ngcut,b-,ut

always 51 straight cut,of the cutting tool. 1 In Fig. 7 I" also show a side elevation of .myfinishing-tool fixture mountedon oneside of thebed of the lathe. This fixture isdesigned, primarily, to give a tangential cut to the cutting tool. By swivellingthe-saddle sothat the direction of the feed of the cutting tool is other than at 90 degrees from the cutting tool, I obtain a combined shear, and slide cuttlng action, which is'of very Superior 7 advantage. 011' straight turned work,

. 119 is a carriage, having a' depending hub 120. Slotted arms 121 extend on'jboth sides of the carriage and provider be'aring and clamping means for the latter, adjustments along the ways of the bed being taken care of by the slots in the arms. A counterboredspace in the top of the carriage (see Fig. 9), at 122, receives a turned hub 123 on the-under side of the saddle 12 1 and allows the saddle 39 V to beswivelled; A collaredsleeve 125, the collar'portion being seated in arecess in the saddle, extends downwardly through the "hub A slide 127, adapted to move longitudinally axis of the work being turned, and by put ting'a 'slightshear on the cutting-edge oi the V 120, and a nut operating on the threaded in the saddle through the agencyoft" a rack 127 out on'one of its inner faces,{carries the,

parts supporting the cutting tool. Extending .upwardlyfrom the slide is'a bored "hub 128 having an extended split ear129, whichf by means of the bolt 130 securely and adjustably. clamps the shank 131 of the swivel head 132. Ears 132 made integralwith the swivel head carry 'adjusting screws 133, the

.jends of the latter impinging'on the topof the slide 127iand serving to adjust the swivel head rotatably on its shank. A hubbed por-{ tion of 132, 133, is bored, but not threaded,

to fit the shank of the tool holder 134:, which latter it firmly clampsby means ol a'split ear 135 in combination withtheclamp bolt- 135. A nut 136 offers means for elevatin i or depressing the tool holder, the shank o l will bring all parts'back again into'functioning relation. A squared head may be formed on the pin, at 117, to facilitate steadying the the latter being threaded for this'purpose.

Meshing with the ra ck' 127 is aj-gea'r 137' fixedly secured to the topend oit'a shaft13-8; which oscillates in the sleeve 125. Fixed and shouldered on' the shatt'138 isa collar 139, and in close contact with the latteir is a gear 140 loosely "mounted on the shaft.

On the opposite. side-of the gear (140) is.

another collar 141 andabuttin'gon' this latof the shaft oscillates in th e bearing 1 13.

Again referring to Fig. 13, 144 is a drum with a cam path 145 out thereon, and in which the rotatable roll 146 reciprocates.

A bar 147, to which the roll 146 is attached over a stud 148, extends forwardly to the gear 140,-the bar being guided, adjacent the drum, by a channel 147 milled in a projection on the side of the bed. Connection is made to the gear (137) through a rack 149 out on the forward end of the bar (147).

The. slide adjusting feature of this finishing-tool fixture is somewhat similar to that which I have adopted on my roughingtool fixture. By loosening the nut 142 the gear 140 may revolve freely on the shaft 138 and adjustments may be made in the position of the slide in the saddle or the position of the carriage on thebed, without interference, one with the other.

In Fig. 24 I show a cross-sectional view of the tailstock spindle operating mecha- 4 nism. 150 represents a cam fixedly mounted on the shaft 10. Guided in a channel 151 on the bed (1) is a bar 152 onwhich is mounted a roll 153 rotating over a stud 154, the latter secured to said bar. (152). On the opposite end of the bar (152) is cut a rack 155 which actuates a gear 156. 157 represents the base of the tailstock and 157 the outer spindle-housing. 158 is a cleat and 159 the bolts by which the tailstock base is secured to the bed of the lathe. 160 is the tailstock spindle slidably mounted in the bushing 161 which is firmly secured in the bore of the housing 157 A rack 162 is fixed in a milled slot in the side of the spindle (160), the outer side extending beyond the periphery of the spindle and serving as a key reciprocating in a key-way 162 out in the bore of the bushing 161, and serving to prevent rotatable movement of the spindle 160. This rack (162) meshes with a gear 163 which is slidably mounted on a vertical shaft 164 and driven by the latter through a feather 165. Extending downwardly from the base of the tailstock is a bracket 166 having on its lower end a bearing 167, the latter supporting the lower end of the shaft 164. To this latter shaft (164) the gear 156 is fixedly secured. The gear 163 is extended upwardly and terminates in a knob to serve as a handle to facilitate the withdrawal of the gear from its seat in the housing. A resilient locking-pin 163 is provided to resist any tendency of the gear to rise from its seat while under strain.

On the inner end of the spindle (160) may be socketed a-drill 168, or a centering tool; and clamped over the spindle is a fixture 169adapted to carry tenoning or other special cutting tools. A collar 170 serves as a back stop for the spindle.

The forward movement of the tailstock spindle (160) (or when the tailstock tools are operating on the material) is positive and direct from the cam which actuates same, but the return movement of the spindle is yielding and is accomplished by the action of the spring 171, one end .of which may be attached to the rack bar 152 and the other to any convenient point on the lathe bed.

As itmay be necessary at times to move the tailstock along the bed, I provide means tion on the rack 155,-provision being made i for this by cutting the rack of sufiicient length to cover all requirements.

Referring to Figs. 19 and 20, which represent the cutting-oif tool assembly, 172 .is a cam fixed on the shaft 10. 173 is a reciprocating plunger with a stud 174 riveted to its side and a roll 176 adapted to revolve over the stud. This roll contacts with the periphery of the cam. A slot 177m the plunger encompasses the shaft and aids in resisting the thrusting action of the roll on the cam. The cam forces the tool into the work and the spring 173 returns it to its lowermost position. 178 is the main guide and is secured to the shaft 179 which is adjustably secured in the depending hubbed portions of the headstock, 180 and 181. A cutter 182 is secured to the top of the plunger 173.

Reverting to a consideration of the dowel stop mechanism hereinbefore briefly referred to, and observing Figs. 15, 16, 17 and'18, 183 is the dowel. stop finger, fixed on a vertically positioned shaft 184 which oscillates in the bearings 185 and 186 which form a part of a member 187. This member (187 is secured to a shaft 188 adjustably secured in the housings 157 and 189 of the tailstock.

The function of the arm 35 has hereinbefore been stated, but to more clearly connect the working of the dowel stop with this arm, I will repeat that the principal duty of the latter is to hold the lever 27, on which is mounted the idle wheel 25, in feeding position. This position is illustrated in Fig.

22 in dot-and-dash lines. To stop the feed- 3 ing operation the arm 35 must be pulled from beneath the angled seat on the lever 27. 'To accomplish this is the function of the dowel stop finger 183, and its connecting parts, and the agent by which it is executed is the dowel itself. As stated before, the 7 stop 183 is subject to a slight oscillation,-- receding until the back of the stop. strikes the abutment 189. When the in-feeding dowel contacts with the dowel stop finger it turns the shaft 184, upon which, lower down is secured the arm 190, which is in direct connection with the swivelling member 43, through the rod 45, and when the'nut 46 has reached and moved the adjacent end of the swivelling member sufficiently it Wlll In Fig. 16 the fulllines show the dowel stop parts in their lowest position. This will allow the drill or other cutting tools mount ed on the tailstock spindle to have a clear passage over the stop, when they are operating on the work. To raise the stop mechanism into operating position the lowerend of the shaft 184 is forked, and within the forks a roll 191 is pinned, the roll traversing a cam 192 adjustably secured to the shaftlO.

The stop mechanism may be adjusted in and out from the tailstock by moving the shaft 188 and is designed to fulfill the re quirements of a stop for any length of finished turnings within the capacity of the lathe.

' In operation, the clutch 7 being thrown out of action, I first push a dowel, manually, from the dowel receptacle through the secondary feed rolls andup to the forward end of the chuck, the former being apart and the latter open. The clutch is then thrown into operating position starting rotation of the cam shaft 10. When the cam 32 elevates the idling grooved wheel so that the dowel is forced upwardly against the continuously revolving grooved wheel 24 the dowel begins.

to feed forwardly, and the arm will have passed under the lever 27,holding, temporarily, the wheel 25 in feeding position.

As it continues its passage through the chuck 57 the dowel will abut on the stop finger 183, which will retract slightly and in so doing draw the rod and the arm 35 forwardly. This will have the effect of tripping the arm out'from under the lever 27, allowing the wheels to separate and thus stop, temporarily, further feeding of the dowel. At this stage the chuck operating cam 78, working in conjunction with the other chuck operating parts, willallow the chuck to close over the dowel firmly, and

the drum cam 94 will start the rough .turning fixture into action and on the completion of the first turning operation the finish turn-7 ing tool mechanism, operated by the cam 144 performs its duty, meanwhile during both turning operations thecam 150 actuates the drill or other end-cutting tool positioned in the tailstock spindle 160. To complete the sequence of operations the cam 172 raises the cuttingoff tool into contact with the attached end of the finished turned and drilled handle, severing it from the remainder of the dowel,

and finally, thechuck operating cam starts I the mechanism which will opent'he chuck,

and thus will have been completed one revolution of the cam shaft 10,v or as .I term'it one feed cycle.

In turning, short handles from a long dowelthereis always a butteend left in the chuck, too short for a handle. If the feed was not flexible, or in other words was of a definite'andconstant lengh of time'for each 3 feed cycle, account would have to be taken of this butt end,for'added to this would also bethe loss, on the forward end of the dowel 7 following, of a piece equal in length to the difference between the length of the butt-end and that of the handlebeing turned.

In the construction of my lathe I have taken care of this difficulty. The butt-end is necessarily a loss, but from theentering end of each succeeding dowel nothing is taken off buta full length handle. To accomplish this object a mechanism capable of supplying a variable length of feed. in any feed cycle is absolutely essential, although it may not be necessary to utilize it except on the last out in each dowel. When the feed rolls are locked on a 'dowel they continue to feed until the forward end strikes the stop,then they trip. The extreme length of feed possible is calculated and allowed on the cam lay-.

out to include the length of the longest dowel the lathe is capable of turning, plus a rea-. sonable length for the butt-end. V

For the purpose of illustration, suppose the required length of the finished handles to be 6 inches and the length of the dowel inches. This would make eight handles, leaving, a butt-end in ,the chuck of two inches,which latter would be a loss. Now

if the machine had a constant or invariable .feed of 6' inches at'each'feed cycle, there would also be a loss of 4 inches on the forward end of the succeeding dowel, but, with a variable feed such as I employ on my lathe the 4 inches would not be a loss as the infeeding dowel would continue to the stop 183, having meanwhile pushed the 2. inch butt-end from the chuck, and having fed eight inches instead of the regular feed of 6 inches. It will bev well to state that the dowels are madeof a length which will in-. sure of but a very, short butt-end being wasted.

Havingthus described invention, what I claim is 1. In a wood-turning lathe, the combina- 7 tion, with a bed; supporting legs; a head-' stock; a. hollow, chuck-carrying spindle mountedin bearings in said h'eadstock and means whereby said spindle may be rotated;

with a chuck mounted on the nose of said. spindle; of means for intermittently and positively opening the jaws of said chuck; means for intermittently and yieldingly closing the jaws of said chuck; the cooperation of said positive and yielding means automatically providing for a closure of said jaws on said chuck firmly on to successive dowels, of slightly varying diameters, entering said chuck throu h said spindle, substantially as describe".

2. In a wood-turnin lathe, the combination, with a bed mem er; a headstock; a tailstock; a hollow spindle rotatably mounted in hearings on said headstock; and a chuck mounted on the nose of said spindle;

, of operable means for opening the jaws of said chuck positivel'; operable means for closing the jaws of said chuck yieldingly; continuously revolving grooved rolls adapted to receive, support and move dowels, singly, from a dowel receptacle, and constituting a primary dowel feed mechanism; a contmuously revolving grooved wheel; an idle,

grooved wheel; means for :intermittently bringing both of said grooved wheels into contact with an interposing dowel, and constituting a secondary dowel feed mechanism; means for aligning the primary feed-rolls to accurately deliver dowels into the secondary feed wheels; means for guiding said dowels from the secondary feed wheels into and through said spindle and said chuck, substantially as described.

3. In a wood-turning lathe, the combination, with a bed; a headstock; a tailstock, and a hollow rotatable chuck carrying spindle; of a continuously revolving grooved feed wheel; an idle grooved feed wheel; means for intermittently and yieldingly moving said idle grooved teed wheel so as to encompass and force an interposing dowel into strong frictional contact with said con tinuously revolving wheel; means for bringing the said idle grooved feed wheel and the said continuously revolving grooved feed wheel into strong frictional contact with successive, interposing dowels, of slightly varying diameters; locking means for said idle grooved teed wheel when in closest relation to said continuously revolving grooved feed wheel; means for unlocking said idle grooved teed wheel from contact with said dowel; and means for varying the duration of movement of said dowel in any desired teed cycle of the lathe, substantially as described.

4:. In a wood-turning lathe, the combination, with a bed; a headstock; a tailstock; a hollow, rotatable, headstock spindle, and a chuck mounted on the nose of said spindle,

of means for automatically, intermittently:

and positively opening the jaws of said chuck; means for yieldingly closing the jaws of said chuck controlled by said automatic said tool-holder means for adnstin said tool in said holder whereby a radial cut, an under cut or a ridingrcut for said tool my be obtained; rotatable means: for said holder to provide for adjusting said tool axially in relation to the work being turned;

and means whereby said carriage may be placed in different positionsalong the bed' of the lathe without altering, diametrically, the relation of the tool to the work, substantially as described.

5. In a wood-turning lathe, the combina-; tion, with a bed; a headstock; a tailstock; a hollow, rotatable chuck-carrying spindle, of operable means mounted on said spindle for opening the jaws of a chuck, positively; operable means for closing the jaws of said chuck yieldingly; a primary dowel feed,

consisting oi continuously revolving grooved rolls, a receptacle for dowels an means for gravitatmg said dowels on to the dowel feed, consisting of a continuously re volving grooved wheel, adjustable vertically, an idle grooved wheel adapted to impinge on ano yieldingly force an interposing dowel into strong frictional contact with said continuously revolving grooved vtops of said grooved rolls; a secondary wheel; means for actuating said primary and said secondary dowel feeds; means for aligning said primary dowel feed with said secondary dowel feed whereby an unbroken line of dowels from the former feed mechanism may be accurately guided to the latter feed mechanism; a roug turning tool fiX- ture; a rouglrturning tool; means for feeding said rough-turning tool in a straight line, for approximately radial, cutting ac-' tion; a finish-turning tool fixture; a finishturning tool; means for actuating said finish-turning tool so as to procure'an approximate tangential action or" the cutting tool; means for procuring a combined shearing and sliding action for the cutting tool; and means for adjustablypositioning said rough-turning and said finish-turning fixturesalong the bed of the lathe, substantially as described. r

6. In a wood-turning lathe, the combination, with a bed; a headstock; a tailstock; a hollow headstock spindle; a chuck mounted on said spindle, of a frictional feed mechanism, consisting of a continuously revolving grooved wheel, adapted to cont-act with, and on the top side of, an in-feeding dowel, an intermittently operating idle grooved wheel, positioned on the opposite.

side of the said ill-feeding dowel, and at a spaced distance from same, means for bringing both of said wheels into strong frictional contact with the interposing, in-feeding dowel, means to obtain proper frictional contact of the wheelswith successive i i-feeding dowels where the latter are of slightly varying diameters; means for looking the feeding mechanism when in operative position; means for unlocking the feeding mechanism when in operative position; a dowel feed stop; means for adjusting the said dowel feed stop longitudinally of the bed; means for moving the dowel stop into and out of operative position; actuating means for said feeding mechanism; a roughturning, radial cutting tool fixture; a finish-turning, tangential cutting'tool fixture; a rough-turning tool; a finish-turning tool; means for actuating said rough-turning and said finish-turning tools; a tailstock spindle; means provided on said tailstock spindle for carrying end-cutting and special tools; means for actuating said tailstock spindle axially; means for'ri'gidly positioning said t-ailstock along the bed of the lathe; means for disconnecting the actuating'means for'said' tail'stock spindle while making adjustments to the latter; a cuttingofl tool, adapted to reciprocate in a guide adjustably secured to the said headstock; means to actuate said cutting-off tool; a single cam shaft for all actuating cams, and means for actuating said cam shaft, substantially as described.

FRANK H. MoLAIN.

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