US1891923A - Work-rotating structure for machine tools - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1932. H. FLATHER WORK ROTATING STRUCTURE FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed Nov.l6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 PATENT oFFicE HERBERT L. FLATHER, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE WORK-ROTATING STRUCTURE FOR. MACHINE TOOLS Application filed November 16, 1931. Serial No. 575,225.

This invention relates to mountings for face-plates, chucks, fixtures and similar parts on spindles of lathes and other machine tools. The conventional mounting comprises a screw-thread on the spindle, and a mating thread on a part to be mounted. That type of mounting has several objections, among which may be mentioned, first, lack of rigidity when subjected to heavy strains; second, inaccuracy, because it has been demonstrated that it is impossible to put on and take off a face-plate or other similar part rapidly, without the threads becoming worn and inaccurate; third, that if a spindle running at present day speeds be stopped suddenly, the momentum of the part screwed to the spin dle is sufiicient to cause such part to unscrew from the spindle with the possibility of causing damage to the work and to the machine, and injury to the workman; and fourth, the necessity of the exercise of great care on the part of the workman to see that the screwthreads are free from foreign matter, and properly lubricated before being screwed to- .gether. hen neglect of this kind occurs, the parts become jammed, or frozen together, with the result that the screw-threads are damaged, and, in extreme cases, injured beyond repair. 7

The mounting herein disclosed overcomes this objection, and provides more simple, rigid, accurate and durable means for mounting the face-plates, chucks, fixtures and other parts on the ends of machine tool spindles, or their equivalents. Although the spindle shown in the drawings is that of a lathe, my invention is not limited to that particular machine, as the invention may be employed advantageously in machine tools in any situation where the results desired are similar to those which are found desirable in lathe work.

The mounting as herein disclosed comprises fastening means such as a ring, which normally secures the work-rotating body to the spindle. The present invention aims to provide means to support this ring, and to hold the same against rotation when the work-rotating body is detached from the spindle, and to provide a structure in whlch there shall be a minimum overhang of the parts outwardly beyond the adjacent spindle bearing. In the present example, these desirable results are conveniently accomplished by making the ring sufiiciently large in diameter to encircle a convenient stationary support attached to or forming a part of the head-stock. As herein shown, this support is an oil retainer for the adjacent spindie bear-ing. lVhen the work-rotating body is detached from the spindle, the ring by which the body was attached to the spindle rests upon and is held against rotation by the stationary support presented by the headstock.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of onespecific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional View of a mounting exemplifying the invention, showinga face-plate in place on the spindle;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the mounting with the face-plate removed, and with a lathe dog in place; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated therein, there is shown a portion of a head-stock 6 of a lathe, said head-stock prescnting a front spindle bearing mounting, in which there is mounted an appropriate bearing, herein a roller bearing comprising inner and outer races 7 and 8, and a set of rollers 9. A spindle 10, mounted in the inner race, is provided with a shoulder 11, which rests against the outer end of the race. A lubricant retaining ring 12, suitably secured to the head-stock as by screws 13, prevents the escape of lubricant from the bearing. The spindle is provided with a usual internal taper 14, to receive a taper socket 15, the latter in'turn receiving a usual lathe center 16.

In accordance with my invention, the spind le is provided with an enlargement in the nature of an annular flange 17, which is received in a chamber 18 presented by a workrotating body 19, which in the present example is a face-plate, though it should be understood that a face-plate is shown only by way of example, and that the invention contemplates the mounting of other bodies, such as chucks, fixtures and similar parts. In the embodiment shown, the enlargement or flange has a peripheral tapered surface 20, which snugly fits a corresponding surface 21 within the chamber 18, and the enlargement has a face 22, which contacts with a corresponding face 23 within the chamber. Thus the body, which is mounted on the spindle, is positioned accurately on the latter concentric with its axis.

To draw the body 19 into its proper position on the spindle, I have provided appropriate means, herein a collar 24, and to bring clearance space 27, which in practice is ap-' proximately one sixty-fourth of an inch, so that normally the collar is supported solely by the work-rotating body.

Rotation ofv the collar is conveniently accomplished by extending the same'rearwardly toward the spindle-bearing mounting 6 a sufficient distance to enable it to be provided with a set of radial slots 28 (best shown in Fig. 3), to receive a flat bar (not shown), by means of which the collar may be turned. lVhile the described fastening means might in and of itself be suflicient to prevent the turning of the work-rotating body on the spindle, in the present example, the workrotating bodyis provided with. oneor more, herein a plurality of driving pins 29, secured to thebody and projecting therefrom loosely into corresponding openings 30 provided in the enlargement 17 of the spindle.

In Fig. 2, the face-plate has been removed, and the section is in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1, to show the fact that the. enlargement is provided with a pair of slots 31 to receive atail 32 of awork-driver such as a usual dog 83, having a set-screw 3 1, by which it is secured to a work-piece 35, the dog and work-piece being shown in dotted lines. Any conventional means for driving the work may be used equally well. The dog shown is of small dimensions, and thus may be used without the face-plate in place. The direct connection of the work-driver to the spindle afiords a positive drive, as nothing can come apart. When larger dogs are employed, they are of course used in connection with the face-plate in the usual manner, by providing the latter with slots to receive the tails of the dogs.

lVhen the work-rotating body is dismounted from the spindle,,the ring 2 1 is pushed rearwardly out of engagementwith the rear face of the spindle enlargement 17, so that the ring will not be rotated by the enlargement. As herein shown, the ring is conveniently held in its retracted position, and is prevented from rotating by providing the ring and the oil retainer 12 with mating, tapered surfaces, as shown. When the ring is pushed back firmly, these tapered surfaces are engaged with each other, but when the ring is again to be used, to secure the workrotating body to the spindle enlargement, it is a convenient and simple matter to disengage the ring from the oil retainer.

Having, thus described one embodiment of the invention, but without limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by'said head-stock, a worlerotating. body supported by said spindle, and means to secure said body to said spindle. said means being disposed about a part of said. head-stock and having a part disposed within a part of said. body.

2. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, and a ring to secure said body to said spindle, said ring having a part disposed about a part of said head-stock and having a part disposed within a part of said body.

3. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, and meansto secure saidbody to said. spindle, said means having a part disposed about a part of said'head-stock.

1. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having part disposed about a part of said head-stock. and means tosecure said body to said spindle.

5. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a spindle supported by said head-stock. a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having a part disposed about a partof said head-stock, and means to secure said body to said spindle, said means having a part disposed about a part of said head-stock.

6. In work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle having a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported by said projection, a collar to secure said body to said projection, and means to support said collar when said body is not supported by said projection.

'7. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools. the combination of a spindle having a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported by said projection, said projection and said body having interengaging means to cause said body to be rotated by said projection. means to maintain said projection and said body in inter-engagement. and means to support the last-mentioned means when said body is not supported by said projection.

8. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle hav ing a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported by said projection, a collar having screw-threaded engagement with said body to secure said body to said projection, and means to support said collar when said body is not supported by said projection.

9. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination, of a spindle having a lat ral projection. a work-rotating body supported by said projection, a collar to secure said body to said projection, and means within said collar to support the lat ter when said body is not supported by said projection.

10. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle havimp; a lateral projection, a work-rotating body supported by said projection, means to secure said body to said projection, and means to support the last-mentioned means in fixed position when said body is not supported by said projection.

11. In a work-rotating structure for ma chine tools, the combination of a spindle, a Work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means to secure said body to said spindle, and means to support the last-mentioned means when said body is not supported by said spindle.

12. In a work-rotating structure for ma chine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means to secure said body to said spindle, and means to support the last-mentioned means in fixed position when said body is not supported by said spindle.

13. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle, means normally supported by said body to secure said body to said spindle, and means to support the last-mentioned means When said body is not supported by said spindle.

14. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, a

ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of saidv body and securing the latter to said spindle, and means to support said ring by internal en'- gagement therewith when said body is not supported by said spindle.

15. In a Work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotatingbody supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said "spindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and means having a tapered external surface to receive said tapered internal surface and to support said ring'when said body is not supported by said spindle.

16. In a Work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said spindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and means to hold said ring against rotation when said body is not supported by said spindle.

17 In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a Work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said spindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, and a stationary member within said ring to support the latter when said body is not supported by said spindle.

18. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, a ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said spindle, said ring having a tapered internal surface, a headstock which supports said spindle, and means supported by said head-stock and extending into said ring to support the latter when said body is not supported by said spindle.

19. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a head-stock, a member supported by said headstock, a spindle supported by said headstock, a work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread, and a ring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of said body and securing the latter to said spindle, said ring having an internal surface normally spaced from said member and adapted to be supported by said member when said body is not supported by said spindle.

20. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the'combination ofa head-stock having an externaLtapered surface, a spindle supported by said head-stock and concentricwith said projectionya Work-rotating body supported by said spindle and having an internal screw-thread and aring having an external screw-thread normally engaging the screw-thread of saidbody and securing thelatter to said spindle, said ring having an internal, tapered surface normally spaced from 'saidexternal, tapered surface and engageable therewithjby moving said ring rearwardly when said body is removed from said spindle. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. a

-' i -HERBERT L. FLATHER.

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