US2902064A - Lubricating device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1959 K. F. wrrT LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1957 INVENTOR. KENNETH F. WITT.

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United States Patent 9 LUBRICATING DEVICE Kenneth F. Witt, Winchendon, Mass., assignor to Goodspeed Machine Company, Winchendon, Mass., a corporatiou of Massachusetts Application May 16, 1957, Serial No. 659,689

1 Claim. (Cl. 142-48) This invention relates to a device for supporting and lubricating a rapidly-revolving workpiece, and particularly a wooden workpiece to which heavy transverse tool pressure is being applied. The invention has particular application to the turning of elongated pieces of wood, such as rounds, spindles and legs of chairs and tables.

In machining such parts, a cutting tool is advanced progressively from end-to-end of the workpiece, and the cutting operation involves relatively heavy transverse pressure on the workpiece, which may be of relatively small diameter.

It is customary to provide a ring-shaped block or collar to receive the roughly cylindrical workpiece and to resist transverse tool pressure applied thereto. The high speed at which wood turning is performed makes lubrication of the rotating workpiece essential.

It is the general object of this invention to provide improved means for supplying lubrication to a work-supporting block or ring of the class described, and to provide means for supplying the oil or grease under pressure intermittently and only during the working stroke of the cutting tool.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a side elevation, partly in section, of a work support having my improved lubricating device associated therewith.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown a block 10 having a circular opening 11 to receive a longitudinal portion of the workpiece W. The block 10 is to be associated with a cutting tool carriage C and commonly travels longitudinally of the work W in association with the cutting tool.

A tank 15 is supplied with oil or grease which is forced from the tank through a pipe 18 and passage 19 to the side wall of the circular opening 11 in the block 10. The oil or grease may be forced from the tank 15 by air applied under pressure through a pipe 20 and valve 21. The tank 15 may also contain a quantity of steel wool 22 which acts as a filter.

The pipe 18 is preferably flexible and passes into an opening in a valve block 30 having a manually-operated adjusting screw 31, which may be screwed in to restrict the flow of oil or grease through the passage 19 to the Opening 11.

A shut-off valve 35 is associated with the pipe 18 and is normally held closed by a spring 36, but the valve may be opened by a solenoid coil 37.

The coil 37 is connected to a line wire L and also to a line wire L having a switch S inserted therein. The switch S is controlled by the travel of the cutting tool carriage C and is diagrammatically shown in the draw ing as comprising a bell-crank lever 41 pivoted at 42 and normally held in open position against a stop 43 by a spring 44. A portion of the line wire L is connected between the solenoid coil 37 and the lever combination 41, 41a and 45.

An arm 45 is loosely mounted on a pivot 42 supported in an insulated bearing block and projects upward into the path of a block 50, also of insulating material and mounted on the tool carriage C. The arm 45 is normally held against a lug 52 on the lever 41 by a spring 53. As the block 50 moves to the right on a working stroke of the cutting tool carriage C, the arm 45 is engaged and swings the depending portion 41a of the lever 41 clockwise against a contact 55, thus completing a circuit through both parts of the line wire L.

As the cutting tool completes its working travel, the block 50 passes beyond the arm 45, and the lever 41 is moved back against the stop 43 by the spring 44, thus breaking the solenoid circuit and interrupting the application of oil or grease through the passage 19 to the opening 11 in the block 10.

On the return trip of the cutting tool carriage C to the left (as shown in the diagram), the block 50 will oppositely engage the arm 45 and will swing the arm anticlockwise, but the arm will move freely away from the lug 52, and the lever 41 will remain in engagement with the stop 43.

I have thus provided a simple and reliable construction by which oil or grease will be applied under pressure through the pipe 18 and the passage 19 to the rapidly rotating workpiece during the working stroke of the cutting tool, but such feed of oil or grease will be interrupted as soon as the cutting stroke is completed, and no feed of lubricant will take place during the return stroke of the cutting tool.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

In a lathe for turning an elongated wood workpiece and having a turning tool and a tool carriage movable axially along said workpiece, in combination, a bearing block mounted to move axially of the work with the tool carriage and embracing at least a major part of the circumference of the workpiece effective to resist transverse displacement of the workpiece, and means to lubricate said bearing block and workpiece comprising a suppy of lubricant under pressure, a connection between said lubricant supply and said bearing block, a valve in said connection, means mounted on the tool carriage and movable therewith in fixed relation to the movement of the tool carriage effective to open said valve when the cutting operation of the tool begins, and means to close said valve as the cutting stroke is completed and to leave said valve closed during the full return stroke of the tool and tool carriage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,419 Welsh June 28, 1887 1,398,338 Mirrieless Nov. 29, 1921 1,405,697 Thullen Feb. 7, 1922 1,905,506 Russell Apr. 25, 1933 2,004,422 Traut June 11, 1935 2,084,022 Frank June 15, 1937 2,286,074 Egger et al June 9, 1942

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