Glassworking scroll chuck with interchangeable jaws

A chuck for a glass working lathe, comprising:

• a. a chuck body rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
• b. a handwheel rotatable about said longitudinal axis independently of said chuck body, including a longitudinally projecting continuous spiral gear tooth defining a radially extending path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon handwheel rotation;
• c. jaw base members including spiral gear grooves for meashingly engaging said spiral gear tooth, movable radially with respect to said axis upon rotation of said spiral gear tooth engaging said gear grooves;
• d. said jaw base members including radially extending racks;
• e. said outer jaw members being adapted for removable connection with respective jaw base members in the absence of planetary beam assemblies connectable to said respective jaw base members, for grasping a glass workpiece upon convergence of said jaw base members;
• f. said chuck body retaining said spiral grooves of said jaw base members in meshing engagement with said spiral gear and including radially extending slot means having said jaw base members therein, for radial travel of said jaw base members therealong responsively to rotation of said spiral gear tooth relative to said chuck body;
• g. a plurality of planetary beam assemblies adapted for removable pivotal mounting on said chuck body and engaging said jaw base member racks in the absence of said outer jaw members, movable radially rotatably about axes parallel said longitudinal axis for grasping a glass workpiece upon closure of said planetary beam assemblies thereabout responsively to convergence of said jaw base members responsively to rotation of said handwheel relative to said chuck body.

A chuck for a glass working lathe, comprising:

• a. chuck body means rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
• b. means, rotatable about said longitudinal axis independently of said chuck body means, for defining a path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon rotation thereof;
• c. support means for following said spiral path, movable along said path with respect to said axis responsively to rotation of said path defining means, for translating said spiral movement into radial motion of said support means;
• d. said chuck body defining means for retaining said support means in engagement with said path defining means, having said support means resident therein, for radial travel of said support means responsively to rotation of said path defining means relative to said chuck body means;
• e. planetary beam means, pivotally connected with said chuck body means and engaging said support means, movable about axes parallel said longitudinal axis, for angularly convergingly grasping a glass workpiece responsively to convergence of said support means resulting from rotation of said path defining means relative to said chuck body means.

A chuck for a glass working lathe, comprising:

• a. a chuck body rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
• b. a handwheel rotatable about said longitudinal axis independently of said chuck body, including a longitudinally projecting continuous spiral gear tooth defining a radially extending path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon handwheel rotation;
• c. base members including spiral gear grooves for meshingly engaging said spiral gear tooth, movable radially with respect to said axis upon rotation of said spiral gear tooth engaging said gear grooves;
• d. said base members including radially extending racks;
• e. said chuck body retaining said spiral grooves of said base members in meshing engagement with said spiral gear and including radially extending slot means having said base members therein, for radial travel of said base members therealong responsively to rotation of said spiral gear tooth relative to said chuck body;
• f. a plurality of planetary beam assemblies pivotally mounted on said chuck body and engaging said base member racks, movable radially rotatably about axes parallel said longitudinal axis for grasping a glass workpiece upon closure of said planetary beam assemblies thereabout responsively to convergence of said base members responsively to rotation of said handwheel relative to said chuck body.

A chuck for a glass working lathe, comprising:

• a. chuck body means rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
• b. a handwheel, rotatable about said longitudinal axis;
• c. means for releasably coupling said handwheel to said chuck body for unitary rotation of said handwheel with said chuck body;
• d. said handwheel including a longitudinally projecting continuous spiral gear tooth defining a path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon rotation of said handwheel;
• e. a plurality of generally radially disposed jaw base members, each having generally l-beam--like radial cross-section, each including spiral gear grooves on the base for meshingly engaging said spiral gear tooth, evenly angularly spaced about said axis and movable radially with respect to said axis upon handwheel rotation with said spiral gear tooth engaging said gear grooves on the bases of said l-beam configured jaw base members;
• each of said jaw base members including an axially facing surface adapted for complemental mating with a corresponding mating surface of a jaw outer member;
• f. said jaw base members each including a radially extending gib connected to a respective web of said jaw base member, each gib including a radially extending rack projecting outwardly from and generally transversely with respect to said web of said jaw base member;
• g. means for adjustably radially positioning said gibs along the length of said webs of said l-beam --configured jaw base member;
• h. means for adjustably longitudinally positioning said gibs along the height of said webs in said longitudinal direction;
• i. said outer jaw members having mating surfaces formed for complemental mating with said jaw base member mating surfaces, being adapted to be removably connected to said jaw base members and including longitudinally extending heat-resistant surfaces adapted for contactingly engaging a glass workpiece upon radial convergence of said jaw base members with resultant radially converging closure of said outer jaw members thereabout;
• j. means for retaining said outer jaw members in removable connection with said jaw base members at said respective mating surfaces;
• k. said chuck body means facing said spiral gear tooth and being rotatable about said axis independently of said handwheel, for retaining said spiral grooves of said jaw base members in meshing engagement with said spiral gear, including radially extending slots having said web portions of said jaw base members resident therein facilitating radial travel of said jaw base members therealong upon rotation of said spiral gear tooth relative to said chuck body;
• l. a plurality of planetary beam assemblies adapted for removable pivotal mounting on said chuck body means in sockets adjacent said racks of said gibs, respective beam assemblies engaging said racks of respective ones of said gibs affixed to respective ones of said jaw base members in the absence of said outer jaw members being mounted on said jaw base members, respective beam assemblies being movable rotatably in said sockets about axes paralllel said longitudinal axis upon radial movement of a respective jaw base member and its associated gib engaged by said beam assembly responsively to rotation of said handwheel, each planetary beam assembly including:
• i. a pivot pin adapted for mounting engagement within one of said sockets to define an axis of rotation of a pinion gear portion of said beam assembly;
• ii. a pinion gear rotatable relative to and about said pivot pin and adapted to meshingly engage a radially extending rack of a respective gib affixed to an adjacent jaw base member;
• iii. an arm disposed generally transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis and rotatable with said pinion gear about said pivot pin;
• iv. a jaw rod extending from said arm member parallel to said longitudinal axis and adapted to secure a workpiece upon rotating closure of said arms about said work piece unitarily with rotation of said pinion gear responsively to rotary movement of said handwheel relative to said chuck body and resultant radial movement of said jaw base member and a gib rack engaging said pinion gear;
• and
• m. means for selectably releasably retaining said planetary beam assemblies in engagement with said sockets with said pins resident within said sockets.

A lathe especially adapted for glassworking, comprising:

• a. a longitudinally elongated frame;
• b. a pair of upright members, mounted on said frame and extending upwardly therefrom, each upright member retaining inwardly facing chucks for holding longitudinally extending generally tubular workpieces therein;
• c. a motor;
• d. means for transmitting rotational motion from said motor output shaft to said inwardly facing chucks for rotating said chucks and a workpiece held therebetween;
• e. at least one of said chucks comprising:
• 1. chuck body means rotatably driven about a longitudinal axis by said rotational motion transmitting means;
• 2. a handwheel, rotatable about said longitudinal axis;
• 3. means for releasably coupling said handwheel to said chuck body for unitary rotation of said handwheel with said chuck body;
• 4. said handwheel including a longitudinally projecting continuous spiral gear tooth defining a path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon rotation of said handwheel;
• 5. a plurality of generally radially disposed jaw base members, each having generally l-beam--like radial cross-section, each including spiral gear grooves on the base for meshingly engaging said spiral gear tooth, evenly angularly spaced about said axis and movable radially with respect to said axis upon handwheel rotation with said spiral gear tooth engaging said gear grooves on the bases of said l-beam configured jaw base members;
• each of said jaw base members including an axially facing surface adapted for complemental mating with a corresponding mating surface of a jaw outer member;
• 6. said jaw base members each including a radially extending gib connecting to a respective web of said jaw base member, each gib including a radially extending rack projecting outwardly from and generally transversely with respect to said web of said jaw base member;
• 7. means for adjustably radially positioning said gibs along the length of said webs of said l-beam-- configured jaw base member;
• 8. means for adjustably longitudinally positioning said gibs along the height of said webs in said longitudinal direction;
• 9. said outer jaw members having mating surfaces formed for complemental mating with said jaw base member mating surfaces, being adapted to be removably connected to said jaw base members and including longitudinally extending heat-resistant surfaces adapted for contactingly engaging a glass workpiece upon radial covergence of said jaw base members with resultant radially converging closure of said outer jaw members thereabout;
• 10. means for retaining said outer jaw members in removable connection with said jaw base members at said respective mating surfaces;
• 11. said chuck body means facing said spiral gear tooth and being rotatable about said axis independently of said heandwheel, for retaining said spiral grooves of said jaw base members in meshing engagement with said spiral gear, including radially extending slots having said web portions of said jaw base members resident therein facilitating radial travel of said jaw base members therealong upon rotation of said spiral gear tooth relative to said chuck body;
• 12. a plurality of planetary beam assemblies adapted for removable pivotal mounting on said chuck body means in sockets adjacent said racks of said gibs, respective beam assemblies engaging said racks of respective ones of said gibs affixed to respective ones of said jaw base members in the absence of said outer jaw members being mounted on said jaw base members, respective beam assemblies being movable rotatably in said sockets about axes parallel said longitudinal axis upon radial movement of a respective jaw base member and its associated gib engaged by said beam assembly responsively to rotation of said handwheel, each planetary beam assembly including:
• i. a pivot pin adapted for mounting engagement within one of said sockets to define an axis of rotation of a pinion gear portion of said beam assembly;
• ii. a pinion gear rotatable relative to and about said pivot pin and adapted to meshingly engage a radially extending rack of a respective gib affixed to an adjacent jaw base member;
• iii. an arm disposed generally transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis and rotatable with said pinion gear about said pivot pin;
• iv. a jaw rod extending from said arm member parallal to said longitudinal axis and adapted to secure a workpiece upon rotating closure of said arms about said work piece unitarily with rotation of said pinion gear responsively to rotary movement of said handwheel relative to said chuck body and resultant radial movement of said jaw base member and a gib rack engaging said pinion gear, and
• 13. means for selectably releasably retaining said planetary beam assemblies in engagement with said sockets with said pine resident within said sockets.

A lathe especially adapted for glassworking, comprising:

• a. a longitudinally elongated frame;
• b. a pair of upright members, mounted on said frame and extending upwardly therefrom, each upright member retaining an inwardly facing chuck for holding longitudinally extending generally tubular workpieces therein;
• c. a motor;
• d. means for transmitting rotational motion from said motor output shaft to said inwardly facing chucks for rotating said chucks and a workpiece held therebetween;
• e. at least one of said chucks comprising:
• 1. chuck body means rotatably driven about a longitudinal axis by said rotational motion transmitting means;
• 2. means, rotatable about said longitudinal axis independently of said chuck body means, for defining a path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon rotation thereof;
• 3. support means for following said spiral path, movable along said path with respect to said axis responsively to rotation of said path defining means, for supporting jaw means and for translating said spiral movement into transverse motion of said support means and any jaw means supported thereby;
• 4. said jaw means adapted for removable connection with said support means in the absence of planetary beam assemblies being connected with said support means, moveable with said support means, for radially convergingly grasping a glass workpiece;
• 5. said chuck body defining means for retaining said support means in engagement with said path defining means, having said support means resident therein, for radial travel of said jaw means responsively to rotation of said path defining means relative to said chuck body means;
• 6. planetary beam means, adapted for removable pivotal connection with said chuck body means and engaging said support means in the absence of said jaw means, movable about axes parallel said longitudinal axis, for angularly convergingly grasping a glass workpiece responsively to convergence of said support means resulting from rotation of said path defining means relative to said chuck body means.

A lathe especially adapted for glassworking, comprising:

• a. a longitudinally elongated frame;
• b. a pair of upright members, mounted on said frame and extending upwardly therefrom, each upright member retaining an inwardly facing chuck for holding longitudinally extending generally tubular workpieces therein;
• c. a motor;
• d. means for transmitting rotational motion from said motor output shaft to said inwardly facing chucks for rotating said chucks and a workpiece held therebetween;
• e. at least one of said chucks comprising:
• 1. a chuck body rotatably driven about a longitudinal axis by said rotational motion transmitting means;
• 2. a handwheel rotatable about said longitudinal axis independently of said chuck body, including a longitudinally projecting continuous spiral gear tooth defining a radially extending path of spiral movement relative to said axis upon handwheel rotation;
• 3. base members including spiral gear grooves for meshingly engaging said spiral gear tooth, movable radially with respect to said axis upon rotation of said spiral gear tooth engaging said gear grooves;
• 4. said base members including radially extending racks;
• 5. said chuck body retaining said spiral grooves of said base members in meshing engagement with said spiral gear and including radially extending slot means having said base members therein, for radial travel of said base members therealong responsively to rotation of said spiral gear tooth relative to said chuck body;
• 6. a plurality of planetary beam assemblies pivotally mounted on said chuck body and engaging said base member racks, movable radially rotatably about axes parallel said longitudinal axis for grasping a glass workpiece upon closure of said planetary beam assemblies thereabout responsively to convergence of said base members responsively to rotation of said handwheel relative to said chuck body.