Shed Some Light On This, Please

[Glmphoto]

I have recently purchased a Nichols Hand mill. I was told it had a cam cutting attachment. I can't see how this attachment can cut a cam. Looking into things I noticed the cranks on mine seem unique. I cant see another example of this anywhere on the WEB so far. This just makes it more odd to me. Does anyone have any clue about these ratcheting cranks or this so called "cam cutter". I appreciate any and all comments. Thanks.

 

[4GSR]

Can you supply more pictures? This one picture doesn't show us much. It's more than likely is a cam cutter.

 

[brino]

There are a few pages on the Nichols hand miller here:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/nichols/

I have not yet read thru it all to see if they discuss "cams"

-brino

 

[FOMOGO]

Pretty interesting read. No mention of the cam making attachment. Seems like a very capable machine with some very unique features. Mike

 

[eugene13]

Cams for what? Automatic screw machine, maybe.

 

[Glmphoto]

Tried adding more pics to original post. Failed. So here they are. Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[stupoty]

It looks like the cam blank would go on some sort of arbour on the threaded nose. The z axis looks to be indexed to the rotation so the knee goes up and down whilst turning the work piece.

Have you figured out what engages the gears ? might be worth figuring out not under power or definitely on the lowest rpm

Stuart

 

[Glmphoto]

Hello all....
I now believe the rig is for cutting screw machine cams. I had never even heard of a screw machine prior to this and would love to know a little more about them. Specifically about the cams and the requirements they must adhere to but also a general description of what they do and how they do it. Only by searching Screw machine cams did I find a picture of a similar cam cutter attachment. I am still a little sketchy on how the cams are to be formed without the rotation and the knee tied together. I can only guess that the dia. of cutter and relatively small increments of both knee and rotation creates negligible "stair stepping". These cams appear to be created form a flat disc. I wonder if its a roller affair that is used as a follower on the screw machine? At any rate thanks to all for your comments. Much appreciated. And thank you eugene13 for steering me in the right direction with your question.

 

[planeflyer21]

Hello all....
I now believe the rig is for cutting screw machine cams. I had never even heard of a screw machine prior to this and would love to know a little more about them. Specifically about the cams and the requirements they must adhere to but also a general description of what they do and how they do it. Only by searching Screw machine cams did I find a picture of a similar cam cutter attachment. I am still a little sketchy on how the cams are to be formed without the rotation and the knee tied together. I can only guess that the dia. of cutter and relatively small increments of both knee and rotation creates negligible "stair stepping". These cams appear to be created form a flat disc. I wonder if its a roller affair that is used as a follower on the screw machine? At any rate thanks to all for your comments. Much appreciated. And thank you eugene13 for steering me in the right direction with your question.

Check Tubalcain's "field trip" videos. One of them he goes to a shop out in the country, and they are running a screw machine. He films each step of operation.