Interesting lathe

A new exhibit found in our Museum today, it's labled:

Universal Bench Valve Lathe

Patent Pending

A. G. Savage

Indianapolis

USA

It seems to have been made around 1910.

The tool is advanced by the crank on the left hand end, and the valve is rotated by the crank at the right.

Edited By Ian S C on 17/11/2013 13:48:24

Sorry, I forgot to include some idea of size, it's some where about 8 inches tall. Ian S C

Well it will cut any valve angle, and length of valve stem can be accommodated, not sure of the maximum, and minimum diameter of the valve head. Things were simpler in those days, you local garage could also do a rebore without taking the engine out of the car in many cases, and all done manually. You try and find a garage that can do more than change the oil these days and you'v found a rare one. Ian S C

A similar machine was sold on E-BAY recently but not the same vintage as this one , I think it bought in a couple of hundred bucks .

Ian

This one was bought on Trade Me, NZ's equivalent of E-Bay, and given to the museum. We get some great exhibits, some times they just arrive, other times someone asks if we would like what ever they have. Ian S C

PS; Back sometime in the 1990s (with in the last 20yrs), we did have a group of model engineers on a tour from UK, come and visit us, they also visited a tractor collection a little nearer Christchurch.

Ian,

That looks a great little machine.

I was hoping to find the Patent ... but drew a blank on both Google Patent Search, and espacenet.

MichaelG.

Actually Iann.. you are right..Questioning "universal"..( not your description I know) was maybe a little harsh

The mc is elegantly simple..simply elegant

Jason,

I suspect that "Universal" is used in the somewhat limited context of the Valve Universe.

... But let's not get too philosophical.

MichaelG.

Currently on a well known auction site **LINK**

Davey,

I would like that one ... but doubt I could justify the shippng cost.

MichaelG.

Reminds me of these apple peelers:

**LINK**

This one looks as if it could almost turn a thread with a few minor mods. Presumably this could be marketed as "semi-automatic"?!!

Merry

I just wonder what feat of co-ordination it takes to work the thing. Looks as if you have to turn one handle clockwise with your right hand and another anti-clockwise with your left. Even if you turn both in the same direction, I reckon it would take some practice!

No use getting me to turn them I have enough trouble turning the feed handle on my mill in the right direction !

One would be grateful that 2 valves per cylinder were the norm and not 4 or so !
I wonder if the Mechanic had a pet Monkey that danced as he wound the handles !

Ian

This is not the Savage machine, but it shows the idea.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: and another

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 19/11/2013 07:57:08

Ian,

I just found this [later model ?] ... which is dated, and has a clearer cast of the maker's name.

Looks like A. C. Savidge

MichaelG.

Got it ... Here is the Patent.

MichaelG.

Muzzer, those apple pealers, or a cast iron version have been around since the middle of the 19th century.

The valve lathe on E-Bay doesn't seem to have the crank handle for turning the valve.

On our one I would not be surprised if the cutting tool is carbon steel. Ian S C