Cochrane-Bly
Universal Shaper 1912
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Cochrane-Bly Universal Shaper. 
        This machine deserves close scrutiny, I'm sure that there are many machinists today, 90 odd years later, who  would appreciate the versatility that it had to offer...
         I, certainly, would make room for one...
        The machine illustrated above has been designed to perform quite a variety of operations at one setting of the work; therefore it is especially adapted to the making of dies, jigs, or to general tool-room work. This machine is known as a universal shaper, but, in reality, it is a shaper, slotter, milling and drilling machine combined. It is equipped with a shaper ram, a milling and drilling spindle, and suitable speed and feedchanging mechanisms. The milling spindle and shaper ram have universal adjustments so that tools can be presented to the work at any desired angle. Lower image shows the shaper ram set in a horizontal position.
         The machine is driven from a constant-speed clutch pulley at the rear, which transmits the power through a double cone of spur gears to the main head. The latter carries bevel gears for driving both the shaper ram and milling spindles. The cones of spur gears provide means for varying the speeds, and the speed changes are effected by means of a lever on the right-hand side of the column. The end of this lever swings around a graduated quadrant which shows the number of ram strokes per minute for any one of the five positions. The shaper ram has a quick return and the strokes can be adjusted from 0 to 6 inches. The ram is equipped with a mechanism which provides a positive relief for the tool on the upward or return stroke.
         The milling spindle revolves either to the right or left. It has a sliding movement of 3½ inches for drilling and boring, which is controlled by a handwheel operating through worm gearing. A micrometer screw-stop, reading to thousandths of an inch, is provided to facilitate accurate adjustments. The main head, including the shaper ram and milling spindle, can be revolved about a horizontal axis (after loosening the clamping bolts) by turning a small crank which is located at the upper end of the graduated quadrant previously referred to. The shaper and milling heads each have an independent adjustment about an axis at right angles to the main head, which makes it possible to locate them at any angle.
         Power feed is provided for the longitudinal and transverse movements of the table. Either a continuous or intermittent feed is obtained from a feed-box at the rear. When the milling spindle is being used, the feed is continuous, whereas an intermittent feed, which takes place on the return stroke, is required for the shaper ram. For a continuous feed, the drive is through spur gears, and for an intermittent feed, a crank-and-ratchet mechanism is brought into action. The circular milling and slotting attachment, seen on the main table in the upper image, is equipped with power feed and a dividing mechanism.
         Tool-holders, of various styles for holding slotting or shaping tools can be attached to the tool-head.  The shaper toolpost is used when the machine is working either as a horizontal shaper (as shown in lower image) or as a vertical shaper.
          The universal features of this machine, in conjunction with the various tools which can be used, make it possible to machine a large variety of such work as blanking and forging dies, punches, forming tools, such as are used in turret lathes, automatic machines, etc., jigs, especially when shaping, milling and boring operations are required, and similar classes of work.
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