Willard Machine Tool 13" gearhead lathe questions.

[JDC6.14]

Hello all,
I have been working on and off over the past year fixing up a 1917-ish Willard Machine Tool Co. "13 Inch High Power All Geared Head Quick Change Tool Room Lathe"
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/4362/17712.pdf

I haven't used the machine much at all yet, I am now making new adjustment screws for the tapered gibs on the cross slide and compound. Earlier today I was using it to drill a 15/32" hole in the end of some rod, at 500 rpm (the machines highest) the clutch was slipping out under the load of the drill. I was also needing to pull up quite hard on the clutch lever to keep it's rpm up. I know it was not the belt from the motor to the clutch pulley slipping.

Am I going to need to open up the clutch to sort this out? Or is it a matter of the machine not being designed to give much torque at it's high-end? I would really love to not take the clutch apart, as to do so I need to remove the clutch by craning off the motor and opening the head and removing an internal jack shaft with idler pulleys. Something I just did and undid a few days ago, thinking it would be the last time for a while When I had the clutch off last I didn't open it up as it looked so clean inside I figured it was fine.
I'm not sure how the clutch operates, but I'm guessing a cone clutch get's pushed into a pulley and turns a shaft via some planetary gearing.

The clutch is where that shiny round pulley is behind the headstock. I have the motor on top of the head. I can take pictures tomorrow if it would help. (As an aside, does anyone know the headstock taper? The linked document says #3 morse, but its way bigger and doesn't feel tapered at all. I'll take some measurements but thought I'd ask while I was at it.)

 

[JDC6.14]

Well I think I've got it figured out.
I pulled the clutch completely part to figure out how it works, and discovered that the mechanism I had been adjusting only effects half the clutching action. On the end of the shaft that the pulley rides on was a sort of lobed/castellated nut that I had believed was just holding on the pulley. Turns out it is used to set a pre-tension or spacing between the male and female parts of the cone clutch. dead simple to get to and adjust once I knew what it was for, lol. Since info on these uncommon machines is hard to find, I figure I'll give some details in case someone else is ever working on a Willard.

Here is the clutch with the pulley, case, and a plate removed. (Drain the oil first! plug is in the bottom. The headstock does not need to be opened to get to this point!) For reference #6 is the spindle bore. #1 is where the clutch lever attaches, and is the obvious point of adjustment. it is attached to a spur gear that turns the large bronze gear #2 a few degrees. The lever also turns a swash plate thing inside the clutch. Adjusting from #1 only effects the turning of the bronze gear #2. This gear is actually a big nut that clamps down on the plate that those two top transfer gears roll on. This brakes the clutch. adjust the lever so at one end of it's throw the nut clamps hard, and at the other it loosens just a bit.

The lever also moves #3 in and out a set, non-adjustable, amount. #3 is the female part of the cone clutch. #4 is all one solid piece with a bearing on it, that bearing runs in the part of the clutch housing that is removed. #4 is the male part of the cone clutch. it is also the only part of the clutch attached to the pulley, which rides on the large shaft on the near end. The pulley is secured by ring-nut threaded onto that shafts threads. A bearing and spacer ride on #5, this spacer is what presses on the male cone clutch #4 and controls the spacing between the male and female parts. It is adjusted by tightening or loosening the nut on the end of #5. This nut is found by popping off the cap on the pulley. To tight and the clutch won't disengage. To loose and the clutch will slip when cutting.

The clutch acts when the lever is actuated, #2 brakes the spinning and #3 is pulled away from #4 releasing the cone clutch grip.


Fully disassembled (headstock must be removed to do this)
1) parts of clutch lever A) drive pulley
2) braking nut B) clutch case
3) female portion of cone clutch C) front gear plate
4) male portion of cone clutch D) rear gear plate, this is braked by #2, E ride on the posts
5) location of adjustment nut E) transfer gears (planetary gears.)
F) flywheel weights / spacers between gear plates.