What's new
What's new

1968 J-head Bridgeport Quill feed engagement...........

gavinator68

Plastic
Joined
May 26, 2017
Hello All,

It has been a very long time since a ran a Bridgeport as an apprentice back in the early 90's, but I found one for my home shop that has me puzzled.

It is in very good condition, but the Automatic Quill Feed Engagement lever on the right side of the head seems a bit funky. If the lever is in the "IN" or rear position the feed does NOT function and if in the "OUT" or forward position it DOES work.

I have had EVERYthing on this "new-to-me" mill apart for cleaning, inspection, and alignment. I have NOT been inside the head whatsoever. All I did was remove the head, in its entirety, from the ram adapter for transport. Is this normal and I am somehow misunderstanding the tag on the front of the head or is there something amiss inside?

If there is something put together improperly from a previous repair, ???????, what could it be and would it cause any foreseeable damage being improperly assembled?

Hope I have provided enough info to help.

Cheers,

David
 
................has anyone been inside that engagement lever to know how it is functioning internally and if it can be installed wrong but still function.......sort of correctly but backwards?

Cheers,

David
 
The gear is mounted on a eccentric and I don't think it can be installed anyway but the correct way. However, just looked at one of my BPs and the lever is retained on the shaft with a set screw.I think the answer to your issue is the lever is installed 180* out of position. Loosen screw rotate 180 tighten screw and problem solved!!!!
 
John,

Thank you for the insight. I had not been inside of the mechanism and wanted to make certain nothing would go wrong BEFORE I attempted any further investigation. I will try that sir.

TY

Cheers,

David
 
John,

It appears I will be forced to live with the lever the way it is as the history of the machine clearly demonstrates an incompetent repair. If I am reading the drawing correctly the lever should have a 1/8" roll pin and mine has a roll pin alright, but one installed into an extra BLIND hole that has no way to exit on the opposite side. GRRRRRRRRR..............

I can only imagine someone probably replaced the shaft at some point and the replacement shaft was either not correct or just made from something "laying around the shop." This may have lead them to drill this extra hole and push the new roll pin ALL THE WAY IN to bottom out inside the shaft with NOTHING left to remove it easily.

What appears to be the original roll pin location is still empty as can be seen on the lever periphery. I would think one could have simply drilled through a new shaft using the holes that already existed in the lever, but that is just me I suppose.

Cheers,

David
 








 
Back
Top