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bridgeport head info

This may help, I think the one you have is pretty early.

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If I were to guess, I would say early 40's

Congrats and good luck

Mick

Just did some further research on your head data tag, IN 1938 it changed to Bridgeport Machine... So, that would make yours prior to 1938
 
Yes very early M Head.. 3 digit serial number..

Old style drawbar knob, instead of nut.

Spindle should be #2 Morse taper, or B3, or #7 B&S taper. M head uses drawbar, instead of tanged tooling..

The R8 pen markings on head are confusing.. No room in spindle for that large of a taper..
 
Wow

Yes, it is a bridgeport M head. VERY early, the earliest one I've ever seen.

Drawbar knob, old style quill handle, 3 dig serial number. The only way to tell the year is with the model number, which would be on the knee of the original bridgeport base.
I'm guessing from the early/mid 40's.
 
Well, since by the end of 1940, BP was already at machine # 656, the head was made in 1939 or 1940. Don't know when BP started selling heads alone. but certainly after that.
JR
 
Well, since by the end of 1940, BP was already at machine # 656, the head was made in 1939 or 1940. Don't know when BP started selling heads alone. but certainly after that.
JR

How can that be? BP started in '38, and the C and R head came before the M head. Did they really go through 2 head models in a year and sell 656 M heads the next?
 
What head does the first 1938 Bridgeport machine have on it the one in the museum does it have an M head on it. Does it say Bridgeport Pattern & Model Works on it when did they drop this name.
 
On the vintage machinery website it has a picture of serial number 1 Bridgeport machine it shows the tag on the head and it says Bridgeport Pattern & Model Works and the serial number on the head is M 675 so I guess the one I have M 618 is earlier. If the 1938 #1 machine has the original head on it.
 
Shelby,

I sent you the info last night, all you had to do was read it!

Para-phrasing from the article: Bridgeport Pattern & Model Works changed the name to Bridgeport Machine in 1938.

Not my words, so I am not guessing... Right from the Bridgeport info I sent
Mick
 
Shelby,

From the looks of the photo's it appears to me that the machine was a horizontal and someone installed the M head to make it more operator friendly/better vision of the work... Maybe?


With the serial #618 I do not think it would be original to the machine that it has the symbiotic relationship with in the picture.

And why not? Makes the machine more versatile, and I am sure with the speed range available with the M head as opposed to the horizontal ... It would facilitate achieving a better production rate.

All that aside, Do you plan on using this machine?

Mick
 
mill 001.jpgI got the milling machine because I knew it was a hendey-norton from about 1908 even though they didn't say it was in the ad nor did they show a good picture of the machine. I really didn't plan on keeping the Bridgeport head on and was going to sell it. Hendey made two vertical attachments for this machine but they are rare just like the one in this pic. I'll use it If I need to make anything.
 
I guess so, but that wouldn't make sense. Why have a first machine with another's head?

I've never seen a Bridgeport where the head number and knee number matched. Why should they? Bridgeport's initial business model was selling heads to be added to horizontal machines to make them more versatile; stands to reason that they sold a couple hundred heads before they sold the first complete machine.I imagine each head had a serial number to track engineering changes for parts replacement purposes; same with the machine bases, but it seems only the base list has been maintained for dating purposes.

Dennis
 
So the head I have was made between 1936 (sliding quill introduced) and early 1938 when the company changed to Bridgeport Machine Inc.
 
How can that be? BP started in '38, and the C and R head came before the M head.

1. They sold way more heads than they sold machines
2. They started selling complete machines in 1938, that's not when the company started.
3. I've seen a few automatics with C and R heads mounted on them. BP sold a lot of purpose built heads for the tier 2 and 3 automotive suppliers.

It's an early M head, WTF year does it make any difference?
JR
 
Interesting that there are only the two middle speeds in the high range. I suppose the torque isn't there for a top speed in the high range to make it any use, but why not have the lower one in the high range. Surely something around 1500rpm would be useful. Is it something to do with the position of the pulleys?
Something for me to think about over the weekend?:)
Rgds,
Noel.
 








 
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