Plain and Direct Indexing. Plain indexing on the spiral head is very similar to indexing with ordinary index centres. It depends entirely upon how many times the index crank must be turned to cause the work to make one revolution. When this ratio is known, it is an easy matter to calculate the number of turns or fractions of a turn of the index crank to produce a given number of spaces on the periphery of the work.
The worm wheel on the spindle contains 40 teeth and the worm is single threaded, hence for every turn of the index crank, theworm wheel is advanced one tooth, or the spindle makes 140 part of a revolution. This should be remembered, for it is used in all indexing calculations on the spiral head. If the crank is turned 40 times, the spindle and work will make one complete revolution. To find how many turns of the crank are necessary for a certain division of the work, 40 is divided by the number of the divisions which are desired. The quotient will be the number of turns, or the part of a turn of the crank, which will give each desired division. Applying this rule, 40 divisions would be made by turning the crank completely around once for each division, or 20 divisions would be obtained by turning around twice. When the quotient contains a fraction, or is a fraction, it will be necessary to give the crank a part revolution in indexing. The numerator of the fraction represents the number of holes that should be indexed for each division. If the fraction is so small that none of the plates contains the number of holes represented by the denominator, both numerator and denominator should be multiplied by a common multiplier that will give a fraction, the denominator of which represents a number of holes that is available. On the other hand, if the fraction is of large terms, it should be reduced so that its denominator will represent a number of holes that is available. For example, seven divisions are desired. 40 divided by 7, equals 557 turns of the index crank to each division. There is no plate containing so few holes as 7, so this should be raised. Multiplying by the common multiplier 3, we have 57x33=1521.Hence, for one division of the work, the index crank pin is placed in the 21 hole circle, and the crank is given 5 complete revolutions and then is moved ahead 15 additional holes. 35 holes in the 49 hole circle mightalso be used in place of 15 in the 21 hole circle, as 3549 is a multiple of the original fraction 57.
The tables on pages 210 to 218 give the correct circles of holes and numbers to index for each division of all numbers that are obtainable by plain indexing, as well as those obtainable by the differential
