The Indexing or

Dividing Head

Session 14

1
Indexing (Dividing) Head
• Once one of the more important
attachments for milling machine
• Used to divide circumference of
workpiece into equally spaced divisions
when milling gear teeth, squares,
hexagons, and octagons
• Also used to rotate workpiece at
predetermined ratio to table feed rate

2
Index Head Parts
• Headstock with index plates • Universal chuck
• Headstock change gears • Footstock
• Quadrant • Center rest

3
Index Head Parts
• Swiveling block
• Mounted in base enables headstock to be
tilted from 5º below horizontal to 10º beyond
vertical
• Spindle
• Mounted in swiveling block with 40-tooth
worm wheel, meshes with worm
• Worm
• Right angle to spindle, connected to index
crank
• Direct indexing plate
• Engaged by pin and attached to front of
spindle 4
Index Head Parts

5
Section view
of a dividing
head

6
Index Head Parts
• Universal chuck
• Threaded onto end of spindle

7
Index Head Parts
• Footstock
• Used in conjunction with headstock to
support work held between centers or in
chuck
• May be adjusted longitudinally, raised or
lowered off center, and tilted out of parallel

8
Index Head Parts
Adjustable center rest
• Holds long, slender work between centers

9
Methods of Indexing
1. Direct
2. Simple
3. Angular
4. Differential

10
Direct Indexing
• Simplest form of indexing
• Performed by disengaging worm shaft
from worm wheel by means of eccentric
device in dividing head
• Spring-loaded tongue lock engages
numbered slots in index plate
• Used for quick indexing of workpiece
when cutting flutes, hexagons, squares,
etc.

11
Direct Indexing Divisions
• Direct indexing plate usually contains three
sets of hole circles or slots: 24, 30, and 36
• Number of divisions possible to index limited to
numbers that are factors of 24, 30, 36

Slots Direct indexing divisions

24 2 3 4 _ 6 8 _ __ 12 __ __ 24 __ __
30 2 3 _ 5 6 _ _ 10 __ 15 __ __ 30 __
36 2 3 4 _ 6 _ 9 __ 12 __ 18 __ __ 36
12
Example: Direct Indexing

• What direct indexing is necessary to mill eight

flutes on a reamer blank?
Since the 24-hole circle is the only one divisible
by 8 (the required number of divisions), it is the
only circle that can be used in this case.
Slots Direct indexing divisions
24 2 3 4 _ 6 8 _ __ 12 __ __ 24 __ __
30 2 Never
3 _ 5 count
6 _ _the
10hole
__ or
15slot
__in__ 30 __
which
36 2 the
3 4index
_ 6 _pin9 is__
engaged.
12 __ 18 __ __ 36
13
Milling a Square with
Direct Indexing

1. Disengage worm and worm shaft by

turning worm disengaging shaft lever
if dividing head is so equipped
2. Adjust plunger behind index plate
into the 24-hole circle or slot
3. Mount workpiece in dividing head
chuck or between centers
4. Adjust cutter height and cut first side
14
Milling a Square with
Direct Indexing

5. Remove plunger pin using plunger pin

lever
6. Turn plate attached to dividing head
spindle one-half turn and engage
plunger pin
7. Take second cut

15
Milling a Square with
Direct Indexing

8. Measure work across flats and adjust

work height if required
9. Cut remaining sides by indexing every
six holes until all surfaces cut
10. Check for finish size

16
Simple Indexing
• Work positioned by means of crank,
index plate, and sector arms
• Worm attached to crank must be
engaged with worm wheel on dividing
head spindle
• 40 teeth on worm wheel
• One complete turn on index crank cause
spindle and work to rotate one-fortieth of a
turn (ratio of 40:1)

17
Simple Indexing
• Calculating the indexing or number of
turns of crank for most divisions, simply
divide 40 by number of divisions to be
cut or,
40
Indexing =
N

18
Simple Indexing
• The indexing required to cut eight flutes:

40
 5 full turns of index crank
8
• The indexing required to cut seven flutes:
40 5
 5 turns of index crank
7 7
The five-sevenths turn involves use of
an index plate and sector arms. 19
Index Plate and Sector
Arms
• Index plate
• Circular plate provided with series of
equally spaced holes into which index
crank pin engages
• Sector arms
• Fit on front of plate and may be set to any
portion of a complete turn

20
 Finishing Indexing for
Seven Flutes

Choose any hole

Index-plate hole circles circle that is divisible
Brown & Sharpe by denominator 7

Plate 1 15-16-17-18-19-20 5/7 = 15 /21

Plate 2 21-23-27-29-31-33 So, 5 full turns plus
Plate 3 37-39-41-43-47-49 15 holes on 21 hole
Cincinnati Standard Plate circle!

One side 24-25-28-30-34-37-38-39-41-42-43

Other side 46-47-49-51-53-54-57-58-59-62-66
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 Finishing Indexing for
Seven Flutes

Choose any hole

Index-plate hole circles circle that is divisible
Brown & Sharpe by denominator 7
Plate 1 15-16-17-18-19-20 5/7 = 35/49
Plate 2 21-23-27-29-31-33 So, 5 full turns plus
Plate 3 37-39-41-43-47-49 35 holes on 49 hole
Cincinnati Standard Plate circle!
One side 24-25-28-30-34-37-38-39-41-42-43
Other side 46-47-49-51-53-54-57-58-59-62-66
22
 Finishing Indexing for
Seven Flutes

Choose any hole

Index-plate hole circles circle that is divisible
Brown & Sharpe by denominator 7
Plate 1 15-16-17-18-19-20 5/7 = 20/28
Plate 2 21-23-27-29-31-33 So, 5 full turns plus
Plate 3 37-39-41-43-47-49 20 holes on 28 hole
Cincinnati Standard Plate circle!
One side 24-25-28-30-34-37-38-39-41-42-43
Other side 46-47-49-51-53-54-57-58-59-62-66
23
 Finishing Indexing for
Seven Flutes

Choose any hole

Index-plate hole circles circle that is divisible
Brown & Sharpe by denominator 7
Plate 1 15-16-17-18-19-20 5/7 = 30/42
Plate 2 21-23-27-29-31-33 So, 5 full turns plus
Plate 3 37-39-41-43-47-49 30 holes on 42 hole
Cincinnati Standard Plate circle!
One side 24-25-28-30-34-37-38-39-41-42-43
Other side 46-47-49-51-53-54-57-58-59-62-66
24
 Finishing Indexing for
Seven Flutes

Choose any hole

Index-plate hole circles circle that is divisible
Brown & Sharpe by denominator 7
Plate 1 15-16-17-18-19-20 5/7 = 35/49
Plate 2 21-23-27-29-31-33 So, 5 full turns plus
Plate 3 37-39-41-43-47-49 35 holes on 49 hole
Cincinnati Standard Plate circle!
One side 24-25-28-30-34-37-38-39-41-42-43
Other side 46-47-49-51-53-54-57-58-59-62-66
25
Cutting Seven Flutes
1. Mount B&S Plate 2 index plate on
dividing head
2. Loosen index crank nut and set index
pin into hole on 21-hole circle
3. Tighten index crank nut and check to
see that the pin enters hole easily
4. Loosen setscrew on sector arm
5. Place narrow edge of left arm against
index pin
26
Cutting Seven Flutes
6. Count 15 holes on 21-hole circle
• Do not include hole in which index crank
pin is engaged.
7. Move right sector arm slightly beyond
fifteenth hole and tighten sector arm
setscrew
8. Align cutter with work piece
9. Start machine and set cutter to top of
work by using paper feeler
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Cutting Seven Flutes
10. Move table so cutter clears end of work
11. Tighten friction lock on dividing head
before making each cut and loosen
lock when indexing for spaces
12. Set depth of cut and take first cut
13. After first flute has been cut, return
table to original starting position

28
Cutting Seven Flutes
14. Withdraw index pin and turn crank
clockwise five full turns plus the 15
holes indicated right sector arm
• Release index pin between 14th and 15th
holes and gently tap until it drops into
15th hole
15. Turn sector arm farthest from pin
clockwise until it is against index pin

29
Cutting Seven Flutes
The arm farthest from the pin is held and
turned. If the arm next to the pin were held
and turned, the spacing between both
sector arms could be increased when the
other arm hits the pin. This could result in
an indexing error not noticeable until the
work was completed.
16. Lock dividing head; continue machining
and indexing for remaining flutes
30
Angular Indexing
• Setup for simple indexing may be
used
• Must calculate indexing with angular
distance between divisions instead
number of divisions
• One complete turn of index crank
turns work 1/40 of a turn
• 1/40 of 360º equals 9 degrees
no. of degrees required
Indexing in degrees 
9 31
Angular Indexing

Calculate indexing for 45º

45
Indexing  5
9

5 complete turns

32
Angular Indexing

Calculate indexing for 60º

60 2
Indexing  6
9 3

6 full turns plus 12 holes on 18 hole

circle

33
Angular Indexing
Calculate indexing for 24'
Divide 24'/540' = 4/90
4/90 = 1/22.5
1 hole on a 22.5 hole circle
The nearest is a 23 hole circle. Indexing
would be 1 hole on a 23 hole circle with a
slight error (approximately 1/2 minute). A
need for higher accuracy requires
differential indexing.
34
Angular Indexing

Calculate indexing for 24º30'

• First, convert angle into minutes

(24 x 60') = 1440' now add 30' = 1470‘

Convert 9° to minutes 9°x90’ = 540’
Divide 1470'/540' = 2 13/18
2 full turns and 13 holes on 18
hole circle

35
Differential Indexing
• Used when 40/N cannot be reduced to a
factor of one of the available hole circles
• Index plate must be revolved either
forward or backward part of a turn while
index crank turned to attain proper
spacing (indexing)
• Change of rotation effected by idler gear or
gears in gear train

36
Differential Method
• Number chosen close to required
divisions that can be indexed by simple
indexing
• Example: Assume index crank has to be
rotated 1/9th of a turn and only 8-hole
circle
• Crank moved 1/9th, index pin contacts plate
at spot before first hole
• Exact position would be the difference
between 1/8th and 1/9th of a revolution of the
crank 37
Differential Method cont.
1 1 9 8 1
   
8 9 72 72 72
one-seventy-second of a turn short of
first hole
Since there is no hole at this point, it is
necessary to cause plate to rotate backward
by means of change gears one-seventy-
second of a turn of pin will engage in hole.

38
Method of Calculating the Change
Gears
40
Change gear ratio  (A - N) x
A
driver (spindle) gear

driven (worm) gear
A = approximate number of divisions
N = required number of divisions
If A is greater than N, resulting fraction is positive and
the index plate must move in same direction as crank
(clockwise). This positive rotation uses an idler gear.
If N is greater than A, resulting fraction is negative and
index plate must move counterclockwise. This negative
rotation required use of two idler gears.
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Gearing
• Simple
• One idler for positive rotation of index
plate and two idlers for negative
rotation
• Compound
• One idler for negative rotation of index
plate and two idlers for positive rotation

40
 Example:
Calculate the indexing and change gears required
for 57 divisions. The change gears supplied with
the dividing head are as follows:
24, 24, 28, 32, 40, 44, 48, 56, 64, 72, 86
The available index plate hole circles are as follows:
Plate 1: 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Plate 2: 21, 23, 27, 29, 31, 33
Plate 3: 37, 39, 41, 43, 47, 49
40 40 40 5 Choose plate 2: 21 holes
Indexing   
N 57 56 7 5/7 would be 15 holes
No 57 hole circle so select on 21-hole circle
number close to 57 41
Example: continued
40
Gear ratio  (A - N) x
A
40 40 5
 (56 - 57) x  1 x 
56 56 7
5 8 40 (spindle gear)
Change gears  - x  
7 8 56 (worm gear)

The fraction is negative and simple gearing is to be

used, the index plate rotation is counterclockwise
and two idlers must be used.
42
Example: continued
• For indexing 57 divisions, a 40-tooth
gear is mounted on the dividing head
spindle and a 56-tooth gear is mounted
on the worm shaft.
• Index idlers must be used. plate rotation
is negative and two
• After proper gears installed, the simple
indexing for 56 divisions should be
followed
43
Wide-Range Dividing Head
• Possible for 2 to 400,000 divisions
• Large index plate contains 11 hole
circles on each side
• Small index plate mounted in front of
large, contains a 54 hole and a 100-hole
circle
• 40:1 ratio between worm and dividing
head spindle

44
G – gear housing D - crank A–
large
index
plate

B - crank

C–
small
index
plate

45
Indexing for Divisions

• One turn of small crank drives index

head spindle 1/100 of 1/40, or 1/4000 of
a turn
• Ratio of large index crank to dividing head
40:1
• Ratio of small index crank 100:1

46
Indexing for Divisions

• One hole on 100-hole circle of small

index plate C = 1/100 x 1/4000
• 1/400,000 of a turn
• Formula for indexing divisions =
400,000/N

47
Indexing for Divisions

No. of turns No. of holes on No. of holes on

of large x 100-hole circle x 100-hole circle
index crank of large plate of small plate

4 0  0 0  0 0
4 0  0 0
4 0
Number of
N Divisions

48
Indexing for Divisions
4 0  0 0  0 0
4 0  0 0
4 0 For 1250 divisions
400000/1250 One hole on 100-hole
N
circle produces 1/4000
No. of turns
0 3 20 of a turn; any number
of large Index
40|00|00 divides into 4000 are
Crank = 0 indexed on large plate
1250
No. turns
100-hole= 3 20 holes on the
Large plate 100-hole circle
small plate
Since ratio of large index crank is 40:1 ,
Zero turns that
any number of large crank,
divides into 403 (first
turnstwo
of 100-hole
large plate
numbers) and 20 full
represents holes
turnson
of100-hole
large small plate49
index crank
Angular Indexing with the
Wide-Range Divider
• Indexing in degrees, minutes, and
seconds easily accomplished
• Both large and small index cranks set
on 54-hole circle of each plate
• Each space on 54-hole large plate will
cause dividing head spindle to rotate 10'
• Each space on 54-hole small plate will
cause work to rotate 6"
50
 Angular Indexing: cont.
N
Degrees  (indexed on large plate)  17  1 8 turns
9 9 9
N 36
Minutes  (indexed on large plate)   3 with r of 6'
10 10
N (6' x60)  18 378
Seconds  (indexed on small plate)    63
6 6 6

Example: Index for an angle of 17º36'18"

One full turn + 48 holes on large plate
3 holes on large plate
One full turn + 51 holes on large plate
One full turn + 9 holes on small plate
51
Linear Graduating
• Operation of producing accurate
spaces on piece of flat or round stock
• Align workpiece parallel with table
travel
• Dividing head spindle geared to lead
screw of milling machine for accurate
longitudinal movement of table
• 1 revolution of index crank = 1/40th
revolution of spindle and lead screw
52
Linear Graduating: cont.
• Rotation of lead screw (4 threads per
inch) would cause table to move 1/40th x
1/4th or 1/160th = .0025 in.
• Formula for calculating indexing for linear
graduations in thousandths of an inch

Example: Movement of table .001 in

N
.001 1
.00625  turns
.00625 6 1
4
4 holes on 25-hole circle
53
Linear Graduating: cont.

• If lead screw of metric milling

machine has pitch of 5mm, 1 turn of
index crank would move table 1/40th
of 5 mm or 0.125 mm
• Point of toolbit used for graduating
generally ground to V-shape

54
Linear Graduating: cont.

• Uniformity of line length controlled by

accurate movement of crossfeed
handwheel
• Uniformity of line width maintained if
work held absolutely flat and table
height never adjusted

55