The Indexing or

Dividing Head
Session 14

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

Index Head Parts

Swiveling block
Mounted in base enables headstock to be tilted
from 5 below horizontal to 10 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

Section view
of a dividing
head
6

Index Head Parts

Universal chuck
Threaded onto end of spindle

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

Index Head Parts

Adjustable center rest
Holds long, slender work between centers

Methods of Indexing
1.
2.
3.
4.

Direct
Simple
Angular
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
Whatdirectindexingisnecessarytomilleight
flutesonareamerblank?
Sincethe24holecircleistheonlyonedivisible
by8(therequirednumberofdivisions),itisthe
onlycirclethatcanbeusedinthiscase.
Slots

Direct indexing divisions

24

2 3 4 _ 6 8 _ __ 12 __ __ 24 __ __

30

2 3 _ 5count
6 _ _ the
10 __hole
15 __
30 in
__which
Never
or __
slot
2 3 4
_ 6 _pin
9 __
__ 18 __ __ 36
the
index
is 12
engaged.

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
Index-plate hole circles
Brown & Sharpe
Plate 1

15-16-17-18-19-20

Plate 2

21-23-27-29-31-33

Plate 3

37-39-41-43-47-49

Cincinnati Standard Plate

Choose any hole

circle that is divisible
by denominator 7
5/7 =

15 /21

So, 5 full turns plus

15 holes on 21 hole
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
21

Finishing Indexing for

Seven Flutes
Index-plate hole circles
Brown & Sharpe
Plate 1

15-16-17-18-19-20

Plate 2

21-23-27-29-31-33

Plate 3

37-39-41-43-47-49

Cincinnati Standard Plate

Choose any hole

circle that is divisible
by denominator 7
5/7 = 35 /49
So, 5 full turns plus
35 holes on 49 hole
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
Index-plate hole circles
Brown & Sharpe
Plate 1

15-16-17-18-19-20

Plate 2

21-23-27-29-31-33

Plate 3

37-39-41-43-47-49

Cincinnati Standard Plate

Choose any hole

circle that is divisible
by denominator 7
5/7 = 20 /28
So, 5 full turns plus
20 holes on 28 hole
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
Index-plate hole circles
Brown & Sharpe
Plate 1

15-16-17-18-19-20

Plate 2

21-23-27-29-31-33

Plate 3

37-39-41-43-47-49

Cincinnati Standard Plate

Choose any hole

circle that is divisible
by denominator 7
5/7 = 30 /42
So, 5 full turns plus
30 holes on 42 hole
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
Index-plate hole circles
Brown & Sharpe
Plate 1

15-16-17-18-19-20

Plate 2

21-23-27-29-31-33

Plate 3

37-39-41-43-47-49

Cincinnati Standard Plate

Choose any hole

circle that is divisible
by denominator 7
5/7 = 35 /49
So, 5 full turns plus
35 holes on 49 hole
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
27

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 360 equals 9 degrees

no. of degrees required

Indexing in degrees
9
31

Angular Indexing
Calculate indexing for 45
45
Indexing
5
9

5 complete turns

32

Angular Indexing
Calculate indexing for 60
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 2430'
First, convert angle into minutes
(24 x 60') = 1440' now add 30' = 1470
Convert 9 to minutes 9x90 = 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-seventysecond 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.
39

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
number close to 57

on 21-hole circle
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 100hole 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
40 00 00
N

Number of
Divisions

48

Indexing for Divisions

40 00 00
N
No. of turns
of large Index
Crank = 0
No. turns
100-hole= 3
Large plate

For 1250 divisions

400000/1250 One hole on 100-hole
0

3 20

40|00|00
1250

circle produces 1/4000

of a turn; any number
divides into 4000 are
indexed on large plate

20 holes on the
100-hole circle
small plate

Since ratio of large index crank is 40:1 ,

Zero
turns that
of large
crank,
3 (first
turnstwo
of 100-hole
any number
divides
into 40
numbers)
represents
turns
large
large
plate
and 20 full
holes
onof100-hole
small plate
49
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
(indexed on large plate) 17 1 8 turns
9
9
9
36
N
3 with r of 6'
Minutes
(indexed on large plate)
10
10
(6' x60) 18 378
N

63
Seconds (indexed on small plate)
6
6
6

Degrees

Example: Index for an angle of 1736'18"

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 1/40 th x
1/4th or 1/160th = .0025 in.
Formula for calculating indexing for linear
graduations in thousandths of an inch
N
.00625

Example: Movement of table .001 in

.001
1

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 1/40 th
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