Rockford Model 2B Universal Horizontal Mill

The Rockford 2B universal mill has power feed on all 3 axes, internal back gears, and the feed gearing mechanism is completely contained within the column. It's a very sophisticated mill for its day (patent date 1911, although the mill could be some years newer.) A "universal" mill is one in which the table can be rotated about the z (vertical) axis. In combination with the universal dividing head (shown in the catalog illustration above), this enables one to cut spirals (such as drill flutes) and to make various types of gears.

The main spindle is shown below.

Rockford Milling Machine Co. was organized in 1905 in Rockford IL, northwest of Chicago, and existed until 1926. One of the founders, Oscar Sundstrand, invented (and manufactured) the first successful mechanical adding machine. Rockford was a major center of the machine tool industry and a number of well-known companies started out there including Ingersol, W. F. & John Barnes, Rockford Machine Tool, and others.

The 1911 patent was for the vertical head, which I have. It mounts where the overarm would be and is driven by a hollow shaft, thus providing more headroom. I'm "saving" this one for later restoration because of its complexity. I need to build up my skill set (and confidence) on some simpler machines first. However, that hasn't stopped me from buying a universal dividing head and a bunch of B&S taper tooling.

Here it is on the trailer after the trip home from Ohio. Eric, thanks for saving this one !