IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HINGES, AND ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR DRESSING AND FINISHING ARTICLES MADE OF METAL
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
HARCOURT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,. send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the First day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,"
the said David Harcourt, my exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said David
Harcourt, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Harcourt, my exors, adñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HINGES, AND
ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR DRESSING AND FINISHING ARTICLES MADE OF METAL;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said David
Harcourt, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
David Harcourt, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and, ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon that is to say:
David Harcourt, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and, ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon that is to say:
My Invention consists,―
First, of improvements in vices.
Secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of
hinges. And,
Thirdly, my Invention consists of improvements in apparatus for dressing
and finishing articles made of metal.
...And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
.DESCRIPTION OF. THE-DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view; Figure 2, a front view; Figure 3, a trans-
verse section; and Figure 4, some of the parts of a vice constructed according
to my Invention. In this vice one of the jaws a slides in the manner of a
_parallel vice, and the other jaw b moves on an axis in like manner to an.
ordinary bench or smith's vice, there being a spring c which tends at all
times (as in a smith's vice) to force the front jaw b outwards."
¹ is a stop
formed on the jaw b, to prevent its opening too far. The jaw a slides in the
frame or guides d, d, as is shown. The screw of passes through the sliding
block a of the jaw a, there being two inclines formed on the upper surface
of the block a¹, which correspond with two similar inclines cut in the under
surface of the jaw a. The object of this arrangement is, that when the jaw a
has been screwed up so as to hold the work between it and the jaw b, the
turning of the screw still further will cause the inclines on the sliding block to
be moved more towards the jaw b than the jaw a can come, the effect of which
will be to lift the jaw a so as to bind it strongly in the guides, whilst the final
grip is effected by the movement inwards of the jaw b, as in the ordinary
bench vice; and thus all parts will become as if solid, and will allow of the
work being held firmly for hammering, or otherwise. The spring g keeps
the parts a', a, together when not drawn on by the screw, and enables the
jaw a to be moved back when the block a¹ is moved back by the screw.
I would remark that the peculiarity of this vice is, the combining a sliding
jaw with a lever jaw, and the having the sliding jaw a, a, of two parts with
inclined surfaces, as described.

page_text: is a
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Juvention, which
relates to the manufacture of hinges. Figure 5 shews a front view; Fis
gure 6, a side view; Figure 7, a longitudinal section; and Figure 8, a trans-
verse section of a machine combined according to my Invention, and in sucli
manner that suitable blanks of the flaps of hinges beitig successively fed into
the machine, they will in their progress through the machine have several
operations or processes performed on them, and this without requiring to be
handled between such succeeding processes or operations. a, a, shows the
two outer framings, the nature of which will readily be traced on examining
the Drawings; they are fixed to the floor. b, b, are two inner framings, also
fixed to the floor. These inner frames support the disc frames b', which are]
cast with two rings b, b, which rings stand off from each other by connecting
pieces, as shown. In addition to these there are uprights c for carrying
the axes of the pulleys for the driving cords, hereafter explained. d is the
main or driving axis, which is put in motion by means of a strap or band on
the drum e, fixed on the main or driving shaft. On the main or driving
shaft are affixed the series of pulleys for giving motion to the several driving
bands or cords which give motion to the several parts of the machine.
screw fixed to the driving axis, which gives motion to the screw wheel on the
vertical shaft g; and this shaft, by a screw h, gives motion to screw wheel j
fixed to the axis k. This axis turns in bearings k', k, as shewn, and it has
two canis l, m, fixed thereon. These cams cause the drills used for drilling the
holes through the knuckle of the hinges to go in to work, as hereafter
explained. n is a fixed tube, within which the axis k turns. On the tube n
is formed a conical surface, upon which the cylinder or wheel o can movo
freely, there being a ring o' fixed by set screws to one end of the boss of the
cylinder or wheel o, and pressing against the projecting surface of the conical
part of the hollow axis h, by which the cylinder or wheel o is retained steadily,
and yet so as to be capable of revolving freely on the hollow fixed axis h.
This wheel or cylinder o has formed in its periphery six recesses, each for
receiving two blanks for forming two-flaps of a hinge; and there are to each
such recess two wedge-formed pieces p, p, having a spring tending at all
times to draw them together, in order to relieve the pressure on the parts of
the hinge, when permitted so to do, by the pressure of the wedge q on the
parts p being relieved; and there is a wedge q between each pair of pieces
, p, such wedges 7 being respectively pressed outwards by a coiled spring
around the stems of the screws 7, which screws force the wedges 7 in towards
the center of the wheel or cylinder o, and thus retain the blanks ", ", 'secure,
when they have been once correctly placed and guaged into their places, as

page_text: hereafter explained. s is a catch or stop, which entering into one of six
notches in the wheel o, retains the wheel o stationary whilst the several pro-
cesses are in operation, the stop or catch being removed from time to time
by means of the workman's foot on the treadle d. The wheel,o is moved by
hand a distance equal to that between two notches on its periphery, and
during such movement the driving strap is moved off the fast pulley. In order
to cut away the metal between the parts forming the knuckles, there are four
rotatory cutter axes employed; two of these by their cutters cut one flap of a
hinge, and the other two by their cutters cut the other flap of a hinge; and as
one flap has two parts of the knuckle joint and the other flap has three parts
to form a knuckle joint, the cutters are arranged on the several cutter axes
suitably for this purpose; but if other construction of hinges be intended to
be made, then the parts must be arranged accordingly. Each of the cutter
axes is carried by a lever frame v; and these lever frames are by connect-
ing rods attached to arms v²; one of each pair of these arms v is affixed
to the shaft, and the other to the hollow axis which turns upon the
shaft . The shaft and hollow axis * turn in the plates v* affixed to
the rings. On one end of each of the axes v³, are affixed arms v³, which
by means of links are connected to the cross pieces v of the sliding rods v³,
each of which slides in a guide v carried by the framing, and they are con-
nected at their inner ends by means of links 10 to the collar v" affixed to
one of the frames w, forming thereby what is called a "toggle joint," by
which, as movement is given to that plate w along the shaft k, a slight
movement will be given to the axes v³ to carry the cutters v* into and out
of work. I have shown two pair of cutters *, the object of which arrange-
ment is; that the first pair may take off the rougher of the parts, and then
the second pair acting (after the drilling has been performed, cause the burr
produced by the act of drilling to be removed, and at the same time they
effect a smooth finish to the parts. Upon each of the shafts of the cutters v
is affixed a pulley wheel v2, vs, u, v, partly around which cords or bands pass,
in order to the cutters having motion given to them in the following manner:
Each of the.cords or bands is what is called an endless band, and passes
partly round one of the drums 210, affixed to and revolving with the driving
axis d. The cord or band v starting from its groove in its drum v10, passes
partly round the pulley 18, supported upon one end of the weighted lever v19;
thence partly round the pulley 12, back over a loose pulley carried by the
axis of the lever v1 to the drum vle. The pulley vs is driven by means of
the cord or band 1, which passes from its groove in its drum, under and
partly around the pulley
carried by one end of the weighted lever ;

page_text: thence over and partly around the pulley v, back over the loose pulley,
carried by the axis of the lever to the drum. The pulley v receives
motion by means of the cord or band, which passes from its groove in one
of the drums 1, partly around a loose pulley 7, carried by the shaft ;
thence partly around the pulley v, back over the pulley, supported upon
one end of the weighted lever 30 to its drum v. The pulley 15 is driven
by means of the cord or band ", which passes from its groove in one of the
drums, up to and partly around the loose pulley ; thence partly around
the pulley vs and back partly around the pulley 3, carried by one end of the
weighted lever to its drum 16. The object of the weighted levers
1; 2, 3, 4, is to keep the various cords or bands tight whilst the cutter
frames are taking their different positions. A, B, C, and D, are drills on
cach side of the machine for drilling the holes through the knuckles for
the pins to form the joints of the hinges; and as these drills on each side of
the machine are precisely similar in their arrangement and mode of action,
I shall apply the same letters of reference to the corresponding ones on each
side;
and as each of the drills is similarly arranged, I shall only describe one
of them in detail. The cutter of each of the drills is held by being passed
in the ordinary manner in a recess in the spindle w², which is carried (with at
capability of its revolving, and also of its sliding to and fro) by the hollow
socket w; and each of these hollow sockets is affixed to the rings ², b¹; as
shewn, with a capability of a slight adjustment in order to the cutters being
correctly guided into their respective knuckles. Upon the outer end of each
of the spindles w is affixed a pulley w to receive a band or cord, by which
rotary motion is given to the cutters, as I will presently proceed to explain.
The outer end of each of the spindles is also formed into a socket to receive
the spherical end w of the screw pin w, which by means of the nuts ware
cach made fast to the projecting plate of the frames w, with a capability of
adjustment so as to regulate the distance which the drills shall enter into the
parts of the knuckles; and it is by the parts of the drills being connected to
these frames w, that their movement in, towards, and from the centre of the
machine is effected in the following manner :-The frames w are each moved
outwards from the centre of the machine by means of the springs wo; that
on the left-hand side presses directly upon the frame w; the spring to on
the right-hand side acts upon its frame w through the cross bar w", which by
means of the connecting rods w¹ is connected to the frame w; and these rods
also, by being continued on the inside of that plate w, and passing into suit-
able guides w's carried by the rings 62, 63, serve to guide the in-and-out
movement of that plate w, and prevent its turning upon the axis k. -There

page_text: are also similar guides to the frame w on the other side of the machine. The
outward movement of the frames wis effected by the surfaces of the cams l, m,
coming against the pulleys w, carried by the frames w. The drills A, B, C, D,
on each side of the machine have rotary motion given to them by means of cords
or bands w, w, w, w1, which pass partly round the drums w7, and partly
round the pulleys w* formed on the respective drills, as shewn; and the cords
or bands w, w, ws, wo, are kept in a state of tension by their passing
through the pulley frames attached to the weighted cords w18, 10, 2020, 21,
respectively. The object of employing two pairs of drills on each side of the
machine is, that the first pair may perform part of the operation of drilling,
which will be completed by the others. 2,2, are pipes with outlets 2 to con-
duct currents of air from a suitable reservoir to near the knuckles, where the
drilling is being performed, in order to the dust produced by the drilling being
removed.
The plates *
bar, which
connected to
at the upper
I will now proceed to explain the apparatus for cutting the rounded surface
of the parts of the knuckle joints. x, a, are rotatory cutters for acting upon
the rounded part of the knuckle parts of a hinge. These cutters a, a, aro
arranged, one at the upper and the other at the under part of the machine,
and each is affixed to an axis x¹, with a pulley a² thereon, by a cord or
band passing around which, as after explained, the cutter receives rotatory
motion. The axis a¹ is carried by bearings as from the plate a, which is
arranged, as shewn, so as to be capable of sliding on a V guide ³ from the
bar a; and each of these bars a is capable of being adjusted by incans of set
screws, by which it is supported from the framing, as shewn.
are each, by means of a link a, connected to one end of the
turus upon an axis 22, and the lever 21 is by means of a link
one of the plates w, by which it obtains inovement. The cutter
part of the machine receives rotary motion by means of the bands or
cords a, . The cord or band a passes partly round one of the drums 1,
thence partly around a pulley affixed to the larger pulley 2, in order to give
motion to that pulley, and these combined pulleys revolve freely on the shaft vs.
Over the pulley a passes the band, which passes over one of the pulleys 2-10,
thence under the pulley, up over the other pulley a, back to the pulley aº.
The under cutter x is set in motion by means of the cords or bands a¹¹, 12, in
the following manner:-The cord or band " passes partly around one of the
pulleys 10, thence partly around the pulley 13, to which is affixed the larger
pulley, partly around this pulley passes the endless band or cord 21, which
passes under one of the guide pulleys 215, thence up and partly around the pulley
a² of that cutter a, back under the other guide pulley a to the pulley. The

page_text: Y,
cords or bands 27, 28, 1, 212, are kept in a state of tension by their passing
through the frames of the pullies attached to the weighted cords a10, 217, 13, 210.
The workman attending the machine, when he desires to place fresh parts
into the wheel or drum o, does so at the point Z, and in order to facilitate the
proper placing of the parts in the wheel o I use the gauge frame which turns
upon centres y. This frame carries set screws y, which, when the frame is
down upon the wheel o, come into a position to gauge the proper positions of
the ends of the parts of the knuckles; when the parts of a hinge have been
thus correctly adjusted in position they are made fast by means of the screw q¹
acting upon the wedge q, and that upon the filling pieces p, p.
I will now proceed to describe part of my improvements in dressing and
finishing hinges.
Figure 9 shews a side view, and Figure 10 an end view, of a machine
arranged for cutting and shaping the edges of hinges. The hinges are carried
through the machine by means of the frame a so as to come in contact with
the revolving cutters b, c, and d. The hinges are placed in the frame a with
their knuckles downwards, as shewn, the first resting against the upright a¹.
Filling pieces e are then placed between the flaps of each hinge so as to keep
the flaps vertical; and when a sufficient number of binges have been placed in
the frame a the sliding piece f is, by means of the set screw g, forced against
them so as to hold them in position; but in order to secure their being correctly
placed in the frame a, so as to be properly acted upon by the cutters b, c, d, I
make use of the frame h which turns upon the axis h', and is capable of folding
down so as to receive between its sides the ends of the hinges, and when they
are so adjusted the screwing up by means of the set screw 9 takes place.
The frame a is carried by the travelling bed i, which is caused to travel through
the machine, so as to bring the hinges under the operation of the cutters b, c, d,
by means of the pinion j taking into a rack formed on the under side of the
bed. The pinion j is affixed to the axis j', which is supported in bearings
carried by the framing, and has affixed to it the handles or arms j, by which
the workman gives rotatory motion to the axis j. The rotary cutter bis
affixed to the upright shaft b', which is supported in bearings from the plate 62,
and at its upper end carries a pulley 63, which, by means of a cord or band,
receives motion from a steam engine or other suitable power.
In like manner
the cutters c and d receive motion by means of bands or cords passing over the
pulleys c, d, on the axes of the cutters c and d respectively. The positions of
the cutters b, c, and d, are adjustable, as shewn, to suit sizes of hinges differing
from those shewn.

page_text: I will now describe another part of my improvements in dressing and
finishing hinges and other articles requiring a similar process.
Figure 11 shews a side view in section, Figure 12 a plan, and Figure 13 a
plan in section of machinery arranged to produce a series of countersinkings
at one time. a is the framing of the machine; bis the main or driving axis
which receives motion from a steam engine or other power by means of a strap
acting upon the fixed drum ; upon this axis is fixed the bevelled wheel c,
which takes into and drives the bevelled toothed wheel d on the upright shaft
e, upon which is fixed the toothed wheel f, shewn by red lines in Figure 12.
This wheel f, by means of intermediate wheels g, gives motion to the wheels
on the spindles carrying the countersinking tools h; i is the table upon
which the articles to have countersunk holes produced in them are placed.
And I would here state that, although I have shewn hinges as the articles
under operation, the machine is equally applicable to drilling or forming
countersunk holes in other articles requiring a series of such holes. The table
i is formed upon the hollow axis ', which embraces the upright shaft c. Upon
the surface of the table i are formed a number of recesses to receive blocks j,
with surfaces formed suitably to receive and hold the articles to be operated
upon. These blocks ; may readily be removed for others, with surfaces pro-
duced, to receive other size or form of hinges, or other articles.
In the hinges
shewn there are eight holes, and there are eight countersinking tools, each one
placed differently with respect to the hinge, and each in such a position as to
correspond with one of the holes in such hinge, so that when any one of the
hinges has passed under all the instruments all the holes will have been operated
upon; and in order to this change of position of the hinges being effected, the
table i is capable of a rotary motion on the upright shaft e. The table is
suspended by means of the weighted lever k, which turns upon an axis k³, and
at its inner end is forked so as to embrace the hollow axis i, between the
collars. The table is brought up to and removed from contact with the
cutters or drills by means of the pinion on the shaft taking into the teeth?
formed round the hollow shaft 2, there being arms or other means applied to
to the axis to facilitate its. movement. It will be seen that whilst there are
only eight instruments h in operation, there are places for twelve binges; the
extra number is in order that the finished ones may be removed, and others to
be operated upon added whilst the machine is in operation. The table i is to
be moved round by hand each time a fresh hole is required to be operated upon
a distance equal to the distance between two notches in the table i, and
it is retained in position by means of the spring catch m, shewn by red lines in
Figure 11. I will suppose the table turned so as to bring one of the hinges

page_text: under the instrument No. 1, the table is raised till that countersinking is com-
pleted. The table is then caused to descend, and it is shifted round so that
that hinge comes next under the instrument No. 2, by which another of the
holes will be countersunk; and so on the table will be caused to take a step by
step movenient until the binge has had all the holes acted upon, as is indicated
by the blue circles on each hinge, shewn in Figure 13, or in such order as may
be desired, and each hinge will in like manner be operated upon; and as the
hinges come round to the point z, they will be raised up out of their blocks j
by means of the studs n (of which there is one to each block), the stud n at
that point in the revolution of the table coming in contact with a fixed bar A,
shewn by red lines in Figures 11 and 12. The countersinking tools h are
held with a capability of revolving and of adjustment in the following manner:
-Each tool h is held in a spindle h in an ordinary manner; the spindle he is
carried by the socket h³, which is carried by the top plate of the machine, and
there is a screw formed on each socket h³ to receive nuts ht, by which it is held
on the top plate, as shown, with a capability of adjustment. The tooth.
wheels have female screws formed in them, by which they are capable of
being adjusted in position on the spindle h³, and when so adjusted they are
capable of being set by means of the nuts h³.
I will now describe another part of my improvements in dressing and finishing
articles of metal.
Figure 14 shows a side view, and Figure 15 a plan, of a machine con-
structed according to this part of the Invention, which consists of arranging a
series of files, or of polishing surfaces, upon endless chains or belts. a is the
framing. is the main or driving axis, upon which is affixed the drum c, over
which, and also over the carrying drum d, passes the endless chain e. The
drum c has teeth on its surface, which take into the links of the chain e, in
order that it may travel with the drum. On the links of the chain e I aflix a
series of plates f; to the links of the chain e, and to these plates f I affix the
dressing or other finishing or polishing surfaces. If files are to be used I affix
them to the plates f by screwing, rivetting, or in any other suitable manner. If
I wish to affix leather to those plates, I form holes therein, in which I place pegs
of wood near the ends of the strips of leather.. These pegs passing thro' the strips
of leather, and thro' the plates, serve to prevent the leather being torn up at
those parts. I cause the leather to adhere to the plates by means of shellac.
In order to this I make the plates hot, and in that state I apply the shellac,
and then I apply the leather thereon, and drive in the wood pegs. g is a wheel
revolving horizontally, with a broad flange g', which supports the chain e at the
part where I hold the articles to be dressed or finished.

page_text: I would remark, that although I have shewn the belt to consist of a series of
links, a band of leather or other suitable material would answer the purpose,
the files or other surfaces used being rivetted or otherwise affixed thereto.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would remark in respect to each part of my Invention
that I make no claim to any of the mechanical parts separately; and although
I have been particular in shewing and describing the details, I do not confine
myself thereto so long as the peculiar character of any part of my Invention be
retained.
But what I claim is,-
First, the improvements herein described in the manufacture of vices.
Secondly, I claim the combining mechanical parts into a machine, so that a
succession of processes may be performed on the flaps of hinges without
requiring that such flaps should be handled between process and process.
Thirdly, I claim the mode herein described of combining mechanical parts
into a machine for dressing and finishing the ends and edges of hinges.
I also claim the mode herein described of combining mechanical parts into
a machine for countersinking or drilling the holes in binge flaps, and also of
other plates requiring a like process.
And I also claim the mode hercin explained of combining mechanical parts
into a machine for dressing and finishing articles of metal, as last herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Harcourt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
Enrolled the First day of February, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty.