IMPROVEMENTS IN PLIERS, VICES, AND OTHER SIMILAR TOOLS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLIERS, VICES, AND OTHER SIMILAR TOOLS." A communication from abroad
by Charles Newbold Thorpe, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America
Sealed the 16th November 1877, and dated the 4th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th June 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLIERS, VICES, AND OTHER SIMILAR TOOLS."
A communication from abroad by Charles Newbold Thorpe, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to that class of pliers, vices, and similar tools in which the
jaws are independent of the pivoted operating levers, and are so hung to the latter
that they always work parallel to each other, the principal objects of the Invention
being to secure neatness and strength in the tool, and simplicity and cheapness in
its manufacture.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention, as applied to pliers, for
example, the operating levers are pivoted together in the same manner as in ordinary
pliers, and the jaws are slotted for the reception of the levers, and hung to the upper
ends of the latter by means of pins, whilst they are provided at the lower ends with
grooves open at the bottom, and adapted for the reception of pins projecting from
both sides of the levers.
The two sets of pins are equidistant from the pivot, so that as the levers are
operated the jaws are caused to approach or recede from each other on parallel
lines.
According to another mode of carrying out this Invention the arrangement of
levers, pins, and grooves is the same as that herein-before described, but in this case
the jaws are not slotted entirely through, a body of metal being left at the back of
each jaw so as to stiffen the same and prevent any warping or springing to which
the open slotted jaws might be liable. The same result may be attained by securing

page_text: a block of the proper size at the back of the open slotted jaw, but the mode pre-
viously described is the preferable one.
By making the grooves in the jaws open at the bottom, as in both the pliers just
described, facilities are afforded for the ready finishing of the grooves by means of a
milling tool. It is not however absolutely essential that the pliers should be con-
structed in this manner, as for example, the guide pins may be secured by rivetting,
brazing, or otherwise to the jaws, and may be adapted to slots formed in the levers,
or staples may be formed on the levers, to which staples are adapted projections on
the jaws.
The above-described pliers can be readily and cheaply manufactured, and are
strong, neat, and especially adapted for use by jewellers, watchmakers, and other
artizans in whose work a firm and steady grip upon the article to be operated upon
is a desideratum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
November 1877...
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLIERS, VICES, AND OTHER SIMILAR TOOLS."
A communication from abroad by Charles Newbold Thorpe, of Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania, United States of America.
The said Invention relates to that class of pliers, vices, and similar tools, in which
the jaws are independent of the pivotted operating levers, and are so hung to the
latter that they always work parallel to each other, the principal objects of the
Invention being to secure neatness and strength in the tool, and simplicity and
cheapness in its manufacture.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference.
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figures 1; 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings represent side views, partly in section, of
pliers embodying different forms of the Invention; and Figures 5, 6, and 7 are
sectional views drawn to an enlarged scale of Figures 1, 2, and 3 respectively.
In Figures 1 and 5, A, A, represent the operating levers, which are pivotted-
together at B in the same manner as in ordinary pliers; C, C, are the jaws, which
are slotted for the reception of the levers A, are hung to the upper ends of the
latter by means of pins D, and are provided at the lower ends with grooves E open
at the bottom, and adapted for the reception of pins F projecting from both sides of
the levers A: The pins D and F are equidistant from the pivot B, so that as the
levers A are operated the jaws C are caused to approach or recede from each other.
on parallel lines.
In Figures 2 and 6 the arrangement of levers, pins, and grooves is the same as in
Figures 1 and 5, but in this case the jaws are not slotted entirely through, as in
Figure 1, a body. of metal being left at the back of each jaw so as to stiffen the
same, and prevent any warping or springing to which the open slotted jaws might.
be liable. The same result may be attained by securing a block of the proper size.

page_text: at the back of the open slotted jaw, but the mode previously described is the pre-
ferable one.
By making the grooves E open at the bottom, as in both the pliers just described,
facilities are afforded for the ready finishing of the grooves by means of a milling
tool. It is not however absolutely essential that the pliers should be constructed in
this manner; for example, in the modification shewn in Figures 3 and 7, the guide
pins are secured by rivetting, brazing, or otherwise to the jaws C, and are
adapted to slots E formed in the levers A, whilst in the modification, Figure 4,
staples a are formed on the levers A, to which staples are adapted projections b on
the jaws C.
The above-described pliers can be readily and cheaply manufactured, and are
strong, neat, and especially adapted for use by jewellers, watchmakers, and other
artizans in whose work a firm and steady grip upon the article to be operated upon
is a desideratum.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patont is,-
First. Parallel pliers or similar tools in which are combined operating levers A
and jaws C hung to the levers A. by pins D, and having guide pins F adapted to
open-ended grooves E in the jaws, as herein-before described.
Second. Parallel pliers and similar tools having slotted jaws C with closed backs,
as herein-before described.
Third. Parallel pliers and similar tools having jaws C provided with pins F
adapted to slots in the operating levers A, as herein-before described.
Fourth. Parallel pliers and similar tools having jaws C provided with projections
b adapted to staples a on the operating levers, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of November, Oue
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
T
--
ATAז הדומת
.
J. HENRY JOHNSON.
(L.S.)