IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BORING, DRILLING, AND TURNING WOOD OR METAL
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson,
of Bradford, in the County of York, Machinists, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BORING, DRILLING, AND
TURNING WOOD OR METAL."
Scaled the 18th October 1870, and dated the 19th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Sowden and
Reuben Calvert Stephenson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th April 1870.
We, DAVID SOWDEN and REUBEN CALVERT SILPHENSON, of Bradford,
in the County of York, Machists, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
BORING, DRILLING, AND TURNING WOOD OR METAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an upright shaft on which is mounted near
the bottom thereof a circular plate, on which is a series of cams or
inclines. This plate is capable of adjustment as to height or position.
thereon by rack and pinion, screw, or other suitable means. Above the

page_text: said plate is mounted on the said shaft a table or another circular plate
capable of rotary motion thereon, and this table carries a series of
slidable spindles or stems, on the top of which are small tables having
adjustable jaws for nipping and holding articles to be operated upon, and
on the bottom of the said slide spindles are friction rollers to run upon
the cams or inclines, which produce the slide motion of the said spindles.
Also, above these small tubes is mounted on the bush of this rotary table
a series of brackets or bearings equal in number to the small tables, in
each of which is carried a rotary spindle placed concentrically with the
tables. On the top of each of the said spindles is a pulley, and to give
motion thereto a strap passes around the series of pullies for driving the
same, or they may be driven by gearing. Each rotary spindle carries a
drill or cutting tool, and is pressed at the top by a spring or weight, so-
that it may rise or give way if the tool is not forcing its way through or
upon the article set or placed upon the table to be operated upon.
Motion is given to the table or circular plate carrying the series of small
tables and the brackets carrying the series of rotary spindles by means
of a worm wheel and a worm in gear therewith, or any other mechanical
equivalent may be employed for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
SOWDEN and REUBEN CALVERT STEPHENSON, of Bradford, in the County.
of York, Machinists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson,
Her special licence that we, the said David Sowden and Reuben
Calvert Stephenson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: Or
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BORING, DRILLING, AND TURNING
WOOD OR METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
David Sowden and Reuben Calvert Stephenson, our executors
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office, within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said David Sowden and Reuben Calvert
Stephenson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Sheets of Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists of an upright shaft, on which is mounted near
the bottom thereof a circular plate, on which is a series of cams or
inclines. This plate is capable of adjustment as to height or position
thereon by rack and pinion, screw, or other suitable means. Above the
said plate is mounted on the said shaft a table or another circular plate
capable of rotary motion thereon, and this table carries a series of
slidable spindles or stems, on the top of which are small tables having
adjustable jaws for nipping and holding articles to be operated upon, and
on the bottom of the said slide spindles are friction rollers to run upon
the cams or inclines which produce the slide motion of the said spindles.
Also above these small tables is mounted on the bush of this rotary
table a series of brackets or bearings equal in number to the small
tables, in each of which is carried a rotary spindle placed concentrically
with the tables. On the top of each of the said spindles is a pulley, and
to give motion thereto a strap passes around the series of pullies for
driving the same, or they may be driven by gearing.
Each rotary
spindle carries a drill or cutting tool, and is pressed at the top by a
spring or weight, so that it may risc or give way if the tool is not
forcing its way through or upon the article set or placed on the table to
be operated upon. Motion is given to the table or circular plate carrying
the series of small tables, and the brackets carrying the series of rotary

page_text: spindles by means of a worm wheel and a worm in gear therewith, or
any other mechanical equivalent may be employed for that purpose.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood we have herein
given reference to two accompanying Sheets of Drawings illustrating a
machine constructed in accordance therewith.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 is a plan or top view, and Fig. 3 is a
horizontal cross section of the same taken through the dotted line.
may
bo
which
A is the upright shaft or pillar fixed upon a base B,
fixed to the floor; C is the circular plate, on which are the cams or
inclines C¹, C³, 0³, C, and C³. Under this plate is a pinion or spur
wheel (shewn by dotted lines) D, fixed on a shaft which is supported in
brackets cast with the plate, and which pinion gears in a rack A' fixed
to the pillar; D' is a worm wheel fixed on the pinion shaft and gears_in
a worm D³ on a shaft D³, to one end of which is attached a portable
handle D', by which the plate is raised or lowered; E is another circular
plate fixed on a long boss E' capable of rotating on the upright shaft or
pillar, being supported by an adjustable collor E³ fixed by set screw or
by key to the said upright shaft; or this long boss carrying the circular
plate may be supported by friction rollers if desirable. F, F, F, F,
Fs, and F, are a series of spindles or stems capable of sliding up and
down in bosses e cast on the circular plate when actuated as hereafter
explained. On the top end of each stem is a small table G, to which
may be affixed a pair of nipping jaws or "vice" G' and G³ for nipping
and holding articles to be operated upon or drilled. H are brackets
carrying friction rollers I to run upon the cams or inclines, and thereby
give slide motion to the tables. These brackets are adjustable on the
stems or spindles and are fixed by set screws; J and K are a series of
brackets fixed upon the long boss E', which is mounted on the spindle
or stem and capable of rotating thereon, carrying the said brackets with
it. These brackets carry a series of six drill spindles L arranged so that
each spindle or drill M will be concentric with the tables G respectively.
These drill spindles are capable of rising in their bearings, but ard
pressed downwards by levers N acted upon by springs N¹, or by weighted
levers, in the manner as shewn at Fig. 4. Rotary motion is given to the
drill spindles by a belt passing around the scries of pullies P, one o
which is fixed on the top end of each spindle, the said belt alway
bearing upon five of the said pullies. The whole series of spindles and
tables are caused to revolve around the upright shaft by means of the

page_text: toothed wheel Q, which is fixed on the long boss E' driven by a worm
wheel R fixed on a shaft S, which may receive rotary motion from any
source of power. T is a hand wheel fixed on a short shaft carrying a
cam U, by means of the turning of which the shaft S may be lifted so
as to throw the worm out of gear with the wheel for stopping the
revolving motion of the drills and tables when required.
It will be observed that the table G is now in its lowest position,
the friction roller resting on the plain of the circular plate C, and at this
point or place of the revolution of the drills and tables the belt is not in
contact with the pulley on the drill spindle above it, so that no rotation
thereof is produced. In this position an article to be drilled may be
fixed between the jaws or "vice," and when the drills have revolved so
far as to bring the said pulley into contact with the belt it will begin to
rotate, and the friction roller on that table will begin to run up the cam
or incline, forcing the article up, so that the drill will as it cuts enter
into the said article, and as the revolution continues the drill will
continue to cut its way into and through the article or to the extent
required by the time that it comes round to the place of starting, when
the belt will again be out of contact with the pulley, whereby rotation
will cease, when the article can be removed and another fixed in its
place to be drilled during the next revolution. The other drills will
also be fed or articles placed and fixed on their tables to be drilled in
like manner. The levers and springs or weights are so adjusted that if
any of the drills break or loose its cutting edge the spindle can rise and
so do no damage when on its coming round to the place where the
rotation ceases it can be taken out for repairs or to supply its place with
another.
It will also be observed that in this illustration there are five cams or
inclines of different gradients, and the studs carrying the friction rollers
are capable of being moved in their brackets so as to set the said rollers
on any of the inclines according to the thickness or depth the drill is
required to penetrate, and it will be evident that any number of such
desirable
inclines may be fixed or formed on the table or plate and at any
gradient. Also that although we have shewn in these Drawings a series
5 of six drills and tables, yet any other number may be employed in like
manner according to requirement.
And further it is clearly evident that this machine is equally applicable
to the boring and turuing of either metals, wood, or other materials

page_text: capable of undergoing such operations by the employment of suitablo
tools for the purpose.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said. Invention, and
shewn by Drawings how the same is to be or may be performed, or
carried into practical operation, we would have it understood that we do
not confine or restrict ourselves to the precise details which we have
shewn and described, as various modifications may be made therein
without departing from the main features thereof, and that what we
claim as our Invention is, the combining, arranging, and constructing
machinery or apparatus so as to be actuated in the manner and for the
purposes set forth, substantially as shown by the Drawings, and described
herein.
REUBEN CALVERT STEPHENSON. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Reuben Calvert Ste-
phenson, in the presence of
W. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Bradford..