IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE VICES
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE BENJAMIN TAYLOR of Edmund Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Machinist do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE VICES" to be as follows:-
gr
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in machine
vices that is to say the vices which are employed in milling planing slotting shaping
and other machines for holding the article being operated upon by the machine.
The objects of my invention are principally to give a firm grip to the work held
to prevent the lifting of the loose jaw under pressure which occurs in ordinary
machine vices to give an equal grip to each end of the work held to permit of the
rapid adjustment of the loose jaw to articles of different sizes to prevent the
weakening of the body and jaws by drilling and boring for the screws ordinarily
required to dispense with the ordinary central screw and thereby permit the
article.to be operated upon as well as the drill or cutter to pass through the slot in
the body of the vice and to facilitate the taking out and changing of the loose jaws.
I make the body of the vice and the fixed jaw of an oblong cast plate having a
longitudinal slot extending from the fixed jaw of the vice to within a short distance
of the opposite end of the body. This slot passes through the body and its lower
half is of greater width than its upper half. The rear end of the said slot that is
to say the end most distant from the fixed jaw has a breadth somewhat greater
than the other portion. The fixed jaw has a steel face attached to it. On the
upper side of the body and on each side of the longitudinal slot a series of ratchet
teeth crossing the body is formed or attached the vertical sides of the said teeth
being parallel to the face of the fixed jaw. The body of the vice may have slotted
lugs at its ends through which pins pass for fixing the vice to the machine. The
teeth described although preferably made on the upper surface of the body only
may instead be made on the upper side of the lower half of the slot in the body or
on both the said surfaces. The grip plate which supports the screw for operating
on the moveable jaw has teeth corresponding with those on the body of the vice.
Or the teeth on the vice body and grip plate may be dispensed with and the
gripping parts he caused to grip the vice body by friction only. I make the leg of
the loose jaw cylindrical or partly cylindrical in figure and I also make the back of
the upper part of the loose jaw similarly curved.
By this arrangement the jaw adjusts itself to any inequality or taper in the
article held by the vice. The tightening screw of the vice carried by the grip

page_text: plate is short the ordinary tightening screw being dispensed with as the rack teeth
by which the plate is adjusted render a long screw unnecessary. The axis of the
screw is at a higher level than the middle of the fixed and moveable jaws and
hence there is a tendency to press the article held in the vice down upon the body
of the vice.
When desirable the fixed jaw may have a swivelling motion.
The action of the parts is as follows:-
The article to be operated upon is introduced between the fixed and loose jaws
of the vice the rough adjustment of the distance between the fixed and moveable
jaws being effected by moving the grip plate on the rack and the fine' adjustment
of the distance between the jaws and the gripping of the article is effected by the
screw. The curved rear part of the loose jaw on which the end of the screw
operates permits the said loose jaw to take the inclination of that surface of the
article in the vice upon which it (the said moveable jaw) bears. Instead of one
screw in the grip plate two or more screws may be employed for pressing on the
moveable jaw.
The leg of the loose jaw may have separable wearing surfaces on opposite sides
which may be renewed at pleasure.
The end of the tightening screw may be connected with the loose jaw by an
arrangement resembling a ball and socket joint and the lower surface of the move-
able jaw may be inclined to permit of the tilting forward of the grip plate.

page_text: I GEORGE BENJAMIN TAYLOR of Edmund Street Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Machinist do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINE VICES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in machine
vices that is to say the vices which are employed in milling, planing slotting
shaping and other machines for holding the article being operated upon by the
machines.
The objects of my invention are principally to give a firm grip to the work held
to prevent the lifting of the loose jaw under pressure which occurs in ordinary
machine vices to give an equal grip to each end of the work held to permit of the
rapid adjustment of the loose jaw to articles of different sizes to prevent the
weakening of the body and jaws by drilling and boring for the screw ordinarily
required, to dispense with the ordinary central screw and thereby permit the
article to be operated upon as well as the drill or cutter to pass through the
slot in the body of the vice and to facilitate the taking out and changing of the
loose jaw.
I make the body of the vice and the fixed jaw of an oblong cast plate having a
longitudinal slot extending from the fixed jaw of the vice to within a short distance
of the opposite end of the body. This slot passes through the body and its lower
half is of greater width than its upper half. The rear end of the said slot that is
to say the end most distant from the fixed jaw has a bredth somewhat greater than
the other portion.
The fixed jaw has a steel face attached to it on the upper side of the body and
on each side of the longitudinal slot a series of ratchet teeth crossing the body is
formed or attached the vertical sides of the said teeth being parallel to the face of
the fixed jaw. The body of the vice may have slotted tugs at its ends through
which pins pass for fixing the vice to the machine. The teeth described although.
preferably made on the upper surface of the body only may instead be made on the
upper side of the lower half of the slot in the body or on both the said surfaces.
The grip plate which supports the screw for operating on the moveable jaw has
teeth corresponding with those on the body of the vice. Or the teeth on the vice
body and grip plate may be dispensed with and the gripping parts be caused to
grip the vice body by friction only I make the leg of the loose jaw cylindrical or
partly cylindrical in figure and I also make the back of the upper part of the loose
jaw similarly curved.
By this arrangement the jaw adjusts itself to any inequality or taper in the
article held by the vice. The tightening screw of the vice carried by the grip plate
is short the ordinary tightening screw being dispensed with as the rack teeth by
which the plate is adjusted render a long screw unnecessary. The axis of the screw
is at a higher level than the middle of the fixed and moveable jaws and hence there
is a tendency to press the article held in the vice upon the body of the vice.
When desirable the fixed jaw may have a swivelling motion.

page_text: The action of the parts is as follows:-The article to be operated upon is
introduced between the fixed and loose jaws of the vice the rough adjustment of
the distance between the fixed and moveable jaws being effected by moving the
grip plate on the rack and the fine adjustment of the distance between the jaws
and the gripping of the article is effected by the screw. The curved rear part of
the loose jaw on which the end of the screw operates permits the said loose jaw to
take the inclination of that surface of the article in the vice upon which it (the said
moveable jaw) bears.
Instead of one screw in the grip plate two or more screws may be employed for
pressing on the moveable jaw.
The leg of the loose jaw may have separable wearing surfaces on opposite sides
which may be renewed at pleasure.
The end of the tightening screw may be connected with the loose jaw by an
arrangement resembling a ball and socket joint and the lower surface of the
moveable jaw may be inclined to permit of the tilting forward of the grip plate.
And in order that my invention may be more completely understood I now proceed
to more fully describe the same and to illustrate it by means of reference of the
accompanying sheets of drawings and to the letters or marks thereon.
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in machine vices
that is to say the vices which are employed on lathes and on Milling, Planing,
Shaping and other machines for holding the article being operated on by the
machine.
The objects of my invention are principally, 1st to give a firm grip to the article
held in the vice. 2nd to prevent the lifting of the loose jaw under pressure which
occurs in ordinary machine vices. 3rd To give an equal grip to each end of the
article held even when it is of taper form. 4th to permit of the rapid adjustment
of the loose jaw to articles of different sizes. 5th to obviate the necessity for
weakening the body and jaws of the vice by boring for the central screw ordinarily
required. 6th By dispensing with the ordinary central screw to thereby permit
the article operated on as well as the drill or cutter operating to pass into the slot
in the body of the vice. 7th to facilitate the taking out of the loose jaw for
cleaning or other purposes.
The body of the vice see Figs 1, 2 & 3 I make similar to the usual pattern
having a longitudinal slot see A. Figs 2 & 3 in the middle for the passage of the
loose jaw B Figs 1, 2 & 4 which slot is enlarged at the bottom for its whole
length forming a recess G Fig 3 so far being identical with the ordinary machine
vice body but I do not drill it for the reception of the usual central screw which
screw I dispense with and I form a series of ratchet teeth on its top surface see
Fig 1. The vertical sides of these teeth being parallel to and facing the fixed jaw.
The said teeth although preferably made on the upper surface only of the body
may instead be made on the upper face of the lower half of the slot in the body
see Fig 5 or on both the said surfaces see Fig. 6. I make the leg D of the loose
jaw B. Figs 1 & 4 nearly cylindrical in form see fig 2-also I make it narrower
than the other parts of the jaw and of the same diameter as the beforementioned
slot in the body of the vice the bottom part E Figs 1 & 4 being widened forming
a shoulder of the same diameter as the aforesaid enlarged recess in the body.
Thus the aforesaid loose jaw is free to turn or slide backwards or forwards within
the vice body. Flats are formed on the front and back of the leg of the leg of the
loose jaw see figs 2 & 4 which enable it to be passed downwards into the slot in
the vice when a quarter of a revolution given to it will bring it into working
position. The upper part F of the loose jaw B. Figs 1 & 4 is also of greater
width than the middle part or leg thus forming a shoulder which rests upon the
top face of the vice. The back of the upper part of the said loose jaw is made
concentric with the leg see Fig 2 and may have a steel plate attached to it to take
the wear of the pin to be afterwards described. I attach to the above described
loose jaw and also the fixed jaw G Figs 1 & 2 upon the body steel plates H H
Figs 1 & 2 as usual. If desired separate pieces may be attached to the leg of the

page_text: loose jaw for the purpose of giving the said jaw extended wearing surfaces by any
of the following methods. 1st as in Figs 7 & 8. This is a piece of metal the curved
part I. I. of which fits upon the leg of the loose jaw which said leg as in all cases
where a loose piece is attached to it is made of somewhat smaller diameter than
the width of the slot in the vice. The aforesaid loose piece is attached to the leg
of the jaw by a pin J, which pin when the loose jaw is moved about its axis moves
in the slot K K the faces L L being the wearing surfaces bearing against the sides
of the slot in the vice. 2nd as in Figs 9 & 10. This is a cubical piece of metal two
of the sides of which namely M M form the wearing surfaces bearing against the
sides of the slot in the vice, through this piece of metal a hole N is bored which
cuts through one side of the cube as shown at O. The leg of the loose jaw is made
to fit this hole. The aforesaid piece of metal may be put into its position by
heating it at the point P and then forcing it open and closing it upon the leg of the
loose jaw, or a hinge may be formed at the point P to answer the same purpose.
Either of the aforesaid pieces of metal shaped as above described may be used for
the purpose of affording wearing surfaces for the leg of the loose jaw, and may be
put into its working position on the leg of the loose jaw first and the jaw then put
into its place in the vice in the manner above described that is to say by inserting
the narrower part of it into the aforesaid slot in the vice and then giving it a
quarter turn on its axis. Behind the loose jaw is placed a part which I call the
Grip Plate QFigs 1 & 2 and which is of oblong section in its lower half R'S
Figs 1 & 11 and fits the upper and lower parts AC Fig 3 of the slot in the vice in
the same way as the loose jaw does but has one of its corners on each side rounded
see Fig 2 so as to allow of its being passed into its position as the said loose jaw
is by a quarter turn. On the upper part of the said Grip plate two or more strong
teeth T Figs 1 & 2 are formed which engage with the previously described teeth
formed on the upper surface of the vice also when teeth are formed as before-
mentioned on the upper face of the lower half of the slot in the body teeth are
formed on the said Grip plate to correspond with them also see Figs 5 & 6. When
the said Grip plate is tilted slightly forward the teeth upon it are disengaged from
the teeth upon the vice body and the said grip plate may then be moved
backwards or forwards instantly. In a threaded hole made in the top of the
aforesaid grip plate is fitted a screw U. Figs 1 & 2 the axis of which is parallel
with the length of the vice and may be at any level above the surface of the vice.
If the form of the article make it desirable the loose jaw may be dispensed with
and the article held between the fixed jaw and the point of the pin in the Grip
plate above described or if required the grip plate may be so formed as to carry
two or more pins see Fig 12. For the better holding of the article in which case
the loose jaw may be used or dispensed with as required. A further modification
of the grip plate is to make it of such a form that instead of passing into the slot
of the vice it shall span or sit astride of the vice see Fig 13 when the lips V. V.
will bear under a flange or rib W W which (in this case) is formed along each
outer side of the vice for the purpose.
To hold an article in the vice place it between the jaws slide the loose jaw to it
adjust the teeth of the Grip plate to the nearest convenient ratchet teeth of the
vice then tighten the screw of the aforesaid grip plate against the back of the loose
jaw which being free to turn on its own axis will adjust itself to the article held
even if it be of a taper form, The back of the loose jaw being turned concentric
with its leg for the screw point to still bear directly upon as shewn in Fig. 2.
A Modification of the vice may be made by dispensing with the fixed jaw and
using instead another set of parts as before described namely loose jaw, Grip plato
and ratchet teeth to confront and oppose the first set of same also where it is
required to hold an article on 3 or more sides 3 or more sets of such parts may be
used to be disposed at any suitable angle with each other the body of the vice being
shaped accordingly as in see Fig 14. I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated as the same may bo
varied without departing from the nature of my invention,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st The use of direct acting pressure as obtained by dispensing with the usual
central screw and using a screw acting in a direct line behind the article held and
working in and supported by a Grip plate teeth on which engage with ratchet teeth
upon the vice substantially as herein before described.
2nd The use of a loose jaw having a leg partly cylindrical so that a circular
motion may be given to the jaw enabling it to hold irregular or taper articles
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3rd The use of all the parts substantially as hereinbefore described separately
and in combination.