IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD USED FOR FIXING THE SAME
Year: 1852

page_text: George Walker Nicholson, of Pendleton, in
the County of Lancaster, Tool and Engine Fitter, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD USED
FOR FIXING THE SAME."
Sealed the 16th March 1858, and dated the 6th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Walker
Nicholson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 6th October 1852.
I, GEORGE WALKER NICHOLSON, of Pendleton, in the County, of
Lancaster, Tool and Engine Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MEANS ON
METHOD USED FOR FIXING THE SAME," to be as follows, and relates-
Firstly, to the action of the screw collar and washer, which I make.
perfectly self-adjusting, and the, bearing of the washer.equal and
unvaried in every position of the vice.
2dly, to the arrangement and fixing of a case which surrounds
the screw, and prevents filings and dirt accumulating upon it, which not
only prevent the free action of the vice, but cause a rapid wear and tear
of the screw.
Thirdly, to a motion or arrangement for causing the vice to slide

page_text: up and down at the mo
workman or the job in hand.
Fourthly, to a method of fixing the vice firmly to the bench and
prevent the heads of the bolts being pressed into the bench.
Fifthly, to a method of fixing the shank of the vice firmly to the
floor.
Sixthly, to an arrangement for obtaining the same amount of power
from the spring of the vice when the jaws are wide open as when they
are closed.
Seventhly, to an arrangement for securing firmly in the vice a taper
object without the use of packings between the smaller end of the object
and the jaws of the vice.
The principle of this Invention will be easily understood by reference
to the accompanying outline Sketch or Drawing, in which the same
letters of reference are used to represent similar parts where different
views or diagrams are shown.
Figure 1, represents a side view of the vice; Figure 2, a front view;
Figure 3, a plan; Figure 4, is a plate with an oblong slot to allow the
vice to move up and down; Figure 5, is a plan of the vice. A, repre-
sents the screw collar; B, the washer; the former is convex and the
latter concave on one side, and flat on the other. This peculiarity of
form renders the collar and washer perfectly self-adjusting, and main-
tains unvaried the bearing of the screw collar in every position of the
vice. The collar C, of the vice box A, is also convex, but this acts not
against a washer, but against the edge of the hole through which the
vice box passes. This edge may be either bevilled or hollowed to form
a bearing for the collar. Two keys a, a, are firmly fixed in the collar,
and working in two grooves prevent the vice box turning round. E,
is a case that surrounds the vice screw, and slides freely along the
outside of the vice box, and is surrounded at one end by a hoop .
The plate F, Figure 4, has an oblong slot, and is attached to
the vice in such manner by the screw b, that it may slide freely up
and down. When the vice is being opened the plate comes
in contact with the hoop c, and draws the case along over the screw.
In closing the vice the case is moved along over the vice box by the
washer B. Gr, is the bench plate to fix the vice firmly to the bench, on

page_text: which is forged four vees f.ff.f, which run quite across the under
surface. H, is the bench shewn in section, under which is a plate
of iron g, to prevent the heads of the bolts being pressed into the
bench. The moveable limb of the vice. at its lower extremity I, is
curved outwards in order to equalize the action of the spring; K, is the
shank of the vice, which is inserted into a cast iron pedestal L. On the
under side of the pedestal are two vees, which sink into the flooring
board when the screws are tightened. Figure 3, is a plan of the vice.
which shows that a taper object is firmly secured without the use of
packings. This important advantage is obtained by means of the self-
adjusting collar and washer, with a modification of the form of the
Jower extremity or root of the key, as shown in Figure 1, which is a
plan of this part. But the self-adjusting motion whereby the vice
accommodates itself to a taper object acts in one direction only. Thus
any object, however small may be the point of contact, may be tight-
ened in the centre of the jaws. or anywhere between the centre and the
left-hand extremity, whilst the jaws will remain parallel to cach other.
One of these advantages is shown by a cotter placed in the vice in a
horizontal position, and the other by a round bar of iron placed vertically
in the vicc.
I desire it to be particularly understood that this is merely an outline
dosamintion of wa mit
which is forged four vees f. ff.f, which run quite across the under
surface. H, is the bench shewn in section, under which is a plate
of iron g, to prevent the heads of the bolts being pressed into the
bench. The moveable limb of the vice. at its lower extremity I, is
curved outwards in order to equalize the action of the spring; K, is the
shank of the vice, which is inserted into a cast iron pedestal L. On the
under side of the pedestal are two vees, which sink into the flooring
board when the screws are tightened. Figure 3, is a plan of the vice.
which shows that a taper object is firmly secured without the use of
packings. This important advantage is obtained by means of the self-
adjusting collar and washer. with a modification of the form of the
lower extremity or root of the key, as shown in Figure 1, which is a
plan of this part. But the self-adjusting motion whereby the vice
accommodates itself to a taper object acts in one direction only. Thus
any object, however small may be the point of contact. may be tight-
ened in the centre of the jaws. or anywhere between the centre and the
left-hand extremity, whilst the jaws will remain parallel to cach other.
One of these advantages is shown by a cotter placed in the vice in a
horizontal position, and the other by a round bar of iron placed vertically
in the vicc.
I desire it to be particularly understood that this is merely an outline
description of my said improvements, which I shall more fully and
clearly explain in my Complete Specification.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Walker Nicholson in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 5th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I.
GEORGE WALKER NICHOLSON, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster.
Tool and Engine Fitter, send greeting.
WORDDAS IL
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Walker Nicholson in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 5th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE WALKER NICHOLSON, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster.
Tool and Engine Fitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Mer
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Walker Nicholson, Her
special license that I: the said George Walker Nicholson, my executors.

page_text: 'administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said George Walker
Nicholson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should.at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at. all times
thereafter 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, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES, AND IN THE MEANS OR METHOD USED FOR
FIXING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Walker Nicholson, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent, as reference being thereunto had will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Walker Nicholson, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:
My Invention relates particularly to improvements in the construc-
tion of bench vices, radial vices, table vices, and hand vices; to the
arrangement of the several parts thereof, and to the mode or method
of fixing the same to the bench, the table, and the floor; which.
improvements clate-
Firstly, to an improved action of the screw collar and the washer,
which make perfectly self-adjusting, so that whether the jaws of the
vice be more or less open the strain on the screw is equally distributed
over every part of its area, which I accomplish by making the screw
collar convex and the washer concave; and to effect the same purpose
in hand vices I use a convex nut, which works in a bevilled or a
concave recess in the moveable limb of the vice. I also make the
screw box self-adjusting by means of a convex collar acting in a concave
or a bevilled recess; and to prevent the screw box turning round I form
dovetailed grooves in the said convex collar, and fit keys into them of
corresponding form; one end of each key projecting beyond the collar
adn working in a groove cut in the main limb of the vice.

page_text: Secondly, to an improved arrangement of mechanism to secure or
grasp firmly in any of the aforesaid descriptions of vices a taper object
without the use of packings to fill up the space betwixt the jaws of the
vice and the smaller end of the object, which I effect by giving a
bevilled or a curvilinear form to parts of the male and female joint;
which arrangement causes the joint to be self-adjusting, and, in con-
junction with the action of the self-adjusting screw collar and washer
before described, produces a compound motion of the moveable limb,
by means of which a taper object as well as a parallel object may be
firmly grasped in the vice.
Thirdly, to an improved method of grasping a cylindrical or a globular
object, so that it is not liable to slip out of the vice. I effect this by
means of a pair of clams of peculiar formi, made of any suitable metal
or material, which clams pass over and under the jaws of the vice.
Fourthly, to an improved method of equalizing the action of the
spring, so that it has the same amount of power when the jaws are
wide open as when they are closed, which I accomplish by making the
root of the moveable limb of a curvilinear form.
Fifthly, to an improved motion or arrangement of apparatus for
raising and lowering the vice, and for fixing it at various heights, which
1 effect by using a pedestal with a circular hole passing vertically
through it, into which I insert the shank of the vice. An open space
also extends from the circumference of the circular hole to the outer
diameter of the pedestal. By slackening a bolt which passes through
lugs on the pedestal, and slackening the cotter that passes through
the bench plate, the vice becomes free to be raised or lowered, and by
tightening the bolt and the cotter it is fixed at the required height. To.
prevent the spring being moved from its place by raising or lowering
the vice I pass a screw or pin through the spring and into a hole in
the main limb of the vice.
Sixthly, to an improved method of fixing the vice firmly to a wooden
bench, which I effect by forming vees on the under side of the bench'
plate, which plate I make four-square or of other suitable form, and
force the vees into the grain of the wood by means of strong bolts,
which pass through the bench and the bench plate. To prevent the
heads of the bolts being pressed into the bench I use a plate of iron

page_text: betwixt them and the bench; and to prevent the slipping back of the
cotter that connects the vice and the bench plate 1 drill a number of
holes in the cotter, and pass a pin through one of them. To fix the
shank of the vice firmly to the floor I insert it in a pedestal, before
described, which is made of cast iron or other suitable metal or material,
on the under side of which two or more vecs are formed, which I force
into the flooring board by means of screws, bolts, or other appliances.
In the case of stone or brick floors I fix bolts in a stone of sufficient
size, and bind the pedestal down with nuts. To fix a table vice firmly
I force thic vecs on the under surface of the bench plate into the grain
of the wood by means of two or more screws or bolts.
Seventhly, to an improved method of fixing a vice cither to a metal
table or to a wooden bench in such manner that it may readily be
set at various angles. To effect this I make the bench plate nearly in
the form of a sector, and without vees on its under surface. This plate
is pierced with a circular hole, through which I pass a bolt or a pin to
form a centre of radius, on which the vice turns. I also form two or
more curvilinear slots in the bench plate, and pass bolts through them
also In fixing this self-adjusting radial vice to a metal table I bolt tho
bench plate immediately to the surface of the table, but in fixing it to
a wooden bench I use an additional plate of iron with vees formed on
the under surface. On this the bench plate rests, and through the
plates and the bench pass strong bolts which bind them firmly
together, and likewise force the vees into the grain of the wood. I also
use a floor plate made of cast iron or other material, and secured by
screws, bolts, or other appliances. In this plate I form a groove to
receive the heads of the bolts that secure the pedestal, which in this
case rests on the floor plate, and is made without vees on the under
surface. By slackening the bolts that pass through the bench plate
and the bolts of the pedestal the vice is in a moment set to the required
angle by-turning it to right or left on its centre of radius. On tightening
the bolts the vice is again ready for use.
Eighthly, to an improved method of fixing vices in such manner that
they may readily be set at various distances from each other, and he
used either separately to grasp different objects or conjointly to grasp
the same object. I effect this by means of a table. either square, chcular.

page_text: or of any convenient form, and made of cast iron or other suitable
metal or material, formed either in one piece or in sections, and secured
to a vertical pillar by means of strong bolts, keys, cotters, or other
appliances. This table is pierced with a considerable number of slots,
through which the bolts for fixing the vices are passed. I also use a
circular or other form of frame or plate, made of cast iron or other
metal or material, either in one piece or in sections, and secure it to the
base of the vertical pillar or to the floor by means of screws. bolts, or
other appliances. In this frame or plate 1 form a groove, in which the
heads of the bults for fixing the pedestal may be moved freely. By
taking out the bolts that bind the bench plate to the table and slacken-
ing the pedestal bolts the vice or vices may readily be removed to any
part of the table. By this arrangement, in conjunction with the radial
action of the vices, objects of large dimensions and of a great variety of
forms may be firmly grasped.
.
These several improvements will be more clearly understood by
reference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, on which the Figures are
progressively numbered, and the same letters of reference are used to
represent similar parts where different views or diagrams are shown.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a self-adjusting bench vice; Fig. 2,
a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a plan of the same; Fig. 4, a
plan of the male and female joint, showing the bevilled or curvilinear
forni, which causes the joint to be self-adjusting; Fig. 5, an elevation
of the male joint of the moveable limb; Fig. 6, the cotter for fixing
the vice; Fig. 7, a side elevation of a self-adjusting radial vice, and
of the table and pillar to which it is fixed; Fig. 8, a plan of four of the
said self-adjusting radial vices fixed to the said table; Fig. 9, a side
elevation of the clams for firmly grasping cylindrical or globular objects;
Fig. 10, a plan of the same; Fig. 11, a side elevation of a self-
adjusting table vice; Fig. 12, a plan of the same; Fig. 18, a plan of
the under side of the bench plate, shewing the vees to be pressed or
forced into the wooden bench; Fig. 14, a side clevation of a self--
adjusting hand vice; and Fig. 15, a plan of the same. A, represents
the main limb of the vice; B, the moveable limb; C, the screw; D, the
convex collar; E, the concave washer; F, the screw box; C, the convex
collar of the screw box; II, the keys which are let into the collar of

page_text: the screw box; I, the bench plate; K, the vees on the said bench plate
to be forced into the bench; L, the bolts by which the bench plate is
secured to the bench; M, the plate to prevent the heads of the bolts
from sinking into the grain of the wood; N, the cotter which connects
the vice to the bench plate; O, a pin to pass through the said cotter to
prevent it slipping back; P, a pin to secure the spring Q; R, the
female joint; S, the male joint; T, the curve at the root of the nove-
able limb; U, the curved hole through the male joint; V, the pedestal;
W, the bolt which passes through the lugs of the pedestal; X, the
screws to fasten the pedestal to the floor; Y, the vees on the under side
of the pedestal; Z, the lugs on the outside thereof. In Figs. 7, and 8,
a, represents the pillar of the self-adjusting radial vice to which the
the table b, is fixed; c, the bolts to connect the table to the pillar; d,
the frame attached to the base of the pillar; e, the bolts to connect the
fraine when made in sections; f, the bolt passing through the circular
hole in the radial bench plate; g, the bolts which pass through the
curvilinear slots; h, the clams, see Figs. 9, and 10; i, the bolts for
traversing the groove in the frame; k, the main limb of the self-
adjusting table vicc, see Fig. 11; 7, the moveable limb; m, the
screw; n, the convex collar; o, the concave washer; p, the convex
collar on the screw box; 2, the bench plate; r, the vees on the same;
8, the screws for fastening it to the table; t, the female joint; ", the
male joint; v, the curved hole through the same to make the joint
self-adjusting; w, a key to prevent the screw box turning round; a.
the spring; y, the curve of the moveable limb; 5, a bracket, through
which the screws pass. In Fig. 14, 1, represents the main limb of a
self-adjusting hand vice; 2, the moveable limb; 3, the screw; 4, the
convex nut; 5, the convex collar of the screw box; 6, the keys; 7, the
male joint; 8, the female joint; 9, the curved or curvilinear hole
through the male joint.
Having thus explained and illustrated my said improvements. I
desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the
exact details herein described, as the same may be varied or modified
without departing from the principle thereof.
But what I claim as new and of my Invention is,-
Firstly, an improved method of preventing unequal strain on the screw.

page_text: Secondly, an improved method of grasping a taper object in the vice
without the use of packings.
Thirdly, an improved method of grasping a cylindrical or a globular
object in the vice.
Fourthly, an improved method of equalizing the action of the
spring.
Fifthly, an improved method of raising and lowering the vice and of
fixing it at various heights.
Sixthly, an improved method of fixing the vice firmly to the wooden
bench and the floor.
Seventhly, an improved method of fixing the vice to a metal table or
to a wooden bench in such manner that it may readily be set at
various angles by turning it on a centre of radius formed in the bench
plate.
Eighthly, an improved method of fixing two or more vices in such
manner that they may be used either separately to grasp different
objects, or conjointly to grasp the same object.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Walker Nicholson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Second day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-threo.
GEORGE WALKER NICHOLSON. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within-named George Walker
Nicholson in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.