IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MORTISING CARRIAGE WHEEL BOSSES AND GENERAL WOODWORK."
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Bell at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 21st June 1877.
CHARLES BELL, of Bee Hive Works, Richard Street, Bradford, in the County of
York, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
MORTISING CARRIAGE WHEEL BOSSES AND GENERAL WOODWORK."
This Invention has for its object the mortising of the bosses of carriage, waggon,
or cart wheels to the proper depth and length, all equidistant from each other, and
radiating from the centre, without having to mark or divide the boss out for the
number of arms or spokes it is intended to fix in the boss.
This apparatus is also so arranged that it can be used for mortising the holes
required in the general work of a carpenter or cabinet maker in such a manner that
when a number of holes are to be cut they will all be the same length and depth.
The feeding of the tool for cutting is self acting, and capable of adjustment to suit
the length of the hole and the hardness of the wood that is to be operated upon.
I accomplish my object in the following manner-On the top of a strong metal
framework or casting I mount a shaft, one end of which is bored longitudinally,
and for a certain distance from the end the hole is conical, the larger diameter being
at the outside; the back part of the hole is bored parallel and chased out with a
screwed thread. The mortising tool is turned conical to fit the hole bored in the
spindle or shaft, and chased to fit the parallel part at the end of the same, as before
described; when the tool is screwed into the spindle it is rendered quite secure
without the aid of set screws or cotters, and is impossible to come loose whilst
cutting. The section of the mortising tool is a rombus, with the two obtuse angles
rounded
to give clearance for the cutting of the timber. The cutting end
which on revolving cuts away the timber, and
'
or nose of the tool is formed
the acute angles, which are sharp, clears the sides of the hole, and leaves them
streight and parallel. I fix a longitudinal slide to the aforesaid framework or
casting, which is in line with the centre of the mortising tool shaft or spindle. This
slide is capable of being regulated in height to suit the various diameters of the
bosses, or the thickness of the timber that is to be mortised. On this longitudinal
slide I fix another slide transversely to the centre of the said shaft or spindle. This
Price 271

page_text: slide is moved in the direction to or from the mortising tool by means of a screw
fitted into the longitudinal slide, and passing through the transverse slide. On the
end of this screw is secured a catch or ratchet wheel, and motion is obtained to this
wheel and screw by means of levers attached to the countershaft of the apparatus,
which is secured to the framework or casting; or these levers can be thrown out of
gear with the shaft and worked by hand at the will of the attendant. These levers
are also connected to the transverse slide for giving the transverse motion for the
length of the mortise hole. The travel can be so regulated as to cut the bole to
any desired length. On this side transverse slide I fix two heads, centering with
each other. One of these heads is provided with a spindle; a face plate is secured
at one end and an index plate at the other. The index plate can be changed and
replaced by one having the same number of notches as holes in the wheel boss to be
mortised for the reception of the arms or spokes. The other head is similar to a
loose head in a slide lathe, except that at the end of the screw spindle there is a
face plate attached, the same as the one on the opposite head. These face plates
have a number of spikes projecting out at the face, in order that when the wheel
boss is put into the centres of these heads and screwed up the spikes will hold the
boss secure and prevent it from moving whilst the hole is being inortised.
When it is required to convert the apparatus into a general mortising or boring
machine by taking of the aforesaid heads the timber can be attached to the trans-
verse slide, and operated upon in the manner before described.
It is also so arranged that the circular saw can be fixed to the mortising spindle
for cutting up light timber.
My apparatus can also be used as a turning lathe by removing the transverse
slide and fixing a loose head on the longitudinal slide.