IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES FOR DRILLING AND BORING, AND IN SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Palmer, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, and William Jones, the younger, of Harborne aforesaid, Engine
Fitter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BRACES FOR DRILLING AND
BORING, AND IN SPANNERS OR SCREW WRENCHES."
Sealed the 22nd January 1878, and dated the 10th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Palmer and William
Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th August
1877.
THOMAS PALMER, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM JONES, the younger, of Harborne aforesaid, Engine Fitter. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRACES FOR DRILLING AND BORING, AND IN SPANNERS OR SCREW
WRENCHES."
Our Invention consists of the arrangements or combinations of the parts of braces
and spanners herein-after described.
By our improvements the construction of braces for drilling and boring is much
simplified, and a brace of great power, and working noiselessly, is produced. The
same arrangements of parts, with slight modification, produce a simple and efficient
spanner or screw wrench.
In making a brace according to our Invention, we mount the rotating holder in
which the drilling or boring tool is fixed in a hollow or box-like support or case, in
which support or case the said tool holder rotates. To the said case we joint the
working arm or handle of the brace, the said arm or handle having motion through
a small angle on its joint pin.
The motion given to the working handle is in a plane at right angles to the axis
of the drill or borer. The end of the handle situated within the case is convex, the
curvature of the said end being somewhat eccentric to the centre on which it turns.

page_text: The said end of the handle is situated so near to the tool holder that when the
handle is turned upon its joint pin in one direction it bears tightly against the said
holder, and carries it with it in its motion, and when turned in the other direction
it relaxes its hold on the tool holder, and can be moved through any angle in that
direction without giving motion to the tool holder. Thus by giving the usual
reciprocating motion to the handle, it carries round the tool holder, and consequently
the drill or boring tool, as it moves in one direction, but leaves the drill or boring
tool at rest as it makes the contrary motion. There is thus communicated to the
tool an intermittent motion in one direction.
A spring situated between the inner end of the handle and the case keeps the
handle in its normal position, that is, presses it against the tool holder when the
handle is at liberty to take that position. The brace is right or left handed, according
to the position of the eccentric end of the handle.
In constructing a spanner or screw wrench according to our Invention, we employ
a handle similar to that already described, that is, curved at its short or working
end, the curve being eccentric to the joint pin by which the handle is jointed to
the other part of the instrument. This other part, in the case of a spanner, consists
of a claw or grip jointed to the short end of the handle. This claw or grip has
externally the figure of about two-thirds of a circle, and internally the figure of four
sides of a six-sided polygon. In using this spanner, it is placed upon the screw
head or nut to be turned, so that one of the flat sides of the nut or screw head shall
bear upon one of the polygonal sides of the claw, the eccentric end of the handle
bearing against the middle of the opposite face of the nut or screw head. The
nut or screw head is thus firmly gripped by the spanner and can now be turned.
The spanner acts right-handed when the claw is on the right of the handle, but
left-handed wlien turned over so as to bring the claw on the left of the handle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Palmer and William Jones in the. Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st February 1878.
"
THOMAS PALMER, of Harborne, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM JONES, the younger, of Harborne aforesaid, Engine Fitter. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BRACES FOR DRILLING AND BORING, AND IN SPANNERS OR SCREW
WRENCHES."
Our Invention consists of the arrangements or combinations of the parts of braces
and spanners herein-after described.
By our improvements the construction of braces for drilling and boring is much
simplified, and a brace of great power and working noiselessly is produced. The
same arrangements of parts, with slight modification, produce a simple and efficient
spanner or screw wrench.
In making a brace according to our Invention, we mount the rotating holder in
which the drilling or boring tool is fixed in a hollow or box-like support or case, in
which support or case the said tool holder rotates. To the said case we joint the
working arm or handle of the brace, the said arm or handle having motion through
a small angle on its joint pin.
The motion given to the working handle is in a plane at right angles to the axis
of the drill or borer. The end of the handle situated within the case is convex, the
curvature of the said end being eccentric to the centre on which it turns. The said
end of the handle is situated so near to the tool holder that when the handle is
turned upon its joint pin in one direction, it bears tightly against the said holder
and carries it with it in its motion, and when turned in the other direction, it
relaxes its hold on the tool holder and can be moved through any angle in that
direction without giving motion to the tool holder. Thus by giving the usual
reciprocating motion to the handle, it carries round the tool holder; and consequently
the drill or boring tool as it moves in one direction, but leaves the drill or boring
tool at rest as it makes the contrary motion. There is thus communicated to the
tool an intermittent motion in one direction.
A spring situated between the inner end of the handle and the case keeps the
handle in its normal position, that is, presses it against the tool holder, when the
handle is at liberty to take that position. The brace is right or left handed, according
to the position of the eccentric end of the handle.
In constructing a spanner or screw wrench according to our Invention, we employ
a handle similar to that already described, that is, curved at its short working
end, the curve being eccentric to the joint pin by which the handle is jointed to
the other part of the instrument. This other part, in the case of a spanner, 'consists
of a claw or grip jointed to the short end of the handle. This claw or grip has
externally the figure of about two-thirds of a circle, and internally the figure of
four sides of a six-sided polygon. In using this spanner, it is placed so that one
or more of the flat sides of the nut or screw head shall bear upon one or more
of the polygonal sides of the claw, the eccentric end of the handle bearing against
the middle of the opposite face of the nut or screw head. The nut or screw head is
thus gripped by the spanner and can now be turned.
The spanner acts right-handed when the claw is on the right of the handle, but
left-handed when turned over so as to bring the claw on the left of the handle.
We will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
the manner in which our Invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, and Figure 2 a part of the same in vertical
section, a brace for drilling and boring, constructed according to our Invention;
Figures 3 and 4 are horizontal sections of the same taken on the line A, B, Figure 1,
Figure 3 representing the acting end of the working handle of the brace released

page_text: •
from the rotating tool holder, and Figure 4 representing the acting end of the said
handle bearing upon the said tool holder and carrying the said holder with it in its
motion.
.1
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts: in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
c is the rotating tool holder carrying the drilling or boring tool d, the said tool.
holder being furnished with the usual screw. box which works upon the fixed centre e,
whereby the advancing motion of the drill or borer is effected. The said tool
holder c is supported by and rotates in the box-like support or case f, f, made in
halves, as represented, the said halves of the box or case being bound firmly together
by the screw pin and nut at g, the said screw pin also serving as the fulcrum or centre
upon which the working arm or handle h, h², of the brace moves through a small
angle, as herein-after explained.
The manner in which the tool holder c is supported in the box or case f,f, while
the said holder is free to rotate therein, will be best understood by an examination
of Figure 2, in which, Figure 2, it will be seen that the upper part of the tool holder
is furnished with a collar c², which is clipped between the halves of the box or
case ff. The box or case f, f, is open at its narrow end, as best seen in Figures 3
and 4, and through the said narrow end the acting inner end h of the lever or
handle of the brace is passed, the said acting end working within the box or case:
The acting end h, or that end of the handle within the case, is convex, the curvature
of the said end being eccentric to the centre g on which the handle turns. The
said. eccentric and acting end h of the handle is situated, and works near the tool
holder e, as represented in Figures 3 and 4. The small angle through which the:
eccentric end h of the handle moves in the box f, f, is also seen in Figures 3 and 4.
When the outer end h² of the handle h, h², is moved on its centre g in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, the eccentric end h of the said handle bears
tightly against the tool holder c, as represented in the said Figure 4, and the said
tool holder c, and the tool d carried by it, as well as the box or case f, f, are moved
with the said working handle. When, however, the outer part 2 of the working
handle is moved on the centre g in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow
in Figure 3, the grip of the eccentric end h on the said tool holder c is relaxed, and
the said handle and the box or case f now move upon the stationary tool holder c
without obstruction.
.
It will thus be understood that by giving to the working handle h, h², the usual
reciprocating motion an intermittent rotatory motion in one direction only is given
to the drilling or boring tool d; that is to say, the handle h, h², carries round the
tool holder c and the drilling or boring tool d, when the said handle is moved in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 4, but leaves the tool holder and its tool at rest when
the said handle is moved in the contrary direction, or in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Figure 3. By means of a coiled spring i fitted into a recess in the
acting end h of the handle, and bearing against the case f, the said end his pressed
against the tool holder c when at liberty to move, and the said handle thus preserved
in its normal or binding position against the tool holder.
The brace represented is a right-handed brace, that is, the tool holder is turned in
the direction of an ordinary screw, being driven home, but by inverting the position
of the working handle h, h², the brace is converted into a left-handed brace.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, represent the brace, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, modified to fit it
for use as a spanner or screw wrench, Figure 5 representing the spanner or wrench
in plan, Figure 6 in side elevation, Figure 7 in vertical section, and Figure 8 in
horizontal section.
In this modification the drill or tool holder is omitted, and in place thereof a
bush is supported by and works in the box or case f, f. This bush k is cylindrical
externally, and has a hexagonal (or other shaped) internal hole or opening in it
for fitting upon the screw nut or screw head to be turned. The top and bottom of
the box or case ff, are open (as seen in Figures 5 and 7) for permitting the
instrument being passed on to the nut or screw nut.

page_text: In Figure 8 the instruinent or spanner is represented fitted upon a nut m; the
said nut filling the internal hexagonal hole. or opening in the bush . The manner
in which the bush k is held in the box or case f,f, is best seen in Figure 7.
The construction and action of the working handle h; h2, and: the other parts of
the instrument or spanner represented in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, are the same as
corresponding parts of the brace represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the parts
are marked with the same letters of reference, that is to say, when the working
handle h is moved in the direction of the arrow, Figure 5, its eccentric end h bears
against the bush k, and the said bush is carried with the said handle together with
the box or case f, f, and the nut n is moved upon the screw; but in giving the
back motion to the handle h2 its eccentric end his removed from the bush.k, and
during the said back motion the instrument moves upon the stationary bush: In
this way the reciprocating motion of the working handle h is made to give
rotation in one direction only to the bush k and to the nut m, upon which the said
bush is fitted.
By providing the spanner with a set of bushes having central holes of different
sizes and shapes the instrument may be used for turning nuts and screw heads
of different sizes and shapes.
Figures 9 and 10 represent in plan, and Figure 11 in side elevation, a spanner or
screw wrench. constructed according to another of our improvements, fitted for
turning different sized hexagon or other shaped nuts and screw heads. In this
spanner the nut or screw head is acted upon directly 'by the eccentric end of the
working lever, the said eccentric end being represented out of action in Figure 9,
and in action in Figure 10. In this arrangement p is the working handle, and p² its
excentric end, the said handle p, p², being centred at på to the claw or grip q. The
back motion of the working handle upon the claw q is limited by the spring stop r,
which spring stop tends to force the eccentric end p² into its acting or gripping
position. The inside of the claw q has a figure proper to grip hexagonal nuts or
screw heads of different sizes.
In using the spanner, it is placed upon the nut. (or screw head) 8, so that two
(or more) of the sides of the nut or screw head bear upon the internal sides of the
claw q, as represented in Figure 9. By now moving the handle p in the direction
of the arrow, Figure 9, its eccentric end p² bears against one of the opposite faces
of the nut or screw head; as represented in Figure 10. The nut or screw head is
thus firmly gripped by the spanner, and the nut or screw head can now be turned.
By relaxing the pressure on the handle p the eccentric end p² is removed from the
nut, as seen in Figure 9, and the claw q supporting the working handle may now be
turned on the stationary nut or screw head, so as to engage its angular internal
sides with another portion of the nut or screw head.
In situations where a continuous rotatory motion can be given to the handle p,
the grip of its excentric end p³ on the nut or screw head is not relaxed until the
screwing or unscrewing has been effected. The spanner acts right-handed when
the claw q is on the right of the handle p, but left-handed when the instrument is
turned over so as to bring the claw on the left of the handle.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention,―
First. The improvements in braces for drilling and boring, herein-before described,
and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say, jointing or centring the working handle of the brace to a box-like support or
case in which the tool holder is supported and rotates, the said working handle
being provided with an eccentric end moving through a small angle in the said
box or case, and being situated near to the tool holder, the motion of the said
working handle in one direction causing its eccentric end to bear against and carry.
with it in its motion the tool holder, and the motion of the said working handle in the
opposite direction causing the said eccentric end to recede from and relax its grip

page_text: upon the tool holder, the several parts being constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The adaptation and modification of the parts of the said brace to fit it
for use as a spanner or screw wrench, as herein-before described, and illustrated in
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The improvements in spanners or screw wrenches herein-before described,
and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, and 11 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say,
the combination of the handle p having an eccentric gripping end p² with a claw
or box q having internally an angular figure, between which claw and the gripping
end of the handle the screw nut or screw head to be turned is gripped, substantially
as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Palmer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS PALMER. (L.S.)