AN IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET BRACES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Easterbrook, of the Firm of Easterbrook and
Allcard, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Tool Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET BRACES."
Sealed the 7th December 1858, and dated the 9th June 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Easterbrook at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
June 1858.
I, JOHN EASTERBROOK, of the Firm of Easterbrook and Allcard, of Sheffield,
in the County of York, Tool Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET BRACES," to be as
follows:-
This improvement consists in letting into the bow in which the ratchet
lever is made to terminate, a toothed spherical sided wheel which is acted upon
by a spring paul let into the lever. The toothed spherical sided wheel is
retained in the bow by a collar secured by screws.
This brace, while it possesses all the advantages of an ordinary ratchet
brace, has this superiority, that it can be used to bore in positions where
a brace with a straight sided ratchet wheel would be wholly inapplicable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Easterbrook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th December 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EASTERBROOK, of the Firm of Easterbrook and Allcard, of Sheffield, in the
County of York, Tool Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of Junc, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Easterbrook, Her special licence that I, the said John
Easterbrook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Easterbrook, 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, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN RATCHET BRACES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Easterbrook, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 imn:ediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Easterbrook, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
This luvention consists in letting into the bow in which the ratchet lever is
made to terminate, a toothed spherical sided wheel, which is acted upon by a
spring or other paul let into the lever. The toothed spherical sided wheel is
retained in the bow by a collar secured by screws.
The brace thus formed, while it possesses all the advantages of an ordinary
ratchet brace, has this superiority, that it can be used to bore in positions
where a brace with a straight sided ratchet wheel would be wholly in-
applicable.

page_text: In the Drawings hereunto annexed, I have illustrated several forms of
ratchet brace constructed with my improvement.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the simplest form, and Figure 2 is another
view shewing the paul and its spring in dotted lines; a (in cach Figure) is the
spherical sided wheel, and b is the bow in which the lever c terminates. It
is manifest that whatever angle the drill stock d may be at, the operation of
the brace will be effective.
Figure 3 is a similarly constructed brace, with a simple paul, not acted
upon by a spring. The paul is free to move back to clear the teeth of the
wheel when the lever is moved in one direction, but is instantly engaged when
the lever is moved in the opposite direction.
Figure 4 shews a brace constructed with my improvement, and furnished
with an improved double paul lever, shown more clearly in the view, Figure 5,
in which Figure the levers are opened out, for producing a continuous motion
of the drill stock in one direction. It will be seen that the levers and pauls
are so formed and fitted, that while one paul is turning the drill stock, the
other moves round and takes into a new tooth ready for turning it when the
action of the first ceases. The levers of this brace may be closed as in
Figure 4, to work in the same manner as the simple levers, Figures 1, 2,
and 3. In their open position as a duplex lever, they are of great advantage in
drilling small holes rapidly, saving as they do one half of the workman's time.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of ratchet braces as berein-
before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly, the construction of ratchet braces, with a toothed spherical sided
wheel let into the bow of the lever in this or any other manner, and for the
purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Easterbrook, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN EASTERBROOK. (L.S.)