IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING INSTRUMENTS, KNOWN AS AUGERS, BITS, OR GIMLETS.
Year: 1854

page_text: Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING INSTRUMENTS, KNOWN AS AUGERS, BITS, OR
GIMLETS. A communication from Mr. Ransom Cook, of the United
States of America.
Sealed the 21st November 1854, and dated the 26th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gedge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th August
1854.
I, JOHN GEDGE, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING INSTRUMENTS, KNOWN AS AUGERS, BITS, OR GIMLETS,"
to be as follows:-
They consist in giving to the lips or cutting edges of boring implements a
curved or gouge shape at their extremities, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3
of the annexed Drawing; also in the under cutting or back sloping of said
edges, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, between A and B, in order to give
said edges a sliding or drawing movement in cutting.
I proceed to describe the construction and operation:-The body of the
boring implement may be forged for this purpose in almost any of the forms

page_text: now in use, but my cutting edges are most easily adapted to the twist or screw
auger and the center bit.
In drawing or plating for the screw auger with edges on my plan, the
extreme or cutting end should be left about square, and thicker than for the
ordinary lips. In hammering out the lips before turning them, they should be
extended from the screw or center farther than for right angular lips; these
lips should also be hammered so as to have some projection downwards, that
is, project from the handle end, somewhat in the form of a swallow's tail.
Being thus forged, the lips may be turned nearly or quite in the form shewn
in Figure 1, in case the boring implement is designed to work with the
greatest ease; but when a greater smoothness is essential in the hole to be bored
with the instrument, the lips may be turned in the form of Figure 3; while for
the purpose of boring endwise of the wood, the auger and lips should have
the form given in Figure 5. After the hammer work is finished, the lips,
except those for boring endwise, are to be filled or dressed with the under
back slope, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4, from A to B. No particular angle
is essential in this slope, but the auger seems to work best and easiest when
the slope is at about 45 degrees from the body of the auger. These implements
are then to be tempered, finished, and used in the same manner as the ordinary
kinds. For boring endwise, the lips should have the upper back slope, as
shewn in Figure 5, from A to B. These boring implements will be found to
cut so much easier than those now in use, that they require much less stock on
their bodies, and but a small screw to hold them to the wood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEDGE, of No. 4. Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of Middle-
x, Patent end greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Gedge, Her especial license that I, the said John Gedge, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John Gedge,

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN BORING INSTRU-
MENTS, KNOWN AS AUGERS, BITS, OR GIMLETS," a communication by Mr. Ransom
Cook, of the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Gedge, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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
immediately after the late of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gedge, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
referenco being had to the annexed Drawing, and the letters of reference placed
thereon, making a part of this my Specification:-
The nature of the improvements consists in giving to to the lips or cutting
edges of boring implements a curved or gouge shape at their extremities, as
illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, also in the under cutting or back sloping of
said edges, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, between A and B, in order to
give said edges a sliding or drawing movement in cutting. To enable others
skilled in the art to make and use this Invention, I proceed to describe its
construction and operation:-The body of the boring implement may be forged
for this purpose in almost any of the forms now used, but my cutting edges are
most easily adapted to the twist or screw auger and the centre bit. In drawing
or plating for the screw auger with edges on my plan, the extreme or cutting
end should be left about square, and thicker than for the ordinary lips. In
hammering out the lips before turning them, they should be extended from the
screw or centre farther than for right angular lips. These lips should also be
hammered so as to have some projection downwards, that is, project from the
handle end, somewhat in the form of a swallow's tail. Being thus forged, the
lips may be turned nearly or quite in the form shown in Figure 1, in case
the boring implement is designed to work with the greatest case; but when a
greater smoothness is essential in the hole to be bored with the instrument,
the lips may be turned in the form of Figure 3; while for the purpose of boring
endwise of the wood, the auger and lips should have the form given in Figure 5.
After the hammer work is finished, the lips, except those for boring endwise,

page_text: are to be filed or dressed with the under back slope, as shown in Figures 2
and 4, from A to B. No particular angle is essential in this slope, but the
nugers seem to work best and casiest when the slope is at about 45 degrees
from the body of the auger. These implements are then to be tempered,
finished, and used in the samo manner as the ordinary kinds. For boring
endwise the lips should have the upper back slope, as shown in Figure 5, from
A to B. These boring implements will be found to cut so much easier than
those now in use, that they require much less stock on their bodies, and but a
small screw to hold them to the wood.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me,
and the means by which it is carried into effect, I proceed to claim what I
believo to be new in the improvements herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawing, as to the formation of the lips or cutting edges of augers, bits,
or gimlets.
First, I claim the forms of such lips or cutting edges as are illustrated by
the outlines of Figure 1, between A and B, that is, such lip commencing at
the screw or centre point, and running nearly at right angles thereto, until
more than half way from the centre to the outer part of the boring implement,
when it assumes a curve upwards or towards the handle end of the instrument,
which curve is continued until it is nearly semicircular, or until its extremity
turns within the periphery of the auger or bit.
Second, the form of such lips or cutting edges as illustrated in Figure 3,
on the on the outline between A and B, that is, the lip commencing at the
screw or centre point, and departing nearly at right angles thereto, in the
ordinary manner, but turning upwards or towards the handle as they approach
the outside, so as to unite what may be termed the horizontal and vertical
edges by a curve, instead of forming them at right angles, in the common
method.
Third, the under cutting or back sloping on the lower side of said curved
lips or edges, in such a manner that the upper parts of the edges, or those
parts nearest the handle, shall project forward of the lower or extreme parts,
and thus secure a drawing, sliding, or oblique cutting by said edges, when the
auger or bit is turned in use, such under cutting or back sloping being
illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, between A and B; but I do not confine myself
to any particular angle in said back sloping.
Fourth, I also claim the under cutting or back sloping, as before set forth
and described, when applied to the cutting edges of any form or kind of auger,
bit, or boring implement.

page_text: Fifth, for the purpose of boring endwise or lengthwise of wood, I claim
the upper back slope of the edges of boring implements, as illustrated in
Figure 5, between A and B, but I do not claim the semicircular curve of
the whole end of the auger, as illustrated in Figure 6, on the outline
A, B, C, D.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto affixed my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
EDWARD WATSON GEDGE,
Maiden Lane, Covent Garden.
JOHN GEDGE. (L.S.)