Improvements in Instantaneous Grip Vices, Applicable for all Uses.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Instantaneous Grip Vices, Applicable for all
Uses.
I JAMES WATERHOUSE MIDGLEY of Park Lane Machine Works, Keighley in
the county of York, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTANTANEOUS GRIP VICES, APPLICABLE FOR
ALL USES to be as follows
"
:
The object of my invention is to construct vices so as to be instantaneous in the
grip, as well as to have a continual grip similar to a screw vice. On the vice
spindle I place a short screw worm, this screw worm gears with a screw or worin
rack on the fast jaw sleeve, the end of the spindle bears in the loose jaw and has a
longitudinal slot in it, and rests in its proper bearing when screwing up, when
releasing to draw out the jaws, the slot engages with a notch or projection which
causes the spindle end to drop into a lower adjoining bearing or recess, thus
disengaging the screw or worm from the rack and allowing the jaw to be moved
in or out, on turning the spindle the other way it grips instantly in lieu of the
slot and projection at the spindle end, it may have a concentric collar or cam for
its bearing, and a spring washer and nut to secure it and put the necessary friction
on the concentric, projections or notches on the concentric come in contact with a
pin or projection on the end of the loose jaw, which prevents the concentric from
turning round, when turning the spindle one way or the other it puts the worm
screw in or out of gear with the rack.

page_text: Uses.
I, JAMES WATERHOUSE MIDGLEY of Park Lane Iron Works Keighley in the
County of York Machine Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTANTANEOUS GRIP VICES, APPLICABLE FOR ALL USES, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of vices wherein the gripping power of the
jaws is obtained from the hand lever through a screw gearing with a toothed
rack bar, and consists of a new or improved adaptation or arrangement of parts
whereby the grip is instantaneously released or applied by throwing the said screw
out of or into gear with the said rack bar. Such being the nature and object of
my said invention in order that the same may be more clearly understood I have
hereunto appended a sheet of drawings illustrative thereof, to which reference is
made in the following description :-
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a vice wherein the rack bar is placed above
the screw. Fig. 2 is a similar view of another vice wherein the rack bar is placed
below the screw and projects within the interior of the part well known as the
sleve of the vice. Fig. 3 is end clevation of part of fig. 1, while fig. 4 is similar to
fig. 1 but illustrating another method of operating the screw. Figs. 5 and 6 are
drawings of detached parts enlarged scale of Fig. 4.
In all the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.
When the screw a can be thrown out of or into gear with the rack bar b, at
will, by manipulating the handle c which is in connection with the shaft d the
object attained is commonly and well understood as an instantaneous grip, and to
accomplish this the end e (figs. 1, 2 and 3,) of the shaft d is passed through an
eccentric bush or hoop f which is mounted loosely to revolve in the part g of the
moveable jaw h. The said end e of the shaft d working perfectly free through the
eccentric bushf would not have the desired effect but when a slight amount of
friction is brought to bear on the said bush f by means of the nut i pressing the
washers between which is a washer % of any elastic substance as India
rubber etc, against it and the screw a; when the hand lever c is turned the bush f
revolves with it until one or the other of its projections 11 comes in contact with
the stop piece m fixed to the part g, with the result that the said stop piece m
arrests it with its shallow side up or down and consequently with the screw a out
of or in gear with the rack bar b as the case may be.
Or again instead of the end e of the shaft d.passing through the bush f I mount
it loosely in the bearing n (figs. 4, 5 and 6) fixed to the part g, the said bearing n
being so formed by having a wedge-shaped edge part, that when the shaft a is
turned by the handle c a grooved part o in the end e allows the thin edge of the
bearing n to enter therein with the obvious result of throwing the end e of the
shaft & into its lower position as shewn in dotted lines fig. 5, or into its higher
position as also shewn in the same figure, as the case may be with the desired
result of throwing the screw a out of or into gear with the rack bar b.

page_text: Should it be found desirable to work the vice as an ordinary one, that is as
one the jaw h of which is moved outwardly as well as inwardly by the handle c
and the usual parts d, a, and b; by attaching the piece p (fig. 6) which is made
to span both the end e of the shaft d and the wedge shaped edge part of the
bearing n to the moveable handle or rod q, it will be seen that this may be
accomplished whenever desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The use and employment of an eccentric bush fin combination with a screw a
and a rack bar b in the manner and for the purposes as herein fully described and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The use and employment of a bearing n in combination with a shaft d
having its end e grooved substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th day of March 1888