Improvements in and relating to Ratchet Braces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Ratchet Braces.
I, ALEXANDER THOMSON MACFARLANE, of 25, St. Andrews Drive, Pollokshields,
in the County of the City of Glasgow, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to ratchet braces used by engineers for drilling holes in
metal. The object of the invention is to provide a simpler brace than those now
in use, and one that will be silent and more perfect in action.
In carrying out this invention the body of the brace is preferably made in one
piece, the lower part to carry the drill, and the upper portion cored and screwed
to take the screw pin which puts the pressure on the drill. About the centre of the
body of the brace is formed a disc and the upper portion is screwed on the outside
to take a small sprocket wheel, the screw being cut in the direction that the sprocket
wheel would be driven. This sprocket wheel is provided with rollers and may have
springs and has a hardened steel ring to which is fixed the handle so as to form a
clutch which by a backward and forward action of the said handle would turn
the drill in one direction. To keep the said ring in position a disc, the same
diameter as the one already mentioned, is screwed on to the body of the brace
coming hard down on the sprocket wheel but leaving the ring ample clearance to
move any way.
By a very slight addition to the above brace one is provided that will turn the
drill in one direction whether the handle is moved backwards or forwards, thus
providing a double acting ratchet brace. In carrying this out the body of the
brace is formed much as already described only the upper screwed portion is
made a little longer to carry two sprocket wheels and clutches as described, but
with a smooth collar which is screwed into position the same way as the sprocket
wheels. On this collar another collar with clearance to revolve is placed and this
second collar carrying one or more small bevelled gear wheels at right angles to
and engaging with teeth similarly cut in the two rings forming the clutches on
the sides facing each other. The driving handle may be fixed to either of said
rings and if the moveable collar with the small gear wheels is fixed to any stationary
articles such as the clamp used, or the work being drilled it will be seen that
pulling the handle forward, will make one clutch act and the other reverse and
pulling it backwards, will cause the first clutch to reverse and the other to act,
thus imparting to the drill an almost continuous revolving action in one direction.
Dated the 29th day of September 1897.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Ratchet Braces.
I, ALEXANDER THOMSON MACFARLANE, of 25, St. Andrews Drive, l'ollokshields,
in the County of the City of Glasgow, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
This invention has reference to improvements in ratchet braces or levers
applicable for drilling and tapping holes in metal, hand turning gear, tube
expanders, rimers, starting auxiliary engines and the like, and by which an
instantaneous and uniform grip is obtained at every part of the stroke with no
slipping of teeth, and silence in action.
The improvements comprise the combination of a main body part, an angled
toothed or ratchet wheel formed on or secured to body part, an outer moveable ring
disc encircling the wheel and operated by a handle, and rollers. or balls inter-
posed in spaces between the teeth of wheel and the encircling ring so as to give
a friction grip to the latter in its forward travel, and to release in the backward
travel,
t
And in order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood I have hereunto appended a sheet of
explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to indicate
corresponding parts in the several figures where shown. Figure 1 is a sectional
elevation of a ratchet brace suitable for drilling holes in which the ratchet wheel
is screwed to the body part of brace, and a portable screw threaded pin regulates
the downward feed of drilling tool. Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 with the
top disc cover removed to show the arrangement of rollers. Figures 3 and 4 are
views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, but in this case the feed pin is formed in
one piece with the tool holding part of brace, and is formed with a screw thread on its
external surface and operated by a screw threaded nut. Figures 5 and 6 are views
similar to Figures 3 and 4, but showing the ratchet wheel as formed in one with the
body tool holding part. Figures 7 and 8 are similar views showing the tool very
slightly modified to act as a hand turning lever only showing balls as substituted for
rollers between wheel and encircling moveable ring. Figures 9 and 10 are views
corresponding to Figures 7 and 8 but rollers are shown in place of balls. And
Figures 11 and 12 are views corresponding to Figures 9 and 10 but showing the
moveable ring as formed with two operating handles.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of these drawings.
In carrying out this invention the body a of the brace is preferably made in
one piece, the lower part to carry the drill in the square recess a¹ and the upper
portion a cored and screw threaded to take the screw pin 6 which puts the pressure
on the drill. About the centre of the body of the brace is formed a disc and
the upper portion of body of brace is screwed on the outside to take a small ratchet
or angled toothed wheel c, the screw being cut in the direction that the sprocket
wheel would be driven. This ratchet wheel c is provided with rollers d and may
have springs d'inserted in recesses in teeth of wheel e to bear on roller d and has
a hardened steel ring e to encircle the wheel c and on which is formed or fixed the
handle e so as to form a clutch which by a backward and forward action of the said
handle e will turn the drill in one direction. The movement of the handle e¹ in
one direction moving the rollers up the inclined plane of the wheel and gripping
fast, and the movement of the handle ein the other direction causing the rollers
to fall back on the inclined plane and slip. To keep the said ring e in position a

page_text: disc f is fixed on to the body a of the brace coming hard down on the wheel c but
leaving the ring e clearance to move any way.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4 the pin b is formed in one piece
with the body a of brace, and screw threaded on outer surface, and the feed is
regulated by an internal screw threaded nut b¹. In Figures 5 and 6 the wheel e
is formed in one piece with the body part a.
In the ratchet lever shown in Figures 7 and 8 the centre body part a and wheel c
are formed in one piece and secured between fixed disc covers f f and balls dare
used to give the friction grip to the ring e. Figures 9 and 10 show a similar form.
of ratchet lever to that shown in Figures 7 and 8 only rollers or cylindrical pins d
are substituted for the balls to give the friction grip to ring e in its forward
traverse. In Figures 7 and 8 the hole a¹ for gripping on to the tool or device to be
turned is shown as of hexagonal shape and in Figures 9 and 10 as of square shape.
Figures 11 and 12 show a similar form of ratchet lever to Figures 9 and 10 only
two operating handles e¹ are formed on the ring e.
If a left hand turning motion instead of a right is desired to be given to the
handle e the teeth in the wheel c would be cut or angled in the reverse direction
to that for the right hand turning motion.
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:-
-
First. Ratchet braces and the like, fitted with a roller or rollers or balls in
spaces between the teeth of wheel and the surrounding annular ring for the pur-
pose of giving a friction grip substantially as set forth.
Second. In ratchet braces and the like as described in Claim 1 the combination
comprising a main body tool holding or gripping part, a ratchet wheel, an annular
moveable ring disc, and a roller or rollers, or balls, interposed in spaces between
the teeth and the annular ring to give a friction grip, substantially as set forth.
Third. In ratchet braces and the like as described in Claim 1, the combination
comprising body tool holding or gripping part, ratchet wheel, annular ring disc,
roller or rollers, or balls, and springs fitted in the wheel, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In ratchet braces as described in Claim 1 the combination comprising
body tool holding or gripping part, a screw feed pin formed on or working into
said body part, ratchet wheel, annular ring disc, and roller or rollers, or balls,
substantially as set forth.
Tisted the 20th day of Tune 1898