Improvements in Bit Braces adapted for Boring Holes in Corners or Angles, or for other Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application. 14th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bit Braces adapted for Boring Holes in Corners or
Angles, or for other Purposes.
I, STEPHEN MCCLELLAN, of Plaza Street (no number), San Marcos, Hays
County, Texas, United States of America, Confectioner, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, 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 improvements in bit braces and it consists in an
improved form of brace having a V-guide which is substantially right angled, and
mechanism mounted therein for driving a bit so arranged that the crank arm of
the handle may turn in a corner without striking the wall, or without striking
a plane support should the guide rest thereon when boring a hole.
The brace is so constructed that it may be used in boring a hole in a corner up
or down, right or left, by simply turning the hand crank; or it may be used in
boring a hole on a line parallel to a base on which the guide rests; or it may be
used in combination with a removable breast rest, as with an ordinary brace.
Reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts.
are indicated by similar letters throughout the several views.
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of the machine showing the removable
breast rest in place.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view with the removable breast rest detached.
Fig. 3 represents a section made by the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the
direction of the arrows, and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of the removable breast rest.
A represents a casting or guide having the forward portion A' thereof bored.
out as at a to receive the journal B carrying the chuck C. This casting is provided
with inclined side walls A preferably at, or nearly at, right angles to each other,
and having their lower edges cut off to form a plane A3 on which the instrument
may be supported or guided in boring. The two sides A2 with the base plane A
form a V-shaped guide adapted to fit snugly in the corners of walls, cabinets or
the like, whereby the tool may be steadied in use, or the base A3 or either of the
sides A may be caused to rest on the floor or against a wall or partition, whereby
the tool may be steadied in use and a straighter hole bored. The rear end of the
guide frame is preferably made solid as at A' and extends upwards and rear-
wards to form the journal bearing A perforated as at a to receive the driving
spindle E; or this arm or extension A' may be detachably connected to the frame
if desired.
The driving spindle E is preferably provided with the head E' adapted to receive
the sliding arm F of the hand crank which is rotated by means of the handle F.
This hand crank F is preferably grooved as at f to engage the end of the set
screw or clamp e', and by means of this clamp the handle is maintained in the
proper position projecting outwards, and also the length of the crank arm may
be shortened or lengthened at will, whereby a greater leverage at decreased speed
or a lesser leverage at increased speed may be obtained, the axis of the shaft E
advantageously being in the plane longitudinally bisecting the aforesaid V-shaped
frame.
The driving spindle E may be connected to the journal B by means of a

page_text: universal joint D, as shown, or by means of a bevel gear, or in any other
convenient way in which the motion of the spindle E may be imparted to the
journal B.
Where a universal joint is used such as is shown, the two parts may be connected
to their respective shafts by means of the locking pin or clamp screws d, d'
respectively.
To steady the brace in position, a handle H is provided, preferably connected
by the arms H' to lugs a³ on the frame A, or this handle may be cast integrally
with the frame, if desired; or it may be secured thereto in any other desired way.
For straight away boring, it is sometimes desirable to use the breast rest such
as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which breast rest K is secured to the end of a rod Ki
and may be screw threaded as at k and adapted to screw into a hole a in the end
piece A in the frame A, or it may be detachably connected thereto in any other
convenient way.
The planes A are preferably at right angles to each other so that when the
tool is to be used in a corner the axis of the chuck and boring device may be
exactly parallel with the two walls forming the corner, and the boring device may
be made to bore a hole exactly parallel with said walls, either down in the floor
or up in the ceiling or laterally in either wall; or the tool, if placed flat on the
plane A or on either of the planes A2 and held in position, may be made to bore
a hole exactly parallel to the supporting surface.
Having thus particularly ascertained and described the nature of my said
invention, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The improvement in bit braces for boring in corners, angles, and the
like, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
2. The combination with the V-shaped frame, the chuck C, and the journal B
and shaft E set obliquely thereto, of the universal joint or its equivalent
connecting said parts B and E, with an adjustable hand crank for driving
said shaft E, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
3. A bit brace, consisting of a V-shaped guide frame, with a journal bearing
in one end of said frame, an inclined arm with a journal bearing therethrough
near the other end of said frame, a journal B and a shaft E mounted in said journal
bearings, respectively, a universal joint connecting said parts B and E, a chuck
carried by the journal B, a hand crank connected to said shaft E, and a handle
secured to said frame, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the V-shaped frame, the chuck C, and the journal B
and shaft E set obliquely thereto, the axis of the shaft E being in the plane
longitudinally bisecting said V-shaped frame, of the universal joint or its
equivalent connecting said parts B and E, with a hand crank for driving
said shaft E, substantially as herein described and shewn in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
5. A bit brace, consisting of a guide frame A, having the faces A substantially
at right angles to each other, with a journal bearing in one end of said frame,
an inclined arm with a journal bearing therethrough near the other end of said
frame, a journal B and a shaft E mounted in said journal bearings, respectively,
a universal joint connecting said parts B and E, a chuck carried by the journal B,
a hand crank connected to said shaft E, and a handle secured to said frame,
substantially as described.
6. The combination with the V-shaped frame, the chuck C, and the journal B
and shaft E set obliquely thereto, the axis of the shaft E being in the plane
longitudinally bisecting said V-shaped frame, of the universal joint or its equivalent
connecting said parts B and E, with an adjustable hand crank for driving said
shaft E and a handle H secured to said frame, substantially as herein described and
shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: 7. The V-shaped frame for use in bit braces, substantially as herein described,
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 14th day of November 1896.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.