IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SAWS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Disston, of Laurel Street, Philadelphia,
United States of America, Saw and Tool Manufacturer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SAWS."
Sealed the 23rd November 1860, and dated the 9th July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Disston at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th July 1860.
I, HENRY DISSTON, of Laurel Street, Philadelphia, United States of
America, Saw and Tool Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND Saws," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the combined hand saw
and square for which Letters Patent were granted to John Henry Johnson on
or about the 30th of September 1857, No. 2509, and consists, firstly, in
securing direct to the saw blade, and adjacent to but independant of the
handle, certain metallic strips, which form the butt or stock of the square, so
that the said strips may always remain at right angles to the upper edge of
the saw blade, and may not be disturbed by any loosening of the handle,
which is secured to the blade by separate and distinct attachments. Also in
the application and use of a sharp-pointed projection situated above the upper

page_text: edge of the blade, at or near the point where it meets the herein-before
mentioned metallic strips, the back of the blade from this projection to its
extreme end being graduated into feet and inches and suitable fractions of an
inch, so that the sharp-edged projection, in conjunction with the graduated
blade, may serve to measure and mark off the measurements of timber and
other objects.
Secondly, in applying a spirit tube or tubes to the handle of a saw in such
a manner that the instrument may be used either as a level or plomb
indicator.
Thirdly, in attaching the saw blade to the handle by means of tapered or
conical pins screwed at the ends and furnished with nuts, so that when by
constant and excessive strains the blade becomes loosened in the handle, it
may be readily tightened up..
And, lastly, in the application to the handle of a hand saw of a spring or
tongue, situated within an orifice for the reception of a marker, whereby such
marker is prevented from being accidentally shaken out of its place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Disston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DISSTON, of Laurel Street, Philadelphia, United States of America, Saw and
Tool Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Disston, Her special license that I, the said Henry Disston,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Disston, my executors, administrators, or 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 HAND SAWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Disston, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-

page_text: 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 date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Henry Disston, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the combined hand
saw and square for which Letters Patent were granted to John Henry Johnson
on or about the Thirtieth of September, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven, No. 2509, and consists, firstly, in securing direct to the saw blade,
and adjacent to but independent of the handle, certain metallic strips, which
form the butt or stock of the square, so that the said strips may always remain
at right angles to the upper edge of the saw blade, and may not be disturbed
by any loosening of the handle, which is secured to the blade by separate and
distinct attachments. Also in the application and use of a sharp-pointed
projection situated above the upper edge of the blade, at or near the point
when it meets the herein-before mentioned metallic strips, the back of the
blade from this projection to its extrome end being graduated into feet and
inches and suitable fractions of an inch or other divisions, so that the sharp-
edged projection, in conjunction with the graduated blade, may serve to
measure and mark off the measurements of timber and other objects.
.
Secondly, in applying a spirit level tube or tubes to the handle of a saw
in such a manner that the instrument may be used either as a level or plomb
indicator.
Thirdly, in attaching the saw blade to the handle by means of tapered or
conical pins, screwed at the ends and furnished. with nuts, so that when by
constant and excessive strains the blade becomes loosened in the handle it
may be readily tightened up.
And, lastly, in the application to the handle of a hand saw of a.spring or
tongue situated within an orifice, for the reception of a .marker, whereby such
marker is prevented from being accidentally shaken out of its place.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to. describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed; the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding. Figures.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings is a side view, and Figure 2.

page_text: a sectional plan (on the line 1-2,) of a portion of a hand saw illustrating the
first and second parts of my improvements; Figure 3 is a side view of part of
a hand saw; Figure 4 is a sectional plan on the line 3-4; and Figure 5, a
transverse section on the line 5-6, all illustrating a modification of the second
part of my improvements; Figure 6 is a side view of part of a band saw
partially in section; Figure 7, a transverse section on the line 7-8; and
Figure 8, a detached portion of the blade, illustrating the third and fourth
parts of my improvements.
On reference to Figures 1 and 2, A is a portion of the blade of the saw,
secured to the handle by the ordinary screws a. To each side of the blade is
rivetted a metal strip C, the handle fitting against the inside of the projecting
flanges c of these strips on each side, as shewn in Figure 2. The outside of
these projecting flanges is situated at right angles to the upper edge of the saw
blade, which thus forms the blade of the square of which the strip C are the
butts. A continuation of the flanges c projects above the upper edge of the
blade, and is reduced to a sharp edge, so as to form a marker (Figure 1).
From this sharp edged projection the upper edge of the blade is graduated
into feet, inches, and fractions of an inch, or other divisions of measurement.
By this arrangement there is no danger of the strips C moving from their
original position, whilst they cannot bo affected by any loosening of the
handle, inasmuch as the latter is secured to the blade by independent attach-
As the upper edge of the saw blade is graduated into definite lengths
from the extreme end of the blade to the sharpened projection e, the latter
will serve the purpose of marking off the distance determined by the blade in
measuring long pieces of timber and other objects; and the saw thus arranged
will obviato the necessity of a carpenter carrying the ordinary detached
rule.
ments.
The second part of my Invention is also illustrated in Figure 1. In one
side of the handle B two spirit tubes, ƒ and g, are fitted; these tubes being of
the usual construction, and situated at right angles to each other, the tube f
being in a line at right angles to the back edge h of the saw, and the tube g
parallel with the same.
The spirit tubes may be fitted in the handle B by a metal plate d, forming
part of the strips C, the said plate having apertures at proper points to expose
the air bubble of the tubes. Any suitable means, however, may be employed
for securing the tubes in the handle. When the instrument is used as a
level, the back edge h of the saw is placed horizontally on the article to be
levelled, the tube g being the indicator. When it is used as a plumb indi-
cator, the back edge h is placed vertically against the side of the article, in

page_text: which case the tube f is the indicator. It is obvious that the spirit tubes may
be applied to an ordinary saw as well as to that above described.
The modification of this second portion of my Invention, as illustrated in
Figures 3, 4, and 5, consists in securing the spirit tube to a metal plate D,
having an orifice through which the air bubble or space in the tube can be
seen. This plate bears against one side of the handle, and has a central
stem m screwed at the end for receiving a nut i, which bears against the
opposite side of the handle, the whole being so arranged that the plate can be
readily turned. On the edge of the plate are two projections j, j, situated at
such a distance apart from each other, and in such relation to a projecting
pin k on the handle, that when the projection j is brought to bear against the
said pin k, the spirit tube will occupy a position at right angles to the back
edge h of the saw, and when the plate is turned so that the projection is in
contact with the pin k, the spirit tube is parallel with the back edge of the
saw. It will thus be seen that the saw may be used either as a level or a
plumb indicator.
On reference to the third portion of my Invention, represented in Figures
6, 7, and 8, and which relates to the construction of a cheaper class of saws,
the shoulders r, r, formed by the handle on each side of the blade, are at right
angles to the upper edge of the blade, so that the saw may serve the purpose
of a square, as in the views above described. The blade,; however, is secured
to the handle by means of the conical pins n, which pass through openings
made in the bandle and blade simultaneously by a suitable tool, the small ends
of the pins being screwed and furnished with nuts p.
By constant use and excessive strains, the blades of saws are apt to become
loose in the handles, an evil which cannot be remedied by the ordinary
straight pins used for securing the handle and blade together. By withdraw-
ing the conical pins n however, removing the blade, slightly enlarging the
holes in the latter, and after replacing the blade, driving in the pins, a loose
blade may be firmly and tightly secured to the handle.
Although this part of my improvements is well adapted to the construction
of ordinary hand saws, it is especially applicable to the adjustment of combined
hand saws and squares when the said blades have become so far out of truth
with the shoulder of the handles that the instrument ceases to be of service as
a square. Supposing the blade of a combined hand saw and square to have
become so far out of truth with the handle, that its upper edge has assumed
the position shown by the dotted lines 9-10, Figure 8, in which case the outer
end of the blade will be unduly elevated, and before it can perform with the
shoulders of the handle the duty of a square, it must be lowered. The taper

page_text: pins are withdrawn and the blade removed, after which, with a round file or
other suitable tool, the upper and lower holes of the blade are enlarged in the
direction shown in red lines x, x, to an extent which is deemed sufficient for
the purpose. After this the blade is replaced in the handle, the pins
re-inserted, and the upper and lower pins driven in to such an extent that
they will fit the slightly enlarged holes. Now, in driving these pins, the wood
of the handle will yield equally in every direction, the pins taking the direct
course of the holes bored in the wood for their reception, so that the act of
driving the upper and lower pins will cause the blade to partially turn on the
centre pin in the direction of the arrow, the outer end of the blade being
thereby lowered, so that its upper edge shall assume its proper position in
respect to the shoulders r of the handle.
The same end may be accomplished by allowing the upper orifice of the
blade to remain undisturbed, and by filing out the two lower orifices, tho
lowest one being filed to a greater extent than the other; in fact, it will be
readily seen, without further description, that by the use of the taper pins, and
an appropriate enlargement of the orifices of the blade in the proper direction,
the upper edge of the blade may be adjusted to the proper position at right
angles to the shoulders, no matter in what direction it may have previously
become out of truth.
The fourth part of my Invention is illustrated by Figure 6. In the handle
of the saw I bore a hole, into the bottom of which I drive the end of a
spring g; the latter terminates near the top of the orifice, and is bent so as to
bear against the steel marker II, which is furnished with a knob t. The
spring has sufficient rigidity to prevent the marker from falling from its
position in the orifice during the handling and moving about of the saw, and
sufficient elasticity to allow the marker to be withdrawn when required for
use. In using the saw as a square or straight edge, there is a constant
necessity of employing a marker, which being carried with the saw in this
instance, obviates the necessity of employing the usual detached marker, the
mislaying or loss of which is apt to cause delay.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the berein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general constructions and arrangements of hand saws, as herein-
before described.
Second, the application. and use of the metal strips C, C, when rivetted

page_text: directly to the blade of the saw, and independent of the saw handle, for the
purpose herein-before described.
Third, the combination of the sharpened projection e with a graduated or
divided saw blade, for the purpose herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use to and in the handle of a hand saw of one
or more spirit level tubes, for the purpose herein-before described.
Fifth, the securing of the blades of hand saws to their handles by means of
conical or tapered pins, having screwed ends and nuts fitting thereon, as
herein-before described.
Sixth, the mode of securing the marker H in its place in the handle of a
hand saw, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Disston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
HENRY DISSTON. (LS.)