IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur William Lovell Reddie of the Office for Patents
"
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES Communicated to him from abroad by
William Henry Schofield of Brooklyn in the State of New York, United
State of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur William Lovell
Reddie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th January
1883.
"
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES." [Com-
municated to him from abroad by William Henry Schofield of Brooklyn in the
State of New York, United States of America]
This invention relates to vices in which the sliding bar or sword which is
adapted to slide in the fixed jaw of the vice is provided with a toothed rack which
engages with a detent or pawl in the said fixed jaw and prevents the outward
movement of said sliding bar until the latter is slightly raised to liberate it from
the detent or is set free by moving the pawl. In this vice the moveable jaw is
loosely fitted upon the other end of the sliding bar and is adapted to have a slight
movement independently of said bar, and when an article is to be held in the vice
the sliding bar is pushed inwards carrying with it the movable jaw until the said
movable jaw is against the article to be held, after which the said movable jaw is
moved forward relatively to the sliding bar and clamped on or forced against the
article to be held by means of a screw passing through the movable jaw and
fitting a tapped hole in the sliding bar. The pawl or detent in the fixed jaw, by
engaging with the toothed rack on the sliding bar forms a resistance device for
holding the said bar while the movable jaw is forced forward by the screw.
The object of the present invention is to maintain the parallelism of the movable
jaw, or prevent it from canting when it is brought to bear upon an article to hold
it in the vice.
In the fixed jaw is a slideway in which is fitted the sliding bar carrying on its
under side rack teeth for the detent to engage with.

page_text: At the front end of the slideway a space is provided above the sliding bar to
enable the latter to be raised sufficiently to disengage its rack from the detent.
The movable jaw of the vice has a cavity on its inner side which receives the
front end of the sliding bar within it. This jaw is movable with the sliding bar
as the latter is moved inwards and outwards in its slideway, and is also capable of
a limited movement independently of the bar.
A screw passes through the movable jaw and enters a tapped hole or nut
formed in the sliding bar. The head of the screw bears against the movable jaw,
and when the screw is turned forces the movable jaw forward on the sliding bar.
Beyond the portion of the sliding bar with, which the screw engages, the said
bar has a slot or opening through it and the portion of the screw which projects
into said slot or opening is made smooth and cylindrical and has a nut screwed
upon its end.
The
Struts or braces are placed close against opposite sides of the sliding bar and
their upper ends are provided with internally semi circular and externally square
bearings or half boxes which are fitted to the smoothed portion of the screw.
said bearings enter the slot or opening on opposite sides of the bar and together
form a cylindrical socket which fits the smoothed portion of the screw. The lower
rounded ends of the braces fit in the lower portion of the cavity in the movable
jaw and are prevented from spreading thereby, and the upper ends of the braces
are held together to prevent spreading by a flanged cap which fits over the ends of
the bearings and which is held in place by the nut on the end of the screw.
In lieu of employing the braces provided with semicircular bearings, the
sinoothed portion of the screw might be fitted with a collar which would be
externally square, and fit the slot in the sliding bar, and the braces might consist
of plain flat links pivotted to this collar and to the lower end or portion of the
movable jaw.
In lieu of two braces a single brace might project through a slot formed in the
sliding bar in the same vertical plane as and below the screw.
In operating or using this vice in holding an article the sliding bar is pushed in
until the movable jaw bears against the article. The screw is then turned and the
movable jaw is forced against and holds the article. This forcing of the movable
jaw on the article of course tends to cant the jaw or throw its upper portion or
face backwards, and its lower portion below the bar forwards, but this is prevented
by the braces which transmit the thrust on their lower ends to the screw, moving
forward with the screw and movable jaw. These braces therefore maintain the
movable jaw in a position parallel with the fixed jaw and insure its proper
operation.
When the screw is turned to release the movable jaw the latter is drawn back
by the action of the braces which always move with the screw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th July 1883.
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN VICES" a com-
munication to me from abroad by William Henry Schofield of the City of
Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America
The Invention relates to vices in which the sliding bar or sword, which is
adapted to slide in the fixed jaw of the vice, is provided with a toothed rack
which engages with a detent or pawl in the said fixed jaw, and prevents the
outward movement of said sliding bar or sword, until the latter is slightly raised
to liberate it from the detent, or is set free by moving the pawl. In this vice the
moveable jaw is loosely fitted upon the other end of the sliding bar or sword and
is adapted to have a slight movement independently of said bar or sword, and
when an article is to be held in the vice the sliding bar or sword is pushed inwards
carrying with it the moveable jaw, until the said moveable jaw is against the
article to be held after which the said moveable jaw is moved forward relatively to
the sliding bar or sword, and clamped on or forced against the article to be held,
by means of a screw passing through the moveable jaw and fitting a nut in the
sliding bar or sword. The pawl or detent in the fixed jaw by engaging with the
toothed rack on the sliding bar or sword forms a resistance device for holding the
said bar or sword while the moveable jaw is forced forward by the screw.
The present invention consists in the combination with the sliding bar or sword,
the movable jaw and the actuating screw, of a novel construction and arrangement
of brace or braces extending from the forward end of the screw downwards and
backwards to the movable jaw and connected with said jaw below the sliding bar
or sword. The moveable jaw and its brace or braces are moved forward and
backward together by the screw, and the braces transmit the movement of the
screw to the moveable jaw in opening and maintain the moveable jaw in a position
parallel with the fixed jaw and prevent the moveable jaw from canting when it is
brought to bear upon an article to hold it in the vice.
The invention furthermore consists in novel details in the construction of the
sliding bar or sword, the moveable jaw and the braces, and in the manner of
connecting said several parts all of which features are hereinafter more fully
described, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
In the drawing Fig: 1 represents a side view of a vice embodying the invention;
Fig: 2 represents a vertical section thereof; Fig: 3 represents a partly sectional
plan thereof; Fig: 4 represents a section on the dotted line x. x. Fig: 1, and
Fig: 5 represents a perspective view of one of the braces hereinbefore referred to.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A designates the fixed jaw which is provided with holes a. for screws or other
devices employed to secure it to the bench or other support.-In the fixed jaw A is
a slideway A' in which is fitted a sliding bar or sword B, upon the under side of
which is formed a ratchet-toothed rack b.-This rack may be formed upon the
sliding bar or sword, or it may be formed on a strip or piece detachably secured to
said bar or sword, as in the present example of the Invention.
In the forward part of the slideway A' below the sliding bar or sword B, is a
fixed detent c. which may be made of any suitable form.
It may consist of a
spring pawl adapted to engage with one tooth only of the rack, or it may consist
of a block secured in the fixed jaw by a screw d. or other means and adapted to
engage with several teeth of the rack as here shown.
At the front end of the slideway A' a space e. is provided over the sliding bar or

page_text: sword B which enables the latter to be raised sufficiently to disengage its rack b.
from the pawl or detent c. The sliding bar or sword. B, can be pushed or slid into
the slideway A'; but it cannot be pulled or moved outwards without first slightly
raising it to free the rack b. from the pawl c.
C designates the moveable jaw of the vice. It has a cavity C₁ on its inner side
which receives the front end of the sliding bar or sword within it. The jaw C is
moveable with the sliding-bar or sword as the latter is moved inwards and
outwards in its slideway A¹, and is also capable of a limited movement
independently of the said bar or sword.
D designates the screw which passes through the moveable jaw and screws into
a nut formed in the sliding bar or sword B. The head D' of the screw bears
against the moveable jaw C, and when the screw is turned forces the moveable jaw
forward on the sliding bar or sword.
Beyond the portion of the sliding bar or sword with which the screw engages,
said bar or sword has a slot or opening B' through it, and the portion f. of the
screw which projects into said slot or opening is smooth and cylindrical and has a
nut g. screwed upon its end.
E designates braces which are of the form shewn in Figure 5. These braces
embrace or are placed close against opposite sides of the sliding bar or sword B,
and their upper ends are provided with internally semicircular and externally
square bearings or half boxes h. which are fitted to the portion f. of the screw D.
The said bearings h. enter the slot or opening B¹ on opposite sides of the bar or
sword, as shewn in Fig: 3, and together form a cylindrical socket which fits the
portion f of the screw. The lower rounded ends of the braces E fit in the lower
portion of the cavity C. and are held against spreading and the upper ends of the
braces are held together and against spreading by a flanged cap i. which fits over
the ends of the bearings h. as shewn best in Fig: 3 and which is held in place by
the nut g. on the end of the screw.-A washer j. may be interposed between the
nut and the cap i.
In lieu of employing the braces E provided with semicircular bearings h., the
portion of the screw might be fitted with a solid collar which would be
externally square and fit the slot B₁ in the sword, and the braces might consist
of plain flat links pivotted to this collar and to the lower end or portion of the
jaw C.
In lieu of two braces a single brace might project through a slot formed in the
sliding bar or sword in the same vertical plane as and below the screw.
In operating or using this vice in holding an article, as for example the block
shewn in Fig: 1, in dotted outline, the sliding bar or sword B is pushed in until
the moveable jaw C. bears against the article. The screw is then turned while its
nut formed in the bar or sword is held immovable by the pawl c. and the movable
jaw is forced against and holds the article. This forcing of the movable jaw on
the article of course tends to cant the jaw or throw its upper portion or face
backwards, and its lower portion, below the bar or sword, forwards, but this is
prevented by the braces E, which transmit the thrust on their lower ends to the
screw, and which move forward with the screw and moveable jaw.―These braces
therefore maintain the movable jaw in a position parallel with the fixed jaw and
insure its proper operation.
When the screw is turned to release the moveable jaw the latter is retracted by
When the sliding
the action of the braces E which always move with the screw.
bar or sword is drawn out it is first slightly raised and can then be moved freely.
Having thus described the Invention as communicated to me by my Foreign
Correspondent and explained in what manner it may be carried into practical
effect. I wish it to be understood that I claim :-
First: The combination with the sliding bar or sword and the moveable jaw, of
the screw engaging with a nut in the said bar or sword, and a brace or braces
extending from the screw to the moveable jaw, substantially as described, and for
the purpose setforth.

page_text: Secondly: The combination with the sliding bar or sword, having a transverse
slot or opening, and the moveable jaw, of the screw engaging with a nut in the
said bar or sword, and braces arranged on opposite sides of the said bar or
sword and connected at their opposite ends with the said screw and at their lower
ends with the said moveable jaw, substantially as described and for the purpose
setforth.
Thirdly-The combination of the sliding bar or sword, B, the moveable jaw C
provided with the cavity C. the screw D, and braces E the lower ends of which
have a bearing in the said cavity substantially as described and for the purpose
setforth.
Fourthly: The combination of the sliding bar or sword B, having the transverse
slot or opening B' the movable jaw C, the screw D, the braces E, provided with
semicircular bearings or half-boxes, h. and the cap, i. and nut g. all substantially as
described, and for the purpose setforth.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie have hereunto
set my hand and seal the thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
ARTHUR W. L. REDDIE. (L.S.)