AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILES AND RASPS
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SHILTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Third day of April, in the third year of His] reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Shilton, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Shilton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Shilton, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein men-
tioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR CUTTING FILES AND RASPS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William
Shilton, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled
in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by, the same, reference being thereunto had, will more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said. proviso, I, the said
William Shilton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto 'annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of an Improved Apparatus or Machine for Cutting Files and
Rasps consists of an improved apparatus or machine for cutting or forming
teeth or projections upon blank pieces of steel, for the purpose of forming files
and rasps, such,teeth being produced by cuts or indentations made in the
blanks of steel by proper shaped tools. In my improved machine or apparatus
the cuts or indentations are produced by tools, placed in the head of a tilt
hammer mounted on an axle in the machine, which hammer.is raised by
projections upon a tilt wheel, and is let fall with sufficient force upon the
blanks of steel to produce the cuts or indentations for raising or forming the
teeth. The blanks of steel are held in a pair of clamps in connection with a
slide, and are progressively moved forward under the head of the hammer or
tool at proper intervals, according to the fineness or coarseness of the cut of
the file, by means of a rack and pinion actuated by a pall and ratchet wheel,
or in any other convenient manner. And when the machine is used for
cutting or forming the teeth of rasps, in consequence of the tool only producing
one tooth at a blow, the hammer and cutting tool are made to traverse across
the width of the blank piece of steel from one edge to the other and back
again, the progressive movement of the piece of steel being effected only when
the hammer has produced the last cut or tooth next either edge of the
blank.
In order to render my Invention better understood, I have shewn in the
accompanying Drawings different views of two machines or apparatus, one for
producing the cross cut or teeth of files, and the other for producing the cuts
or teeth of rasps. Both these machines are similar in their construction as
far as regards the. manner of effecting the blow for producing the cut, and,
consequently, the same description will so far apply to both machines, the
traversing of the hammer and tool being only used in the machine for pro-
ducing the teeth on the blanks for rasps, and which motion is not required in
the file-cutting machine, as the teeth or cuts extend across the whole width of
the blanks.
I shall therefore first describe the file-cutting machine, and then shew the
application of the traversing motion for the rasp-cutting machine.
In the accompanying Drawing, Sheets 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are different views
of the file-cutting machine. Figure 1 is an elevation as seen on one side.
Figure 2 is a plan view. Figure 3 is another elevation of the upper part of

page_text: the machine, as seen on the reverse side to Figure 1. .Figure 4 is a vertical
section taken through the machine, the moving parts being shewn in the same
position in all these Figures. Figure 5 is a similar section to Figure 4,' but
shewing the safety holders or catches removed from under the line of the lever
of the tilt hammer. Figure 6 is another section shewing the hammer head
and tool raised and about to effect a blow or cut upon the blank piece of steel,
the same letters of reference being used to mark the same parts in all these
and the following Figures. a is the head of the tilt hammer placed on the
end of the lever b, which is mounted on an axle c, and turning in proper
bearings in the framework of the machine. d is the tilt wheel mounted on ap
axle e, and also turning in bearings on the framework of the machine, and has
any required number of projections or tappets upon it for depressing the tail
or shorter end of the lever b. This tilt wheel d receives its rotary motion from
or through the toothed wheel mounted upon the same axle, and taking into
gear with a pinion 9 upon the main shaft h, which is actuated by a band
passed from any first mover to the rigger on its end, or in any other convenient
manner. is the bed upon which the blank pieces rest while the blow or cut
of the hammer and tool is effected. This bed is firmly supported upon a
strong standard placed upon proper sleepers. j is one
of the blank pieces of
pair of jaws or holding
steel under operation, and is shewn secured in the
clamps (having a strip of lead as a guard under it) mounted on centre pins
in the slide 7, which slide is moved backwards and forwards in the machine
upon the beds m, m, by means of the rack n and pinion o mounted upon the
axle of the ratchet wheel p, which ratchet wheel is made to turn at intervals
by means of the pall q upon the end of the lever r, this lever being depressed
at proper intervals after a cut has been effected upon the blank by
one of the
teeth or tappets of the wheel s depressing the inclined plane t upon the lever
r', the wheel s being mounted upon the end of the axle e of the tilt wheel, and
consequently revolving in conjunction with it, and producing the advance
motion of the blank after each blow is produced by the tilt wheel. u is a
strong spring placed upon the upper side of the lever b, its end being
depressed under an adjustable inclined plane v placed in the frame w, which
inclined plane can be raised or lowered by its adjusting screws as required to
produce more or less tension of the spring. x is another spring placed on the
under side of the lever to raise and sustain the hammer clear of the bed after
a blow, and in conjunction with the safety holders or catches y, y, to counteract
any vibration or tendency the spring u may have to cause the hammer to
repeat the blow. The end of the spring acts on an inclined plane z
mounted in the frame w, which has also an adjusting screw to regulate the

page_text: tension of the spring. In case the under spring a should raise or return the
hammer with sufficient force or velocity to cause the top spring u to repeat
the blow, or make the hammer vibrate, the ends of the safety holders or
catches y are made to move. under and catch the tail of the lever 6 imme-
diately it is raised by the under 'spring a by the following means:-The
holders y are mounted upon a plate or carriage 1, which turns upon a small
pin or axle 2, in the ears of the cross bar 3. The upper ends of the holders are
kept towards the tail of the lever by means of a the spring 4 fixed on the
cross bar 3, and acting upon one end of the plate or carriage 1. In order
that the holders may be removed from out of the way of the tail of the lever b
when the tilt wheel is about to depress it and effect a blow, the tappet of the
tilt wheel which has last raised the hammer comes in contact with the inclined
plane 5 upon the plate or carriage 1, and depresses that end of the plate 1,
consequently moves the upper ends of the holders y from under the tail of the
lever b, as shewn in the section, Figure 5. The tilt wheel continuing to
revolve, the next tappet advances, depressing the tail, of the lever; but before
it leaves the tail of the hammer the tappet last in operation will have left the
inclined plane 5, and allowed the spring 4 to return the holders into their
former position, as shewn in the section, Figure 6. After the tappet has
ceased to act on the tail of the lever, the hammer will immediately descend,
and effect the blow or cut, and as the tail of the lever rises it will come into
contact with the inclined planes upon the upper ends of the holders Y, and will
force them backwards; and as soon as it has passed the top of the holders the
spring 4 will immediately force them forward under the tail of the lever into
the position they are shewn in the section, Figure 4, and prevent the hammer
being raised until the next tappet of the tilt wheel is about to depress the end
of its lever, when the same movement of the parts will be repeated, and the
machine continue in operation until a sufficient length of the blank of steel
has been operated upon, when it will be thrown out of gear by the following
means-Upon the sliding bar 6, see Fig. 2, there is placed the adjustable
stop piece 7, against which stop the foremost end of the slide 7 comes in
contact as it is moved forward by the rack and pinion n and o.
The sliding
bar 6 is connected at one end to the bent lever 8; the other end of this lever
is formed into a forked arm, which embraces the clutch 9 upon the main shaft
h, and as the slide 7 continues to advance it will come in contact with the stop
7, and when it has brought sufficient of the blank piece of steel under the
operation of the tool the slide in its progress will have moved the stop 7
and bar 6 forward, and that bar by means of the bent lever 8 will withdraw
the clutch 9 on the main shaft from the one upon the boss of the fly wheel,

page_text: and, consequently, throw the clutches out of gear, and stop the further progress
of the machine, the rigger and fly wheel being mounted turning loosely upon
the main shaft. The now cut file can then be removed from out of the clamps,
and reversed, to cut the other side, or another blank piece put in its place; and
after throwing back the pall q of the ratchet wheel p, the slide 7, and with it the
fresh blank, may be moved back into the machine by turning the winch handle
10 on the axle of the ratchet wheel p the reverse way, which will turn the pinion
o backwards, and draw back the rack u without affecting any other parts of the
machine and on moving back the bar 6. by the handle 11 placed at the stop 7
the clutches will be thrown into gear, and the machine proceed to cut the next
blank. It will be seen that the position of the stop 7 upon the bar 6 will
determine the length of the cut upon blank piece of steel to be operated upon.
And in order that the progressive movement of the blanks under the cutting
tool may be made to suit different degrees of fineness or coarseness of the
teeth (that is, the distance they are apart), there is an adjusting screw 12
placed upon the lever r, the head of which screw rests against the under side
of the bar 13, projecting from the framework, and thereby determines the
extent of motion of the lever r when it is depressed by the tappets of the
wheels acting upon the inclined plane t, and consequently determining the
number of teeth, the ratchet wheel p shall be moved round by the pall q;
and through them the extent of motion communicated by the rack and pinion
to the slide and the blank j; the lever i is kept forced upwards by the
spring 14 pressing upon its under side. It will be perceived that the velocity
of the descent of the hammer, and consequently the force of the blow, may bo
regulated by raising or lowering the inclined plane v of the spring w. In
order to accommodate that part of the bed upon which the blanks rest to the
different inclinations they may be placed at, that part of the bed is formed
of a semi-globular piece of hardened steel 15, which fits loosely into a similar
concavity in the bed i, and is therefore capable of adjusting itself so that the
blanks shall be properly presented to the cutting tool, and receive the blow
or cut in an equal and even manner; or the piece of steel may be of a conical
shape, and fit loosely. in a similar shaped concavity. There are guides 16, 16,
placed on the top of the bed i, for the purpose of keeping the blanks in their
proper position towards the cutting tool, and can be regulated to suit blanks
of any width by turning the right and left handed screw 17. 18 is another
adjustable stop in the jaws or clamps k, which serves as a guide on placing
blanks within them; and 19 is a handle or lever for raising the clamps when
required, and which has a weight suspended from it for the purpose of holding
down the blanks upon the bed with sufficient pressure. The cutting tool 20

page_text: can be placed at any required angle or inclination with the blank, it being
secured in the head of the hammer by the clamps and screws 21.
Having explained the different motions of the file-cutting machine, I shall
proceed to describe the method of obtaining the traverse motion of the
hammer and tool across the blanks of steel, for the cutting or producing the
teeth of rasps. Figure 1, Sheet 6, is a side elevation of the machine, and
Figure 2 is a plain view of the same, with the traverse motion adapted to it.
In this machine the axle c of the lever b is made to slide crossways of the
machine through its bearings, and according to the distance it is moved
laterally with the tilt hammer and tool will depend the distance between the
teeth which extend crossways of the rasp, the progressive movement of the
blank being only effected when each row of teeth across the rasp have been
produced. Upon the end of the main axle h of the machine is mounted the
pinion 22. This pinion takes into a toothed wheel 23, mounted and turn-
ing loosely upon the axle of the ratchet wheel p. Upon the same axle, and
connected to the tooth wheel 23, is mounted the cam or stop wheel 24, which
cam wheel as it revolves acts against a pin or stud 25 upon the end of the
sliding bar 26, and as the increased diameter of the steps of the cam wheel
come in contact with the pin or stud 25 the bar 26 will be drawn towards
the axle of the cam wheel. Upon the sliding bar 26 is mounted the inclined
plane bar 27, which bar can be adjusted to any angle to suit the desired dis-
tance between the teeth in each row crossways of the rasp, by the screw and
nut upon the quadrant or sector 28, the inclined plane bar turning upon a
pin 29 as its fulcrum. The sliding bar 26 is mounted in bearings or guides
upon a part of the framework of the machine. At the reverse end of the
axle c there is a strong spring 30, which presses the end of that axle against
a pièce 31, carrying a friction roller which presses against the inclined
plane bar 27, and as the smaller diameters of the steps of the cam wheel
come in contact with the stud 25 the spring 30 will return or shift the
axle c, and with it the lever b and tilt hammer, backwards across the blank,
thereby producing the regular rows of teeth upon the rasp. It will be
seen that two of the steps of the cam wheel increase and diminish only half
the rise and fall of the remaining portion. These two steps are for the
purpose of bringing the individual teeth of each row crossways of the rasp,
opposite the spaces between the teeth of the preceding row, and these two
steps of smaller rise and fall come into operation only when the cross rows
of teeth are finished, and when the advancing motion of the blank has been
effected. There is an adjusting piece 32 placed between the end of the axle c
and the piece 31, which carries the antifriction roller, which piece 32 is

page_text: capable of being adjusted by the screw in the piece 31 to allow of the cutting
tool being adjusted to form the teeth as near the edges of the blank as may
be required, and which adjustment will rectify any little inaccuracy in the
position of the guides upon the bed i for the blanks. The progressive or
advancing motion of the blank being only required to be effected after each
cross row of teeth has been formed, the depression of the inclined plane t and
lever r, and consequently the turning of the ratchet wheel, is effected by two
pins or studs extending out from the side of the cam wheel 24, which come
in contact with the inclined plane t, and produce the same effect as the
tappets upon the wheels in the file-cutting, machine, the only difference
being that the advance motion of the blank is only produced twice during one
revolution of the axle e. The hardened steel bed in the rasp-cutting machine
should be a semi-cylindrical piece of steel fitting into a similar recess in the
bed.
Having now described my improved apparatus or machine for cutting files
and rasps, it only remains for me to remark, that when cutting the teeth upon
fine files I prefer using a screw in place of the rack for effecting the progres-
sive movement of the slide 7 and the blank piece of steel in the machine, as
a screw will give a much more regular movement when the advance of the
blank is required to be but little. The leading screw may work in a female
screw upon the side, and turn in collars at the back end of the machine, and
be actuated in any convenient manner, which will be evident to all competent
mechanics; and as there are many ways of effecting this movement it will not
be necessary for me to describe it further. Also I would remark, that if the
machine could be made to work and strike the blows very regular, there
would be no occasion for the steps upon the cam wheel in the rasp-cutting
machine, as then that wheel might be made as a double-snail wheel, which
would effect the regular traversing of the hammer and tool, the blows being
produced at regular intervals during its rotation. And further, I would
remark, that the inclined-plane bar might be made to produce the traversing
of the axle of the hammer and tool both ways, without the aid of the spring 30
on its reverse end, as it might work in a groove on a bridle connected to the
axle of the lever of the hammer.
And lastly, in conclusion, I wish it to be understood, that I do not mean
or intend to claim as my Invention any of the parts which are old, or have
been before used for the like purpose; but I do claim as my Invention
the improved apparatus or machine above particularly described for cutting
files and rasps, which I believe to be new, and never before been used for the
same purpose; and I verily believe that this my Specification does in all and

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED; that on the Second day of October, in
the fourth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said William Shilton came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,"
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing
therein contained and specified in form above written. And also the In-
strument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made
in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the
Third.