IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OP FURNITURE EXPANDERS AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MAKING THE SAME, WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MANUFACTURES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Moore, of Aston, in the County of
Stafford, Manufacturer, and Joseph Hamilton, of the same Place,
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OP FURNITURE EXPANDERS AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MAKING THE
SAME, WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MANUFACTURES."
Sealed the 28th July 1868 and dated the 5th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Moore and
Joseph Hamilton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 5th February 1868.
We, HENRY MOORE, of Aston, in the County of Stafford, Manu-
facturer, and JOSEPH HAMILTON, of the same Place, Machinist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FURNITURE EXPANDERS AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN
MAKING THE SAME, WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MANU-
FACTURES," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in the construction
of expanders for tables and other articles of furniture in which a

page_text: sliding or telescopic action of the parts is necessary or desirable.
We form a right and left handed screw of suitable length, and upon
the centre of the axis of the screw is collared a toothed pinion for
engaging with an endless screw formed upon a shaft to which is
attached the handle and which actuates the right and left-handed
screw upon either end of this screw another screwed and wormed
tube travels, and by the action of the handle at the side before
named the second wormed tubes work to or from the centre or toothed
wheel upon the right and left-handed screw; a third tubular shaft
wormed internally works upon the outward screwing or threads of
each of the second tube, the movement of the latter drawing the
third tubes to and from the centre; the extremities of these third
tubes may be secured by plates to the edges of the table or other
article of furniture; the tubes may all be of suitable length according
to the requirements of the article, and all move simultaneously, either
advancing to the centre to contract the size or receding to expand
the same by the action of the handle which is conveniently placed at
the side.
Secondly. Our Invention consists in arranging the slide rests of
screw-cutting lathes or machines, such as are required to produce the
screwed shafts and tubes of the expanders already specified, and for
other descriptions of screws with a pair of slides and slide boxes, cach
carrying a tool or cutter set opposite, and in a similar position to each
other, with their cutting edges in a similar plane, both the slides having
an advancing and receding action to and from the work when desired;
by these means we are enabled to obtain a kind of double action to the
screw-cutting lathe or machine, that is to say, the blank, rod, or shaft
under operation is cut during the forward and also the backward or
reverse traverse of the longitudinal main pitch shaft, the cutters or
tools being brought to bear upon the work in alternation for such
forward or backward traverse; or we obtain a similar result by employing
in place of the cutters before named a pair of cutting dies placed in
holders and capable of being tightened or released by means of a screw
after the manner of an ordinary pair of stocks and dies; by this process
the blank under operation is cut by both the cutting dies in its forward
and backward movement. For the purpose of ensuring a steady
action to the machine and to avoid the necessity for the usual packing
employed beneath the slide rest to raise it to a convenient level we

page_text: propose to form the bed of the machine with a suitable recessed sunken
end to receive the casting or holster which carries the travelling shaft
and driving pulley.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Moore and Joseph Hamilton in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 5th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
MOORE, of Aston, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, and
JOSEPH HAMILTON, of the same Place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Henry Moore and Joseph Hamilton,
Her special license that we, the said Henry Moore and Joseph Hamilton,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Henry Moore and Joseph Hamilton, our executors, administrators,
and 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF FURNITURE EXPANDERS AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN MAKING THE SAME,
WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER MANUFACTURES," upon the
condition (amongst others), that we, the said Henry Moore and
Joseph Hamilton, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 we, the said Henry Moore and Joseph Hamilton,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be. particularly described and.
ascertained in and by the following statement; reference being had to the

page_text: Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention consists, firstly, of improvements in the construction
of expanders for tables and other articles of furniture, in which a
sliding or telescopic action of the parts is necessary or desirable. We
form a right and left handed screw, or right and left handed tubular
screwed shaft of suitable length, and at the centre of the axis of the screw
or tubular screwed shaft is collared a toothed pinion upon the shaft or
upon a square or angular rod for engaging with an endless screw formed
upon a shaft to which is attached the handle, and which actuates the
right and left handed screw or shaft upon or in either end of this screw
or tubular wormed shaft, a second screwed and wormed tube travels,
and by the action of the handle at the side before named the second
wormed tubes work to or from the centre or toothed wheel upon the
right and left handed screw or within the wormed tubular shaft; a
third wormed tubular shaft works upon or within the screwing or
threads of each of the second tube, the movement of the latter drawing
the third tubes to and from the centre; the extremities of these third
tubes may be secured by plates to the edges of the table or other
article of furniture; the tubes may all be of suitable length according to
the requirements of the article, and may all move simultaneously, cither
advancing to the centre to contract the size, or receding to expand
the same by the action of the handle.
Secondly. Our Invention consists in arranging the slide rests of screw
cutting lathes or machines, such as are required to produce the screwed
shafts and tubes of the expanders already specified, and for other
descriptions of screws, with a pair of slides and slide boxes, each carrying
a tool or cutter, set opposite and in a similar position to each other,
with their cutting edges in a similar plane, both the sides having an
advancing and receding action to and from the work when desired.
By these means we are enabled to obtain a kind of double action to
the screw-cutting lathe or machinc, that is to say, the blank rod or
shaft under operation is cut during the forward and also the backward
or reverse traverse of the longitudinal main pitch shaft, the cutters
or tools being brought to bear upon the work in alternation for such
forward or backward traverse; or we obtain a similar result by employing
in place of the cutters before named, a pair of cutting dies placed in
holders and capable of being tightened or released by means of a screw

page_text: after the manner of an ordinary pair of stocks and dies. By this process
the blank under operation is cut by both the cutting dies in its forward
and backward movement. For the purpose of ensuring a steady action to
the machine, and to avoid the necessity for the usual packing employed
beneath the slide rest, to raise it to a convenient level, we propose
to form the bed of the machine with a suitable recessed sunken end,
to receive the casting or holster which carries the travelling shaft and
driving pulley.
We will now proceed to describe the nature and object of our said
Invention more fully in detail by the aid of the accompanying Drawings,
and the letters and figures marked thereon.
Sheet 1 illustrates the first portion of our Invention, namely, improve-
ments in the construction of expanders for tables and other articles of
furniture.
Figure 1 is a plan of the expander, shewing the parts closed or
contracted; Figure 2 is also a plan, but with the parts shewn as partially
expanded; Figure 3 is a transverse section of the tubes and partial
end elevation; and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section shewing the
parts expanded in a similar degree to Figure 2.
(a) is a right and left-handed screwed or wormed tubular shaft,
divided midway by a casting (6), to which either half is rigidly secured,
and which supports or holds the shaft (a) in position by being screwed
or rivetted to the framing of the table or other article of furniture; (c),
is a cog pinion, which is collared upon a square or angular shaft or
rod (d), and this cog pinion (c) is worked by means of an endless
screw (e) secured upon a shaft (f), to which is attached the handle (f)..
A second wormed tube (9) works within either half of the tubular
screwed shaft or outer case (a) by means of the rod (d), plugs (1)
being inserted in the tubes (g), formed with square or angular holes
made to fit upon the shaft or rod (f), so that the revolution of this
shaft or rod (f) will also cause the second tubes (g) to revolve and
work in the screwing of the wormed shaft (a) to and from the centre
of the expander, and during such motion the plugs (h) will not only
turn with the rod or shaft (f), but will also slide thereupon. (i) are
the third wormed tubular shafts, which may be secured to the table
or other article of furniture by means of plates (%); the third tubes (i)
move within and are propelled by the second tubes (9) which command
the screws or third tubes (i), the action of the second tubes (9), and.

page_text: third tubes (), are simultaneous, either advancing towards the centre
to contract the size, or receding from the centre and moving outwards
to expand or lengthen the size.
We sometimes form our improved expanders having a treble action
as already described, but with the tubes or screwed shafts arranged
in a reverse manner to that specified; that is to say, we connect the
two third shafts (i), or form one. solid right and left handed screw upon
the centre of which the cog pinion (c) is collared, the second tubes (g)
working upon each end of the screw, and the outer cases or tubes (a)
working in their turn upon the second tubes (9), the said outer tubes
being secured by plates to the table or other article of furniture. This
arrangement we do not illustrate because we find in practice the method
as illustrated by far the best combination.
Referring to Shect 2, which is intended to illustrate the second part
of our Invention, Figure 1 represents in plan the slide rest of a screw
cutting lathe or machine with our improvements applied thereto, the
driving end of the lathe not being shewn; Figure 2 is a front elevation
of the same; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation upon the line (A, A,)
of the plan, Figure 1.
(a) is a portion of the longitudinal main pitch shaft travelling
forwards and backwards by means of ordinary driving gear and pullics,
the action being reversed when desired by means of the lever rods (b)
and clutch handles (c); (d) is a rod, blank, shaft, or tube shewn
as having been operated upon, and it is secured during the cutting
operation to the main pitch shaft (a) by means of a holder (e) and
adjusting screws (e'), and by these means travels with the shaft (a);
(f) are the slides and (f) the tool holders formed thereupon and
fitted with tools (f & f³) adjusted therein by means of set screws
as shewn, the slides (f) with the tools (f and f³) advancing and
receding to and from the centre of the machine in alternation upon
the slide rest (g) which is mounted upon the bed of the machine (h),
this bed being formed solid with or connected to castings or standards,
one only being shown at (i). (K) is the handle for actuating the slide
rest screw (¹) which regulates the movements of the slides (f) and
tools to and from their work; (2) is a handle attached to a pressure
screw (m) and pressure plate (m¹); (n) is a chock piece bearing or
bed formed so as to receive the blank or rod (d), and together with
the pressure plate (m'), keeping the blank in a true position with the

page_text: tools or cutters during the operation of the machine, which is as follows:
-The machine being set in. motion at the driving end of the same
and the main pitch shaft (a) revolving and advancing towards the
slide rest (9), and tools or cutters (f* and f³) also advances the blank
rod shaft or tube (d) (herein-after termed the rod) to meet the action
of one of the tools; for instance, the tool (f*) which has been advanced
towards the centre of tho slide rest by means of the screw (½³) and
Landle () up to its work, the rod (d) is thus cut or partially threaded
during its forward traverse, and when the pitch shaft (a) has advanced
a sufficient distance to cut or thread nearly the length of the rod
the action of the driving gear is reversed by means of one of tho clutch
handles (c), so as to enable the pitch shaft (a) and rod (d) to recede
or perform their backward traverse at the same time the action of
the cutter or tool (f) is removed, and the tool (f) which has been
disengaged is now brought to bear upon the work, and further cut
or thread the blank during such backward traverse, the action of the
machine being repeated if necessary in order to complete and finish
the thread or worm upon the rod under operation.
.
.
Figures 4 and 5 represent in part sectional elevations and plans the
alternate action of the two cutters (f³ and f³), as will be seen; the
tools are set opposite and in a similar position to each other, with
their cutting edges (7) in a similar plane. When the blank (Figure 4)
is revolving in the direction of the arrows and during its forward traverso
the tool (f) will operate upon the rod (d), the plan of Figure 4
shewing the rod (d) advancing and being cut during its traverse; the
action of the machine and consequent backward traverse of the blank
or rod (d) is shewn at Figure 5, in the plan of which the rod (d) is
seen receding and being cut during such backward traverse by the
cutter (f³).
By these means we are enabled to obtain a double action of the
screw cutting lathe or machine, the blank rod or shaft under operation
being cut during the forward and also the backward or reverse traverse
of the main pitch shaft, the cutters or tools being brought to bear
upon the work in alternation for such forward or backward traverse;
or we obtain a similar result by employing in place of the cutters or
tools already specified a pair of cutting dies placed in suitable holders
so as to be capable of being tightened or released by means of a
screw after the manner of an ordinary pair of stocks; and by this

page_text: arrangement the blank or rod under operation is cut by both the cutting
dies in its forward and backward movement.
For the purpose of ensuring a steady action to the machine and to
avoid the necessity for the usual packing employed beneath the slide
rest to raise it to a convenient level we form the bed of the machine
with a suitable recessed sunken end to receive the casting or holster
which carries the travelling shaft and driving pullies.
We claim as our Invention,-
Firstly. The improvements in the construction of furniture expanders,
as herein described and illustrated.
We also claim the arrangement of the slide rest cutting tools, and
the pressure or steadying plate formed to admit of the screw passing
through the same.
We also claim the formation of a recessed or sunken end in the bed
of the machine to receive the holster carrying the travelling shaft in
order to avoid the necessity for the usual packing beneath the slide
rest.
And, generally, we claim the arrangement and combination of the
several parts or their mere. equivalents forming machinery to be
employed for the purpose of cutting or worming screws, substantially.
in manner as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Moore and Joseph
Hamilton, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
2
HENRY MOORE.
(L.S.)
JOSEPH HAMILTON. (L.S.)