IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING, GRINDING, AND CUTTING FILES AND RASPS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,.
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING, GRINDING, AND CUTTING FILES AND RASPS."
-A communication from abroad by William Picket Pierce, of Boston,
in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of
. America.
Sealed the 14th July 1863 and dated the 14th May 1863.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Déclaration, on the 14th May 1868, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN, that I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING, GRINDING, AND CUTTING
FILES AND RASPS," (communicated to me from abroad by William Picket
Pierce, of Boston; in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,
United States of America,) and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
The machine for rolling file blanks is represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and a

page_text: of the accompanying Drawings; Figure 1 being a perspective view of the
machine, Figure 2 a vertical section through the shaft k, Figure 3 a section
through the upper roll E, Figure 4 a view of the removeable pattern or
die d.
"
From the bed A of the machine rise the standards C, upon the top of which
are secured by bolts and nuts the cross pieces D; E and F are two rolls, the
journals of which run in boxes a, which slide up and down in the standards C;
when the machine is in operation the boxes a are held immoveable by the
screws b, which pass through the cross pièces D and bear upon the blocks c
on the top of the boxes of the upper roll; but when it becomes necessary to
take out the rolls E, F, the cross pieces D can be removed, and the boxes a
withdrawn as required; G is the driving shaft, which carries the driving pulley
H, and also a pinion I, that engages with the cog wheel K on the shaft of
the lower roll F. The upper roll E is driven with a corresponding surface
velocity, being connected with the lower roll by gears not shown in the Draw-
ings. The upper roll E carries the die d, in which is cut a groove e, which
corresponds in form with the finished. file blank, being narrower at one end than
the other, as seen. in Figure 4. This die is held in place by collars f and 9,
the inclined edges of which are adapted to and fit over the edges of the die, as
seen in section in Figure 3. The collar 9 is pressed up so as to hold the die
between it and the collar f by the screw nut L on the end of the roll, the
pin preventing the die from turning on the roll when the machine is in
operation. If dies of different widths be employed, the width of the collars
f and g must correspond thereto, that the die may be kept in the centre of the
roll. The lower roll F is constructed in the ordinary manner, with a plain
surface. The file blank is fed forward to ensure its entering between the rolls
at the proper moment in the following manner:-M is a cog wheel on the
lower roll F, which engages with the cog wheel N on the short shaft k, which
runs in the bearing l; m is a collar secured to the shaft k by à spline and
feather; this collar carries a tooth n, which may be clutched with a tooth o
on the hub of a cog wheel O, that runs loosely on the shaft k, and engages
with the rack bar S on the carriage P, to which the blank holder Q is secured.
The collar m is moved forward so that its tooth n may engage with the tooth o
upon the wheel O in the following manner :-p is a bar which slides in a
mortice in the framework. One end q of this bar is bent.up and plays in the
groove in the collar m; on the under side of the bar p is a bent pin s,
against which strikes the end of the foot lever t, which is pivotted to the
framework, and thus as the operator presses bis foot on this lever the collar m
is thrown forward so as to drive the wheel O whenever its tooth n shall come

page_text: round into position to engage with the tooth o, by which the carriage P is
moved forward to present the blank to the rolls as required.
In order that the blank may be introduced into the die at the proper point
of its revolution, it is necessary that the tooth n be capable of adjustment with
respect to the tooth o; this may be effected by changing the position of the
wheel N upon its shaft by means of the set screw c. It will thus be perceived
that the collar m may be shifted at any time by the operator, but that the
carriage P will not start to move until the proper time arrives to present the
blank accurately to the die. The levert is retracted by the spring y, and
when the carriage P has nearly reached the end of. its traverse the inclined
wedge u (Figure 1) upon the carriage strikes the pin v (Figure 2) upon the
bar P, and moves the collar m back into the position seen in Figure 2, thus
unclutching it from the wheel O and stopping the carriage, which is then run
back again by the weight R on the end of the cord. w, which runs over a
pulley (not shewn in the Drawings), the other end of the cord being attached
to the carriage. The sides of the holder Q are made adjustable by screws
and slots, so as to accommodate blanks of various widths, and the rear portion
h, against which the end of the file blank z rests, is made yielding by the
spring.j, to avoid injuring the.blank in case it should be carried forward with
greater rapidity than the rolls would allow. After passing through the rolls
the blank enters a covered trough placed immediately behind the rolls (not
shown in the Drawings), by which it is kept straight and prevented from
curling. The file holder Q may be raised or lowered. by. means of screws and
slots, as seen in Figure 2. The die may be changed to adapt the machine to
the rolling of blanks of different forms.
The machine for grinding the edges of file blanks is represented in Figures
5, 6, and 7, Figure 5. being a plan, Figure 6 a vertical section upon the
line x, x, of Figure 5, and Figure 7 an end view,..showing..the gears.by
which, the rods G and H2 are operated. The shaft B³, which carries the
grindstone C³, runs in bearings upon the framework. A, and is driven by
power applied to the pulley D. E' is a carriage which. rests upon the side
timbers of the frame, upon which it may be adjusted so as. to. regulate the
distance between the ends of the feed rolls and the grindstone, being guided
by. the ways a³, and held in place by the screws 63, which pass through the
slots in the carriage and enter the side timbers of the framework. The
file blank to be ground is traversed with its edge in contact with the face of
the grindstone by the rolls G, H, which run in bearings in the transverse rails
W...of..the carriage Es, and are connected together and with the driving-wheel-
Iby gears; as seen in Figure 7, so as to feed the blank_F through in the

page_text: direction of the arrow (Figure 5). The lower rolls H³ run in fixed bearings,
and the upper rolls G³ run at one end in fixed bearings d³, and at the other
end in loose boxes 6, which are held in place horizontally by the pin 92. The
rolls G are pressed down towards the lower rolls by the spring f, the
pressure of which is regulated by a nut upon the screw g³. The ends of the
upper rolls nearest to the grindstone are thus free to rise and fall to accommo-
date any thickness of blank which may be passed between the rolls. The
rolls being revolved in the direction of the arrows (Figure 6) by the driving
wheel 1 and gears (Figure 7), the file blank is traversed across the face of
the grindstone as required. K² is a lever pivotted to the carriage at h²; to
this lever is pivotted at an arm L³, which is guided by means of a pin
passing through the slot k; this arm carries at its outer end a roll, which
bears against the edge of the file blank, and thus as the operator "presses the
lever in the direction of the arrow (Figure 5) the edge of the blank is kept
constantly in contact with the grindstone. The transverse rails We are adjusted
so as to bring the roll opposite the centre of the stone by means of the screws
m² and slots n³, and as the grindstone is worn away the carriage is moved
up to it by the screw p³, which passes through the framework and bears against
the carriage, the screws 6 being loosened to permit the carriage to move.
In Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 18 is represented the machine for grinding
file blanks for "half round." files, in which Figure 8 is a plan; Figure 9, an
end elevation; Figure 10, à vertical section on the line X, X, and Figure 11, a
vertical section on the line Y, Y, of Figure 8; Figure 12, an elevation of the
mandril, to which the blanks are secured; Figure 13, a cross section through
the same on the line z, z, of Figure 12.. The file blanks are rolled or forged
with a curved surface of about 120° or one-third of a circle, they are then
secured to a mandril os having 'three sides; the blanks y are then. secured'
upon the mandril, as seen in Figure 8, by the following means:-The smaller
ends of the blanks y³ having been cut off so as to give them a chamfer, this
chamfer is entered beneath the edge of a stationary ferrule r³ upon the end of
the mandril, and a small block a' is placed upon the tang of each blank, a
ring 6', or short confining cylinder, is then slipped over the blocks, and is
caused to press them down upon the tangs by means of a nut f³, which works
upon a screw on the mandril, and thus the blanks are held immoveably thereon.
The machine on which the blanks are ground will now be described.
The grindstone A³ is carried by the driving shaft B³, upon the end of which
is a pulley C³, which drives, by means of a belt C, a pulley C¹³ upon
a shaft C, which carries at its opposite end a pinion C³, that drives in turn a
wheel C upon a vertical shaft C', to the top of which is secured the heart

page_text: 23
cam C, by means of which the mandril with its blanks is traversed past the
stone as the grinding proceeds. The cam C³ operates upon two pins c³ and d³,
projecting down from a bar C, which slides freely (as it is moved by the cam)
in grooved ways C, secured at f³ and g³ to a short standard C", rising from
the projecting bench C. The mandril o³, with its three blanks, is held in
centres a³ and 63 upon a travelling carriage E, which is connected with the
sliding bar C by means of a pin h³, rising from the latter, which enters a
groove in a connecting piece E, which is secured to the carriage by screws
or otherwise, the groove running at right angles to the bar C, so that
while the carriage follows all the motions of the bar it is allowed to move to
and from the stone and also to vibrate upon its centre independently of the
bar, as will be presently explained. The carriage E³, as it is traversed by the
cam C³, slides upon the ways Es, rising from a table F, the centre of the ways
fitting snugly in the grooves upon the under side of the carriage; at each end,
however, the ways are so curved and cut away that the carriage is allowed to
vibrate slightly round a point opposite the centre of the stone, for the purpose
of bringing the ends of the file blanks up to the stone. This vibration of the
carriage is produced as follows:-From the top of the table F rise the roller
pins and , which fit in a groove m³ in the under side of the carriage, the
groove being so formed (as seen in the Drawings). as to hold every portion of
the blanks parallel with the grinding surface, of the stone, the carriage tilting
as the pins and enter the portion n³ of the groove in order to form the
taper at each end. The mandril with its blanks is thus traversed to and fro
across the face of the stone as the grinding proceeds. In order to force the
blanks up to the stone with a uniform pressure, which shall at the same time
be under the control of the operator, the table F is allowed to slide to and
from the stone in ways or grooves F, rising from a bench F³, secured to the
framework of the machine. A screw p³ passes through an ear R³, projecting
down from the table F, and working in a nut q³ in the bench F³; the screw
has a collar 3 secured to it inside of the ear. R³, and upon its outward end it
carries a wheel F. Between the hand wheel and the ear is a spring s³, anꞌl
thus while the table (and consequently the carriage and the work upon it)
cannot approach nearer to the stone than is permitted by the collar, it is
allowed to move slightly in the opposite direction by the yielding of the
springs. The operator has it .thus in his power by turning the screw p³ to
press the work up to the stone with greater or less power as may be required.
While the grindstone is revolved in the direction of its arrow, and the blanks
are traversed to and fro as explained, the latter are revolved with a surface
motion contrary to that of the stone in the following manner :-G is a pulley

page_text: on the main shaft, which drives by means of a strap the pulley G", upon the
shaft of which is a pulley G³, from which motion is communicated by a belt
or strap to the pulley G+, upon the shaft of a long drum G³, which drives by
means of a belt G (seen in red in Figure 10) a pulley G' upon the arbor of
the centre a³, running in bearings upon a standard Go, rising from the carriage,
the centre 63 being carried by a similar standard G° at the opposite end of the
carriage.
The machine for cutting the edges of files, which is represented in Figures
14 and 15, has for its object to cut teeth upon the angular edges of "saw
files," or those having a triangular cross section, and upon the edges of "half
round files," previous to cutting them upon their several faces. Figure 14
represents in perspective, the machine employed for the purpose; Figure 15,
the operating arm detached from the same.. Upon a frame or standard A* rise
the housings B in suitable bearings, in which run the shafts D', which are
arranged in pairs one above the other, and are revolved by suitable gears a*.
These gears receive their motion from a gear upon the shaft of the pulley D³,
which is driven by a cord b' from a pulley E¹ upon the main driving shaft H³.
The shafts of the upper row have each their boxes, c*, free to rise and fall in
the housings B*, and are pressed down by springs d. Each shaft D' carries
a feed roll 1, the form of which is adapted to that of the article to be cut ;
those represented in the accompanying Drawings being designed for three-
cornered or "saw files," the lower rolls being smooth upon the face, and the:
upper ones grooved, so that they will keep one of the edges of the blank
uppermost, and feed it through in this position. A half round file would
require grooves in both sets of the rolls. A pulley H, upon the shaft H³,
carries a cord f', which passes over two inclined guide pullies g' and h*, hung
in a heavy standard 1. To this standard is pivotted at a heavy arm K*
(seen detached in Figure 15), which carries a pulley L, hung on a spindle
passing through the arm , and driven by the cord f*; from one side of this
pulley project a series of pins m, the object of which will be presently
explained. To the arm K is pivotted at 5 another arm n', the inner end, 6,
of which projects within the path of the pins m, so that as the pulley L* is
revolved in the direction of the arrow the outer end of the arm n' is raised. A
spring o*, pressing against this arm, throws it down again whenever it is released
by one of the pins m*. To the outer end of the arm n* is secured a cutter p',
which is made circular for the convenience of operating it. A curved guide
bar, secured to the arm K, rests at its forward end 7 upon the edge of
the file blank s (Figure 14), and serves to maintain the arm in the proper
position with respect to the blank. A rest or top t' is attached to the under

page_text: side of the arm K', and extends out under the arm n', to prevent it from
falling down when the cutter is not operating upon a file. Power being applied
to the driving shaft H³, the feed rolls I are revolved in the direction of their
arrows, and the cutter p' is vibrated up and down, as explained, by the pins m*
and spring o. A blank s' is now introduced between the feed rolls, as seen in
Figure 14, and passing beneath the vibrating cutter comes out at the opposite
end with one edge cut, the other edges being cut in a similar manner.
In Figures 16, 17, 18, and 19 is represented the machine for cutting
the teeth of blacksmiths' and other rasps, Figure 16 being a perspective view
of the machine; Figure 17, a plan of the under side of the cam wheel T' and
a portion of the table J, showing the manner in which the cutter carriage S
is moved back and forth; Figure 18, an enlarged view of the worm wheel
detached, one of the segments being removed; Figure 19, a view of one of
the segments h³ detached.
In the accompanying Drawings, As is the bed plate, from which rises a
heavy standard B', which supports the table J. In suitable bearings D*
on this table runs the driving shaft V, which carries at one end the driving
wheel Vs, and at the other a pinion V³ (shewn dotted in Figure 16), which
engages with the bevel wheel H* on the shaft I; this shaft I gives motion,
through the gears J, K, L, to the shaft as, which runs in bearings. in the
framework, and carries the worm wheel M³, which engages with the pins b³
on the square rod ; this rod slides up and down in guides projecting
from the standard B, and has a mortice in its upper end, in which is inserted'
the tang of the rasp blank N, which is thus fed up as required. The blank N".
is supported by a rest d³, projecting from the top of the standard B³, and is
held in place by the bent wire c'. As it is necessary that the blank should be
fed up intermittently after each traverse of the cutter across its face, the
thread, upon the worm wheel M³, is constructed with four inclines or lifts ³,
the portions of the thread between these inclines being horizontal. . The
thread and the inclines are arranged to play between the pins 5, and
thus as the wheel M³ revolves the inclines elevate the pins and the rod c³, and
the blank is fed up as required. For the purpose of regulating the feed of
the rod c³, and consequently the distance between the rows of teeth, the
wheel M³ is made with four segments ", which are secured to the shaft a³
by screws passing through the slots g³ (Figure 19), by which means they can
be raised or lowered on the shaft a, and the amount of rise can be adjusted
as required.
For the purpose of throwing the feeding mechanism out of gear when it is
desired to run down the rod-c, in order to introduce a new blank, the shaft 1³ is

page_text: The wheel 0³,
furnished with a collar k³, which is secured to it by a spline and feather, whereby it
may be raised or lowered on the shaft. This collar has on its under side a tooth
(not shewn in the Drawings), which engages with either one of four ratchet teeth t
on the wheel J', and thus when thrown into gear the feeding up of the blank at
the proper time is insured. This feeding of the blank takes place immediately
after the cutter has made the last tooth of a row. The collar k³ has a groove
cut in it, in which plays the thread & upon the wheel m³, to which is secured a
handle n³, and thus as this handle is turned the collar k³ is raised or lowered
and the shaft 15 is coupled or uncoupled with the gear J.
which carries the cams p³ that operate the chisel or cutter, is secured to the
driving shaft V. These cams operate upon an arm P, projecting from the
cutter shaft Qo, from which projects the cutter head R. The cutter is secured
in a mortice in this head by a screw 9°. The wheel Os may be replaced by one
having a different number of cams, the number of teeth in a row on the rasp
corresponding to the number of cams on the wheel. The cutter is thrown after
being released from the cams by a spring, seen dotted in Figure 16, and
the arm as it descends strikes against a spring t¹, by which the cutter is raised
from off the blank the instant it has made its cut. The cutter shaft Q" is
pivotted to a carriage S, which is moved back and forth to carry the cutter
across the face of the blank to form the rows of teeth in the following
manner: The shaft I carries a wheel To, in the under side of which is cut a
cam groove s³, Figure 17. In this groove runs the roll us on the lever V*,
which is pivotted at one end to the framework at v', and at the other end is
attached to the arm Y by a screw and slot 6. The arm Y³ plays in a mortice
in a piece A¹, which is attached to the table J by screws and slots co. This
arm passes through a slot in the side of the table J, and is then secured to
the under side of the cutter carriage S by a screw and slot f³, and thus as the
wheel T is revolved the cutter carriage (through the roll u³, lever V*, and
arm Y',) is moved back and forth as required. For the purpose of regulating
the length of traverse of the cutter carriage the arm Y³ is made adjustable
in the slots 66 and f³, the piece A', in which it slides, being allowed to move
with it by the slots c¹ (Figures 16 and 17), and thus the traverse of the
carriage is made to conform to the width of the rasp being cut. The slots d
in the frame of the cutter carriage are for the purpose of regulating the
distance of the cutter from the rasp, and consequently the inclination of the
cutter, and the cutter shaft may be pivotted farther back by changing the
screws into the holes f" for a similar purpose. The wheel H is adjusted on
the shaft 1 by the set screw g', and may be moved to regulate the distance
of the cut from the edge of the blank at the commencement of each row.

page_text: The frame or standard B is made of the shape seen in the Drawings,
increasing in size from the top so as to form a solid bed to receive the blow of
the cutter.
CLAIMS.
First, the machine represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, for rolling file
blanks, and particularly the rolls E and F, the carriage P, and the holder Q,
with its spring j, also the collar m and the wheel O, with their teeth n, o.
Second, the machine for grinding the edges of file blanks represented in
Figures 5, 6, and 7, and particularly the feed rolls G³, H³, and the presser
roll 23, with the parts by which they are immediately actuated, as combined
with and applied to the grindstone C³.
Third, the machine for grinding blanks for half round files represented in
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and particularly the mandril o³, and the car-
riage E, and table F³, and the screw p³; also the method of grinding blanks
for half round files by securing them to a mandril and revolving them and
traversing them in contact with a revolving grindstone; also the method of
vibrating the blanks of half round files to form the taper by means of the
groove m³, and pins k³ and P.
Fourth, the machine for cutting the edges of the files represented in
Figures 14 and 15, and more particularly the arm K', with its guide bar r*,
and vibrating cutter arm n', and the feed rolls 13, for carrying the blank
through the machine.
Fifth, the machine for cutting rasps represented in Figures 16, 17, 18,
and 19, particularly the worm wheel M, with its thread and inclines &³, in
combination with the pins 6, or their equivalents, upon the rods co.
Sixth, constructing the worm wheel M³ in segments for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
ATA
DATIONIRI D
GEC. T. BOUSFIELD. (...)