IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VICE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION CONSTRUC-
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Moreton Marchinton, of the firm of Marchinton
Brothers, of Bruce Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Machinists,
&c.. for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VICE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Moreton Marchinton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th September 1855.
I, JOHN MORETON MARCHINTON, of the firm of Marchinton Brothers, of
Bruce Works, Sheffield, in the County of York, Machinists, &c., do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF VICES" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements of
adjustable vices of a simple and economic form, whereby the jaws of the vice
may be adjusted to grip tapered objects, and the vice may also be adjusted
to take in a greater variety of sizes of objects than the ordinary existing vices.
The jaws of the vice are opened or closed by a screw in the ordinary manner;
but according to one modification, the front jaw is hinged at the lower end of
its shank to a joint piece, which is also hinged, so as to turn horizontally on a
vertical joint pin passed through a projecting lug on the main stem or shank
of the back or fixed jaw. By these means the front jaw can be turned slightly
and be adjusted to tapered objects, so as to grip them more firmly than vices of
the ordinary construction. The upper portion of the shank of the back jaw is

page_text: embraced by a collar fixed to the work bench. It is made octagonal or
polygonal at the part where it passes through the collar, and is tightened
or fixed in any desired position, according to the object to be gripped, by
means of a key passing transversely through the collar.
According to another modification, the shank of the front jaw is hinged to a
joint piece, which is also hinged to turn horizontally on the end of a square
sliding bar, passing through the stem of the back jaw, in place of being hinged
to a lug in the stem itself, as in the first-described arrangement. By this latter
arrangement the front jaw may be slid in or out by simply adjusting the square
sliding bar, which is effected by means of a small lever handle and a link, which
is jointed at one end to the handle, and at its other end to the end of the
sliding bar. A small screw pin is screwed through the back of the hinged joint
piece for the purpose of fixing the moveable jaw of the vice parallel to the fixed
jaw when the vice is not intended to grip a tapered object, the moveable jaw
being either fixed parallel or left free to adjust itself to a tapered object by
simply screwing or unscrewing slightly the small screw pin above referred to.
'The working centre of the lever handle for actuating the square sliding bar is
in the side of the main stem or shank of the vice, so that by turning the lever
accordingly the sliding bar with the front jaw may be slid in or out, as found
desirable, and and may be fixed in position by set screws and a stop pin dropped
into corresponding holes in the sliding bar. The lower end of the main shank
or stem is screwed and fitted with a nut to adjust the height of the vice on
the bench.
In both the above-described arrangements of vices helical springs are sub-
stituted for the ordinary blade springs; the helical springs being made to expand
vertically, and to press against a projecting lip or flange on the inner side of
the shank of the front jaw, whilst their lower ends rest upon the joint piece
herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent; filed
by the said John Moreton Marchinton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, JOHN
MORETON MARCHINTON, of the firm of Marchinton Brothers, of Bruce Works,
Sheffield, in the County of York, Machinists, &c., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Moreton Marchinton, Her special license that I, the said John
Moreton Marchinton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Moreton Marchinton, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF VICES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Moreton Marchinton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 I, the said John Moreton Marchinton, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrangements
of adjustable vices of a simple and economical form, whereby the jaws of the
vice may be adjusted to grip tapered objects, and the vice may also be adjusted
to take in a greater variety of sizes of objects than the ordinary existing vices.
The jaws of the vice are opened or closed by a screw in the ordinary manner;
but according to one modification the front jaw is hinged at the lower end of
its shank to a joint piece, which is also hinged, so as turn horizontally on a
vertical joint pin passed through a projecting lug on the main stem or shank of
the back or fixed jaw. By these means the front jaw can be turned, and
be adjusted to tapered objects, so as to grip them more firmly than can be
effected by vices of the ordinary construction. The upper portion of the
shank of the back jaw is embraced by a collar fixed to the work bench.
It is made octagonal or polygonal at the part where it passes through the.
collar, and is tightened or fixed in any desired position, according to the object
to be gripped, by means of a key passed transversely through the collar.
According to another modification, the shank of the front jaw is hinged to a
joint piece, which is also hinged to turn horizontally on the end of a square
sliding bar, passing through the stem of the back jaw, in place of being
hinged to a lug in the stem itself, as in the first-described arrangement. By

page_text: this latter arrangement the front jaw may be slid in or out by simply
adjusting the square sliding bar, which is effected by means of a small lever
handle and a link, which is jointed at one end to the handle, and at its other
end to the end of the sliding bar. A small screw pin is screwed through the
back of the hinged joint piece for the purpose of fixing the moveable jaw of
the vice parallel to the fixed jaw when the vice is not intended to grip a tapered
object, the moveable jaw being either fixed parallel or left free to adjust itself
to a tapered object by simply screwing or unscrewing slightly the small screw
pin above referred to. The working centre of the lever handle for actuating
the square sliding bar is in the side of the main stem or shank of the vice, so
that by turning the lever accordingly the sliding bar with the front jaw may be
slid in or out, as found desirable, and may be fixed in position by a stop pin
screwed into one of a series of corresponding holes on the under side of the
sliding bar.
The lower end of the main shank or stem may be screwed and
fitted with a nut to adjust the height of the vice on the work bench.
In the above-described arrangements of vices helical springs are substituted
for the ordinary blade springs; the helical springs being made to expand
vertically, and press against a projecting lip or flange on the inner side of the
shank of the front jaw, whilst their lower ends rest upon the hinged joint piece,
herein-before described.
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.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an adjustable vice constructed
according to one of my modifications.
A and A represent respectively the front or moveable and the back or
stationary jaw of the vice. The front jaw A is hinged at B to the small
block C, which block is hinged or turns horizontally on the vertical joint pin D,
passed through the lug E, which is forged or fitted on to one side of the main
stem F of the vice. G is a small set screw, passed through the front of the
hinged block C, and entering a short distance into the fixed lug E, so that
when screwed up tight the hinged block C will be fixed, and the vice may be
used as one of the ordinary construction; but when the end of the set screw G
is withdrawn from the lug E, the block C and front jaw A will be free to turn
horizontally, and adjust itself to any tapered object placed horizontally between
the jaws.
The spring H is of a helical form; it rests upon the hinged block C, and
bears at its upper end against the projecting lip or flange I on the stem of the
moveable jaw, its upward pressure tending always to keep the jaws open. The

page_text: spring is guided or kept in its place by the prolongation of the joint pin D.
The back jaw A' is held fixed to the bench by the collar J, which grasps the
upper octagonal portion K of the stem, a transverse key L driven through
the collar serving to tighten its grip on the octagonal portion of the stem. By
removing this key the entire vice may be placed at any angle most convenient
for working, and fixed therein by again inserting the key. The lower portion
of the stem may be screwed for the purpose of adjusting the height of the vice
on the work bench; but I may here observe that I lay no claim to this mode
of adjusting the height of the vice, although I have shewn it in my Drawings.
In the vice represented in side elevation at Figure 2, the front jaw A is
hinged similar to the first-described arrangement to the block C, which, in place
of being jointed horizontally to a fixed lug, is jointed by the vertical pin D to
the rectangular sliding bar E, working through a corresponding opening in the
stem F of the back jaw A', its adjustment being effected by the link M, and
small lever handle N, jointed at O to the stem of the vice.
By this arrangement, the front jaw may be moved forward to grasp large
objects by simply pulling forward the handle N, and the bar may then be fixed
in its place by a pin P, Figure 2ª, screwed into any one of the series of holes
in the under side of the sliding bar. In place of the joint pin D being pro-
longed to form a guide to the helical spring, it has simply a head formed on
its upper end, over which the base of the spring is fitted, whilst the upper
portion of the spring is kept in its place by a small projection or knob on the
under side of the lug or flange I, as will be clearly seen on referring to the
Drawing. The other portions of the vice remain the same as in Figure 1,
and are indicated by corresponding letters of reference.
In the arrangement of vice represented in side elevation at Figure 3, the
stem of the moveable jaw A is bent or cranked slightly at its lower end, in
order to bring the joint B or centre of action in a direct line or nearly so with
the two gripping faces of the jaws. By this means the tendency which the
front jaw has to rise on opening the vice according to the arrangements shewn
in Figures 1 and 2 will be obviated. The working centre or pivot D is made
in one piece with the block C.
Figure 4 represents a fourth modification of adjustable vice, with its centre
of action or joint B in a line or nearly so with the gripping faces of the jaws.
In place of a helical spring, I have shewn an adaptation of the ordinary
blade spring H; this spring being curved at its lower end to fit into the hollow
or recess of the hinged block C, to which it is secured by a small screw, as
shewn in the Drawing, whilst its upper end bears against the inner side of the
stem or shank of the moveable jaws. The working centre or pivot D is made

page_text: in one piece with the block C, as in Figure 3, in place of being a separate
pin, as in Figures 1 and 2.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the construction of vices to render them capable of adjusting them-
selves' to horizontally tapered objects by connecting the lower end of the front
or moveable jaw. to a block working horizontally round a vertical joint pin or
pivot, passed either through a fixed lug on the main stem of the vice, or through
the end of a sliding bar, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of the adjustable sliding bar, and the mode
of adjusting and fixing the same when adjusted, as herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of adjusting the horizontal position of the vice on
the work bench by means of a key and collar embracing an octagonal or
polygonal portion of the main stem, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the system or mode of fixing the front jaw of the vice so as to
render it suitable for gripping parallel objects by means of a set screw or pin, as
herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use of helical springs or vices, arranged as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Moreton Marchinton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN MORETON MARCHINTON. (L.S.)