AN IMPROVED MORTICING MACHINE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John France, of North Wharf Road, Pad-
dington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MORTICING MACHINE."
Sealed the 23rd January 1854, and dated the 20th October -1-853. - —
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John France at
the Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th October 1853.
I, JOHN FRANCE, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for AN IMPROVED MORTICING MACHINE" to be as follows:
This Invention consists in certain new mechanical arrangements. and'
combinations of parts constituting an improved morticing machine, in
which the principal features are, firstly, the connecting of a spring to
the frame of the machine, for the purpose of rendering it portable; '
secondly, a new mode of constructing certain parts for enabling them
to move more freely one over the other; thirdly, the forming of.
notches in the chisel, for the purpose of drawing out the core; and,,
lastly, a new mode of fixing and reversing the chisel:
In order the better to understand this Invention reference must be had

page_text: to the illustrative Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures
& letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, exhibits a side elevation of a morticing machine constructed
according to this Invention. Fig. 2, is a front elevation of said
machine. Fig. 3, is a front elevation of the chisel constructed ac-
cording to this Invention, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig 4, and 5,
are detached parts herein-after referred to. At each of these Figures
similar letters of reference are employed to denote corresponding parts,
in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of the Figures
respectively. At Figs. 1 & 2, A, A, marks the stand or frame of the
machine, which is secured in place by screws a, a. B, marks a spring
of lancewood or other suitable material, the heel of which is fixed into
a socket B', to keep said spring stiff'; a strut D, can be placed in one.
or other of the holes, formed in the frame A, as shown by the
Drawing at Fig. 1. C, C, marks a treddle to which one end of a
rod E, is attached by the bolt 'b; the other end of said rod is connected
to the casting F, by a bolt c; the casting F, is connected to the spring
B, by a strap d, of leather or other suitable material, and said strap is
fixed to the part F, and spring B, exhibited at Figs. 1 and 2. G, G,
marks a table on which the work is placed, and which can be adjusted
in a vertical and horizontal direction by means of screws e, f, as shewn.
h, h, mark pieces adjustable in slots for keeping the work in position,
and which can be raised or lowered and fixed by the screws i. H, marks
the chisel fixed into the casting F, as at Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 3, is an
enlarged view of the chisel, shewing the notches m, m, formed therein,
for drawing out the core. . Fig. 4, is a section through the line A, B,
at Fig. 5, and shews the manner in which the chisel H is fixed into
the casting F. g; is a socket fitting into the casting F; said socket has
a a square hole formed therein into which the chisel is placed, and the
position whereof is reversed by lifting and turning the handle I; said
handle is kept in position by a small pin : fixed therein, which catches
in a notch formed in the parts 1, 1, of the casting F, as at Fig. 5,
which is a plan view exhibiting the mechanical arrangements by which

page_text: the casting F, slides up and down the frame A, and by which the said
casting is kept in position by means of screws 7, 1. And it is the before
mentioned mechanical arrangements and combinations of parts which
constitute this Invention of an improved morticing machine."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John France in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN FRANCE, of North Wharf Road, Paddington, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for. Herself. Ier heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said John France, Her special licence
that I, the said John France, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John France, my 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 "AN IMPROVED MORTICING MACHINE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John France, 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 France, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, so be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention relates to machines employed for cutting mortices in

page_text: wood, and consists in the use and employment of certain new me-
chanical arrangements and combinations of parts in the construction
of such machines, whereby they are rendered portable, and are equally
efficient in their action; but occupy less space than morticing machines
as heretofore constructed.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible,
I now proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for
carrying the same into practical effect, reference being had to the illus-
trative Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a morticing machine, constructed
according to my said Invention. Figure 2, is a front elevation thereof.
Figure 3, is an elevation of a chisel constructed according to my said
Invention, and drawn to an enlarged scale. Figures 4, and 5, are
detached parts hereafter referred to. At each of the foregoing Figures
I employ similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in
so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of the Figures
respectively,
At Figures 1 and 2, A, A, is the stand or frame of the machine, to
which are connected the following parts:-B, is a spring formed of
lancewood or other suitable material, the lower end whereof fits into a
socket C, formed in the standard A to the upper end of the spring B,
I securely fix one end of a leather strap D, by a clip d, and I pass said
strap over a pulley E, and attach the other and opposite end thereof
to a sliding casting or tool holder G, the construction of which will
be better understood by reference to Figure 5, where it will be seen (as
also at Figure 1,) that the upper part of the standard A, is formed.
with V shaped projections, against which the parts 1, 2, of the casting.
G, slide. H, is a rod, connected by its upper end to a pin h, and by its
lower end to a treddle I, by a pin i, the fulcrum of said treddle being a
pin at K. At Figures 1, 3, and 4, L is a morticing chisel which I con-
nect to the casting G, in the following manner:-Through the part g
of the casting G, I form a circular hole, into which I fit a taper shaped

page_text: piece of metal M (shewn'at Figure 4), which has a taper square hole
formed through it to receive the upper part of the chisel L; (shewn,
detached at Figure 3); N, is a handle which fits upon the upper; part.
of the aforesaid chisel, and serves to turn or reverse the position thereof,
for squaring the ends of the mortice; O, is a table on which the work
to be morticed is placed, said.table being. capable of adjustment in the
casting O', in a vertical and horizontal direction by means of screws
and, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2; P, P, are pieces adjustable in slots
or staples formed in the casting O (as at Figure 2), said pieces being
employed for keeping the wood in proper position during the 'opération
of morticing; Q, Q, are screws, one to each of the p
'pieces
P for securely
fixing the same in the desired position; R, is a strut of wrought iron
for-regulating the power of the spring-B, by placing the strut in one
or other of the holes r, at Figure 1.
The operations of this machine are as follows:-The wood to be
morticed is placed upon the table O, the workman then places his foot
upon the treddle I, by which the chisel L is moved downwards and
through the wood, and upon the pressure being removed from the
treddle, the elastic force of the spring B raises the chisel up, and so on
alternately during the forming of the mortice, the wood being fed to
the chisel by hand during the operation; or a slide may be placed
upon the table, and actuated by a pinion taking into a rack fixed to
or formed upon the under side of said slide; a hand wheel being fixed
upon the spindle upon which the pinion is fixed for imparting motion
thereto; and I would also remark, that instead of working the above-
mentioned machine by exerting pressure upon a treddle in the manner
herein-before described and represented, pullies may be adapted thereto,
and a band passed over them, said pullies being actuated by steam or
other motive power, and when this is the case the treddle I may be
lispensed with.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of an im-
roved morticing machine, and in what manner the same is to be and
may be performed, I would remark, in conclusion, that I do not claim
he exclusive use of any of the separate parts above mentioned and
eferred to; but what I claim is, the combining together of such several

page_text: parts, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before particularly
described, set forth, and represented by the illustrative Drawing here-
unto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John France, have hereunto set
niy hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JOHN HALE FRANCE,
1, Park Place Terrace,
Harrow Road.
JOHN FRANCE. (L.S.)