IMPROVEMENTS IN BIT BRACES
Year: 1885

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BIT BRACES (a communication from Hiram E. Fuller of New York, United States
of America, Mechanical Engineer), and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to Bit Braces, the object being to provide an improved
construction of brace whereby the attachment of the bit may be accomplished
without the delay and inconvenience incidental to the usual screw cap or sleeve.
A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction of
bit braces to render them less expensive in manufacture, and to adapt them to
receive and retain a bit by the withdrawal and release of a sliding sleeve.
The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts
hereinafter fully described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.
In the Drawings:-
:-
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a brace embodying this invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view taken at a right angle to the section line of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an end view of the brace, and
Figure 4 illustrates the clamping jaws and the shank.
A represents a portion of the handle of the brace provided with a shank B having
a recess B¹ to receive the clamping jaws. Said shank is formed also with an
elongated slot 6 through which passes a transverse pin C which screws a sliding
sleeve D upon the shank.
E. E. represent the clamping jaws of the brace secured within the outer end of
the shank B by cross pins e. e.
These jaws are recessed at their outer ends e¹. e. to grasp the square end of the
bit, and are formed interiorly with a seat for the bit; said jaws are tapering in
form to leave an annular space F between them and the sleeve D which latter
encloses the jaws as shown in the drawings, when the bit is secured. The inner
ends el. e, of the jaws E E are bevelled as shown in Figure 4.
A coil spring G surrounds the jaws E. E. within the sleeve.
at its inner end against the shoulder g. g. formed upon the
sleeve D.
Said spring bears
outer end of the

page_text: From the construction thus described it will be apparent that when the sleeve D
is withdrawn from the outer ends of the jaws the latter will separate to receive
the bit.
The pin C of the sleeve slides within the slot b of the shank to contract the
spring G. After the bit has been secured the sleeve is released and the force of the
spring will return it to securely clamp the jaws together upon the bit.
The bevelled ends e". el. of the jaws allowing the latter to have a slight
lodgitudinal play when the spring G is released, thus bringing the bevelled
ends e¹. e, in contact with the pins e. e. and forcing saw ends together to securely
clamp the inner end of the bit.
The improvement is susceptible of slight alteration in its details hence it is not
limited to the precise construction shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1st In a bit brace the combination of the shank formed with a transverse recess
at its outer end, of clamping jaws formed with bevelled inner ends, and secured by
cross pins extending across said recess, a sliding sleeve and a coil spring secured
between the jaws and sleeve, the whole being arranged substantially as described
whereby the jaws are allowed a slight longitudinal movement to securely hold
the bit.
2nd In a bit brace the combination with a recessed shank, a coil spring and a
sliding sleeve, of clamping jaws loosely secured within said recess by cross pins and
bevelled at their inner ends whereby the jaws are forced together by the contact of
their bevilled ends within the cross pins, substantially as described.
Dand th d d of Tona 1005