Improvements in Parallel Vices.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1894
Complete Specification Left. 26th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1895
Improvements in Parallel Vices.
JOHN ADAMSON of 19 The Avenue Sandy Hill Road, Woolwich in the County
of London Engineer and VICTOR LISTER of 59 Nightingale Vale Woolwich in
the County of London Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The object of this invention, is to be able to disconnect the nut of a parallel vice
from the sole plate, by suitable mechanism to be hereafter more particularly
described.
The principle of the invention, is that in turning the screw in one direction
instantly fixes the nut to the sole plate, thus producing the necessary resistance for
gripping articles as in ordinary vices, and by turning screw in the opposite direction,
releases the nut; the loose jaw being then free to move, or slide, by hand, in either
direction to, or from, the fixed jaw. The methods for producing these results, are
necessarily numerous, but it must be clearly understood that the principle in each
case is rigidly adhered to viz. that turning the screw in one direction fixes the
nut, and turning screw in opposite direction release the, unt; a few of the better
ways are described as follows.
In the first arrangement, a square threaded screw is used which is fixed to the
moveable jaw, so as to slide with this jaw, but free to be rotated in its place; on
this screw is a solid nut, which, by rotation of the screw is able to move longi-
tudinally through a short space in either direction.
On the sole plate a rack is cut the teeth of which must necessarily be buttress
shape to resist longitudinal motion, this sole plate with the rack, forms part of fixed
jaw. On the solid nut is pivoted a lover of the first order one end of which has
teeth suitably ent to gear with rack, as above described; the other end of which
by rotating screw receives motion by passing under stops suitably placed on the
moveable slide, thus, turning the screw in one direction moves the nut, and, con-
sequently the pivoted rack lever under a stop, which engages the rack on the chil
of lever with the rack in sole plate, and by turning the screw in the opposite
direction disengages the rack lever by another stop suitably placed.
Or, the lever may be dispensed with and the same result produced by cutting
teeth in the under side of the nut, so as to engage with those in sole plate, the nut
is then placed in or out of gear by two inclines suitably placed, that the screw
turned in one direction raises the nut, and the loose jaw is free to slide by hand,
and when screw is turned in opposite direction engages nut with the sole plate, thus
rigidly fixing it when the jaw is used as in ordinary vice.
In another way for producing same result, the teeth in sole plate may be
dispensed with and the teeth cut in under side of nut. On the sole plate is pivoted
a lever of the second class, the end of which has teeth cut so as to engage with
teeth in under side of nut, this alternate engagement, and disengagement, may be
produced by a cam lever suitably placed, under one end of lever.
In parallel vices for carpenters, and joiners, the following arrangement may be
adopted it is not essential to have a solid nut.
The sliding jaw as before holds a square threaded screw and also a rack in the
sole plate as previously described but the solid nut is dispensed with.

page_text: A lever of the first class is pivoted to a sheave on the square threaded screw,
which sheave, is free to move longitudinally in either direction but cannot rotate
with the screw, one end of this lever has teeth suitably cut, to engage with those
on sole plate, where as in the other end of lever teeth are cut so as to form segment
of a worm wheel; then the rotation of screw gearing with segment of a worm
wheel, turns the worm lever upon the pivot attached to sleeve, and consequently
engages the other end with rack, at the same time the worm wheel end of lever
forms a nut with square threaded screw.
JOHN ADAMSON.
VICTOR LISTER.
JOBS ADAMSON of 86 Margret Villa Purrett Road Plumstead in the County
of London, Engineer late of 19 The Avenue Sandy Hill Rond Woolwich and
VICTOR LISTER of 59 Nightingale Vale Woolwich in the County of London,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The principle of this invention is as follows:-
1st. By rotating the screw in one direction it fixes the nut to the sole plate thus
producing the necessary resistance for gripping articles as in ordinary vices.
2nd. By rotating the screw in the opposite direction it releases the nut from
solo plate. The loose jaw being then free to move or slide by hand independent of
the screw to or from the fixed jaw any distance within range of vice slide.
3rd. Or the alternate engagement and disengagement may be affected by means
of cam lever which cam lever lifts the rack lever into gear with rack cut in under
side of nut.
In the first arrangement Fig. 1 in accompanying drawing, a square, V shaped or
buttress threaded screw S which is fixed to moveable jaw but free to rotate in its
place.
On this screw S is a solid nut; by rotation of screw this nut is free to move
longitudinally in either direction through a short space. On the sole plate is a
rack R. the teeth of which must necessarily be buttress shaped, so as to resist
longitudinal strain.
This sole plate with rack forms part of fixed jaw. On the solid nut is pivotted
(as shown in drawing) a lever of the first order, one end of which has teeth cut in
it, so as to engage with teeth in rack of sole plate, while the other end is free to
pass under lng or projection P. When the screw S is rotated in one direction,
the nut N moves towards fixed jaw, and the teeth of lever L pass under projection
or lug P, and are fixed down in gear with teeth of rack; then the nut being fixed
further rotation of screw S draws the loose jaw towards fixed jaw, and thus grips
the material between jaws J J.
By rotating screw S in opposite direction, the nut N moves away from jaw,
consequently, the lever L passes from under the projection P, whilst the tail end
of lever passes under projection P, and is such that it own weight is sufficient to
lift the rack end of lever Lout of gear with rack of sole plate, and the loose jaw is
free to slide by hand independent of screw S.
Or, as in Fig. the lever L may be dispensed with, and the same result
produced by having teeth cut in under side of mut N, so as to gear with teeth in
rack of sole plate. When the screw S is rotated in one direction, the nut N passes
down the inclined plane P', and the teeth of nut N engage with teeth of rack;

page_text: then the nut is fixed and further rotation of screw S brings the jaws J J together,
thus producing the necessary pressure on the material between jaws of vice.
When the screw S is rotated in the opposite direction, the nut N travels away
from jaw, and passes up inclined plane P, and is thus lifted out of gear with teeth
of rack in sole plate; then the loose jaw is free to move by hand independent of
screw as in Fig. I.
Another method which enables us to slide the jaw by hand independent of screw,
Fig. III.
Teeth are cut in under side of nut. On the sole plate is pivotted a lever L,
the end remote from pivot, having teeth cut in it so as to engage with teeth in
under side of nut N the engagement and disengagement of lever L with rack
in under side of nut N, is produced by cam lever L' as in drawing.
In parallel vices for carpenters where it is not so necessary to have a solid nut,
the following arrangement is adopted.
Fig. 1V. The sliding jaw as in Figs. I and II carries a screw S, and the sole
plate has teeth cut in it." A lever L is pivotted on a sheave C, which sheave, is
free to slide over top of thread of screw S, and can also more longitudinally in
either direction but this sheave cannot rotate.
One end of lever L has teeth cut in it so as to engage with those of sole plate
as in Figs. 1 & 11, while the other end of lever L has teeth cut in it so as to form
the segment of a worm wheel, which teeth gear with the thread of screw S, and
thus form the nut. When screw S is rotated the teeth in end of lever L gearing
with screw S rotate round pin P and the other end of lever L passes into gear
with teeth of sole plate, and the further rotation of screw S draws the loose jaw
towards the fixed jaw. When the screw S is rotated in the opposite direction the
nut or worm segment of lever L revolves round pin P thus bringing the other
end of lever L out of gear with rack in sole plate; then the vice is free to
move by hand, independent of screw, as in the other cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
The arrangement of engaging and disengaging levers or nuts with rack in
sole plate, in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.