IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MORTISING,. TENONING, AND BORING HARD OR SOFT WOODS AND DRILLING IRON
Year: 1865

page_text: DETTERS PATENT to James Curtis, of 4, Napier Place, Dalston. Rise,.
-N.E., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MORTISING,.
TENONING, AND BORING HARD OR SOFT WOODS AND DRILLING IRON."
Sealed the 27th April 1866, and dated the 2nd November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Curtis at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd November 1865.
I, JAMES CURTIS, of 4, Napier Place, Dalston Rise, N.E., do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MORTISING, TENONING, AND BORING HARD OR SOFT WOODS AND DRILLING IRON,"
to be as follows:-
The first part of my improvements relating to machinery for mortising and
tenoning consists of a spindle carrying a chisel at one end and a core driver
at the other, and so constructed that it will turn topsy turvy in order that a
core driver or a chisel may be used at pleasure. By this arrangement the
core may be immediately expelled at the completion of the mortice, which
hitherto has only been accomplished by passing the material a second-time.
through the machine; or two chisels or two drills or augers of different sizes
may be used alternating with each other. At each end of the spindle are
two spiral projections coiling half way round it, and which when brought in
contact with a claw cause it to make half a turn, and thereby reverse the face
or bevel side of the chisel. The spindle with its bearings is fixed to a shuttle

page_text: working between the two parallel sides of the frame of the machine, and
receives an upward motion by means of a counterweight and a downward
motion by the aid of a lever which has a shifting fulcrum. One end of this
lever is connected to the shuttle and the other to an eccentric or crank shaft,
which when set at work imparts a rocking motion to the lever. The fulcrum
is at first close to the shuttle and gradually increases its distance therefrom
until the required length of stroke is gained. This motion causes the chisel
to but slightly prick the wood at first, and to go deeper and deeper until it
reaches the full depth required, it also makes it capable of being worked by any
motor, and of exerting the greatest amount of power where there is the
greatest amount of resistance. When driven by manual power it relieves the
workman from the sudden jerking which is common to all other machines.
The depth to which the chisel is to penetrate being by the above described
arrangement capable of regulation, my improved machine will be found of
great advantage where mortices are required of a certain depth, as hitherto
workmen have always had to guess the depth of the chisel in the material.
The second part of my improvements relates to a bar or rest, which consists
of four rollers set in a straight line on a horizontal bar, one at each end and
two in the middle, and which are kept in constant motion by the passage of
the material over them and the possibility of any core remaining upon them
is thereby prevented. This bar or rest is supported in the centre upon a
bracket, and can move to any angle at which it may be desired to mortice or
bore the material. At the bottom of the bracket is a claw working by its
own gravity in a rack, so that when heightened or lowered to suit different
widths of material it falls of itself into its place and becomes fixed without
the aid of any additional mechanism. Boring is performed by a rotatory
motion communicated from the eccentric or crank shaft to the spindle carrying
the auger or drill, and as the motion comes direct from the driving shaft iron
may be drilled with the same facility as in a lathe. Should any accident
happen to the lever or to any part connected therewith the. shuttle may be
'connected directly with a treadle and be worked after the ordinary manner.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto, me, the said
James Curtis, Her special licence that I, the said James Curtis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Curtis, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MORTISING, TEHONING, AND BORING HARD OR SOFT WOODS AND DRILLING IRON,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Curtis, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 James Curtis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto annexed;
and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters of
reference placed thereon, similar letters of reference being placed upon and
denoting similar parts, where such parts appear or may be seen at each of the
Figures respectively.
Figures 1, 2, and 8 being front, side, and back views of one of my improved
mortising and tenoning machines of the most simple construction; Figures
4, 5, and 6, similar views of a machine combining further improvements, but to
be driven like the, first by hand power; Figures 7, 8, and 9, front, side, and
back views of a machine similar to that shewn, Figures 4, 5, and 6, excepting in
so far that it is arranged for working by steam or other motive power instead
of by hand, and is provided with a moveable fulcrum; and Figures 10 to 26.
various parts of my improved machinery shewn detached, and drawn to a
larger scale than Figures 1 to 9, in order that their construction and arrange-
ment may be more easily seen and comprehended.
A, A, in all the Figures indicates the framing of the machine, which is of
iron, and in the machine shewn Figures 1 to 6 is screwed below to the floor;

page_text: and above to a projecting bracket or beam, but in the machine shewn,
Figures 7, 8, and 9, it will mostly be screwed to the flooring only; B, a
shuttle or slide which moves up and down between the two parallel sides of
the frame A, A, being connected to a treadle C by the connecting rod H and
springs J, J, at the back of the machine (see Figures 2 and 3 and' enlarged
at 14 and 14*). D is the tool-holder which has turned bearings in the
shuttle B, so that it moves up and down with B, and also turns on its own
axis so that it may be reversed by means of the handle Y which drops into a
slot either on one side or the other of B, and thus secures D in the required
position (see Figure 14). E is the bed or rest over which the material
passes to be morticed; it may be raised or lowered to suit the different widths
of material, as may be seen at Figures 7, 8, and 9; it is fastened to the
frame A, A, by the wedge Q (Figure 10, which is an enlarged plan view)
and by projecting claws at the back which lodge in the racks of the frame A, A,
(see Figure 12, which is a side section of rest). F is a fence which reaches
from one end of the rest E to the other; it has a slide a, a, at each end to
set it up when E is lowered down, as in Figures 7, 8, and 9. The perpen-
dicular slides a, a, are serewed to the horizontal slides b, b, (see Figures 1, 2,
and 10) which enables the fence F to be drawn forward or backwards
according to the distance of the mortise upon the material; d, d, are stops to
prevent the material from rising with the tool.
Figures 11 and 13 shew, in plan view and side section, a rocking rest, by
the use of which the operator, while morticing or tenoning his material, is
enabled to place it at any desired angle so that he may mortise, bore, or tenon
the material at that angle (see Figures 4, 5, and 6). The bracket e, e; rises
or lowers, and is fastened to the frame A, A, by the same method as the solid
rest, herein-before described, that is to say, by wedge and claw; it is separate
and independent of the rest E, which is screwed to it at the centre c,. upon
which E rocks from angle to angle; at the bottom of this bracket e, e, is a
projection to relieve the centre c from the severity of the blows to which the
rest E is subject. The bracket e, e, has a toothed rack in form of a semi-
circle described from the centre c, and also a couple of quadrants or compasses
at the back which oscillate from the same centre so as to circumscribe the
semicircular toothed rack (see Figures 11, 6, 13). On the back of the rest E
are two claws placed equidistant from each side of the semicircle; each claw
falls by its own gravity upon the toothed semicircle, and prevents the rest
from rising to any greater angle than required; these claws fall on either side
of the semicircular rack sooner or later accordingly as the slide stop is set
nearer or further from the semicircle. When a claw passes the quadrant it

page_text: is forced off and falls back upon the slide stop which admits of that side
passing up till the claw gets beyond its own perpendicular, when it again falls
on, and the claw on the reverse side then passing the other quadrant is in its
turn forced off, and so on as required. A slight pressure from the band of
the operator upon the side that is rising is sufficient to keep the claw firmly
against the rack, and by pressing upon the descending side at every stroke. of
the tool, the claw takes another tooth until the required angle is gained.
Figure 26 shews, drawn full size, one of four rollers which are screwed
upon the rest to give it an easy surface, over which the material may pass
without any possibility of core remaining upon it. These rollers may be fixed
any distance from the centre of the rest according to the length of the material;
Figure 7 shews their position in the machine.
Figures 15, 16, 17, and 18 are enlarged views in side section, sectional plan,
and back view of the shuttle B, as applied to the machine shewn Figures 4
to 9. It has a projection at top and bottom (see Figure 15), which circum-
scribes the circle K, upon which are the bearings for the tool holder D; the
circle K revolves upon its own centre, so that D, which has a tool at each
end, may be turned topsy turvy, and either tool be used alternately. The
centre of the circle K has a T-shaped axle, which is set at right angles with
the holder D, and being pressed together between the jaws of the vice formed
by the two spiral springs b*, 6*, (Figure 17,) which keep it horizontal, thus
keeps the holder perpendicular. On this axle is a cog wheel ƒ (see
Figures 15 and 16)..
Figure 18 shews a rack of cogs equal in length to one-half the circumference
of this wheel f, and when the holder is required to be turned over topsy turvy,
by lifting the handle g (see Figures 4 to 8) the rack is placed by the con-
necting rod in such position that it comes in contact with the wheel f,
as shewn, Figure 18, where the dotted lines indicate its position when not
in use.
Rotary motion is communicated from off the shaft P (as seen, Figures 9 and
19), by means of the driving bands h, h, to the pulleys i, i', and from thence to
the cogs j, j. j communicates motion to the cog k, which drives the spindle 1,
on which is keyed a pinion gearing into another pinion on the spindle m,
which gives motion to the mitre wheel n, and this latter gearing into the
teeth of the cog on the tool holder D sets the tool in motion. Where steam
power is not used, as at Figures 4, 5, and 6, the driving bands h, h, pullies i, i¹,
and cog wheels j, j', and k are dispensed with, and the handles o, o', (see
Figures 4 and 6,) are substituted, in order to give the rotary motion to the
tool. The shuttle D is drawn up by the counterweight L and spring J (see

page_text: Figures 5, 6, and 9), to which it is connected by a chain passing over a pulley
wheel at the top of the parallel frame A, A.
It will be observed that the position of the spring J here differs from that
shewn, Figures 2 and 3, because the counterweight L is required to pass down as
the shuttle B passes up, so as to admit the projection on the top of the counter-
weight L to pass through a groove in the rack p (see Figures 5, 8, 16, and 18);
this projection securely holds the rack p against the cog wheel f until it has
entirely past, and by bearing upon the cranked end of the rack forces it to
the position shewn 'in dotted lines, Figure 18, the projection ascends through
the groove, which holds the rack p securely off until the wheelf has passed
below. It will be seen that by this motion the rack p can be only placed
in position for the contact with the wheelf when this wheel is below the
rack, and therefore the circle K can only be turned in its passage. By the
position of the rack in relation to the circle it can only turn the circle when it
has just left the material.
The tool holder in Figures 4 to 9 has at one end, or, if desired, at each
end, two spiral projections, each coiling half way round the tool holder, the
one beginning immediately above where the other ends, so that they
encompass it. When it is required to reverse the holder the operator pulls
out the stop M (Figure 5), which then leans against the claw N, and by the
weight keeps it out, (as at Figure 8,) the claw N is thus brought forward,
comes in contact with one spiral projection, and by forcing its ways past it
turns the holder D half way round to reverse the bevel or face side of the
tool. On the descent of the holder D the under side of the spiral striking
the claw N sends it back to its original positions, as at Figure 5. Upon the
holder D, and close against the lower bearing is a flat surface, shewn in sec-
tional plan at Figure 20; against this flat surface is a plate q, which is forced
against it by the two springs r, r, (see Figures 16 and 20,) the effect of which
is to always keep the tool square, whether chisel or tenon cutter. When
boring or drilling is to be done the springs may be removed or be forced down
by the press screws 3, 5. As the circle K passes down with the holder D, the
side on which is the projection u (see Figures 4 and 7) forces its way past
the catch t, which then rises and takes into the notch of the projection u, and
as the circle returns the catch t forces the chisel out of the perpendicular, and
thereby propels the material for the next cut. After the circle has passed t,
it returns to its perpendicular position by the force of the spiral springs upon
the Taxle of the circle, as shewn, Figure 17.
The shifting fulerum which I use in the machine shewn, Figures 7, 8, and 9,
is shewn detached and enlarged in plan and side section and side view at

page_text: Figures 21, 22, and 23. It consists of a principal lever S, having a slot
in which works a moveable fulcrum to; this lever is connected to an eccentric
or cranked-shaft P (see Figures 9 and 19) at one end, and to the connecting
rod H at the other. To keep the principal lever S within a regular radius,
auxilliary levers X with fixed fulcrums are placed on each side of the frame A
which supports the moving fulcrum of S. At each end of the moveable
fulcrum is a compound rack and ratchet slide x, as shewn, Figures 24 and 25,
which slides in a way on the frame A. A pawl U takes into the teeth of the
rack x, and secures it from moving either one way or the other, and a claw Y
takes into the ratchet teeth of the slide a, in order to propel the fulcrum by
each motion of the auxilliary levers X; R, cranked balance, which draws the
claw Y back at every stroke when freed from the pressure of the auxilliary
lever; Z is a screw which regulates the guage of the claw according to the
tenacity of the material operated upon, the lower it is screwed down the greater
the number of teeth the claw Y takes at each stroke; Ta pulley wheel which
carries the line for the weight W, the object of which is to draw the slide
back when relieved from the claw Y and paul U (see Figures 7, 8, and 9).
The various positions assumed by the shifting fulcrum during the work are
illustrated, Figure 22. Figure 19 plan view of machine, shewn Figures
7, 8, and 9.
The working of the machine, shewn Figures 1, 2, and 3, is as follows:-
To make a mortice-Having placed the material upon the rest E, by pressing
it against the fence F (which the operator will have previously set to the
distance of the mortise on the material, the operator grasps the fence F, and
the material between his fingers and thumbs, and by pressing down the treadle
C with his foot communicates the same motion to the shuttle B which contains
the tool and tool holder, and thus brings the tool against the material, he then
relieves the pressure on the treadle C, which is raised up by the springs J, J.
He then passes the material to the tool by the motion of his thumbs, and
repeats the same action as before described, until he arrives at the end of the
mortice, when by turning the handle Y to the reverse side, he reverses the
bevel or face side of the chisel, and the perpendicular motion is again repeated
until the other end of the mortice is attained. Tenoning is effected by the
same action but with a double cutting tool, which cuts away each side of the
material, leaving the tenon in the centre. A rotary motion might be applied
to the spindle by means of metre cog wheels and handles as at Figures 4 to 6,
and this machine be used for boring or drilling if required. This machine is
extremely light, weighing rather less than 100 lbs., and being in three

page_text: different parts, namely, frame, treadle, and rest, may be packed into a very
small compass, and is therefore easily portable.
The machine illustrated, Figures 4, 5, and 6, works in the following
manner The material is placed upon the rest E, and the fence set for the
distance of the mortice on the material as for the machine previously described,
the slide stops at the back of the rest E (as seen at Figure 6) are set as
before described, at such distanco from the toothed semicircle as will permit
.the claw to fall on at the required angle, the quadrants or compasses being
set of sufficient height to force the lower claw off, when the claw on the
opposite side falls on. The operator now grasps the material and passes
it to the tool as described for the previous machine, or by means of the
catch t, t, (shewn Figs. 7, 8, and 9,) and at each stroke of the chisel presses
more heavily on one side of the rest than on the other, causing that side to
descend until it has gained an angle which brings the claw into contact with
the quadrant or compass, the effect of which is to force the claw off on one
side, and the claw on the reverse side falls on the toothed semicircle, and
thereby prevents the rest from rising any higher. The claw on the lower side
having now been forced by the compass back against its slide stop admits of
that side passing up to the same angle. On the operator arriving at the end
of the mortice, he pulls out the stop M, thus bringing the claw N in contact
with the spiral projection on the tool holder (as shewn Figure 8) which
forcing its passage past the claw N reverses the bevel or face side of the chisel:
use this arrangement in this hand power machine because I find that the
motion is quicker and therefore more advantageous than the handle Y
(Figure 1); but its application to the steam power machine Figures 7 to 9
is indispensable.
I
Having performed this operation on both sides of the material, and com-
pleted the mortice, the operator raises the handle g, which causes the circle K
to make one half revolution in its passage upwards, and thereby turn the
holder D topsy turvy, and the core driver this time passing through the
mortice clears it of its core; when this is completely effected the operator
again raises the handle g, which causes the circle K to make another half
revolution, and thereby brings the chisel downwards when the mortice is com
plete. When the core driver is not in use a tenon cutter may be placed so
that material may be tenoned at each end, and the mortice chisel or tenoning
tool may be used as required. In boring or drilling with this machine a drill
or augur is substituted in the holder in lieu of a chisel, both claws at the
back of the semicircle are placed upon the semicircle, which makes the rest

page_text: E a fixture at any desired angle, and by pressing on the treadle C and turning
the handles o a rotary motion is given to the spindle, as before described in
reference to Figure 16.
The machine shewn, Figures 7, 8, and 9 may be worked by steam or any
other available power, and operates in a precisely similar manner to that
shewn Figures 4, 5, and 6, excepting as regards the driving gear and the
moveable fulcrum. It is here shewn worked by means of a treadle which
produces a rotary motion on a cranked shaft P*, which is communicated from
thence by a pulley wheel and endless band to the upper shaft P, which is
necessarily in a line at right angles to the centre of the stroke of the shuttle B,
because if the endless band which is connected from thence to the shuttle B
were above this line it would prevent the downward passage of the shuttle B,
and if below the endless band would slacken and thereby cease to give the
rotary motion to the spindle or tool holder which is attached to the shuttle B.
The shaft P has in its centre a crank or eccentric of such size as will produce
the greatest stroke required in the shuttle B; from this crank or eccentric a
connecting rod S* passes to the principal lever S, to which it imparts a
rocking motion to the extent of that stroke (see Figures 8 and 9). The
fulcrum w (Figure 22) now being near the rod H, which is in connection
with the shuttle B, it will therefore be seen by the position the fulcrum is
now in that the shuttle receives a short but powerful stroke, which is particu
Jarly necessary at the commencement of each mortice. The two auxilliary
levers X,X, which have fixed fulcrums on the frame A, A, are connected to
the lever S at that end which receives the rocking motion and keeps it within
a regular radius. Connected to each end of the fulcrum w is a compound
ratchet and rack slide, as shewn, Figure 24 (one on each side); the claws Y
lodge in the teeth of the ratchets -x, x, and when the auxilliary lever is up
they are drawn back by the cranked balance R. such a distance as the
screws Z, Z, will permit on the auxilliary lever X, X, descending a stop on the
auxilliary levers X, X, push the pawl U off, and the claw Y forward, and
thereby moves the fulcrum on the auxilliary levers' X, X, reaching the full
extent of their stroke; the stop having gone beyond the radius of the catch
on the pawl U; this latter is immediately released, and falling by its own
gravity into the rack securely locks the fulcrum w while the
pressure is
placed upon it, and also while the claws Y, Y, are passing back to regulate
the next stroke.
20
It will here be observed that the fulcrum is caused to traverse as the slot
of the principal lever S arrives at the same angle which the fulcrum wis

page_text: caused to traverse, and also while the tool is leaving the material, that is to
say, as the shuttle moves upwards. These motions are repeated until the
fulcrum arrives at the centre of the principal lever S, which will then have
the same motion at each end. By raising the handle g* the claws Y, Y, are
lifted from off the teeth of the ratchet x, x, and on the next stroke of the
auxilliary levers X, X, which releases the pawl Ụ from the teeth the fulcrum
is drawn back by the weight W.
It will be observed that the fulcrum not only traverses backwards from the
.connecting rod H, but also downwards at the greatest angle the lever S
produces, the object of which is that the stroke communicated to the shuttle
shall increase downwards each time the fulcrum moves, and not upwards,
which would be the case if it traversed horizontally only. By placing a
handle in connection with the crank balance R in such a manner that it may
be kept up, the fulcrum may be stopped at any certain distance, and thereby
the chisel continue to work only at that depth. In drilling with this machine
the connecting rod from the crank or eccentric must be thrown out of gear,
and the bands h, h, placed upon the pulley wheels on the shaft P which
communicate the motion to the pulley wheels i, t, at the back of the shuttle B,
as seen, Figures 16 and 19. Supposing two drills or augurs of different sizes
are required to be used alternately, the tool holder may be turned topsy turvy
as before described, and the cog wheel k then receives it motion from ¹, and
not from j, as in the first instance. It need scarcely be observed that j and j¹
are not upon the same level, that in one position the centre of the pinion
wheel k is one inch below the centre of the circle, and on being turned over
it comes in contact with, which is one inch above the centre.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which it is carried into practical effect, I would here observe that I do not
confine myself absolutely to the precise details herein described and illustrated
on the accompanying Drawings, as modifications might be made in the shape
and construction of some of the parts without any departure from the principle
of the machinery; and that I claim as the "Improvements in Machinery for
Mortising, Tenoning, and Boring Hard or Soft Woods, and Drilling Iron,"
secured to me by the above in part recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly, the general construction and arrangement of each of the three
morticing, tenoning, and boring machines illustrated on the annexed Drawing,
and herein-before described, substantially as set forth and shewn.
Secondly, the rocking rest which permits morticing, tenoning, and boring at
an angle, substantially as described and shewn..

page_text: Thirdly, forming the surface of the bed or rest by rollers capable of being
set at any required distance apart, whether applied in one of the machines
herein-before described, or to any other mortising, tenoning, or boring machine.
Fourthly, the tool holder containing a tool at each end with spiral pro-
jections, by which the chisel may be reversed, and the mechanical arrange-
ment shewn, Figure 18 of the Drawing, which permits its being turned topsy
turvy at pleasure.
Lastly, the use of a moveable fulcrum not only in its application to
morticing, tenoning, and boring machines constructed according to my Inven-
tion, but also its application to any description of morticing, tenoning, or
boring machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Curtis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JAMES CURTIS. (L.S.)