AN IMPROVED FLOOR CRAMP
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Green and James Green Hirst, both of Leeds, in:
the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FLOOR CRAMP."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Green and James
Green Hirst at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May,
1877.
JOSEPH GREEN and JAMES GREEN HIRST, both of Leeds, in the County of York.
"AN IMPROVED FLOOR CRAMP."
These improvements have reference to floor cramps now in use for closing floor
boards and retaining them in position on the joists during the fastening down
operation. We provide a metal standard in which is fitted a closing ram.
In order to give the required motion and effect we provide over it, in suitable
bearings on the standard, a screw; this screw may be caused to revolve by means
of bevel gearing actuated by a hand wheel. The hand wheel shaft, on which also.
is carried the intermediate bevel wheel, is mounted over the screw and in a vertical
direction, so that it is always free to be worked instead of being placed horizontally
as in the machines of ordinary construction.
In order to give motion and effect to the closing rammer we attach thereto a
nut, into which the herein-before mentioned screw works; this may be of ordinary
construction.
By causing the screw to revolve right or left, the closing ram may be brought
to bear upon the floor boards or withdrawn therefrom.
In order to keep the dust from the working parts we enclose them under a
suitable cover. *
Our improvements further refer to the means employed for fastening the cramp
to the joists previous to being employed for closing purposes; this consists in:
having a fixed rack, into which corresponding teeth provided on the washer
employed under the nut of the ordinary stud belonging to the cam lever pass.
In the ordinary way, when being adjusted in the slot in the side bracket to suit
the various thicknesses of joists, the security of the position of the stud in the slot
.

page_text: 'has depended upon the tightness of the nut which frequently slipped out of
position.
According to our improvements, upon the toothed washer being forced into the
fixed rack no slipping can take place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Green and James Green Hirst in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th November 1877.
JOSEPH GREEN and JAMES GREEN HIRST, both of Leeds, in the County of York.
"AN IMPROVED FLOOR CRAMP."
These improvements have reference to floor cramps now in use for closing floor
boards and retaining them in position on the joists during the fastening down
operation. We provide a metal standard in which is fitted a closing ram.
In order to give the required motion and effect we provide over it, in suitable
bearings on the standard, a screw; this screw may be caused to revolve by means
of bevel gearing actuated by a hand wheel. The hand wheel shaft, on which also
is carried the intermediate bevel wheel, is mounted over the screw and in a vertical
direction, so that it is always free to be worked instead of being placed horizontally
as in the machines of ordinary construction..
In order to give motion and effect to the closing rammer we attach thereto a
nut, into which the herein-before mentioned screw works; this may be of ordinary
construction.
By causing the screw to revolve right or left the closing may be brought to bear
upon the floor boards or withdrawn therefrom.
In order to keep the dust from the working parts we enclose them under a
suitable cover.
Our improvements further refer to the means employed for fastening the cramp
to the joist, previous to being employed for closing purposes; this consists in
having a fixed rack into which corresponding teeth (provided on the washer
employed under the nut of the ordinary stud belonging to the cam lever) pass.
In the ordinary way, when being adjusted in the slot in the side bracket to suit
the various thickness of joists, the security of the position of the stud in the slot
has depended upon the tightness of the nut which frequently slipped out of
position.
According to our improvements, upon the toothed washer being forced into the
fixed rack no slipping can take place.
And in order that our Invention may be more completely understood, reference
is given to the accompanying Drawings and to the marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents an end elevation; Figure 2, a side elevation, illustrating the
manner in which we carry our Invention into effect.
a is the metal stand, in which is fitted the closing.ram b.
In order to give the required motion and effect we provide over the closing
ram b, and in suitable bearings c and d on the standard a, the screw e; this screw e
may be caused to revolve by means of the bevel gearing f and f³, actuated by a
crank handle or hand wheel g, or its equivalent. The hand wheel shaft h, on which
also is carried the intermediate bevel wheel f¹, is mounted in the bearings i and ¹
on the standard a, and in a vertical direction over the screw e, so that it is always
free to be worked instead of being placed horizontally.
To the closing rammer 6 we attach thereto a nut j, into which the screw e

page_text: It will be readily understood that by causing the screw to revolve right or left the
closing ram may be brought to bear upon the floor boards or withdrawn therefrom.
In order to keep the dust from the working parts we enclose them under a
suitable cover k.
Our improvements further refer to fastening the cramps to the joists previous to
being employed for closing purposes; this consists in having a fixed rack on the
standard a, into which corresponding teeth m on the washer n pass, such washer n
being employed under the nut o of the ordinary stud p belonging to the cam
lever q.
In the ordinary way, when being adjusted in the slot to suit the various thick-
nesses of joists, the security of the stud p in the slot has depended on the tightness
of the nut o, which frequently slipped out of position.
By our improvements, however, in having a toothed washer n and rack l nó
slipping can take place.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and shown by Drawings
how the same may be carried into practice, we would have it understood that we
do not limit ourselves to the exact limits, details, or configuration of the various
parts we have explained and shown, as the same may of course be varied or
modified without in any way departing from our Invention, but what we do claim
and desire to be secured to us by Letters Patent is,—
First. The arrangement and application of rack and toothed washer n, sub-
stantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement and combination of the various parts forming the floor
cramps, substantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
-
In witness whereof, I, the said James Green Hirst, for myself and on behalf
of the said Joseph Green, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth
day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven
0 Witness to the signature of the said
James Green Hirst,
10
5
WM. FAIRBURN HART,
Messrs. A. K., & J. W. Harding,
2, East Parade, Leeds,
and 1, Booth Street, Bradford.
JAMES G. HIRST. (L.S.)