AN IMPROVED MORTICING MACHINE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Varvill, of No. 30, High Ousegate;.
York, Wholesale Ironmonger, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MORTICING MACHINE."
Sealed the 23rd March 1854, and dated the 23rd September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Varvill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd September 1853.
I, ROBERT VARVILL, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion 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,
the leading features whereof are as follows:-Firstly, the use and
application of a catch to the chisel for the purpose of drawing out the
core as the chisel is moved upwards in the act of morticing. Secondly,
a new mode of attaching the chisel to the reciprocating spindle.
Thirdly, an improved mechanical arrangement for actuating the chisel
and reversing the position thereof. The nature of this Invention
will, however, be better understood by reference to the illustrative

page_text: Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures & letters of
reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1, 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 back elevation thereof. At Sheet 2, Fig. 4,
is an end elevation of a portion of the chisel and spindle drawn to an
enlarged scale; Fig. 5, is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 6, is a
detached part herein-after referred to. At each of the Figures of these
Sheets of Drawings 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 Sheet 1, A, marks the stand and
bed of the machine, to which is bolted a standard B. C, is a spindle
working through guide holes at D.; the lower end C, of said spindle is
formed of the shape exhibited, and has. holes formed therein for the
reception of the upper end of the chisel E, which is connected thereto,
and has liberty of circular movement in the spindle C, by means of a
pin G, passed through a hole in said spindle, & attached to a spring
handle G', as exhibited at Figs. 4, and 5, of Sheet 2, which pin takes
into a grove or channel a, as exhibited. H, marks a spring handle
fixed in the chisel E, for reversing the position thereof. At Sheet 2,
h, is a catch piece, fitting into a recess formed in the chisel, to which
part it is connected by a pin or screw b. At Sheet 1, I, marks a lever
handle, the fulcrum whereof is a pin c, passed thro' the wrought iron
forked piece K. The handle I, is connected to the spindle C, by a pin
at d. L, is a serew for connecting the table M, upon which the work
is placed to the bed of the machine. Thus it will be seen that as the
chisel descends and enters the wood in the act of cutting the mortice
the 'catch h, will be forced into the recess in the chisel, and by the
upward movement of the chisel the catch h, projecting from the side
thereof will lift the core out; and this mode of clearing the chisel will
be found a great improvement in morticing machines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Varvill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT VARVILL, jun', of No. 30, High Ousegate, York, Wholesale
Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Varvill, jun", Her
special licence that I, the said Robert Varvill, jun", my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert
Varvill, jun', my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Robert Varvill, jun', 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 Robert Varvill, jun', do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the.
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
.
My Invention relates to the construction of machines such as are
employed for cutting inortices in wood, and consists in the use and
employment of certain new mechanical arrangements and combinations
of parts constituting an improved machine for the above purpose. The
leading features of my said Invention are, firstly, the use and application

page_text: of a hinged catch to the chisel for the purpose of drawing out the core as
the chisel is moved upwards in the act of morticing; secondly, a new
and simple mode of connecting the chisel to the vertical reciprocating
spindle; thirdly, a new and simple mode of connecting the spindle or
chisel holder to the lever employed for actuating the same for the pur-
pose of enabling the position of the chisel to be readily reversed; and
fourthly, an improved mechanical arrangement for actuating such said
chisel, and reversing the position thereof, and for securely holding the
chisel whilst in the act of morticing.
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
illustrative Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures
and letters of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1, Figure 1, exhibits a side elevation of a morticing
machino constructed according to my said Invention. Figure 2, is a
front elevation of such said machine. Figure 3, is a back elevation
thereof. At Sheet 2, Figure 4, is an end elevation of a portion of a
chisel and spindle constructed according to my said Invention, and ex-
hibited drawn enlarged. Figure 5, is a side elevation of the aforesaid
chisel and spindle. Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, are detached parts
herein-after referred to. At each of the foregoing Figures of each of
these Sheets of Drawings 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, 2, 3, of Sheet 1, A, A,
is the stand or bed of the machine employed for supporting the following
parts, which are connected thereto as follows:-B, is a cast iron
standard formed hollow to receive another standard C, which fits therein,
the same being securely connected thereto in the manner and for
the purpose hereafter fully described, set forth, and represented at
Figures 1, 3, and 8, of Sheets 1, and 2. D, is a weighted lever, the
fulcrum whereof is a pin 1, passed through said lever, and through
a hole in a vibrating lever E; this lever passes through a slot in the

page_text: lever D, and the lower end of the lever E, is formed forked, as
exhibited at Figure 11, of Sheet 2, for connecting it to the standard C;
the upper end of the vibrating lever E, passes through a slot or
opening formed in the standard C, and the weighted end of the lever D.
also passes through another slot in said standard, and I employ the
lever D, for the purpose of imparting reciprocating movement to the
chisel G, which is connected to said lever in the following manner:-
It will be seen upon referring to Figures 1, and 2, of Sheet 1, that
there are bearings or brasses affixed to the standard C, through which
passes a spindle H, same being connected to the lever D, by a ball and
socket joint produced by constructing the spindle H, and lever D, in
the manner exhibited in detail at Figures 6, and 7, of Sheet 2. And
I would here remark that this mode of connecting the chisel holder to
the lever D, admits of the chisel being readily reversed for squaring the
ends of the mortices, and I effect such reversing of the chisel and
securely hold the chisel in position when reversed in the manner and
by the means exhibited at Figures 1, and 2, of Sheet 1, and Figures 9,
and 10, of Sheet 2, as follows:-I form the spindle H, with V shaped
grooves, opposite to each other, as shown at Figures 1, and 9, of
Sheets 1, and 2, and I employ such said grooves for the purpose of
enabling the position of the spindle and chisel to be reversed by means
of the handle I, (shown detached at Figure 9, of Sheet 2,) said handle
being connected to the spindle H, by set screws i, i, the points whereof
take into the grooves h, h, in the spindle. And I employ a piece of
metal K, of the construction exhibited at Figure 10, of Sheet 2,
where a, is a hole for the spindle H, to pass freely through; b, is that
portion by which the piece K, is affixed to the standard C; L, L, are
notches into which the projecting piece l, of the spring handle I, takes,
and thereby holds the handle, and consequently the spindle H, and
chisel G, in proper position when reversed, and at the same time arrests
the chisel when it has been turned half round. The chisel G, may be
connected to the spindle or holder H, by forming either a square or
round taper hole in said spindle, and by forming that end of the chisel
which is to fit therein of corresponding shape. Or, instead of this mode
of connecting the chisel to the chisel holder or spindle H, I employ the

page_text: mode exhibited at Figures 4, 5, and 5*, of Sheet 2, where it will be scen
that the lower end of the spindle has holes a, b, formed therein; the
hole a, receives the upper end of the chisel, and the hole b, receives a
pin c, (shewn detached at Figure 5,) which takes into an annular
groove d, formed in the upper part of the chisel G, as exhibited. By
this arrangement it will be seen that the reversing of the chisel is
independent of the chisel holder H, and that the said holder is not
connected to the lever by an universal joint, as at Figures 1, 6, 7, of
Sheets 1, and 2, but in the ordinary manner of forming such con-
nections. I prefer, however, for the purpose of my said Invention
employing the arrangement exhibited at Figures 1, 6, and 7, as being more
simple than that lastly above mentioned at Sheet 1. M, is a cast iron
saddle upon which the wood required to be morticed is placed, and
securely held in proper position by the screw N, and hand wheel O, fixed
thereon. P, is another hand wheel securely fixed upon one end of a
spindle p, which is mounted and revolves in bearings fixed to or
formed upon the casting Q, which is securely fixed to the bed A, of the
machine in any convenient manner. There is a pinion R, fixed
upon the spindle p, which pinion takes or gears into a rack formed at
the under side of the saddle M, for the purpose of advancing the wood
during the operation of morticing. S, is a small hand wheel fixed upon
one end of a screws, which screw works in bearings in the casting Q,
and passes through a screwed nut fixed to the under side of the said
casting, so that by turning round the screw s, the saddle M, may be
traversed so as to place the work which is thereon in proper position
for being operated upon by the chisel. And I would here remark that
when the depth of the wood is considerable the standard C, may be
raised in the standard B, and securely connected thereto by the use and
employment of a bolt 2, passed through a hole in the standard C, and
a screw nut T, in combination with a washer U, one side whereof is
notched or serrated, as also one side of the standard B, as exhibited at
Figures 3, and 8, of Sheets 1, and 2, by which I securely fix the
standard C, in any desired position. The construction of the chisel which
I employ for making mortices will be better understood by referring to
Figures 4, and 5, of Sheet 2, where it will be seen that the chisel G,

page_text: has recesses 3, formed at the back thereof, into one of which a catch 4,
is placed and connected loosely by a pin 5. The use of this catch is
to lift the core out, and thereby to clear the chisel at each cut during
the operation of morticing..
Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "An
Improved Morticing Machine," and in what manner the same is to be
and may be performed, I declare my Invention to consist in, and
I claim,
Firstly, the mode set forth and exhibited at Figures 1, 6, 7, of
Sheets 1, and 2, for connecting the chisel holder to the lever D.
Secondly, the mechanical arrangement exhibited at Figures 1, 2,
9, 10, of Sheets 1, and 2, for effecting the reversing of the chisel G.
Thirdly, the use and employment of the serrated or toothed washer U,
shewn in Figures 3, and 8, of Sheets 1, and 2, for securely connecting
together and adjusting the standard C, in the standard B.
Fourthly, the vibrating lever E, exhibited at Figure 1; of Sheet 1,
and Figure 11, of Sheet 2.
And, lastly, the general arrangement and combination of the above-
mentioned parts in the manner herein-before particularly described, set
forth, and represented, so as to constitute an entire and improved mor-
ticing machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Varvill, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
Witness,
JOHN HORNBEY,
Architect, York.
ROBERT VARVILL. (L.S.)