An Improved Vice.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 23th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Vice.
I, ROBERT STANLEY BROWN, of 33, Maple Street, in the City of New Britain,
County of Hartford and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of America,
Mechanical 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:-
This invention relates to vices, the object of the invention being to provide an
improved and simple article of this character, which is adapted, among other
purposes, to firmly clamp a saw either to sharpen or to set the teeth thereof.
My improved vice includes, as one of its features, two jaws, and a pair of links
connecting said jaws, the axis of one of the links at one end being transverse to
the clamping surface of said jaws, whereby the operation of the links in opposite
directions will swing the movable jaw toward or from the fixed jaw; and, in
connection with the jaws, an actuator is employed which serves normally to
throw said movable jaw toward its companion, and this actuator may consist of
a spring, although it is evident that said movable jaw may be operated by hand
or by some other kind of device.
The vice, therefore, includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, and these two parts
are usually connected by two superposed links, movable in parallelism, the con-
struction being such that the gripping and releasing movement of the jaw may
he caused by the manipulation of one or both of the links; and it will be apparent
that, in addition to this operation, the movable jaw will have an independent
rocking or oscillatory motion for the purpose of accommodating itself to any
inequalities or variations in the thickness of the saw-blade to be clamped.
The two links are preferably connected for movement in unison by a bar, which
may be encircled by a coiled torsional spring, acting, respectively, against the
fixed jaw and the movable jaw, and serving normally to throw the latter toward
its companion.
The vice is also equipped with means for regulating the tension of the jaw-
operating spring, and said regulating means is shown as consisting of a series of
teeth on one of the links, adapted to be engaged by one end of the spring. To
vary the tension of said spring the free end thereof will be shifted from one to
another tooth of the series.
In connection with the vice, a gage is also employed, which is adjustable, and
upon which the back of the saw can rest so as to maintain the saw in true position
and against edgewise movement.
In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1
is a front elevation of my improved vice. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,
Figs. 3 and 4 are details in sectional plan view, the sections being taken, respec-
tively, in the lines 3-3 and 4-4, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective,
showing the two links and also a device connecting the same.
Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
My improved vice includes a fixed jaw, as F, and a movable jaw, as M, said

page_text: fixed jaw having offsets, as 20 and 21, the first-mentioned of which is adapted to
rest upon a bench or table, and the latter of which carries a set-screw, as 22,
adapted to bind against the under side of the bench or table to hold the vice in
position.
The two jaws are connected at different points in their height by a pair of links,
shown as 25 and as 26, located horizontally one above the other and in parallelism,
the opposite ends of the said links being pivoted or otherwise jointed to the
respective jaws, and the several pivots being designated by 27.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the movable jaw of the device is shown as being in its closed
or clamping position and as holding a saw, as X, against the fixed or stationary
jaw F. To release the saw, the jaw M will be swung outward, either by power
applied directly to said jaw or to one or the other of the two links, but I prefer
to actuate one of the links to open the movable jaw. The upper link 25 prefer-
ably carries an actuator, as A, which is illustrated consisting of a transverse
extension fixed to the link, and having a thumb-piece 28 by which the same may
be operated in opposite directions. To release a saw from between the jaws, as
represented in Fig. 3, pressure will be applied to the actuator A to force the
same in the direction of the arrow in said figure, which operation will move the
movable jaw away from its mate.
While the actuator A may also serve to throw the jaw M into engagement
with the saw, I prefer to employ an independent actuator, serving normally to
force said movable jaw toward the fixed jaw; said actuator may consist of a
spring, as S, shown as a coiled one.
The superposed parallel links are connected for movement in unison by a bar,
as 29, shown as integral with, and depending from, the upper link 25, and as also
integral with the lower link, said bar serving to maintain the two links in
absolute parallelism during the operation of the movable jaw.
The spring S for actuating the movable jaw is represented as a coiled one,
(although it is evident that the invention is not limited to this feature,) and it
usually encircles the connecting-bar 29, and its opposite ends act against the
respective jaws. The upper free end of the coiled spring is illustrated as fitting
in the notch 35 in the fixed jaw F, while the opposite free end of the spring is
shown in engagement with one of the series of teeth 36 on the upper side of the
link 26. Should it be desired to vary the tension of the spring, the lower free
end thereof can be shifted from the position shown in Fig. to engage one of the
other teeth of the series, either to tighten or loosen said spring.
In connection with the jaws, a gage is provided, which is usually adjustably
supported by the fixed jaw, said gage being designated by G, and consisting in
the present case of a flat plate having a straight longitudinal upper edge disposed
in parallelism with the upper edges of the two jaws, and upon which the back of
ats can rest, thereby to maintain said saw-back in parallelism with the edges
of the jaws; and by reason of the adjustment of the gage, it is adapted to saws
of different widths," the object being to insure at all times the relationship just
pointed out. The upper edge 40 of the gage, as just stated, is straight, and it
forms a stable rest for the saw X while being operated upon, and it has the
parallel oblique faces 41 and 42, respectively, near its opposite ends, adapted to
fit against, and slide upon, the inclined faces 43 and 44 of the ears or lugs 45
and 46, respectively, depending from the fixed jaw F near the upper end thereof.
By raising or lowering the gage G, its adjustment relative to the jaws is thereby
obtained, and any convenient means may be employed for holding the same in a
fixed position. For this purpose I have illustrated a binding-screw 47, which
passes through the elongated slot 48 near the upper end of the gage, said slot
being, of course, oblique to correspond with the oblique faces 41, 42, 43, and 44,
and said screw is in threaded engagement with the lug 45. To change the
position of the gage from that shown in Fig. 1, the screw 47 is loosened so that
the gage can be moved either up or down, as the case may be; and when in the
correct location, the screw is tightened to hold the same firmly in place.

page_text: To clamp a saw in place, the actuator A is operated to carry the jaw M outward
and away from the complemental jaw; after which the saw X is placed in contact
with the inner straight face of the fixed jaw and against the upper edge of the
gage G, at which time the actuator A is released, and the relaxing coiled spring S,
by working against the link 26, becomes instantly effective to throw the movable
jaw into firm engagement with the saw and to also hold the same tightly in place
to be operated upon.
The saw, as the teeth thereof are filed or set, is usually fed to the right, and
this operation can be accomplished by a slight pressure thereon. If, however,
stress should be applied to the saw toward the left, while the same is under action,
the force thus exerted tends, by reason of the frictional engagement between the
saw and the movable jaw, to swing the latter further inward and into firmer
engagement with said saw, so that the thrust thus applied aids the spring in
holding the jaw in firm contact with the saw.
It will be noted that the pivotal points 27 of the links are so arranged that
when a thicker saw is inserted between the jaws, the pivotal points of the movable
jaw will be swung in the arc of a circle, so that the spring can then exert a
greater pressure on said saw, this action being due to the tangential movement
of said movable jaw. During the opening action the tension of the spring is also
increased, and the combined enhanced effect of both the jaw leverage and spring
tension is therefore exerted against the saw blade.
There are some classes of saws which are beveled, or V-shaped, in cross-section,
and for the purpose of obtaining a firm held upon a saw of this shape one of the
jaws of the clamp usually consists of two sections, one of which is supported for
tilting movement or angular adjustment relatively to the other; and the movable
jaw of the vice is thus illustrated, although it is evident that this relation could.
be reversed without departing from the scope of the invention. Said jaw M
consists of a main section 50 and an auxiliary or tilting section 51, pivoted, as at
52, to the first-mentioned part for shifting movement relatively thereto.
To set or file the teeth of a beveled saw, it is placed against the inner face, of
the fixed jaw F, it being understood that the movable jaw M is open.
ward the upper section 51 of the jaw is adjusted to conform to the angle of the
After-
saw, and when adjusted it is locked against movement. The adjusting and
locking device for the jaw-section 51 consists, in the present case, of a set-
screw 53, in threaded engagement with the offset 54 of said jaw-section, and the
lower end of which is adapted to engage the section 50.
In Fig. 2 the vice is represented as clamping a saw, the opposite edges of which
are parallel. Should it be desired to clamp a beveled saw, the screw 53 is rotated
sufficiently to effect the inclination of the part 51 so that the working face thereof
will conform to that of the saw. When this adjustment is obtained, the jaw M
is swung inward to grip the saw.
It will be evident that by reason of the pivotal connection between the movable
jaw M and the parallel links 25 and 26, said jaw may rock, so that in case there
should be any inequalities in the thickness of a saw at different points in its
length, said movable jaw will adapt itself to the differences and firmly hold the
saw, notwithstanding these defects.
I do not limit myself to the construction illustrated and described, for various
details may be altered without departing from the scope of my invention. For
example, the actuator A need not be made in one piece with the link 25, nor is
it necessary that the bar be made integral with the two links, but for convenience
and cheapness they are cast in one piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A vice consisting of two jaws and a pair of superposed links connecting
said iaws.

page_text: 2. A vice including two jaws, a pair of links connecting said jaws, and a
jaw-actuator.
3. A vice including two jaws, a pair of parallel links connecting said jaws, and
two independent actuators serving respectively to close and open one of the jaws.
4. A vice including two jaws, a pair of superposed links connecting said jaws,
and a jaw-closing actuator acting against one of the links.
5. A vice including two jaws, a pair of links connecting said jaws, and a jaw-
operating spring acting against one of the links.
6. A vice including two jaws; a pair of parallel links jointed to said jaws; a
device connecting the two links; and a jaw-actuator.
7. A vice including two jaws; a pair of links connecting said jaws; a spring
serving to operate one of the jaws; and means for regulating the tension of said
spring.
8. A vice including two jaws; a pair of links jointed to the jaws; a device
connecting the links; and a coiled spring surrounding said device and acting
against the jaws.
9. A vice including two jaws; a pair of links jointed to the jaws, one of the
links having a series of teeth; a device connecting the links; and a spring,
the opposite ends of which are adapted to engage one jaw and said teeth
respectively.
10. A vice including two jaws; a pair of links jointed to the jaws; a device
connecting the links; and two independent jaw-actuators acting respectively
against said links.
11. A vice including two jaws; a pair of links jointed to the jaws, one of the
links having an extension; a device connecting the links; and a jaw-operating
spring.
12. A vice consisting of two jaws and a pair of superposed links connecting
the same; and a gage supported by one of the jaws and having a straight edge
in parallelism with the upper edges of the jaws.
13. A vice consisting of two jaws; a pair of parallel links connecting said
jaws; and a gage having a straight edge in parallelism with the upper edges of
said jaws and adjustably supported by one of them.
14. A vice including fixed and movable jaws, one of them having a pair of
lugs having angular faces; a gage having angular faces adapted to fit against,
and slide upon, the first-mentioned angular faces, said gage having a straight
edge parallel with the upper edges of the jaws; means for holding said gage in
a fixed position; and connections between the two jaws..
15. A vice consisting of two jaws and one of said jaws comprising two sections,
one of which is mounted for angular adjustment relatively to the other; and a
link connecting the jaws.
16. A vice including two jaws; a link pivoted to said jaws, the axis of said
link at one end being transverse to the working portion of the jaws; and a spring
serving normally to throw one of the jaws toward the other.
Dated this 6th day of December 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.