Mortising and Boring Machine

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


The annexed engraving is a perspective view of an improved machine for mortising and boring the hubs of wheels, &c. The inventor is N. C. Travis, of Canistota, Madison Co., N. Y., who has taken measures to secure a patent for his improvements, which consist in giving a reciprocating motion to the mortising tool, and a rotary motion to the boring tool by the same tool stock. A is the bottom support of the machine and a a the posts; a hub is placed on the table below the mortising tool, R. This hub can be moved backwards and forwards on a slide by a screw working below: B is the driving axle, and C is the driving pulley which is kept continually revolving by a band from any prime motor; 0 is a clutch collar, and L is a disc on it to which is secured eccentrically a reciprocating arm, N, which is attached to a guide slide pin, b, and connected to the boss, 0. This collar is secured to the slide stock, K, by the screw, P"; R is the mortising tool or chisel, it is fastened.in the stock by a screw passing through the lower collar. Th clutch collar, O, which carries the eccentric plate, L, is made to gear with the shaft B, by a clutch on the other side, and not seen, but which gears the collar by simply sliding it horizontally inwards. The eccentric plate, L, will then revolve, and the arm, N, will receive an up and down motion at the top, which will give the stock, K, a vertical reciprocating motion, so as to make the tool, L, cut a mortise in the hub. This is the manner of working the mortising tool. It must be observed that the pinion, I, is loose like a collar around the shank of the stock, K, but it has a feather inside which gears into a slit in the upper part of the stock, when the upper spindle, H, receives a rotary motion. When it is desired to bore in the hub with an auger, the stock, K, must receive a rotary motion. This toolj R, is then replaced by an auger or bit, and the collar O, is thrown out of gear with the shaft, B, by the clutch spoken of before. The thumb screw, P, is also unscrewed, so that the stock, K, cannot be operated by a reciprocating motion through the plate. L, and arm, N. The band wheel, D, when the mortising operation is performing, is out of gear with the driving shaft, B, so that the pinion, J, is then stationary. To gi-ve the stock, K, a rotaiy motion, the band wheel, D, is geared to the shaft, B, by a clutch on the other side (not shown); this band gives motion to pulley, G, the horizontal spindle, H, and bevel wheel, I, which latter diives the pinion, J, and gives rotary motion to the stock, K, thereby making the tool bore out the hole in the hub. The pinion, J, rests in the stationary boss of the top plate of the frame; Q is a spring pressing on the head of the stock, and keeping it snug and free from vibration. Thus two motions are communicated to the stock,K, to actuate different tools and perform entirely dissimilar operations. This machins therefore combines the qualities of mortising and boring, the tool for the former operation having a reciprocating, and for the latter a rotary motion. More information may be oWained by letter addressed to the inventor.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 21This article was published with the title “Mortising and Boring Machine” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 21 (), p. 161
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02051853-161b

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe