The
core of Brace No.3 has the mounting for the gear shaft separate from
the
main housing of the ratchet mechanism, and this makes it so much less
rigid
that the main gear readily slips out of engagement with the pinion
gear.
Three Millers Falls geared braces
by George Langford, Sc.D.
Details
of Millers Falls Geared Brace No.3:
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a. Core arrangement b. Gear wheel attachment c. Catalog illustration of the same brace
The
core of Brace No.3 has the mounting for the gear shaft separate from
the
main housing of the ratchet mechanism, and this makes it so much less
rigid
that the main gear readily slips out of engagement with the pinion
gear.
However, the screw has one redeeming innovative feature: Its tip is conical and serves to force either or both ratchet pawls out of engagement with the ratchet wheel of the brace, so the pawls cannot interfere with the operation of the gears, whatever was their initial condition.
The
main gear wheel & crank of geared brace No.3 are secured with a
slotted
screw that is not intended for ready removal.
Catalog
21 of the Montgomery & Co. distributor illustrates the identical
geared
brace. It is billed as having a three to one speed ratio
available
with the gear wheels for use in drilling; and a spare set of chuck jaws
(missing in the physical specimen) was provided for drilling with twist
drills less than one-eighth inch in diameter. Note that the
illustrated
chuck shell is larger than the one presently on the physical specimen,
suggesting that its identification with Millers Falls may not be
accurate. Return
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