Letter, William Gleason to James Gleason
A letter from William Gleason to his son, James Gleason. William reports that work has been busy and that other companies similar to theirs are “dull,” meaning they are not doing as well. He predicts that his other son, Andrew, will one day be a “very good machinist.” William provides a detailed, illustrated description of his new invention. He tells Jim that he expects him to come home during his school break in March.
[page 1]
William Gleason,
Manufacturer of Machinists Tools,
Office, Brown’s Race,
Rochester, N.Y., Feb 17th 1889
Dear Son
Your letter of 3rd was received
I was well pleased to hear you speak off your
progress in your studys and am
anxiously loocking forward to the time
when you will be through and again in
the Harness. Andrew is makeing good
progress at the trade he will be a very
good Machinist by the time that you
are through. We have all the work that we
can do. at fair prices and are steadily
but slowly gaining on the Road to independence.
When we are all to work, it will be a big step
towards the finale. End aimed at. One thing
that Encourages me is that all the Other tool
builders are dull. and I. have so mutch
work. I. dont mean that I. am glad that they are
dull Only as a comparison it loocks good
to be so busy. it shows that the tools off
our make are on the top shelf so far as
improvements and quality goes.
[page 2]
2.
the improvement that Kate mentioned on the
Lathe feed is about as follows I. dont put the
[froyg?] in the head as usual but simply one gear
on the main spindle, and one on the
stud, to cut left hand threads I. have made
a quadrant with two slots at an angle off
about 45 deg to each other and use two studs
mutch the same as other makers so far except
a slight difference in design the friction feed
is reversed in the apron there is two bevel
gears on the screm facing each other and one
between them they are far enough apart so that
when thrown centred which moves them end ways
½” they are out off mesh and entirely disconnected
from the feed works so that when the screm is
[rendneing?] they are not driveing any thing
there is a [illegible] on the end off the gear nearest
to the Shear Knot similar to the old one.
it is held in a brackett similar to the old one
only it is not bolted to the apron but is fitted
in to a frame similar to Shear Knot frame with
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3
slide horizontaly insted off verticaly by cutting some
teeth in the brackett makeing a Rack off one
Edge. and running a [straf?] through the apron
with some teeth on the end meshing in to the
brackett. With a handle on the outside
a movement of handle throws the sleeve gear
in or out off mesh as desired. So far it is
simply a feed works. With a reverse off
feed in apron desirable on long lathes but
off not any particular meritt on short ones
Now comes the improvement the handle that
throws the gear insted off being a straight lever
is made with a segment off a circle on the
outer end and on the shaft that throws
the Shear Knot is a little wheel
with one side flatted when the
lever is centred and the
gears disconnected the gap
in lever at a [refer to drawing] is at the Shear Knot
handle and then and only then
can the Shear Knot be thrown in
[labels for drawing]
Shear Knot
handle
a
Handle
that throws
the bevel gears
[page 4]
makeing a complete lock without the addition
off a single piece off anything added Except the
little blank wheel on Sh Knot Handle and the
Enlargement off the Lever it is a neat loocking
rig and all toogather I. think it one off the best
improvements that is out and puts one Lathe
ahead off Everything so far. We will be Expecting
you home at vacation
From your Father
William Gleason