under construction 4-21-08

Morse Taper

A taper on a shank or socket that is one of a standard series having specified dimensions and angles.

The word Morse is a proprietary term in the United States.

1894 Machinery (N.Y.) Nov. p. ii (advt.) The Standard Tool Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Manufacturers of..Taps, Milling Cutters, Morse Taper Reamers;

1896 R. GRIMSHAW Shop Kinks 96 'Morse' and 'American' Tapers. There are still shops which have twist-drills and sockets of the old 'American' taper, and sometimes it is bothersome to work them in with the 'Morse', as the American is 9-16 inch to the foot, and the Morse is inch.;

1930 Engineering 25 Apr. 539/2 The centres, both of the workhead and tailstock..are 2 in. in diameter. They have shanks with a No. 6 Morse taper. ;

1964 S. CRAWFORD Basic Engineering Processes v. 114

The barrel is hollow, at one end a morse-taper bore locates the dead centre, and also provides the location for drill and reamer shanks. ;

1971 B. SCHARF Engineering and Its Language x. 87

Morse tapers which are numbered from 0 to 7 make it possible to interchange drills, sockets, etc. as required; 1991

Traditional Woodworking Apr.-May 28/3

Most lathes have both the spindle and the barrel through-bored, with the inner ends prepared to accept what is known as a Morse taper.