Horizontal boring machine with adjustable head, tailstock, etc of conventional type. Fitted with world's first numerical control system (made by British Thomson Houston) with punched cards for determining position of boringhead depth.

Made by Kearns. Used at British United Shoe Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

This horizontal boring machine is a very early example of a British numerically controlled machine tool. It is the first numerically controlled boring machine. It was built by H.W. Kearns & Co. Ltd, of Broadheath in Altrincham. Although it began as a standard boring machine it has been fitted with a numerical control device. The control system was developed by British Thompson Houston to automatically position the cutting tool. A series of punch cards were inserted into the control panel of the machine. They provided the co-ordinates for the drill bit, and the machine automatically followed the instructions. The manufacturers claimed that it halved the time taken by a manual boring machine to complete a specified job. This machine was used by British United Shoe Machinery Co. Ltd of Leicester to make machines for the boot and shoe industry.