Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-06-25
Mi5fellaufons Artifks,
REMARKABLE INVENTION.


Some time ago it was announced that a
citizen of North Carolina had invented an
Engraving Machine which was not only
remarkable but wonderful in its operation.
If the inventor had been citizen Of Europe
or of some Yankee State, he would at once
have obtained q reputation as an; extraordi-
nary genius; but the old proverb, that ga
prophet is not without honor save in his
own country" is as fully verified i'm this
old State today as it was in Judea eigh-
teen hundred years ago. But we are graf
flied to see that the North Carolina inven-
tors are attracting some attention in New
York. We learn that the room where the
machine is on exhibition is crowded every
day with visitors-practical engravers, lith-
ographers and scientific men generally, who
are astonished at the working of the ma
chine. -s..-a-
The N. Y. Journal of Commerce makes
the following notice Of the Engraving Ma. Nj
chine: ...5iiitss<,: !. :&iiff% !
aSTwo citizens Of .Leaksyille, N. c., en-.
gagged in the watch and jewelry business,
having occasion to do much engraving on
metal, and finding that sort of work rather
slow by hand, sought to invent a machine
for the purpose. Their names are j.. G.
Guerraut and B. J. Field Truly necessi.
ty is the mother of invention; for without
any familiarity with the mechanical arts,
outside Of their particular line, and with
nothing to guide them but their own tai.
ents, they constructed an apparatus that
supplied their want. One, Of its earliest
achievements was to engraye the Lords
Prayer in microscopic characters inside of a
wedding ring. Under powerful magnif.
er all the letters are seen distinct and per:
feet. One thing leads to another, and in
the course of their labors they discovered
that the same mechanical, principle could
be applied to the making of fine engravings
on steel or copper, or wood; to the execu.
ton of.the most delicate medallion and &c.
ometrical lathe work in fact, to the per-
formance of every task where graver is
required. il Having no knowledge of contri-
fvances now exclusively employed by bank
note engravers for ruling and various orna-
mentations, they got up machine which
included mastery of all that, and all the
fcommon everyday toll Of the burin besides.
Such drudgery as engraving the rollers for
calico printing, or door plates, or stencil
plates, is done as easily as slicing cueum-
bers. Pictures or designs can be reduced
with the precision Of the Photographic cam
era. The worker, who can learn the whole
art in two or three hours, has nothing to do
but follow with tracer the lines of any
design, and sharp point Of steel at the
other end of q series of levers cuts q plate
of metal or block of wood. His hand
moves with thefree sweep of a good penman,
and the graver unerringly obeys him. The
adjustment of q rod determines whether the
copy shall be the same size in all respects
as the original, or smaller to almost infinite
extent. While his hand is outlining letters
an inch long, the steel point may be repro
ducing them so small as to be invisible ex-
cept by the microscope. The apparatus,
though very simple, considering the diverse
kinds of service which it can PERFORM can
not clearly be described without diagrams.
While it reminds one of Blanchard's lathe,
the photograph and the ruling machine in
some respects, it is clearly an original in
vention, and has numerous useful capaci-
ties peculiar to itself. Persons who are in
terested in works of mechanical ingenuity
and art may be gratifed by a call upon
Messrs. Guerrant & Field, at No. 2O7 Pearl
street, where two of the machines are in
oneration. .' ..'