IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING MACHINES AND IN THE METHOD OF ENGRAVING SCRIPT
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING MACHINES AND IN THE METHOD
OF ENGRAVING SCRIPT A communication from abroad by John Earle, of
Delaware, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1882.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENGRAVING MACHINES, AND IN THE METHOD OF ENGRAVING SCRIPT
munication from abroad by John Earle, of Delaware, State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America
A com-
The first part of this Invention relates to that class of engraving machines which
are arranged to operate on the principle of the pantograph, and it consists in the
construction and combination of devices as hereinafter more fully described and
claimed. The second part of this invention relates to the production of script
letters by means of tracing with a diamond or other suitable point from a given
pattern through an etching ground laid upon the surface of the plate to be engraved
upon and then subjecting the surface of the plate laid bare by the said point to the
action of a suitable acid. This part of the Invention consists in the method of
classifying and arranging script letters for engraving and merging the same in the
formation of words as hereinafter set forth.
In the annexed drawings which illustrate the invention
Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved engraving machine
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same
Figure 3 is a view of the interior arrangement of the carriage
Figure 4 is a section on the line. x. x. of Figure 3
Figure 5 is a section on the line y. y. of Figure 3
Figure 6 is an end elevation of carriage and ratchet wheel
Figure 7 is a reversed view of ratchet wheel
Figure 8 is a detail view of main operatio, mechanism

page_text: Figure 9 represents a diagram illustrating my improved classification of the
small script letters
Figure 10 is an engraved pattern plate
Figures 11 and 12 are pattern plates representing jointly a series of seven
different words illustrating the several class combinations of the small script letter.
a. and shewing the manner in which letters are merged in the formation of
words, and
Figure 13. representing a scale containing all the spacing lines of capitals, small
letters, and numerals.
Similar letters indicate like parts in the several views.
A. represents the frame of the machine upon which are two parallel longitudinal
rails a. a.
These rails support a carriage B which is moved thereon to any desired
position by means of the screw B¹. toothed wheel B and ratchet B³.
The carriage B supports a circular bed C. having a transverse straight edged
bar C. which is arranged at right angles with the rails.a a and line of motion of
the carriage. This bar C may be adjusted and secured in any required position
upon the bed C by means of pins or set screws engaging with the perforations c.
in the bed plate. The plate to be engraved upon is placed upon the bed C. against
the straight edged bar C. This straight edge is perfectly parallel with a straight
edge F on the table F and at right angles with the improvement of the carriage B,
consequently any series of tracings with the diamond point E on a plate arranged
on the bed C. must be straight and parallel with both right angled edges of the
plate and as long as the sweep of the machine along the straight edge F². from
end to end.
A circular movement may be imparted to the bed C by means of a worm d
which is operated by a thumb button 6 so as to engage with the cogged periphery
of the bed and thus adjust it to any desired position as indicated by a scale upon
the edge of its upper face. The shaft of the worm d is journaled in a bracket C
which is pivoted at one end to the slide C¹ and the worm d is thus held in frictional
contact with the circular bed C. by means of an eccentric C³.
It will be seen that this eccentric is pivoted at one end so that it can be drawn
out, thereby liberating the bed C from engagement with the worm or screw d and
allowing the circular bed to be rotated by hand the screw & being only used for
obtaining nice adjustments.
.
B is a lever which engages with the screw B by means of a half nut B6 as
shewn in figures 3, 4 and 5. The half nut being held to its engagement with the
screw by means of a hook B' in which the outer end of the lever is supported.
The slide C¹. is provided on its under side with a nut or lug C³ through which
passes a screw C thus enabling the slide to be operated by means of a key
engaging with the square end of the screw which projects beyond the side of the
carriage, a ratchet and pawl C', being arranged to assist in holding the slide to its
adjustment.
The screw B¹ is operated by means of the ratchet wheel B² which is keyed
thereto, and the ratchet pawl B³ which moves freely on the shaft of said screw,
moveable stops B' between which the pawl moves, being provided for regulating
any desired degree of revolution of the screw.-The movement of the carriage B
by means of the screw B¹ enables the operator when one line of lettering is
completed to move the plate lying on the bed C the requisite distance to trace
another line and so on until the desired number of lines are completed and all
equally spaced
D is a double central bar which is adjustable upon the graduated arms D¹ D¹
that are supported by means of steel rods D³ D³ attached to vertical rotating bars
De Do supported in the bracket D³ by means of the pivotal connections E. E.
These graduated arms are connected at their ends by arms or bars D³ D' the
whole forming a pantograph frame for the support of the double bar D tracing
point E and engraving points E¹.
To set the machine true, place the tracing point E in the line H near the outer
{

page_text: edge of the table F, then slide the central bar D along the graduated arm D¹ to
the proper dot or line for the size required and secure it with the binding
screws D. Then move the diamond point E¹ with the disc E along the central
bar D until the point E' drops into the line H on the circular bed C and secure it
by means of its binding screws. The line H is drawn from the centre of the lower
main pivot E' in bracket D³ and is continued from the circular bed C across the
table F and is at right angles with the straight edges C and F
The diamond point E' is always in its correct position in regard to the pivots
E and E of the centre bar D when the hand of the disc E³ is on the figure 1.
To engrave script or any other kind of lettering the position of each of the
letters with its proper space is first laid out upon a continuous strip of paper or
other suitable material F. The paper or other material is then stretched upon the
straight edge F³ and secured beneath the flat clamps Fl. The plate G containing
the pattern is then placed against the edge F' with its proper spacing line agreeing
with its corresponding line drawn upon the paper and secured by screwing down
the sliding clamp screw F, said clamp being held by the rubber spring Fa
sufficient height above the table F to admit of the pattern plate passing readily
under it. After which proceed to trace the letter, first lowering the diamond
point E¹ by means of the lever E³ and cord E. When the tracing is finished the
clamp screw is slackened and the pattern plate moved along the straight edge
to the next letter, or another plate containing the letter to be used may be
substituted and the operation continued until the whole line is finished, the
clamp screw F³ following up the plate along the slot F to any position desired.
There are two sets of slots and two positions for the straight edge Fª which is
interchangeable.
By means of this machine engravings on steel copper and other metal plates are
obtained with great facility. The plate to be engraved upon is under complete
control and can be moved with great nicety in any desired direction.
In carrying out the second part of this invention the twenty-six small letters of
the script alphabet as shown in Figure 9 are divided according to the similarity of
their form to the left or on the left side of the letter, into classes, of which I prefer
making 7 the number-Each letter of a class has drawn, from a uniforın position
in relation to the letter, on its left side a perpendicular line to the upper edge of
the pattern plate, Figure 10, and these lines are marked with the number of the
class to which the letters belong as previously determined.
In order to space the small letters with each other, a sufficient number of each
letter is provided, each of which is provided with a different hair line, from the
extremity of which a perpendicular line is drawn and numbered to agree with the
class line number of any other letter with which it is to connect by causing the
two lines to merge, see Figures 11 and 12.
The capital letters have spacing lines on the upper margins of their plates
numbered to agree with the class lines of the small letters with which they space,
and are spaced with them by making their respective lines to merge Figures 10. 11.
and 12
To space words with each other according to my method, the final letter of each
word must be the one having the class 4 or 8 hair line as this line is longer and
finishes better than the others, besides furnishing a uniform point from which to
space for the following word. For this purpose a scale is provided (see near centre
of bottom edge of Figure 13) which scale is employed by making the line drawn
on it and marked a hair line agree or merge with the perpendicular line drawn
from the extremity of the air line of the terminal letter and then marking from
the scale the position of the line agreeing in number with the class line of the first
letter of the succeeding word, then causing the class line of that letter to agree or
merge with it.
8
When a word ends with an a the line on the scale marked s line is used to
measure from instead of the line marked a hair line and proceed as before.
8
When the succeeding word begins with a capital letter it is spaced with the

page_text: preceding word by making the arrow-line indicating the extreme left side of the
capital agree or merge with the perpendicular line drawn from the terminal or a
hair line of the preceding word, or if that word ends with an a the space of the
scale from the a hair line to the a line is adjusted.
8
8
Figure 10 is a reduction of two plates of a series containing all the letters and a
numerals necessary to produce any combination of words and figures-The plates
are engraved on both sides-Figure 11 and 12 represent jointly a series of seven
different words illustrating the seven different class combinations of the small
letter a on one of the plates Figure 10. Figure 13 is a reduction of the scale
containing in a condensed form all the spacing lines of capitals, small letters and
numerals and is engraved on both sides.
In engraving a large body of script the letters with their spaces are laid out by
marking with a pencil the space occupied by each successive letter from the scale
Figure 13 on a continuous strip of any suitable material until all the matter is laid
out The strip or ribbon is then divided into as many lengths as there are desired
lines. When the divisions are made and it is found that some of them come in the
middle or beyond the end of a word, the proper uniform length can be had by
stretching the strip or ribbon and so justify or make such a gradual disposition of
the increased space as not to be observed.
The engraving may be accomplished by means of a suitable tracing or engraving
machine having a diamond or other point adapted to make the desired impression
through an etching ground laid upon the surface be engraved, any suitable acid
being employed to deepen the lines. The ce'
of the letters as formed by the diamond or
by the action of the acid, thus avoiding th.
by hand.
e or lines in the body strokes
point, are made to bite together
necessity of cutting out the metal
Having thus described this invention what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,
1. In an engraving machine, the double central bar D or its equivalent for
retaining the diamond tracing point E' constantly in line with the pivot centres
Es Es substantially as described.
2. In an engraving machine, the combination with the double bar D and
diamond tracing point E¹ of the graduated disc E having a hand for ascertaining
the exact position of the diamond point substantially as described.
3. In an engraving machine the combination of the bracket Es arms D. D³ ;
graduated arms D' D and double bar D having tracing points E E and graduated
dise E substantially as described.
4. In an engraving machine, the combination with the carriage B and circular
bed C. of the slide C₁ having spring bracket C and worm d'substantially as
described.
5. In an engraving machine, the combination with the circular bed C of the
adjustable straight edged bar C and the slide C₁ having spring bracket C³. and
worm & substantially as described.
6. In an engraving machine, the combination of the table F and circular bed C
having a central line H extending longitudinally through said table and bed for
adjusting the positions of the tracing points substantially as specified.
7. In an engraving machine, the combination with the slotted table F of the
straight edged bar F³ arranged at right angles with the movement of the carriage B
substantially as described.
8. In an engraving machine, the combination with the table F of the straight
edged bar F and clamp F¹ for holding the strip FS substantially as described.
9. In an engraving machine, the slotted table F having clamps F' F' straight
edged bar F2 sliding clamps F and rubber springs Fe substantially as described.
10. In an engraving machine, the combination of a reciprocating carriage a
circular bed supported thereon, a slotted table, adjustable straight edged bars &
arranged at right angles with the line of movement of the carriage, a bracket
supporting a series of pantograph arms, a double bar adapted to be adjusted on the

page_text: graduated arms of the pantograph frame tracing and engraving points suspended
from said double bar and a graduated disc for regulating the position of the
diamond engraving point substantially as described.
11. The herein described method of classifying and arranging script letters for
engraving the same in the formation of words consisting of dividing the letters
into classes according to the similarity of their form providing said letter with
varying hair lines and drawing perpendicular lines from a uniform position in
relation to the letter and its hair line, whereby the letters may be uniformly
merged and spaced in the formation of words and sentences by means of a suitable
engraving apparatus, substantially as set forth.
12. The engraved scale containing in a condensed form all the spacing lines of
capitals, small letters and numerals, whereby the proper letters and spacing can be
laid out upon a continuous band, strip or ribbon of any suitable material
substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourth day of July A.D. 1882.