IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND REPRODUCING LETTERS AND DESIGNS ON WOOD, METAL,AL SPATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Ventris, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
CUTTING AND REPRODUCING LETTERS AND DESIGNS ON WOOD, METAL,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William Ventris
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1881.
FREDERICK WILLIAM VENTRIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND REPRODUCING LETTERS AND
DESIGNS ON WOOD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIAL, AND FOR CLEARING OUT
ENGRAVED BLOCKS."
I make use of a frame in which is a horizontal table, on which are clamps to
hold the pattern to be copied and the wood or other material to be cut; above this.
table are two vertical spindles, on one of which is the tracer, which is guided by
hand against the edge of the letter or design to be copied, and on the other is the
drill or cutter; the tracer is fitted at the end of a horizontal lever connected by a
second horizontal lever to a carriage, on which are the bearings of the cutter spindle,
this carriage slides transversely in a light frame, which light frame slides
longitudinally in the main frame of the machine; the carriage carrying the
cutter spindle is connected by a third lever to a fourth lever working on a fixed
stud.
These levers are in the form of two V's, each having a rule joint; these V's cross
each other, the base of one being in line with the apex of the other, and where
they cross they are connected by studs, each lever having several holes, so that the
studs may be moved to increase or diminish the size of the letter or design cut, the
end of one V works on the fixed stud, and the other single end carries the tracer.
The cutter spindle passes through the joint or apex of the second V. The spindle
is driven by a cord or strap passing from the driving pulley over two guide pulleys
set at any angle to the pulley on the cutter spindle, and over a tension pulley, to
which a weight is connected. These pulleys are so arranged that an equal tension
is always kept on the driving cord or belt. I raise and lower the table by a spring
lever connected to a ratchet wheel or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick William Ventris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd September 1881.
FREDERICK WILLIAM VENTRIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND REPRODUCING LETTERS AND
DESIGNS ON WOOD, METAL, AND OTHER MATERIAL, AND FOR CLEARING OUT
ENGRAVED BLOCKS."
I make use of a frame in which is a horizontal table, on which are clamps to
hold the pattern to be copied and the wood or other material to be cut; above
this table are two vertical spindles, on one of which is the tracer, which is guided
by hand against the edge of the letter or design to be copied, and on the other is
the drill or cutter; the tracer is fitted at the end of a horizontal lever connected by
a second horizontal lever to a carriage, on which are the bearings of the cutter
spindle; this carriage slides transversely in a light frame, which light frame slides
longitudinally in the main frame of the machine. The carriage carrying the
cutter spindle is connected by a third lever to a fourth lever working on a fixed
stud.
These levers are in the form of two V's, each having a rule joint; these V's cross
each other, the base of one being in line with the apex of the other, and where
they cross they are connected by studs, each lever having several holes, so that the
studs may be moved to increase or diminish the size of the letter or design cut,
the end of one ✓ works on the fixed stud, and the other single end carries the
tracer; the cutter spindle passes through the joint (or apex) of the second V. The
'spindle is driven by a cord or strap passing from the driving pulley over two guide
pulleys, set at any angle to the pulley on the cutter spindle, and over a tension
pulley, to which a weight is connected. These pulleys are so arranged that an
equal tension is always kept on the driving cord or belt. I raise and lower the
table by a spring lever connected to a ratchet wheel or otherwise.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being had
to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan. of my improved machine; and
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the cutter in the end of the spindle. a is the lower
frame of the machine resting on a table, or on any suitable stand; there are four
pillars 6 supporting the upper frame c, in which slides longitudinally the light
frame d, in which slides transversely the carriage e; pivoted to the frame c is the
bracket adjustable by set screws to vary the position of the levers; on this
bracket is pivoted one end of the lever g, the other end of which is jointed to the
lever g¹; crossing these levers, and connected to them by pins, are the two levers h
and h', which hinge together on the lowest bearing of the cutter spindle i. The
tracer k, which is guided by hand over the pattern, is fitted at one end of the
lever gl, which is supported by an antifriction roller carried by a bracket m fixed
to the frame c; n is a pulley fitted on the cutter spindle, which has bearings in
the carriage e; n', n³, are two guide pulleys, also carried by the carriage e; and
n² is a weighted tension pulley; o is the band which drives the cutter spindle;
p is the table on which the pattern is held under the tracer, and the wood or other
material to be cut is held under the cutter spindle by the screws r.
To the
underside of the table are fixed four or other number of plungers, which slide in
the brackets & fixed to the frame a; t is a ratchet, one part fixed under the centre
of the table p, and the lower part attached to the handle u, and turning on a pin
fitted in the table a. A slight movement of the handle u serves to raise the table
8

page_text: to the height required for cutting the letter or design, or to lower the table, and
remove the wood or other material being operated upon, and the pattern from the
cutter, and from the tracer. The table may be raised and lowered by a treadle.
The holes shown in the levers g, g¹, and h, h¹, are to allow the pins connecting the
levers where they cross each other to be moved to vary the relative size of the
design cut. By the adjustment shown on the Drawing a design would be cut half
the size of that followed by the tracer k. The cutter is formed with a single
cutting blade, which cuts at the side and bottom; the blade projects beyond the
diameter of the shank, and is set at an angle so as to lift the chips out of the
block.
Having stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same,
I declare that I claim,―
1. The levers g, g', and h, h', carrying the tracer k and the cutter spindle i; and
the pulleys n, n¹, n², and driving band o, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shown.
2. The combination and arrangement of the parts forming an improved machine
for reproducing letters and designs on wood and other material, substantially as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick William Ventris, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FREDERICK WILLIAM VENTRIS. (L.S.)