Improvements in Engravers' "Ruling" Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engravers' "Ruling" Machines.
I, EDWIN FANSHAW of Caxton Road, Sheffield in the County of York,
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in the machines used chiefly by wood
engravers, and known as 5.
ruling machines, the object being to enable a much
greater variety of work to be accomplished by such machines than heretofore.
A ruling machine may be briefly described as consisting of a base with a perfectly
true horizontal facing upon which is fitted a slide or saddle moved by a screw, and
carrying a revolving table upon which the wood block or other block to be
engraved is secured with its face upwards.
Standards rise from the base plate and carry a cross slide with a traversing saddle
upon which is fixed a tool carrier, the arm which carries the tool or cutter being
held at its back end between two centre points to allow a short vertical movement
of the cutter. A finger or << presser is adjusted by means of a hand screw, and
controls the depth to which the cutter may penetrate into the wood block, or other
block.
.
"
I propose to improve the above class of machine in the following manner :-
First. I fix between the two standards which rise from the base plate, under-
neath and parallel with the tool carriage slide, a triangular bar fitted with a
longitudinally sliding rest upon which is screwed a templet-curve of any desired
form; above this is fixed a slide upon which works a straight rule made preferably
of steel, which may be moved horizontally to any angle with the triangular bar, the
said angle being varied according to the required depth of cut. These movable
parts may be provided with screws for accurate adjustment.
Second. The tool carriage is made with the usual supporting arm for the tool
or cutter, but in addition to its supporting axis I construct a segmental guiding
groove and corresponding projection engaging with it to prevent any side play of
the cutter end of arm, and instead of adjusting the presser vertically by a screw as
heretofore, I use an eccentric, centred upon the tool carriage so that its periphery
rests upon the presser, and when turned adjusts it to the required height. The
eccentric is provided with a long arm extending upwards and carrying a pointer
by means of which and a segmental scale the depth of cut may be accurately
ascertained.
Third. To the upper portion of tool carriage slide I attach a pivotted 1 shaped
lever, capable of moving at a right angle to the said slide and so arranged that
the end of one of its short arms bears against the edge of the straight rule before
mentioned, the. end of the other short arm bearing against the side of the long arm
of the eccentric, and I keep these several parts in contact by suitably arranged
springs.
Thus as the slide carrying the tool carriage and pendant 1 lever is made to
travel across the machine, the rule forces the lever resting against its inclined face,
and with it the arm of the eccentric to move either backwards or forwards as the
case may be, and raises or lowers the presser.
I use an improved construction of sliding finger to bear against the edge of the
curve or wave templet before described as being screwed upon the rest; this
templet and the straight rule when acting together will cause the tool or cutter to
produce a curved or waved line graduating from light to dark, or dark to light, or
by substituting a waved templet for the straight rule, a waved line can be produced
lighter in the hollows, or on the tops of the curves than in the other parts, and
other like results may be produced which have not hitherto been attainable.

page_text: I also propose to combine the horizontal transverse with the rotary motion of
the table, to act simultaneously and by one movement for perspective lines or
effects, I therefore connect with the worm shaft (by which the table is turned) a
lengthening bar or shaft parallel with the reversing screw, and passing through the
hub of a supported ratchet wheel, and a loose wheel or disc carrying the ratchet
pawl or catch, which can be made to engage with the teeth of the ratchet or
withdrawn as desired.
This wheel or disc is arranged in line with a similar disc on the end of the
transverse screw, and they are connected by a rod working upon a pin pro-
jecting from each disc, and provided with a slot by means of which the amount of
movement of the wheels may be adjusted and varied in proportion; thus one wheel
may move 20 teeth, and the other from one tooth upwards.
66
"
"
or
By the combination of the before described improved mechanical arrangements
of " perspective curve and eccentric a "tint" or series of lines either " even
graduated "
can be made of curved lines radiating from a centre and by the
ઠંડ perspective" and eccentric without the curve a "tint" of straight lines radiating
from a point and either even or graduated.
Dated the 6th day of January 1893.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engravers' "Ruling" Machines.
I, EDWIN FANSHAW of Caxton Road, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :--
This invention relates to improvements in the machines used chiefly by engravers
upon wood, and which are known as "ruling machines," the object of the invention
being to enable a much greater variety of work to be accomplished by such
machines than heretofore.
A ruling machine may be briefly described as consisting of a base A, see Fig. 1,
with a perfectly true horizontal facing, upon which is titted a slide or saddle A¹,
moved by a screw and carrying a circular table B', which rotates and upon which
the block of wood or other material to be engraved is secured with its face
upwards. Standards rise from the base, and carry a cross slide with a traversing
saddle upon which is fixed a tool carrier, the arm which carries the tool or cutter,
being held at its back end between two centre points to allow a short vertical
movement of the tool. A " presser is adjusted by means of a hand screw and
controls the depth to which the tool may penetrate into the substance of the block
which is to be engraved.
"
I improve the above described class of machine as follows, the said improvements
being shown in the annexed drawings, in which
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of base, circular table, and tool carriage.
Fig. 2, plan of same.
Fig. 3, side elevation of tool carriage, and triangular bar with slide; and plan
and elevation of sliding finger Q. Q.
Fig. 4, end elevation of the two discs F, and G, showing the "perspective
attachment."
Fig. 5, plan of above shown partly in section.
Fig. 6, full size section and elevation of adjusting screw and stop, of the
perspective slide H.
Fig. 7, end elevation of base A, and bracket for perspective wheel F¹.
Fig. 8, full size elevation of tool support, scale and lever, side elevation of lever,
and sectional elevation of presser and eccentric.

page_text: 1st. I fix between the standards (not shown in the drawings to prevent confusion)
which rise from the base A, underneath and parallel to the tool carrier slide. B, a
triangular bar C, fitted with a longitudinally sliding rest D, upon which is fastened
a templet-curve or wave E, of any desired form; above this is fixed a slide F,
having a groove or slot down the centre, in which are two clamping screws G, and H,
for the purpose of securing a straight rule I, preferably made of steel, which may
be moved horizontally to any angle with the triangular bar C, the clamping
Screw H, (which may be placed in any of the holes made for the purpose in the
rule) acting as the centre, while the screw G, slides in the groove according to the
angle at which the rule is fixed.
This angle is adjusted by means of the segmental portion.J, of the rule I, which
has a segmental groove K, in which is the screw. G.
:
The edge of the segment is cut with a screw thread in which works a corre
spondingly threaded screw .M; held. by a carrier N, which is pivotted at the
centre O, of the segment, and through which carrier passes the clamp G, so that
when the screw pinion M, is turned by the fingers, it causes the slide I, to move
backwards or forwards as the case may be.. By means of the moveable bush. S S,
which can be tightly secured to the bar C, by the nut T T, the screw. U U, will
adjust the slide D, to any desired position on the bar.
2nd. The tool carriage is made with the usual supporting arm P, Q, for the tool
or cutter T, but in addition to its supporting axis W, I construct a projection S, at
the end of which is a segmental groove V, the centre of segment being at axis W;
in this groove V, is a projecting pin X, which is screwed, through the tool
Support R, and can be adjusted to work smoothly in the groove by a slight turning
of the pin.
The tool carriage R, as it rises, and falls on its axis W, is thus prevented from
any side play.
:
The projection S, also serves as a support for a spring which automatically lifts
the tool or cutter out of the wood.
Instead of adjusting pressure vertically, by a screw as heretofore, I use an
eccentric Y, working upon a conical bearing Z, which is screwed: to. the: tool
carriage R. The periphery of the eccentric rests upon the " presser "A A, and
when it is turned it causes the presser to rise or fall, allowing the tool T, to. cut
deeper or shallower as desired.
A bolt passes through hole B B, in support R, by which the tool is tightly.
clamped to the side of the support by nut CC.
Attached to the eccentric Y, is a boss D.D, upon the edge of which. rotates a
long arm E E, provided with a segmental slot or groove FF, through which is
passed a screw G G, securely clamping the arm E E, to the eccentric, and by
means of which groove and four holes in the face of the eccentric.itself, into which
the screw G G, fits, any portion of the periphery of the eccentric can be brought
to bear upon the presser. A A, and by moving the arm EE, the pointer attached to
it indicates upon the scale. H H, and causes the eccentric to raise or lower, the
presser, thereby regulating the depth of cut with the required, accuracy. The
nut II, retains the eccentric in working contact upon its bearing.
To the upper portion of tool carriage B, see Fig. 3, I attach a bracket JJ, into
which is screwed a conical bearing, upon which secured by the nut K K, works a
lever L L, see Fig. 8, at right angles to slide B, one point M M, of which bears
against the straight portion of arm E E, the other point NN, works against the
rule I, so that when the rule is set at an angle as in Fig. 2, the point N N is forced
outwards, at the same time moving the point M M, which sliding against arm E E,
pushes it outwards and in doing so alters the depth of the tool; the spring OO,
keeps the lever LL, in contact with the rule I, and the spring PP, keeps the
point M M, in contact with the arm E E.
I also use an improved construction of sliding point QQ, to bear against the
edge of curve or wave templet E, which said point slides through the hole R R,
Fig. 3, in the tool support Q, and is secured by a screw, so as to produce variations

page_text: of the said' templet. This templet and the straight rule when acting together will
cause the tool to produce a curve or wave line, graduating from light to dark, or
dark to light as desired, or by substituting a wave templet for the straight rule I,
a wave-line can be produced lighter in the hollows, or on the tops of the curves
than in the other parts, and other like results may be produced which hitherto have
not been attainable in ruling machines.
3rd. I also combine the horizontal longitudinal traverse with the rotary motion
of the table, to act simultaneously and by one movement for perspective lines and
effecte. Thus I connect with the worm shaft A2; (by which the table, B', is turned)
a removable lengthening bar C₁ parallel with the traverse screw D, and sliding
through the hub E', of a suitably supported ratchet wheel; and a loose disc F1,
carrying the pawl or catch, which can be inade to engage with the teeth of the
ratchet wheel when desired!
This disc F, is arranged in line with a similar disc G₁ at the end of traverse
serew D₁, and they are connected by a rod H¹, pivotted upon disc F1, by screw I'
Attached to the disc G¹, is a bar J¹ having several holes, into any of which a
screw K³, may be fixed; this screw works in the slide L', in the bar H': The
length of this slide can be varied by means of stops: M₁, which can be firmly
screwed in any part of the slide, by which means the relative movement of the
wheels may be adjusted and varied in any ratio, for example, one wheel may move
twenty teeth, and the other wheel only one tooth or more, or vice versa.
By the combination of the before described improved mechanical arrangements
applied to an engravers ruling machine a "tint" or series of lines, either even
or graduated, can be made of curve-lines radiating from a point, or by the
perspective" and eccentric without the curve, a tint" of straight lines radiating
from a point, either even or graduated.
66
66
Having now, described the particular points of my said invention, and how it is
carried into effect, what I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent is
1. In an engravers ruling machine; the combination of all the various improve-
ments herein before described and shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, of the
annexed drawings..
2. In an engravers ruling machine, the triangular bar C fitted with rest D,
templet-curve E, slide F, rule I, and clamping screw H, constructed' and arranged
as hereinbefore described, and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3.
3. In an engravers ruling machine, the mechanism for producing perspective
effects, consisting of the combination of the various parts described in the 3rd part
of the Specification, and shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6.
4. In an engravers ruling, machine; the rule I, and its regulating mechanism
consisting of its toothed segment J, worm M,, and movable carrier N; as described,
and shown in Fig. 2.
j
5. In an engravers ruling machine, the improved-tool-carrier R, the arm Ę E,
with eccentric Y, and lever L L, and the projection S, with retaining groove and
pin. V and X, constructed and arranged as herein before described, and as shown in
Fig. 8.
Dated the 4th doir of Ontahón 1902 -
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield; Agent for Applicant.