IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, MARKING, STAMPING, AND PRODUCING LINES, INDENTATIONS, AND DEVICES ON METALLIC AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isham Baggs, of High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND
APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, MARKING, STAMPING, AND PRODUCING LINES,
INDENTATIONS, AND DEVICES ON METALLIC AND OTHER SURFACES."
Scaled the 12th July 1872, and dated the 13th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isham Baggs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th January 1872.
I, ISHAM BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, MARKING, STAMPING, AND PRODUCING
LINES, INDENTATIONS, AND DEVICES ON METALLIC AND OTHER SURFACES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements by means of which lines,
indentations, and devices can be cut, marked, stamped, and produced on
metallic and other surfaces by means of electric agency. A metal point

page_text: or style is arranged so as to record its movements over a conducting
and non-conducting surface properly prepared by causing it to make and
break contact with an electric battery, and so operate by means of electro-
magnetism or other known application of electric agency upon a point or
points situated clsewhere, and moving with the tracing point either to the
same extent as the latter or proportionally. If the lines of an engraved
copper or steel plate are filled with ink or varnish and the latter is
afterwards baked or otherwise hardened in the lines, and then the tracing
point above referred to is made to rule or describe a succession of
straight or curved lines, in regular order, until the whole plate has been
so traversed, it is evident if the plate forms part of the battery circuit
and the tracing point another part thereof, that battery contact will be
completed whenever the tracing point is in contact with the metal plate,
and will be broken when it comes in contact with the ink or varnish
lines. If a second point is placed at any given distance from the
tracing point and fixed to the same frame or carriage that supports it it
may be made to move in an equal degree and parallel with the tracing
point in every respect, and if this second or copying point is attached to
a small piece of iron and is capable therefore of being lifted from its
work by an electro-magnet placed in proximity thereto, it is obvious
that such electro-magnet may be included in the same circuit and that
'the magnetization and lifting of the copying point will take place at all
parts of the successive and parallel lines above referred to where the
tracing point is in contact with the metal plate, whilst the demag-
netization and fall of the copying point will occur at all places where
the tracing point in its transit touches the ink or varnish. The copy
thus made will necessarily be a fac-simile of the pattern plate in ruled
lines.
Any surface which may be made to present topical conduction and non-
conduction for electricity is available as a pattern for the tracing point
under the present Invention. In the case of ordinary prints, for instance,
the blanks or lights of which are silvered or metallized, or prepared photo-
graphs possessing similar conditions with regard to electric conduction
and non-conduction may be used for this purpose, and various other
surfaces may be employed in like manner. The copying point may be
an etching needle, or a diamond, or a graver, or it may be what is known
as a "pecker" capable of giving a succession of regulated blows as the
linear movement proceeds. The apex of the "pecker" may be either

page_text: circular or otherwise, capable of the effect either of a line or
stippled engraving, as may be desired. The force of the pressure and
of the blows may be modified to suit the requirements of light and
shade.
In order to make the matrix of a surface block adapted for the purposes
of this Invention the apex of the "pecker" is made similar to the point
of a fine needle flattened at the end, the lines being thereby punched
into the metal which is to serve as a matrix.
It is obvious that a number of these copying points, gravers, or
punches may be fixed at various distances and may be combined in the
same machine so as to execute a number of copies at one and the same
time, and that the proportions of the copy of the original may be varied
by means of pantographic or other well known contrivances. The
machinery or apparatus may be self acting and operated upon either by
means of manual, steam, or other motive power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Isham Baggs in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISHAM
BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Isham Baggs, Her special licence
that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, MARKING, STAMPING, AND PRODUCING LINES,

page_text: "
INDENTATIONS, AND DEVICES ON METALLIC AND OTHER SURFACES,
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Isham Baggs, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
INDENTATIONS, AND DEVICES ON METALLIC AND OTHER SURFACES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Isham Baggs, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Isham Baggs, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
In the first place I will describe the general nature and objects of my
said Invention, which consists in certain arrangements by means of
which lines, indentations, and devices can be cut, marked, stamped, and
produced on metallic and other surfaces by means of electric agency.
A metal point or style is arranged so as to record its movements over
a conducting and non-conducting surface, which latter is properly
prepared for the purpose by causing it to make and break contact with
an electric battery, and so operate by means of electro-magnetism or
other known application of electric agency upon a point or points
situated elsewhere, and moving simultaneously with the tracing point
above named either to the same extent as the latter or proportionally.
If the lines of an engraved copper or steel plate are filled with non-
conducting ink or varnish, and the latter is afterwards baked or
otherwise hardened in the lines, and then the tracing point above
referred to is made to rule or describe a succession of straight or curved
lines in regular order until the whole plate has been so traversed, it is
evident if the plate forms part of the clectric circuit and the tracing
point another part thereof that electric contact will be completed when-
ever the tracing point is in contact with the metal plate, and will be
broken when it comes in contact with the ink or varnish lines. If a
second point is placed at any given distance from the tracing point, and
fixed to the same frame or carriage that supports it, it may be made to
move in an equal degree and parallel with the tracing point in every
respect, and if this second or copying point is attached to a small piece
of iron, and is therefore capable of being lifted from its work by an

page_text: electro-magnet placed in proximity thereto, it is obvious that such
electro-magnet may be included in the same circuit, and that the
magnetization and lifting of the copying point will take place at all
parts of the successive and parallel lines above referred to, where the
tracing point is in contact with the metal plate, whilst the demag-
netization and fall of the copying point will occur at all places where
the tracing point in its transit touches the ink or varnish. The copy
thus made will necessarily be a fac-similo of the pattern plate in ruled
lines. Any surface which can be made to present topical conduction
and non-conduction for electricity. is available as a pattern for the
tracing point under my said Invention. In the case of ordinary prints
for instance, the blanks or lights of which are silvered or metallized,
or prepared photographs possessing similar conditions with regard to
electric conduction and non-conduction may be used for this purpose,
and various other surfaces may be employed in like manner, as will be
well understood.
The machinery and apparatus which I employ for the purposes before
described is of a very simple character, and will be readily understood
by persons conversant with mechanical appliances. A frame which is
provided with a perfectly flat table forms the body of the machine, and
on this table or on additional bed plates arranged thereon are placed the
respective plates and designs before referred to, and which are secured
by means of clamps or in some other suitable manner. Longitudinal
lateral motion is given to the table or bed plates, as may be desired, by
means of screws, and thus to the metallic plates, thereby subjecting
them to the action of the respective tracing and copying points, which
tracing or copying points are carefully moved in a direction at right
angles to the motion of the table carrying the plates or designs by a
screw carrying a dividing plate or ratchet wheel at its extremity so as to
rule lines, say, one hundred and fiftieth or the two hundredth of an inch
apart, more or less. The whole machine may be easily made self-acting
and may then be moved by steam or any prime mover.
It may be mentioned that the mechanism of the screws and other
movements is somewhat similar to that of a slide rest. The screws may
be actuated by manual or any other suitable motive power.
The tracing
point is attached to a hinged lever mounted in suitable bearings which
are supported by a bracket or frame independent of the moving table or
bed plate, the copying point being also attached to a lever (also mounted

page_text: independently of the table and bed plates), at one end of which is fixed
a piece of iron capable of forming the armature of the electro-magnet
above referred to, and which is placed in proximity thereto and mounted
above the upper surface of the table and independently thereof. The
electric current is generated by an ordinary voltaic battery or other a
suitable means, and transmitted to the respective tracing and copying
points (and including the electro-magnet in its circuit) by means of
wires in the well-known manner.
The copying point may be an etching needle, or a diamond, or a
graving tool, or it may be what is known as a "pecker," capable of
giving a succession of regulated blows as the linear movement of the
plates proceeds. The apex of the "pecker" may be either circular or
otherwise, and capable of producing the effect either of a line or stippled
engraving, as may be desired.
The force of the pressure of the copying point or tool and of the blows
may be modified by means of weights or springs to suit the requirements
of light and shade, and in order to render the matrix of a surface block
adaptable for the purposes of my said Invention, the apex of the
'pecker," when such tool is employed, is made similar to the point of a
fine needle flattened at the end, the lines or indentations being thereby
punched into the metal which is to serve as a matrix.
66
It is obvious that a number of copying points, gravers, or punches
may be fixed at various distances, and may be combined in the same
machine so as to execute a number of copies at one and the same time,
and that the proportions of the copy to those of the original may be
varied by means of pantographic or other well-known contrivances.
In copying or engraving upon rollers the roller is moved through a
succession of minute circular divisions of an inch, and the lines arc
ruled upon each of these successively, so that the several lines may
be drawn, stamped, or cut upon the surface of the roller in a direction
parallel to its axis. These motions may be reversed and a succession of
circular lines drawn, the divisions being longitudinal. The action of the
electro-magnet may also be obviously inverted, the electric contacts
producing the marks or cuts, and the non-conducting portions of the
prepared plate or copy the whites or blanks, by the cessation of electric
contact at those points, such results being assisted by weights or springs,
as will be well understood.

page_text: Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not claim the several parts of the apparatus herein-
before described separate and apart from each other as being of my
Invention, neither do I confine or limit myself to the precise details
herein-before set forth, inasmuch as variations may be made therein
without departing from the principles and main features of my said
Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of parts
and mechanism substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isham Baggs, have hercunto set
my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.