New or Improved Electrically Operated Instrument for Tattooing the Skin.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Electrically Operated Instrument for Tattooing
the Skin.
I, SUTHERLAND MACDONALD, of 76 Jermyn Street, London, S.W., Tattooist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved instrument for tattooing the skin,
operated by an electric current and of such proportion that it may be handled
practically in a similar manner to an ordinary writing pen.
In the practical construction of my improved instrument, I secure in a cylinder
of ebonite or other material, an electro-magnet, the coils of which are preferably
arranged one within the other, and have a metal disc forming the core secured to
one end thereof.
Through the centre of this core and the coils, passes a rod carrying on the end
projecting through the core plate, a disc armature, normally held out of contact
with the core plate by a coil spring placed between them. The other end of said
rod is provided with an adjustable socket, in which the needle or needles are secured,
and projects into a collar screwed on to the reduced end of the containing cylinder,
whilst the needle or needles project into and slightly through an externally tapered
socket containing the pigment screwed on to the collar.
The upward movement of the armature disc is limited by the point of an
adjustable stud screwing into and through a cross bar secured to the face of the
magnet core by suitable insulated legs or projections, and on which are mounted
the terminals for connecting the coils of the instrument to a battery or other source
of electric current.
One of these terminals is connected to one end of the magnet coil direct, and
the current is completed from the other end of the coil-through the spring operating
the arinature and from this through the armature, a contact spring on the latter
and the screw for limiting its motion to the second terminal.
It will then be seen that when a current is passing through the instrument the
armature and consequently the needle or needles connected thereto are given a
rapid reciprocating movement in the same manner as the hammer of an ordinary
electric bell.
1
1001
66
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention!" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: New or Improved Electrically Operated Instrument for Tattooing
the Skin.
I, SUTHERLAND MACDONALD, of 76 Jermyn Street, in the County of London,
Tattooist, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved instrument for tattooing the skin
operated by an electric current and of such proportion that it may be handled
practically in a similar manner to an ordinary writing pen..
In the practical construction of my improved instrument, I secure in a cylinder
of vulcanite or other material an electro-magnet, formed of a number of coils of
insulated wire arranged one on the other on a tubular core whose upper and lower
ends are flanged or have rings of similar metal secured thereto so that they form
part of said core.
Through this core passes a rod carrying on its upper end a disc armature, and
normally held so that the armature is out of contact with the upper end of the core
of the electro-magnet by a coil spring, arranged in the interior of a collar or socket
secured to the lower end of the electro-magnet, so that its lower end rests against
the flanged lower end of said socket and its upper end against a collar or projection
on the rod. This collar or projection also limits the upward movement of the rod
and armature as it meets the lower end of the magnet core when the rod has been
forced upward a certain distance. The lower end of said rod is provided with an
adjustable cap, in which the needle or needles are secured, and projects into a socket
screwed on to the end of the socket containing the spring, whilst the needle or
needles project into and work through a tapered socket containing the pigment
screwed on to the second socket.
A cross bar is secured to the upper flanged end of the magnet core by suitable
insulated legs or projections, and on this is carried a disc of vulcanite or the like
forming the top of the casing. On this disc two terminals are mounted by means
of which the coils of the instrument may be connected to a battery or other source
of electric current.
One of these terminals is connected to one end of the magnet coil direct and the
circuit is completed from the other end of the coil through the magnet core, the
armature rod, the armature, a contact spring on the latter, and a screw screwing
through the centre of the cross bar, carrying the disc to the second terminal which
is electrically connected with said screw by a wire or the like.
And in order that this invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which Fig. 1 is an elevation part sectional; Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3
a sectional plan on line x-y Fig. 1 of a tattooing instrument constructed according
to my invention.
This instrument consists of an electro-magnet the coils a of which are arranged
on a tubular core b whose ends are flanged or have rings secured thereto so that
they form part of said core.
Through this core works a spindle c carrying on its upper end a disc armature d
and which is normally so held that the armature d on its end is held out of contact
with the core b by a spring e contained in a socket f secured to the lower end of
the core band the ends of which rest respectively on an internal flange on the lower
end of the socket f and an adjustable collar or projection g on the spindle c.
collar or projection also limits the upward movement of the spindle c as it is of such
size that after the spindle c has risen a given distance the collar strikes the end of
the core b and so arrests further upward movement.
This

page_text: The reduced end of a casing of vulcanite or the like screws on to the socket f
as also does a second socket k and into this latter projects the lower end of the
spindle c on which screws an adjustable cap carrying the needle or needles m.
The needle or needles m project through the lower reduced end of said socket k and
works through the lower reduced end of a third socket m screwing on to the reduced
end of socket k, and containing the necessary pigment. These sockets k and n are
held in any adjusted position by lock nuts k¹ and n¹ so that the distance the needle
or needles project when the spindle c is in its lowest position may be regulated and
they allow of the needle or needles and the colour or nature of the pigment being
quickly changed, this latter change being further facilitated when found desirable
by the use of a number of interchangeable sockets n.
To the upper end of the core b or other portion of the electro-magnet are
secured two insulated rods or legs o and supported on the upper ends thereof is a
cross bar p having secured to it a disc forming the top of the cover h. Secured
to this disc h¹ are two terminals q one of which is directly connected with one end
of the coils a whilst the other is connected to the bar p through which screws a
contact screw capable of being secured in any adjusted position by a lock nutr.
The other end of the coils a is connected through the core b, spindle c and armature d
with a spring contact s secured on the latter and it will thus be seen that as the
spindle and armature is forced upwards by the spring e the circuit will be completed
by the contacts and being forced against screw r. The electro-magnet is thus
excited and draws down the armature and spindle so breaking the circuit when the
spring e again exerts itself.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
(1.) An electrical tattooing instrument consisting of an electro-magnet and a
spindle carrying on one end thereof an armature and on the other end thereof
a needle or needles the movement of said spindle being effected in one direction by a
spring and in the opposite direction by the electro-magnet attracting the armature
on said spindle the circuit through the coils of the magnet being completed and
broken by the movement of the spindle substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
(2.) In a tattooing instrument as above claimed the sockets k and n as and for
the purpose described.
Dated this 17th day of November 1894.