Improvements in Machines for Engraving Music and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1302
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Engraving Music and the like.
I. CHARLES ALISON KER. of 87 Union Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Music
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machines for engraving music and
the like.
The invention consists in providing a table or bed which may be made of two
slabs of i ron, wood or other suitable material kept at a convenient distance apart.
The top slab or table proper has or may have a central cut out or separate part
which is capable of being revolved on wheels or pulleys, or on a central pivot, or on
a pivot and wheels. The wheels may run on the bottom slab or on a rim or race
secured to the upper slab. Preferably at the back of the table is a cross rail on
which runs, on pulleys, a sideward travelling bar. At the back of this bar is a
second sideward travelling bar which runs on a back and forward travelling bar
running on rails supported at the back of the table. The two sideward travelling
bars carry a central backward and forward sliding bar which at its front end has
fitted to it a "stylus" or "pointer." Fitted or carried on or over the end of the
central sliding bar is a vertical "dumper" which may consist of vertical guides in
which is carried a weight capable of being drawn up and suddenly let fall so as to
strike the head of the stylus and cause it to punch or cut the desired music or
other signs or characters on a plate or piece of card-board held on the table. The
weight may have a tapered head with a projection which is caught by two arms of
a clutch which latter is pulled or slid up and down the guides by a cord or
equivalent arrangement. An adjustable cam or bevelled piece may be carried on
the guides to cause the arms of the clutch to release the weight and let it fall
immediately it reaches said cam piece. The arrangement of "dumper" as described
is somewhat similar to that used in engraving machines for rollers used in calico
printing but any other suitable form of "dumper" may be employed.
The stylus is made with adjustable jaws or the like so that the punches or
cutters can be interchangable so as to produce the different music or other signs or
characters to be punched.
If desired instead of making the machine with two slabs only a single slab or
table may be used.
With my machine the usual and expensive process of hand punching or engraving
is dispensed with.
Dated this 20th day of April 1891.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
Glasgow and London, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Engraving Music and the like.
1, CHARLES ALISON KER, of 87 Union Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Music
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 machines for engraving music and the
like and it has for its object to obviate the necessity for using expensive skillei
labour in punching music sign or characters on metallic or other plate.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended three explanatory sheets of drawings whereon:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a plan view.
Figs. 4 & 5 are, respectively, side and front views, to an enlarged scale, of the
dumping device.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view.
Referring to the drawings, whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate like parts,
A is a table or bed which is preferably made of a hollow cast iron slab. The table
has a central circular part B which is capable of being revolved on a central
pivot (or it may be on wheels or on a pivot and wheels). D, D' are metal strips
fixed to the revolving part B, they are for the purpose of keeping the plate, when
being punched, in place.
The table A is supported on two girders C¹, C¹ which may be fixed on a wooden
or other support or bench E. The girders are held rigidly together by stays F.
At the back of the table A is a cross rail G on which runs, on pulleys G', a side-
ward travelling bar H. The pulleys Gare loose and merely serve as rollers.
At the back of this bar H is a second sideward travelling bar which slides on
pulleys Hrunning on a cross rail H carried on top of two back and forward
travelling bars I, 11 sliding on pulleys 12 which latter run on rails I, I supported
at the back of the table. The two sideward travelling bars II, H₁ carry a central
backward and forward sliding bar L. The bar L is secured by studs to the bar H¹
and it passes through grooves in four guide brackets M secured to the bar H.
The bar L carries near its outer end a short lever L which is hinged to the
bar Lat. This lever is capable of being raised vertically. At its end it is
split so as to receive and hold different kinds of punches or cutters for punching
the various music signs on the plate being operated on. The lever L' has side
wings or handles L for enabling it to be operated (see Fig. 6).
L' is a punch.
Fitted on and projecting over the end of the central sliding bar L is a vertical
"dumper" (see Figs. 4 & 5) which may consist of vertical guides M', M' supported
at bottom by the arched bracket M2, and, at top, joined together by the bridge M',
and, in which slides a weight N capable of being drawn up and suddenly let fall so
as to strike the head of the "stylus" or punch L' and cause it to punch or cut the
desired music or other signs or characters on the plate or piece of card-board held
on the table B. The weight N may have a tapered part N with a projection or
head which is caught by the two arms N, N' of a clutch N' which latter is
pulled, or slid, up and down the guides by a cord N or equivalent arrangement.
The cord N passes over two pulleys N', N supported in jaws N° on the bridge M.
The cord may have a counterbalance weight N at its end. A collar O, with a
central opening O' having a cam surface, as indicated in dotted lines, is carried on
the guides MM' which causes the arms N', N' of the clutch N to release the
weight N and let it fall immediately the clutch N reaches said cam piece. The
arms N, N are pinned at O' and immediately their upper ends enter the opening O'
of the collar they are, from the shape of the opening, pressed inwards at the top
and consequently opened at the bottom so as to release the head N and let the
weight fall and strike the pin O' which, in its turn, strikes the top of the "stylus
or punch. The collar O is adjustable by pinching screws (³ to any desired height
so as to regulate the fall of the weight N. 0° are hole into which the points of
the screws O³ enter.
"
A wooden cover P which, at the same time, serves as a rest for papers, music,
te, is preferably fitted on top of the machine. The cover is supported by four
metal standards Q. The cover is removed in Fig. 3.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
:―
The plate or sheet to be operated on is place on the revolving table B. being
held in position by the strips D, D. and the lever or bar L is then drawn od util

page_text: the punch L³ is over the place where a note or sign is to be punched in the plate
or sheet. The operator then pulls down the weight N and thus raises the
clutch W until the upper ends of the arms or levers N, N, are caught in the cam
shaped opening O' of the collar O and pressed together. The pressing together of
the upper ends of the levers W, W' causes their lower ends to open out and release
the weight N which immediately falls by gravity and strikes the pin O' sharply.
The striking of the pin O' forces the punch L' to penetrate the plate or sheet and
so punch out the note or sign required. When the weight N is released the
clutch N falls down and the levers W. W open out and seize the head N' of
the weight N ready for another stroke. The conic shape of the head N' causes
the opening out of the levers N', N.
The arrangement of parallel travelling bars H, H, I, I, and pulleys enable the
bar L and punch L to be manipulated easily in any desired direction over the
sheet or plate being operated on.
When lines are to be drawn on the plate or sheet, a cutter is fitted in the lever L'
and the cutter is then drawn over the plate. By revolving the table B the plate
or sheet thereon can be so turned as to enable lines to be drawn at any desired
angle without altering the line of travel of the cutter and bar L.
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. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the machine substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. The combination with the table A, of the travelling bars H, H, I, 1. longi-
tudinal sliding bar and a dumper supported on said bar L. substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. The combination with the longitudinal sliding bar L, of the lever L'split at
its end so as to receive different punches, the guides M' supported on said bar L,
pin O, or its equivalent, weight N, and clutch N operated by a cord or its
equivalent, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
Dated this 20th day of January 180
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.