An Instrument or Apparatus for Engraving and Mezzotinting, whereby Currents of Compressed Air or Steam and Sand are. Controlled by the Hand and Utilized for Engraving Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: An Instrument or Apparatus for Engraving and Mezzotinting,
whereby Currents of Compressed Air or Steam and Sand are.
Controlled by the Hand and Utilized for Engraving Purposes.
I JOSEPH LEWIS MILLS of Baldwin's Gardens Gray's Inn Road in the County of
Middlesex Art-color-printer 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide an instrument for engraving and
mezzotinting whereby currents of compressed air or steam and sand can be controlled
by the hand and utilized as efficient means for engraving and mezzotinting. My
invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 Is a view of the instrument for use as an air or steam pencil only.
Figures 2, 3, 4 respectively are views of the instrament modified for the conveyance
of compressed air, or steam, and sand or such like separately through tubes.
Figure 5 Is a view of the plug for regulating the discharge of sand or such like
into the tube for its conveyance.
The instrument as shewn in fig. 1 consists of a tube, a, of any suitable metal or
material furnished with a removable nozzle or point, b, and attached to an air-pump
In this form
or a steam engine by an india rubber or other suitable pipe or tube, c.
the instrument is intended for use as an air or steam-pencil for driving air or steam
against any vertical fall or shower of sand or such like interposed between it and the
surface to be operated upon.
When the instrument is intended for the conveyance of compressed air, or steam,
and sand or such like the tube, a, fig. 2 formed of any suitable metal or material and
furnished with a removable nozzle or point, b, is attached by an indiarubber or other
suitable pipe or tube, e, to an air-pump, or a steam engine, and placed parallel to a
sand tube, f, fig. 2, formed of any suitable metal or material, attached to a reservoir
for sand or such like by an indiarubber or other suitable pipe or tube, d, and furnished
with a removable nozzle or point, g, and with a thumb-lever 1, working on a pivot, i,
which lever when depressed opens the air-valve, j. The spring, k, acts upon the
aforesaid thumb-lever, h, and keeps the aforesaid air-valve closed. The ring, l, is

page_text: loosely attached to the tube, a, for the first finger of the operator to enable the
instrument to be suspended from his hand and thus to leave his thumb free to act
upon the aforesaid lever, h. The object of each of the nozzles or points hereinhefore
mentioned being removable is that it may be replaced by another nozzle or point
more or less fine according to the requirements of the work in hand. The said
tubes, a, and, f, are designed for and fitted at their ends with ferules or rings for the
attachment of the indiarubber or other suitable pipes or tubes for the conveyance of
compressed air, or steam, and sand or such like respectively to said tubes, a, and, f.
In the modification of the instrument shown in fig. 3 the tube, a, formed of any
suitable metal or material is attached to, an air-pump, or a steam engine by an india
rubber or other suitable pipe or tube, c, and the nozzle or point, b, of said tube, a, is
inserted in another nozzle or point, , of somewhat larger capacity, which is
attached to said nozzle or point, b, by pins of wire or any other convenient means.
The nozzle or point, b', is also attached to a reservoir for sand or such like by an
indiarubber or other suitable pipe or tube, c¹.
In the modification of the instrument shewn in fig. 4, the tube, a, formed of any
suitable metal or material is attached to an air-pump or steam engine by an india-
rubber or other suitable pipe or tube, c, and furnished with a removable nozzle or
point,. It is attached by metal brackets c¹ c¹ to the sand-tube, c³, which is furnished
with a removable nozzle or point, , and is attached to the reservoir for sand or such
like by an indiarubber or other suitable pipe or tube, c³, which is punctured over and
hither throughout its entire length by very fine holes sufficient for the admission of
air from the outside but insufficient to permit the escape of sand or such like from
said pipe or tube, c³. The aforesaid tube, c², is of a composite character being made
up of sections or parts of brass or other suitable metal or material which vary in
capacity, and of two hollow globes or balls of which the upper and larger, d, is
glass, the lower and smaller, e, of copper or other suitable metai or material. Some
of these sections or parts contain a pipe or tube of porcelain or enamel to facilitate
the passage of the sand or such like through the said tube, c². The globes or balls, d,
and, e, are punctured over and hither by very fine holes sufficient to admit air from
the outside but, insufficient to permit the escape of the sand or such like from the
inside thereof, and in the top, and bottom of each of said globes or balls and in a
vertical line, a circular hole or orifice is made which hole or orifice corresponds in
circumference to the circumference of the particular section or part to which said
globe or ball is attached by solder, cement, or other convenient medium. The object
of puncturing the pipe or tube, e³, and interposing the punctured globes or balls, d.
and, e, between the aforesaid sections or parts is to prevent the sand-tube, c², becoming
congested by the sand or such like falling from the reservoir for sand or such like and
so forming a vacuum which would impede the free flow of the sand or such like
through said tube c² in its passage to the nozzle or point, b'. The plug delineated
in fig. 5 is joined in any convenient manner to the sand-tube, and regulates the
discharge of the sand or such like through said tube.
Having described and illustrated the various parts of my invention and the
modifications thereof, I now proceed to explain its action.
When the instrument is used as an air or steam pencil the current of compressed
air or steam which is forced through the tube, a, fig. 1, and, it's nozzle or point, b, is
directed by the operator against any vertical fall or shower of sand or such like
interposed between it and the surface to be operated upon.
When compressed air, or steam, and sand or such like are conveyed through the
tubes, a, and, f, fig. 2 the sand or such like falls by its own gravitation from the
reservoir in which it is contained through a hopper, funnel, or other convenient outlet
into the tube, f, and compressed air or steam is forced simultaneously by the air-
pump, or steam engine through the said tube, a, to its nozzle or point, b, from which
it rushes out past and underneath the point of the nozzle, g, of the tube, f, at an angle
therewith in such a manner as to intercept and carry with force the sand or such like
emitted from said nozzle, g, against any surface exposed in the proper position
before it.

page_text: In the modification of the instrument shewn in fig. 3, the compressed air or steam
passing through the tube, a, and emitted through its nozzle or point, b, strikes the
sand or such like which falls by its own gravitation through the pipe or tube, c¹, into
the nozzle or point, 61, and assisted by the air which passes into said nozzle or
point, , at its junction with the nozzle or point, b, of the tube, a, drives the sand or
such like through said nozzle or point, b¹, against any surface exposed before it in
the proper position.
In the modification of the instrument shewn in fig. 4 the compressed air, or steam
passing through the tube, a, and emitted through the nozzle or point, b, strikes the.
sand or such like as it falls through the nozzle or point, b, of the tube, c², and drives
it against any surface exposed before it in the proper position.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and
illustrated the same and its several modifications I claim.
1.—The instrument and the modifications thereof hercinbefore described, designed
and constructed for driving sand, emery, glass or other like substance against any
surface exposed thereto in the proper position, by a current of compressed air, or by
steam whereby such sand, emery, glass or other like substance is struck outside the
nozzle or point of the tube through which it is conveyed by such current of
compressed air or steam and impelled against the surface to be operated upon
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of the several parts of the instrument
hereinbefore described and the modifications thereof substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore mentioned, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In an instrument for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned the striking or
hitting of the sand, emery, glass or such like substance outside the nozzle or point
of the tube through which it is conveyed, by a current of compressed air or steam so
directed against such sand, emery, glass, or such like substance that the flow thereof
is maintained continuous, and not impeded by congestion as it would be if the
compressed air, and such sand, emery, glass, or like substance were conveyed through
a single tube.
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