IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING AND CHASING MACHINERY
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING AND CHASING
MACHINERY."—A communication from abroad by Henry Dwight
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th June 1873.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING AND
CHASING MACHINERY," a communication, to be as follows:-
In this machine the article to be engraved is revolved, and the tool is
held against the surface when a cut is to be made, and raised from the

page_text: surface at the end of each line; a pattern is employed and the undulations
in the surface of such pattern actuates the engraving tool by means of
levers and connections.
The engraving tool is so placed that the surface of the article moves
upward towards the tool, therefore the shaving is below the cutting
end, and does not prevent the attendant carefully watching the en-
graving operation, and the chips fall away from the tool more easily than
in cases where the chips are above the cutting edge.
In the said machine the undulating pattern die is stationary and
above it a bed revolves that is provided with levers and a transferring
pin; the latter is moved by passing over the pattern die, and by levers
acts to alternately draw back and project the tool. The bed with the
transferring pin is revolved simultaneously with the article to be en-
graved by connecting gearing; the transferring pin is moved gradually
in a radial direction so as to travel over the entire pattern, and the
cutting tool is set in slides to be easily moved by the transfer pin and
levers; a gauge finger pressing against the surface determines the depth
of cut.
To engrave frosted work when required the tool is vibrated back and
forth rapidly by means of a rosette die or corrugated ring surrounding
the pattern die, and revolved to act upon the levers and connections of
the tool. The entire frame in which the tool is hung can be swung
around to bring the tool into action upon a flat revolving surface or
upon the periphery of a cylinder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-

page_text: "
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
5 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVING AND CHASING MACHINERY,' a communication to
me from abroad by Henry Dwight Sedgwick, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 _onths next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being made to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the improved machine; Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section at the line x, x,
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section at the line y, y, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a detached side view of the tool stock on a somewhat larger
scale; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the same.
Fig. 7 is a detached vertical section of the pattern die mechanism;
Fig. 8 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 9 is a side view of the rosette die and its transferring mechanism.
Fig. 10 is a detached vertical section of the transferring pin feed and
other mechanism, showing its connection with the pattern die; Fig. 11
is a plan of the same, partly in section.

page_text: Fig. 12 is a side view of the feed lever, pawl, and gearing of the
transferring pin.
Fig. 13 is a face view of the pattern die; Fig. 14 is a central vertical
section of the same.
Figs. 15, 16, and 17, are modifications of the transferring mechanism
of the tool slide.
Figs. 18, 19, 20, and 21, are face views of engraved articles, for
exhibiting various patterns of engravings made by the same die under
different manipulations of the machine.
Similar marks of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several
Figures.
The nature of this Invention consists in arranging the machine so
that the engraving tool performs the cutting downward or on the under
side of the tool instead of on the top edge of the same, whereby the
operator can better observe the work and can see its work as soon as
produced, and without inconvenience to light and obstruction of the
parts of the machine, while at the same time by these means the chips
made by the tool are not obstructing the sight of the operator, neither
obstruct the proper operation of the tool by sticking or collecting on the
cutting edge of said tool.
Also, it consists in the employment of a certain reciprocating apron
lever, arranged to transmit the transferring motion through the slide
rest of the machine, whereby the said motion is transferred entirely
independent and isolated from the motion of the slide rest, and is there-
fore not affected and varied by the irregular or other motions caused
by the work upon the slide rest, which effect causes often considerable
interruption and irregular work in operating the machines heretofore
used.
It consists also in the combination and arrangement of the tool stock
vertically suspended between centers, with the sliding bolt which
transfers the motion from the die to the tool, the said sliding bolt passing
through one of the said centers, whereby the operator is enabled to set
the tool stock to the desired angle with the work without interfering or
altering the motion of the tool given from the die.
Also, it consists in connecting the transferring gear with the tool slide
in such a manner that the motion of the tool slide may be readily

page_text: changed and reversed, and consequently the operation of the die upon
the work, which in the one case engraved is left blank in the other case,
and vice versa.
Also, it consists in the employment of a revolving transferring pin,
provided with a radial horizontal feed motion whereby a stationary
pattern die can be used for operating the tracing pin, which is less
subject to irregular position or to change of position by wear of the
working parts of the machine, and can be placed in its place with facility
and precision.
Also, in providing a variable and a reversible feed motion of the
tracing pin, in combination with a stationary pattern die, whereby the
image upon the work may be varied upon the same work, and a portion
of the whole pattern of the die proper transferred, while at any time
of the operation the said feed may be changed to reverse and a different
compound of the said image upon the work produced.
Also, it consists in the arrangement of a rosette die revolving around
a stationary pattern die, and the combination of a rosette tracing roller
connected with the transferring lever of the tracing pin of the said
stationary pattern die in a manner to engage, disengage, or interrupt
the motion of the tracing pin upon its lever, whereby the proper motion
of the pattern die may be instantly changed into an interrupted motion
or into the motion for producing frosted work instead of the motion for
plain line engraving.
Also, it consists in the combined arrangement of a variable feed
motion of the slide rest, and a variable feed motion of the tracing pin,
whereby the pattern may be expanded or diminished in transferring it
to the work, and may be varied to cover the desired blank space of the
work with facility.
Also, it consists in constructing and arranging the pattern die and
the transferring pin mechanism of the machine in a manner that the
transferring pin mechanism can be displaced with readiness and die
removed almost instantly and other substituted without regard to extra
labor and delicate adjustment in placing and restoring the said part
properly.
And it consists finally in the arrangement and combination of the
parts shown, as a whole, whereby a machine for engraving is obtained

page_text: which can be manipulated with great facility and precision, and on
which work can be done: of different designs and various patterns without
requiring a great number of pattern dies.
In the Drawing A represents the bed plate of the machine, which is
of the desired size and strength to receive the parts of the machine.
Said bed plate supports the ordinary spindle head B, which is fixed
permanently upon it, and supports the usual bed C of the slide rest,
which is attached in the usual manner, so that the ways of the slide
rest may be changed from the right angular to parallel position to the
spindle D. The slide rest consists of a bottom plate E fitted upon the
ways of the bed C, of a strong vertical post F resting upon the plate E
of the dovetail grooved plate G, and of the slide H fitted to slide easy
in the groove of the plate G. The post F and plate G are permanently
attached or cast in one piece, whereas the plate E and the said post are
secured in a manner that they may be detached, or that the position of
the post with the plate G may be turned on it and changed relative to
the position of the plate E; and for this purpose the post is provided
with a flange having slotted bolt holes I, I, through which the screws or
bolts for securing them pass.
In order to provide for the feed motion for the slide rest the usual
screw J is arranged between the bed C and bottom plate E of the slide
rest, which screw is fitted in a nut attached to the plate E, and its outer
end fitted in a proper bearing K secured to the bed C, and having upon
its outer end a ratchet wheel engaged by a pawl L, shown in Figs. 1
and 2, while the motion to this part is transmitted from a crank M on
the shaft N, located in bearings attached to the rear end of the bed C,
and the shaft N receives motion from the ordinary gearing of the driving
pulleys O. This shaft N however may be driven in any convenient
manner, and the driving pulley may be upon the spindle D, and the
spindle geared in any convenient manner with the shaft N.
In order to vary the speed of the screw J or the speed of the feed
there is provided the crank or disk M with a movable crank pin P,
which is fitted in a dovetail slot, and may be secured at the desired
distance from the center of said crank. In the fore part of the slide H
the tool stock Q is placed, for which purpose the slide is made with a
vertical extension H¹ forming part of the same, and this part is made
with a central portion removed, sufficient for the tool stock to pass

page_text: through while being therein vertically suspended between two centers
or bearings R and S, of which the lower is made solid, and secured by
means of being fitted in the lower part of the slide with a screw thread,
while the upper center S of the same is made with a central vertical
opening through it, and is fitted tightly in the upper part of the slide.
In order to provide for turning and adjusting the relative position of
this stock to the face of the work there is employed on its top end a
worm wheel T fixed permanently to it, and a worm or hand screw U to
engage therein, which is, near its handle, held in a bearing V on the
side of the slide, and being held by a spring bearing W near its screw or
worm, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that by turning the screw
with its handle the stock is slowly turned and adjusted to the work;
when desired to be quickly changed in position the spring bearing W
allows the screw to be disengaged and the stock turned quickly. X re-
presents the cutting tool, and Y the tool guide, which serves the purpose
of preventing the tool from cutting deeper than desired into the work.
Both are secured to the tool slide Z, which is provided in the usual way
with a proper horizontal opening for the tool to be placed in, and with
proper set screws to secure the tool to the slide.
In order to provide for the tool slide being set more projecting forward
of the axis of the tool stock, as in the case when used for face work, a
secondary slide a is employed fitted in a groove made in the stock for
this purpose, and a slot 6 is provided in the stock through which a set
screw c passes into the secondary slide a to secure the said secondary
slide after being set properly, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.
This secondary slide has the proper dovetail groove, in which the tool
slide works with ease, so that it can be moved by means of a spiral
spring d attached to one end of the tool slide, while the other end is
secured to the secondary slide, as shown in Fig. 5.
Now, instead of using a pattern die which revolves and has the image
on its periphery, a stationary pattern die e* is employed having the image
on its face, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, and the same is located upon
the rear part of the bottom plate E on a vertical mandrel E¹ fixed per-
manently thereupon; and instead of making the said die of steel, and
engraving the pattern thereon, the said die is made by pressing, molding,
or engraving the pattern in wax, wood, papier mache, or other casy
worked material, and taking a casting or impression in plaster of Paris

page_text: or other material therefrom, which is used to obtain a casting in iron of
the same, and from the casting in iron a casting of chilled iron is pro-
cured, which is the die proper, and which is used in the machine. The
said die has the proper central opening requisite to be received by the
mandrel E¹, and the mandrel has a proper shoulder on it to guide and
rest the die in proper position. ·
The opening of the die may be made as shown with a screw thread
and a mandrel correspondingly provided, or the die made with a smooth
central opening fitting properly over the mandrel, and the mandrel pro-
vided with a screw nut to secure the die upon the shoulder of the
mandrel, whichever may be found preferable, in order to place and
secure the die upon the mandrel with convenience and precision.
e represents the rosette die, which is constructed of ring form, and of
somewhat larger diameter than the pattern die, so as to surround the
said pattern die. Its working face is nearly level with that of the
pattern die, and is made with the proper projections and depressions for
producing the desired motion upon the tracing pin of the pattern die, to
disengage it sufficiently from it in producing the motion which gives the
frosted appearance to the work, and this rosette die either forms part of
or is permanently secured upon the top of a cone pulley f which is fitted
upon the part of the mandrel E¹ below that upon which the pattern die
is secured, in a manner that it may be freely rotated upon said mandrel,
and that it rests upon a broad shoulder f¹ of it, by means of which the
said pulley and die are properly and durably supported.
g represents the tracing or transferring pin working upon the pattern
die, and h the tracing roller working upon the rosette die. They are
both arranged above the dies upon a revolving disk i, which has a taper
stud or shaft fitted and projecting downward into the mandrel E¹, and
it has also a rimj projecting downward and overhanging the periphery
of the rosette die, which rim j is provided with cogs on its lower
periphery for the purpose of giving it a rotating motion. On the top
face of this disk are provided two tangentially arranged vertical sides or
upward projecting ribs k, k, which form the frame and support the
working parts of the transferring pin and roller 9 and h. Of these ribs
the one is about over the edge of the disk i, while the other is near the
center of the same, and of these working parts represents the feed
screw of the tracing pin g, arranged to guide and feed the said pin

page_text: radially across the pattern die e*. It has its bearings in the sides k, k,
and is furnished with a flat two-armed screw nut m, see Fig. 10, to the
rear end n of which is hinged the forked lever o in the fore end of which
the pin g is held and secured, all clearly shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10,
and 11.
Over and across from one rib to the other the hinged cap or apron
lever P is arranged, which has sides fitting between the ribs k, k, to the
rear end of which the said lever is hinged at q. The forward end of said
lever is attached on the side above the rosette die, the bend or elbow
shaped lever r of the tracing roller h, or in the end of which the tracing
roller / has its bearings, and there is also attached to the same end of
that lever a spring a bearing upon said lever r and set screw t, by which
the upward motion of the said lever r may be transferred to the fore-end
of the apron lever p. The central portion u of the forward end of the
lever pis bent downward to come in contact with the top side of the
forward end of the forked lever o of the tracing pin in order to receive
the motions of the raised portions upon the face of the pattern die e*,
which motions are received by the transferring mechanism of the slide
rest from the end n¹ of the said apron lever p.
Now in order to give motion to the feed screw / there is employed on
the side of a small vertical standard v a flat T shaped piece w upon the
rear end of the plate E and a short distance from the ring of the disk i,
which piece w has an inclined top edge x, and is provided with a vertical
slot y, through which it is bolted to the standard v, so that it may be
adjusted up or down to vary the feed of the screw 7. There are provided
on the side of the outer rib k a feed lever z, which has its fulcrum upon
a stud 1 fixed on the side of said rib k, and two small cog wheels 2 and
3, which gear into one another, and one is secured upon the outer end of
the feed screw 1, and the other is permanently attached with a ratchet
wheel 4, and both the latter turn freely upon the same stud 1, upon
which the feed lever z vibrates.
To move the ratchet wheel 4 a double acting spring pawl 5 is
employed attached to the said lever and provided with a spring 6. To
rest the said lever z while out of operation, two stands 7, 7, are provided
upon the rim j, one of which serves in resting the lever in feeding in one
direction, and the other answers for the feed in the opposite direction.
As before stated the pattern die in this machine is arranged to remain

page_text: stationary, whereas the rosette die is arranged to revolve, and the tracing
roller working upon the rosette die revolves with it, and the rosette die
revolves in opposite direction to that of the tracing pin and roller.
In order to obtain the proper motion for the same there is a vertical
shaft 8 arranged in bearings 9, 9, on the rear end of the plate E, which
shaft is furnished with a pinion 10 gearing into the cogs of the rim j,
and with a cone pulley 11 to correspond and to connect by a belt 12
with the pulley f on the rosette die. The lower end of said shaft 8 is
connected with the horizontal shaft N above described by means of two
bevel gears 13 and 14 properly engaging into one another. The gear 14
has a long hub and key in it to work in a grooved key seat 15 made in
the shaft N to provide for its proper connection with the said bevel gear,
which has also a circular groove 16 in its hub, in which a downward
projecting arm 17, from the plate E, engages to keep the wheel 14 in its
gear while the slide rest is moved and fed.
It will be clearly observed that the feed motion of the tracing pin is
effected by the revolution of the disk i by the lever z passing up on the
inclined top edge of the T shaped piece w, and after passing the incline
falling down upon its stop 7 by means of the double-acting pawl 5 and
the secondary stop 7%; the said feed may be reversed at any time of the
operation, for which purpose it is preferred to have a small handle 18
attached to the said pawl, which passes through a small slot 19 in the
lever z, so that the said pawl may be operated from the outside of the
lever and while rotating.
In order to transfer the motions of the tracing pin upon the engraving
tool and thereby upon the work, an apron lever 19¹ is provided which is
located horizontally and longitudinally either in the rear part of the slide
H or plate G, for which the same has a sufficient cavity 20 for the said
lever to vibrate; and a sliding vertical bolt 21 under the said lever, which
has the proper length to rest upon the lever p, so that the motion of the
transferring pin given to the lever p is properly transferred on the apron
lever 19¹.
The tool side Z is provided with a rack bar 22, and to the tool stock Q
above the slide a toothed segment 23 is pivoted which engages in said
rack bar 22, and has a right angular arm 24, and upon the end of this
arm rests a sliding bolt 25 which passes through the central opening in
the upper center or bearing 8 of the tool stock, and extends above the

page_text: top of the slide H. A similar vertical sliding bolt 26 rests upon the
apron lever 19, and extends above the top of the rear end of the slide H,
so that by means of a balance lever 27 which is pivoted near the center
of the top of the slide H, and extends with one arm over the pin 25
while the other is over the pin 26. The motion of the apron lever is
transferred to the tool slide and tool upon the work on the spindle D.
For the proper adjustment, as well as for making up for lost motion in
these last-mentioned parts, a set screw 28 is provided on the arm of the
lever 27.
The slide H is provided with the usual spring 29 for keeping the slide
with the tool guide Y bearing upon the surface of the work; and it will
be observed that although the slide H may work back and for con-
siderable distance, which is the case in operating upon oval work, the
motion transferred from the die to the tool is not affected or varied
thereby; and it will be observed that by means of the arrangement of
the segment lever 23 and rack bar 22 and spring d the tool slide is in
continuous connection with the tracing pin 9 and pattern die e*, which,
when properly adjusted with the screw 28 to have no lost motion, can
be operated to work with certainty and precision npon the work, an
effect which is of the utmost importance in machines for this purpose.
g
It will be observed for ordinary plain line engraving, the motion of
the tracing pin is directly transferred to the cutting tool. In order to
convert this motion into such as required for the tool for producing
frosted work, the set screw t is simply sufficiently lowered so that as the
tracing roller passes over the raised portions of the rosette die, the
lever is brought in contact with the said set screw t, and consequently
the motion of the lever p is at these periods interrupted, and the tool
instead of remaining on the work during the time of cutting is
interrupted and only allowed to dot, and hence producing frosted work.
Instead of employing the segment 23 and rack bar 22 to connect the
sliding bolt 25 with the tool slide Z, a bent lever 29 connected by means
of the rod 30 with the tool slide may be used with the same advantage
as that of the segment and rack bar; this arrangement is shown in
Fig. 17.
Instead of arranging the machine for the tool to cut on the upper side
of it as heretofore, it is arranged to cut on the under side, as shown in
Fig. 5. By these means the operator can see the action of the tool at

page_text: all times as proceeding, and the frequent interference of its perfect
operation caused by shavings or chips remaining on the tool is obviated,
and the operator can work with less annoyance from the chips thrown
from the work to the operator, as they are thrown downward instead of
upward or toward the eyes of the operator.
In order to cause the machine to engrave those portions which are
left blank in the ordinary manner, and to leave blank those ordinarily
engraved, a secondary two-armed lever 35 is employed between the
sliding bolt 25 and the segment 23, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the
action of the sliding bolt is reversed, and consequently the pattern upon
the work. For this purpose, the tool stock has a secondary hole 36 to
insert the fulcrum pin or screw 37. This operation and that of changing
the feed of the tracing pin g may be done while operating on the same
work, and instead of ordinarily producing from the die shown work such
as represented in Fig. 18, it may be manipulated to produce that shown
in Fig. 19, or by setting the screw t down, the ordinary line engraving is
changed to frosted work, as shown in Fig. 20, or from the same die in
varying the feed of the slide rest. The said engraving may be stretched
or diminished over more or less surface.
Instead of detaching the segment 23 and inserting the lever 35, the
same effect may be had more convenient by means of using a sliding
bolt, of which half of its thickness is removed on its lower part, as
shown in Fig. 16, and a segment on each of its fulcrum attached, beside
the secondary lever 35, so that by simply turning the sliding bolt 25,
either the lever 35 or the segment 23 on the same fulcrum is brought
in action with the bolt, and thereby the effect had in a more ready
manner.
Or, instead of that arrangement the bolt 25 may be round, as first
described, and instead of employing segments, ordinary levers, such as
shown in Fig. 15, at 38 and 39, employed, and a connecting link 40
employed, which is hinged to the tool slide, and is slotted upon both
sides, so that it may be thrown in engagement with either of the levers 38
and 39, which are provided in that case with the proper pin on the end
of their arms.
What is claimed and to be secured by Letters Patent is,-
First. In machines for engraving and chasing, the arrangement of the

page_text: tool stock Q, tool slide Z, to operate with the spindle D upon the work,
substantially as and for the purposes herein shown.
Second. The employment of a stationary pattern die in combination
with the revolving tracing pin 9, substantially as and for the purposes
herein stated.
Third. The flat-faced chilled cast-iron dies in combination with the
slide rest and transferring mechanism, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described.
Fourth. The arrangement and combination of the rosette die with the
pattern die, tracing pin 9, and tracing roller h, operating upon the lever p,
substantially as and for the purposes herein shown.
Fifth. The employment of the apron lever 19 in combination with the
slide rest and transferring mechanism, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Sixth. The combination of the vertical tool stock, suspended between
the centers R and S, with the sliding bolt, when relatively arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purposes herein shown.
Seventh. The construction and arrangement of the mandrel E', pattern
die e*, and revolving disk i, operating and arranged for the changing of
the dies, substantially as herein stated.
Eighth. The arrangement of the pattern die, the tracing pin in com-
bination with the feed screw and lever p, substantially as and for the
purposes herein shown.
Ninth. The combination and arrangement of the lever p, the screw t,
lever r, tracing roller h, and lever o and tracing pin, substantially as and
for the purposes herein stated.
Tenth. The combination of the variable feeding device of the slide
rest with the variable feeding device of the tracing pin when the latter
operates, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown.
Eleventh. The combination of the sliding pin 25, the segment or bent
lever 23, and positive connecting device with the tool slide, substantially
as and for the purposes herein stated.
Twelfth. The device herein shown for changing from direct to reverse
action, and vice versa, of the pattern die upon the tool slide Z, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described.

page_text: Thirteenth. The arrangement of the feed screw 1, the feed lever z, the
gear 3, and reversible pawl 5 in combination with the inclined T faced
piece w, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown.
Fourteenth. The combination and arrangement of parts as a whole,
substantially as and for the purposes herein stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
H. J. NOONE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)