A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL WRITING AND DRAWING MACHINE, BY WHICH TWO OR MORE WRITINGS OR DRAW- INGS, RESEMBLING EACH OTHER, MAY BE MADE BY THE SAME PERSON AT THE SAME TIME
Year: 1799

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
İSAMBARD BRUNEL, late of the Parish of Saint Mary, Newington, in the County
of Surrey, but now of Canterbury Place, in the Parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth,
in the said County, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Third did, by His
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eleventh day of April, in the thirty-ninth year of His reign,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Marc
Isambard Brunel, my exors, admňors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Marc Isambard Brunel,
my exors, admors, and assigns, from time to time and at all times here-
after, during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully miglit
make, use, exercise, and vend, my Invention of "A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL
WRITING AND DRAWING MACHINE, BY WHICH TWO OR MORE WRITINGS OR DRAW-
INGS, RESEMBLING EACH OTHER, MAY BE MADE BY THE SAME PERSON AT THE SAME
TIME;" within that part of His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, His Dominion of Wales, and His Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed;
in which said Letters Patent is, among other things, contained a certain
proviso, that if I, the said Marc Isambard Brunel, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand'
and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of

page_text: Chancery within one calendar month, next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent, then the said- Letters Patent, and all liberties and
advantages thereby granted, should absolutely cease, determine, and become
void, any thing therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in any wise
notwithstanding, as in and-by the said Letters Patent will more fully and at
large appear, in relation being thereunto had.
my
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with and obedience to the said
proviso, I, the said Marc Isambard Brunel, do, by this instrument in writing
under hand and seal, and which I shall forthwith cause to be inrolled in
His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, declare that. my said. Invention is
particularly delineated, described, and ascertained by the drawings and sections
thereof hereunto annexed, and by the letters, and figures thereon respectively
marked, and the description thereof following (that is to say) :-
Figure 1 represents the machine as intended for making two writings or
drawings by the same person at the same time, in any situation where it can
be placed at a proper and convenient height, for the person using it, under
which Figure the letter A denotes a desk with folding hinges, which, when the
parts fixed upon it are removed, may be folded together like a common portable
writing desk. B denotes a sliding board, divided in the middle so as to admit
its.folding, and covered, with, rough leather or cloth, to prevent, the papers
placed thereon for writing or drawing on from being too easily moved from
their places, upon which leather or cloth the lines as shewn in this Figure are
drawn,, that the paper for drawing or writing on may be placed with greater
facility, so as to correspond properly with the situation of the pens intended to
write upon them. The intent, of the sliding board is for the moving of both
papers written or, drawn upon at the same time, and in an equal proportion, as
the person, writing or drawing upon them wishes. Underneath the sliding
board is a hollow space, where, the machinery, above, when folded, up,, may be
placed, and the whole, when the desk is folded, locked up, and secured... C,.,C,,
denotes two ink bottles, about an inch and a half deep, let into the desk in such
manner as to slide up and down, in proportion to the height at which the pens
are required to be used, according to the thickness of the books or papers
intended to be written, or drawn on; b, b, represents the one a book, and the
other a paper, to be written or,drawn on.,, D, D,.an oblong square frame, fixed
with, hinges to and, supported upon two uprights, E, E, which rest upon the
desk, and have two pins or tenons proceeding from the bottom of each, and
let into the desk to render them steady, but admitting of their. being taken,
off and put on at pleasure. F denotes a thin, brass plate, sunk edgeways, into,
one of the upper sides of the frame, and even with the surface thereof, for the

page_text: wheels 1 and 2 to run on the upper edge of the said plate, there being a groove
made in the frame on cach side thereof, to admit of their running upon the
edge of the said plate without touching the frame. G, G, represents two
stoppers, which turn, and, when elevated, prevent that part of the machine
which runs on the frame from running too far and falling off. That part of
the machine which runs on the frame, and is called the autograph, consists of
the following parts, which are denoted as follows, namely:-J denotes an
oblong exterior frame, to which are fixed four metal wheels, 1, 2, 3, 4, (see
also Figure 2) the edges of 1 and 2 being grooved like the sheaves of pullies
and running on the edge of the brass plate F, which makes the autograph
move in the same right line when-drawn-from-one end of the frame D to the
other, 3 and 4: run on the opposite side of the frame. K denotes an oblong
interior frame, fixed within tlie exterior one J by two pivots (for which pivots
see L, L, Figure 2), at the end thereof, upon which pivots the interior frame
librates freely. M, M, M, M; denote two metal pieces called beams, as the
motion of each, in some degree, resembles that of a beam for scales; the said
beams are fixed within and to the inner part of the interior frame K, by four,
pivots a, a, and two others opposite to them (see also Figure 2), upon whichi
they move or librate freely; the inner ends of the said beams are connected
together by a pin N passing through them; the one having a tongue and the
other. a slit to receive it,' are put the one into the other; the hole made to the
tongue, and through which the pin, N. passes, should be 'oblong, in order to
admit a free. motion when the beams 'librate. O, O, denote two metal pieces,
depending from the interior sides of and near the outer ends of the beams
M, M, M, M,. and fixed thereto, as seen in Figure 2 at e, e, e, e, by pivots or
screws, upon which they swing freely in some measure like a pendulum. P, P,
represent two flat metal sliding baris, with two metal racks f, f, screwed to the
outer sides thereof; g, g; denote two cocks screwed to the pins o, o, serving to
keep the pieces P, P, close to the pieces O, O, and supporting. two pinions, (see
also S, S, Figure 2,) by which, by turning two milled heads R, R, fixed to them,
the racks are moved up and down. h, h, two metal clamps fixed to the lower.
extremity of the pieces O, O, and enclosing part of the sliding bars P, P, on each
side, to keep them close to the pieces O, O. Q, Q; denote two metal springs
fixed to the outer side of the pieces O, O, pressing against the barrs P, P,.to
stiffen their motion as they slide up and down. These springs extend in length
a little below and within the upper edge of the clamps h, h, to a little above
and within the lower edge of the cocks g, g, the pieces O, O, having their
exterior sides cut in sufficiently to receive the said springs Q, Q. T1 and T2
represent two sockets, having projecting parts with a slit in each to receive the

page_text: lower end of the racks, which are fixed therein, with a screw passing through,
upon which they turn stiffly, in order to set the pens or pencils at any inclina-
tion required. U, U, denote two pen cases, into which the pens, pencils, or
any other instruments for drawing or writing are put tight. The cases slide
up and down freely in the sockets, and have a small pin near the head which
is received into a slit in such socket at the top thereof to prevent their turning
round and also falling through when the sockets are raised. V; a rod extend-
ing from one of the sockets to the other, and fixed with pins to the above-
mentioned projecting parts of the sockets, on which pins the rods have a free
motion. m, m, m, m, (see also m, m, Figure 2,) denotes two metal rests, fixed
by their vertical sides to the inner sides of the interior frame K, to support. the
springs W, W, which are screwed upon the horizontal sides of the rests under
the beams M, M, M, M; these springs support, by their extremities, the ends
of the beams; their power is just sufficient to counteract the weight of the
apparatus, depending from the exterior end of each beam, and prevent the
hand which holds the handle X from feeling any part, or, at least, but a very
small part, of such weight, when making the various movements with the
handle, which are requisite in writing or drawing with the machine. x, x, x, x;
in Figure 2, denote small wheels, which cannot be seen in Figure 1, near
the extremity of the beams, the ends of the springs bearing upon the edge
of these wheels, move with much less friction when set in motion. To
the under part of the socket T1 is screwed a small brass arm k, (represented
of its full size in Figure 8,) in which the lower end of the handle X
which terminates in a ball is inserted, and forms with it a ball in a socket,
so as to enable it to play freely in all directions, the intent of which is
to give greater freedom of motion to the hand that holds the handle X. Z, a
wooden rod fixed to the exterior frame J of the autograph in order to move it
from one end to the other of the frame D, D, as the person writing or drawing
proceeds from one side of his paper to the other. In case the machine should
be made use of on a table without a desk, and not require to be often taken off,
then, instead of using of the rod Z to move it from one end of the frame to
the other, D, D, two strings fastened to the sides of the exterior frame J,
and passing from thence upon pullies fixed near to the stoppers G, G, and in
the direction of the dotted lines y, y, corresponding with and being fastened to
a pedal or treader under the table, which pedal or treader is put in motion by
the foot of the person using the machine, will communicate to the autograph
the same motion as the rod Z.
The second Figure represents the upright E, E, and the autograph as folded
up in order to be put into the desk; the springs W. W, being shortened, in

page_text: order to shew parts of the machine which they would otherwise have con-
cealed. In this Figure the letters, which are also to be found in Figure 1;
denote corresponding parts.
Figure 3 represents in what manner the autograph might be used for
writing or drawing without the assistance of the handle X, the person making
use of it holding the case U 1. instead of the handle X. O, O, P, P, f, f
Q, Q, h, h, denote similar parts with those denoted by the corresponding letters
in Figure 1. a, a, semicircular pieces of metal (see also a; Figure 5,) fixed to
the lower part of the rack in the same manner as the projecting parts of the
sockets T1 and T 2, Figure 1. The pen case U 1 movės freely within the
semicircular piece a 1 upon two pivots b, b; (see also Figure 4) the second
case U 2 is fixed in a socket K, K, (see also k, k, k, Figure 4,) which moves
very freely within the semicircular piece a 2, upon two pivots denoted by 6 1
and 2 in Figure 5. V, a rod extending from the piece a 1 to the piece a 2,
and fixed to one of the outer sides of each piece by a pivot, as seen at 6 1,
Figure 5, upon which it turns freely. 9 denotes a second rod extending from
the right side of the pen case U 1, to the right side of the socket k, k, k, of
the second pen case U 2; one end of this rod is fixed by a pin to the pen
case U 1, and the other end to a screw or pin fixed. into the side of the
socket k, k, k (sce also d, Figure 4); the pen case U 2 slides freely up and
down in the socket k, k, k, and has a similar pin near the head and for the
same purpose as mentioned in describing the pen case U, U, Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents the front part of the socket k, k, k, together with the
case U 2.
.
Figure 5 represents one of the semicircular pieces a 1 and a 2, and the
manner in which the rod V is fixed to them, the other parts. in the Figures 4
and 5, corresponding with those exhibited in Figure 3, are denoted
responding letters.
cor-
Figure 6 represents às much of the autograph as is necessary to shew what
alterations and additions are made to it when more than two pens or other
instruments for writing or drawing are fixed to it and in what manner they
are applied, the letters which correspond with those in Figure 1 denoting cor-
responding parts. For this purpose the rod V is fixed near the lower end of
the pieces O, O, in the same manner as it is fixed to the projecting parts of the
sockets T 1 and T 2, Figure 1; then a second rod q is fixed in the same
manner as the one V, and above it, near the middle of the pieces O, O. The
rols V and 9 in this Figure are longer than the rod V in Figure 1, as three.
papers to write on, if of the same size, will necessarily require a greater length
than two, in which case the other part of the machine, were necessary, must be

page_text: lengthened in proportion, but these rods may be made!longer or shorter, and the
rest of the machiné larger or smaller according to the uses it is intended to be
applied to when made. O 3 denotes a metal piece of the size, length, and form of
that part of either of the pieces 0, 0, which extends from the lower end thereof
to the upper side of the second:rod. q, which piece 'O:3 is fixed on the two rods V
and by. means of sliding sockets it, t; one of which is exhibited in its full size
in Figure; the rods V andy pass through these sockets, which slide stiffy on
them, in order to set the thirdipinto such a situation. :as may be most con-
venient for drawing or writing with it; the piece O 3 has fixed to it a sliding
bar P3; and rack f, g, like those denoted in Figure 1, with a third socket and
pen case like those denoted by T-2.and U, U, Figure 1, and is itself fixed to
the sockets it, t, by pins passing through it and one side of each socket so as to
admit of its truly turning upon such pins.. A third ink bottle of the same form
as those described at C; C, is set in a situation corresponding with the third
pen in the same manner as the two before mentioned; if a greater number of
pens or instruments for writing or drawing at the same time are required, an
apparatus similar to that described in Figure C is fixed to the rods V and q
for each. 3
Figure 9 represents a stand, independant of a table or desk, in order to make
use of the autograph on any table or desk to which there is no sliding board:
The uprights E, E, which support the frame D, and with it constitute a stand
for the autograph, are fixed the one upon a wheel, and the other upon a board
which contains the ink-bottles CC, under which board are fixed two other
wheels, and by means of these three wheels the whole is moved backward and
forward as required. The uprights E, E, are kept steady at their upper part
to the frame D, either by pins or screws, admitting however their being taken
out at pleasure.
"
In order to use the machine the person who is to write or draw with
it should first. fix the pens or other instruments he intends to write or
draw with tight in the pen cases U, U, see Figure 1; then "place the books
or papers the means to write or draw on as flat as possible upon the sliding
board B'by the assistance of the lines drawn thereon, so as to make the parts
of each which are intended to bet written or drawn on correspond with the
pens or instruments so fixed, as above mentioned, which are meant to write
or draw upon them. He should then, by turning the milled heads belonging
to the pinions R; R, raise or lower such instruments according to the thickness
of such books or papers respectively, so as to make each press 'moderately upon
the book or paper under it... The ink-bottles, having a sufficient quantity of ink
in them, should be next' raised and lowered to the height of the pens opposite

page_text: L
to them, or moved to the distance required to. correspond with the situation of
the pens; so as to enable them conveniently to take ink: The person meaning
to write or draw should then take the handle: X,Figure 1, in his hand in the
same manner as a common writing pén, and direct with it! the pen or instru-
ment next to him, writing or drawing as he thinks fit, when the other or others
will make similar movements at the same time, andjexecute similar: writings or
drawings, as,,on,moving one of them in any, direction, the other: or others will
move in similar direction, and when ink is taken. with one, the other or others
will likewise take ink at the same time. In proportion as the person writing
or drawing proceeds from one side to the other of his paper or book he slidės
along the autograph upon the frame D; D; by gently touching as often as he
finds it requisite the rod Z, which. moves all the pens or instruments equally,
and as he proceeds from the top of his paper to the bottom he slides from him
the sliding board B (or draws to him the stand, if the machine is used as
described in Figure 9) as often as he finds it expedient, the sliding board
carries all the papers equally along with it. If the machine is fixed to a table
there should, of course, be a sliding board in such table. When the machine
is meant to be folded up and put into the desk, the rods V and Z are taken off,
and the sliding bar P 1 Figure 1, with the apparatus fixed to it, is taken from
the piece O, to which it belongs, and the remainder of the autograph being
taken from the frame D, D, is folded up, as seen in Figure 2, the uprights
E, E, are then taken from the desk and folded by means of a binge to each,
one of which is denoted by v, Figure 2, and the autograph placed within it, as
represented in the same Figure, after which the whole may be put into the
desk, which folds and is locked like a common portable writing desk.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Isambard Brunel, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, and in the thirty-ninth
year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace
of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, and so forth.

page_text: AND BE IT. REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord 1799, the aforesaid Marc Isambard Brunel came before our Lord
the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according to the tenor of
the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and ninety-nine.