Improvements in Charring Instruments and Apparatus for Drawing on Wood or other Material.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Charring Instruments and Apparatus for Drawing
on Wood or other Material.
We, ROBERT MOELLER, and SOEREN CONDRUP, trading as Moeller and Condrup,
of 78 Fore Street, in the City of London, Agents and Importers, do hereby declare
the nature of the invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in instruments and apparatus used in the
art of pyrography or drawing on wood or other material by charring portions of the
surface thereof, commonly known as "poker work."
Instruments and apparatus of this kind usually consist of a charring point_or
pencil maintained at a red heat by the combustion therein of the vapour of a
volatile spirit, such as benzoline for example, supplied, from a bottle or other vessel
containing such spirit, by means of a jet of atmospheric air forced through such
bottle by an indiarubber collapsible ball or other bellows, and suitable flexible
connecting tubing. The spirit bottle or other vessel is generally closed by means
of a stopper or cork with a tube passing through same, the outer end of such tube
being of a Y or T shape for the purpose of attaching the flexible tubes of the
collapsible ball or bellows and the charring point or pencil respectively. In order
to start the apparatus when commencing work, or after having changed the
charring point or pencil, it is necessary to heat such charring point or pencil in a
gas flame, or in the flame of a spirit lamp, which latter is usually supplied specially
for this purpose with the apparatus.
One object of this invention is to provide means whereby the spirit bottle or
other vessel before referred to may be utilised as a spirit lamp for heating the
charring point or pencil, a separate lamp or other source of heat thus being
dispensed with entirely. For this purpose the spirit bottle or other vessel is closed
with an airtight screw plug or cap with which is formed or connected a plug tap of
the following special construction. The body of the tap is provided with ports or
passages communicating with the upper interior part of the spirit bottle or other
vessel, with the flexible tube of the collapsible ball or bellows, and with the
charring point or pencil. The ports or passages in the plug are so arranged as to
correspond with those in the body of the tap as required. One end of the plug is
formed as a burner, of a suitable type, and the other end is preferably provided
with a spring, whereby the surfaces of the tap are kept in contact while allowing
the plug to be turned easily, and at the same time an endwise movement of the plug
is also permitted when desired as hereinafter explained. The plug is adapted to be
turned as required into any one of the three following positions. When it is
desired to start the apparatus the plug is turned into such a position as that the
inside of the spirit bottle or other vessel is placed in communication with the
burner, and also with the collapsible ball or bellows, communication being closed
between the spirit bottle and the charring point or pencil. The collapsible ball or
bellows is now operated and a light applied to the burner, when an intensely hot
flame is produced, in which the cold charring point or pencil is placed and heated
to the necessary temperature. The plug is then turned into the second position, in
which communication is closed between the spirit bottle and the burner, and
communication opened between the said bottle and the charring point or pencil,
and between the said bottle and the collapsible ball or bellows. The burner
is thereby extinguished, and on operating the collapsible ball or bellows the
charring point or pencil is maintained in an incandescent state, in a manner well

page_text: understood in connection with this class of apparatus. On completion of the work,
and when it is desired to pack the apparatus away, the plug is moved endwise
against the resistance of the beforementioned spring, thereby releasing a pin or
stop on the plug from a notch or recess in the body of the tap, and allowing the
plug to be turned into such a position as to close communication between the spirit
bottle and all of the ports or passages of the plug, when the beforementioned pin
or stop is drawn by the spring into another notch or recess in the body of the tap.
The apparatus may now be stowed away without any risk of the contents of the
spirit bottle or other vessel leaking away. A milled head, preferably of a non-
conducting material, is provided for turning the plug, which head may receive
suitable indications so as to ensure the plug being placed exactly in either of the
three positions as required.
Instead of employing platinum for the charring points or pencils, we sometimes
employ an aluminium bronze alloy of suitable proportions by which the cost of the
said points or pencils is considerably reduced.
Dated this 20th day of January 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Charring Instruments and Apparatus for Drawing
on Wood or other Material.
We ROBERT MOELLER and SOEREN CONDRUP trading as Moeller and Condrup,
of 78 Fore Street in the City of London, Agents and Importers, 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 :--
66
This invention relates to improvements in instruments and apparatus used in the
art of pyrography, or drawing on wood or other material by charring portions of
the surface thereof, commonly known as
poker work."
Instruments and apparatus of this kind usually consist of a charring point or
pencil maintained at a red heat by the combustion therein of the vapour of a
volatile spirit, such as benzoline for example, supplied from a bottle or other vessel
containing such spirit, by means of a jet of atmospheric air forced through such
bottle by an indiarubber collapsible ball or other bellows, and suitable flexible
connecting tubing. The spirit bottle or other vessel is generally closed by means
of a stopper or cork with a tube passing through same, the outer end of such tube
being of a Yor T shape for the purpose of attaching the flexible tubes of the
collapsible ball or bellows, and the charring point or pencil respectively. In order
to start the apparatus when commencing work, or after having changed the
charring point or pencil, it is necessary to heat such charring point or pencil in a
gas flame or in the flame of a spirit lamp, which latter is usually supplied specially
for this purpose with the apparatus.
The chief object of this invention is to provide means whereby the spirit bottle,
or other vessel before referred to may be utilized as a spirit lamp for heating the
charring point or pencil, a separate lamp or other source of heat being thus dispensed
with entirely.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings
in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a complete apparatus constructed in accordance with
the invention ;

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan view of the spirit bottle and appurtenances appertaining to
the said apparatus; and
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are sections taken on the line X X of Figure 2.
The spirit bottle or other vessel A containing the volatile spirit is closed by an
airtight screw plug or cap B with which is formed or connected a plug tap or valve
of the following special construction :-The body C of the tap is provided with three
ports or passages D, E, F, communicating with the upper interior part of the spirit
bottle or vessel A, a port or passage G communicating with the flexible tube H of
the collapsible ball or bellows I, and a port or passage J communicating with the
flexible tube K leading to the charring point or pencil L.
The ports or passages in the plug M of the tap or valve are so arranged that
certain of them correspond with certain of those in the body of the tap or valve
or are shut off therefrom when the plug is turned into the positions indicated in
Figures 3, 4 and 5.
One end of the plug M is formed as a gas or vapour burner N of any suitable
type, and the other end may be provided with a spring O whereby the surface of
the plug M is kept in contact with the internal surface of the body C, while
allowing the said plug to be turned easily into the required positions, and at the
same time an end wise movement of the plug is permitted when desired, as herein-
after explained. The plug M is adapted to be turned as required so as to occupy
either the positions shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. When it is desired to start the
apparatus the plug M is turned into the position shown in Figure 3, in which the
inside of the spirit bottle or vessel A is placed in communication firstly with
the gas or vapour burner N by the passage F in the tap or valve body C and
the passages P and Q in the plug M, and secondly with the collapsible ball or
bellows I by the passage E in the tap or valve body C, the passages R and S in
the plug M, the passage G in tap or valve body C, and the indiarubber tube H. We
also find it advantageous in some cases to provide communication between the
passages D and J in the tap or valve body C by means of the passages T and U in
the plug M so as to admit a certain limited quantity of air, or air and vapour to
the charring point or pencil L while the same is being treated as hereinafter
described.
The collapsible ball or bellows I is now operated and air forced through the
spirit bottle A. The air mixes with the vapour of the spirit and this mixture
issues at the gas or vapour burner N and a light being applied thereto an intensely
hot flame is produced at the said gas or vapour burner, in which flame the charring
point or pencil L is placed, and is heated thereby as it would be in the ordinary
spirit lamp usually provided for that purpose. When the charring point or pencil L
has attained the necessary temperature the plug M is turned into the position
shown in Figure 4, in which communication is closed between the spirit bottle or
vessel A and the gas or vapour burner N, and communication is opened (as seen in
the figure) between the said bottle and the charring point or pencil L by the
passages UJ and tube K, and between the spirit bottle and the collapsible ball
or bellows by the passages E, S, R, G and tube H. The flame at the gas or
vapour burner N is thereby extinguished, and on continuing to operate the
collapsible ball or bellows I the charring point or pencil L is maintained in an
incandescent state in the manner well understood in connection with this class of
apparatus.
On completion of the work, and when it is desired to pack the apparatus away,
the plug M is turned into the position shown in Figure 5 so as to close communica-
tion between the spirit bottle or vessel A and the collapsible ball I, the charring
point or pencil L, and the gas or vapour burner N. The apparatus may now be
stowed away without any risk of the contents of the spirit bottle or vessel A
leaking away.
A milled head V is provided for turning the plug M, and this head may have
marked on it suitable letters or other indications which, when brought opposite a
pointer W fixed to the body of the tap, show that the plug is exactly in one of the

page_text: three positions indicated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. In order to further insure the
plug M being stopped in the proper positions a rounded pin Y may be fixed in
the plug M, and three notches Z cut in the face of the body C, adapted to receive
the said pin Y when the plug M has been turned into cither of the required
positions. The spring O constantly, tends, as above stated, to draw the plug M
inwards against its seating in the body C, of the tap or valve and therefore to
draw the pin Y into the notch Z opposite to which it may be placed, and thereby
to hold the plug securely in the desired position.
When it is desired to turn the plug M it may be drawn forward by hand against
the action of the spring O, until the pin Y is released from the notch Z in which it
has been engaged, and the plug can then be turned until the pin Y comes opposite
another notch Z, and on releasing the plug the spring O draws it back, and
consequently the pin Y into the notch. But when the pin and the edges of the
notches are rounded, or inclined, as shown in Figure 2 the plug need not be drawn
forward by hand, but merely turned round, because the pin Y acting against the
inclined or rounded edges of the notches Z draws the plug forward to the required
extent automatically. Instead of the pin Y on the plug, and notches Z on the tap
body, notches may be cut in the edge of the head V, or in a suitable disc provided for
the purpose, a fixed spring being arranged to take into either of the notches as the
disc and plug are turned, and thereby to held the latter in the required position. In
this case the spring O may be dispensed with and the plug M be retained in
its seating in the body C by a screw or nut or otherwise in any well known
manner.
Instead of employing platinum for the charring point or pencil we sometimes
employ aluminium bronze by which the cost of the said point or pencil is
considerably reduced.
Having now
rticularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In an apparatus for drawing on wood or other material by charring, the
combination with the bottle or other vessel containing the volatile spirit, of a gas
or vapour burner for heating the charring point or pencil such gas or vapour
burner being supplied with combustible vapour and air from the said -bottle or
other vessel containing the volatile spirit, substantially as described.
Second. In an apparatus for drawing on wood or other material by charring,
the use of a plug tap or rotatory valve provided with passages whereby com-
munication can be effected between the bottle or other vessel containing the
volatile spirit, the collapsible ball or bellows, and the gas or vapour burner for
heating the charring point or pencil, or between the said bottle or other vessel,
the collapsible ball or bellows and the charring point or pencil, and whereby
communication between the said bottle or other vessel and any of the aforesaid
parts can be cut off, substantially as described.
Third. In the construction of the charring point or pencil of an apparatus for
drawing on wood or other material by charring, the use of aluminium bronze, as
described.
Fourth. The improved apparatus for drawing on wood or other material by
charring, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as herein before
described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1894.
R. MOELLER,
S. CONDRUP,
Per W. H. Beck,
Agent.