A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGRAVING, CUTTING OR IMPRESSION TOOL OR INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO THE VARYING CONDITIONS OF A. GIVEN PATTERN OR PICTURE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for an Invention of A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGRAVING, CUTTING OR IMPRESSION TOOL
OR INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO THE VARYING CONDITIONS OF A. GIVEN
PATTERN OR PICTURE communicated to him from abroad by The Bain Electric
Company, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th November 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67 Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, "A NEW OR
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGRAVING, CUTTING
OR IMPRESSION TOOL OR INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO THE VARYING CONDITIONS OF
A GIVEN PATTERN OR PICTURE," a communication to me from abroad by The Bain
Electric Company, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
This invention consists chiefly in controlling an engraving, cutting or impression
tool or instrument, by means of light or beat rays so that the operations of said
tool correspond to the varying conditions of a pattern from which said rays are
passed, and all parts of which are successively subjected to said rays.
In carrying the invention into practical effect I use a pattern (a photographic
negative or positive, or any polished or transparent or translucent plate or sheet
having upon it a pattern formed by lines or shades) which will to a greater or less
extent obstruct the transmission or reflection of rays of light or heat from a flame,
or heated, or luminous body.
In passing the rays to or through said pattern plate I prefer to use a lens that
will focus said rays upon the plate and to then pass the latter back and forth or
otherwise move it so that every portion will in succession be subjected to the rays,

page_text: It will be obvious that if the rays passed thus from a pattern plate of varying
opacity, are thrown upon a substance or device which will respond to the varying
intensities of the rays, the latter may be made the means of effecting the adjustment
of a cutting tool traversing the surface of, or traversed by, the object to be cut, in
unison with the movement of the pattern plate.
Different appliances, depending upon the character of the work to be performed,
are used in carrying out this mode of operation.
5
In producing intaglio or relief, a burr or drill, or milling tool may be used-for
engraving, a gouge chisel or cutting tool is employed-in any case the tool traverses
the object to be cut, or the latter moves beneath the tool, in harmony with the
movement of the pattern plate, and the position of the tool, determining the depth
or character of the cut, is regulated by the intensity or quantity.or. radiant energy
of heat or light rays passing from the traversing pattern.
The invention also consists in the combination with a tool operating upon the
object to be cut or formed, of an electrical regulating device whereby the position
of the tool is adjusted according to the variations in an electrical currant, and
appliances whereby said current is varied by the varying degree of heat of light
rays passing from their source to and from a pattern plate.
Also in the combination with a cutting or forming tool, of an electrical adjusting
device, a pattern plate moving in unison with the traverse of the tool or object to
be formed, and a selenium cell or its equivalent, electrically connected with the
regulating device and receiving the rays from the pattern plate.
t
Also in the combination' with a joutting or forming tool, operating upon the
object to be formed, an electrical regulating device, whereby the position of the
tool is adjusted, a transparent or translucent' pattern moving in unison with
the said object, subjected to rays of heat or light, and à selenium cell or its
equivalent arranged to receive said rays and in electrical connection with the
regulating device to control the latter..
י
This invention has some analogy to the photophone, where an electric current is
made to pass through a selenium cell which substance is sensitive to light in such a
manner as to alter its electric resistance according to the intensity or volume of the
light falling upon the cell.
In both cases the light produces variations in the electric current passing
through the cell, and in the present invention these variations are utilized for
controlling a drawing or engraving tool.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Patent Office on the 18th May 1884.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67 Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, "A NEW OR
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGRAVING, CUTTING
OR IMPRESSION TOOL OR INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO THE VARYING CONDITIONS OF
A. GIVEN PATTERN OR PICTURE," a communication to me from abroad by The Bain
Eléctric Company, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
This invention consists in controlling an engraving, cutting or impression tool or
instrument, by means of light or heat rays so that the operations of said tool
correspond to the varying conditions of a pattern from which said rays are passed,
and all parts of which are successively subjected to said raya.
In carrying the invention into practical effect I use a pattern (a photographic
negative or positive, or any polished or transparent or translucent plate or sheet
having upon it a pattern formed by lines or shades) which will to a greater or less
extent obstruct the transmission or reflection of rays of light or heat from a flame,
or heated, or luminous body.
In passing the rays to or through said pattern plate I prefer to use a lens that
will focus said rays upon the plate and to then pass the latter back and forth
or otherwise move it so that every portion will in succession be subjected to
the rays.
In will be obvious that if the rays passed thus from a pattern plate of varying
opacity, are thrown upon a substance or device which will respond to the varying
intensities of the rays, the latter may be made the means of effecting the adjustment
of a cutting tool traversing the surface of, or traversed by, the object to be cut, in
unison with the movement of the pattern plate.
Different appliances, depending upon the character of the work to be performed,
are used in carrying out this mode of operation.
In producing intaglio or relief, a burr or drill, or milling tool may be used-for
engraving, a gouge chisel or cutting tool is employed-in any case the tool traverses
the object to be cut, or the latter moves beneath the tool, in harmony with the
movement of the pattern plate, and the position of the tool, determining the depth
or character of the cut, is regulated by the intensity or quantity or radiant energy
of heat or light rays passing from the traversing pattern.
In the drawing is illustrated an apparatus for automatic engraving in which A,
is a case, closed except at one point, where an opening 2, permits the passage of
rays of light or heat emanating from a source as S, focussed upon a pattern plate B,
(in this case a photographic negative or positive) by means of a lens C.
The rays passing through the pattern plate are received upon a block of selenium
or a selenium cell D, which forms part of an electric circuit the resistance of
which will therefore be proportioned to the amount of light or heat to which the
cell is subjected.
When a pattern plate is used adapted to reflect more or less light according to
the design upon the plate, the radiant energy may emanate from any source, as S',
and be transmitted to the face of the plate and reflected therefrom to the selenium
or other circuit controlling medium, as indicated by dotted line 8¹.
As shown the circuit includes a battery E, and electro-magnet F, the armature G,
of the latter being pivoted and extended to form a lever, geared or connected with
an arm H, carrying a graver d. A spring s, capable of having, its tension nicely
regulated is arranged to lift the armature from the magnet.
...
J

page_text: The plate V, to be engraved moves beneath the graver in unison with the
pattern plate B. As shown, both are upon a slide I, which is reciprocated longi-
tudinally, and moved laterally step by step, so that gradually all parts of the
pattern plate are traversed by the rays and all parts of the plate I, are carried
beneath the graver.
The slide may be caused to partake of any of the movements common to
engraving machine slides or plate holders, the means of providing such movements
being too well known by those skilled in the art to need particular description.
In the drawing for an example, however, I have illustrated one of the most
primative, the longitudinal reciprocation being produced by a crank or slotted
rotating disk M, and the lateral step by step motion by a screw rod having a
ratchet N, on one end connected to the slide and engaging with a spring pawl O,
on the bed or frame of the machine.
As the strength of the current increases and decreases with the intensity of the
rays received upon the selenium cell, there is a corresponding variation in the
power of the electro-magnet, and the armature thereof is subjected to a varying
force tending to draw it to the magnet against the power of the spring, so that the
graver is withdrawn from and carried towards the plate according as the heat or
light rays are less or more obstructed in their passage through the pattern plate.
The depth of the cut is thus regulated and caused to correspond with the varying
influence of the radiant energy, inasmuch as in proportion as the passage of the
rays is interfered with by the varying character of the pattern, the strength of the
current will be varied and will produce a corresponding variation in the adjustment
of the tool.
The above described apparatus illustrates the invention somewhat crudely, and
for many operations it would be variously modified.
It, however, serves to illustrate the principle of the invention and those skilled
in the arts to which it appertains will readily see the various modifications necessary
to adapt the invention to the various kinds of work. Without attempting to set
forth all the modifications that have suggested themselves, I will mention a few
that are obvious to every one skilled in electricity.
Thus a solenoid may be advantageously substituted for an electro-magnet, or two
magnets, one in a main and the other in a shunt circuit, see Fig 2, may be arranged
to operate simultaneously in opposite ways upon the armature or movable core,
securing an increased effect, as in the regulating magnets of electric lights. A
galvanometer may be used instead of an electro-magnet, in which case the move-
ment of the needle is made the means of intensifying or decreasing the magnetic
action of a magnet or solenoid. Other means may be used where a weak current
is made the means of operating a switch regulator or other device, the movement
of which throws in or cuts out other and stronger motor currents in the same
manner as a relay. The magnet F, may have a core of soft iron or the core may
be polarized, and the winding of the conductor may intensify or reduce the
magnetic action.
An equivalent of the selenium coll in some cases would be a thermo device, as a
thermo pile generating its own current of greater or less intensity or quantity
under the varying character of the rays, and controlling the operating magnet
directly or indirectly as before described.
Any desired means may be employed to secure a coincidence of movement of the
pattern and the object to be operated on. These means will differ with the
difference in the character of the work to be done. In some instances the object
operated on will be curved or cylindrical-and will revolve as the pattern slides-
in other cases while there is a unison and coincidence of motion the degree of
motion will differ, the duplicate in such case being proportionately larger or smaller
than the pattern.
It will therefore be understood that this invention may be embodied in various
different apparatus, but that the principle of operation is the same, to wit: the
governing of the position of the cutting or forming tool by the varying radiant

page_text: ergy of heat or light rays transmitted through, or to and from, a pattern plate
varying character.
Without therefore limiting myself to the use of the means described and shown,
claim:-
The within described mode of cutting or shaping objects the same consisting in
governing the position of the working tool by the varying action of heat or
light rays from a pattern plate constructed to transmit or direct the rays
passed thereto, to different degrees, according to the pattern, substantially as
set forth.
The within described method of governing the position of a working tool, which
consists in varying the amount of radiant energy from a ray of light or heat
passing through the pattern and controlling the position of the tool in
accordance with that amount.
The combination with a tool operating upon the object to be cut or formed, of
an electrical regulating device whereby the position of the tool is adjusted
according to the variations in an electrical current, and appliances whereby
said current is varied by the varying degree of heat or light rays passing from
their source to and from a pattern plate, substantially as specified.
The combination with a cutting or forming tool, of an electrical adjusting device,
a pattern plate moving in unison with the traverse of the tool or object to be
formed, and a selenium cell or its equivalent, electrically connected with the
regulating device and receiving the rays from the pattern plate, substantially
as set forth.
The combination with a cutting or forming tool, operating upon the object to be
formed, an electrical regulating device, whereby the position of the tool is
adjusted, a transparent or translucent pattern moving in unison with the said
object, subjected to rays of heat or light, and a selenium cell or its equivalent
arranged to receive said rays and in electrical connection with the regulating
device to control the latter, substantially as set forth.
witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my
nd and seal this 12th day of May A.D. 1884.