Year: 1891

page_text: Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a receiving apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sending part of the apparatus, showing the
mechanism for regulating the back and forth movements of the table carrying the
model.
Fig. 4 is a similar view of the part of the apparatus at the receiving station
and showing the mechanism for controlling the back and forth movements of the
reproducing table.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the armature and its connections for reversing the
direction of movements of the driving power.
In the apparatus shown A represents the base or bed plate, common to both
figures This plate, preferably, is cast in a single piece, as appears in each
figure, and is cored out on its under side to reduce weight as well as to afford
space for certain parts of the apparatus, thus leaving the top surface free for
other uses.
At one end the plate A is provided with guide-ways a, such as are common to
planing machines and lathes, and in these guide-ways a carriage B has free longitu-
dinal movement back and forth for a purpose hereinafter explained.
This carriage
has a rack & beneath which a pinion b' on the drive shaft engages and by which
the carriage is operated.
Upon the carriage and working in transverse guides therein is a table or bed
plate D, which has a short step by step cross feed at right angles to the travel of
the carriage B. This feed transversely is effected by a screw D', having a toothed
head or the like which engages an arbitrarily placed stop in the bed plate and
which gives a certain amount of turn to the screw and hence a certain slight
internal movement to bed plate D every time the carriage reaches the end of its
movement in either direction. The bed plate D of course is carried to and fro by
carriage B and has its own lateral movement besides. In operation there will be a
sufficient number of longitudinal movements of the carriage B to complete the work
laterally as well as longitudinally, and the breadth of the work will determine the
number of longitudinal movements. The lateral movement of plate D by its
screw, or other artificial means used in lieu thereof, cccurs at the end of each
longitudinal movement of the carriage.
.

page_text: The bed plate or table D forms a support for the work F which rests within a
frame E surrounding the same, and is held at the corners by angle clamps d. The
work in Fig. 2 consists in a plate of plastic material, or a plate coated or covered
with such material to a sufficient depth, and in Fig. 1 is shown in bas-relief as it
appears when ready for transmission, or when it is finished. In Fig. 1 are shown
transverse beads or ribs e near the end of the work. These occur only on the
sending forms, and are designed to switch or reverse the power by which frame B
is carried back and forth. Various forms of mechanism might be suggested to
accomplish this result. In the drawing I show a simple means consisting of a
lever H, pivoted on arched fulcrum rest G, which is longitudinally adjustable in
ways a' on the base A.
The transmitting lever II is adjustably held on rest G by a sleeve h, and the said
lever vibrates on this pivot subject to a spring supported at one end by an
adjusting screw on a cross piece on rest G, and at the other end on a short
standard adjustable on the transmitting lever. This spring is of course of very
slight tension and is meant to keep the tracing or graving tool or point ' normally
down on the work.
At its outer extremity lever I has an electrical contact point which is forced
down when the tracing point rides up on one of the beads e and closes the circuit
on the projection beneath, thus causing the motor-reversing current to be switched
and the motor reversed, when the carriage will move in the opposite direction.
Suitable regulating mechanism is employed for this purpose, as hereinafter
described.
The foregoing description, in so far as mechanism is concerned, relates largely to
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing and to both the sending and the receiving apparatus.
In Fig. the device is shown complete and operative, and if put in motion the
carriage would be found to travel back and forth automatically the distance
between the respective elevations e between which the work is located, and the
table E carrying the work would be gradually fed laterally until the tracing point
had traversed the entire width of the work. Thus the tracing point would be made
to describe or to travel on parallel lines on such distances apart as the lateral feed
screw would provide. In some instances, as in fine work, these lines would have
scarcely a perceptible distance between them, and the distance may be made greater
or less according to the quality of the work to be done.
Now, assuming that the work in Fig. 1 represents a bas-relief of a photograph
and the tracing point is in position at one side to begin the back and forth move-
ment over the surface of the work, as above indicated, and this surface is to be
exactly reproduced at a distance from the sending point, we find in Fig. 2 an
apparatus upon which this reproduction occurs. To accomplish this result electrical
connection between the two apparatus is required, and it is further required that
the movement of tracing pointer shall be reproduced at the receiving table with such
precision and nicety that every shade of variation in its movement will be transmitted
and repeated on the pointer at the receiving station. The work on the receiving
table therefore is of a plastic or other suitable material, and the V shaped tracing
or graving point or tool thereon is set to penetrate the otherwise even surface of
the work in proportion as it is raised and lowered by impulses from the tool h¹ of
the sending apparatus. That is, the movements of are transmitted electrically
and definitely to 6', so that when has traversed the work before it, has repro-
duced an exact fac-simile thereof in like relief and outline, even to the slightest
possible elevation or depression, said reproduction being in lateral variation as well
as vertical by reason of the V shaped tool, though the whole is on an otherwise
horizontal surface.
Two things are essential in this reproduction.-First, that the work in both
places shall move longitudinally and transversely at precisely the same rates of
speed. The lateral movement is equalized by having feed screws or other feed
mechanism the same in both places, and the longitudinal movement by having the
respective power shaft which impels the carriage back and forth driven at the same

page_text: rate of speed. Thus if electric motors are employed in each place they can be
regulated or governed to run at certain predetermined revolutions per minute, and
being thus governed by suitable means connected with each motor and subject to
local control, the reversal of both motors is effected simultaneou-ly by or through
lever II at the sending station. This lever is described as having a contact for
the local motor. Another contact is provided for the distant motor, and both
contacts being made at the same time, the reversing mechanism of both motor<
will be operated at the same time. Then both carriages will start in the
opposite direction together, and thus the action will be repeated until the work
is done.
Now, having the matter of movements for the work perfectly arranged, the next
essential is to transmit the up and down vibrations of the lever H as they are
produced from point and interpret the surface to the receiving point h, so
that the two points will work in unison and rise and fall together and to the same
elevations and depths. It will be understood that in this operation the sending
point rides over the surface of the work as it is found and does not penetrate it,
while the point makes penetrations in the work of greater or less depth of
width according to the conditions of the surface reproduced. That is, when the
point sinks low, the point will cut deep, and when the point rides high, the
point will eut light, and so on, the rise and fall of both being simultaneous and
equal.
This reproduction of movements is effected by means of a current of electricity
proceeding from a battery or other suitable generator K, through lever If,
to contact screws k, spring pressed pins, and resistance coils ², whence
the wire leads to the main line and the receiving station. As here shown, I employ
five resistance coils of gradually decreasing size and resistance, and the contact
screws are so set that the coil of greatest resistance is first thrown into circuit.
Then at the receiving station at the outer extremity of lever are solenoids L, L',
wound in reverse directions, which being thrown into the circuit when the current
passes through any of the coils k, exert an attractive and repellant force upon said
lever in proportion to the volume of the current. Thus if the current has to pass
through coil of the series, where the resistance is greatest, the flow will be less
than through any of the others, and hence the attraction or pull on lever 11' would
be at the minimum. On the other hand, if the current were through coil 5, it
would have its least resistance and greatest strength, and the pull on lever H
would be at its maximum. This would correspond to the highest elevation in the
play of point h', and the greatest resistance to the lowest depression or fall thereof.
It will follow of course if contact is made at No. 5 that the other coils preceding
will all be in circuit, but the current will naturally choo-e the path of least
resistance and hence will pass through No. 5 exclusively in preference to any of the
others. In this way also I am enabled to get the graduation of movement which
is dependent on the graduation of current, the resistance coils serving to break
the strength of the current just sufficiently to answer my purpose.
Of course any
desired number of coils can be used, and arrangement thereof made that is conve
nient. As here shown, they are beneath the base A, but they might be on top or
elsewhere about the apparatus. The spring coils beneath pins make connection
with the wires beneath. The telescopic bar M carrying the points is pivotally
secured at its inner end, and vertically adjustable at its outer end so as to adjust
the pins simultaneous with respect to screws instead of setting each screw
separately when more or less range of vibration of lever I is wanted.
As before described, the frame E having the raised portions at each end is placed
upon the table which reciprocates underneath the tracing point and feeds crosswise
of such reciprocation at regular intervals. The said frame encloses or holds the
model or the representation of the picture or sketch with its variable undulation.
Now, it will be observed that the greatest height of these elevations does not reach
to the same height as the thickened portions e of the frame E, so that when the
tracing point is moved to the highest position of the cast, the last of the contact

page_text: points is in circuit.
There still remain the two outer contact points which are not
yet in circuit, but which are thrown into circuit the moment the tracing point
rides upon the elevation e, thus effecting the reversing and stopping of both the
local and distant table actuating mechanism. This is accomplished as follows: The
contact point g is insulated from the main line circuit which passes through lever H,
its attached contact points and the respective resistances upon the line wire to
the receiving instrument. This contact point when thrown in circuit by
elevation e and tracing point h', with a local battery and electro magnets is
designed for stopping and reversing the local conveying mechanism. The contact
point next inside of the one g' is in circuit at the same time, but the current passing
over it
passes over the line wire to the solenoids the same as the current which
passed through the several contacts, as they successively were in circuit. This last
contact point allows the full strength of current to pass over the line and energizes
the solenoids far beyond what the current was able to do in coming through the
resistance coils ; hence the armature lever I moves to a greater degree even
than is ever required of it in the transmission of the picture alone, thereby closing
a local circuit for the receiving station which is identical with the one for the
sending station.
Suitable clock mechanism, or its equivalent, is used as the motive power in either
Case. A pinion M is mounted outside of the bed plate A upon the shaft h. This
pinion has meshing into it an intermediate gear, and this in turn receives motion
from a pivoted train of gears, 1 and 2, mounted upon a yoke which has a depending
lever which terminates in an armature. This lever has movement between the
cores of two separate sets of magnets, and is normally held as against either the one
or the other of the sets by a spring 3. The gear meshing with the intermediate
gear is in train with gear 2 of the same size meshing with it, which gear upon its
hub on the opposite side of its support, has a small pinion which in turn meshes
with a larger gear mounted upon the driving shaft of the motor mechanism.
The axial line of this motor shaft is coincident with a line drawn from centre
to centre of the two gears mounted upon the outside face of the yoke, and the
intersection of this line with their meeting pitch diameters, thus allowing small
pinion 4 to remain in mesh with the motor gear 5 in whatever position the
armature lever is placed with respect to the electro magnets. It will be observed
that contact point when in circuit as directed by elevations e at either end of
the stroke of the feed table, will actuate the armature and attract it against the
electro magnets. The gear 1, as now shown in mesh with intermediate gear, will,
when the armature is drawn to the opposite side of the magnets be out of mesh
with intermediate gear, but its companion mounted upon the yoke, and being in
mesh with itself, will at this time engage the intermediate gear, and thus reverse the
movement of the feed table. We will suppose the tracing point to be upon the
elevation e furthest to the right of Figure 1 ready for the feed mechanism to begin
its movement toward the left. At this point the electrical circuit will be closed
through point g', as described, leaving the gear 1 in mesh with the intermediate
gear, thus having stopped the feed machine and instantly reversing it so as to move
in the opposite direction. When this occurs, the feed table of course starts in the
opposite direction, as described, and when reaching the opposite end of its stroke
the tracing point likewise is raised or lifted upon the elevation e, thus again
closing the circuit through contact point g' and energizing the electro magnet to
draw the armature in the opposite direction. This is accomplished by means of a
cut out on the armature lever, which, when the magnet on the one side has attracted
the armature beyond its central position, as between the two sets of magnets, and
to the one side of the central position, spring 3 cuts itself out of circuit and switches
into circuit the opposite set of magnets, thus placing them in a position to be
operated when the tracing point has reached the opposite end of the feed mechanism.
This movement is continued until the whole surface of the motel has been gone
over, when of course the machine is stopped.
It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that an apparatus

page_text: thus constructed can be successfully employed at any distance between the sending
and receiving stations for reproducing bas-relief surfaces in the manner described,
and that the apparatus can as well be operated greater distances as at less ones by
simply supplying the necessary current for the purpo-e. The current is made
variable or intermittent by the resistance coils and the contact points k,, or in
other word, undulating with variations in volume and intensity according to
the size of coil in circuit as determined by the tracing point ic yet unbroken in
its flow.
The apparatus being started, it will run itself at both ends of the line until a
particular piece of work is finished, when it is stopped.
I won b employ an interrupted on interuent comment.
which in effect would be the same as is obtained through the graduated resistance
coils, that method might be employed instead of the coils, but I prefer the pro-ent
arrangement to any other that now suggests itself. The function of these coils may
be of course otherwise obtained, and the invention is designed to include any and all
electrical agencies by which a current can be varied according to the undulations of
the surface interpreted, and thus cause said surface to be reproduced at a distant
point, as hereinbefore described. In the present construction the current is steady
and constant and is varied in degree or intensity as it goes out upon the line wire,
by the resistance coils.
The reproducing or interpreting arm H, operated by solenoids L, L', may make
its record through the medium of a ruling pen, say of the usual style of a graving
or tracing point or tool. In that case the pen would be held stationary on the paper
or surface to be worked and the lever or arm H would have a vertical play between
the blades of the pen, on the stems of which are vertical inclines. The arm playing
up and down upon the inclines would separate the blades or move them toward one
another according to the breadth of line wanted and the position of the arm on the
inclines. Thus a line of any breath desired can be obtained. The pen of course is
provided with a constant supply of ink, and with a suitable spring or other means
to restore the blades to their normal relation as against the action of the inclines.
A bifurcated lever working on the outside of the pen blades would in effect amount
to a like operation.
The term plastic material" as used in this Specification should be interpreted
as meaning such material as paraffine wax, bees-wax, the material employed for
graphophones or phonograph tablets, and all like substances in which a graving
tool or sharp tracing point will cut a clean score, trace, line or groove into the
material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. The method of reproducing bas-relief, intaglio, and the like surfaces, consisting
in running a tracing point in contact with the surface to be reproduced and com-
municating the variable vibrations of said point to a reproducing point or device by
means of an electric current, substantially as described.
2. The method of transmitting the configuration of a given surface from one point
to another, which consists in causing a tracing point to be vibrated by and according
to the undulations of the surface to be reproduced and communicating the said
undulation by means of an electric current to another tracing point or device working
upon another surface, substantially as described.
3. The method of reproducing surfaces having variable elevations, the same
consisting in moving the subject to be reproduced back and forth beneath a tracing
point and communicating the up and down movements of said point by an electric
current to a reproducing point or device arranged over a surface in which the
undulations of the original are faithfully reproduced by moving said material or
work back and forth beneath the reproducing point or device by an electric current
in unison with the original work, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. The method of duplicating uneven surfaces, the same consisting in causing a
tracing point to travel back and forth in approximate paths over an undulating
surface and causing
a delineation of said surface to be made on another surface by
a reproducing point actuated by a current of electricity varying in strength with
the varying elevations and depressions of the original surface, substantially as
described.
5. The method herein described consisting in reproducing an undulating surface
on a body of plastic material having a substantially even surface by transmitting
the undulations of the original surface electrically to the plastic surface through a
suitable reproducing point arranged to penetrate said plastic surface to greater or
less depth and width governed by the varying strength of the electric current,
substantially as described.
6. The method herein described of working electrically from one surface to
another which consists in employing a suitable point for each surface and controlling
one of said points electrically through an interposed graduated resistance, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In an electrical transmitting system, a subject having variable elevations
on its surface and a tracing point actuated by said elevations, substantially as
described.
8. In an electrical transmitting system, a subject with an irregular surface and a
tracing point actuated by said subject, in combination with a plate having a
reproducing point actuated electrically through the movements of the tracing point,
substantially as described.
9. In an electrical transmitting system, two plates and a movable point for each
plate, with electrical connections whereby the point is actuated by the variable
movements of the other, substantially as described.
10. In an electrical transmitting system, a subject having an irregular or uneven
surface and a tracing point to work in contact therewith, in combination with a
reproducing point and electrical connections providing an undulating current for
actuating the reproducing point, substantially as described.
11. In an electrical transmitting system, a subject having a support provided
with mechanism for moving it in different directions, a tracing point pivoted to work
up and down over said plate and electrical connections whereby said mechanism is
reversed, substantially as described.
12. In an electrical transmitting system, a carrier for a subject provided with
longitudinal and transverse ways, mechanism to move the carrier in said ways, a
tracing point supported on an arm and having a spring to keep the point in working
position and electrical connections controlling the movements of said mechanism,
substantially as described.
13. In an electrical transmitting system, a suitable support for a subject having
an irregular surface and an arm provided with a tracing point adapted to work up
and down over the subject, substantially as described.
14. In an electrical transmitting system, separate stations connected electrically,
one of said stations having a subject or pattern with an irregular surface and a
tracing point actuated by said surface, and another station having a reproducing
point actuated electrically, substantially as described.
15. In an electrical transmitting system, a sending station having a tracing point
operated by an uneven surface over which said point is adapted to travel, in
combination with a receiving station having à reproducing point to interpret said
irregular surface and electrical connections between said stations provided with
means to make the strength of the current correspond to the irregularities of the
surface to be reproduced, substantially as described.”
16. In an electrical transmitting system, sending and receiving stations electrically
connected and a series of graduated resistances in said connections, substantially as
described.
17. In an electrical transmitting system, a tracing point adapted to vibrate and a
point to reproduce said vibrations on a suitable surface, in combination with

page_text: electrical connections provided with varying resistances and distinct contact points,
substantially as described.
18. In an electrical transmitting system, a tracing point actuated by an irregular
or undulating surface and an arm supporting said point, with an electrical contact
point on said arm to close a circuit and electrically control the propelling power of
the local apparatus. substantially as described,
19. In an electrical transmitting system, a frame holding a subject to be
reproduced having ribs or beads on which the tracing point is adapted to ride, with
said tracing point whereby the frame is reversed through electrical connection-,
substantially as described.
20. In an electrical transmitting -ystem, a sending station and a receiving station
each provided with suitable mechanism, and electrical connections between said
stations whereby the said mechanism at both stations is simultaneously reversed,
substantially as described.
21. In an electrical transmitting system, a receiving station provided with a plate
of plastic or like soft material having an uneven surface and a tool to work from
said surface downward in lines varying in depth and width whereby a figure,
picture, or the like is produced in relief on the said surface, and electrical connections
with a sending station for actuating said tool, substantially as described.
22. In an electrical transmitting system, a sending station having a subject with
arbitrary elevations on its surface and a tracing point actuated by said elevations.
in combination with a receiving station having mechanism to interpret and
reproduce the movements of the actuating tracing point, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of March 1891.
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicants.