IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVED OR ORNAMENTED BLOCKS OR PLATES, IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREIN, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th December 1870.-A communication from abroad by Claus
Van Haagen, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGRAVED OR ORNAMENTED BLOCKS OR PLATES,
IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR
MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREIN, WHICH APPARATUS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES," a communication to me from abroad by Claus Van
Haagen, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, of blocks, plates, or other like objects
engraved by a peculiar mode or process herein-after described and
constituting the second part of the said Invention.
The third part of this Invention consists of certain peculiar tools by
which the said process of engraving can be carried into effect, such tools
however being applicable to other purposes.

page_text: The machine it is proposed to employ in carrying out this Invention
consists of a bed to suitable guides on which is adapted a bracket sliding
to or fro longitudinally by means of a screw shaft and nut which is so
controlled by a screw spindle and weighted lever that the nut can
be readily withdrawn from the screw shaft and as readily moved into
gear with the same. A head stock carrying a spindle with speed pulley
similar to those of an ordinary lathe is so adapted to ways on the sliding
bracket that it can be moved to and fro in a direction at right angles to
that in which the sliding bracket can be moved by the screw shaft. To
the outer end of the spindle is attached a hub so slotted as to form jaws,
between which are hung and firmly gripped by a screw the inner ends
of arms carrying at their outer ends cutters. These arms after loosening
the screw can be moved nearer to or further from each other by a worm.
To guides in front of the bed of the machine there is so adapted a table
that the latter can be moved in a vertical direction only. A plain
block or plate of brass or other material with its finished face opposed
to the headstock is placed with one edge on the table and there secured;
the spindle is caused to revolve and at the same time to automatically
traverse longitudinally by means of the screw shaft while the revolving
cutters act on the face of the plate. It should be understood that the
cutters are so firmly secured that they revolve in a circle of unvarying
diameter. The result of this operation is the engraving on the block of
a number of intersecting convolutions in the form of a strip of greater
or less width. After the table has been elevated so as to present another
smooth portion of the face of the block to the action of the cutters the
latter are again caused to traverse while they revolve, thereby producing
a second series of convolutions engraved by mere repetitions of the
operation and so on.
The patterns produced on the several strips by precisely similar means
and under precisely similar circumstances are of the same generic
character and bear a remarkable resemblance to the surface of planed
wood in which the grain is well defined, but although the patterns of
the three strips have the same characteristics they are totally different
in detail.
The most careful and long continued experiments have been made
with the view of ascertaining whether a pattern could be repeated, but
although over one hundred tests were made there was such a marked
difference between the patterns produced as to lead to the conclusion

page_text: It is this
that it was impossible to reproduce any one of them.
peculiarity which renders this Invention especially available for pro-
ducing engraving plates for the printing, or for the embossing, or
forming water marks in bonds, bank notes, checks, certificates of
stock, and other valuable papers, the counterfeiting of which it is
desirable to prevent.
Annular patterns of the same character as the straight patterns or
strips can be produced by imparting a revolving motion only in sta-
tionary bearings to the cutter spindle, the cutting arms of which operate
on a brass disc secured to a worm spindle, which is caused to rotate
slowly. Thus it is immaterial whether the cutters are caused to traverse
as they revolve against a fixed plate, or whether the plate itself be
caused to traverse as the cutters revolve in fixed bearings. An endless
variety of ornamental patterns can be produced by causing the object
to be engraved to traverse in different paths, such, for instance, as the
varying patterns which could be obtained by the use of any of the
various eccentric and other chucks used by ornamental turners. These
patterns may be produced on brass, iron, steel, boxwood, and have even
been produced on the surface of very hard soap, thus showing the scope
of the process and its applicability to ornamental and useful purposes.
It may be applied to the ornamentation of silver or plated ware, for
instance, or to jewellery or to polished portions of machinery. The said
process may be adopted in making ornamental embossing plates for
bookbinders and case-makers, to the carving of printing blocks for wall
papers, oil cloths, and other fabrics, but it is especially applicable to the
engraving of blocks or plates for the printing of bank notes, checks,
and the like, inasmuch as a repetition of a pattern, excepting by electro-
typing or casting from the original, is impossible.
The third part of this Invention, which relates to certain tools which
may be used in carrying out the Invention, consists in the use of a hub
secured to the cutter spindle before referred to, so as to be readily
detached therefrom; and within a slot in this hub are jointed two arms
by pins, between which is another pin having a head at one end bearing
against one half of the slotted hub, and a screw thread at the opposite
end adapted to an internal screw thread in the opposite side of the hub,
so that in screwing this pin tight the two halves of the hub which possess
a slight elasticity will firmly grip the arms.
On each of these arms is
formed a toothed segment, the teeth of one arm being adapted to one

page_text: thread and the teeth of the other arm to the other thread of the duplex
screw or worm, one of these threads being right and the other left
handed, so that on turning the screw in one direction the arms will
simultaneously turn on their pins apart from each other, and on turning
the screw in a contrary direction the arms will turn towards each other.
In the above-described tool the cutters are secured to the arms by
dovetailed joints and set screws, by tightening which the slotted end of
the arm may be made to grip the dovetailed portion of the cutter, and
thus secure the same after adjustment. Another tool consists of a hub
provided with a screw, or having some other suitable provision for the
ready and secure attachment of the hub to and its detachment from
the cutter spindle. This hub has a transverse slot, between, which is
fitted the inner end of an arm which carries near its outer end a cutter,
and through the said arm as well as through the hub passes a pin which
operates in a manner similar to that described above for the purpose of
drawing the two halves of the hub toward each other, so as to firmly
grip the arm. A screw or worm fits snugly but so as to turn freely in
the end of the slot of the hub, and is prevented from moving longi-
tudinally therein by a projection on the end of the slot fitting accurately
in a groove in the worm, the thread of which is adapted to the teeth of
a segment of a worm wheel formed on the arm and arranged concen-
trically with the pin on which the arm turns, so that on turning the
worm, which in the present instance may be done by a square tool
adapted to a square hole in the end of the worm, the arm may be turned
to any desired position.