IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CARVING IN WOOD, IVORY, STONE, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sebastien Notton, of St. Claude, Jura, France,
but at present of 33, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
CUTTING OR CARVING IN WOOD, IVORY, STONE, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 25th January 1876, and dated the 7th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sebastien Notton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th August 1875.
I, SEBASTIEN NOTTON, of St. Claude, Jura, France, but at present
of 33, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING OR CARVING IN WOOD, Ivory, Stone, AND OTHER MATERIALS,” to be
as follows:
The object of this Invention is to produce ornamental and other
patterns in wood, ivory, and other materials, corresponding with a
pattern or patterns, the reproductions being produced at a considerable

page_text: speed with great accuracy, and without the necessity of employing any
skilled labour.
A convenient way of carrying my Invention into effect is as follows : —
I construct, say, two parallelogram frames united by a bar on which the
materials to be carved or cut are placed and mounted on axes to which
rotary motion is imparted. The model forming the pattern to be
reproduced may be in one or several pieces, which is or are placed on
a carrier, the model or carrier being guided by an operator. There is a
guide point carried on end of a vertical rod, which point is caused to
fall and rise so as to travel over the indentations or projections. on the
model. The model carrier is placed on a table, which may be movable
or not as desired, on which it is free to slide one way or the other. The
parallelogram frames are free to turn or move on axes in such manner
that they may be caused to incline backwards or forwards at pleasure,
which operation is performed by the workman through a treadle and
cords or straps passing upward and leading to the shafts carrying the
engraving tools, to which a quick rotary motion is imparted. The
position of the parallelogram frames is regulated by a toothed sector
gearing into an endless screw on a spindle, so that according to the
direction in which the spindle is caused to revolve so the sector may be
moved, and with it the frames and the engraving tools; or the carrier
may be made to shift by similar means.
To use the machine a pattern is placed on the pattern carrier, and on
rotary motion being imparted to the machinery by hand wheel or power
the guide point is caused to work by the operator over the parts of the
pattern to be engraved or reproduced, to accomplish which the workman
by means of the treadle causes the pointer to rise or fall, and the frames
to become inclined backwards or forwards, as may be required, which
done the engraving tools move in corresponding'directions and reproduce
the pattern over which the guide is led.
Any desired number of articles may be engraved at one and the same
time by increasing the number of engraving tools.
If the proportion of the reduction by this machine is, say, half, then
the model may be twice as large as the reproductions it is desired to
obtain, or carvings may be produced with the model the same size.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sebastien Notton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SEBASTIEN
NOTTON, of St. Claude, Jura, France, but at present of 33, Chancery
Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year
of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Sebastion Notton, Her special licence,
that I, the said Sebastien Notton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Sebastien Notton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CUTTING OR CARVING IN WOOD, IVORY, STONE, AND OTHER
MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Sebastien Notton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
•
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sebastien Notton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:-
The object of this Invention is to produce ornamental and other
patterns in wood, ivory, and other materials, corresponding with a
pattern or patterns, the reproductions or copies being executed very

page_text: quickly with great accuracy and fineness, and without the necessity of
employing any skilled labor.
For this purpose I employ a machine of the following description:-
I construct two parallelogram frames, which are united by a bar on
which are placed the pieces of materials or objects to be carved or cut,
and I mount the said pieces or objects on spindles in such a manner
that they by means of suitable rotary gear can be turned or shifted
round their axes to any required position for the tools to operate upon
them. The model or pattern which is to be copied or reproduced in the
same or different size may be in one or several picces, which is or are
placed on a carrier, which with the model is guided by the operator.
There is a guide point carried on the end of a vertical rod, which point
is caused to rise and fall as required, so as to travel over and follow the
undulations or projections and indentations on the model. The model
carrier is placed on and is free to slide in all directions on a table which
according to the construction of the machine is made stationary or
movable. In the latter case the table and the parallelogram frames
working thercon are made to turn or move on axes in such manner as to
assume inclined backward or forward positions at pleasure, and relatively
to the vertical rod aforesaid, and to a tool or a number of tools operating
in unison with the said rod. This operation of inclining the table may
be performed by the workman pressing on a treadle connected to the
upper part of the table by means of cords or straps, or by toothed worm
sector gearing into an endless screw on a spindle, so that according to
the direction in which the spindle is turned so the sector may be moved,
and with it the table and parallelograms; or when the table is made
stationary the treadle or sector gear may be operated so as to incline the
framing which carries the guide rod and the tools; or it may be done
without any special gear if a brake appliance is used for holding the said
framing in any desired position, and releasing it at will.
The tools receive a quick rotary movement from any suitable motor,
and operate on the work in unison with and while the model is being
traversed under the guiding point.
Any suitable number of articles may be engraved at one and the same
time by increasing the number of engraving tools.
If the proportion of the reduction by this machine is, say, half, then
the model is twice as large as the copy which it is desired. to make; or

page_text: any desired number of carvings may be produced of the same size as the
model if the machine be made in accordance therewith.
And in order that this my Invention may be more fully understood
I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings which represent various views of a machine
for carving fourteen pieces at the same time or any less number, the
model or pattern in this particular instance being about four times larger
than the carvings to be reproduced in accordance therewith.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Figure 2, a front
clevation; Figure 3, a vertical section through line A, A, on Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a plan section through line B, B, on Figure 1, and Figure 4
is a detail to an enlarged scale.
a, a, are two bars which are jointed to the framing of the machine by
-pins and slot holes at their outer ends, and jointed together in the
middle of the machine; to these bars a near their outer ends the two
bars b, b, are jointed; the bars b, b, are united in front by two cross
bars c, c, jointed thereto and jointed to one another in the middle; and
the bars b, b, are united near the back by a bar d jointed thereto; the
front cross bars c, c, and the back cross bars a, a, are jointed together
by the central bar c, on which the model carrier is mounted, as will be
presently explained; f is a cross bar jointed to the side bars
and g, g, g, are fourteen parallel bars jointed to the bars d and f.
ט
only;
By observing the dotted position of the framing consisting of the
aforesaid bars a, a, b, b, c, c, d, d, and e it will be understood that this
framing forms two parallelogram frames or a double parallelogram, the
stationary points of which parallelograms are at the outer fulcrum or
attachment points of the bar a; it will also be understood that the two
parallelograms together may obtain any lateral or swinging movement
by taking hold of the handle e on the frame j which is fixed on
the bar e, and swinging them bodily or like one parallelogram to one
side or the other; also that the parallelograms may be drawn forward or
backward in the centre by pulling or pushing the handle e¹ accordingly.
The cross bar on which the materials to be carved are placed, and
mounted on axes which may receive rotary movement unites the two
parallelograms, but is not connected to the centre bar e. Another
consequence of this arrangement and of the proportions of the parts. is
that the cross bar freceives a proportionately smaller movement (in this

page_text: case about one-fourth) for every movement of the handle e¹ and bar c,
the model or pattern is therefore in this instance about four times larger
than the work. to be carved as already mentioned. The parallelogram
frames have feet or supports at suitable places, as marked at h, h, h, and
these feet slide on even iron plate surfaces on the top of the table part i.
The handle e¹ is on a small square frame j, on the under side of which
there are casters that roll on the even surface i. The model carrier v is
on the end of a spindle a¹ which can turn in a bearing a² fixed on the
bar e; the spindle a¹ is at its back end fitted or formed with a clutch a³
which can be brought into gear with a corresponding clutch a¹ on a
piece of spindle in continuation of the spindle a¹, and mounted and
fitted similarly to the fourteen spindles 6, shown enlarged at Figure 5;
each of these spindles fits with its square rear end in a square socket b²,
and can thus by removing a catch or holder f be readily removed for
attaching or detaching the work on its screwed end'; the socket 6º carrics
a worm wheel 3 gearing into a worm b', the spindle g² of which runs in
bearings on the carriages ƒ³; the spindle g³ also carries small spur
wheels which may be thrown into gear with other small spur
wheels on a spindle c' having its bearings on the framing of the
machine; this spindle c¹ is by chain pulleys c² and c³ and chain con-
nected to a spindle d', which again by chain pulleys d and d³, and chain
is connected to a spindle carrying the pulley d³ and a spoke wheel d'.
Supposing the clutch a³ of the spindle a¹ is pushed into gear with the
clutch a', then it will be understood that by turning the spoke wheel d
the spindle a¹ carrying the model carrier v and model c', and also all the
fourteen spindles 6', which on their screwed ends carry the work to be
operated upon will receive rotary movement in the same proportion or
When the bar e and spindle a¹ are drawn forward
all the small spur wheels fi will be drawn out of gear with their
respective spur wheels g¹, and the spindle a¹ may then be fixed in its
position by means of the thumbscrew c².
to the same angle.
The whole of the mechanism thus far described is mounted on or
works on the table part of the framing of the machine, with exception
of the spindle c', which has its end bearings on the uprights % of the
machine framing.
I will now describe the mechanism for carving. is a cross bar, of a
movable framework. On this bar a series of springs fare placed, which
carry a cross beam m, from whence a vertical rod n is suspended. The

page_text: bottom of this rod carries a guide point n', which is caused to rise and
fall so as to travel over the entire surface of the model with all its in-
dentations and projections. The rod n is reduced in size near the top,
and the shoulder so formed abuts against a bush n² in the cross bar 7.
The cross bar m is by the side members o, o, jointed to the back
bar k, k. The latter are also united by the parallel bars k¹ and o¹. In
order to strengthen the connection between the cross bar m and the
parallelogram bars o, k', k, o', a cross bar l' is fastened to the cross bar 7,
and the jointed links n³ and n connect the bars o and the cross bar .
The whole of this movable framework is hinged or fulcrumed in front
at the points r, r, and behind at the points 8, s, and w, w. By taking
hold of one of the front posts ³ the workman can swing the whole
movable framing into the dotted position towards the front, or similarly
towards the back, or into any intermediate position; the lower end or
point of the guide rod n may thus be placed at different angles to
the surface of the model for the purpose of "under" work. But as
all the carving tools are arranged and on positions working parallel with
the guide rod n, as will be presently described, it follows that the tools
will always present the same angle to the work as the guide n¹ to the
model.
position by means
The movable upper frame is kept in any desired
of a brake appliance consisting of bars p¹, p', hinged at their
lower end, as shewn, and attached to a cord at the top, which cord is
passed over a pulley and weighted at its lower end, by which weight the
bar p¹ presses or jams the side connecting bar w² against the side of the
posts of the fixed framing of the machine. The two cords are united
in the middle, as shewn at Figure 2, and by pulling at their uniting
cord which is passed over pulleys, and the end of which cord is placed
accessibly to the workman, he releases the aforesaid brake appliance,
and may then shift the movable framing as required. The side bars 201
connect the two front posts of the movable framing with the two
back posts of same.
The revolving carving tool spindles o³, fourteen in number, are mounted
in the lower cross bar and the upper cross bar o² of the movable framing,
and in a smaller upper cross bar o' united thereto. Each spindle has a
double V pulley p², and these pulleys are by driving guts or cords con-
nected to one another and to two large driving pulleys q', the driving
cord or gut from which is led over guide pulleys q² to two of tho

page_text: pulleys on tool spindles o³. In order to keep the driving cords tight
at all times, especially when the movable tool frame is inclined forward,
jockey pulleys are applied against the driving cords by levers q*,
which are weighted by a spring, as shewn. u is a strap pulley receiving
motion from some motor.
rise and fall as
This is accom-
I have said that the guide rod n can be made to
desired so as to follow the undulations of the model.
plished by the workman with his foot depressing a treadle t which
operates against another treadle t, which by cords is connected to the
top front beam m of the movable frame, which is brought up or back
again by the springs f¹, but the guide rod n follows all the movements
of the beam m, and so do all the tool spindles o³, but at a proportionately
less rate, in this case about one-fourth the travel of the guide rod n, but
this of course depends entirely upon the design of the machine, and
when model and work are to be the same size, or in any other mutual
proportion, the proportions of the movable frame must be altered
to suit.
.
To use the machine a model or pattern is placed and secured on the
pattern carrier v, and on rotary motion being imparted to the machinery,
that is, in this case, by-putting the spindle u in revolving motion
through means of the strap which takes on to the strap pulley u all the
fourteen carving spindles, or as many of them as are connected by guts
or cords, are made to revolve at a great speed. It is obvious that the
carving tools must be suitable for the size, character, nature of material,
and fineness, or otherwise, of the objects to be thus carved by machinery;
it is also clear that the revolving speed may and ought to be varied in
accordance, which may be done by the ordinary cone pulley appliance.
For small machines hand power may be sufficient. The workman guides
the guide point 22 over the parts of the pattern to be copied or
reproduced, and to accomplish this he by means of the treadle causes
the guide point n¹ to rise or fall; whenever required the movable frame
is shifted into any angle position, whereby the guide rod n, and with it
the engraving tools, are caused to assume the same angle or direction in
respect of the pattern and the work respectively. The workman at the
same time with the band on the handle e¹ guides the parallelograms on
the table in any desired direction so as to bring all parts of the model
under the guide point n successively, and the pieces of material to be
carved will simultaneously move under the tools exactly in accordance

page_text: with the original pattern. Whenever required the pattern and the
work are turned on their carrier axes by means of the aforesaid spoke
wheel after having first pushed the clutch a³ into gear with the
clutch a', by which same operation the small spur wheels f* are pushed
into gear with the corresponding spur wheels g on the spindle c¹.
This machine may also be used for any ordinary flat or panel work, in
which case the gear for turning the model and the work to any required
angle may be dispensed with or not used.
And having thus fully described the nature of this Invention, and a
mode of carrying the same into effect, I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. The parallelogram frames with the model and the work
mounted thereon, guided over a table by the operator as required, in
combination with a guide rod point following the undulation of the
model, and with one or more revolving carving tools moving in unison
therewith, the said guide rod and tools being by the operator caused to
rise and fall, substantially as set forth.
Secondly. The table on which the parallelogram with model and work
are guided in combination with the frame carrying the guide rod and
carving tools, the said table or the said frame being made to swing or
incline substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Thirdly. The construction of the parallelogram frames and of the
movable frame carrying the guide rod and tools substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. The general arrangement and construction of the machine
substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sebastien Notton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.