An Improved Apparatus for Ruling Parallel Equidistant Lines and for like Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Ruling Parallel Equidistant Lines
and for like Purposes.
FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER 7 Balham Grove London, S.W. Engineer's
Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to instruments by the aid of which lines or marks of any
description, either equidistant, or at multiples of the same distance, may be drawn, on
paper, wood, metal, cloth, or, other material, as in ruling a series of lines either at
equal distances and parallel, or at equal angles about a centre, and I ensure this by
the aid of my invention in a simple and automatic manner.
I employ two bodies which will be hereinafter referred to as A and B which may
be made of any convenient form, and rest upon the paper wood, metal, cloth or
material which it is required to rule or otherwise mark. The under surfaces of these
two bodies may be roughened serrated or shod in cases where it is necessary so to
do, in order that they may obtain sufficient hold on the surface over which they
work.
I connect A and B by means of any suitable sliding gear and cause them to move
alternately in the same direction and through the same distance, by means of two
levers, keys, or other moveable parts, which are alternately depressed by the operator
and which may be either the two ends or portions of a single lever, or two separate
levers or moveable parts, and which I shall in future refer to as C and D.
The direction in which C and D are permitted to move is, or is nearly, per-
pendicular to that of the motion of A and B, which motion is caused and controlled
by the movements imparted to C and D and transmitted by means of any suitable
mechanism, such as, an inclined pin or its equivalent, an inclined connecting link, a
bell-crank lever or its equivalent, &c.
I arrange the two parts C and D relatively to A and B in such a manner that the
perpendicular components of forces applied alternately to C and D, in order to
actuate the instrument, do, by bearing more heavily on A and B in turn, cause the
alternating motion to become a progressive step by step movement of the instrument
as a whole.
I may use a screw, wedge or cam for the purpose of altering the extent of travel
permitted to the parts A and B.
The straight-edge curved template or whatever apparatus it is required to use may
be fixed to or form part of either A or B.
1 use this instrument more especially in ruling a series of parallel equidistant
lines, for such purposes as hatching, shading, writing or lettering, but I do not limit
its use to these purposes.
Dated this 18th day of November 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Ruling Parallel Equidistant Lines
and for like Purposes.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANOHESTER, of 7 Balham Grove, Balham, in the County
of Surrey, Draughtsman, 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 :-
My invention relates to instruments by the aid of which lines or marks of any

page_text: description either equidistant or at multiples of the same distance may be drawn on
paper or other material as in ruling a series of lines either at equal distances and
parallel or at equal angles about a centre.
An apparatus constructed according to my invention comprises a stock and a
guide connected together by means of any suitablo sliding gear and operated so as to
move alternately in the same direction and through the same distance by means of
two levers or keys which are alternately depressed by the operator and which may
be either the two ends or portions of a single lever or two separate levers. When a
single lever is employed it is mounted on the stock and. the movement imparted to it
is transmitted by means of any suitable mechanism, such as a bent arm of the lever
working on a pin secured to the guide; or a hole in one end of the lever working
on an inclined pin secured to the guide; or an inclined connecting link secured to
the lever and guide or a bell crank lever.
It will readily be seen that when pressing on that end of the lever over the stock,
the stock is held in position by the pressure transmitted to it through the pivot of
the lever and presses it firmly on the paper or other material whilst the guide is
being forced away from the stock and when pressing on that end of the lever over
the guide, the pressure is transmitted through the pivot to the stock, tending to turn
the stock in such direction that a downward pressure is exerted on the guide
through the sliding gear, the guide being thus held firmly in position whilst the stock
is being drawn up to it. It will thus be seen that the alternating motion causes a
progressive step by step movement of the instrument as a whole.
The extent of each travel permitted to the stock and guide is adjusted by means of
a screw, wedge, or cam.
A straight edge or curved template may be fixed to or form part of the stock.
This instrument is more especially applicable for ruling a series of parallel
equidistant lines for such purposes as hatching shading writing or lettering.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 shew in plan and sectional elevation respectively an arrangement in
which the alternate motion of the stock and guide is imparted by means of a
T shaped lever.
Figs. 3 and 4 are also similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 shewing a simple lever
operating an inclined pin substituted for the T shaped lever.
Figs. 5 and 6 are also similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 shewing a pair of inclined
links substituted for the T shaped lever.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the T shaped lever 1, 2, 3, works on the pivot 4
arranged at the angle of the T and carried by the straight stock 5 and has an arm 3
which gears with the pin 6 attached to the guide 7.
The graduated nut 8 and lock nut 9 working on the screw 10 serve to regulate
the length of each movement permitted to the instrument.
The screw 10 forms part of a steel rod attached rigidly to the stock 5 and sliding
in bearings secured to the guide 7.
It will thus be seen that by imparting pressure alternately to the parts 1, 2 of the
Tshaped lever the stock is held in position by the pressure whilst the guide is
retracted from it or the guide is held in position by the pressure transmitted through
the pivot and rod 10 sliding in bearings on the guide whilst the stock 5 is being drawn
up to the guide 7.
Referring to the modification shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, the end 11 of the lever 11, 12
has a perforation working on the inclined pin 13 fixed to the guide 7. The lever
is pivotted on the stock and the inclined pin is secured to the guide.
The extent of travel is here shown to be regulated by the graduated screw 14
which limits the movement of the lever 11, 12. The lever 11, 12 is operated in a
similar manner to the lever 1, 2. The sliding gear is here shewn as a rod 10 secured
to the stock 5 and sliding in the guide 7.
In Figs. 5 and 6 inclined links 15 are shewn connected to one end of a
lever 16 mounted on the stock 5, the other ends of the links being connected to the
onide 7

page_text: The extent of travel is here shewn as regulated by the small cam 17 mounted on
the guide rod 10.
Instead of employing a T shaped lever as shown in Figs. 1, 2 the part 1, 2 of
the lever may be replaced by a single portion forming a continuation of the part 8
and terminating in a finger plate to which a more or less alternating horizontal motion
is imparted. A similar arrangement is also applicable to the modifications shewn in
the other figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mannor the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for ruling parallel lines consisting of a stock and guide arranged to
slide on the material to be ruled and operated so as to give a step by step motion by
means of a lever pivotted to the stock and connected to the guide by a pin secured
to the guide and working in a bent arm of the lever or by an inclined pin secured to
the guide and working in a hole in the lever or by links connected to the lover and
guide, the said lever being oscillated on its fulcrum by the hand of the operator,
and the said stock and guide being connected together by a sliding gear so that the
pressure applied to the lever is also transmitted to the stock and guide to hold
them alternately in position whilst the other is being moved substantially as
described.
2. The construction of apparatus for ruling parallel equidistant lines and for like
purposes constructed substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or to
Figs. 3 and 4 or to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
156, Strand, London, W.C., Agents.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
156, Strand, London, W.C., Agents.