Improvements in the Method of Producing Music and like Engravings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Producing Music and like
Engravings.
I, CHARLES ALISON KER, of 87 Union Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Music
Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the production of music
and like engravings.
Instead of, as at present, engraving the music or the like directly on to a sheet of
white metal by hand tools, which requires highly skilled labour and is expensive,
I first punch, stamp or cut out the musical or other signs or characters upon a sheet
of metal, preferably thin sheet zinc or copper. From the pattern sheet thus formed,
the signs or characters are traced by a pantograph engraving machine onto another
sheet of steel, copper, zinc or other suitable metal. From this latter engraved sheet
the impressions are taken.
The signs or characters upon the pattern sheet are preferably punched of such a
size and to such a depth as shall enable them to be traced with ease and accuracy.
When the impressions made on the pattern sheet are larger than the impressions
desired to be produced on the engraved plate, the pantograph machine can be
arranged to reduce them to the proper size.
TAL 3 T... 1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Producing Music and like
Engravings.
I, CHARLES ALISON KER, of 87 Union Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Music
Engraver, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the production of music
and like engravings.
Instead of, as at present, engraving the music or the like directly on to a sheet of
white metal by hand tools, which requires highly skilled labour and is expensive,
I first punch, stamp or cut out the musical or other signs or characters upon a sheet
of metal, preferably, thin sheet zinc or copper or upon cardboard or its equivalent.
From the pattern sheet thus formed, the signs or characters are traced by a panto-
graph engraving machine on to another sheet of steel, copper, zinc or other suitable
metal. From this latter engraved sheet the impressions are taken.
The signs or characters upon the pattern sheet are preferably punched of such a
size and to such a depth as shall enable them to be traced with ease and accuracy.
When the impressions made on the pattern sheet are larger than the impressions
desired to be produced on the engraved plate, the pantograph machine can he
arranged to reduce them to the proper size.
.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon :-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pantograph engraving machine showing a sheet of music
as being engraved.
Fig. 2 is a representation of a pattern sheet.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a representation of a pattern sheet for ruling lines.
Fig. 4 is a representation of a pattern sheet for clefs.
1
When it is desired to engrave a sheet of music in accordance with my invention,
instead of, as at present, engraving the sheet by hand, I, first rule lines forming a
staff upon a sheet a of metal, cardboard or equivalent material and on or in the spaces
between or on ledger lines above or below the staff I stamp or impress by means of
punches or. dies the several notes, rests and other music signs forming the piece of
music. The sheet, a, which 1 terua pattern sheet is now laid on the table 6 of the
engraving, machine c. The sheet a:is held in position on the table by the straps d.
The pointer or tracer e of the machine is now drawn over the several notes, marks &c.
forming the piece of music and so causes the diamond engraver f of the machine to
cut the same notes on the sheet of metal g secured to the roller h of the machine.
From the engraved sheet g the impressions are taken.
The notes, rests, &c. forming the piece of music are preferably punched to a large
scale on the pattern sheet a (as shown) so that they can be easily traced. The notes
reproduced on the engraving plate g are preferably reduced to a much smaller scale
than those on the sheet a so that the impressions taken will have a neat and well
finished appearance.
In order to ensure that the lines of the engraved sheet are perfectly straight they
may, instead of being traced from the sheet a, be traced from a staff or stave plate i,
fig. 3, which is simply a piece of zinc or other metal.drawn or cut with grooves j
forming lines at one side. When it is desired to engrave the lines forming each stave
of the piece of music, the plate i is placed on the table over the place where the stave
should be drawn and secured in position by a strap d (as shown at fig. 1). The
tracer e is now drawn down the grooves'j. As the grooves j are cut pretty deeply
into the plate the tracer e if drawn along with ordinary care never deviates from
them. In order to make sure that the lines are being traced correctly, slits or
openings are made in the plate. When the pointer comes to one of these openings
the operator can at once tell if the lines are being drawn properly or not, as if
the pointer is not running in a straight line it will not run into the groove at the
opposite side of opening..
Clefs, rests and other music signs may if desired be cut or punched on pattern
plates such as (fig. 4). When it is desired to produce clefs or other signs on the
engraved plate the pattern plates may be placed on top of the sheet a over the
place where the rest or other mark is to appear and the tracer is then drawn over
it and consequently the diamond engraver f, engraves the mark or sign. on the
plate g.
The sheets a are preferably cut or stamped with music sufficient for a single page
of the printed copy although they may be cut or stamped with music sufficient for a
folio or for other number of pages.
In the case of solid headed notes such as crotchets, quavers &c. the sheets a are
preferably cut or stamped with only the outlines of the notes as shown at fig. 2, and
to fill up the notes &c. the engraved sheets g which are preferably varnished are
subject to the usual acid process. The sheets g are or may be secured to the roller h
of the engraving machine by strings or straps m.
The pattern sheets a may be of any suitable material but I prefer to use pieces
of zinc or sheets of cardboard as the notes can be easily punched, cut or otherwise
made on them. The notes and other marks are punched on the pattern sheet to
such a depth that the notes can be easily and accurately traced by the pointer e.
Music engraved in accordance with my invention has a better finish and appearance
that the generality of hand work, whilst it can be done at a much cheaper rate.
If desired, the invention may be used for producing engravings of a like nature to
music.
Although I have shown in part an engraving machine it is to be understood I
make no claim thereto, nor do I confine myself to the use of a machine of that
special construction.

page_text: 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 I
claim is :-
The method, for engraving music or the like, consisting of, first, punching,
stamping or cutting out the musical or other signs or characters upon a pattern
sheet and then placing the sheet in an engraving machine to be traced or copied
on to a metal sheet or plate from which the impressions are taken, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
C
1 1900
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.