IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARALLEL RULERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robert Baillie-Hamilton of Grove Park, Kent,
Gentleman for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PARALLEL RULERS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robert Baillie-
Hamilton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October
1882.
CHARLES ROBERT BAILLIE-HAMILTON of Grove Park, Kent, Gentleman
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARALLEL RULERS
"
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of parallel rulers and
has for its object
1°. To convert the lateral motion of the proceeding blade of the ruler into a direct
continuous vertical motion perpendicular to the stationary blade and thereby enable
a series of parallel lines to be drawn whose ends all lie on one and the same straight
line perpendicular to the proceeding blade.
2°. To secure great stability and accuracy in the parallelism of the ruler.
3°. To enable a series of parallel lines to be ruled at any required intervals or to
measure the intervals between lines already ruled by automatically recording the
distance traversed by the proceeding blade and thereby the respective distances
between the several lines of such a series
4°. To enable any rectangular figure of any required dimensions to be drawn
without the assistance of any external instrument or scale
5°. To enable the principle of an automatic indicator of intervals between
parallel lines ruled or required to be ruled to be applied to existing parallel rulers
that are so constructed as to avoid a lateral motion of the proceeding blade
In order to carry out this invention the two blades of the ruler are fitted with
two similar and equal hinged or jointed links having arms of equal length the
outer extremities of which arms are pivoted to such blades at points equidistant
from the interior edges of such blades while the two inner extremities forming the
hinges or joints are fitted together and pivoted to the extremities of a slotted centre
bar (the link bar) placed horizontally and symetrically between the two blades of
the ruler

page_text: In order to ensure the vertical motion of the proceeding blade a third hinged.or
jointed link is fixed to the blades between the two links already described
The length of the two arms of this third link exceeds that of the arms of the
two side, links and is regulated by the length of the blades of the ruler while the
two outer extremities of one of such side links and the two inner extremities
forming the hinge or joint are fastened together. by a small pin or stud which as
the blades of the ruler are either opened or closed moves to and fro in the slot
formed in the link bar.
By this improved construction the proceeding blado is compelled to move in a
direction exactly-vertical to the stationary blade and cannot diverge from such
direction at the same time that stability and accuracy of notion is ensured and a
means afforded of recording the distance traversed by the proceeding blade
Attached to the pin or stud on which the two longer arms are, pivoted so as to
admit of the free motion of the several parts of the ruler is a suitable rod that is fitted
in such manner as to travel steadily up and down the slot in the link bar and
on this rod are fixed two pointers that indicate on a double scale attached to either
side of the slot the distance traversed by the proceeding blade of the ruler when in
motion
There is also a line clearly defined on the outer edge of each blade, of the ruler
at right angles thereto and a perforation made on this line through either blade of
the ruler to admit of the insertion of the point of a pen or pencil so that if a mark
is made opposite this line in the course of ruling two or more of a series of parallel
lines a line through such points will be in a direction exactly vertical to such series
and present a basis from which to rule a second line or a series of lines at right
angles to the former series-By this means rectangular figures of any dimensions
may be drawn.
The pointer may likewise be fixed on the pin at that extremity of one of
the moving rods of other parallel rulers that travels in a slot and the distance
traversed by the proceeding blade indicated on a single or double scale attached to
one or both sides of such slot in a similar manner to that described above.
In order to permit the ruler to shut up compactly and neatly the inner sides of
the blades are recessed to a sufficient depth to admit of the link bar fitting
accurately therein and of the two inner edges of the blades meeting together in the
ordinary manner when the ruler is closed

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Robert Baillie-Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office .on
the 23rd April 1883.
"
CHARLES, ROBERT BAILLIE HAMILTON of Grove Park,. Kent, Gentleman
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARALLEL RULERS"
•
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of parallel rulers and
has for its object. 1-To convert the lateral motion of the proceeding. blade of
the ruler, into a direct continuous vertical motion perpendicular to the stationary
blade and thereby enable a series of parallel lines to be drawn whose; ends all lio
on one and the same straight line perpendicular to the proceeding blade.
2°. To secure great stability and accuracy in the parallelism of the ruler
3°. To enable a series of parallel. lines to be ruled at any required intervals or to
measure the intervals between lines already ruled by automatically recording the
distance traversed by the proceeding blade and thereby the respective distances
between the several lines of such a series
4°. To enable any rectangular figure of any required dimensions to be drawn
without the assistance of any other mathematical instrument.
5°. To enable the principle of an automatic indicator of intervals between
parallel lines ruled or required to be ruled to be applied to existing parallel rulers
that are so constructed as to avoid a lateral motion of the proceeding blade
And in order that my said invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect I will now with the aid of the accompanying drawing, which
represents a plan view of one of my improved parallel rulers proceed to more
particularly describe the same. In order to carry out this invention the two
blades a. a. of the ruler are fitted with two similar and equal hinged or jointed
links b. b. having arms of equal length the outer extremities of which arms are
pivotted to such blades at points equidistant from their interior edges while the
inner extremities of such arms which form the hinges or joints 6' are fastened
together and pivotted to the two extremities of a slotted centre bar c (hereafter
termed the link bar)-placed horizontally and symmetrically between the two
blades a a.
In order to convert the motion of the proceeding blade into a vertical motion a
third hinged or jointed link d is fitted to the blades between the two links b. b—
The length of the two arms of this third link exceeds that of the arms of the two
side links and is regulated by the length of the blades of the ruler while the two
outer extremities of such arms are pivotted to the outer extremities of one of such
side links and the two inner extremities forming the hinge or joint are fastened
together by a small pin or stud e which as the blades of the ruler are either opened
or closed moves to and fro in the slot formed in the link bar
By this improved construction the proceeding blade is compelled to move in a
direction exactly vertical to the stationary blade and cannot diverge from such
direction, at the same time that stability and accuracy of motion is ensured and a
means afforded of recording the distance traversed by the proceeding blade
Attached to the pin or stud e is a suitable rod g that is fitted in such a manner
as to travel steadily up and down the slot in the link bar and on this rod are fixed
two pointers h that indicate on a double scale engraved on either side of the slot
the distance traversed by the proceeding blade of the ruler when in motion
There is also a line clearly defined on the outer edge of each blade of the ruler
at right angles thereto and a perforation i made on this line through either blade
of the ruler to admit of the insertion of the point of a marker so that if a mark
:

page_text: is made opposite this line in the course of ruling two or more of a series of parallel
lines a line through such points will be in a direction exactly vertical to such series
and present a basis from which to rule a second line or series of lines at right
angles to the former series-By this means rectangular figures of any dimensions
may be drawn
•
The pointer may likewise be fixed on the pin at that extremity of one of the
moving rods of other parallel rulers that travels in a slot and the distance
traversed by the proceeding blade indicated on a single or double scale engraved on
or attached to one or both sides of such slot in a similar manner to that described
above
In order to permit the ruler to shut up compactly and neatly the inner sides of
the blades are recessed to a sufficient depth to admit of the link bar fitting
accurately therein and of the two inner edges of the blades meeting together in the
ordinary manner when the ruler is closed
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect I would have it under-
stood that what I claim as novel and of my invention is the constructing a parallel
ruler with a slotted link bar c and regulating link d combined arranged and
fitted substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated
Also the application to other suitably constructed parallel rulers of an automatic
indicator to indicate the intervals between parallel lines when ruled or required to
be ruled substantially in the manner hereinbefore described
In Witness whereof I the said, Charles Robert Baillie Hamilton have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty third day of April in the Year of Our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three
TONY