Improvements in Engraving-machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engraving-machines.
We, PAUL MARIE NOUEL, Lithographer, and JEAN RENÉ MARTINI,
Engraver, both of Troyes, (département de l'Aube) in the Republic of France,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in engraving machines and has for
object to provide a machine which can be manipulated at considerably greater
speed than existing machines whilst at the same time enabling work to be very
carefully executed.
According to our invention we provide a support adapted to carry and guide a
slide provided with guides. The slide is actuated by a screw which turns in
bearings and is itself actuated by a ratchet and pawl, a handle or other suitable
means.
The ratchet wheel is keyed to the axis of the screw and is actuated by a pawl
operated by a lever which is moved by hand between two stops the position of
which can be adjusted preferably by means of a circular slot. A second slide to
which the tool holder is pivoted is moved longitudinally on the guides by means of
a rod operated by hand.
For the purpose of applying pressure on the graving tool, which pressure can be
adjusted, we provide a spring fixed at one end to a small sleeve which is adjustably
The free end of the said spring
mounted on a fixed axis by means of a screw.
rests on a vertical rod which is rigidly connected with the tool holder. Weights
may also he arranged on the said rod for the purpose of exerting on the tool holder
additional pressure.
For the purpose of automatically raising the tool from the work at every return
stroke we employ the following arrangement. The rod, which actuates the second
slide, instead of being directly attached to the same, is fixed to an intermediate
device which slides on one of the guides. The said intermediate device is provided
with a rod, which slides in the second slide and has at its end a head adapted to
operate the said slide. The inner face of the device is provided with a finger the
position of which is adjustable and which operates at the proper moment the end of
the tool holder which is made inclined. When the graver is to be used the rod
actuating the second slide is pulled whereby the rod attached to the intermediate
device first slides in the second slide and then carries the latter with it, the finger
being at the bottom of the inclined end of the tool holder and not actuating the
latter. To return the graver the rod actuating the second slide is pushed and the
rod attached to the intermediate device slides in the second slide until the device
pushes directly on the said second slide when the finger slides on the inclined end
of the tool holder and raises the engraving tool.
Dated the 30th day of September 1895.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Engraving-machines.
We, PAUL MARIE NOUEL, Lithographer, and JEAN RENÉ MARTINI,
Engraver, both of Troyes, (département de l'Aube) in the Republic of France,
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 relates to improvements in engraving machines and has for
object to provide a machine which can be manipulated at considerably greater
speed than existing machines whilst at the same time enabling work to be very
carefully executed. These arrangements allowing of working at a high rate of
speed act directly upon the tool holder, one for exerting upon the tool, whilst it is
working, an adjustable and sufficient pressure serving to prevent the tool from
jerking or jumping and engraving broken lines, and the other for lifting the tool at
the end of its useful course and keeping it raised during its return without stopping
the machine and without any special manipulation.
In the accompanying drawings we have represented two types of our engraving
machine both of which possess the same distinctive features.
The first type is illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 and the second type which is a
simplified machine is illustrated in Figures 9 to 13.
Figure 1 is a plan of the first type of machine:
Figure 2 is a detail view of the spring which regulates the pressure upon the
tool holder:
Figure 3 is a plan of the tool holder:
Figure 4 is a section on the line 1-2 of Figure 1:
Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 4:
Figure 6 is a section on the line 3-4 of Figure 1:
Figure 7 is a section on the line 5-6 of Figure 1:
Figure 8 is a plan of Figure 7 shewing the arrangement for automatically lifting
the tool during its return :
Figure 9 is an elevation of the second type of our machine, the view being taken
from the side of the register:
Figure 10 is a plan of Figure 9 the lever of the register being depressed:
Figure 11 is a section on the line 7-8 of Figure 10:
Figure 12 is a section on the line 9-10 of Figure 10; and,
Figure 13 is a detail view of an undulated guide.
In the first type of our machine (Figures 1 to 8) the support a is adapted to
carry and guide a slide b provided with guides c, c'. The slide 6 on the support a is
actuated by a screw d which turns in bearings e, e¹, one of which bearings e is fixed
at the end of the support a, and the other hearing e' upon the slide b.
On the guides c, c runs the cursor which is formed of the slide f, fitting over the
guide c, and the small cross-piece f¹ bearing upon the second guide c. The
cursor is operated directly by hand through the medium of a rod g; the tool
holder is pivoted to the cross-piece f¹ by means of an arbor h¹ turning on centres.
The tool therefore follows the backward and forward movements of the
cursor, when the rod is operated and can, moreover, move in a vertical
plane, when required, owing to the tool holder h being pivoted at A¹ to the cross
piece of the cursor.
In order to exert an adjustable and sufficient pressure upon the tool or graver
while it is at work and prevent the tool from engraving broken lines even when
working at a high rate of speed, we employ the following arrangement :-
A spring is fixed at one end to a small sleeve q which is adjustably mounted on
a fixed axis p by means of a screw v. The free end of the spring is horizontal

page_text: and presses on a vertical pin t which is rigidly connected with, the tool her ;
weights may also be placed on the pin t for the purpose of exerting an ad litional
adjustable pressure on the tool-holder.
For the purpose of automatically raising the tool from the work at every return
stroke, we employ the following arrangement :-
The rod g instead of being directly attached to the cursor f is fixed to an
intermediate device j, j which slides on the guide c; the said intermediate device
is provided with a pin which slides in the cursor f and has at the end a head l
adapted to move the cursor along at the required moment. The inuer face of the
device j, j is provided with a finger m the position of which is adjustable and
which at the proper moment acts upon the end of the tool holder which is made
inclined as shewn at h³.
When the graver is to be used the rod g is pulled whereby the pin is caused to
slide in the cross-piece f¹ of the cursor until its head abuts against the cross-
piece, the finger m being then at the bottom of the inclined end of the tool
holder, and not actuating the latter, and the tool in working position. The
cursor, being then carried along, the tool will engrave a line.
When the rod g is pushed back to return the graver o to the front the pin / first
slides in the cross-piece f¹ of the cursor f, f' and the finger m slides up the inclined
end and raises the engraving tool; the device j, j bears directly against the
cross-piece and the whole arrangement is again brought forward whilst the tool
remains raised and so on at each operation.
:
The engraving machine illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 is also provided with a
register, which we call "automatic," of the known type for regulating the width
between the parallel lines to be engraved a ratchet wheel R is keyed upon the
screw d and the required lateral movement of the slide, and consequently of the
tool, is obtained by means of the lever u which operates the pawl and moves
between two stops, working in a graduated slot in a plate fixed to the
slide b.
For example, the stop is fixed and the stop a placed opposite the division
corresponding to the width which it is desired to obtain between the parallel lines;
it is then only necessary to give a to-and-fro movement to the lever u each time
the tool is returned to its starting point. A handle y mounted upon the axis of
the screw d is provided for quickly moving the slide a long distance when
required.
In the second type of machine (Figures 9 to 13) the support 1 serves to carry
and guide the movable part or slide consisting of a triangular plate 2, a longi-
tudinal guide 3 fixed on the said plate and a guide-rod 4 attached to the guide 3
and on which the cursor can travel backwards and forwards. This movable
combination or slide is adapted to work over the support by means of a rib 5 on the
triangular plate sliding in a groove in the support and by means of a strong
flat spring 6 also fixed to the plate and pressing upon the upper face of the
support.
The movement of the slide over the support 1 is effected by means of the
screw 7 which turns in bearings 8, 9, one of which bearings 8 is fixed at the end of
the said support, and the other bearing 9 upon the plate 2. The stone to be
engraved is placed on a wooden table 10 and the support 1, which is provided with
trunnions 11, 11, rests upon the stone, and is fixed at the required height by
means of nuts with lever handles 12, 12 mounted on the said trunnions in forked
brackets 13, 13 fixed to the table 10.
On the guide-rod 4 the cursor works backwards and forwards, the latter
consisting of a sleeve 14 adapted to slide upon the said rod 4, and a spur 15
bearing upon the vertical flange of the guide 3.
The cursor is directly operated by hand by means of a handle 18 turning loosely
upon the spur 15 of the cursor, and upon the horizontal axis 16 of the cursor is
jointed the tool holder 17.
In order to exert the required degree of pressure upon the graver 20 while it is.

page_text: at work, we employ a flat spring 21 fixed at one end to the cursor by means of a
screw 22, its free end bearing upon the fore part of the tool holder.
In order to raise the tool after each working passage it is only necessary to
slightly lower the hand which is operating the handle 18 each time that a line is
engraved, this handle bearing upon the horizontal pin 19 of the tool holder causes
the latter to rock thereby raising the tool. As soon as the tool has returned to
the starting point the hand is slightly raised: the handle leaves the tool holder
and this latter being subjected to the action of the spring 21 rocks in the opposite
direction so as to properly press the tool upon the stone and so on.
This machine is provided with a register similar to that herein before described:
a ratchet wheel 22 is keyed upon the screw 7 and the required lateral movement
of the plate 2 and guides 3 and 4 and, consequently, of the tool, is brought about
by the aid of the lever 23 which operates the pawl 24 and moves between two
stops, one of which stops 25 is adjustable and the other 26 placed at a fixed height
but capable of being turned aside horizontally. For quickly moving the slide a
long distance we use the lever 23 as a handle after removing the stop 25 and
turning the stop 26 aside horizontally. The sleeve or slide 14 of the cursor has
on one side a projection 27, Figure 12, which abuts against the guide 3 and
prevents the sleeve from turning backwards (the machine is supposed to be seen
in the position illustrated in Figure 7) but the cursor can turn forwards to a
certain extent owing to the play allowed between the bottom of the sleeve 14 and
the plate 2. It follows that if the guide 3 be replaced by a guide similar to that
represented in Figure 13, that is to say, having the vertical flange provided with
an undulated edge the spur 15 of the cursor on which the handle bears whilst the
work is being performed will follow an undulated course and communicate a
regular lateral deviation to the tool which, besides, will be constantly kept pressed
by its spring 21 upon the stone to be engraved. We can therefore very easily
engrave parallel, wavy or undulated lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. A machine for engraving straight lines allowing of working at a much higher
rate of speed than is practicable with ordinary machines whilst giving the same
finish to the work, characterized by two arrangements which act at the required
time upon the tool holder, one of them exerting an adjustable and sufficient
pressure upon the tool, while it is at work to prevent it from jerking or jumping
upon the surface to be engraved and thereby engraving broken lines, and the other
for ensuring the lifting of the tool, without interrupting the operation of the
machine, at the end of each useful course and keeping it raised during its return,
substantially as herein before described.
2. In an engraving machine of the kind characterized by Claim 1, an arrangement
allowing of exerting an adjustable and sufficient pressure upon the tool while it is
at work so as to prevent it from jerking or jumping over the surface to be engraved
and thereby producing broken lines when operating at a high rate of speed, the
said arrangement comprising a flat spring r one of the ends of which is fixed upon
a sleeve a mounted upon an axis p fixed to the cursor f, f¹ and the other end of
which presses upon the end of a vertical pin t rigidly connected to the tool holder,.
the tension of the spring being regulated by altering the position of the sleeve q
upon its axis p, and the action of the said spring r being combined with that of the
weights placed in suitable number upon the vertical pin t, rigidly connected to
the tool holder, substantially as herein before described.
3. In an engraving machine of the kind characterized by Claim 1, an arrangement
for automatically lifting the tool during its return to the starting point, the said
arrangement comprising a device j, j sliding on the guide c of the machine and to
one side of which is fixed the draw-rod g, and to the other a pin 1, passing freely
through the cursor and terminated by a head or stop ", the device j, j being

page_text: provided on its inner face with a finger m placed perpendicularly and above the
end of the tool holder h, so that while the tool is at work the finger m will allow
the tool holder perfect freedom of action, and during the return the finger m will
ride up the incline at the end of the tool holder and compel the tool to rise,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In an engraving machine of the kind characterized by Claim 1, an arrangement
for exerting the required pressure upon the tool while it is at work and comprising
a simple flat spring 21 one of the ends of which is directly fixed upon the cursor by
means of a screw 22, the other end pressing upon the frout portion of the oscillating
tool holder, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 9
and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In an engraving machine of the kind characterized by Claim 1, an arrangement
allowing the tool to be lifted at the end of each working course and during the
return, the said arrangement comprising a handle 18 turning loosely upon a spur
on the cursor, and kept suitably raised while the work is being performed, and
lowered during the return so as to cause it to bear upon the horizontal pin 19 of
the oscillating tool holder, whereby the latter is caused to rock and raise the tool
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of June 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.