An Improved Appliance for Vignetting Photographs.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for Vignetting Photographs.
ARTHUR HAMMOND GOODALL Rydal Cottage, Elms Road, Dulwich, Photographer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the method hitherto used for producing vignettes, an aperture is first cut of a
suitable size & shape in a piece of card or other opaque material & the edge of the
aperture is then serrated (i.e. notched like a saw) with a pair of scissors.
My invention consists of an instrument, somewhat the shape of a pair of railway
ticket clippers, by means of which the said serrating or notching is accomplished in a
more convenient and satisfactory manner.
The instrument as above stated is made on the principle of clippers, such as are used
by railway companies to clip railway tickets, (i.e. in a upper cutting jaw A,
worked by a handle A¹, fitting into a lower jaw B, also worked by a handle B', which
said lower jaw has a piece stamped out C, the size and shape corresponding to the
upper cutting jaw.
In my invention, I prefer to use only one cutting jaw as specified, though two or
more might be used, & be altered in shape, & graduated. In my invention, the piece
cut out from the lower jaw is V shaped, & and when using the instrument the length
of serrates or notches, can be varied at will from " to 3" in length as specified.
When not in use, the jaws of the instrument are kept apart by a spring D between
the handles as specified.
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The use of the said spring is controlled by a stop E as specified. The handles are
curved upwards, to give room for the knuckles, & so prevent the substance forming
the vignetting shape being torn, or creased.
The advantages of my invention are ;-
1. The time taken to produce a vignetting shape is reduced considerably less than a
quarter, as compared with the present method.
2. The angle of serrates or notches formed by the instrument in the vignetting
shape being regular, a practically perfect gradation is produced in the print.
3. Any size vignette can be cut rapidly with equal perfection.
4. The original shape of the aperture of the vignetting shape is preserved.
5. Long & short serrates, or notches, can be cut regularly.
6. The handles being-bent, additional serrating if required, can be done without
removing vignetting shape from printing frame.
7. In case any part of a negative is especially dense, one long cut or more, can
be made regularly or not, as required.
8. Two or more vignettes can be cut at the same time.
9. Never requires sharpening.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for Vignetting Photographs.
ARTHUR HAMMOND GOODALL, Rydal Cottage Elms Road Dulwich, Photographer,
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:
In the method hitherto used for producing vignettes, an aperture is first cut of a
suitable size & shape in a piece of card or other opaque material, and the edge of the
aperture is then serrated (i.e. notched like a saw) with a pair of scissors.

page_text: My invention consists of a tool, somewhat the shape of a pair of railway clippers.
By means of my invention, the said serrating or notching is accomplished in a
more convenient & satisfactory manner.
The said tool consists of an upper cutting jaw A, & a lower jaw B, working on a
pin P, actuated by the two handles A and B respectively as specified.
The lower jaw B has a piece stamped out, the size & shape, corresponding to the
upper cutting jaw A.
In my invention, I prefer to use only one cutting jaw as specified; though two or
more might be used, and be altered in shapo & graduated.
In my invention, the piece stamped out from the lower jaw, is V shaped, & when
using the tool, the length of serrates or notches can be varied at will from 1" to 2"
in length.
When not in use the jaws of the tool are kept apart by a spring D, placed between
the handles as specified.
The use of the said spring D is controlled by a stop E as specified.
The handles are bent to give room for the knuckles, & so prevent the substance
forming the vignetting shape being torn or creased.
The advantages of my invention are:-
1. The time taken to serrate the apertrue of a vignetting shape is considerably
less than a quarter, as compared with the time taken by the present method.
2. The angle of serrates or notches, made by the tool in the vignetting shape being
regular, practically perfect gradation is produced in the print.
3. Vignetting shapes of various sizes can be cut rapidly with equal perfection.
4. The original shape of the aperture in the vignetting shape is easily preserved.
5. Long or short serrates can be cut regularly.
6. The handles being bent, additional serrating if required can be done without
removing vignetting shape from printing frame.
7. Two or more vignetting shapes can be serrated at the same time.
8. Requires no sharpening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The serrating of the aperture in a vignetting shape by means of a punch A.
2. By the combination of two bent handles A and B, working on a pin P, the said
- handles actuating the punch A & the lower jaw B, the production of notches or
serrates in cards or other opaque material to form vignetting shapes or masks.
Dated this 19th day of July 1889.
ARTHUR H. GOODALL.