Engraving machines
OwnerPaul E. Gastineauinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an engraving machine for use in making watermarks in which a table, on which a plate to be engraved and a model are to be mounted, is reciprocable longitudinally by a first lead screw and an engraving head is carried by an arm and provided with a stylet movable in response to information provided by an optical reading head mounted on a carriage movable transversely by a second lead screw controlled by a ratchet means, the engraving head is mounted on a carriage independently of the reading head, which carriage is movable transversely by a third lead screw driven substantially in synchronism with and by the second lead screw through a gear train, the maximum amplitude of oscillation of the stylet is adjustable and of the order of 3 to 4 mm.
Claims25
A method of automatically forming watermark engravings, in which an optical reading head is coupled with an engraving head provided with an oscillating stylet which are both moved with a longitudinal scanning motion combined with an intermittent transverse motion respectively relative to a model and a plate to be engraved which are in fixed relative position, wherein the maximum amplitude of oscillation of the stylet is of the order of 3 to 4 mm and engraving is effected in successive identical passes, the distance between the engraving head and the plate being decreased progressively in successive stages by a maximum depth of the order of 0.2 mm.
An engraving machine comprising
- a movable table for holding a plate to be engraved and a model from which the engraving is to be made,
- first lead screw means for reciprocating said table in a first direction,
- first carriage means, optical reading means carried by said carriage means, second lead screw means for moving said carriage means in a second direction generally transverse to said first direction to cause said optical reading means to scan the model and produce a signal in response to the information on the model,
- second carriage means, independently movable of said first carriage means, engraving means carried by said second carriage means, said engraving means including a stylet movable with respect to the plate to engrave grooves in the plate, means responsive to the signal produced by said optical means to control the movement of the engraving means with respect to the plate,
- third lead screw means extending generally parallel to said second lead screw means for moving said second carriage in said second direction,
- and means including gear means for driving said second and third lead screw means substantially in synchronism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.