The combination of a tattooing machine and a subassembly for electrically powering said tattooing machine,
- (a) wherein said tattooing machine is of the type having a base frame equipped with a rearwardly projecting back shelf, a needle bar housing removably mounted on said base frame at a forward location, a tattoo needle assembly including a needle bar supported by said needle bar housing for reciprocating motion of said entire tattoo needle assembly, a generator of reciprocating motion mounted on said base frame for effecting reciprocating motion of said tattoo needle assembly, said generator including at least one electromagnet in combination with a make and break mechanism having an electrical contact member mounted in spaced relationship to said electromagnet, plus a leaf spring assembly mounted at one end to said back shelf of said base frame and having a free end extending between said electromagnet and said contact member, with said free end biased toward electrical contact with said contact member, plus an armature bar secured to said leaf spring assembly and actuated by said electromagnet to make and break electrical contact of said leaf spring assembly with said contact member in an exceedingly rapid manner to thereby generate said reciprocating motion, said tattoo needle assembly being mounted on said armature bar for direct receipt of said reciprocating motion, and electrically conductive lines for operating said reciprocating motion generator, said electrically conductive lines including an energy-receiving terminal and a ground terminal, and
- (b) wherein said subassembly comprises:
- (i) a subframe having a forward shelf capable of being removably fastened to said rearwardly projecting back shelf of said tattoo machine frame in a manner such that said shelves are in overlapping relationship and in a manner such that said subframe moves with said tattooing machine frame as a structure unified to said tattooing machine frame,
- (ii) a battery of at least 9 volts carried by said subframe and having a positive terminal and a negative terminal,
- (iii) a subassembly ground terminal for conductive connection to the ground terminal of said tattooing machine, said subassembly ground terminal being connected to said negative terminal of said battery,
- (iv) an energy terminal for electrical connection to said energy-receiving terminal of said tattooing machine,
- (v) a subassembly energy line extending between said positive terminal of said battery and said energy terminal,
- (vi) a rheostat interposed in said energy line for adjusting the level of energy passing through said energy line so as to permit adjustment of the level of the energy fed to the reciprocating motion generator in a manner dependent upon the nature of the needle assembly selected for use in the tattooing machine, and
- (vii) a switch for interrupting or allowing the movement of electrical energy through said tattooing machine electrically conductive lines for operating said reciprocating motion generator.