-
early tattooing method
All tattoos were applied by various hand methods inspired by the native practices of distant lands http://www.google.com/#q=history+of+a+tattoo+gun -
stencil pen
invented by Edison, a pen with two electromagnetic coils (a tightly wound copper wire around a soft iron core forming an electro-magnet), springs and contact bars would be used to stenil out a design on paper that was placed upon a sheet of ink (not quite used for tatttooing yet, but gives description of how its evolving into tatoo gun) http://www.tattootoday.co.uk/tattoo-machine/ -
Edison Pneumatic Stencil Pen
using air pressure, gas or a liquid that could turn a fan system and drive the needle bar making the machine lighter and easier to use than the previous incarnations. -
Electric Tattooing Machine
Samuel O’Reilly, a tattooist in New York City, noticed the patent on Edisons stencil pen had expired and so with a few minor alterations- the inclusion of an ink reservoir at the tip of the barrel and a change from the straight barrel to one with a couple of right angle bends that effectively moved the motor, and thus the weight, an inch and a half back over the hand (that would have cut back a little on the fatigue when using this device) also the needle bar could now accommodate a grand total -
Tom Riley
20 days after O'Riiley patened the original tatoo gun Riley patented his electromagnetic coil machine that had a single coil and was a modified door bell assembly contained in a brass box. -
first twin coil machine
Alfred Charles, South of Cockspur St. London,construction was also based on a door bell assembly in a plate steel box with brass slabs attached to each side. It was heavy and was often used with a spring attached to the top of the machine and to the ceiling to take most of the weight off the operators’ hand.
Burchett must have seen or used one of these contraptions as his improvements to the Tom Riley machine included two coils in the same configuration as Alfred South, one behind the other as -
first American twin coil machine
had the coils set side by side; transverse to the frame. The inspiration for this undoubtedly came from Thomas Edison and his improved engraving instruments as the coil placement and contact bars are very close in design. The two coils were set side by side as in a telegraph machine and required a cross shaped armature bar (the reciprocating metal bar that drives the needles up and down). -
George Burchett
he improved the design to include a switch to stop the machine when changing colors, previous to this innovation tattoo machines just kept running until the battery was disconnected -
Percy Waters
designed and manufactured fourteen frame styles and patented what would become the first modern tattoo machine, in terms of frame geometry, -
Carol Nightingale
patented his “Electrical Marking Device”". When it comes to adjustability, this had it all. Every single component of the machine was adjustable. By turning a few screws you could slide the coils forward and backwards as well as the back springs, contact screw housing, armature bar etc. http://www.google.com/#q=history+of+a+tattoo+gun
