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Tattoo
Machine
To
trace the history
of the tattoo machine,
we have to go back
to the early 1800s.
Back to the time
before Samuel O'Reilly
patented the tattoo
machine. Back to
the time when Volta,
an Italian inventor,
developed the electric
battery. 
All early tattoo machines and their
prototypes were battery operated.
The basic electrical principle
of electromagnetism, discovered
in 1819 by the Danish inventor
Oersted, has been used in all tattoo
machine patents and in most practical
applications of tattoo machines.
In 1891, Samuel O'Reilly filed
is famous tattoo machine patent.
It is true to say that O'Reilly's
was the first full-fledged tattoo
machine patent, but before this
there was considerable development
in electromagnetically powered
puncturing tools.
In 1876 Thomas Alva Edison of Newark,
New Jersey, received a patent on
a device designed for making painting
and embroidery patterns. This patent
was for a rotary type electromagnetic
machine that was battery powered.
The machine was designed so that
the stencil pen would punch holes
in paper which had been placed
on the object to be painted. Colored
powder would then be dusted over
the pattern, and a simple outline
would be transferred to the object.
This method of stencil transfer
is still used today in the sign-painting
industry. I don't think one needs
to look too closely at the mechanical
drawing of this machine to see
that it could easily be adapted
to tattooing. Samuel O'Reilly certainly
did and saw the future in this
too. Fifteen years later, with
only minor modifications of Edison's
design,O'Reilly received the first
U.S. patent for a tattoo machine.
The O'Reilly modifications included
a redesigned tube assembly and
an ink reservoir.
Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931) was
one of America's most prolific
inventors. During his lifetime
he received more than 1,000 patents
for such things as the stock ticker,
telegraph systems, the phonograph,
incandescent lamps, and the kinetoscope,
which was the forerunner of the
motion picture projector.
Edison was obviously not satisfied
with his early stencil pen design,
because in 1877 he developed a
new idea and received another patent
on this device. This machine was
quite different from the original
rotary machine. The 1877 patent
was for a two electromagnetic coil
device with the coils set transversely
to the tube assembly. A flexible
reed vibrated over these coils
and created the reciprocating motion
needed to make the stencil. Looking
at this machine, it is obvious
that it could readily be turned
to tattoo applications. This device
truly marks the beginning of the
development of the machine that
most tattoo artists use today.
In 1904, Charlie Wagner of New
York City, received a patent for
a tattoo machine. Many historians
believe that O'Reilly was a major
influence on the development of
this machine. However, by looking
at the original patent drawing,
you can see that both Wagner and
O'Reilly referred to the Edison
design. It is easy to understand
how early inventors were inspired
by Edison, especially those like
O'Reilly and Wagner, who lived
in the same part of the country.
Edison would travel from his New
Jersey workshop to New York City
to show his inventions to the public.
His work was well known.
Wagner, O'Reilly, or whomever it
was that made the modifications
to the 1877 Edison patent, did
a good job of altering it for tattooing
applications. Some of the alterations
included improved tube assembly
with ink chamber, an on and off
switch, stroke adjustment, and
a pin vice type needle bar.
In 1929 Percy Waters of Detroit
received a patent on the design
that most people think of when
they think of a tattooing machine.
Waters was not the first inventor
to work with this design. Unfortunately
the true originator's name is lost
in the obscure annals of tattoo
history. Waters' machine was the
standard two coil electromagnetic
style, but the coils were set in
line with the frame. Other modifications
included fingertip on and off switch,
spark shield, and a needle set
up for cutting plastic stencils.
During the many years of his supply
business, Waters manufactured and
sold many different machine types
and styles. Waters seems to have
been the only early tattoo machine
inventor that was able to turn
his patent into a marketable item.
It was fifty years before the next
tattoo machine patent was registered.
This patent was issued in 1979
to Carol Nightingale of Washington
D.C.
As you can see, Nightingale built
quite an elaborate device. A few
of his many alterations included
full adjustability of coils, back
spring mount and contact screw,
leaf springs of different lengths
for different types of work, and
an angled armature bar that did
away with the bend in the front
spring.
You can see that the machine has
gone through many changes in the
hundred years since Edison started
his tinkering with the stencil
pen. No matter how many modifications
occur, a perfect machine for every
artist will never be built; all
tattoo artists will alter the standard
machine to fit their individual
needs and applications. Tattoo
machines are a very personalized
tool. No two are the same.
In the U.S. and Europe many inventors
still work on tattoo machine designs.
Most of these inventors will not
file to receive patents on their
designs often because of the time
and money involved, or perhaps
due to the lack of an original
design. In theory, each time an
improvement is made to the design,
the tattoo machine evolves into
a better tool. Sometimes the changes
are not improvements at all, and
the applications of these modifications
are short lived. As with any new
development, there is a process
of trial and error. Often, what
looks like an improvement to one
person is a hindrance to another.
And the search goes on.
For more detailed coverage on government
patents, read the booklet entitled "Tattoo
Machine Patents and Related Ones" published
by the Tattoo Archive located in
Berkeley, California.
Tattoo Archive © 1998
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