“In some old pantographs a guide is fixed to the tracing point. The guide is a kind of handle similar to a drawing pencil, the point of which is hinged to the point of the tracer. This gives a convenient and firm hold of the point, and appears to the author a useful appendage.
“Pantographs have been made in many shapes unnecessary to describe, as they are all of one principle--that of a parallelogram jointed at the four corners; the principal difference being in the position of the points and fulcrum in relation to the parallelogram. One thing is essential in every construction,--that is, that the fulcrum, tracer, and pencil should always be in a true line when the instrument is set for use. The parallelogram may be in any position on the instrument, to the fancy of the maker.
“The _Eidograph_ was invented by Professor Willis in 1821. It is a most ingenious and exact instrument, for many purposes superior to the pantograph, within the range of its working powers, which, however, may be considered to be limited to reducing or copying off, between the full size of the original and one-third of the size; for greater reductions, the balance of the various parts is thrown so far out that it appears clumsy to use, and is really inferior to the pantograph. The great merit of the eidograph is, that within its range it reduces conveniently and exactly in all proportions; for instance, we may reduce in the proportion of 9 to 25 as readily as 1 to 2. It is also in every way superior to the pantograph in freedom of action, there being no sensible friction on the single fulcrum of support, and in its movement it covers a greater surface of reduction.
“It is somewhat curious that an instrument of such great merit should be little known in the profession, where its uses would be so constantly convenient. This may partly be attributed to the very few published descriptions which are to be found in works treating on mathematical instruments. It is not intended, however, to infer that there are not many eidographs in use, but that the writer presumes they are comparatively little known, from his personal acquaintance with professional men, and from the number of large pantographs that are made and sold to perform work that could be done so much more exactly and conveniently by the eidograph. This remark will not apply to the small pantograph, which is less expensive than a small eidograph, and answers perfectly for the reduction of small plans--as, for instance, those frequently attached to leases and conveyances.