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Author
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Topic: Autopen machines: How do they work?
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Matt T
Member Posts: 1368
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2001
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posted 11-30-2001 05:13 AM
   
I recently acquired an Apollo 7 crew signed (autopens) letter. Having compared the signatures to the on-line autopen galleries and noticed a couple of marked variations (as well as the expected similarities) I'm increasingly curious as to how the machines work. On the Apollo 7 crew letter the most striking variation is on the last letter of Donn Eisele's autograph, where a long tail curves back from the 'e' over the top of the 'sele' to the point where the dot of the 'i' is sometimes seen. That looks like a human error to me, suggesting an operator rather than a completely automatic process. Other noticeable differences are taller, narrower loops on the 'W' and 'l' of Wally Schirra's autopen than appears to be the norm. There is a lot of information on the web about autopen signatures, but I can find almost nothing about the machines themselves. Has anyone seen one or have a picture? Are they operated by a person, or is it the case that once they're loaded with an item(s) to sign it's an entirely automatic process? In a nutshell, what do they look like and how do they work? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-30-2001 07:40 AM
Stephen Beck has a good picture of an Autopen machine on his website:  While the machine itself draws the autograph mechanically, the operator (which feeds the piece to be signed) can affect the outcome if he/she accidentally shakes or moves the machine during operation or if he/she goes to remove the piece before the machine has finished the signature. It should be noted that NASA no longer uses the classic Autopen machine for its current Shuttle astronauts. A new, computer-driven plotter is now in operation, though little is known yet (by collectors) of the details. |
pokey
Member Posts: 361
From: Houston, TX, USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 11-30-2001 11:20 AM
I have seen the latest astronaut office autopen machine in action. A stack of lithos are put on one end, the machine picks up each litho, signs it (the lithos I saw were the STS-93 crew pic), feeds the "signed" masterpiece to a tray and gets the next litho. I even have a photo of it. If I recall correctly, I was told that Hoot Gibson got them to buy it. |
RMH
Member Posts: 577
From: Ohio
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-27-2011 03:02 PM
Here is an interesting article about the use of the autopen machine in the White House. |
spaced out
Member Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 06-27-2011 04:50 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Matt T:
On the Apollo 7 crew letter the most striking variation is on the last letter of Donn Eisele's autograph, where a long tail curves back from the 'e' over the top of the 'sele' to the point where the dot of the 'i' is sometimes seen. That looks like a human error to me, suggesting an operator rather than a completely automatic process.
I have seen this from time to time, where a line has been drawn between two elements of the signature where the pen was obviously not supposed to be in contact with the paper.Here's a good example on an Eisele Autopen:
 This is only guesswork but I've always assumed that an Autopen pattern consisted of a continuous track on a metal plate where the track was cut to two different depths. At full depth the pen would come in contact with the paper while the shallower sections of track between drawn elements would cause the pen to be lifted above the paper. The simplest reason I can think of for an element to be drawn when it was not supposed to be the pen slipping down in its holder. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 06-27-2011 07:23 PM
For those who would like to see a couple of machines in action, there are some interesting videos on YouTube.Here is a modern machine, with self feeding capability, addressing envelopes. (Obviously, it could also be used to sign lithos too.) Here is a slightly older machine(!)...which isn't working the greatest...that nicely illustrates a metal template used to reproduce handwriting (with the edges controlling the pen strokes and the "bumps" in the center controlling the pen lifts). |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 06-28-2011 04:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
For those who would like to see a couple of machines in action, there are some interesting videos on YouTube.
Mark, you've got too much time on your hands!  (Only kidding!) |
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