The notion of pantograph has two major uses, as detailed by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary. On the one hand, it refers to the articulated system that is placed on the roof of certain vehicles to take current from an aerial conductor. On the other hand, the term refers to the tool that allows you to shrink, enlarge or copy a drawing or plan.
No less interesting is knowing the etymological origin of this term that concerns us now. It derives from Greek and is the result of the union of “pan, pantos”, which means “everything”, and “graphein”, which is synonymous with “description”.
A pantograph, therefore, can be a rod mechanism that enables the transmission of electrical energy to a tram , a trolleybus or a locomotive . The pantograph makes the means of transport have traction force.
Located on the roof of the unit, the pantograph is automatically regulated to reach the catenary (the overhead power cables) beyond the height . The necessary movement can be provided through an articulated or diamond-shaped arm (rhombus).
A pantograph, on the other hand, is an instrument that is based on a parallelogram . Its operation is given by interconnected rods that move around a fixed point.
These pantographs are used to reproduce drawings at different scales . Taking a figure as a reference, another homothetic figure can be drawn. What you need to do is modify the distance between the various articulation points to change the scale .
It is curious to know that this type of pantograph dates back several centuries. Specifically, it is considered that, to a certain extent, it was based on the theories or principles developed by the French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes (1596 – 1650).
However, it is considered that the first person to shape a pantograph as such was the German priest, astronomer and physicist Christoph Scheiner (1575 – 1650). What's more, he has gone down in history, among other things, for being the inventor of said instrument.
This type of device or tool can be of different types. However, one of the most relevant and most used today is the so-called wooden pantograph. This, as its name indicates, is the one used to draw on wood.
However, there is also, for example, the one used in the field of jewelry. Specifically, it is used to make all types of recordings and inscriptions on jewelry of different types. Thus, for example, it can be used to engrave the names of a couple on their wedding rings or the name of a newborn on the medal or bracelet that their godparents give them.
Finally, pantography is called the technique that uses a pantograph to copy, model, engrave or cut a design at different scales. The dimensions of the pantograph determine the scope of the pantograph.