Tautachrome Inc (TTCM)

[MMarauder]

That 3D printing patent was applied for October 19th, 1994 and granted on February 10th, 1998. That sir, is pretty fricken impressive in its own right. Absolute genius Dr. Jon Leonard is.

Apparatus and method for dispensing build material to make a three-dimensional article
Patent number: 5717599
Abstract: A three-dimensional article making apparatus includes a build material dispenser positioned adjacent a platform for ejecting a plurality of droplets of build material; and dispenser positioners for relatively positioning the dispenser in five degrees of freedom with respect to the platform. Accordingly, the dispenser may be rotated and flipped to permit construction of a cantilevered portion of an article without requiring support material. The dispenser positioners include a Z-direction positioner for positioning the dispenser vertically relative to the platform, an X-Y positioner for positioning the dispenser in an X-Y planar direction relative to the platform, a flip angle positioner for rotatably positioning the dispenser relative to a generally horizontal axis, and a phi angle positioner for rotatably positioning the dispenser relative to a generally vertical axis.
Type: Grant
Filed: October 19, 1994
Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
Assignee: BPM Technology, Inc.
Inventors: Herbert E. Menhennett, Jon N. Leonard, John R. Larsen, Robert B. Brown, Manual M. Ferreira, William B. Barlage, III, Charles F. Kirschman