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Drawing of a pantograph, showing linkages of Sorenson's engraving pantograph (1867).

This page is about the duplication instrument.

For devices on trains, see: Pantograph (rail).

For the knife, see: Pantographic knife.

A pantograph (from Greek roots παντ- 'all, every' and γραφ- 'to write', from their original use for copying writing) is a mechanical linkage connected in a special manner based on parallelograms so that they move in a fixed relationship to each other.

The first pantograph was constructed in 1603 ^[1] by Christoph Scheiner, who used the device to re-create diagrams, but he wrote about the invention over 27 years later, in "Pantographice" (Rome 1631). ^[2] One arm of the pantograph contained a small pointer while the other held a drawing implement, and by moving the pointer over a diagram, a copy of the diagram was drawn on another piece of paper. By changing the positions of the arms in the linkage between the pointer arm and drawing arm, the scale of the image produced can be changed. A more complicated version called eidograph was developed by William Wallace in 1831.

Besides use in copying plans or diagrams, pantographs have been used in milling and engraving to control the carving of copies from a guideline pattern or object.

Modern versions of pantographs can be found in many toy stores.

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• A type of pantograph was used in the early days of sound recording to duplicate phonograph cylinders in the late 19th century.
• Another use for a device of this type sees it incorporated into a milling machine with a revolving cutter instead of a pen and a tray at the pointer end to fix precut lettered plates. In this way machinists can neatly and accurately engrave part numbers and such onto a part.

• James Watt's parallel motion.
• Railways - overhead electrification Railway electric traction. The "pantograph" is the device which maintains electrical contact with the contact wire, transferring power from the wire to the traction unit.

• Pantograph Java applet
• Pantograph at mathworld.wolfram.com