Simple vertical ellipsographs were introduced by civil engineering and politician John Hick and James Nasmyth, the engineer responsible for inventing the steam hammer, both using trammels stack one above the other. Hick was the eldest son of industrialist Benjamin Hick and one of the founders of British engineering company B. Hick and Sons based at the Soho Ironworks in Bolton, England.

In 1842, he got the Royal Society of Arts’ silver medal for his ‘elliptograph’ as it was called in the 1840s. He designed and constructed it in his Bolton foundry and he sent the designs for his construction to London too.

To draw an ellipse with this instrument, the drawing point is guided around the inside of the ellipse gauge. Various sized ellipses can be produced by adjusting the height of the lower arm. The use of other gauges is required if one is to alter the ellipse’s proportions.