Patent GB-190306300-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Type or Matrix Setting and Justifying Machines.
Inventor: BOULT ALFRED JULIUS
Filed: 1903-03-18
Granted: 1903-08-13
Abstract: 6300. Boult, A. J., [Bellows, B. F.]. March 18. Type, setting; linotype and like machines. - A machine for setting and justifying lines of type, or for assembling and justifying lines of matrices has a series of magazines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, for holding and supplying the spaces, and a series of magazines 144 for holding and supplying the types, or matrices. The lower ends of the magazines are contracted and discharge into the upper ends of assembling tubes 23. Each magazine is formed with a series of vertical channels 8 containing the spaces, those in any one channel being of a thickness different from that of the spaces in the other channels. To the rear plate 11 of each channel is pivoted a lever 15 having two projections 13, 14, Fig. 13 ; the projection 13 normally supports the column of spaces 9, but when the lever 15 is raised, the lowest space is allowed to fall and the next space, above is retained by the projection 14. The levers 15 are actuated by the arms 17 of a series of levers 18 pivoted to the channels and carrying pins 22 which are raised, in accordance with the requirements of the lines, by pins 31 projecting from a selecting-plate 30. This plate is mounted on a frame 32 which is pivoted on the rod 20 supporting the levers 18, and is capable of moving transversely and lengthwise, of the machine. The types are released singly by means of retaining- levers controlled by finger keys, and pass down a tube 146 on to a shelf 40, Fig. 4, along which they are pushed by a plunger 43. Any suitable means may be used for actuating this plunger ; that shown in Fig. 4 comprises an electromagnet 44 having its armature 45 connected by a rod 46 and toggle-levers 47 to the plunger ; the magnet is included in a circuit which is made and broken by means of a contact-piece 48 and a spring 42 upon which the discharged types fall. Similarly, when a tube 23 is pushed into the line it forces the spring 42 into contact with the piece 48, and the plunger then pushes the tube to the left. A supplementary tube 24 is pivoted to the lower end of each tube 23 and has a grooved foot adapted to engage with a correspondingly grooved plate 50, Fig. 4, which extends across the machine and is mounted to slide laterally upon its support 40. By this means the supplementary tube can move along the plate 50, as the types are being assembled, and can be swung out of the line when the plate is moved backwards. Each supplementary tube is open at its front side. Any tube 24 is pushed into the line, as may be desired, by an arm mounted on a rocking shaft actuated by means of an electromagnet 80 having an armature 82 connected by a rod 81 to an arm 61 on the shaft. The magnet is included in a circuit which is made and broken by means of a contact-spring 83 and a pivoted lever 74, arranged to be oscillated by contact with a ball 76 rolling along a pivoted cylinder 72. This cylinder is tilted, so as to cause the ball to roll against the lever 74, by means of the space key 70, Fig. 4. The shaft, actuated by the electromagnet 80, carries an arm which actuates a vertical rack-plate by means of a pawl, the plate being moved through one tooth-space for every insertion of a tube 24 in the line. The rackplate is connected to a stepped wedge 105, Fig. 11, against which rests a finger 37 secured to the selecting-plate 30. A spring 117 tends to move the plate towards the left and, consequently, every time the wedge moves upwards, the plate is free to move across the machine to a fixed extent. A measuring-block 55, Fig. 4, is connected to the grooved plate 50 and is formed with tongues and grooves engaging with corresponding grooves and tongues on a pin carried by a main slide which has teeth one-quarter of an inch thick. The block 55, together with the main slide, is moved in advance of the assembling-line of types, and tubes. A compensating - slide is mounted parallel to the main slide and carries a pawl which pushes the main slide through a space of one-quarter of an inch, every time the spacing- key is depressed ; during this movement, the compensating -slide is stationary. Consequently, while the main slide advances through a distance equal to the entire length of the line, the compensating-slide moves through this distance less the total widths of the tubes, each of which is one-quarter of an inch wide. When the line has reached the proper length, prior to justification, an arm 90 on the compensating-slide strikes an adjustable stop 121 on a bar 120 which is carried by two swinging-arms 122, 123. The arm 123 has an extension 124 pivoted to a rod 126 carrying a stepped wedge 125 which controls the forward movements of the selecting-plate 30. By this means, the plate 30 is caused to move to the left as many equal steps as there are to be justifying spaces in the line, and forwards, after the line has reached a justifiable length, through distances proportional to the width of each type added to the line to be justified. The wedge 125 engages with the upturned edge of a bar 38 on the plate 30 which is normally pressed towards the wedge by the spring 117 which is connected to. a lever 127 having one end hooked into a slot in a link 119 connected to the armature of an electromagnet 130. The lower end of the link is attached to an arm 118 on a shaft 115, employed for moving the plate 30 backwards, by means of an arm 114 carrying a toothed segment 113 which gears with a pinion 112 mounted on a shaft 110. When the plate is moved backwards, the wedge 125 falls to its lowest position. The finger 37 is normally pressed against the wedge 105 by a lever 135 carrying an arm 137, connected to the lever 127 and the armature of an electromagnet 140. When the electromagnet circuit is closed, the lever 127 is raised against the pull of the spring 117 and the plate 30 is moved back to its normal position, whereupon the wedge 105 falls to the position shown in Fig. 11. A movable plain wedge 141 may be used in conjunction with the wedge 125, so as to stop the selecting-plate if the momentum of the wedge 125 should move it beyond the position in which it should stop the selecting- plate. When the two stepped wedges have properly controlled the movements of the plate 30, it is brought into a position in which the correct number of pins thereon are ready to actuate the space tubes which contain spaces of the sizes necessary for justifying the line. The plate 50 is drawn backwards, after the line has been assembled, by means of the armature of an electromagnet, which armature is connected by an arrangement of levers to the plate. During this withdrawal, the tubes are drawn backwards, leaving the spaces in the line, and the block 55 is also drawn back.