Patent GB-189817302-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Justifying and Spacing out Type.
Inventor: THOMPSON WILLIAM PHILLIPS
Filed: 1898-08-10
Granted: 1899-08-10
Abstract: 17,302. Thompson, W. P., [Dickinson, C. W.]. Aug. 10. Type, setting.-Relates to apparatus for justifying lines of type, of the kind in which wedgeshaped space - bars are placed between the words as the types are assembled, w h i c h space - bars are forced in to expand the line and are withdrawn successively and ordinary spaces substituted. Fig. 1 shows a plan of the machine, Fig. 17 a cross-section, and Fig. 39 a vertical longitudinal section. The types from the guide TS of the composing-apparatus are assembled in a line-holder or shuttle, of which there are two C, C<1> or more. Each line-holder consists of a rectangular box, fitted to slide along ways B, B' upon the vertical plate 1. On the line-holder is a sliding piece reciprocated rapidly by a finger projecting from an arm oscillated by a crank-pin 22 on the end of the shaft W, Fig. 1. This advances the types and line-holder as the types drop into it, and the distance the piece can move on the line-holder is limited in accordance with the required length of line, by a follower adjustable by a screw. At the end of each word one of a series of wedge-shaped space-bars E is inserted in the line through a slot in the line-holder, a slot or opening 14 being also provided in the plate 1 through which the space-bars pass. The line-holder is held in place during filling by a friction device 440 bearing upon it. An alarm bell 414, Fig. 1, is sounded when the line-holder is full. The space-bars E are formed as shown in Fig. 17, and are slotted so that they are springy or elastic vertically and their upper and lower edges engage the line-holder when pushed into it, to hold them in place. At the upper end of the tracks B, B' is a table M mounted to rise and fall, so as to receive the empty line-holder from the lower or return track B<1>, and lift it into position to be filled and passed, when full, down the track B for justification. The space-bars E are assembled upon the table M, the foremost bar being pressed up against a fixed shoulder 52 by a spring-pressed slide 53, so that the foremost space-bar just rests on the track B. This space-bar is driven into the line-holder, on the operation of the space key 91, by an arm 60 on a sliding bar 57 operated by a cam 65 driven by gearing and a clutch from the shaft W. The clutch &c. are so arranged as to drive the cam a complete revolution at each operation of the space key, and to stop it in proper starting position. When the line-holder is filled it is advanced along the track B, and after justification passes on to a rising and falling table M', at the lower ends of the tracks B, B', and, when the justified line of types has been pushed into the galley U, the table M' is lowered into line with the return track B' along which the empty line-holder and space-bars are returned to the table M for re-filling. The tables M, M<1> are moved vertically to lift and lower the line-holders at the required times by arrangements of cams &c. When the line-holder is filled a key H is depressed, which sets in motion an arrangement of sliding racks and gearing by which a feed-rack 1<a> is moved downwards, carrying the line-holder into position for the operation of the spreading-mechanism G, which forces the space-bars through the line until it is expanded to its full length, as permitted by the line-holder. The space-bars are pushed in by a bar 94 carried by an arm operated by suitable cam &c. mechanism and a spring. The line-holder is stopped for this operation by a hook lever pivoted on one side of the way B, operated by a cam to release the line-holder when the space-bars are pushed in. After this operation a lower feed-rack 1<b>, Fig. 17, engages the line-holder and feeds it downward during the operations of withdrawing the space-bars singly and inserting in their places spaces of the required sizes. The rack 1<b> is moved down under the action of a cord and weight so that it and the line-holder can be stopped at each space between the words and is returned by the mechanism actuating the rack 1<a>. As the line is moved forward, the projecting end of the front space-bar engages a rod, which operates a clutch by which a cam ring 142 is caused to make a revolution. A cam 251 on this operates a sliding brake bar which engages the line-holder and holds it until the space-inserting operation is complete. Another cam 139 operates a sliding bar 135, and with it a bar 134 which drives the front space-bar E, Fig. 17, into the line to take up any slack. A hook 148 on the bar 134 engages a notch in the space-bar and withdraws it when the bar 134 moves back. The withdrawn space-bar is moved down on the track B by a spring arm which moves to engage the space-bar when the bar 134 moves back, the space-bars being moved past a pivoted stop plate and packed, one by one, upon the table M'. The operation of driving in the space-bar before withdrawing it is repeated as each space-bar comes into position. A space is inserted in place of the withdrawn space-bar from a sliding space box L having compartments to which the spaces are constantly supplied. The space box slides upon ways 186, and is moved into the required position with the proper compartment over the line-holder, by means of a rod 170, pivoted to the holder at 171 and moved by a projection 174 on the bar 135. The space-holder is held in position while the space is driven down into the line by means of a rod 175 pivoted to the space-holder, and having a projection which engages a rotating detent stop 179, Fig. 1, on a shaft 180. The space is driven down out of the holder L into the line by a lever 162 pivoted at 163 and drawn downwards by a spring 165, and guided in its movement by a strap 167. The lever 162 is raised by a cam 146, and a pin 162<a> on the lever engages the ejector 161 in the proper channel and moves it down, pushing the space s, Fig. 17, down into the line, when the lever is permitted to move down by the cam 146. The justified line is pushed into the galley U, when the line-holder moves down to the end of its travel, by a pusher 215 mounted adjustably on a sliding plate 216 operated by a crank-pin on a disc 202 clutched at the required time to the shaft 106 so as to make one revolution and then stop. The table M' is supported in its raised position by a pivoted latch, which is operated to release the table by a lug on the slide 216 as the latter begins its backward movement. The table M<1> then drops to its lowest position, and the empty line-holder and space-bars thereon are returned along the track B<1> by means of an arm projecting from a sliding block 383 attached at 388 to an endless chain 302 running on two sprocket-wheels 272, 273. The upper wheel 272 is so driven by gearing and clutch arrangements that the chain is moved first in one direction to return the line-holder and space-bars to the table M and is then moved in the opposite direction to return the block 383 &c. to the lower end of the machine into position to take up another line-holder &c. from the table M<1>. The movement of the wheel 272 is started at the proper times by an arm actuated from the mechanism which operates the line-holder feed-racks 1<a> and 1<b>. The mechanism operating the reciprocating slide in the line-holder is disengaged when the line is filled and the key H is operated, so that the line-holder may be freely moved down the track B. The details of, and driving-mechanisms for, the various parts of the machine are fully described in the Specification and drawings.