Patent GB-945587-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to typographical composing and casting machines
Inventor: ABBOTT WILLIAM BARKLEY
IPC: B41B11/06
Filed: 1962-04-26
Abstract: 945,587. Type-bar-making machines. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE CO. April 26, 1962 [April 26, 1961], No. 15913/62. Heading B6W. Magazines.-A matrix magazine shifting apparatus for a line-casting machine having a plurality of matrix storage magazines 10-13 shiftable as a unit to bring a selected magazine into operative position, comprises an elevator frame 14 on which the magazines are mounted and an hydraulic piston and cylinder mechanism 33 connected to the frame 14 and to a stationary part of the machine. The magazines are removably supported on base frames 10a-13a respectively which are pivotally supported at their upper ends in the frame 14 by studs 19. The frame 14 is slidable upwards and downwards in a fixed part of the machine frame 15, rollers 27 on the frame 14 running in guides 26 on the frame 15. Each magazine base frame has laterally projecting arms 21, those of the top three frames carrying supporting screws 22. When the magazines are in their normal, operative position the screws 22 abut the arms 21 below them and the arms 21 of the bottom magazine base frame 13a rest upon supporting screws 18 mounted in a transverse member 23 of the elevator frame 14. A pair of racks 44, each having four teeth 45-48, is secured to the elevator frame 14 for co-operation with a pair of solenoid-operated latches 51 mounted on the frame 15, Fig. 5. The teeth 45-48 serve respectively to locate the lower ends of the magazines 10-13 in operative relation with the assembler entrance 16 in accordance with which of them is engaged by the latch 51. Operation of the piston and cylinder mechanism 33 and the latches 51 is controlled by electrical means whereby the frame 14 is raised or lowered so as to align a different magazine with the assembler entrance. The frame 14 always makes a small upward movement before it makes either an upward or a downward movement so as to test for the presence of a matrix projecting from either the upper or the lower end of the magazine in operative position. If a matrix does so project it pivots either a flap 56 at the assembler entrance or a flap 57 at the channel entrance 17  of the distributing mechanism, which has the effect of cutting off power to the electrical control circuits so that the elevator frame settles back on the latches 51. If there is no projecting matrix the latches 51 are withdrawn by their solenoids from the path of the teeth on the racks 44. When one of the magazines is to be replaced the magazines are fanned out as shown in Figs. 2, 6 to facilitate access thereto. Each magazine base frame has a pair of lateral lugs 75. A pair of fan latches 76 each having two teeth 83, 84 are pivoted at 77 to the machine frame 15. The fan latches are normally held above the paths of the lugs 75 but when fanning of the magazines is desired the elevator frame 14 is raised considerably above the position which the frame assumes when the magazine to be exposed is operatively positioned. The latches 76 are then swung down to their operative positions by solenoids 80 and the frame 14 is lowered. If the magazine 12 is to be exposed the studs 75 of the base frame 11a are engaged by the latch teeth 83 and the frames 10a, 11a are thereby caused to pivot about their studs 19. Subsequently the studs 75 on the base frame 12a engage the latch teeth 84 and this frame also pivots about its studs 19. When the elevator frame 14 reaches a predetermined point above the position in which it is arranged when the magazine 12 is in operative position the latches 51 assume their latching position; the elevator frame continues to descend until the teeth 47 engage the latches 51 and halt the downward travel thereof. The magazine 12 may now be removed from its base frame 12a. The elevator frame is moved upwards to release the magazines from their fanned position. Safety links 86 connect the studs 75 on the base frame 10a with pins 90 on the frame 14 so that the frame 14 may be supported, through the links, by the fan latches 76 if the latches 51 should fail to operate during the course of a fanning operation. Means is provided for mixing matrices in any two adjacent magazines, this being effected by pivoting the two magazines about their studs 19 so that the lower end of each in turn is aligned with the assembler entrance 16 while the elevator frame 14 remains stationary. An auxiliary hydraulic piston and cylinder device 91 is mounted on the elevator frame and has a piston rod 93 having an adjustable connection 95 with a rod 94 slidable in the machine frame member 23. When the two selected magazines e.g. 11 and 12, are in their lower position the machine parts are in the positions they occupy when the magazine 11 is in its normal operative position, the upper end of the rod 94 being spaced from a button 96 mounted on the lower surface of the magazine base frame 13a. To raise the magazines to their upper position (in which the lower end of the magazine 12 is aligned with the assembler entrance) the device 91 is actuated so that the rod 94 pushes against the button 96 and causes the frame 13a (and consequently all the magazine base frames) to pivot to the position shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 4 where it is latched by a pair of spring- and solenoid-operated latches 102 which engage screws 107 on the frame 13a. When the magazines are returned to their lower position the frame 13a is first given a short upward movement so as to allow the latches 102 to be moved to their non-latching positions.