Patent GB-189712960-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and connected with the Justification of Type, Type Dies, or Type Matrices.
Inventor: LOCK WILLIAM HENRY
Filed: 1897-05-25
Granted: 1898-05-25
Abstract: 12,960. Lock, W. H., [Thorne Type-setting Machine Co.]. May 25. Drawings to Specification. Type, setting; linotype and like machines; stereotype matrix and like machines.-Relates to mechanism for justifying type, type dies, or type matrices into lines of uniform length. A machine is described in detail for operating upon separate types issuing in a continuous line from a composing-machine. The following is a short description of the operations performed by the machine:-The words and lines of the continuous line of type are separated by separators having reduced ends which project through slots in the sides of the line channel of the justifying-machine. The line separators are longer, and project further, than the word separators. As the continuous line passes into the n achine, the ends of the line separators are successively engaged by pivoted stop fingers or pawls on a line-separator slide, which is thereupon carried along by the separator until it reaches a line-carrier slide. On this slide is a pawl which engages under the line separator, and the line is carried up from the rest of the continuous line to the measuring- mechanism. When the line carder engages the line the separator slide is released, and falls until it engages the next line separator. The line carrier is operated by a cam &c. to lift the line until its underside is engaged by a pawl on a measuring- slide. The measuring-slide is raised by a cam &c. until the upper end of the line is engaged and Stopped by a movable stepped block. The stepped block is moved by a cam &c., and is stopped in position, according to the number of spaces in the line, by mechanism operated from a pinion or star-wheel, engaged and turned by the ends of the separators as the line is carried up to the measuring- mechanism. The steps on the block are each equal to the thickness of a separator, so that the line is thus carried up further the more word spaces there are in it. As the measurement and corresponding insertion of spacers depends on the position of the measuring-slide engaging the lower end of the line the space occupied by the separators is thus eliminated from the measurement by the use of the stepped block. Pivoted to the measuring-slide is one end of a measuring-lever, the other end of which operates a lever which lifts a pair of sliding space-selector setting-racks to the position required to insert spaces of the proper thickness into the line at each word space. The fulcrum of the measuring-lever is on a horizontal slide moved into different positions for each measurement according to the number of separators in the line, so that the selector setting-racks are set for the proper size of each space without regard to the number of such spaces there are in the line. The mechanism which moves the sliding fulcrum is operated from a second pinion or star-wheel engaged by the projecting ends of the separators. After the line is measured the words are moved up singly, and in succession, by a word-carrier slide operated by a cam &c. The carrier is provided with fingers or pawls which engage the projecting ends of the successive word separators. The word and the separator under it are carried up between a pair of pivoted pieces which close and form a platform or support during justification. The word separator is withdrawn from the platform by a hooked sliding pawl, and the spacer, or combination of spacers, of the required thickness is inserted in its place. The word and line separators, when withdrawn, are placed in separate compartments. The space-selecting mechanism is set by the setting- racks, which are held by a pawl in their raised or adjusted position during the justification of the line. The racks are placed side by side, and one is provided with fine-pitch teeth and the other with coarse-pitch teeth, so that, when engaged by the holding-pawl, the rack having the teeth of coarse pitch will sometimes descend a short distance below the highest point to which it is raised before one of its teeth engages the holding-pawl. This difference in the relative positions of the two setting- racks is utilized in the spacer-selecting mechanism to select a larger spacer at intervals in the line, in cases where the required total space is not evenly divisible by the number of spaces in the line. The spacers are in four sizes, the arrangement being such that one, two, or three of the small spacers (called A spacers) may be selected alone or with one of the other larger spacers. The spacers are in vertical channels, from which they are ejected at the lower ends. The platform supporting the A spacers is movable vertically so that one or more spacers may be ejected by the ejector. When a larger spacer is used together with the A spacer or spacers, it is, after being ejected, pushed along on to the A spacers, and the whole are inserted together into the channel. The setting-racks are provided with notches or steps at the back, which operate to stop and set the parts of the selector mechanism which determine the spacers that are to be ejected and inserted in each word space in the line. The finished or justified line is pushed laterally into a galley placed on edge, and is there held by a rule until the next line is pushed in. The cams &c. operating the various parts of the machine are on two shafts in sections coupled by clutches, operated by means of a governor and other mechanism so that the operations take place all at the required times, and the repetition of the word-operating arrangement is according to the number of words in each line.