Patent GB-428141-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in typographical slug casting machines
IPC: B41B11/52
Filed: 1933-11-04
Abstract: 428,141. Type-bar-making machines. HART, H., 9, Kingsway, London.-(Mergenthaler Linotype Co. ; 29, Ryerson Street, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.) Nov. 4, 1933, No. 30641. [Class 100 (iii)] In a typographical slug - casting machine, there is provided, in combination with a slotted mould, a movable support therefor, and a hand stick or holder for a composed line of matrices, means for mounting the holder on the movable mould support with the matrix characters in register with the mould slot. Matrices; assembling and aligning matrices; moulds; driving-mechanism.-(1) The matrices employed may be similar to those of Specification 396,045, being of three kinds, comprising ordinary matrices Y, Fig. 20, having either a single character in the case of larger matrices, or two superposed characters, and special matrices X, Z. The matrices X, Fig. 17, are of plain rectangular form and are longer than the ordinary matrices to allow for characters up to 72pt. in height, while the matrices Z, Fig. 31, for characters above 72pt. may be used alone or in conjunction with the matrices X, the characters on both sets being arranged with reference to a datum line passing through the bases of the characters. The routing notches are deeper than usual and when both sets are used together, thin dummy blank matrices of the same lengths as the matrices Z are used in conjunction to prevent the escape of metal during casting. The matrices X are composed in a hand stick J, Fig. 26, while the regular matrices are assembled in a stick K, and the special matrices Z in a stick L, which may also be used for the matrices X. The hand sticks are of similar construction, being provided with a fixed block J<2> and a movable block J<3>, which is adjusted to clamp the line by means of a block J<4>, handoperated cam J<5>, and toggle J<6>, which is anchored at one end to the stick and at the other end to the block J<4>. The stick is also provided with pins J' projecting from the rear face of the stick near its opposite ends. The two-letter regular matrices Y, when used in conjunction with regular single-letter matrices, may be supported at the appropriate level by their ears y<2> and the base or the fixed rail k of the stick, but when two-letter matrices only are being used, an auxiliary bar may be mounted in the base of the stick, on which the matrices are supported. The matrices Z are aligned by a rail L<1> which engages in notches z<1> in the matrices Z and is adapted to engage also in corresponding notches x<2> in the matrices X. (2) The rotatable mould-disc B, Fig. 1, is provided with eight radially-disposed moulds, comprising two regular moulds A and six special moulds A<1>, the former being of ordinary construction to co-operate with the ordinary matrices to produce the common ribbed or plain slugs, while the moulds A<1> are of special construction to co-operate with the matrices X, Z, in producing ribbed or L-shaped slugs, or ribbed slugs having an overhanging top portion. Each mould comprises a fixed body portion A<2>, Figs. 8 and 10, an adjustable cap portion A<3>, and a pair of interchangeable end liners A<4>. The casting surfaces a of the mould body portions are fixed, and the end liners A<4> are formed with holes a<2> to receive the aligning pin J' of the hand sticks, the holes a<2> being so located at different heights in the appropriate liners that the characters on the matrices are properly aligned. The special moulds, which are of slightly less than normal height, are adapted to cast recessed, L-shaped, or overhanging slugs, and in the latter case the stick need be supported in only one transverse position irrespective of the point size of the matrices composed therein. The mould in use is caused to take up a vertical position in front of a shelf C<1>, Fig. 1, on which the stick is placed, and the latter is pushed rearwardly so that the pins J<7> engage the holes in the end liners. The stick is held in place by a pivoted arm C<2> carried by a stationary plate C, which serves to hold the stick in position during the 90‹ rotation to the casting point. The machine cycle is inaugurated by operating a hand lever T which puts in the driving clutch. On approaching the casting position, the stick passes out of engagement with the plate C and into engagement with a pair of supporting fingers D, Fig. 10, which are mounted in the cross beam and are adjustably held by springs D<2> which permit the fingers to yield to accommodate the slightly different transverse positions of the stick. The moulddisc is then advanced to clamp the stick J against the beam 0, the metal pot U is moved to close the back of the mould, the plungers descend and the slug is cast, and then the pot and mould-disc are retracted. During this retraction, the stick is automatically detached from the mould and left on the fingers D by two detents d, d<1>, which grip the stick when this is pressed against the beam O and serve to prevent its backward movement. For casting blank slugs, the sticks are dispensed with and a bar I, Fig. 10, is employed. This is normally held in the inactive position shown by a spring I<6>, but when blank slugs are required, it is rotated about its pivot I<2> into a position opposite the mould slot, which it closes when the mould-disc is advanced, the pivot I<2> being mounted in slotted bearings so that the lock-up pressure is transmitted to the main frame. In order to prevent overheating of a mould when blank slugs are cast in a continuous operation, the extent of rotation of the disc B is reduced by 90‹ during each revolution of the main shaft, so that several moulds carried by the disc will be brought to the casting position consecutively, this being effected by including in the segmental rack which drives the mould-disc pinion a movable section which may be moved into and out of action. This movable section is formed on a plate, hinged to the rack wheel and adapted to be locked in or out of alignment with the teeth of the main rack by means of a rotary hand-operated latch. Trimming and ejecting type bars.-The disc B turns through a further 180‹, carrying the slug past a stationary back knife V, Fig. 1, to the ejecting position, when the disc is again moved up to the beam O and the slug is pushed by the ejector F between trimming- knives E, E<1>, Fig. 25. The knives are secured to blocks E<2>, E<3> slidably mounted on vertical rods E<4>, so that they may be adjusted to accommodate different slugs. The rods E<4> carry fixed collars E<8> and springs E' which together with a cam surface E<9> serve to hold the knife E in adjusted position, which is indicated and determined by a pointer E<12> and graduated dial E<13>. The upper knife E<1> may be moved into or out of active position by a cam E<14> carried by the beam O and located in a recess e<1> in the knife support E<3>. Galley mechanism.-The slugs ejected from the mould are deposited in a shoot g leading to a galley H, Fig. 1. The shoot is formed of an upper section G<1> and a lower section G<2>, the former being attached to and adjustable with the knife block E<2>, and the latter being supported by a leaf spring g. The stacker H<1> is operated from a cam on the main shaft through a roller and levers, which serve at appropriate intervals to impart and active stroke to the stacker, the return movement being effected by a spring.