Patent GB-191119374-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the Composing Mechanism of Typographical Machines.
IPC: B41B11/18
Filed: 1911-08-30
Granted: 1912-08-22
Abstract: 19,374. Linotype & Machinery, Ltd., Pearce, H., and Billington, J. E. Aug. 30. Keyboards for type-setting, strip-perforating, type-bar making, and like machines. In typographical composing-machines wherein a shift is provided between the keyboard and the organs, such as escapements or strip-perforating punches, controlled thereby, each character and like key is arranged to operate its own shift; further, relay-mechanism may be provided in order that the keys can operate with a light touch. The invention is shown applied to a machine of the Mergenthaler class, in which there are two magazines provided with escapements operated by sets of reeds 22, 12, Fig. 4, adapted to be engaged by a series of bars 61 which can be shifted to engage either set of reeds and are operated from the keys through the usual relay-mechanism comprising rotating rollers 34 adapted to engage cams 31 on levers 29. In the construction shown in Fig. 4, the key-levers 47, 48 are arranged in pairs, each pair being adapted to operate one of the bars 61 through a bar 53, which is formed with a slot to engage the ends of the pair of keylevers, and is adapted to trip the relaymechanism by means of the usual lever 27. The bar 61 can rock and slide on a rod 63 and is loosely engaged by a plate 68 pivoted on the rod 63 and provided with pins 66, 67 respectively engaged by the inclined ends of selecting- slides 64, 65, which are mounted on the bar 53 and engage respectively the key-levers 47, 48. When either of the key-levers is depressed, the corresponding slide 64, 65 is raised and by engagement with the pin 66 or 67 swings the bar 61 into position to engage the reed 12 or 22, the setting of the bar 61 being effected before the bar 53 has been raised sufficiently to trip the relay-mechanism. The bar 61 maintains its set position during successive depressions of the same key of a pair. In a modification, the selecting-slides 64, 65 operate a pair of levers adapted to engage a pin on the bar 61. In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the bars 61 are replaced by fingers 80, which are pivoted on the levers 29 and are adapted to be rocked from one set of reeds to the other by means of pairs of levers 75, 77, each pair being adapted to engage a pin 82 on one of the fingers and being controlled from a pair of key-levers 70, 71 by means of selecting-slides 73 on the bar 53. In the construction shown in Fig. 8, the reeds 12, 22 are cranked to bring the bottom ends 83 into the same row, and are arranged in pairs over fingers 84 mounted on vertical pivots 85 on the levers 29. The fingers are each embraced by a fork 86 pivoted on a pin 87 and engaged by selecting-slides 88, 89 on the bar 53, depression of either of the keys 70,71 serving, through the slide 88 or 89, to turn the finger 84 into position to engage the reed 12 or 22. To facilitate change of magazine, the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 may be provided for relieving the pull of the returning - springs on the escapements. The arrangement comprises rock-shafts 96 connected by gearing 97 to a hand-crank 98 and provided with flats engaging notches 95, 94 in the reeds 12, 22, so that, when the crank is turned, the reeds are raised slightly.