Patent GB-190712911-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Linotype Machines.
Inventor: ELLJOTT WILLIAM EBENEZER
Filed: 1907-06-04
Granted: 1908-06-04
Abstract: 12,911. Elliott, W. E. June 4. Linotype machines.-Relates to linotype machines having a number of magazines, and consists in the provision of mechanism for effecting a change of fount and, if necessary, a corresponding change of mould and mechanism for distributing the matrices each into its channel in the proper magazine. The parts are represented as applied to the Mergenthaler machine, [Specification No. 14,582, A.D. 1890]. The machine may comprise twenty - five magazines or thereabouts of the usual type, but only nine, arranged one above another, Fig. 1, are described. The matrices 9 which are stored in the magazines 1 may be released by escapement dogs 10, 11, Fig. 33, fast to rods 12, extending up through the whole bank of magazines between the channelsÀthereof. Descent of the rods 12 by the depression of the keys releases the foremost of the matrices. Instead of both dogs 10, 11 being carried by one rod 12, each may be secured to its own rod, the two rods being pivoted to the ends of escapement levers 15, Fig. 1. In addition to the character keys, a number of fount keys 16, in this case six, are provided. Depression of a fount key allows one of a series of pivoted carriages 20 to fall, thereby bringing its cam 21 into contact with a continuously revolving shaft 22 and rocking two push-rods 28, 29. The cams 21 can make only one revolution at each key depression. Operated by the rods 28, 29 are pivoted levers 31, 32 the former being connected to rods 38, and the latter to three-armed levers 40. Each pair of levers 40 carries a pivoted cam-bar 43, extending over the mouth of a magazine. Depression of a fount key causes the rods 38 to lower the last-raised cam-bar 43, but at the same time raises another cam-bar to release the matricesin the corresponding magazine. When a cam-bar is lowered, the matrices are forced back out of contact with the respective escapement dog 10. The fount keys and mechanisms are arranged in groups according to the body dimensions of the various founts. Over all the carriages 20 of each group is a pivoted plate 52, the movement of which when a key is depressed. causes the stoppage of the mouldwheel 54 at the correct position for the particular type fount. Each plate 52 is connected by links 61, 63, 64 with a cam-ended link 65, Fig. 2. The elevation of any link 65 moves a corresponding stop 66 into the path of a projection 73 on a lever 74 pivoted to the face of a clutch, spur-wheel 77. A constantly driven spur-wheel 84 is normally in frictional driving connexion with the wheel 77, which is loose upon a sleeve on a clutch rod 79. Movement of the lever 74 caused by the interposed stop 66 moves the clutch rod 79 endways and brings the wheel 84 out of. engagement with the wheel 77, which then ceases to rotate.. The wheels 77, 84 may be unclutched by a cam 89 which operates the forked end 91, of a pivoted lever. The wheel-77 is in constant rotative connexion with the mould-wheel 54, which is also in constant gear with a pinion 117. This pinion imparts the two successive increments of motion as in the ordinary linotype machine, and is connected by a special ratchet arrangement with its shaft 118, thus permitting the independent motion of the mould-wheel. Means for preventing more than one of the plates 52 from being raised at the same time consists of a cord 102 extending over the levers 61 which is sufficiently slack to permit one lever to move. Each matrix has preferably two formative cavities on each edge, and to enable the cavities facing upwards in the magazine to be used for casting purposes a suitable device, such as is described in Specification No. 7475, A.D. 1903, may invert the matrices during their passage to the assembly box. Another such device, shown in Fig. 33, can be thrown out of operation. For again inverting the matrices so that they may be distributed into.the magazines, the second elevator, Fig. 25, is provided with two ribbed bars 136, 137, the former being similar to those usually employed. The bar 137 engages the ribbed recesses 148, Fig. 30, of the inverted matrices, and is rotatably mounted in a housing 139 slidable on a housing 138. A pinion on the shaft of the bar 137 engages a rack on the housing 138, and the separatiou of the housings 138, 139 during the ascent of the elevator causes the bar 137 to rotate and thus bring the matrices to their normal position. The space bars are recessed to avoid the bars 136, 137 and are supported before being removed by outwardly spring-pressed lips 154, 155, Fig. 30, which are depressible by the entry of the housings 138, 139. The matrices are pushed into the lift box 152 by two shifters 157, 158 which are carried by a chain 159 so as to move in opposite directions. The shifter 158 is pushed along against the action of a cord-attached spring 175 by a cam-operated pusher 168 carrying a pivoted driver 170. This driver is moved out of aliuement with the shifter at the end of the stroke by a cam 174 on the guideway of the pusher 168, thus allowing the shifter 157 to move forward The lift box is provided with two tracks 178, 179 along which the matrices are moved until arrested by a gate 181. Automatic switches 184, 186, movable out of the path of the matrices by the passage of the latter, support them until they are raised by a lifter 180. Switches 188 allow the matrices on the track 179 to pass up on to the upper track. Spring-raised gates 191 are not operated by the matrices on the lower track, but are pressed down by the lower lugs of the matrices passing along the upper track. The shifter 157 has two arms 195 which travel along the track 179. The matrices are raised into engagement with the usual distributing-screws 183, Fig. 1, by the cam-operated lifter 180 and fall according to character into the channels of a receiver 200 at the bottom end of which are escapement pawls 202, 203 carried on a bar 204 common to all. A series of distributor carriages 208, extending across the width of the magazines, are mounted on two chains 209 so as to pass beneath the receiver 200, whereby the matrices are carried off and delivered to the various magazines according to fount. Recesses 149 in the bottom edges of the matrices are formed with permuted teeth adapted to be engaged by a series of ribbed bars 216, which are removably journaled between members 218, 219, Fig. 22, and which extend beneath all the channels of the receiver 200. The ribs are geared together in horizontal pairs and are controlled by springs which tend to move them into position to engage the matrices. As a carriage 208 approaches the receiver 200, arms 225 encounter a series of abutments 226 on a movable member 226<a> so as to rotate the ribs 216 against the action of their springs. The rib support 212 being pushed upwards, presses against a stud 250 thereby operating mechanism 238, 239, 240 to withdraw a latch 237 from above the member 226<a>, which then moves upwards allowing the ribs to grip the matrices. At the same time, a bell-crank lever 257 is rocked to move the escapement pawls into the position shown in Fig. 11, and the lowermost matrices are then free to be carried away. As the carriage 208 moves forward, a cam 252 and lever 254, Fig. 16, return the member 226<a> to its latched position, and a cam 253 acts on a roll 266 to lift a gate 255 for the passage of the matrices. A spring 206 returns the escapement pawls into normal position, Fig. 16. The supports 212 are vertically guided in the carriage 208 by means of spring-controlled studs, and are pushed upwards by cams 260 on the shaft 259 acting upon a lever 261 which is provided with an adjustable jaw 262. The matrices are carried along between partition plates 272, 273, 274 and wires 276 over the magazine entrances, into which they are released by the action of permuted tappets 227 upon the rib arms 225. The rib supports 218 are pivoted to the carriages 208 so that, should a matrix jam over the magazines, the support 218 is moved into engagement with a rack 267, Fig. 35, which is thus displaced so as to operate a clutch opener 201 to stop the action of the entire distributing-mechanism.