Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-16
ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUM, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE

can be cast by one man. An important i'm
provement was made in 1914, by Archibald
Binsey, of Philadelphia, whereby, with one
motion of the hand, the matrix was thrown
out and the mold opened The invention in
creased the rapidity with which types were
cast at least fifty per cent. Type casters ac
quired great expertness, and with the hand
mold were enabled to cast with great rapidity
but only for short time
In 1898 the casting machine was patented
by William NJ. johnson, an ingenious citizen
of New York, and put in operation in Mr.
Whites foundry, since which time it has been
greatly Improved, By this contrivance, a
pump inserted into the molten metal iniects
the requisite quantity into the mold, which is
brought sharply into contact with the piston
the mold then comes off from the pump, opens
and discharges the type into box In type
foundries, generally, this machine is worked
by hand but in the one we had the pleasure
OF eXamlng, steam power is successfully ap.
| piled. AT least three times the number of tyUe
can be cast by the machine than by the ordi-
nary hand mold, aud a velocity of 200 revo-
lutions per minute (each revolution forming
one type) has occasionally been obtained
though the actual Eesults are by no means to
be based upon that fact. Various causes op-
crate to prevent a long continuance of snch
speed.
The type, after being discharged from the
mold, has piece of metal called the Jet, at
tached to the bottom this is broken off by a
boy called the breaker, and the singular swift
ness of his motions is truly astonishing
Smart lads, or girls who have great experience,
perform all these operations with such rapidlty
as to pain the eve that observes them The
jets having been removed the type taken
TO another room, where boys and girls are en-
gagged in rubbing off the inequalities upon the
sides. This effected by bringing the rype in
contact with a smooth stone, prepared for the
purpose, and moving it from side to side The
rubbers generally smooth several at the same
time. Those letters which are kerned as be-
fore described, cannot be wholly rubbed upon
a fat surface, and they are consequently fled
smooth 10y an ingenious contrivance, which
prevents the kern from being injured.
After this operation the types are set to-
gether with the faces downward, in a compo-
sing stick eight inches long, and thence are
! transferred to the setting stick, which is one
yard in length Those who do this are called
/ settlers The dresser now takes the setting
stick, and placing the line Of type upon a fiat
| surface, tightens it with q screw then, with
piece of steel having sharp angles, lie rubs
off the edges, turning the line of type for that
! purpose. They are then placed, face down
ward, in a vice. and the dresser, with plane
cuts small groove in the end, over the place
from which the jet has been removed. He
now carefully examines the faces with mag
nifying glass, rejecting ali such as are in the
| least imperfect. The types are how formed,
and they are placed together side by side, up
on a small beard with frame on three edges,
until there is page. The page is uniform in
size, being 6 4 u inches. A cord is then
| drawn several times tightly around the page,
and it is wrapped up in paper ready for the
printer.
Type metal is readily fnsible, and is compo-
scd of antimony, tin, and lead. These are
used in various proportions, accordiI to the
size of the letter and the degree CT elasticity
required Lately, a process, by Which the
face Of of type is coated with copper, there
by increasing its durability, has been adopted
to a considerable extent
Until within few years tire were but
few varieties of type in use--now they are to
be counted by hundreds. They are cast from
the most minute size up to large blocks hay
ing surface face of sixteen square inches
OF Diamond type (the smallest size in use)
20l lines measure = inches OF an averaged
size Diamond letter, 81 PA may be impressed
on a surface Of one square foot and there
are Diamond spaces so small that 203, lS7 will
90 to square foot or l,4ll to the square
inch and of these about &, 200 are obtained
from one pound of metal The largest letter
regularly supplied 10y type founders is called
twelve line plea these are two inches the
face varying in width with the letter. The
largest sizes that we see On show bills &c, are
cut in wood.
Such is a brief, and we feel a very imperfect
sketch of the origin, progress and present
condition Of an art which has already accom-
pliShed so much for mankind Eulogium has
been exhausted in its praise-it is beyond all
praise like the sun, the air, it is a necessity
the art preservative Of all arts 1t has ell
lightened ignorance, dispersed error, corrected
superstition, oyerthrown armies. 1t strength
ems the brave, encourages the timid, Inspires
the Responding, and consoles the afflicted Its
light peuetrates the darkest dungeon, and
cheers the most humble cottage. Truth ac-
companies it and error fees. before it, 1t will
rcgenerate the world !-Gerwanto,en 1cel-
graph.