The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-09-26
Fron NV N,a Yorg J,amlI Of TONNAGE
Type Setting by Steam

ne Alden type setting and distrihat-
ing machine promises 20 bear the samc
relation to manual composition" thst
the locomotive does TO tho siape-coach.
the photograph to portrait-painting and
the sewing machine TO stitching by
hand. We say promises because its capa-
biliiies and economy are yet TO be fully
tested in the nightly rush and wear and
tear OF newspaper printing Office ID
it can do all the work that seems TO be-
in it, then there is another noiseless re-
voluton ahead. But compositors need
not fear that they will be thrown
out OF employment all al once. 49,
They will only have TO master the ma
chine, (Which their nimblc fingers can
readily do) As the stage. coach driver
became transformed into the railway
conductor the portrait-painter into ihe
photographer, and the sewing girl into
the operator OF a Singer or "Wheelor
& Wilson, so will the composition be-
changed, by the irresistible destiny Of
mechanical improvement, into the mani
pulator OF the Alden type setting ma
chine.
There are wonderful stories told of The
inventor Alden; how HA tolied for TWEEN
ty years over his distracting problem
how he ruined his health, and gained
the undesirable reputation OF a madman
among his particular aeouaintances
and all 10 no purpose, until the phantom
of success which Knocked him so lone
was caught and pinned down in a strange
vision Of the night how rising, from his
bed at this moment Of almost superna-
trail perception, he iOtted down his plan
ON bit of paper; his great task being
ended, died q few minuets afterward
The story of the "divinc aflatus," or
whatever else il might be called-threW
a flood of light over the darl, parts Of his
puzzle, aud made the whole clear as la,
TO him--is not hard 10 believe, because
it is in some snchimysterous way that
genius often attaihs its triumphs That
he should have cleared his path through
all the complexities Of this machine
with nothing but cool logic and figures
and tentative experiments would be still
more incis tible.
To describe this machine in popular
| language, so that every reader will know
| alBabout IT, is simply impossible To do
! justice In technical terms, which a few
/ thoroughly educated mechanics could
| understand, would be almost as difficult
A watch, Hoes lightning press, a steam
| engine, a jacquard loom, are far less
complicated Nothing but diagrams, re-
| presenting all the important portions of
! the machine, taken apart, accompanied
by very full descriptive text, could give
clear idea 10 quick wiited reader. A
person may see the machine with hisO
eyes, and have il picked TO pieces for hi,
special benefit, and explained TO him BY
the present owner of the patent and,
after all, carry away very imperfect
notion of il a. 4 wonderful whole. The
following Is all the description that we
might be able 10 give of IL 10 others ::
and il is quite n much az most others
could comprehend The machine. he
might say is supported on an iron frame
about az large and as high as a small
family dining-tablc. Ia the centre OF
this frame, and parallel with the surface
Of it, is large iron wheel with twenty
four "conveycrs or nippcrs, arranged At
equal distances apart on the circumler-
ence. Twelve of these are for selling
type, and twelve for distributing.
These hicks enable the semi-intelligent
conveyers TO know and seize IL, whenever
it is summoned, from its groove. Bv
means of these hicks also, the disiribu-
tion--one of the most marvellous accom-
plisLments of the machines performed.
A page or column of "dead matter" "a
placed in position, and the machine start
ed. The cOnyoyers, AZ they come round.
take mp each type successfully, according
to its "nicks," and lodge il in the appro
pirate groove, where IL remains until IL is
wanted for setting, and docs not inter
fcre with, or rctaFd IL in The least The
complex apparatus, bywhich these tasks
arc performed with perfect order and
ccuainty,ls truly wonderful, and entities
the inventor TO take rank in the highest
rank Of mechanical genius When The
type is SET il requires only a slight " jas
tilication,' and leading ir the matte,
is 90 be loaded and is then ready Tor IA,
form.
10 sum up the practical results. IN,
machine, worked by an operator OF COM
mon intelligence and industry, will sci
and distribute from 10000 20 10000 en-.
in ten hours. first-rate compOsitors
cannot set and distribute more than .OOt
ems in the same time Most compost.
tors average considerably below that
Each machine costs 800, and occupiei
, no more room than two printers cases
Although extremely complicated, Il T.
not likely 10 get out Of order, and thos.
parts which are most likely 10 becom,
, deranged are easily adjusted. The own
en- thinks that q machine will last fn,
years with good management IL ma,
be worked with pedal until The foot o
{ The operator becomes weary: but il in.
, tended and adapted for steam, and d.
seen 10 its greatest advantage only when
driven by that mighty and tirelea'
81 | AGENT