The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-06

The Atlantic for May, contains the
following description Of the-workinz of
a machine invented by Mr.. Felt of Mas
.schusetts:
The machine stands in sub 5tantial
iron frame work, FIVE feet by four, with
IN which the mechanism Is nicely dis
posed, so that there may be ample room
TOR the four operations of setting, justi-
fyipg leading and distributing. In
front Is a key board Of forty KEYS.
which correspond TO two hundred and
iitty-six characters, arranged in eight
cases. A single case consists of thirty
two Cat brass tubes standing perpen-
dicularly, side by side, each one being
filled with certain denomination Of
type Thus the small letter is set by
touching the key; the capital A by
touching the capital key, in connec-
tod with the key; the capital B by
touching the capital key in connec-
ton with the B key; and so on with
every letter. There are also keys call
ed the small capital; the italic, and
the italic capital; so that the machine
contains all the characters known 20
the compositor. The operation of these
capital and small capital keys is
similar to that of an organ-stop in modi-
iying the effect of other KEYS.
When the machine is in motion
and I should here mention that it Is
worked by steam-0 curious piece of
mechanism, called the stick which
is about as large as a mans hand, aud
quite as adroit-plays to and fro be
meath the cases. and acts obediently 10
the operators touch The spectacle Of
this little metallic intelligence is anu
sing Il is armed with pincers, which
il uses much as the elephant does his
trunk, though with infinite CELEBRITY
Every time a key is touched, these pin
GERS seize q type from one Of the tubes,
turn downward, and, as il were, put it
into the mouth Of the stick. And so
yoracious is the appetite Of this little
creature, that in few seconds its
stomach Is full-in other words, the line
Is set a tiny bell gives warning Of
this fact, and the operator finishes the
word or syllable. He then touches
the iustifying key, and the spacer
seizes the line and draws it into
another part Of the machine 70 be
justified, while the empty stick
70 umes its feeding. No time is lost /;
for, while she stick is setting a second
line. the 'spaccr' Is iustifying the FIRST,
80 that, in a few moments after starting,
the ! rocesses are going forward stimuli.
taneously. That Of iustifying is per
laps, the most ingenious It Is accom-
plished IN this way; The stick never
sets full line, but leaves room for
! spaces, and with the last letter of each
word inserts piece Of steel to separate
/ the words When the line has been
drawn into the space, the piece of steel,
which are furnished with uicked heads
I for the purpose, are withdrawn and or
binary spaces are substituted. All this
requires no attention from the operator
! The matter thus set and justified is now
loaded by the machine, and deposited
upon a galley ready for the press.
In this machine distribution Is the
+ reverse Of composition, and IS effected
by simply reversing the motion of the
shaft BY duplicating certain psrts Of
Z the machine, both operations are per
/ formed at the same time. The process
Of distribution may be made automatic
I by means ofthe register. This device
although an original invention with
/ Mr. Felt, is an application Of the prin
G. pei Of the Jacquard loom. Itcousist.
ol a narrow strip Of card or paper, ir
which holes are punched as the type.
cre taken, forming q substitute for ths
troublesome nicking Of the type, which
has heretofore been thought indispens
able 70 automatic distribution. By thi
means the type can be changed Ia re
setting il desired, so that different ed
tions Of the same work can be prsnteS
Ia different Eisea Of typa."