The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-28
Tyne-setiing Maohinery.

For some ten years the inventors have
been busy with their various devices 10 sup
plant hand composition Of type. Many ma
chimes have been brought 10 a high state Of
perfection. Nearly dozen of them set and
distribute type There j. no longer doubt
that this can he done II IL now purely q
question OF capacity. IL Is not enough for
these machines 10 set and distribute type.
They must perform these operations with
speed. economy and accuracy that make their
Introduction into Offices a self-eUdent adyan-
tage and saving of time and money. IL Is
believed this stage has been reached. 4
number of principles are involved IN the ma
chimes most cOnspcuOuslv before the public,
but they may be roughly grouped INTO three
classes. Machines Of the Mcmillan and the
Thorn pattern employ movable type as do
hand cOmpOsltOrs. The operator sits before
key board. the idea being furnished by the
typewriter; and by depressing levers connect
ed with the keys each IF which represents
letter of the alphabet or a punctuation mark
the type collected IN channels are released
one by one and fall into place The lengthen-
ing line OF type 10 then divided Of column
width and collected on galleys. These are
then ready for insertion IN the form, 10 bo
printed from directly or 20 be steTeOtyped as
the case may be. Ia the Mcmillan system tue
distributor is distinct machine. The type
are nicked on their edges, each letter
having It's peculiar lndentatiOns. Placed
IN Tadisl channels on revolving horl-
zOntal disc, they are pressed outward by a
spring acting from behind and when the IN
dentatOns on any type correspond To others
IN "A fixed channel opposite the channels On
the revolving disc that type IS released aud
Jumps over TO q fixed channel Thus all the
AS and "Bs' are gathered in their respec-
tive channels, which arc placed IN the type
setter and ready again for use. In the Thorn
system the distributing machine 10 combined
with the setter. A machine OF the Mergen-
thaler pattern does not use type at all. OF
rather it casts every line of type. When these
sohd lines OF type have been used they are
thrown back into the melting pot. so the eI-
pense OF distribution Is Ouyiated. In TINS
machine, which is now used ia the New York
Tribune office with much success. the opera
tor >its before Il keyboard as with
other ma hines. Every time he dcpresses
key be moves bar IN place, on
the end of which IS a type mold. A liueful Of
these bars gatherel a lover depressed by the
foot ia Gets tiny stream OF hot metal into
the mOlds and on being cooled tho TIVE
mOlde return 20 place leaving one line OF type
on s0lid metal ready for use. The cardinal
objection 10 this machine, which ~ first flush
impresses the observer as Ruthless lies in the
difficulty az making corrections. Every news
laper-wOrker knows the frequency with which
changes must be made. however critically the
copy may be read Ia ns the Morgan
thaler machine the only way correction ia
possible is 20 throw ont the whole line or all
the lines vitiated by however slight IN mae
curacy and cast new lines 10 he inserted
in their place. A third principle has thus far
been but little developed and yet manifest
destiny seems 20 indicate its eventual tri-
umph IN Minneapolis IS machine en-
deayOrlng 90 utilize the principle. Machines
built on 1t not only operate without type but
do not cast type bars As does the Mergen-
thaler Ii Is really stercotvpinr machine
all - lf rn4 n4 sol tf,f
slonable. type molds worked by levers indent
the letters desired. The PAPER nache is thus
printed IN column strips. These are gathered
together 10 make complete page and from
II stereOiyped metal plate IS east and placed
on tho cylinders OF the printing press. OF
course J. such machine can be perfected.
the economies accomplished IN obviating the
use OF type movable and cast. will
make II superior 10 all Others. But type are
OF different thickness fthe letters m" and Il"
furnish an example and the amount OF papier
mache displaced by eicn indeution diners so
greatly that imany experts question whether
the invention can be perfected and the idea
made practicable. There are now half a dozen
machines which DO good work. and from them
the successful and triumphant one will como
into general rs and that speedily. Ii il a
battle Ot the type machines, as II was for years
a battle ot the brakes in which the West
lnghouse defeated all competitors and won
bi-' uil'itt''tlOli'Nl ouIll lila a cOllDtillFc
test IS announced at Chicago 10 be held in the
fall and the inventors are preparing for it.
The support which New York city printers
OF the first rank. Theodore DeNinno among
them. has extended 10 the Mcmillan machine
Is certainly sIsnitant. The marvellous and
expensive Paige machine Of Hartford. which
none but the inventor understands will be-
there rs viii the Mergenthaler and the
Rogers If the recent injunction should he
held 70 apply only 10 the New York company
he Burr people exhibit some hesitation and
the Lagerman ma hine is not yet fully de-
yeloped Two English machines. the Frazer
and the Wyman. desire representation. Ii Is
10 DO hoped the test VIII be heightened. One
week IS not sufficient. The world Of news
papers is ready in fact demands cheaper COM
position. The battle now going on concerns
every person who reads books or newspapers.
New Haven Palladium.