Improvements in the Casting Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1899
C
OLL Fah 1000 Accented 24th Mar.. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Casting Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY LOCK, Manager and Secretary of The Linotype Company
Limited, of No. 188, Fleet Street, in the City of London, and MARK BARR and
HAROLD ISHERWOOD, both of The Linotype Works, Broadheath, in the County of
Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the casting mechanism of
linotype machines, more especially in that of the celebrated Mergenthaler lino-
type machine. The latter is fully described in the Specification of Letters Patent
14582 of 1890.
In the machine in question, the composed line of matrices and space bars, is
placed between two vice jaws or abutments. The latter are practically fixtures,
the matrices being wedged up to them by the subsequent expansion or thickening
of the space bars. Each spare bar is a double wedge consisting of one short
member and one long one, the latter long enough to hang below the bottom of
the line of matrices and in the upward path of a justifying plate. The normal
elevation of this latter by the upward motion of the justifying lever, begins and
continues to thicken the space bars up to the point of all the members of the
composed line being wedged between the abutments above mentioned. In other
words, the stoppage of the justifying lever at a given point, is proof that the
operator has either composed or filled out the line to the full length. If there
were not enough matrices and space bars in the composed line to be wedged or
filled out to the full length, a linotype would not be cast but hot metal would be
splashed between the members of the line. Further, the machine would proceed
to send the line away to the distributor. The machine must then be stopped, the
line taken out of it and another line composed to take its place. The splashed
metal must be cleaned off all the members of the spoilt line, for to use them in a
splashed condition would ruin the matrices.
A. device for enabling the machine to automatically prevent the pump acting
whenever the line is short of its full length, is described in the Specification of
Letters Patent 28081 of 1896. There is a stud at or a little below that point in
the upward path of the lever above mentioned, at which it would be stopped by
the wedging above described. This stud is the outer end of one arm of a bell
crank lever having its fulcrum behind the metal pot and working in a plane at
right angles with the pump actuating lever. There is a lateral projection on the
said pump lever. The other arm of the bell crank lever is vertical and the end
of it stands normally just clear of the downward path of the projection. It should
be explained that it is the downward motion of the pump lever that actuates the
pump piston. The justifying lever gets its work in before the pump lever begins,
so that if the former moves upwards beyond the stud, the end of the vertical
arm is rocked under the lateral projection and the actuating stroke of the pump
lever prevented. Now, if the machine is wanted to cast slugs, i.c., linotype
bodies without printing characters on them, the device just described will prevent

page_text: it doing so, because, there being no composed line in the vice, the justifying
lever would not be stopped at the given point, unless the operator left the key-
board, went round to the side of the machine and put the device out of action.
Having done so, he would probably forget to put it into working position again
after he had resumed his work at the key-board.
The present invention enables the machine to automatically discriminate
between sending away an unwedged or loose line, and its being started to cast
blank slugs. It is always in discriminating operation and rings a bell when a
loose line is being justified, so that the operator can at once stop that line. He
is likewise free to cast slugs without having to leave his key-board, and he runs
no risk of having splashed or ruined matrices.
In carrying the said invention into effect, it is not the justifying lever that
engages the stud above mentioned, but a block normally lying down upon the
top of it. This block is carried by a lever fulcrummed upon the side of the
justifying lever, so that it can be rocked over to clear the said stud. The above
described block lever has two fingers, one depending below the fulcrum, the
other being a rearwardly projecting one. There is a rock shaft mounted in suit-
able bearings and having an upstanding arm capable, by engaging the depending
arm when the justifying lever is in its lowest position, to rock the block lever so
as to make it lay the block down upon the said lever. This rock shaft is actuated
through suitable connections whenever the operator sends a composed line towards
the vice, so that the above described device for preventing the pump acting, will
always be ready to deal with a loose line. Thus, it is only when there is a com-
posed line on its way to the vice, that the block is in position to prevent the
pump working at other times, it stands so as to clear the stud. There is a
suitable automatic detent adapted to hold the block in either of its positions and
the rock shaft is fitted with a suitable returning device such as a spring.
A fixed post, or its equivalent, carries a pivotted finger projecting into the
path of the above mentioned rearwardly projecting finger on the block lever.
The last mentioned finger trips the other out of its way as the justifying lever
carries the block lever up, but as the pivotted finger drops back against a fixed
stop, the block lever is rocked over the pivotted finger then held by the stop, as
the justifying lever returns, thereby putting the block out of position to engage
the stud. When the presence in the vice of a loose line, allows the justifying
lever to rise past its usual highest level, a bell is rung. This latter is preferably
carried by the said lever, the clapper stem being pivotted upon say the axis of the
block lever and held inactive by a clip. As the justifying lever passes the said
level, the clapper stem engages with a stud upon say the fixed post above
mentioned, which pushes it out of the clip whereupon the clapper drops on the
bell. The clapper stem is re-engaged with the clip by a stud on the rearwardly
projecting finger on the block lever when the latter is rocked over as the justifying
lever returns.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Casting Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY LOCK, Manager and Secretary of The Linotype Company
Limited, of No. 188, Fleet Street. in the City of London, MARK BARR, and
HAROLD ISHERWOOD, both of The Linotype Works, Broadheath, in the County of
Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
7.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the casting mechanism of
linotype machines, more especially in that of the celebrated Mergenthaler lino-
type machine described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 14582,
16th September 1890. In that machine, the composed line of matrices and space
bars, is placed between two vice jaws. The latter are, for a given length of line,
practically fixtures, the line being extended up to them by the subsequent
thickening of the space bars. Each space bar is a double wedge consisting of
one short member and one long one, the latter long enough to hang below the
bottom face of the line of matrices, and within reach of a justifying plate. As
this latter is raised by the upward motion of the justifying lever, it bears against
the feet of the long members above mentioned, and thereby begins to thicken all
the space bars, such thickening being continued until all the members, of the
composed line are wedged tight between the rice jaws. So that, the stoppage of
the justifying lever at a given point, is proof that the line has been extended to
its full length. The mould in which the linotype is cast is a slot through a
metal block. It is closed metal tight along one side of it by the nozzle of the
metal pump and by the composed line along the other. Consequently, if there
were not enough matrices and space bars in the composed line to fill out the
length between the two vice jaws, a linotype would not be cast, but the hot
metal would be squirted out between the matrices and space bars. The machine,
ignoring this miscarriage, would forthwith proceed to send the composed line
away to the distributor. To remedy the miscarriage, the machine must be
stopped, the line taken out of the vice, and a substitute line composed and put
into the vice in place of the one taken out. The splashed metal must also be
cleaned off all the members of the spoilt line, for to use them so long as frag-
ments of metal are adhering to them, would ruin the matrices.
A device for enabling the machine to automatically prevent the metal. pump
acting whenever the length of the line in the vice is less than the full distance
between the vice jaws, is described in the Specification of Letters Patent of 28081
of 1896. According to the invention described therein, there is a stud at or a
little below that point in the upward path of the justifying lever, at which it
would be stopped by the above described wedging. This stud is the outer end of
one arm of a bell crank lever having its fulcrum behind the metal pot and working
in a plane at right angles with the pump lever. There is a lateral projection on
the pump lever. The other arm of the bell crank lever is vertical and the end
of it stands normally just clear of the downward path of the projection. It should
be explained that it is the downward motion of the pump. lever that actuates the
pump piston. The justifying lever gets its work in before the pump lever
begins, so that if the former moves upwards beyond the stud, the end of the
vertical arm is rocked under the lateral projection and the actuating stroke of
the pump lever prevented. Now, if the machine is wanted to cast slugs,. i.e.,
linotype bodies without printing characters on them, the device just described
will prevent it doing so, because, there being no composed line in the vice, the
justifying lever would not be stopped at the given point, unless the operator left
the key-board, went round to the side of the machine and, put the device out of
action. Having done so, he would probably forget to put it into working position
gain after he had resumed his work at the keyboard.
The present invention enables the machine to automatically discriminate
between sending away an unwedged or loose line, and its being started to cast
lugs. It is always in discriminating operation and rings a bell when a loose line
s being justified, so that the operator can at once stop that line. He is likewise
ree to cast slugs without having to leave his keyboard, and he runs no risk of
aving splashed or ruined matrices. The specific means by which the objects of
he present invention are attained are illustrated in the accompanying drawings
nd will now be described in detail in connection therewith and afterwards claimed.

page_text: •
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the justifying and casting mechanism of the
above mentioned Mergenthaler linotype machine, from the left hand:
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the vice and a composed line in it:
Figure 4 is a plan on an enlarged scale:
Figure 5 is a detail side elevation on an enlarged scale; and
Figure 6 is a front elevation of Figure 5.
A, A are portions of the main frame of the machine; a, a shaft upon which
the cams of the driving mechanism are made fast; 6, the cam for the metal
pot V, its mouth piece; 12, 2, a pair of legs upon which the said pot is sup-
ported, their bottom ends being pivotted to the front of the main frame A;
23, the pot gas stove; 57, 157, a pair of brackets upon the back of the pot V,
and from which hangs the arm 8, through an antifriction roller on which latter,
the cam engages the pot V, such engagement being maintained by the weight
of the pot 59, a combined adjustable tie and cushioning spring between the
bottom end of the arm 58 and the bottom of the pot for the double purpose of
varying the distance between the contacting faces of the mouth piece v and of
the antifriction roller just mentioned and of cushioning the contact between the
said cam and pot; 260, the cam for the pump piston 1, a bell crank lever
fulcrummed on the main frame A, having the pump piston pivotally connected
to its front arm and its rear arm (duly fitted with an antifriction roller) kept in
constant contact with the periphery of the cam 260 by a depressing spring. It
is the down stroke of the pump that injects the molten metal into the mould o.
is the mould wheel; 2, its supporting bush and o, the mould block having
the mould o formed in it, the said block being held fast to the mould wheel 0.
72 is the cam for the justifying lever 1, a compressed spring under the
latter to keep it in constant touch with its cam:7, the connecting rod from the
front end of the said lever up to the justifying plates 6. Y, Y are the matrices;
Z, %, the long members and 11, the short members of the space bars.
All the parts above described are as heretofore, as is also the way in which they
co-operate, this way being substantially as follows. The composed line of matrices
and space bars having been placed between the vice jaws p, p, the mould
wheel O is pushed up to it from the rear, until the front of the mould block o¹¹
stand in metal tight contact with the rear face of the said line. The jaws p¹, 73
stand at a practically fixed distance apart, there being more or less looseness in
the composed line, i.e., the matrices and space bars do not fit tightly against each
other. This looseness is taken out of the line; the distances between the words
equalised; the length of the composed line made equal to the distance between
the vice jaws; and the elements-the matrices and the space bars-of the said
line, wedged between the vice jaws into practically a solid block, by the process
of justification. This process consists in pushing the long wedges Z up through
the composed line over the short wedges. It is effected by the elevation of the
two plates . First, the recess 7 in the cam 72 is brought by the rotation of
the latter, over the contacting roller of the justifying lever 12, and during the
passage of it over such roller, the spring makes the lever p12 push the wedges Z
up through the distance indicated by the lower set of dotted lines in Figure 1.
A second cam and justifying lever here come into operation, but as such operation
does not affect the present invention, they are omitted from the figures. The
pot is next swung forward until its mouth stands in metal tight contact with
the rear face of the mould block o¹¹. The recess in the cam the direction
of the latter's rotation is indicated by an arrow is next carried over the contact-
ing roller and during its passage, the spring makes the lever 212 and the
plates push the wedges Z up, through the distance indicated by the second
set of dotted lines in Figure 1. The omitted justifying lever co-operates with
Full
the lever during the second elevation of the justifying plates p6.
particulars of this omitted lever will be found in the Specification of Letters
Patent 14582 above mentioned,

page_text: Now, if the operator had put into the composed line, as many matrices and
space bars as he ought to have done, the second justifying action of the lever 13
that associated with the recess would have effected all the above recited
results of the process of justification, especially the wedging the elements-
matrices and space bars-of the composed line between the vice jaws p¹, 22
into practically a solid block, and no amount of pushing on the wedges Z would
have moved them farther up through the composed line. In other words, the
forced stoppage of the lever 12 at this point, is proof that the operator had
composed a proper number of elements into the line. But it sometimes happens
that the operator presents to the mould cavity o, a line that has not as many
elements in it as will, after the second elevation of the justifying plates p, con-
stitute the practically solid block above referred to. The next casting operation
would necessarily be a miscarriage because the fluid metal would be injected
into the lacuna between the said elements instead of stopping in the mould
cavity o. But the very absence of elements which make such a miscarriage a
certainty, make it possible for the wedges to be moved farther upwards through
the line than the second justifying action of the lever 12 had moved them.
78 is a bell-crank lever fulcrummed upon the tie above mentioned, so that
it can rock on a plane at right angles with the pump lever is a lateral
projection on the latter. The top end of the lever 78 stands normally just clear
of the downward path of the projection 70, as in the above mentioned patent 28081.
According to the present invention, it is not the justifying lever that engages
the stud already mentioned as standing at or a little below that point in the
upward path of the said lever at which it would be stopped by the wedging of
the elements of the composed line between the vice jaws p, p, but a block 1
normally lying down upon the top of it. This block 1 is carried by a lever 2
having its fulcrum at 3 upon the side of the lever 72, so that it can be rocked
over to clear the stud 4 which is adjustable vertically in the end of the horizontal
arm of the lever 78. The lever 2 has two fingers 5 and 6. The finger 5 hangs
downwards under the fulcrum 3 while the finger 6 projects to the rear as shewn
in Figure 5. 7 is a rock-shaft mounted in suitable bearings 8, 8, in the machine
frame A. 9 is an upstanding finger fast to the said shaft and carried by it in
such a position as to be capable, by engaging the depending finger 5 when the
lever pe is in its lowest position, to rock the lever 2 to make it lay the block 1
down upon the lever 12, as shewn in Figure 5. The rock-shaft 7 is actuated
through suitable connections whenever the operator sends a composed line towards
the vice p, p, so that the lever 18 will always be ready to deal with a loose
line. Thus, it is only when there is a composed line on its way to the vice, that
the block 1 is in position to prevent the pump working, at other times, it stands
so as to clear the stud 4. The figures, more particularly 1 and 4, shew the rock-
shaft as actuated by the depression of the grip of the lever by which the
operator sends the composed line away towards the vice, through a chain 10 fast
by one end to the said lever 3, by the other, to a second upstanding finger 11
13 is a
on the rock-shaft 7 and led over a pulley 12 on the machine frame A.
spring detent fast by one end to the side of the lever p2 and having a shoulder 14
on it so positioned that it will by the upward resilience of the said spring,
engage either in front or behind a stud 15 projecting laterally from the lever 2,
to hold the block 1 in either one of its two positions. 16 is a spring to return the
rock-shaft after it has been actuated by the lever .
17 is a post fixed to the machine frame A. 18 is a finger pivotted on the said
post and projecting normally into the path of the finger 6.
As the latter rises
with the lever 12, it trips the finger 18 out of its way, but as the finger 18 drops
back upon a fixed stop 19, the lever 2 is rocked over by the return of the lever 12,
by the finger 18 then held by its stop 19, thereby putting the block 1 out of
position to engage the stud 4, as shewn in Figure 1. Figure 5 shews the block 1
as in position to engage the said stud.
When the presence in the vice of a loose line, allows the justifying lever 12

page_text: to rise past its usual highest level, represented by the dot and dash line 26 in
Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6, a bell 20 is rung. The latter is preferably mounted upon
the lever 12, the stem 21 of the clapper 22 being then pivotted upon a suitable
axis such as the fulcrum of the lever 2. 23 is a clip on the lever to hold the
clapper away off the bell 20. As the lever 12 passes the said level, the stem 21
engages with a stud 24, which pushes the stem 21 out of the clip 23 and allows
the clapper 22 to drop upon the bell 20. The stud 24 is preferably adjustable and
is supported in any suitable way. It is shewn as working through the top of
the post 17 suitably bent for the purpose. The clapper stem 21 is re-engaged
with its clip 23 by a stud 25 on the finger 6 when the latter is rocked over as
the justifying lever p¹² returns.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is.
The combination with the vice pump, stop, and justifying lever of a linotype
machine, of a lever and block on the justifying lever, connection adapted to
rock the lever to put the block into operative position under the pump stop each
time a composed line is sent towards the vice; alarm bell adapted to be sounded
if the composed line is too short, before it can be distributed; and means for
returning the several parts into their respectively normal positions.
CHAS. S. WOODROFFE,
Chartered Patent Agent.