IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, SETTING-UP, AND DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES FOR PRINTING
Year: 1854

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Martin Wiberg at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th July 1854.
I, MARTIN WIBERG, of Lund, in the Kingdom of Sweden, but now of
Myddelton Square, in the County of Middlesex, Doctor of Philosophy, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION, SETTING-UP, AND DISTRIBUTION OF TYPES FOR PRINTING" to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate to apparatus for selecting in order to the "setting"
of letters and other signs and "spaces" required to form words and sentences by
mechanical means, and the improvements consist in arranging the type holders
in pairs of alphabets of the same kind, including signs and "spaces," opposite
cach other, there being, by preference, two of such pairs of alphabets, and their
signs and "spaces" forming two lines of type holders, with the first letter of one
alphabet opposite the last letter of the other alphabet in each pair of alphabets
(when more than one pair of alphabets is used), and in employing finger keys,
each capable of acting by means of levers to draw either of two opposite letters,
signs, or spaces" from the type holders or reservoirs, the selection being
controlled by pedals, in order that the letters desired may be brought into one
line, and then collected by what I call a "type collector," until a line or
portion of a line is collected, ready to be placed in the type frame or galley.
The holders of the capital letters I arrange also in two lines, one half of the
alphabet of capitals being in one line whilst the other half is in an opposite

page_text: line, and the selection of the capital letters from either line, as required, is in
like manner effected by the aid of finger keys and pedals, to bring the capitals
into the same line as the other letters, signs, or "spaces."
The Invention also relates to means for effecting the distribution of types
according to their letters and other signs and "spaces."
The types are formed with a nick or recess on each side or edge thereof,
one of which recesses or nicks is in the same position in every type, whilst the
other is in the same position only in types of the same letter or indication; or
if in the same position in types of more than one indication, then I vary the
size of such nick or recess.
When desired to distribute such type they are placed in a frame, with
clastic pressure acting upon that side of them where the recesses are alike in
all types; a rib or projection from a plate then presses upon the opposite side
of the type where the recesses vary in position or in width with the letter,
sign, or "space" indicated, and by catching into all those which being of like
appropriation have their recesses on that side of them alike, it pulls them out,
and so on with others in succession, and they pass into their appropriate type
holders or reservoirs ready for resetting, by which a complete distribution is
effected.
I prefer that apparatus according to my Invention be so arranged that the
"setting" and "distribution" be simultaneously effected. I construct eneh type,
though of different thickness to others, yet of a thickness which will be a
multiple of a thickness of which all the others are also a multiple, by which I
am enabled to obtain greater facility in "spacing."
The "type collector" may have applied to it an indicator acted upon by the
type as collected, to show and thus facilitate the "spacing" required.