IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DIS- TRIBUTING AND SETTING-UP TYPE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cumming, of Edinburgh, Artist, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DIS-
TRIBUTING AND SETTING-UP TYPE."
Sealed the 5th September 1862, and dated the 19th March 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cumming at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
March 1862.
I, JOHN CUMMING, of Edinburgh, Artist, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
DISTRIBUTING AND SETTING-UP TYPE," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the method of and apparatus for distribu-
ting and setting-up type relates first, to a novel or improved method of dis-
tributing type that has been used for printing, and for arranging the letters or
type in order in columns suitable for being placed in the. composing machine,
which forms the second part of my Invention.
The distribution or arrangement of the type in columns is accomplished in
the following manner :-Marks or nicks are cast, cut, or planed (by preference

page_text: on the back) of the types, but these nicks may be made on any other convenient
part of the type.
By making these nicks long or short, and arranging them at different parts
of the type, a great number of combinations may be produced, as will be
required for different letters. A sharp-edged rule is made to pass the whole
length of a line of types, and this edge is inserted into these nicks. Another
similar rule is applied in the same manner at the same part of the type or in
another nick, and by causing. these rules to approach or recede from one
another, the type will be separated into its different characters. A nick is
left at each end of the type for the purpose of drawing the letters from one
another by force after they have partially separated..
Another arrangement consists in making nicks or indentations in the back
and front of the type, and by an arrangement of these marks on the types
resting on sharp bars, the one type is forced above the other, and made to
separate from the others by the position of the nicks, one part of the type being
left plain while another part is indented. By the bars or rods being made to
press together the type or characters the latter are forced one above
the other into different levels, and may then be made to slide out or away from
the others by the application of draft rules. This operation may be performed
on lengths or lines of the type of 18 inches, more or less, without affecting
the principle.
The distributing operation may be made self-acting by causing suitable
mechanism to actuate the separating rods or bars. When all the letters of
one sort are separated in succession from the general mass, they may be col-
lected and formed into columns for the composing machine.
By means of this composing machine, which forms the second part of my
Invention, the types are set up and formed into words or sentences, by selecting
or taking single letters. This selection is effected by means of keys arranged
'on a kind of scáleboard, and by depressing these keys, the letters are forced out
of the grooves (in which the columns of letters are placed) into a line or
channel running along the machine..
The letters during this operation are held in their proper position by means
of a bar covered with leather or other suitable material on one side, for the
purpose of forming a friction pad to hold the type in their position till another
instrument or part of the machine comes into operation to collect all such of
the types as may be thrown up. out of their grooves by the keys above 'men-
tioned. This leather covered bar or bars, which extend along the length of
the machine, are adjustable by means of screws to suit any size of type. The
type descends in the grooves by gravity, till it is stopped by a bar, and then

page_text: until the fork operated upon by the keys knocks it up. The column grooves
are placed at the angle of 45, or any other suitable angle and of any convenient
length. Little forks or arms are placed at the lower ends of the grooves, and
are connected to levers, and as the keys act on these levers, the type is forced
out of the grooves by the forks or arms, and is held in the pad edgewise till
the collector is made to pass along, when the selected letters are carried
to the composing-stick apparatus or receiver on the left-hand side of the
machine. These keys are set on a slide rest, so that they may be slidden along
to any part of the grooves, and the selected letters will be driven up to the
receiver where they are formed into lines.